Birth Control: Loestrin 24 Fe

[LoveMU]

Hi everyone,

I am not on birth control and haven't been in years, I am 25 years old. I have a box of Loestrin 24 Fe I just got from the doctor. Has anyone used this? What are the side effects you experienced? What was your overall experience? I am so worried about side effects! I am kinda moody and I don't want this to make me more moody, and I don't want to gain weight either!

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Ronnie Bombs]

Hi, I've been on this for about a year now and I love it. I havent experienced any side effects but that can vary from person to person. The best thing about it...my period lasts about only 3 days and is not heavy at all!

 

[KristyVictoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoveMU Hi everyone, I am not on birth control and haven't been in years, I am 25 years old. I have a box of Loestrin 24 Fe I just got from the doctor. Has anyone used this? What are the side effects you experienced? What was your overall experience? I am so worried about side effects! I am kinda moody and I don't want this to make me more moody, and I don't want to gain weight either! Thanks so much for your help!

The side effects for birth control pills are pretty similar across the table unless you're using a progestin only form. Loestrin 24 is Estradiol (Estrogen) and Norethindrone (progestogen). Possible side effects can be mood changes and weight gain, but oral contraceptives can also help to ease mood changes in some women and sometimes even cause weight loss in others. There's no way to know how you will react until you take it, and you really can't base your experience on that of other people because hormones affect women so differently.

There are other options available if it turns out that you have side effects from the progestogen part of the pill. If you have side effects from the synthetic estrogen, you can opt to try a progestogen only form of birth control, but it must be taken at the exact same time every day.

If that doesn't work for you, some women have less side effects from the NuvaRing because the hormones are delivered in a more direct manner at a lower dosage.

Any more questions, feel free to ask.

 

[joey444]

Since I was seventeen I've been on birth control. First on Yazmine then on Yaz and now after my second daughter, on Loestrin. By far my favorite was Yaz. With Yaz, I had NO symptons what so ever. I didn't gain weight, I had no cramps, my back didn't hurt, my period lasted three days....it was awsome. Now with Loestrin, I felt naseous when I started taking it, my face broke out, I have the worst cramps before my period, and I have ALWAYS been a happy person and this has given me the worst mood swings! It's true that everyone's body reacts differently but since I have something to compare it to, I can't wait to go back to my doctor so he can put me back on Yaz.

Good luck!

 

[NatalieMT]

I started off on Loestrin and to begin with it was fantastic, helped me control my irregular periods, made them really light too and I got absolutely no side effects whatsoever. Wasn't moody, didn't gain any weight, infact I was losing weight at that time. But like others have said what happens to one doesn't necessarily happen to another, so until you've started taking it you won't know what you'll be like. Just try it, if you decide it's not for you, you can go back and consult with your doctor again. They're there to help!

Unfortunately however after a couple of months on the Loestrin I found because it was a low dose pill I was getting a lot of spotting, which got annoying so I switched brands and dosage and am now on Microgynon 30. Again had no side effects at all. However on Microgynon I have found my periods aren't lighter and still last a good week which isn't so good.

 

[LoveMU]

I once was on birth control for a few months when I was 20, i don't remember what kind it was, but it made me gain 20 pounds! That is part of the reason I have been scared to start using this, and also my moodiness as I said above. I guess I should just take the leap cuz it's better than the alternative!

 

[Meisje]

I am on a variation of Loestrin. The only thing I noticed was that you have to be careful not to get dehydrated, or you will have extra trouble, um... let's call it "going to Poopington."

 

[lesreid2]

I took that pill for YEARS and loved it. I had no side effects. It was actually the only one I coud take that would make me sick.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Birth control is just trial and error. You really wont know how your body will react to it until you've taken it for at least a few months because it can take a while before your body fully adjusts to the hormones. I've known woman who have tried birth control after birth control until they've found one that suits them.

I have heard and read that types of birth control with lower doses of estrogen have a lower chance of water retention which is what usually causes birth control associated weight gain. Also another aspect of it is increased appetite which can also be attributed to higher dose pills.

I hope the Loestrin 24 works out for you though, and do let us know how it's going.

 

[KristyVictoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by X4biddenxLustX I have heard and read that types of birth control with lower doses of estrogen have a lower chance of water retention which is what usually causes birth control associated weight gain.

Sorry, but this is not true. Water retention can only be held accountable for a very small percentage of weight gain. In some women, synthetic estrogens can just cause the body to store a much higher percentage of caloric intake than others.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

oh really?

I'm on the nuvaring and I honestly think it makes me hungrier than I usually am although I do normally have a large appetite. So yeah I've put on weight. I think I've only had one kind of birth control pill make me gain a bit a weight and it was more of water retention cause it immediately went away after I stopped taking it. My doc just told me that she'd put me on a pill with a lower dose of estrogen after I complained to her about it.

 

[KristyVictoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by X4biddenxLustX oh really? I'm on the nuvaring and I honestly think it makes me hungrier than I usually am although I do normally have a large appetite. So yeah I've put on weight. I think I've only had one kind of birth control pill make me gain a bit a weight and it was more of water retention cause it immediately went away after I stopped taking it. My doc just told me that she'd put me on a pill with a lower dose of estrogen after I complained to her about it.

Yes. Estrogen will make you retain water but synthetic estrogen can completely change the way your body metabolizes food. Case in point: I have naturally high estrogen levels. However, after having my hormone production suppressed, even on tiny fractional levels of transdermal estradiol, far below my body's own doses, I gained massive amounts of weight eating less than 1200 calories a day. Increasing the dosage of estrogen just made it worse. My endocrinologist said that this was not uncommon, and so did my registered dietician (did you know that weight gain is the most common reason women choose to stop taking oral contraceptives?) Despite eating less than half the amount of calories a day, synthetic estrogen made me gain almost 70 lbs.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Yikes! I seriously didn't know any of this, ugh I wish my doc would of explained a little more about bc to me. I was really worried about weight gain with the nuvaring when I first tried it (which was like over a year ago) and I really dont think it has affected my weight. I have gained weight though but its because I finished school and I just stay home all day and eat and barely get any exercise since its so cold out. I think I was gaining weight months before I even started using it again this summer after taking a break off of it for a few months.

Yeah I have heard that the biggest complaint with bc was weight gain and then most woman can also get like pmsish symptoms (sore breasts, cramping, moodiness,ect). I've dealt with different levels of the pmsish symptoms with almost every type of bc I've tried some better some worse. Currently what I'm dealing with the nuvaring is bareable so hopefully I can stay on this for a while.

 

[KristyVictoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by X4biddenxLustX Yikes! I seriously didn't know any of this, ugh I wish my doc would of explained a little more about bc to me. I was really worried about weight gain with the nuvaring when I first tried it (which was like over a year ago) and I really dont think it has affected my weight. I have gained weight though but its because I finished school and I just stay home all day and eat and barely get any exercise since its so cold out. I think I was gaining weight months before I even started using it again this summer after taking a break off of it for a few months. Yeah I have heard that the biggest complaint with bc was weight gain and then most woman can also get like pmsish symptoms (sore breasts, cramping, moodiness,ect). I've dealt with different levels of the pmsish symptoms with almost every type of bc I've tried some better some worse. Currently what I'm dealing with the nuvaring is bareable so hopefully I can stay on this for a while.

The nuvaring is the least likely to affect your weight and the most tolerable form of birth control I've tried and I have literally tried everything in almost every combination. Even things that weren't FDA approved in the United States. The only current hormone I can tolerate (aside from my own, which I can barely tolerate) I have to have shipped from Spain.

It's extremely difficult to find a good Gyn who really understands and will take the time to help you understand what's going on and listen to your problems. I gave up after the 10th one who told me there was nothing wrong with me despite the fact I could barely function two weeks out of every month from my PMS. Now I have found a Reproductive Endocrinologist who is much more knowledgable and up to the task.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

It's hard finding a good doctor for anything period these days. I always feel like I'm bothering them when I have questions or real concerns about my health, I just get that vibe that they could honestly careless and if it wasn't for the fact that they could get in trouble they wouldn't even waste their time on me. My mom and I go to the same gyna, and whenever we first went for her appointment ( I had to translate for her, she doesn't really speak much english) she seemed nice and everything. So I decided to schedule an appointment with her myself since I was due for my annual pap and needed bc too. I walked out of that visit feeling like I was a "burden" to her when I asked her bout the different types of bc since my insurance can be an ass when it comes to covering for bc.

How much does your bc from Spain cost just out of curiousity? The only thing that I have ever tried besides the nuvaring have been different types of the pill. Probably maybe around 4 different kinds? I've decided to stay on the nuvaring because its just so convenient, I can't remember for the life of me to take a pill at the same time everyday. I can't stand shots so no deprovera for me. And since I've never been pregnant and had a baby I can't get an IUD either. So really I dont have much choose for bc other than the nuvaring. The only real complaint I have with it is that it barely affects my period while the pill has always made my periods a lot more bareable and last only 4 days at the most. My periods naturally are around 7 days now, super heavy and incredibly painful. Before taking bc I would have to miss 2 3 days a month because of it. With the nuvaring my periods are still that way but just a tad bit better. I still have to take around 600-800 mg of ibuprofen to help with the pain for the first 3 days of my cycle.

 

[KristyVictoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by X4biddenxLustX How much does your bc from Spain cost just out of curiousity? The only thing that I have ever tried besides the nuvaring have been different types of the pill. Probably maybe around 4 different kinds? I've decided to stay on the nuvaring because its just so convenient, I can't remember for the life of me to take a pill at the same time everyday. I can't stand shots so no deprovera for me. And since I've never been pregnant and had a baby I can't get an IUD either. So really I dont have much choose for bc other than the nuvaring. The only real complaint I have with it is that it barely affects my period while the pill has always made my periods a lot more bareable and last only 4 days at the most. My periods naturally are around 7 days now, super heavy and incredibly painful. Before taking bc I would have to miss 2 3 days a month because of it. With the nuvaring my periods are still that way but just a tad bit better. I still have to take around 600-800 mg of ibuprofen to help with the pain for the first 3 days of my cycle.

It's actually not a form of birth control, it's just a synthetic hormone that is used as a form of HRT, as I have to be induced into menopause. It's not approved in the US for reasons that don't apply to people with my condition. It costs me $40 a month but I have to buy in bulk so I spend almost $500 a time on it.

I don't have periods anymore so I can't really say about pain. I usually had pretty light periods anyways, my body was just terribly ravaged by the changes in hormone levels. The nuvaring is probably your best option by the sound of it.

I am actually trying to write letters to people in hopes of getting it approved in the US as a treatment for PMDD. It is the only thing out there for those of us with extreme cases where Yaz makes symptoms worse (I was becoming diabetic from mine.) My doctor thinks it's a great treatment option. I'm lucky that he was willing to experiment with something different.

 

[LoveMU]

Thank you for all your responses! I think I am going to take the plunge and start taking these pills after my next period!

Responding to above, I feel the same way about doctors, I feel like they are not attentive to me at all and that I am a "burden" on them. Yeah, a burden that pays them $100+ for a 15 min visit! Give me a break. It also really scares me, because I don't want to ever find out there is something wrong with me that the doctors have ignored because they were negligent.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KristyVictoria It's actually not a form of birth control, it's just a synthetic hormone that is used as a form of HRT, as I have to be induced into menopause. It's not approved in the US for reasons that don't apply to people with my condition. It costs me $40 a month but I have to buy in bulk so I spend almost $500 a time on it. I don't have periods anymore so I can't really say about pain. I usually had pretty light periods anyways, my body was just terribly ravaged by the changes in hormone levels. The nuvaring is probably your best option by the sound of it. I am actually trying to write letters to people in hopes of getting it approved in the US as a treatment for PMDD. It is the only thing out there for those of us with extreme cases where Yaz makes symptoms worse (I was becoming diabetic from mine.) My doctor thinks it's a great treatment option. I'm lucky that he was willing to experiment with something different.

$40 isn't bad especially if its actually helping you. My insurance refused to cover Yaz for whatever reason and was told I'd have to pay at least $56 a month at least for it, so yeah that option went out the door.

Yeah I plan on just staying on the nuvaring as long as it isn't giving me any serious problems. Instead of taking the ring out every 3 weeks and having a week without a ring where you'd have your period, the gyna at planned parenthood told me to just put a new one in immediately if I wanted to avoid a period. I now do this for like 2 3 months at at time.

Ahhh, I hope there are more treatment options for PMDD especially when the usual treatments fail. Is there a reason why it isn't already approved in the U.S? I'd also like to see more birth control options cause I seriously feel like we have come a long way with them but still there isn't enough chooses.


I seriously just avoid docs as much as I can now unless I absolutely need to see one. They all just like to have unecessary tests performed on you and try to shove this pill or that pill down your throat

. After having a bad reaction to buspar (an anxiety medication) I realized how much medication can seriously affect your body.

 

[KristyVictoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by X4biddenxLustX $40 isn't bad especially if its actually helping you. My insurance refused to cover Yaz for whatever reason and was told I'd have to pay at least $56 a month at least for it, so yeah that option went out the door. Yeah I plan on just staying on the nuvaring as long as it isn't giving me any serious problems. Instead of taking the ring out every 3 weeks and having a week without a ring where you'd have your period, the gyna at planned parenthood told me to just put a new one in immediately if I wanted to avoid a period. I now do this for like 2 3 months at at time. Ahhh, I hope there are more treatment options for PMDD especially when the usual treatments fail. Is there a reason why it isn't already approved in the U.S? I'd also like to see more birth control options cause I seriously feel like we have come a long way with them but still there isn't enough chooses. I seriously just avoid docs as much as I can now unless I absolutely need to see one. They all just like to have unecessary tests performed on you and try to shove this pill or that pill down your throat . After having a bad reaction to buspar (an anxiety medication) I realized how much medication can seriously affect your body.

$40 isn't bad, it just gets expensive on top of the other stuff I have to take. Luckily my insurance covers the $3,000 injections that I have to get 4 times a year or I could never pay for them.

I used to skip my periods alot by continuously taking birth control pills too, I wish I could tolerate them but I just can't. It makes everything worse for me.

Tibolone isn't approved in the US because it may raise the risk of uterine hyperplasia in post menopausal women 65+. Obviously this isn't a risk with PMDD patients because PMDD is no longer an issue after menopause.

I HATED buspar, it made me feel like I was going to have a seizure and gave me terrifying anxiety that made me afraid I was going to die or something. Yuck. That stuff is awful.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

The cost of medications and just the normal monthly expenses does add up. I'm so thankful that my insurance even covered the nuvaring, I was so surprised when the pharmacy told me they did. I just wonder why they didn't cover Yaz?

I seriously CANNOT have a period every month with the nuvaring. It was still painful and a complete bitch when I was using the pill but it would only last for 4 days tops so I could deal with it. But with the nuvaring, I feel like my uterus is being yanked out and I can seriously feel the life being drained out of me. I've even had people who would get so concerned about me during that TOTM and they've even asked me if I was anemic. I'm dreading February...cause its about that time now!

See, that makes absolutely no sense with the Tibolone. If a woman who isn't menopausal take it for PMDD, it shouldn't cause any problems right? Plus I highly doubt that most woman who are 65 and older still have their periods. If that is the case then it's def worth a shot to try out. I swear I think sometimes its men who are behind these drug approvals lol. They dont understand how it feels cause it can't happen to them lol! This kind of reminds me of the Mexoryl issue in the U.S, although I think it might be approved now. I had come across a Lancome sunscreen with it in it as an ingredient. But it was being used for years and years in Europe and it was approved there but just not here for some reason.

Buspar is the devil's work seriously! I had only taken one day's dosage and the next day I woke up with all these little red bumps on my face and upper neck area. And the day after that I just out of nowhere started developing chest pains and it would hurt whenever I would breathe. It went on and off for about a few weeks. Buspar was the only thing new that I had been taking so I know its not the Allegra or Nuvaring (the only 2 medications I am on on a daily basis) doing it. It made my anxiety worse too! I was like so paranoid the day that I was on it too! I thought I was seriously just going crazy. The doctor ended up prescribing me Celexa after that which I haven't even taken because I had specifically told him that I only wanted something for my anxiety (which is my biggest issue right now, thats whats CAUSING my depressed mood in the first place!) and something for ADD cause he thinks that I may have it and I think I have it too (it's causing me even more anxiety cause I just keep freaking out that if I do get a job that I'll get fired from it cause I can't pay attention too well even if I do try). I ended up just canceling my appointment with him that I was suppose to go to on Wednesday. Don't know if I will reschedule or not.