Birth Control Pills: BE CAREFUL.

JatieKo621
JatieKo621 Posts: 425 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if anyone had any horrible reactions/effects with certain pills. I was on EstroStep for years and years and basically could control when my periods were. I didn't have any terrible problems, just spotting once in awhile. I was spotting more and more and decided to try a new pill. My doctor prescribed a new pill, I went to the pharmacy, and they recommended me trying the generic form of it. I had bad problems with the generic version of EstroStep, but since this was an entirely new pill I decided to give it a shot. 4 months later I am SERIOUSLY regretting it.

I have been on Previfem now and am completely miserable. I have gained about 15 pounds, and it is REALLY difficult to lose a single pound. I used to be very successful at slimming down in a relatively short time frame, but lately it is not working at all. I don't completely blame the pill because my eating habits are not 100% perfect, but what used to work for me to lose weight is not working anymore at all. I have also had a period for 2 months now which is NOT normal (sorry TMI), I have had horrible headaches and cramps, and I have been ridiculously moody-I lately will cry over anything and that isn't like me. My libido is gone, I feel awful, and I just now realized it has been occurring in the same time frame as switching to this new pill..

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I will never again trust a generic form-its obvious there is something in them that I don't react well to...but has anyone taken this pill? I am so relieved to put two and two together, but what are other options?
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Replies

  • JatieKo621
    JatieKo621 Posts: 425 Member
    Also anyone on IUD or NuvaRing or anything else, do you think that is better than a pill? I really only used the pill for a regular schedule.....not for birth control.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    Also anyone on IUD or NuvaRing or anything else, do you think that is better than a pill? I really only used the pill for a regular schedule.....not for birth control.

    I had an IUD, no weight gain, lighter periods, no side effects for me. Although if you don't have children they are less keen to fit it. However, they will if you press the issue. Also have a few friends who have had the arm implant. They also had no issues although if you have very thin arms it can sometimes be slightly seen under the skin. My best friend had it removed due to wanting to become pregnant. It took less than a month for her to conceive.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    Also anyone on IUD or NuvaRing or anything else, do you think that is better than a pill? I really only used the pill for a regular schedule.....not for birth control.

    My best friend had Mirena (IUD with hormones), and within 2 years, it had worked its way most of the way through the wall of her uterus. It required abdominal surgery to remove it, and the recovery was pretty miserable. I would never use our recommend an IUD knowing that.
  • enesamac
    enesamac Posts: 1
    I was taking Levlen Birth control pill for 2 years and receiving my period twice a month and gained 10 kilos. If I hd known it would be like this, I wouldn't touch them
  • einzweidrei
    einzweidrei Posts: 381 Member
    I am on a generic because that's what my insurance will pay for and that's that. I have not had any issues.

    I will say that I was taking a name brand (I forget which one) many years ago and then I was switched to a generic. I did not experience any changes when I switched. Eventually I was having some breakthrough so I switched to another generic that had a slightly more hormones than the one I was on (they were both low dose) and I've been on that one ever since.
  • soupandcookies
    soupandcookies Posts: 212 Member
    I am using the NuvaRing, and I've found it to be weight neutral so far (I'm 3 months in). I don't have to think about it more than twice a month, and I haven't really had any issues. The only thing i notice is that the day before my period, I have ridiculous fits of rage. It's kind of bizarre. But my periods are super short and light, and very predictable. I haven't had problems! Good luck!
  • attackhamster
    attackhamster Posts: 58 Member
    I took Emoquette (generic from Apri) for about 6 months and it gave me deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. My side effects were life threatening! It didn't cause my to gain weight, or make my boobs grow, or get rid of my pimples, or change my mood much (it did help my PMS). It made me very sleepy, which was awesome, because I always have trouble falling asleep at night!

    So now I can't take hormonal birth control ever again, which sucks. I'm looking at getting a copper IUD but I'm nervous about the side effects from that.
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
    I'm a Yaz, which I'm aware that there are lots of horror stories about, but it's the only thing that makes me functional during the week before my period. I tried the generic pill as an attempt to save money, but the problem with generic pills is that they only need to have the same active ingredient for the main purpose, which is birth control. My terrible periods came back, so I switched back after a few months. Of course, thanks to Obama's new health care plan, generic birth control is free now, which is great... But as a result, my insurance stopped covering my pills and they now cost me over $80/month.

    I haven't really experienced any terrible side effects. Actually, I think I've gained weight in my boobs, which I'm totally fine with! They have become more sensitive though, which can be bothersome.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Copper IUD 100%. Never looking back to using hormones.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Which I know lots of women use, but it did not like me! I gained 9 lbs the first month. Nothing in my lifestyle had changed.

    incorrect.

    you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

    If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
    Periods are optional. Opt out! I've been period/PMS free for over 7 years and it's AWESOME!!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Not all generics are bad. But obviously this one isn't working for you. There's tons of different pills you can switch to, so talk to your doctor immediately. No reason to keep feeling like crap.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    I've been on several I didn't like. Lo estestrin 24 fe was my favorite but was recently discontinued. I'm not on lo loestrin which is okay so far. They both have a very low dose of hormones and each pill has the same amount so that helps avoid weird side effects like mood swings. Most other pills change the dosage of hormones each week
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
    I have had an IUD (copper, not Mirena) for 9.5 years with no problems. It's due to come out this summer, but I might just get another one. No hormones, no side effects, nada. I got it right after my now 9 year old was born.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I'm in England, so I don't know if you have the same pills in the US, but I used to take Cilest and never had any problems with it. It never made me gain weight. I think when I started taking it again after my first child to made my weight loss slow down a bit, but it never stopped it.

    The pill is free in England.
  • Sylvitryinghard
    Sylvitryinghard Posts: 549 Member
    I will start again bc my skin is going crazy and its making me nuts also period is like being totally really really sick for 2 days altho I take ppills. fck this **** i will take it again no matter what. just take care its a low dosed one then its ok my doc said...even after 10 years.
  • nikkylyn
    nikkylyn Posts: 325 Member
    I had bad reactions to all types of hormonal birth control. Pill made me sick to my stomach. I also used the ring and that was no different. IUD was bad.. I had it for 7 months. It actually made my hair fall out in clumps. I would get hot flashes. Example it was 20degrees out and I went outside in shorts/tshirt flip flops and was sweating while I was outside in the snow.. Omg I felt like freak....I no it was the bc cuz as soon as it was removed the hair loss stopped and all other symptoms stopped too. I thought about the paraguard cuz it has no hormones but I havent tried it yet.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    I gained weight with the Nuva Ring, and it also made me act insane by giving me extremely unpredictable mood swings. Eventually it gave me such horrible abdominal cramps that I was real close to possibly going to the hospital, but my dad wrote me a prescription for some powerful painkillers. The pain subsided throughout the night, and I felt much better after a couple of days. This all happened within two weeks of beginning it. Horrifying experience! However, I have some girlfriends who love the Nuva Ring. You just never know how your body will react.
  • indybost
    indybost Posts: 35
    My BC is amazing
    sooo I cant. Relate to the side effects, I have gone thee a few different. Brands and this is what. Works for me! Its sprisingtec ...as. far as any weight gain on any pill, its not the actual pill puting on the pounds ..its the extra. Hormone in the pill that makes. U feel. Like ur hungry all the time, BC basically tricks ur body into. Thinking. It's. Pregnant, as long as u keep in mind that its the hormones. Maybe that will help ..ask outher dc to put u on something. Dif
  • Wenderzs
    Wenderzs Posts: 8
    I've been on Nuvaring for close to a decade with no problems at all. Just make sure to mark a calendar or set a phone reminder to put it in a take it out. I get my weeks mixed up and find myself looking at a calendar thinking has it been 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 4 weeks? It's easy to forget when it's not part of a daily routine like the pill. I tried Seasonique for about 4 months once thinking that 4 periods instead of 12 per year would be nice, but I spotted the entire time and switched back to Nuvaring. My sister and best friend both have IUD and have had no problems with them. My sister has Paraguard, she doesn't have kids, but had crazy emotions with hormone birth control crying and sadness all the time, so she got the IUD. My best friend has 2 kids and IUD was best for her because she wasn't good at remembering to take the birth control. Not sure which kind of IUD she got. Another friend has been getting the Depo shot for about a decade and does not ever have periods. She worries that it may affect her ability to get pregnant when she is ready to, but really has no idea if it will at this point because she hasn't tried yet.
  • Daytonsmommy
    Daytonsmommy Posts: 162 Member
    I was on NuvaRing for a couple of years and never gained any weight from it but it did cause me to have sharp pains on the left side of my chest which was pretty scary. I stopped using it and the pain has gone away. I don't use any form of hormonal BC anymore.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    Which I know lots of women use, but it did not like me! I gained 9 lbs the first month. Nothing in my lifestyle had changed.

    incorrect.

    you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

    If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.

    Mulfunctioning hormones can do funny things. I think I will stick to my Dr's advise on this one ;)

    I agree with the no magical weight gain. Ive had Mirena for about 2 months and I've still been losing like before. I am a hungry monster though. The hormones have made me feel blah and it doesn't matter how much I eat, sometimes it makes me have a tinge of hunger, even after a great, filling meal. If I weren't religiously counting calories and weighing portions, I would definitely be gaining weight.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Which I know lots of women use, but it did not like me! I gained 9 lbs the first month. Nothing in my lifestyle had changed.

    incorrect.

    you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

    If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.

    Beat me to it. Pills don't make you gain weight. Hormones may well do.

    I hear so many people use the 'I gained weight because of the pill' excuse.

    I started gaining weight when I went on the pill too, because I discovered I really liked cake.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    I had issues when I tried the pill several years before having children; I was an emotional wreck, I got petechiae, my schedule was messed up (breakthrough bleeding all the time), I felt like crap. It wasn't worth it.

    Since having children, I've gone on Junel, also known as Loestrin, with no withdrawal week. Love it. No side effects.

    One thing...you do not need the withdrawal week. It's a marketing ploy - when the pill was first developed, women didn't trust not having their period. So the pharmaceutical companies put in the withdrawal week to quell their fears. There is no medical reason that you need to have a period every month. Well, perhaps if you have Hemochromatosis, such that you need to remove iron from your body.

    Secondly, while the "average" cycle is 28 days, the standard deviation among women is 7 days. Using the pill on a 28 day cycle (21 days on, 7 days off) really messes things up.
  • san0322
    san0322 Posts: 58 Member
    I have been on Nuva Ring for about 7 years now and it's been the best BC for me. One of the previous posters was correct in stating that you should set calendar reminders when to change it, because it is not part of your daily routine. It is the easiest bc I've ever been on and you often forget it's even there.

    Before that, I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo which I gained weight on. I was also on Seasonale and Seasonique. Both of them gave me really bad mood swings and suicidal thoughts and depression. I seriously thought something was wrong with me until one day, while waiting before one of my grad classes, a few of my female classmates began a discussion about bc. One of them mentioned that one of her friends had the same symptoms as myself with Seasonale and had to go off of it. I made an appt with my doc and changed to Nuva Ring. I haven't had those same problems since.
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    I have had my fair share a birth control problems. I get debilitating cramps and menstrual migraines when I'm not taking anything. My doctor told me it has something to do with the drop in estrogen that happens just before my period. So I need a birth control that is high in estrogen but not so high that my body goes into withdrawal during my off week. Yasmin has been the only thing that works for me. When Yaz and Yasmin were getting a bad rap for potentially causing blood clots in the lungs, my husband pushed me to try something new. I went through 3 different pills over the course of a year and none of them worked for me. My cramps were so bad I missed work. I got migraines that lasted from 2 days into the off week until I was back on. I'm back on Yasmin now and I don't have nearly as many problems. I never had weight gain or loss from any of the pills. You just have to find what works with you and stick to it. If what works for you is known to cause problems, try to limit your risks. With Yasmin, it puts me at a higher risk of blood clots (which all birth control pills do) and that risk is elevated even higher if you are or have been a smoker so I never have and never will smoke.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Which I know lots of women use, but it did not like me! I gained 9 lbs the first month. Nothing in my lifestyle had changed.

    incorrect.

    you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

    If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.

    Beat me to it. Pills don't make you gain weight. Hormones may well do.

    I hear so many people use the 'I gained weight because of the pill' excuse.

    I started gaining weight when I went on the pill too, because I discovered I really liked cake.

    I think what people mean is that the pill created conditions that led to their weight gain. "The pill made me gain weight" is probably just simpler to say or type.
  • runshellersrun
    runshellersrun Posts: 21
    I didn't have trouble with weight gain on the pill or nuva ring, but I was always a crazy $!#@& because of the hormones. I love, love, love my paragard! Had some back aches for about a week after getting it, and that's my only complaint.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Also anyone on IUD or NuvaRing or anything else, do you think that is better than a pill? I really only used the pill for a regular schedule.....not for birth control.

    My best friend had Mirena (IUD with hormones), and within 2 years, it had worked its way most of the way through the wall of her uterus. It required abdominal surgery to remove it, and the recovery was pretty miserable. I would never use our recommend an IUD knowing that.

    It is a known risk, but it's also rare (doesn't make it less scary if it happens to you or someone you know). I've had Mirena for the better part of 4 years, now, and haven't had any issues with it.

    Personally, I'd prefer that slight risk over the issues I've had on others. Ortho Evra (the patch) turned a mild depression nearly suicidal. Depo Provera screwed with my hormones and contributed to a nearly 100lb weight gain in a year.
    Which I know lots of women use, but it did not like me! I gained 9 lbs the first month. Nothing in my lifestyle had changed.

    incorrect.

    you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

    If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.

    Beat me to it. Pills don't make you gain weight. Hormones may well do.

    I hear so many people use the 'I gained weight because of the pill' excuse.

    I started gaining weight when I went on the pill too, because I discovered I really liked cake.

    These statements aren't entirely true, either.

    Birth control pills, patches, shots, and Mirena are hormonal birth control options. They specifically change your Estrogen to Progesterone ratios by increasing one or the other. This disrupts the cycle and is why women's periods often change (or go away completely) while on them.

    The thing is, Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone are key hormones in managing weight in women, and where that weight is stored. Too much Testosterone or Estrogen, and you get a lot more of the fat stored in your abdominal area, for example. They also play a role in regulating thyroid function and insulin levels. Throw them out of whack, and you can end up with a lower metabolism (from decreased thyroid function), and increased fasting insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia) and increased insulin resistance, which can, in turn, screw with how the body stores and releases fat. If fasting insulin is too high, the "traffic cop" hormone that is insulin may be stuck in "storage/food burning" mode, keeping the existing body fat "locked up" and unavailable for use.

    This is a large part in why women with PCOS (an endocrine issue of currently unknown cause that causes hormonal imbalances and is often effectively treated using techniques similar to treating Diabetes), particularly with hyperinsulinemia, generally have better results in not only weight loss, but overall hormonal balance, on an equal-calorie low carb/high fat diet (which causes less of an insulin response than the typical high carb/low fat diets), and why Metformin can cause weight loss without dietary or exercise changes and improve the effects of existing weight loss efforts (because it suppresses glucose secretion from the liver, and help use insulin more efficiently).

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484445
    http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/2/1/35
    http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6740
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    Which I know lots of women use, but it did not like me! I gained 9 lbs the first month. Nothing in my lifestyle had changed.

    incorrect.

    you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

    If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.

    Beat me to it. Pills don't make you gain weight. Hormones may well do.

    I hear so many people use the 'I gained weight because of the pill' excuse.

    I started gaining weight when I went on the pill too, because I discovered I really liked cake.

    I think what people mean is that the pill created conditions that led to their weight gain. "The pill made me gain weight" is probably just simpler to say or type.

    I agree with much of this. but (and i am no expert) taking "the pill" adds hormones to your body that makes your body think you are pregnant, essentially, thus no ovulation. no actual period either--just a withdrawal bleed. So, while I don't believe the pill (meaning the hormones) creates a 30 pound weight gain; i think a modest weight gain initially is probably true for many.

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