Lo Loestrin Fe and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Vee...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 1, 2018

For Birth Control "This product has had such a negative impact on me. I’ve always been in and around 110 pounds, but I immediately gained 20 on LoLo that won’t come off. I have zero sex drive, and my anxiety and depression have worsened. I also haven’t gotten my period in 2 years, which is not very comforting. The bloating and stomach cramps are daily, literally no way of minimizing that."

• Anonymous
• July 24, 2019

For Birth Control "My doctor told me to take birth control since I have extremely painful periods. I am 20 years old and have never taken birth control. I only took it for 3 days and immediately decided to stop. I did not experience any symptoms the first day. The second day, I had mild anxiety, however, the third day was insane. I had constant anxiety throughout the day, had exhaustion, and an extreme mood swing. I know it was because of the birth control because I have never acted like that in my life. I stopped taking it the next day, and I am still suffering from anxiety. I have not been on the pill long enough to see long-term effects, but the anxiety is not worth it. I felt so out of control and so angry at nothing. I am glad people reviewed this birth control so I know I was not overreacting. Some women who reviewed this also said they experienced anxiety and had mood swings. Again, not everyone may experience this. Perhaps it’s a nice birth control to try, but it is not the right one for me."

• Kel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 26, 2019

For Birth Control "I just got off Lo Loestrin Fe. Was on it for a year and my period still never regulated. I was extra emotional and had intense anxiety on it. I also have had clear skin before, but for some reason, after 9 months on it, my skin has been consistently breaking out, so I just stopped taking it. I have endometriosis and it did stop my cramps from being super painful, but my period was all over the place and the acne won't go away. Only pros were that it did prevent pregnancy and no weight gain, but I'm sad this did not end up working out for me. The acne was my main issue, I just want the breakouts to stop. Trying Viorele next."

• NHa...
• January 12, 2021

For Birth Control "I started this pill over two years ago because every other pill causes my blood pressure to skyrocket. My blood pressure medicine was quadrupled but has (mostly) managed my bp while on this medicine. I am extremely depressed and at times borderline suicidal on this pill. I have PMDD, and it has gotten much, much worse on this pill. Anxiety is through the roof, I have gained weight (5-7 lbs I just can't get off, and I go to the gym and run half marathons regularly). I don't sleep. I feel myself being a crazy, moody human but can't stop myself. I wonder what on earth is wrong with me and then realized it's this pill. In two weeks I am getting an IUD, and I can't wait to not have to deal with awful side effects. As far as preventing pregnancy, it is a 10. I have never had a pregnancy scare. My periods are erratic, my cramps are at times off the charts, and nothing makes them better. I've never had a problem with either. Dear Western medicine: women deserve better than this to prevent pregnancy."

• Kar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 17, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on Lo Loestrin Fe for almost 6 years and regret ever going off of it. I never had one period, not one scare either. My skin got super clear, and I only gained about 5 lbs over the course of the entire 6 years. My anxiety almost completely disappeared, and now it's back horribly. I went to get my script refilled with my yearly, and unfortunately, my BP is too high to prescribe the same pill. I'm trying a different one for a month or two, but praying my BP goes down so I can go back on it. A little more info, I am in my 30s and have an almost 6-year-old child."

• Jje...
• June 9, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 28 years old, and I took them for 5 months. In that time, I never got my period. I gave it some time to see if my period would come down, and nothing. I even took a pregnancy test to make sure I wasn't pregnant. About 4 months into the pill, I started getting anxiety and very depressed. That's when my husband realized that it might be the pills that have my hormones all out of whack and had me feeling like this, so I stopped them. I had never experienced depression before, and everything I had done in the past started to bother me. I have lost a significant amount of weight, and even though I stopped the pills a month ago, they triggered my depression, and now I'm even seeking a psychologist's help. I would rather be pregnant than so severally depressed."

• Gra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I read a ton of these reviews, and none of them quite described my experience - truly, everyone reacts differently on this pill. For the first month, I dealt with terrible headaches. But I stuck it through, and they subsided within a few weeks. I also felt like at first my sex drive decreased, but everything was back to normal after the first month. Ever since I started taking it, I haven’t had periods at all, which has been great. I also love that I no longer get cyclical breast pain and tenderness - my breasts were slightly more tender during the first few months, but they never really hurt anymore. Overall, I really like this pill. I haven’t gained any weight, had an increase in acne, or experienced increased anxiety or depression - all things I was scared of when I started taking it."

• Van...
• September 8, 2017

For Birth Control "Horrible side effects. Been on this pill for almost 8 months, and the bloating/cramps are just getting worse and worse. Put on about 10 pounds, even though it's water weight - it did NOT go away! Worsened my anxiety and depression, made me so tired I could barely do anything all day. I felt like I was on morphine. I feel like I have to pee 600 times a day because of how bloated I am. Terrible, terrible pill. Do not recommend."

• Pup...
• May 6, 2017

For Birth Control "Do not use this if you suffer from anxiety. This made mine way worse. I've been suffering anxiety, depression, and bad mood swings since taking this. I have had two periods each month with bad cramping."

• Bep...
• July 4, 2019

For Birth Control "Lo Loestrin Fe nearly landed me in the hospital. I tried LLF for one week. Turns out that my body is extremely sensitive to estrogen changes, but I did not know this until AFTER LLF put me in essentially a crisis situation. After about a week of taking LLF, I started to experience EXTREME anxiety, 0-100% suicidal thoughts out of nowhere, and bizarre paranoid thoughts. I have always had some moderate anxiety issues, but NEVER any problems like this until I had started LLF. I felt nauseous and couldn't eat/sleep properly for days. I had to go under close watch of my OB/Gyn and a psychiatrist as they switched me off of these meds, and I was almost hospitalized because of it. All in all, it took me 2 weeks to get the med out of my system and MONTHS of multiple anxiety meds to bring my anxiety levels back to normal. The whole experience was scarring and it took a long time to recover from it-stay away!"

• Man...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2018

For Birth Control "I started Lo Lo in August, it was suggested by my doctor because of the low estrogen, as I do get bad migraines. This was my first time ever being on birth control. The first couple of months weren't too bad, I did notice a little weight gain, and my periods became shorter. After October, I noticed my moods were changing, I was getting nervous and anxious very easily. I really didn't feel like me. Then I started getting a period every 2 weeks, along with all the symptoms (the PMS, the cramping). So I was really feeling horrible pretty much every week. My sex drive was pretty much completely gone, and sex actually hurt. I went to the doctor and was told to wait it out, I gave it another 2 months, but it still continued, and honestly, emotionally, I felt numb. Within two weeks of being off of it, I felt normal again, and my regular cycle came back. Everybody reacts to birth control differently, lots of women have a positive experience with this, but I was not one of them."

• Man...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2018

For Birth Control "I started Lo Lo in August, it was suggested by my doctor because of the low estrogen, as I do get bad migraines. This was my first time ever being on birth control. The first couple of months weren't too bad, I did notice a little weight gain, and my periods became shorter. After October, I noticed my moods were changing, I was getting nervous and anxious very easily. I really didn't feel like me. Then I started getting a period every 2 weeks, along with all the symptoms (the PMS, the cramping). So I was really feeling horrible pretty much every week. My sex drive was pretty much completely gone, and sex actually hurt. I went to the doctor and was told to wait it out, I gave it another 2 months, but it still continued, and honestly, emotionally, I felt numb. Within two weeks of being off of it, I felt normal again, and my regular cycle came back. Everybody reacts to birth control differently, lots of women have a positive experience with this, but I was not one of them."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 14, 2018

For Birth Control "I was on Lo Lo for 4 miserable months! During those 4 months, I spotted and or bled heavily for 3 weeks out of the month, stopped bleeding only while on the first week of the pack. I was also severely depressed and had 3 horrible panic attacks, one was so bad I was taken to the ER. My anxiety while on Lo Lo got to a point where simple everyday tasks, like going to the grocery or taking my kids out, were impossible for me. I felt lightheaded/dizzy and fatigued on a daily basis. After numerous visits and phone calls to my OBGYN, she finally took me off this pill, and my mood has changed dramatically. I now feel I’m back to my normal self. Lo Lo was a nightmare for me!"

• kka...
• January 31, 2020

For Birth Control "The Lo Loestrin was my first birth control I've ever taken, and I love it. The only side effects I’ve experienced were extremely sore breasts about 3 months in, which lasted a week or two, random breakthrough bleeding the first 3 months, headaches but tolerable, and I have noticed an increase of anxiety during the nighttime that will come randomly. The only time this pill has altered my mood is during the days I’m on my period, which even happened before starting birth control. However, I do find myself slightly moodier now during those days. As for my cramps, I haven’t noticed a change in them being any less intense than they were prior to starting the pill, but I do have lighter and shorter periods. I do think this pill is doing a great job and serving its purpose with only minor side effects that are tolerable. I've been on it for 4 months now, and I’m about to start my 5th."

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2021

For Birth Control "I just started using this a few days ago, and I’m sick as a dog. I'm constantly nauseous, and I’ve found my anxiety has been unbearable. I want to stick it out, but the side effects so far aren’t even worth it. I deal with irregular periods and have had periods last up to 3 months, so I figured this would work better than the last BC I tried, which made me gain a ton of weight, but this is honestly miserable."

• Syd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on daily birth control for about 10 years. Recently, my doctor told me that Ocella (my previous BC) was known to cause blood clots in women like me under 35, and she recommended switching. She put me on Lo Loestrin Fe about three months ago. I've now had a headache for almost 6 weeks straight, most days are so bad that I have to take Excedrin or Ibuprofen. I'm anxious most of the time, not sleeping well - and now it's gotten to the point where my coworkers and family are noticing. So I went to my primary care physician, worried that I was depressed, and he said I need to get off of this BC and try something new. In general, I'm just really disappointed. I've read a lot of reviews that people do well on Lo Lo, but not me!"

• Ama...
• February 18, 2020

For Birth Control "From the start, I had major side effects while on Lo Loestrin Fe. It started with headaches, back pain, and anxiety. My provider encouraged me to continue to take the medication for a few more months as my body should adjust. After 4 months on this medication, I had enough. I have never felt more irritable, anxious, and bloated in my life. My appetite was out of control. This pill was definitely effective, but my body did not respond well to it."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2021

For Birth Control "I only took it for 2 days, and the first and second day, I was so anxious I had a panic attack and severe intrusive thoughts. As a person who struggles significantly with mental health, the increase in estrogen really impacted my well-being. I have been unable to eat and function for 2 days now. If you’re a person that struggles with your mental health, seriously consider before you take this, and make sure you talk with your doctor and a mental health professional before taking this, to understand the risks."

• Ak1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2021

For Birth Control "If you deal with anxiety, DO NOT TAKE. I was on it for a few months, and my anxiety skyrocketed. Couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, panic attacks. My heart felt like it was constantly beating out of my chest. I was miserable. I've been off it for a month and still dealing with it. It's gotten better but still not 100%."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 24, 2020

For Birth Control "This was my first birth control, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. My skin was clear, and my cramps weren't bad before taking this birth control. After about 3 weeks of taking it, I started breaking out and getting the worst cramps of my life. I kept on getting nonstop, painful breakouts that wouldn't go away. This pill has also caused me to have terrible mood swings, I've gained 5 lbs in 2 months, and I have been depressed and have had heightened anxiety. Wish I never took this pill!!"

• Cle...
• June 2, 2021

For Birth Control "I love this pill. It’s crazy to me how different women’s experiences are with the same birth control. I think low dose is the way to go (for me)!! When I was previously on a higher dosage pill, Junel Fe, I had pretty bad anxiety, depression, anger, and panic attacks daily that were beyond my control. It wasn’t me, and it was awful. Ever since I switched to Lo Loestrin, I’m back to my normal self AND I straight up don’t get a period anymore... I used to have heavy, painful periods, so that is a major win for me. I also have much clearer skin now! And no weight gain. The ONLY thing I don’t like about this pill is that I get very dry down there - it’s not fun. But with all the benefits, I’ll take it, and I’m too worried to experiment and switch off altogether or onto a different one after my first experience and knowing my natural acne and periods. Don’t be scared off by the bad reviews - it was a blessing for me, and it could be for you too!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 28, 2021

For Birth Control "Reading these reviews, it's crazy how much different birth controls can vary for different women. I personally had to switch from Junel Fe to Lo Loestrin and I should've done it way sooner. The previous pill gave me anxiety and depression pretty bad. I wasn't myself, it felt like something was controlling me. When I switched to Lo Loestrin, I went back to my happy self and have absolutely no periods, which I find very convenient. Overall, win-win for me! Also, I don't think I have experienced any side effects."

• Kim...
• June 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on this pill for no more than a week before I all of a sudden got this sensation of tightness in my chest along with hotness on my chest, neck, and face. This sensation continued for another week before I ended up in the hospital because I had a panic attack that had messed with my veins - and to this day they continue to do so and worsen. All of a sudden my veins began to become visible right before my eyes. Even one of the veins in my right hand below my thumb was pulsating and so large that it was visible all the way up between my thumb and index finger. The cramping was excruciating. It continues 8 months later. I can see my veins dilate - shrink and enlarge. When they shrink they cause my arms and hands to swell and lose color because of poor circulation. I was perfectly healthy before I took BC and now I have anxiety - which I’ve never, ever had before - that incites extreme anxiety and panic. Depression can be controlled, anxiety/panic cannot. My body is destroyed."

• Dee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on this medication for 5 months, gained 28 pounds, and couldn’t lose weight no matter how hard I tried. I also got acne, mostly on my back, which I never had before, and my ankles looked really swollen. I also had really bad anxiety. Since stopping this medicine, all of those problems have receded, and the pounds are falling back off."

• slg...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 29, 2019

For Birth Control "This was my first birth control I have ever used, and the side effects are constantly changing. The first 3 months were great besides some irregular bleeding. Then came the 6th month mark with shorter periods but also severe anxiety and depression. After coping with that, my migraines got worse and eventually started having auras. In the last year, I gained 20 pounds, and my breasts went up 2 sizes. Yes, this medication did the job, but be prepared for all the side effects it has."