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

• not...
• December 28, 2018

For Birth Control "I used this pill for contraceptive. I used it for 4 months with really no issues at all. I had no period and was not getting pregnant. However, I noticed I gained 15 pounds so quickly once I went away to school, and I did not change my diet. Then, at the end of the 4th month, the week I went home for winter break, I had extreme anxiety and depression. I have mild anxiety in general, but I hardly have panic attacks. In the last 4 days, I have been anxious and depressed and have really dark, depressed thoughts. I'm in an incredibly healthy relationship with a man I was sure I loved a week ago, and now this pill has left me anxious and in a mess about our relationship. I thought it was just him, but I began to think about everyone in my life, and my despair right now makes me want to push everyone away, and I have no interest in the things that brought me so much happiness before. I stopped the pill 2 days ago, and I already see a difference."

• Sus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I highly do not recommend Lo Loestrin FE birth control. I spotted half of the entire first pack, which I know is common, but I've never experienced it before. I have had daily headaches. My breasts have been extremely tender and have grown almost a full cup size. The worst is the anxiety. My anxiety has been through the roof and completely uncontrollable. I went a year on an entire bottle of Xanax, and since I've started this, I've probably used half of a bottle throughout a month because I've had so much nervousness and anxiety. Anxiety attacks galore. I never attributed this to birth control before, but I had these symptoms before when I was on birth control for 10 years and thought it was just me. It's not me. It's the birth control. I wouldn't even consider it if I were you. Also, lack of motivation to do anything or to be social, and I'm typically a very extroverted person."

• Fra...
• July 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm 2 weeks into Lo Loestrin after Mirena IUD removal, and due to irregular periods and ovarian cysts. Not sure what's a Mirena removal side effect (Mirena crash) vs. Lo Loestrin side effect. But I've had headaches and anxiety, and really sad, sad days. Just blah. I'm going to update as time goes on to annotate any other pros/cons. I have been nauseous the past few days too."

• Lol...
• April 26, 2019

For Birth Control "The first time I took this, I was on it for a year. When I went in for my annual, I told my Dr. I had horrible, crippling depression and anxiety, and we both thought it was due to all my life changes (graduating nursing school, getting a new job, moving out of my parents' house, planning a wedding). When I told her I was having breakthrough bleeding on this pill, she switched me to a different pill. My depression and anxiety immediately got better. I recently started taking it again (after pregnancy and breastfeeding). I’ve only been on it 2 months, and the depression is horrible. I have thoughts of self-harm and am just so down. I’m ALWAYS hungry and tired. I know this pill doesn’t have the same effects on everyone, but just be careful and aware of these possible side effects before getting on this pill. I believed my doctor that these symptoms were not in any way related to the pill, and clearly, they are."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 19, 2012

For Birth Control "I experienced bloating, depression, acne. No breast tenderness and no weight change. I had very little breakthrough bleeding and 2-day 'periods'. I didn't have mood swings, although I was freakishly mellowed out. I quickly fell into a deep depression complete with suicidal thoughts, and I have never had either of these before. My acne was intense, especially on my back. I also had a strange sensation of having out-of-body experiences (for lack of a better description). I was 'there,' but I felt like my mind wasn't, but I know and understand this is a rare side effect."

• Pyp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2020

For Birth Control "I have taken this birth control before, and I was not a huge fan, so I decided that when I need to start taking it again, I would. After about 6 months, I decided to get back on birth control. This time around, less than a week later, I started experiencing horrible mood swings. I have depression and multiple anxiety disorders, and since starting this pill, it made them all so much worse. I also got really bad sweats, and my acne got worse. I didn’t notice any weight changes. I also experienced spotting this time around, which was odd. I would not recommend this to a friend."

• SMQ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2019

For Birth Control "Took Lo Loestrin Fe for 5 months, wanted to regulate my periods. First few days of taking it, I was getting bad headaches and got acne on my face only, period stopped coming till the 3rd month and was followed by bleeding for 2 weeks. By the 4th month, acne was gone, headaches continued, had extreme anxiety and depression, was getting moody, lost weight, appetite was almost gone. By the 4th month, I had gotten my period, which lasted a week with painful cramps, a week and a half later again with breakthrough bleeding and this time was very heavy with passing blood clots. Felt very weak and miserable, I took it exactly the same time every day and never missed a dose, still had headaches and vomiting, breakthrough bleeding was getting heavy and was not stopping at all. I could barely make it through the 5th month, I felt weak and tired also, so I spoke to my doctor and told her that I’m stopping this pill. Been a week now since I stopped taking this pill, and I still feel weak and shaky. This medicine is not for me at all."

• Mel...
• October 8, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve used birth control for 5 years on and off, and Lo Loestrin Fe has been a miracle in a pill! It helps me lose weight easily, hair grows way faster and healthier, no periods and no pregnancy! I’m 20 years old and have grown up having extreme emotions and trouble losing weight due to eating disorders, but this pill has stopped all of that for me and made my life heaven! The only complaint I have is that the first 3 months for me were bad. By the end of the 3-month mark, I had gotten into such a deep depression I almost checked into a psych ward! But I have an amazing support system and knew it was due to my hormones regulating, I stuck it out and I was back to normal me in a week! Since I haven’t had any issues and love this pill!"

• Ano...
• November 3, 2015

For Birth Control "The only good thing that came from being on this pill was that it prevented pregnancy. Unfortunately, the side effects forced me off it. In the beginning, there was cystic acne (face, chest, back), mild weight gain/bloating, and mild mood swings. I gave it some time, my body just needed to adjust. After four months, the acne cleared up, but the mood swings worsened and depression kicked in. It only got worse from there. Just before stopping this pill at nine months, I felt like a completely different person-crying over every little thing, everything irritated me, little sex drive, constantly depressed. These side effects were having a huge negative impact on my life, totally not worth it to me."

• Not...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I've had a similar experience to another reviewer - the manufacturer, Janssen, of my previous pill brand name Ortho Tri-Cyclen stopped making it, so I decided to try this since it was a low-dose pill. I'm on my second pack but getting off - never in my life have I felt depressed, but I started feeling moody, easily agitated, angry at the little things, not motivated to go to work, SUPER tired and wanting to sleep even after a full night's sleep. I started getting a little acne on my back and chest too. Nothing bad is going on in my life at all, and there have been no changes besides being on this pill. This pill did not work for me, I was going to try to stay on for a 3rd month, but it's clearly not working for me, so I am getting off!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2021

For Birth Control "Do not recommend: Mood swings - screaming at everyone in sight and then crying hysterically. Depression, weight gain, cystic acne on my face, chest, and back, severe headaches. Very light period was the only positive I can think of, but it is not worth the negatives..."

• Mar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 1, 2019

For Birth Control "Amazing. Though I take this pill every day in the morning, and it’s so great. I haven’t gotten my period in eight months now (no, I am not pregnant), no more cramps, no more buying pads, it’s a relief! Also, I have not gotten any side effects such as headaches, weight gain, depression, etc. The low dose of estrogen doesn’t mess with your body too much. Highly recommend."

• jil...
• December 25, 2015

For Birth Control "This pill overall is not good. It's been about 7 months that I have been taking this pill, and it seems like it's an everyday struggle to get out of bed. I am finishing these pills after this pack. This pill has caused me to hate myself, everyone around me, and even affect my relationship with my boyfriend. Not only am I depressed, but my mood swings are not even explainable, they are that bad. Not having a period is not healthy, and feeling like this is not either. Probably one of the few people who has lasted past the 3-month period with these pills, but I never believed that it was the pills causing me this awful depression, but it was never this bad. My advice: stay away from these pills. If you want to stay sane anyway."

• Emm...
• August 26, 2019

For Birth Control "I do have a history of depression, migraines, and am currently 44 years old and am going through peri-menopause. (I have fairly mild peri-menopause symptoms currently: occasional night sweats, and my period is still fairly regular, with monthly frequency differing by only a couple of days each month.) Please use Lo Loestrin with caution when you start this because by the beginning of my third week, I started waking up at night with the worst night sweats I have ever had. My clothes and hair were completely soaked, so much so that I felt like I had just showered. I also woke in the middle of the night, running to the bathroom to vomit, and thought I was sick because I had been feeling nauseous for days. I became extremely irritable and started spotting and came down with one of the worst migraines I have had in a long time. Once the migraine hit, I went into a severe depression and have been crying for a week. I stopped taking the birth control two days ago. Hope this helps."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 7, 2016

For Birth Control "First month was great. Slightly more anxiety, but thought it would surpass. The pill got worse month by month. More anxiety, more depression. Weight gain, nausea/vomiting, extremely painful periods with crazy mood swings. Cannot wait for this pack to be over so I can switch."

• Vic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on 3 OCPs: Apri, Aviane, and Lo Loestrin Fe. I was not able to tolerate Apri and Aviane. My side effects included depression and a general feeling of sickness: headache and extreme nausea. Change in mood: hypersensitivity. Increase in breast size, but no breast sensitivity. No skin breakout or acne. The women in my family suffer from depression, anxiety, and are not able to tolerate OCPs very well. After consulting with my gynecologist, she recommended Lo Loestrin Fe. I've only been on Lo Loestrin Fe for 3 days. So far, I've had a great experience. The only minor effect, but tolerable, is night sweats. I take the pill at 9 pm, slight increase in anxiety, and slight stomach upset. My gynecologist gave me a sample, so I'm unsure of the price with insurance."

• meo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2017

For Birth Control "I would not recommend this birth control at all. I've taken BC in the past and had 0 complications. To begin, this BC is a low dosage, so it really shouldn't have this severe of symptoms. Two weeks after starting this birth control, I noticed a huge increase in appetite (causing me to gain weight), I had mood swings, spotting, and fatigue. I am now finishing up my 2nd month and am stopping this because I ended up having episodes of depression again, heavier spotting (had to wear a tampon), and got acne (in addition to the 1st month side effects). Do not waste your time, pain, and energy with this birth control."

• b49...
• November 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I would give this birth control a rating of 0 if I could! This is absolutely the WORST medicine I’ve ever taken in my whole life!!! This is the first birth control I’ve been on, and it has done nothing good for me. This pill gave me excruciating cramps (worse cramps than I had before taking Lo Loestrin Fe), terrible mood swings, and I have had breakthrough bleeding 3 weeks out of the month for the past YEAR. It’s almost as if my body has never adjusted to this low-dosage medicine. I had anxiety/depression before I started taking this medicine, and this past year has been absolutely awful for me emotionally and mentally. This is NOT the right birth control for you if you already have anxiety or depression. I cannot believe I have waited this long to realize all of my problems came from this birth control. I do not recommend it at all."

• Lil...
• October 4, 2018

For Birth Control "I love this pill! It has been my saving grace. Two years ago, I used to have heavy periods with painful cramping that had me out for days and would make me throw up from the pain. I no longer even have a period. I also used to become very aggressive, depressed, and even violent during PMS. I could not control any of my emotions and became a different person. Now I feel more mellow all throughout the month. Highly recommend this birth control."

• Jen...
• February 4, 2016

For Birth Control "I love you all for your honest reviews and feel relieved that I am not alone! I was on Lo Loestrin FE years ago and did not notice too many side effects except nausea and some breakthrough bleeding. I am now peri-menopausal and am taking this instead of HRT, but it has caused months of steady nausea, pain in my lower back, extreme breast tenderness, and even terrible gas! It took me a while to put together that all these side effects were caused by this BC. Additionally, I began to feel depressed, anxious, and even suicidal. This is not like me! I took the last 'blue pill' today and am done with this medicine forever. I'll take my chances with hot flashes and insomnia or switch back to HRT instead of being on this med again."

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

For Birth Control "I started this BC Lo Lo in September and have since gained 27 pounds despite a healthy diet and exercise. I have little to no energy, experience several depression days a month, and just don’t feel like myself at all anymore. I also cramp basically all month but barely bleed when my period comes around."

• Noc...
• April 7, 2016

"What people don't realize is that everybody has different reactions to medication. Our bodies are all different, therefore, what might cause one person a great deal of sickness may be very beneficial to another person. It's just a fact of life. Example: I had some of the worst side effects on Depo that nobody could imagine, whereas some girls have no problem with it. Anyway, I've been on Lo Loestrin Fe for 5 years now, and I love it. My periods have completely stopped, and I seldom have breakthrough bleeding (when I do, it's a couple of dots). My boobs went from a 32B to a 32D. I also suffer from depression my entire life, and this medicine has had no effect on it either. I won't stop taking Lo Loestrin Fe for a long time!"

• San...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2019

For Birth Control "Wow. The first time I tried Lo Loestrin Fe was in 2017 while I was doing my hot yoga teacher training, and all I remember is sleeping the night away until the next morning when I got to training. I gave it two months last time and then stopped. I don’t remember why, I just know I hated it. Fast forward to now, one and a half years postpartum with my first baby, thinking I could handle the low dose. I’m six days in, and anxiety and depression-things I don’t usually have-are out of control. I was asked if I was pregnant as I’ve been throwing up and not eaten since starting. My clear face is breaking out now, and my skin is so oily. I’m angry and isolated. Everyone’s different, but I had an awful experience, and three months to find out if your mental fog and six months to find out if your water-retained bloated belly (from only 5-6 days of a low-dose pill) subsides is insanity waiting to happen. I think that if you’re not feeling right and your side effects are more than just mild, listen to your body and discontinue."

• Don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm 21, I've been on this pill for about 5 months now, and it's been terrible. I got on this pill because I wouldn't get a period for about 4 or 5 months, and when I finally got my period, it was super heavy and the cramps were unbearable. I now get a period every month, and they are light, lasting 4-5 days, but I still get intense cramping. I also have dark brown spotting every month, probably a week after my period, and that lasts another week. But this month, I have been spotting nonstop and waking up with cramps every day. Ever since I started it, I have also had the worst mood swings, crying at everything, pushing my boyfriend away, and it's been affecting our relationship badly, 0 sex drive, and severe depression, making my anxiety worse."

• Its...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been using Lo Loestrin Fe for 1 month now, and I've had my period three times this month, breaking out like crazy and having so many mood swings with depression. On my period, I have medium-high cramps, back pains, and my breasts are sore. All the time! I haven't really gained any weight, which is good, but I'm going to keep using it and see if it gets better."