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

• Anonymous
• February 9, 2012

For Birth Control "I am about to finish up my fifth pack of Lo Loestrin. Lately, I've been noticing weight gain, even though I have changed my diet and started working out 3-4 times a week. I have gained about 10 lbs in the last 4 months and continue to gain 1 lb per week. At first, I didn't think it could have anything to do with this pill, now I'm starting to wonder. My skin has been clearer, and I have not had a period or bleeding at all since I started this pill. But the weight gain is a big deal for me. My breasts have gotten bigger and are a lot more tender. Mood swings have been tremendous, didn't notice a change in sex drive. I think everyone is different, and every birth control you take is going to affect each woman differently."

• B_C...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 22, 2017

For Birth Control "I have nothing bad to say! This is my first time taking any birth control, so maybe I'm a little biased. I was very hesitant to take any birth control due to the known side effects that come along with most oral contraceptives. However, after two separate ruptured ovarian cysts, my OBGYN said birth control is really the only way to prevent it in the future. I've been taking it a little over 6 months now - no weight gain, no acne, no mood changes, no loss of libido, and my periods are so light now, mostly spotting, no cramps, and a shorter duration! I definitely recommend this!"

• pis...
• September 9, 2016

For Birth Control "Just when I thought that this birth control was working great..... Boy was I wrong. The first week I was feeling great, no side effects, no problems..... life was great. Then week 2 hit and everything went to hell. Now I'm bleeding uncontrollably. It's been 3 straight weeks. Guess what? I AM STILL BLEEDING! I have gained weight in my sides making me look like I've just consumed a baker's dozen donuts. I am emotionally unstable, as you can tell from this review......!!!!! I am hungry all the time, I am eating everything I can get my meaty hands on, and my snack supply has depleted by 2/3. My sex drive is GONE like a bird that hit the damn window. Unless you want your life to be turned upside down in a month like mine was.... DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL!"

• hel...
• April 30, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on Lo Loestrin for an entire year, and I love it! I am a nineteen-year-old sexually active woman. When I first began to take Lo Loestrin, I did get dizzy, felt mood swings, weird cravings, weight gain. You will gain weight, I am unusually small, so the weight gain wasn't devastating (I went from 98 pounds to 115). After a month or two, my body adjusted to the pills, and everything balanced out, and it's been very effective. I've had about three periods in the last year, which has its positives and negatives. I personally love Lo Loestrin."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2013

For Birth Control "At my last visit, my doctor recommended trying Lo Loestrin and explained it as the 'evolutionary' step up from Loestrin 24. I was nervous, but my results have been amazing. I had maybe 2 days of spotting the first month, but now I have a 1-day light period, hardly any cramps, and no mood swings. I've been on it for 4 months now, and I am SO HAPPY I gave Lo Loestrin a chance."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I switched to Lo Loestrin after being on generic Loestrin for about 3 months. My body is high estrogen to begin with, so I needed something with less hormones. Generic gave me terrible anxiety, depression, mood swings, weight gain, and hormonal acne. After switching to Lo Loestrin, within 3 weeks I had lost 5 lbs, had glowing skin, and overall felt amazing. Every woman's body reacts to birth control differently, so my advice is if you feel awful, it definitely couldn't hurt to try something new, right? Lo Loestrin was amazing for me, but some people have terrible experiences."

• Bri...
• November 4, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on this medication since August when I had to get my Mirena IUD removed. I had never been on the pill before this, so I was nervous about its effectiveness, but it has been wonderful so far! I have had no weight gain, no acne, no crazy mood swings... I have had my period regularly when I was supposed to on the white/brown pills. Last month, I didn't get my period for the first two white pills and got very worried, but I had a very light period on the two brown pill days. I have slight breast tenderness sometimes, but nothing major. It is great that it is such a low dose of estrogen, which significantly lowers the risk of blood clots. I would highly recommend this medication to anyone looking for a great birth control."

• Anonymous
• November 13, 2019

For Birth Control "If you have had or currently have depression and anxiety, then Lo Loestrin Fe will definitely exacerbate your symptoms. I usually take YAZ birth control for the sole purpose of clearing my cystic acne, which has worked wonders without side effects. But after seeing a new GYN, she recommended that I switch to Lo Loestrin, saying that all birth control is the same and will clear my acne eventually. The first two weeks in, I was not myself. I became increasingly moodier. I found myself so angry and sad all the time, even cried myself to sleep every single night. I have never experienced suicidal thoughts since six years ago, back in college. Even my husband has pointed out that I was not myself and acted out strangely at social events. I have also been breaking out more than usual, especially on my cheeks, that my usual Benzoyl Peroxide cream 10% was no longer effective. I immediately switched back to YAZ. One week later, I was completely normal. No mood swings and no more random crying spells. I will never take Lo Loestrin again."

• Cat...
• December 5, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 19 years old and I eat somewhat healthy and get moderate exercise almost daily. I was put on Lo Loestrin in April of 2016 because I was starting to be more sexually active and I also hadn't always had the most regular period before, so that was a hope of mine too. For the first couple of months, I didn't notice any side effects, but now after having taken it for almost 8 months and reading these other reviews, I'm realizing that the 15 lbs in weight gain, (abnormal) emotional breakdowns, mood swings, underarm/face cysts, hair loss, brown spotting, tiredness, etc. are most likely from this pill! I didn't even put two and two together and I'm so glad I found this thread; I am going to go to the doctor tomorrow to get my pill changed!!!!"

• Cat...
• December 5, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 19 years old and I eat somewhat healthy and get moderate exercise almost daily. I was put on Lo Loestrin in April of 2016 because I was starting to be more sexually active and I also hadn't always had the most regular period before, so that was a hope of mine too. For the first couple of months, I didn't notice any side effects, but now after having taken it for almost 8 months and reading these other reviews, I'm realizing that the 15 lbs in weight gain, (abnormal) emotional breakdowns, mood swings, underarm/face cysts, hair loss, brown spotting, tiredness, etc. are most likely from this pill! I didn't even put two and two together and I'm so glad I found this thread; I am going to go to the doctor tomorrow to get my pill changed!!!!"

• Anonymous
• April 7, 2015

For Birth Control "Been taking for 6 months. During the first month, I had extremely sensitive breasts (even clothing touching against me was sore). Other than that, my experience has been positive - a little random mid-month bleeding, but no side effects such as headaches, weight gain, mood changes, etc. I plan to stay on it."

• Tri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 21, 2019

For Birth Control "Do not take this pill!!!! This is the worst birth control experience I have ever had!!! I've been on it for 5 months now, and within the first month, I was extremely depressed, and it lasted for 3 months. I didn't want to get out of bed, lost interest in everyday activities, and was very sad every single day. In the 4th month, I was not as depressed, but still have mood swings from months 4 to 5, and am very emotional. I started the pill due to heavy cycles, and my cycles are light on the pill, but I am also bleeding all the time in between cycles now. I can't even have sex without bleeding. It is extremely uncomfortable and embarrassing. I have gained 7 pounds in less than 5 months. My blood pressure is also super high now. I tried to give the pill some time for my body to get used to it, but I can't do this anymore. I've already gone to my doctor to request a different pill to start once this month's pack is done. This pill is poison!!!!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 16, 2012

For Birth Control "Being an RN, I was very skeptical about birth control pills because of their reputation for causing issues. My OB/GYN encouraged me to take this pill due to a 7 cm left ovarian cyst... he said it may help alleviate the issues I was experiencing and prevent further complications. He gave me a couple of months' worth of samples of Lo Loestrin Fe to try. I will never take birth control again. I took a month's worth of the pills and quit. I was experiencing very severe mood swings, depression, etc. - very unlike me... I have always been very happy and stable. A week ago I quit taking the pills."

• Ali...
• October 22, 2013

For Birth Control "I would say I've had an overall good experience. I just took my last pill from my first pack. It was a little rocky at first. I did experience some unusual heavy bleeding that lasted about 10 days mid-way through the pack. But it has calmed down. I've had no mood swings or emotional/mental side effects. My weight is pretty much the same, and I didn't get sick or have headaches. I'm just going to monitor the bleeding on my next pack of pills. I also have to see if my insurance will cover it. I got my first three packs from my ob-gyn as samples to see if I like it. I'm going to continue using it, and I'll update you guys in 28 days lol. I hope this helped someone."

• Aly...
• January 24, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been trying to find the right birth control for me for about three years now, and this is by far my favorite! I've been on it for three months, and it's helped me a lot with my cramps. I barely even have any, and when I do, they are very manageable. I didn't gain any weight, and I didn't have any breakouts. I did have some mood swings in the first month, but by the second month, I didn't have any. I did have a little breakthrough bleeding the first month, but that only lasted about two days. I just finished my third pack, and I have to say, it's amazing. I didn't have any cramps, and I also didn't have a period! YAY! It's a keeper."

• Sam...
• May 13, 2014

For Birth Control "Lo Loestrin Fe works really well for me. I went on this birth control because I had a very irregular period and terrible cramps. Sometimes I would skip months, and sometimes I'd get it twice in one month. I'd have to use a heating pad, and even that didn't help very much. It was a mess. I've been on Lo Loestrin Fe for almost two years now. No period to speak of and no cramps. I had a very light period for the first few months I started until it eventually disappeared completely. I have no bad symptoms. No acne or mood swings. My only complaint is that my sex drive is DEAD when I used to have quite the active libido, which is the only reason I'm thinking of switching birth controls."

• hap...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 20, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm seeing so many negative reviews, and I understand everyone's bodies react differently, but I have zero complaints about this pill! I've been on it for almost a year now (was put on for heavy/painful periods and acne), and it solved all of my menstrual problems! I have not had a period since starting this pill, which has been great for me considering how bad they were prior. My acne has cleared, I haven't had mood swings/weight gain, etc.! I couldn't be happier! 10/10!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 25, 2017

For Birth Control "This was my first birth control, but I've got to say that it is probably the best birth control you can get since it has the lowest dosage of estrogen, which means you have the least side effects. Since it has such a low dosage, it's pretty dang pricey. The first month on this birth control is rough, and your first period will be a very bad period if you react to it like I did. I was bedridden from cramps, and I bled a lot, but honestly I was used to it since the reason I'm taking it is because of nasty periods. After the first period, it was amazing. My periods lasted 3-4 days, barely any bleeding, zero cramps, and I had no side effects! No weight gain, no acne, no mood swings, or nausea. It's wonderful. I highly recommend this birth control."

• Haz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 8, 2020

For Birth Control "Before starting Lo Loestrin, I read a lot of horrible reviews about it and was a bit nervous to try it. However, after being on it for a few months, I can happily say that there have been more pros than cons. I have endometriosis, and being on this pill has helped with my pain significantly. I have very minimal cramping before my period compared to before and don't experience any of the other painful symptoms as often. I will warn you, though, this birth control did make me very emotional, and I experienced a reduced sex drive. These aren't dealbreakers for me, but may be for someone else."

• VS1...
• March 29, 2015

For Birth Control "Been on Lo Loestrin Fe for 6 months now. The first month I had spotting for 3 weeks and was quite emotional (can't specifically relate that to the birth control though - could have been caused by other factors). The second and third months I didn't get my period at all. After that, my breasts grew, and I got regular periods that usually last 1-3 days and are very light. Love this birth control, and I've had no problems!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2012

For Birth Control "I am on my 2nd pack of Lo Loestrin Fe, and I really hate it. I am constantly tired, have stomach pains all the time, and I am getting whiplash from my mood swings. One minute I am fine, and the next I will be a raging monster, and after that I will dissolve into tears. It has gotten so bad that my fiancé has threatened to leave until I get off of it. Calling my doctor to switch my prescription."

• Run...
• January 4, 2017

For Birth Control "I went on this pill to help with the cramps I had, lasted two weeks long sometimes! Made it impossible to run. I've been on the pill about 9 months now, and I absolutely love it. I don't have a period at all, and I feel like myself. I used to have constant mood changes, but the pill helped a ton with that. I would recommend this pill for anyone wanting to prevent pregnancy and never want to have a period again."

• ajs...
• September 28, 2015

For Birth Control "Not a fan. I've only been using Lo Loestrin Fe for about a month now, and I'm ready to stop. Before using Lo Loestrin Fe, I'd already had an eating disorder, depression, and anxiety, and now, after using it, every single one of them is 100 times worse! I've gained a bit of weight already while still eating very little, which, when having an eating disorder, is more frustrating than you will ever know. Also, in the last few days, I've had zero motivation to do anything, I've been constantly tired, and I've been sad/moody/emotional and crying a lot more. I just had my third breakdown in 2 days, which is uncommon for me as I normally don't cry very often... And I'm getting acne on my face, chest, and back, which I haven't had a problem with in over 5 years. Not happy."

• S4R...
• February 6, 2012

"Well, at first I thought this pill was going to be pretty good. I was having trouble with my other birth control because my hormones were all out of whack. So, within the first week, I had breakthrough bleeding, which was normal, I guess. And then I started becoming irritable, like super irritable, and it was strange. It was like PMS x10. I was at like 120, and now I'm 137 lbs. I have horrible mood swings, I snap for no reason, I'm hungry all the time, and not to mention the weight gain!"

• Nic...
• September 19, 2019

For Birth Control "Took this pill when I got my first boyfriend in the beginning of college. First, I thought my irrational mood swings were because of the new relationship, the boy was a handful. Noticed my mood was all around better when I stopped it when we ended. I would start it again when I would start dating people again just to be safe. I realized my mood was unstable specifically when I was on the pill, it wasn’t the boy or the relationship. I am a naturally chill person, and it made me very sensitive and overreactive to things I normally would just brush off. It did an excellent job of preventing pregnancy though - this is the only form of birth control my partner and I ever used. After a while, I noticed that no matter how much I exercised or dieted, there was always that little bit of fat on my lower stomach that I couldn’t get rid of. As soon as I would get off the pill, continuing the same healthy habits, I found myself able to lose it. It would come right back after a couple of weeks of taking it again."