Levonorgestrel and Mood Swings: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Gem...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2020

For Birth Control "I am VERY pleasantly surprised at my Skyla IUD experience. I'm a small woman (5' 100 lbs) & previously partially expelled a Paragard IUD due to the small size of my uterus. I always wanted to avoid ANY sort of hormonal BC out of fear of side effects. When the Paragard was taken out, I decided to take a chance on Skyla (smallest IUD size, lowest hormone dosage). My next form of BC was going to be FAM, that's how much I wanted to avoid hormones. Well, after insertion (which felt awful, but that's not surprising), I've been GREAT. I felt virtually no cramps post-insertion. I've had zero hair loss, acne, or mood swings whatsoever (and trust me, I've been paying close attention). My first period post-Skyla was normal but with ~2 weeks of light brown spotting afterwards. I'm guessing this will diminish with time since the uterine lining will continue to thin. A recent ultrasound confirmed everything looks great. If things stay the way they are, I'd happily get another Skyla in 3 years. Yay!"

• You...
• June 23, 2021

For Emergency Contraception "I took this pill 2 hours after unprotected sex. When I checked my calendar, I saw that I was ovulating (on the exact day when an egg was released! which was very unfortunate because I was at my most fertile). Of course, seeing Google telling me that Plan B doesn’t work during ovulation scared me. I kept overthinking and worrying since I was not really at the right age to be getting pregnant. I drank more vitamin C since it is known to help get my period. The side effects of Plan B for me were more acne, fatigue, cravings, and mood swings. However, it does work and I got my period exactly one week after (it was early by 8 days). The cons are that my period is heavier and more painful (I rarely get severe cramps). To all the ladies, do not search Google because it will only worry you more. Just take the pill as early as you can and don’t think twice"

• MLP...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I never write any reviews. I feel like I have to after 2 years of using Kyleena. The side effects are way too much for anyone to handle the pain. In the past, I have had gallstones, 17-hour labor, a 10-pound baby, and never had this much pain in my life. Also, the bleeding was out of control and spotting all month. No sex drive, depressed, an overwhelming sadness like life is not worth living, weight gain, acne, anger, thought I was pregnant, vomiting, breasts hurting, truly unstable. The doctors wanted to put me on antidepressants - no way! I should be happy: new wed, new home, new car. WHY DO I FEEL LIKE THIS??? I decided to remove Kyleena and put in a copper IUD. OMG, now life is great, periods are normal again, having amazing sex, no issues, feeling happy, feeling amazing. Everyone told me it was stress, and in my mind, NOPE... IT WAS MY KYLEENA IUD... no more hormone IUD ever again. Be careful, ladies."

• Anonymous
• January 20, 2010

For Birth Control "I first would like to thank all of you that posted comments. After reading them, I felt I'm not alone. It's not just happening to me, there is nothing wrong with me. I'm 34, with one child and had Mirena for 5 months. The insertion was almost painless and the first month was fine. Right now, I have gained 10 lbs, loss of sex drive, have headaches, back pain, insomnia, constipation, hair loss and general depression - OF COURSE that's going to cause to have mood swings. I'm waiting on an appointment to have it removed. ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT is that I had suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of my child 4 years ago and honestly I was worried that these side effects (especially depression) were a sign that I was still not okay."

• Jay...
• November 2, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve had Liletta going on to a year, and it was the absolute biggest mistake I’ve ever made. As far as it “not getting me pregnant,” sure, it’s done its job, but the side effects are the absolute worst. I’ve never had acne in my life, and now I do. My periods seem to last forever. I never not have my period. I’m always spotting, it never fully goes away. MOST IMPORTANTLY, my mental health. I have experienced crucial mood swings, depression, and anxiety. I do not feel like myself AT ALL. One day I’m good, the next day I’m all over the place. One minute I’m fine, the next moment I’m crying or angry or upset over absolutely nothing. It feels like my body has been invaded, and I have zero control over how I feel. The mood swings are crucial, as well as the random depression and anxiety. I’d rather use condoms for the rest of my life than to feel how I feel."

• Ros...
• December 22, 2020

For Birth Control "Before Kyleena, I had four-day-long, heavy periods that came with cramps so painful I couldn't get off the floor and would have to leave school/work. The two different pills I was on over the course of two years also did not work for me (mood swings, cramps, heavy periods). I got Kyleena inserted in June of 2019. The most uncomfortable part for me was all of the measuring before placement (which was never more than a slight pinch), and then it was over too fast for me to react, but I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I drove myself to and from the appointment and then had mild cramps the rest of the day. My previously heavy and four-day-long period was so light on days two and three that I couldn't wear a tampon, and then my period never came again. I went back to my doctor in July of 2019, and the nurse told me it was normal to never get my period. I also lost about 15-20 pounds in the first two months after the insertion. I still have not gotten my period in over a year and rarely ever cramp."

• Jhr...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 21, 2020

"This... omg, this has been enlightening. 1.) 30+ lbs. I have gained almost 50 lbs, but I lost almost 20 again. I have literally been working so hard to lose weight. 2.) Acne? Yes! Bad, bad cystic acne. 3.) Pain, tingling, weakness, and numbness on one side of my body. 4.) Infections. 5.) Mood swings/depression. 6.) Cramping/bloating. 7.) Stomach pain. 8.) Pain/cramping after sex. 9.) Low birth weight/premature birth of my daughter. 10.) I am honestly shocked, devastated, and determined to remove it after finding out this is all from Mirena. This is my 3rd Mirena, and I went from the 120s to the 170s and now am back to the 160-ish. I have been through so much with this, it’s unreal. Don’t do it."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2020

For Birth Control "The insertion didn’t hurt much, just a few cramps that my gyno warned me about in advance. However, my body went into shock afterwards and passed out and wasn’t even able to drive myself home. It’s been 3 months since I started Kyleena, and I have already gained 10 lbs with no change in my diet. I have extreme mood swings and get a very short temper most days when I have always been a very forgiving person. My bloating is constant, and I’m always uncomfortable. I’ve never had a problem with acne before this, but now I constantly break out around my chin. My sex drive is lower than when on the pill, which could be from my self-consciousness because of the weight gain and bloating. I don’t recommend this to anyone, and I’m counting down the days to get this removed."

• LID...
• October 19, 2015

For Emergency Contraception "I definitely recommend Plan B for any girls who have had unprotected sex and are scared of the possible outcome. My experience with Plan B was both good and bad. I took Plan B 5 hours after the condom broke. Unfortunately for me, it was my predicted day of ovulation. At first, I had faith in Plan B, but after reading hundreds of reviews, I had mixed emotions. I have a 40-day cycle, sometimes earlier, but never more than 40 days. The morning after taking Plan B, I got serious nausea, and I was so tired; I slept a lot. My symptoms went on for about 2 weeks. I also was very emotional during this time. Plan B really messes up your hormones, and I was so overemotional. Since the condom broke and he finished inside me, AND it was on ovulation day, I was freaking out. I also had tons of discharge. I kept thinking I got my period and would race to the washroom; however, it was this clear discharge. I was very concerned and thought that Plan B had failed. On the day I was supposed to get my period, there was nothing. A few days passed, and there was still nothing. I was still very nauseous, my boobs were super sore, and I had weird cramps every so often. I was preparing for the worst, but finally, a week after I was supposed to, I got my period. At first, it was light, and I was, once again, worried it was a sign of pregnancy; spotting. The day after, I got my normal flow. Plan B saved me, and I'm so thankful; I will definitely be more careful next time. All in all, Plan B is very effective, and I recommend it; however, the symptoms were pretty bad. Then again, it is a lot better than being pregnant and not ready for the responsibility. I'm only 16 years old and definitely capable of raising a child. Avoid a next time; Plan B should be used for emergencies only and not regularly. I read tons of things on the Internet about Plan B, and I wouldn't trust all of the feedback. Plan B DOES work during and after ovulation. I am very grateful for Plan B and give it the highest rating for effectiveness."

• ahr...
• May 31, 2021

For Emergency Contraception "Ladies, trust the pill, it works! Okay, so I’m not on regular birth control and had unprotected sex 2 days before ovulation. The guy finished inside me, and so I took a Plan B about 4 hours afterward. Initially, I had no symptoms, but 6 days after taking the pill, I bled a little, and it was like a pinkish/brown color that only lasted like a few hours with mild cramping. I started freaking out thinking this was implantation bleeding, luckily, it wasn’t. Fast forward a week later, my boobs began to feel really tender. Once again, I thought this was a pregnancy symptom, but I started spotting that same day. Then guess what happens the next day? My period came on 3 days early!! So please don’t stress out, I promise it works. This was also my first time taking it. I didn’t really have any side effects other than spotting, I broke out a lot on my cheeks, and my mood swings were pretty bad in the beginning. But yes, ladies, please stay off Google and don’t stress or it’s just gonna make things worse. Good luck!!"

• Pri...
• March 7, 2021

For Birth Control "PLEASE DO RESEARCH BEFORE GETTING THE KYLEENA IUD :( Getting this thing in is one of my biggest regrets! First off, it hurt SO BAD to get in... After insertion, I bled for almost 60 days straight!!!!! It was medium to light spotting EVERY SINGLE DAY! If that was not enough... I developed an ovarian cyst! Sometimes the pain would be so bad I would just cry... THEN I started going through - and still am going through till I get it removed - major insomnia, mood swings, and even depression. Oh, also not to mention I get constant yeast infections because of the IUD, and it constantly smells like fish (BV). Don’t forget the cystic acne either! Oh, and one more thing... the strings were cut too short, so they went back into my uterus, and now I have to get surgery to get it removed :) So thank you, Kyleena, for giving me depression, mood swings, cystic acne, an ovarian cyst, insomnia, constant bleeding for 60 days, and lost strings that now have to be surgically removed."

• ACE...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 17, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve had Skyla inserted for a year now, and for the last couple of months, I’ve debated getting it taken out. I love how convenient and effective it is, but I feel like it’s slowly making me crazy. I already suffer with depression, but the mood swings I’ve had with Skyla are insane. I haven’t had any issues with spotting or cramps. I barely have a period at this point. My skin isn’t terrible, but I already have super oily skin, and this definitely hasn’t made it any better. But mood swings and the depression are definitely a major con, and I’d rather have my sanity back than leave it in. Anyone else suffer with crazy mood swings?"

• Lei...
• April 6, 2021

For Birth Control "PLEASE READ THIS! I was so hopeful to get the Kyleena since I had a bad reaction to birth control pills! I originally wanted the Paragard, but my old doctor talked me into the Kyleena. Soon after it was inserted, I started getting side effects (mood swings, acne, hair loss, depression, insomnia, loss of appetite, but still being constantly bloated, etc.). I found a new doctor who is double board certified and extremely knowledgeable, and she explained that synthetic hormones (specifically BC pills) compromise the gut microbiome, which is responsible for almost our entire body’s function. As doctors say, “the gut is the second brain.” Unfortunately, medical findings take 10 years to hit medical school, so that is why only doctors who are constantly researching know modern info. The vagina actually has its own microbiome too! Since the synthetic hormones leak into the gut and bloodstream, this is why I had so many side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "Let me start by saying that I’m not pregnant, so it did do its job. I slipped up on 9/8, which was right in the middle of my fertile window, and I took the pill about 40 hours after. The first week or so, I had mild cramping and some nausea, but then the next week... oh boy. I was extremely fatigued and nauseous most of the time, had cramps, sore boobs, nasal congestion, frequent urination, and my emotions were all over the place. I seriously thought I was pregnant. My period came when it was expected, though, so I guess that’s all that matters. I’ll take the nasty side effects over being preggo any day."

• kar...
• April 27, 2015

For Emergency Contraception "Plan B is a lifesaver! My boyfriend and I had sex for the first time during my most fertile days while I was ovulating. He finished inside of me, and the very next day we bought Plan B One-Step. I took it around 10 hours after the incident. I was worried nonstop and reading these reviews night and day. Around two days later, I experienced a yeast infection, which was mild and cleaned up on its own a few days later, but I was freaking out. After research, I learned that Plan B can restart your cycle, causing the pH balance to be thrown off in the process, causing the yeast infection. I experienced a lot of mood swings over the few weeks; however, my boyfriend was always extremely supportive and reminded me it would be alright and we had nothing to worry about. If it wasn’t for him, I would have driven myself bananas for those few weeks. I definitely recommend having your partner be a strong support system; it will make the process so much better when you know you’re not alone in this. I ended up getting my period two days ahead of time, and the only negative side effect from Plan B was heavy cramps I haven’t experienced before. I am now on birth control and look forward to never having to go through that again. Relax, ladies! It will work! (On a side note, I wasn’t aware that Plan B apparently had a weight limit until after I took the pill. There’s a myth that states it only works if you’re under 165 and will not work if you’re over 175. The fact of the matter is, when testing Plan B, the group of tested women were all around the same weight, and there was no group of women that was tested that weighed over 175. So it is not so much as 'It will not work,' but more of 'we haven’t tested that far.' I am 5’8" and over that weight limit. It worked for me, and it will work for you. Breathe!)"

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "Plan B works, but it will screw with your mind. These user reviews kept me from going absolutely insane. Had sex on 8/13, almost positive I had ovulated that day-dumb, I know. My boyfriend is good at controlling himself and pulling out, but this time he made a mess with the cum after getting out. Took Plan B 4 hrs after and was nauseous with minor headaches, then exactly 1 week later (8/20) literally ALL the pregnancy symptoms hit me like a ton of bricks-spotting, cramps, mood swings, lower back pain, fatigue, nausea, headaches, food aversions/cravings, sore breasts, elevated temperature, etc. The spotting went away, but the other stuff went on 'til 8/27, the day my period was due. I about lost my mind of anxiety, but 8/28 I got a negative result on a pregnancy test and my period later in the day. The meds work, just don’t let the side effects get to you-they’re still better than getting pregnant. Stay off Google, read the reviews here and relax. Better yet, have safe sex."

• BUY...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "READ THIS SIS. I had the worst-case scenario by far, and I’m NOT PREGNANT! I’m not on any birth control and did not use a condom. How stupid, anyways, we had sex on the day before my ovulation day, therefore, it was my fertile day! He finished in me, and I was shook because I didn’t think he’d actually do it! Well, he did. I freaked out! But like idiots, we had sex two more times within 2 hours, and he finished in me again. So that’s a total of 3 damn bus loads of his kids in me. Within the hour of our last round of sex, I bought this and took it immediately. The only side effects I felt were tender breasts, whew, they hurt for about two weeks! Also, mood swings. I was aggravated and emotional as anything. But I got my period today. Thank goodness. It was really a miracle. Stay protected, ladies. I’m definitely wearing protection next time. Remain calm as well and PRAY."

• lav...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 22, 2020

"I would not recommend Mirena to anyone. I gave it 1.5 years, and it has made me depressed, anxious, overly emotional, hurts my relationships with friends and family. I am irritable, have a complete loss of sex drive, and feel disconnected from the people around me. It has been long enough, and my period, although light, is abnormal and lasts for a month and then doesn't come back for months. I have pain with sex, pain before period, and an increase in depression before period."

• 243...
• November 14, 2019

For Emergency Contraception "I took this around September 13. He pulled out, but we were still worried about precum, and I was sure I was also ovulating. I have irregular periods sometimes, but my next period was expected to be on Sept 28. I had withdrawal bleeding from Sept 16-20. I never got a period in October. My stomach was bloated, I was always emotional, I felt nauseous sometimes, and got tired very fast. It was basically every pregnancy symptom, and I freaked out. Finally, on the morning of Nov 13, I thought I would go take a pregnancy test, even though there was almost no chance. My period was 30 days late, and on my way to Target, I felt a really weird cramp, and I went to the restroom to check, and thankfully I had my period. Don’t read reviews and generalize, everyone has different bodies, always test to make sure :)"

• thi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2014

For Birth Control "I had my Skyla IUD inserted on 04 Sep 2014, so I am only commenting on my first month after having it inserted. I am a 33-year-old woman, no children, and hormonal birth control was no longer agreeing with my body (mood swings, heavy bleeding, large clots, periods lasting 2 weeks, etc.). My doctor and I agreed to the Skyla IUD (I had already done research). So far, so good. I haven't had any mood or sex drive changes and feel 100% better than I did on oral contraceptives. Out of pocket, my IUD would have cost $1400. My insurance covered 100% of it. Update: Month #4 and still no issues. No side effects. I keep track of everything so I know what to expect and when until my body fully adjusts."

• CRA...
• March 5, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "Let me say, I had some light bleeding after the first month. Now I have had no periods. I'm 41 years old. I have had the worst periods since I was 16. My mood swings have stopped, and my skin is amazing. Look it up. It also helps with acne. I am so grateful. It really does work!"

• Aub...
• February 8, 2017

For Birth Control "I love my IUD for many reasons. A lot of these reviews are just based off of the initial side effects and insertion. While I admit it was mildly painful for the first 24 hours and the spotting lasted 1-2 months, I am now 3 years in, and couldn't be happier. My period is 95% lighter and lasts only an hour, I never get cramps anymore, and I am comforted by the fact that it is so reliable! No weight gain or mood changes, and my skin is still clear. Some people say these cause infertility, but that is not true. IUDs have undergone many, many clinical studies which show that is not the case! Don't let people on here scare you :) If you want the facts, go to a credible source."

• Wor...
• August 22, 2020

For Emergency Contraception "29, 180 lbs, married. This isn’t my first time using Plan B. Maybe a total of 5 times over the past 10 years. I used it this time because my Paragard IUD was removed because it was displaced. I was told I could get one put back in, but because of COVID, it would take longer. I don’t handle hormones well, so the pill wasn’t an option. It had been a month since I heard from my doctor's office, and my husband and I got carried away. I was at the beginning of my fertile window, maybe 2-3 days till actual ovulation. After sex, I went to Target and had taken it within the hour. Four days later, symptoms started with dizziness like motion sickness, cramps, mood swings. Two weeks later, I started pregnancy tests, and all were negative. I got my period 2 days earlier than normal. I do have bad PMS symptoms like fatigue and food cravings, which I typically don’t have. So it worked! I’ll give it an 8/10 because I’m not pregnant, but when I did have adverse symptoms, it was wicked."

• MyP...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 12, 2013

For Emergency Contraception "Took the Plan B pill 1 hour after intercourse. I took it on an empty stomach, which you should NOT do. I felt crazy symptoms for about 1 month. It felt as if I were pregnant. I have been nauseous, tired, mood swings. Horrible feeling, and it lasted quite a while. 1 week after I had taken the pill, I got some spotting that lasted 3 days. I took 7 home pregnancy tests (all negative) because of all the worry. But I just received my period today, which I am so happy about."

• Anonymous
• April 29, 2009

For Birth Control "I've seen so many negative reviews of Mirena online that I just wanted to share my positive experience. For the past 10 years of my life, I have had horrifying periods. I have stage 4 endometriosis and a blood clotting disorder that would leave me in bed for days in excruciating pain every month. Since getting Mirena, my life has changed incredibly. I do have some of the side effects such as mood swings, slight memory loss, and acne, but my period now lasts one day and barely hurts. I have had it for 3 months, and I will gladly deal with the side effects to continue benefiting from a life with significantly reduced pain. It's not perfect, but after years of experimental treatments with no success, I can honestly say that this works."