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birth control pill causing anxiety/ depression??
I was just wondering if anyone has been on birth control pills and have suffered from anxiety or depression issues? I have been on the pill for 11yrs now and cant take how I am feeling anymore. I went on the pill for irregular periods, but since then I have been feeling blah, libido has decreased severely, I have sinus problems- I found out I have no allergies- so I think it is related to axiety, I worry constantly about everything; I get so nervous I get light headed sometimes. I thinkk I am going to try and stop the pills. I was just wondering if anyone had similar side effects from birth control pills. Thank you!
I've only been on the pill for 3 days and i'm already showing signs of depression. I'm taking it for regularity rather than birth control and i'm not sure if i should keep using it or not. I've had exams for the past three days and I've failed all of them because of my non stop crying. I"M FAILING MY HSC!
All these posts are so similar to what I've been going through. I went on Lutera about a year ago and at first there were no weird side effects except an increased appetite and my breasts got a lot bigger so I wasn't complaining! About 3-6 months ago, I didn't realize it but I started getting a lot more emotional and moody. My boyfriend and I had always had a good relationship with minor bickering but that was it but I started getting annoyed at almost everything he did. More recently I became so obsessed with the idea that he was cheating on me or doing all these sketchy things behind my back so I read his Facebook messages and we had a huge fight that lasted days and it was absolutely horrible. I would go from feeling so insecure and like I hated him to feeling completely loving towards him and it was such a rollercoaster, each day seemed like a complete 180. And even today, I went to my college class, got back home, and slept for almost 4 hours and in my next class, I was tearing up for the next 2 hours...I don't even know why. When it finally hit me that my bc could be causing my craziness a few weeks ago, I asked my boyfriend if he noticed any emotional/moodiness and he said definitely. I have an apt with my gyno in a few weeks to try and go on something else because I can't do this anymore. Overall I'm a pretty happy person and I literally feel insane sometimes. I'm crossing my fingers for something better.
When I was 17 I went on ortho tri cyclen lo. I was on it for about 3 years. Over that span of time I must have put on about 15lbs. I felt uncomfortable in my body and I remember feeling glad to come off of the pill and swearing never to take it again... mostly it was just a distant memory. I started eating healthy foods and exercising. I dropped the extra weight and then some.
Two months ago I decided to start taking it again. My periods are intense the nausea and cramping over the first couple of days often rendered me useless at work and I figured it might give me some relief. My partner and I also wanted to give it a try and give condoms a rest. I'm 23 now and since beginning birth control I remember exactly why I swore I would never take them again.
The first month was horrible. I went to planned parenthood to get my pills and was told by the nurse that the tri cyclen lo would be good for me and I could start immediately if I wanted to rather than wait until my period or even start on a Sunday. I listened and started them at a time that was convenient for me right after I stopped taking a prescribed antibiotic. I had my period for an entire month. Severe cramping and bleeding. It was a miserable 4 weeks to say the least.
I just finished the 2nd pack and I won't be taking them anymore. I no longer have medical coverage and the pills end up being $120 a pack. Aside from that I am so depressed and withdrawn from everything. No matter what I try I just feel like I'm engulfed in sadness. I'm sick to my stomach constantly, tired, moody and disinterested. Whatever feelings I do seem to experience are strange. I recognize them yet feel detached from them. I have a complete lack of sex drive and feel bloated and uncomfortable. I can't justify spending $120 on something that has made me a completely different person in the worst way possible. Sex without condoms just isn't worth it for me. In fact I'd rather experience my usual awful cramping for a few days than be miserable indefinitely.
I've read in a lot of places that birth control doesn't cause depression but in all honesty I must say that I disagree. What I have experienced cannot possibly be a normal or acceptable way to live one's life. I wish I would have paid more attention to my past experience with the pill instead of listening to other people's speculation about how it would affect my body. Health care professional or not, nobody knows your body like you do.
Two months ago I decided to start taking it again. My periods are intense the nausea and cramping over the first couple of days often rendered me useless at work and I figured it might give me some relief. My partner and I also wanted to give it a try and give condoms a rest. I'm 23 now and since beginning birth control I remember exactly why I swore I would never take them again.
The first month was horrible. I went to planned parenthood to get my pills and was told by the nurse that the tri cyclen lo would be good for me and I could start immediately if I wanted to rather than wait until my period or even start on a Sunday. I listened and started them at a time that was convenient for me right after I stopped taking a prescribed antibiotic. I had my period for an entire month. Severe cramping and bleeding. It was a miserable 4 weeks to say the least.
I just finished the 2nd pack and I won't be taking them anymore. I no longer have medical coverage and the pills end up being $120 a pack. Aside from that I am so depressed and withdrawn from everything. No matter what I try I just feel like I'm engulfed in sadness. I'm sick to my stomach constantly, tired, moody and disinterested. Whatever feelings I do seem to experience are strange. I recognize them yet feel detached from them. I have a complete lack of sex drive and feel bloated and uncomfortable. I can't justify spending $120 on something that has made me a completely different person in the worst way possible. Sex without condoms just isn't worth it for me. In fact I'd rather experience my usual awful cramping for a few days than be miserable indefinitely.
I've read in a lot of places that birth control doesn't cause depression but in all honesty I must say that I disagree. What I have experienced cannot possibly be a normal or acceptable way to live one's life. I wish I would have paid more attention to my past experience with the pill instead of listening to other people's speculation about how it would affect my body. Health care professional or not, nobody knows your body like you do.
Thank you for this forum.
I've been on the mini pill for 6 months now, its making me ill. I'm getting worse, im paranoid, I think all my friends are against me. Im constantly moody and irratable which is very unlike me. I'm not wanting to go to college and go to university because I feel down about myself, I sometimes think I'm better off dead? Which just is'nt me at all.. I think it's causing me to suffer from depression and I want to get it sorted before my grades suffer at college.
I've been on the mini pill for 6 months now, its making me ill. I'm getting worse, im paranoid, I think all my friends are against me. Im constantly moody and irratable which is very unlike me. I'm not wanting to go to college and go to university because I feel down about myself, I sometimes think I'm better off dead? Which just is'nt me at all.. I think it's causing me to suffer from depression and I want to get it sorted before my grades suffer at college.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one going through these crazy feelings!
I used to take Trinessa, and it was a complete nightmare. I would cry SO hard, worry over every single little thing, and couldn't function normally -- it was a struggle to make myself go to class, be social, go to work, etc., and this isn't me at all.
After this, I went back to Lo-Loestrin, and it was pretty great. Light periods, no more crazy mood swings and depression, cleared up skin, and such, but it cost a lot more, so I went back to Loestrin FE.
So far, Loestrin FE has caused extremely similar mood problems to those I experienced on Trinessa. I can't wait to get off these crazy pills. It will be worth paying more for the Lo-Loestrin to not feel crazy anymore.
Loestrin FE, unlike Trinessa, only makes me feel awful when I miss pills or start the inactive pills for my period time. I can't begin to describe how terrible they make me feel. I cry explosively over nothing, experience racing thoughts, panicky breathing, feel worthless, have no motivation to do anything beyond getting up to go to the bathroom, and I will worry over things that would normally not bother me. For example, they are causing strains on my relationship because I will obsessively convince myself that my boyfriend is tired of me and wants to break up, even though we are totally fine and I've never had any sort of concern about him doing these things before. Luckily, he's a great guy and is understanding about what's happening, but I feel awful when I get this way nonetheless.
Since I've always been a pretty healthy/happy person, I don't see any other way this could be anything but these certain brands of birth control pills. I totally recommend giving Lo-Loestrin a try if you've had these mood swing problems with other brands. I feel pretty stable and normal on those, but they do cost a bit more. Even though Lo-Loestrin and Loestrin FE are the same brand name, something about Lo-Loestrin just works with my body chemistry better. It is the lowest amount of hormones available in a birth control pill, so I think that has a lot to do with it.
Good luck to everyone experiencing these problems!
I used to take Trinessa, and it was a complete nightmare. I would cry SO hard, worry over every single little thing, and couldn't function normally -- it was a struggle to make myself go to class, be social, go to work, etc., and this isn't me at all.
After this, I went back to Lo-Loestrin, and it was pretty great. Light periods, no more crazy mood swings and depression, cleared up skin, and such, but it cost a lot more, so I went back to Loestrin FE.
So far, Loestrin FE has caused extremely similar mood problems to those I experienced on Trinessa. I can't wait to get off these crazy pills. It will be worth paying more for the Lo-Loestrin to not feel crazy anymore.
Loestrin FE, unlike Trinessa, only makes me feel awful when I miss pills or start the inactive pills for my period time. I can't begin to describe how terrible they make me feel. I cry explosively over nothing, experience racing thoughts, panicky breathing, feel worthless, have no motivation to do anything beyond getting up to go to the bathroom, and I will worry over things that would normally not bother me. For example, they are causing strains on my relationship because I will obsessively convince myself that my boyfriend is tired of me and wants to break up, even though we are totally fine and I've never had any sort of concern about him doing these things before. Luckily, he's a great guy and is understanding about what's happening, but I feel awful when I get this way nonetheless.
Since I've always been a pretty healthy/happy person, I don't see any other way this could be anything but these certain brands of birth control pills. I totally recommend giving Lo-Loestrin a try if you've had these mood swing problems with other brands. I feel pretty stable and normal on those, but they do cost a bit more. Even though Lo-Loestrin and Loestrin FE are the same brand name, something about Lo-Loestrin just works with my body chemistry better. It is the lowest amount of hormones available in a birth control pill, so I think that has a lot to do with it.
Good luck to everyone experiencing these problems!
Thank you--the same thing is happening to me on Loestrin and it's comforting to know that this really is all in my head. It still feels real and I feel so agitated and anxious it's hard to get through my day. I'm convinced that my boyfriend is pulling away and has lost interest in me and I feel like sobbing about it and I'm so angry with him for not showing me the attention I'm craving, when in fact I have no reason to think there's anything wrong other than that he's been really overwhelmed and busy and stressed lately. I have always been a big fan of healthy space and respecting boundaries and maintaining independence but right now I feel so needy and insecure I want to cling to him for dear life. I've resisted reaching out at all but I feel like I'm going crazy.
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