Any BCP's without the emotional side effects?

ms_tara · 08-27-2008, 02:53 PM

Ladies,

I've tried a few BCP's in the past including Ortho Tricyclen and Yaz. They are both very different types of pills, but I had horrible emotional side effects on both of them. I do pretty well for about a week and then a dark cloud suddenly decends and I slip into deep depression.

Has anyone experienced this but eventually found the right one? If so, what pill do you all suggest? Do I just not tolerate BCP's well?

Any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated! I really would like to find a pill that will work for me.

Julia Gulia · 08-27-2008, 08:23 PM

Some women are affected like this by any hormonal BC. I usually do okay for a long while on them, then a week of depressing/irrational PMS turns into constant deep depression. My last experience was with the Nuvaring, and after coming off that I decided to live without hormonal BC if at all possible. You hear a lot about the risks of blood clot, stroke, etc, but not the depression aspect. Some women are affected right away, others never, others it takes longer.

Maybe getting your doctor's opinion would help, or trying to find a non-hormonal BC option. That's what I've had to do. Good luck to you!

LilBitMagoo · 08-27-2008, 08:33 PM

I had tried Yaz and I either emotional or a complete *****. I'm currently taking Loestrin24Fe and doing fine on that. But like the previous poster said it would probably be best to talk to your doctor about what is right for you, since all of us are different. Good luck in finding one that works for you.

OliviaLeigh · 08-27-2008, 08:51 PM

I'm dealing w/ this RIGHT now. I left a message for my dr today b/c of it. I start crying at anything and everything and become dysfunctional. Last night I got upset (hysterically) that there was not a sheet on the bed. I was so distraught I didn't know how to solve the problem! I am sooo not like that off of BCP.

I'm on LoEstrin 24 Fe. Sadly, b/c of Endometriosis my current choices are BCP or Depo and I really don't want depo.

I'm going to talk to my dr about a low dose of anxiety meds or something to try to help.

I just cry at everything. Everything makes me sad! And I'm not a sad person!

Sorry I can't tell you what works for me, but thought it ironic I wanted to ask the same question!

ms_tara · 08-29-2008, 12:32 AM

Thanks for the response ladies... I really would like to try BCP's to clear up the cysts and my hormone levels, but I just don't think my body reacts to it well. I have another appointment with my doctor in a few months, so I'll run it by her again.

Sarahsue · 08-30-2008, 01:25 AM

I take Yasmin and I have never had any emotional problems. This is a lot like Yaz though so it might not work for you. When I started taking BCPs I was also taking Paxil for anxiety so that probably helped. When I went off my Paxil I was super emotional (I cried at the drop of a hat for no reason) for a while, but I think that was from Paxil withdrawls and not the BCP. Now the only time I feel overly emotional is the week that I take my placebo pills.

OliviaLeigh · 08-30-2008, 01:57 PM

ms tara --

just to let you know my dr immediately took me off of Lo Estrin 24 Fe this week b/c of my emotional problems on it. She switched me to Yaz (no waiting).

We'll see how this one goes.....

guineapig · 09-03-2008, 05:23 AM

OMG, OliviaLeigh, don't do depo. I never had psychological issues before that. I went not only from deep depression, I flew into maniacal rages. I mean, I would want to kill people in the grocery store, I am NOT kidding. I went into breakdowns at work 2-3 x per week. Not good for depression, or for any of our PCOS symptoms either. I would rather do Lupron or get a hysterectomy than be on depo again.

Have you tried an IUD? Or the new Implanon, kind of like Norplant but uses etonogestrel (the metabolite of the same progestin as Desogen)? They are estrogen free, which may be worsening your depression and certainly don't help endometriosis. Or Cerazette, although not really "available" (in-ter-net) in the USA, is progestin by itself that truly stops most ovulating within the first 3 months of it.

It's that same progestin also, but in studies was less androgenic than the one in the US minipill, and actually stopped ovulation.

I couldn't tolerate the Ring for my "snipiness" getting worse, as well as some TMI issues. I'm on the "tolerate symptoms and another kid would be okay" no birth control right now.

guineapig · 09-03-2008, 05:25 AM

I just read more of your posts...I'd definitely look into the Implanon or Cerazette. The return to fertility is no more than a regular bcp (unlike depo, which is "up to" 18 months...10 years in our case).

I may try Cerazette next time AF rolls around. I'm trying to see if she'll straighten out again "by herself," plus we are getting close to ttc again anyway.

lyssa326 · 09-03-2008, 06:02 AM

Ha, I actually came here about to post about the same issue, too! I was on Nordette, then Yasmin, then Nordette again before I was Dx w/ PCOS. I went off of them b/c of all the horrible symptoms I was having (mostly "mood" symptoms) and then ended up going haywire w/ PCOS symptoms (didn't know it) but that's why I went to the doc to find out what was going on and was Dx w/ PCOS (FINALLY an answer.) Anyway, his answer for me was to go on BCP's and I told him I didn't like being on BCP's because of the symptoms and so he put me on Lo-estrin Fe saying that the lower dosage should alleviate those symptoms. WRONG... my "emotions" and PCOS symptoms seem even worse (and they were worsened after I got off BCP's before, so you can imagine how bad they are by getting "doubly" worse.)

I cry over the most stupid things, I get annoyed VERY easily, and I get really snappy/angry (and it mostly gets taken out on my poor, undeserving husband... can't believe he puts up w/ me.) I also feel EXTREMELY depressed most of the time and get weird "urges" like guineapig mentioned... please don't think I'm crazy for this, but the other day, for example, I was eating and got the "urge" to stab my fork into my forehead (and I thought to myself "am I literally going insane?") So I am looking for a better alternative, as well. Glad I am not the only one!

OliviaLeigh · 09-04-2008, 07:59 PM

guineapig - thanks for the depo advice. I'm terrified of it! Although its "preferred" for those with endo...I still don't want to do it.

So, I called my dr about the LoEstrin "depression" and she switched me to Yaz. I really don't know how much longer I can take it tho.

I had another panic attack the other day - shaking, sweating, hives up & down my legs, and I was yelling at people - I can't even remember why or anything. It's like something awful takes over

DH & I have been working so hard to get back to TTC and after all this (surgery, bcp's, etc), my husband was like, let's forget all this medication and just start trying. And - OMG - I said, I don't want to. It's all I've wanted for years but I feel so "chemically" low and upset, I couldn't fathom children or a future. It's like I'm just a shell now on this crap.

lyssa - you are definitely not alone. I was not "crazy" off of BCP. It's just so catch 22 right now

I see my dr in 4 weeks. I guess I'll talk to her then. It's so frustrating..I didn't feel like this off of BCP. I feel crazy!

lyssa326 · 09-05-2008, 02:57 AM

Olivia, I hope that you and your doctor can find the best option for you... it's definitely not a good or fun way to live, that is for sure. I completely understand how you're feeling about TTC. I want a child, but I'm at such a low point right now I can't imagine a hopeful future for me right now, let alone a child. When I asked my husband when he would like to TTC he said not until you are happy with yourself first (to which I replied "I guess that means we'll never have kids" 'cause that's how I feel right now.)

Anyway, I'd like to believe that we'll all find the "right" combination that works for us and that it will get better eventually. Let us know how it goes and if you find something better!

ms_tara · 09-06-2008, 06:51 PM

Wow, I didn't realize that so many of us have the same issues with BCP's... I got SOOO depressed and really couldn't control my emotions at all and I'm normally a very happen and even tempered person. I've come to the conclusion that some of us just do not tolerate and/or metabolize the synthetic hormones the way that other women do. It's a bummer... I really would like to add BCP's to my treatment.

BRbangle · 09-09-2008, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms_tara

Ladies, I've tried a few BCP's in the past including Ortho Tricyclen and Yaz.

ms_tara, my doc told me that the mono-phasic pills are best for mood stabilization, as opposed to the tri-phasic pills (like Ortho Tri-Cyclen) that try to mimic the fluctuating hormone levels of a normal menstrual cycle.

I see you tried Yaz with no success. I think Yaz is a mono-phasic pill; however, I had some pretty major mood problems on Yaz, too. I think that particular progestin used in Yaz just wasn't good for me.