I just wanted to share this in case it helps someone else out.
Last February I went on Ortho Tri-Cyclen. By June I was severely depressed. I thought about death all the time. I wasn't suicidal, it was more like the opposite--it caused a constant fear of death that never went away. I wasn't able to hang out and just do nothing. I couldn't relax with friends. I wasn't sleeping well. I had to have surgery and I panicked because I thought I was never going to wake up (even though this was a laproscopic gall bladder removal, which is considered very safe). These thoughts that I was having interfered with every part of my life.
When I went back to the doctor this year, I asked for a lower dose birth control pill and he put me on Mircette. I wanted the low dose pill because my gallstones developed very soon after starting Ortho Tri and I thought it could have had something to do with them (increased risk of gallbladder disease has been associated with bcp's). But after being on Mircette for a couple months, my depression started improving tremendously. I have been off Ortho Tri and on Mircette for about four months now and I feel completely different. Sometimes I still have episodes of depression, but they are getting much less severe and less frequent.
So please, please, check the side effects of your meds. For some people, depression can be caused or worsened by bcp's. Some bcp's just aren't for everyone and it was a matter of figuring out which one worked for me.
I was on ortho tri cyelen lo for about 3 weeks if even that and I was feeling weird very panicy and getting sad.. Since I have depression and panic attacks already, I knew waht was happening.. I am on paxil .. But i was still feeling weird.. My doctor told me to stop taking them and I feel better now..
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I'm not 100% sure about this, but, I think that maybe, it might be possible that the Ortho-TRI-Cyclen could cause problems because it has different levels of hormones (tri-phasic) throughout the month. I think that possibly mono-phasic bcp's are supposed to be much, much easier on our systems as far as keeping the levels of hormones steady throughout the month. I think particularly if you have a tendancy towards depression, anxiety, etc., it is probably best to stick with the mono-phasic formulation bcp's (which I believe most of them are anyway).
I think so too. I think the Ortho Tri really screwed up my hormone levels which were already screwed up by PCOS. I think the Mircette helped stabilize them, and maybe the lower dose and different type of hormones helped too. I never had a problem with depression before I went on Ortho Tri, but I've always been very anxious and nervous.
QueenK, are you on a different bcp now? For me it was just that particular one that caused so many problems and switching to a different one really helped. Maybe there's one out there that would be better for you. Being on bcp's really helped my PCOS symptoms and so I didn't want to give them up, but I'm glad I switched.
last summer i was diagnosed with pcos at the age of 18 and was put onto dianette (the special treatment birth control pill) but 8 months later i was diagnosed with clinical/severe depression, it took me 2 months from this diagnosis to make the link (i thought my depression was due to the stresses of my second year at uni and so did my university doctor).
but after not feeling any better on antidepressants i did some research - and found there is a strong link between dianette and depression! apparently it is well known in the psychiatric profession that dianette can cause depression! i also found a lot of women with experiences similar to mine -(suffering with depression almost certainly brought on by birth control pills) at the aphrodite women's health forum also on line.
its so good to know i'm not going crazy and that all the crying, irritability etc etc was caused by the pill. i had never been depressed before despite coping with all the symptoms of pcos and very bad acne which i went on roaccutane for, and i was fine during my gcse's, a-levels and first year at uni - i'm usually a very positive bubbly person but this pill changed me.
i'm not sayin not to go on the pill but please do be careful and watch out for signs of depression cos no-one should go thru what ive been thru! i'm currently on a break from the dianette - my gynaecologist was great when i eventually made the link and went to see her, she said it was v likely the dianette was the cause as ive never had any problems with depression before. so now ive stopped the dianette - its only been 11 days but already feeling a bit better for not taking it!
i'm a bit worried about acne returning and increased hair growth again - but i know one thing - i NEVER EVER want to be depressed again - i want more women to be aware - cos ive read stories of people being on bcp's for 7yrs and , being depressed for almost the same amount of time before making the link! there are so many warnings on the leaflets with the the pills - i know if we took every one really seriously we wudnt take anythin - but please be careful. dianette may be great for u - but it certainly wasnt for me.
has any1 else had similar problems - if so what ru doing now?
i'm currently having a break from the dianette until at least october when i go back to see my gynaecologist, and i'm carrying on with the antidepressants at least for another month (i was diagnosed with the depression in may), i'm a bit cautious about going back onto dianette tho or even another bcp - it would be great if any1 has any suggestions as to what other things have worked for u to help keep the symptoms of pcos under control! i have been doing lots of exercise etc and eating healthily, but am worried about more cysts forming on my ovaries.
good luck to everyone else who is coping with depression - now i know it was the pill that caused it i am a little closer to beating this depression, but this has been one of the worst years of my life - i nearly dropped out of univeristy (so not like me to give up at anything) but i'm now revising for my second year exams (again!) which i'm going to be taking in august as a first attempt. so better get back to revising and am trying to keep positive!
xxxxx
I started feeling better very soon after stopping Ortho Tri Cyclen. Hopefully not being on dianette will clear up your depression too. If the bcp's worked well for you as far as treating your PCOS symptoms though, maybe a different pill would be better than Dianette. But lots of women with PCOS don't take bcp's, so you don't have to take them if you don't want to. Good luck with your exams!
hi gir1g33k,
thanks for ur encouragement - i have just finished my exams - they didnt go all that well but i manage to get thru them so now can concentrate on making a full recovery and beating this depression. i have struggled a lot this past week of my exams (but it was probably to do with the fact that as i was doing them in the resit period i had exams wed, thurs, fri, mon, tues!!) but even so - having stopped the dianette nearly 5 weeks ago now - i am definately noticing an improvement in my mood and the prozac is finally working! tho i am a little concerned as now i'm not on dianette the hair growth has started to increase again - arrgh!) but at least i will feel like my self again very soon - soi think i can cope with the hair. i'm going back to see my gynaecologist in october so may try another pill then to help keep the symptoms under control - but i'm going to be very careful!
i'm glad u've found the pill that works for u - hopefully i will too soon!
take care and thanks again for caring
xxxxx
How odd.....I was on Orto for a long time and I was so suicidal.......I am usually a very upbeat positive person and I was dying inside! I switched to Yasmin about 4 mths ago and I have not had those feelings at all........didnt really put 2 & 2 together until i read this post.
Hang in there!
__________________ Amy (I'm back!!!)
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~~Dx w/ PCOS in 2000 at age 23 ~~Met 4/06, Lo Ovaral (bc), Avandia, Aldactone (spiro) & Welbutrin. I AM BANNING LEXAPRO!
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BCP's and depression 
