This was originally posted in the "do you have this?" forum before I realized that BCPs have their own forum. I didnt get any responses and no one even viewed my post. Id really appreciate any comments, whether you are on Loestrin or another kind of BCP.
Just diagnosed with PCOS last wednesday. Dr put me on Loestrin 24 and I have taken it faithfully at the same time all week. I have had major issues in the past with sprintec and Yaz, though most of the side effects with them I am not having with Loestrin. AF was really really heavy and I had it on and off for about a month, which was why I went in the first place. Im still having breakthrough bleeding but I figure that is normal. {Update, bleeding will stop for part of the day and then get sort of heavy again, usually the next morning. I tried moving the time I took the pill to the night to see if maybe it was because the pill was wearing off, but that actually seemed to increase AF. Any idea whats up with that?}
Thankfully no crazy mood swings like sprintec and less breakthrough than Yaz. Another good thing is my acne seems somewhat clearer. So overall I do like Loestrin.
However, there is one major problem, and I'm wondering if it's a side effect: I am really, really fatigued. With losing so much blood over the past month, I originally thought maybe it is just vitamin and iron deficiency, but I have been good about supplements and have seen little improvement. There are times during the day when I feel ok, but others where I feel kind of faint and can barely keep my eyes open. Last weekend, I slept most of the time, and I even skipped a few events I was looking forward to.
While everything seems to be getting a little better, improvement on the fatigue is especially slow. I work in political consulting, and I have a pretty entry level job. I can't afford to be tired, not to mention it's annoying when all I have energy for is work or sleep.
Do you all think it could be a side effect of the medicine? Fatigue is listed on the side effects. My doctor told me this kind of thing could happen for 1-3 months but I can't deal with it that long. Loestrin is better than any other pill Ive taken but I still don't feel well. Any advice? Supplements, other medicine, going off the pill again (and if so, what kinds of withdrawals would you expect), anything would be helpful. (3 days after I first posted this, fatigue seems a little better, especially when I took the pill last night and not in the morning)
My insurance is sufficient but not that great, and with 2 doctor visits and an ultrasound, the last thing I want to do is schedule another appointment. I also want to limit bothering the ob/gyn I went to - he seems very helpful but I want to make sure Im not being a pest.
I also tried taking Loestrin 24, but stopped using it because of the breakthrough bleeding and fatigue. I have never found a BCP that I could tolerate and I was hoping this one would work out, but it didn't.
What I found most unusual was that I bled pretty much the whole time I was on the pill, but when I stopped at the end of the cycle, AF never showed...I only bled during the active pill days...isn't that strange?
Sorry I can't offer advice, but I can certainly sympathize. Most people say that the side effects will get better over time, but I can't make it more than two months to find out.
I am the exact same way, Sarah - the fatigue seems to have gone but now the breakthrough is as heavy or worse than a regular period. Ive been on Yaz and Sprintec as well and generally I have more problems on the active days than the non-active ones.
So if BCP didnt work for you, is there anything that has?
I really wish I had more positive experiences to share but I don't. I have tried Ortho TriCyclen, OTC Lo, Ortho Evra patch, Nuvaring, Yaz, and Loestrin 24 FE. All of the pills caused me to feel very tired, cranky, and I had severe pain in my lower abdomen. I stopped the patch because the headaches were unbearable. I stopped the Nuvaring because it gave me yeast infections. But the Nuvaring was the best when it came to how my body reacted. If it weren't for the yeast infections, I would still be using it.
My doctor wants me to take Provera each month to induce AF, but I really hate the thought of doing that. We are both hoping that after a few more months of Metformin, my cycle may return to normal.
Let me know how you are feeling. I will let you know if I find anything that works for me, because I am still looking for other options.
I have had a lot of the same things happening to me this month. I tried Yaz last month and it gave me a TERRIBLE headache, so I took myself off and the Dr. put me on Loestrin 24. A week into my pack, I started spotting, and 10 days in felt like a full period. I broke out, had a screaming fit at my children, bloated, etc. Since then I am exausted all day, and have had spotting, bleeding, and cramping all month. I am on day 21 of 24 and woke up this morning flowing pretty heavy. I have not called my Dr., he wanted me to wait 3 months, but if this keeps up next month, I'm giving him a call!!! He's pretty insistant that I be on the pill, and said there are hundreds out there and we'll keep trying. I'm not so convinced...
Eventually, the fatigue from Loestrin went away, but Im now on antibiotics to clear up some of the acne that stemmed from taking it. Since I still had breakthrough issues, my doctor recommended a D and C and hysteroscopy. The bleeding was from having heavy uterine lining, and on finishing my last pack of loestrin I didnt really have side effects or spotting.
However, I did switch to Yasmin now (not Yaz) and I have absolutely no bad side effects and no spotting issues. My doctor said (and I have read) that Loestrin is one of the more androgen-increasing bcps out there, and most pills besides Yasmin do increase androgens.
Loestrin, Fatigue, and prolonged AF 
