having a hard time with BCP

[wednesday7]

I've been on BCP's before and never got past the first 2 weeks because of anxiety or depression. I have had emotional problems in the past but it seems when I go on BCP's it just worsens it. Now I am on Yasmin for the third week. I've had times when I've felt great and thought this pll is helping, then the next day i'm a nervous wreck. I also have been spotting and then bleeding then spotting for three weeks. Normally my period worsens my emotional state so I figure this bleeding irregularities might be why I'm so up and down , yet I know it takes time to get used to them so I've been trying to stick it out. I finally stopped bleeding after about a week, but now am cramping, and have acheiness and back pain. And the emotions have gotten worse. I've felt like i was going crazy at times, because I'm so upset and don't know why. I'm really scared taking these things, because I don't feel in control. I get upset for no reason.I think usually, I get my period, and I know for about a week I'm going to feel worse emotionally, and it'll go away soon, but this is so up and down it drives me up the wall. I'm wondering if a low dose pill might be better for someone like me. I would love to tough it out and give the pill enough time but I don't know if i can take it. I'm supposed to stop the pill this weekend and take the white ones anyway, so I thought maybe i should switch to a pill that might be better suited to someone who is by nature a nervous person. Any advice on a pill that is good for women with pre-exsisting emotional preoblems..especially anxiety.
Sue

[Chrissy]

Yasmin has been known to mess with moods. It has an extrememly high progestin effect and fairly significant estrogen and this can cause problems in some. If you want a pill I would take a low estrogen and progestin strength pill. Some women can't take bc pills but usually that is decided after at least a 3 month trial. If you are afraid your symptoms are too bad and getting worse it may be best to stop. Even if you do you'll just get your period from the withdrawal from the hormone. What does your DR. say?

Best of luck!

[amberstrength]

I have decided as of today to stop yasmin after being on it for 2.5 years. mainly because I have read all of the comments on this message board about the mood swings/depression/anxiety it can cause in some people,all this time I've been on yasmin & had NO clue it could be contributing to the horrible emotions I've been feeling!! Why would all my Dr's just blame it on depression and not make the connection and change my b.c.pills? They all seem so sure of themselves when they tell me yasmin is the best for pcos.Anyway just needed some input.

[barneyb]

I am taking bcp's for fibroid related issues, but it took a couple of tries to find one that wouldn't make me an emotional basket case. First it was Mircette(Kariva), which had me crying over nothing within the first week and a half - I stopped that and decided I could deal with the periods (didn't know it was a fibroid at that time). Then I hit a really rough patch emotionally - honestly thought I was bipolar - and took my sassy behind back to the dr. She said the Nuvaring was low hormones and would probably help the AF issues and even my moods. Within a week, I was crying all the time over stupid stuff. It was so bad that I called the on-call Dr. who told me I needed to ride it out and that it'd get better. I was really scared by the side effects - I honestly felt like I was going crazy I was so out of control- so I ended up taking the ring out. Had an appt for an ultrasound later that week, so I talked to MY dr. again & now I'm on Alesse, which hasn't had the horrible emotional side effects. She also said that she could prescribe something for the moods to help get me throught the adjustment stage if I had problems on Alesse. Don't be afraid to keep after your dr. if you really can't take the emotional aspects; it may take several tries to get something that works.

Good luck! I really feel what you're going through.

[Chrissy]

I really felt great on the alesse bc pills. I added spiro. to help with my acne and hair issues and found it to be a great pill for me. I had no emotional side effects, it even seemed to make my hormone moods more evened out, especially around AF time. I wish you good luck with it. The MIrcette made me miserable and crampy and cranky. It is also quite high in progestin strength and this tends to increase depression in some women. Best of luck to you both!