Birth control side effects?

kaesha

I've been going through periods of depression lately that seem to last 2-3 days, and I just realized that they're lining up at about the same time of the month. Has anyone else experienced serious depression as a side effect of their birth control pills?

Married2MrWright

I have not, but I know it is possible.  I was on YAZ, which is supposed to mitigate PMDD and did help my mood considerably before AF.  I imagine the drop/change in hormones can be causing this 2-3 day depression.  Is it during your placebo week, just before AF?  Or right after AF (when you start a new pill pack)?  If so, it's most likely hormonal.

kaesha

It seems to start as I'm on the last 3 or so pills of the pack - I used to use Ortho-tricyclen, but I started on Yasmin about 6 months ago. With the previous pills, I never experienced stuff like this. I'd be a bit moody, but never this depressed! I feel so weird - like, I'm aware that this mood doesn't accurately reflect me at all, but I can't do anything about it to cheer myself up.

MauiBride2008

I have been suffering this now that I am OFF the pill.  My hormones are all out of whack and my hormone levels have caused so much anxiety and depression.  I had my first panick attack not too long ago and I felt like I was seriously dying, like I was having a heart attack.  She said she wants to put me on a low dosage anti-deppresant to get my seritonin levels back to par, but I'm a bit skeptical since we are somewhat TTC.  I have been on the pill since I was 15 and have been off of it for about 6 months now, I don't think my body knows what to do w/out all those extra hormones.

I have never heard of this happening, but I have now been reading more about it and didn't realize how common it really is.  I still feel this way every day, but I'm hoping to ride it out and see what happens because I do not want to be on an anti-deppresant...it scares me.

Amy4773

I am nuts, seriously nuts, when I have PMS.  I've treid Yaz, it didn't work for me, but it does say on all of the materials that it is supposed to help PMDD.  It might be worth a try.  I actually got better after I stopped taking birth control pills - I think all of those hormones were contributing to my craziness.  My GYN gave me an anti-depressant to take for 2 weeks before I started my period but those side effects were even worse - I was up ALL.NIGHT.LONG.  So I decided to just live with it.

Crazy as it sounds, since I've been wokring out every day for the past 8 weeks, my PMS has subsided.  My regular doctor gave me Xanax to take whenever I felt anxious and during this month's PMS I only took a half of a pill on 2 different occassions.  A tremendous difference.

It is very common, and very scary when it's happening to you.  You feel like you don't have any control over your own body.

kaesha

That's exactly it Amy! I don't even recognize who I am a few days out of the month. And, I'm usually such an even keeled, chilled out person. I'm on hold at my doctor's office to try and get an appointment to deal with this.

mrsmauimary

Pssst... go for the copper IUD!  My ob said "every uterus should have an IUD".  Although I laughed, I wish I had it earlier.    No pills to remember either   

redshoegirl

The only really obnoxious side effect I've had from birth control is crazy weight gain (from the implant), but I do know people who have had hormonal problems that lead to severe mood swings, depression, etc., so I absolutely believe you when you say that's what's happening. 

I think for my next birth control method I'm going to go for something non-hormonal like an IUD, just to see what that's like. Not sure if that's an option you'd consider?