Lo Loestrin Fe and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Lau...
• July 3, 2020

For Birth Control "PLEASE READ IF YOU STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH!! I was on Lo Lo for a little over a year and a half. Overall I didn’t have bloating or acne or irritability, which was great, however, I wouldn’t get my period for months at a time (wasn’t pregnant but definitely had a few scares when it wouldn’t come). It helped my cramping and PMS symptoms when I did get my period though, which was great. BUT DO NOT BE FOOLED! I struggle with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks, so I never connected the dots that this birth control made it worse. I didn’t realize Lo Lo was making me critically depressed up until the last month, I had MAJOR suicidal thoughts and immediately stopped taking it and within a couple of days, I didn’t have those thoughts or crippling depression. I would not recommend it in the slightest if you struggle with mental health to begin with, as I do. I am currently taking a different birth control pill, and I feel back to my normal self."

• Tri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 26, 2020

For Birth Control "LADIES. If you have had a bad pill experience, I hear you. Comments on how even if you’re having side effects like bad periods, migraines, weight gain, anxiety, or depression that “you haven’t been on it long enough to tell” need to stop. It absolutely isn’t ok to invalidate someone’s experience because they didn’t go through the 3 months of hell that is somehow a standard. If you’re having these side effects, they aren’t ok and your body is trying to clue you in. I was on birth control for 5 years, Lo Loestrin for over half of that. I thought the “good luck on not having your life ruined!” mentality was ok. Then the anxiety, depression, and ER visits hit. Nearly a year of my life was gone. It landed me on Prozac temporarily. I’ve never had mental health issues before in my life. I’m 5 months off the pill and am now feeling more like myself. My message is this: listen to your body. If something isn’t right, whether it be after a week or a year, it isn’t. Trust yourself."

• Lys...
• November 29, 2014

For Birth Control "If you're going to take this medication, I highly recommend you monitor your moods and be honest with yourself if you feel like you're out of control. I have been on this medication for two weeks and have the most tumultuous two weeks of my life. Hypersensitivity, crying spells, anger, depression, anxiety - I've been a crazy woman. It only just dawned on me that it has to be the medication. I wish I would have stopped taking it the minute the craziness started, it would have saved me a lot of tears and time!"

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2019

For Birth Control "My doctor decided to put me on this pill because I was basically having 2 periods a month taking Beyaz. I honestly knew nothing much about Lo Lo before taking it, but my doctor told me she had high hopes giving me this pill. So far, I’m halfway through my second pack and haven’t had any negative symptoms. I suffer from anxiety and depression, and neither of those have gotten worse since I’ve been taking this pill. I’m also super petite and work out daily, so weight gain is always a concern for me, and if anything, I’ve lost a couple of pounds since I’ve been on this pill. I wanted to share my experience because I do see there are a lot of negative reviews, and I wanted to share my positive one. The only reason I didn’t give this pill 10 stars is because I haven’t gotten my period since taking it, and although I love not having one, I am sexually active, so it makes me a little nervous. But all in all, so far, so good. I’m 26 for reference."

• Jjb...
• October 4, 2020

For Birth Control "READ IF YOU HAVE ANXIETY. I started this BC because my OB boasted about it being “low hormone” and helping my anxiety even out a bit from having too much estrogen in my previous BC pill. I started it with high hopes and quickly felt my anxiety skyrocket within days. I’ve always struggled with mild anxiety and this BC spiked it to the worst it had ever been. I tried sticking it out, but I made it one month on this pill and said, “I’m done.” I had horrific anxiety, crying spells, I had panic attacks (which I never had), and overall felt horrible. I now have the IUD Kyleena and I wish I had gotten an IUD all along. Never again will I go on the pill. They messed my body up. Not worth it. Please be careful when deciding if BC pills are right for you. I wish this brand would be removed from the market."

• loi...
• September 27, 2019

For Birth Control "I decided to switch to Lo Loestrin Fe after being on Beyaz for 2 months. I felt fine at the start, but by the week before my period, I began to feel really down. Then one day, I had a panic attack. This has never happened to me before. It freaked me out, so I stopped taking it altogether. For the next month, I felt okay, but by my next period, all hell broke loose. What followed was a month of extreme anxiety. I felt as though I was in mourning. I had multiple panic attacks. I went to a doctor and was prescribed Xanax. I began looking into psychiatrists and researching anxiety meds, thinking I was broken for life. I took time off work and devoted all my energy to trying to get better. I am pleased to say that 2 months after stopping, I finally felt like me again. This pill traumatized me and greatly disrupted my life. It's especially dangerous for women who are prone to anxiety/depression. If you are experiencing something similar, just know that it will be okay and things will get better."

• Mer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 14, 2021

For Birth Control "DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL. This is my first ever drug review. I was on this pill for only 9 days. This pill gave me severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts that I am still dealing with almost a month after, although they’ve gotten a little better. This was the worst pill I’ve ever taken in my life. I had fatigue, heavy chest, random pains in my body, severe depression, I could not think or form a thought, anxiety, and fear. And I developed scary intrusive thoughts I never had before. My libido left, and I also experienced dryness I never had before. Only in 9 days! It was awful! Quit this pill and do not take it. Most of the side effects have left, but I’m still having the fear and OCD and I’m scared it screwed me up permanently."

• Mer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 14, 2021

For Birth Control "DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL. This is my first ever drug review. I was on this pill for only 9 days. This pill gave me severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts that I am still dealing with almost a month after, although they’ve gotten a little better. This was the worst pill I’ve ever taken in my life. I had fatigue, heavy chest, random pains in my body, severe depression, I could not think or form a thought, anxiety, and fear. And I developed scary intrusive thoughts I never had before. My libido left, and I also experienced dryness I never had before. Only in 9 days! It was awful! Quit this pill and do not take it. Most of the side effects have left, but I’m still having the fear and OCD and I’m scared it screwed me up permanently."

• KD1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2020

For Birth Control "After a long time of being off birth control, I decided it was time to go back on in an effort to help my endometriosis, which had become 20 times worse since having my baby. I was drawn to Lo Lo due to it being an ultra-low dose pill with the lowest estrogen on the market. I only made it a month before I had to stop. It made me exhausted all day long, even when I switched to taking it at night to try and counteract that. It gave me weird leg cramps, but worse than that, it also gave me horrible anxiety and panic attacks. I went from never struggling with panic attacks to calling an ambulance on myself in the grocery store because I literally couldn’t breathe. It was embarrassing and awful. I had to stop that day. As soon as I did, no more panic attacks. Everyone is different, and everyone will react differently to this pill. It just didn’t work for me. Currently trialing another pill with a different progestin in it."

• Foo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 22, 2019

For Birth Control "At 40 years old, my period was heavy, and my iron was crashing. I had never taken birth control before because I already struggle with weight. After months of dealing with a heavy period, I decided it was time. I explained my weight gain and acne fears (yes, I break out easily) to her, and she told me that Lo Loestrin Fe would be the best for me. I’m on month four, and my skin is horrible. I’ve had to have laser treatments just to calm the inflammation down, and I started having debilitating anxiety. This stuff is poison. I am angry at the gynecologist for even prescribing it!"

• chu...
• March 29, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been taking Lo Loestrin Fe for 3 months now. I started this pill after having the Mirena for 5 years and having little to no period a month. For the first month on this pill, I had a normal period, but the 2nd and 3rd month I have been having extremely heavy bleeding and blood clots. So far my periods are coming about every 5 days. On for 7 days, off for 5 days. I feel terrible. I feel tired, having diarrhea and headaches. My cramps are in my back and constant. And I am not sure if the pill is to blame, but I have been getting anxious and nervous a lot for no reason lately. I made up my mind to stop taking the pill and make a doctor's appointment. Hope this helps others."

• chu...
• March 29, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been taking Lo Loestrin Fe for 3 months now. I started this pill after having the Mirena for 5 years and having little to no period a month. For the first month on this pill, I had a normal period, but the 2nd and 3rd month I have been having extremely heavy bleeding and blood clots. So far my periods are coming about every 5 days. On for 7 days, off for 5 days. I feel terrible. I feel tired, having diarrhea and headaches. My cramps are in my back and constant. And I am not sure if the pill is to blame, but I have been getting anxious and nervous a lot for no reason lately. I made up my mind to stop taking the pill and make a doctor's appointment. Hope this helps others."

• eml...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2018

For Birth Control "I've only been on this pill for four days, so I can't provide a complete review just yet. I haven't experienced any physical side effects yet, however, I will say that I think it's having a notable impact on my mood. I'm prone to depression already, but not anxiety. I'm finding that I have a constant feeling of anxiety over nothing whatsoever, and little things that wouldn't bother me are really stressing me out. I actually had a panic attack yesterday, which is very uncommon for me, especially since my life is generally stress-free right now. I am going to finish the pack just to see if my body adjusts, but I will say don't be surprised if you feel this way on this pill. If you're severely anxious, the potential side effect might be too much of a risk for you."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2019

For Birth Control "This is the worst birth control ever. This is the second one that I have used. I switched birth control as I had bad mood swings on my first one. And I just felt I was lying to myself and others. So I switched. And it was awful. The first three months I knew my body had to get used to it, but I had very irregular periods. They would never come when I was on the last week of my pills. It would come in the first week of the next pack. Sometimes it wouldn’t come at all. I was on it for about five months until today. About three days ago, I broke out very badly. If I could put a picture up, I would. It is so painful and itchy. It’s all over my face. I can’t go to class because of how bad it is. My anxiety levels have been very high. I have been very depressed. And really haven’t felt like I have the energy to do anything. Please, if you are starting this pill, read these reviews. I wish I had when I first got them. It helps a lot."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 16, 2021

For Birth Control "If you have pre-existing mental health conditions such as anxiety and panic attacks, please, please do not take this birth control. I was on a combination pill for almost 15 years and then decided to try Lo Loestrin Fe so my periods would be more manageable. I would take my painful periods over what this pill did to me any day. After my second pack, I started having the worst anxiety (had it prior but not terrible), panic attacks, and depression (I have NEVER had depression). I stuck it out but finally stopped Nov. 26th after my depression got scary. It got worse for a week after discontinuing (almost got admitted to psych), but now, almost 3 weeks after stopping, I am slowly feeling better. Please avoid if you already have anxiety, depression, or panic disorder!"

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 26, 2019

For Birth Control "I understand birth control is different for every person, but from my experience, you should avoid this birth control or be very careful/prepared before taking it. The first two weeks I gained 7 pounds, had horrible acne, and was so tired. I knew my body was going through a hormonal change, so I decided to ride out the first month. By the end of the first month, I developed extreme, crippling anxiety and depression. Nothing brought me joy, I panicked about everything, I cried for no reason, and had no motivation to do anything. I’d even wake up 5-6 times a night in extreme panics about nothing. This pill honestly almost ruined my life. I just finished my first month, and I am never taking it again. I can’t risk how much worse it could get if I stayed on this pill any longer. If you want to try for yourself and notice any extreme symptoms within the first few weeks, I would recommend stopping immediately!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I switched to Lo Loestrin after being on generic Loestrin for about 3 months. My body is high estrogen to begin with, so I needed something with less hormones. Generic gave me terrible anxiety, depression, mood swings, weight gain, and hormonal acne. After switching to Lo Loestrin, within 3 weeks I had lost 5 lbs, had glowing skin, and overall felt amazing. Every woman's body reacts to birth control differently, so my advice is if you feel awful, it definitely couldn't hurt to try something new, right? Lo Loestrin was amazing for me, but some people have terrible experiences."

• CJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 8, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had negative reactions to hormonal birth control in the past, so I decided to try an ultra low-dose pill. I am on my 4th month now, and it's been a waking nightmare. I am constantly having anxiety attacks and bouts of depression. This birth control has made me break out severely on my chin, as others have mentioned as well. I would NOT recommend trying this medication."

• hil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 30, 2019

For Birth Control "I started this birth control about two months ago. Within the first two weeks on the pill, I was spotting every day and experiencing terrible abdominal pain. I thought nothing of it and continued taking it. A week later, my anxiety started to build up. I was having frequent panic attacks and angry episodes. I would lash out at everyone around me: my friends, my family. And I started to complain about everything my boyfriend did. I was never happy. One little thing would tick me off, and I would be down about it for the entire day or sometimes the entire week. I cannot stress enough how angry the pill made me; I was pushing everyone away. My experience with this brand of birth control was not great, and I would not recommend it if you have experienced these side effects with different birth controls or if you are prone to depression."

• lem...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 27, 2018

For Birth Control "27 years old. I have been on this for 3 years and decided to give it up for good. There are definitely pros and cons, but for me, the cons are too much. Pros: -no period in 3 years -no cramps -cleared all of my acne -didn't get pregnant Cons: -anxiety -depression -extreme brain fog daily (like you're just walking around in a dream) -mood swings (happy for a few hours, then sad for hours, then happy) -makes my face very dry and not able to retain moisture -fat/water retention on my stomach.... I gained 10 pounds on it (I've never had fat/water on my stomach, but this medicine has me with a constant chubby belly that never goes away even with diet and exercise). It just isn't worth it anymore, I want to feel normal again."

• Bry...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 9, 2019

For Birth Control "This is the third oral contraceptive I have been put on in my lifetime (I am 24). I am on my third month on LoLo (Lo Loestrin Fe) and was hoping by now my body would be adjusted to it, but I have had a week of spotting in the middle of each pack. I am currently halfway through my third pack and am bleeding enough to need a tampon. I still have been getting a light/medium period at the end of the pack as well, so basically, I am getting my period twice a month. The only positive thing so far is that I have lost about 7 pounds while on it, but I am not sure if that is because of the birth control. I have also had 3 anxiety attacks since starting this pill, and it has given me more acne around my chin. I wanted to give this pill a fair chance before leaving my review, but being at almost 3 full months on it, I do not believe it is for me and will be switching to something that hopefully does not make me bleed so much."

• TIa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 22, 2019

For Birth Control "This drug escalated my previously existing mental health conditions (anxiety and depression) to the point where it became debilitating. I have never been so suicidal, and my emotions have never been so out of control in my life."

• ray...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 22, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been taking this pill for a little over 4 months now. I've noticed a big change in my mental state. I'm usually a very chill and down-to-earth person and usually don't get super anxious or sad. I like never cry. But this pill has made me so sad and overthink and be super anxious that I've been having to take anxiety pills. I wouldn't recommend this pill if you have anxiety or depression running in your family, chances are you're a carrier of it. And trust me, it'll come out during this pill. I've also been skipping my periods every month and been getting them halfway through the pack, like 10 days later than I'm supposed to get them. Not too happy with this pill. The only good thing is the weight. This pill has helped me lose weight and keep it off. Other than that, I can't say I like anything else. I'm also in college trying to get my nursing degree. I don't have time for this unwanted depression and anxiety. Nursing school is hard as it is."

• not...
• December 28, 2018

For Birth Control "I used this pill for contraceptive. I used it for 4 months with really no issues at all. I had no period and was not getting pregnant. However, I noticed I gained 15 pounds so quickly once I went away to school, and I did not change my diet. Then, at the end of the 4th month, the week I went home for winter break, I had extreme anxiety and depression. I have mild anxiety in general, but I hardly have panic attacks. In the last 4 days, I have been anxious and depressed and have really dark, depressed thoughts. I'm in an incredibly healthy relationship with a man I was sure I loved a week ago, and now this pill has left me anxious and in a mess about our relationship. I thought it was just him, but I began to think about everyone in my life, and my despair right now makes me want to push everyone away, and I have no interest in the things that brought me so much happiness before. I stopped the pill 2 days ago, and I already see a difference."

• Sus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I highly do not recommend Lo Loestrin FE birth control. I spotted half of the entire first pack, which I know is common, but I've never experienced it before. I have had daily headaches. My breasts have been extremely tender and have grown almost a full cup size. The worst is the anxiety. My anxiety has been through the roof and completely uncontrollable. I went a year on an entire bottle of Xanax, and since I've started this, I've probably used half of a bottle throughout a month because I've had so much nervousness and anxiety. Anxiety attacks galore. I never attributed this to birth control before, but I had these symptoms before when I was on birth control for 10 years and thought it was just me. It's not me. It's the birth control. I wouldn't even consider it if I were you. Also, lack of motivation to do anything or to be social, and I'm typically a very extroverted person."