BC pills and emotional breakdowns

enforcerlady · 08-25-2007, 02:18 PM

Does anyone else feel like the hormones in oral contraceptives can make you extremely emotional at times? I've been on ortho-tri low for about 6 or 7 months and I seem to be getting more and more emotional.

Today at the gym I had a complete meltdown. I sparred (I'm a boxer) with my sister for the first time since I injured my shoulder in May. We were supposed to go really light b/c I'll throw out my shoulder if I go too hard. Well in the first round I went nice and easy, but my sister went a little harder and got in a few shots on me. Should have been no big deal, but it really got to me.

I started crying in the middle of the round and it took everything I had to restrain myself from going balistic (and risk hurting my shoulder). We only went 2x3min rounds. I couldn't stop crying for an hour. After sparring I went outside and ran as fast as I could for 10 minutes in hopes of tiring myself out so I'd be too exhausted to keep crying.

Then on the drive home from the gym some lady gave me the finger when she was the one driving like an idiot and I followed her and was literally going to get out of the car and pummel, but my husband (and boxing trainer) stopped me.

I am a super competitive person and my sister and I have a huge sibling rivalry. But I know that my meltdown was completely irrational and I just felt out of control. In all honesty, I felt like I was losing my mind.

Thanks for listening to me vent. Has anyone experienced anything like this b/c of birth control pills? Or am I just losing my mind?

SpittfireDA · 08-25-2007, 02:26 PM

Hey I was on ortho-tri low for over a year and I stopped taking it for exactly the same reason.

Literally, I would run out of toothpaste and nearly burst into tears. I know it sounds funny now, but it was nuts. I don't know much about the science of estrogen, but I couldn't deal w/ that. My doc said that was the lowest dose of estrogen available in bc pills, and didn't know what else to put me on ... :-/

Phosphorescence · 08-25-2007, 03:06 PM

I just stopped taking BC pills. Even the low dose messes with me. BAD! I think some people just don't handle added hormones well. I even started buying hormone free foods to help prevent any additional in my system (as well as for my kids).

I have only been off them for about 2 weeks, and already I feel much more like my kick-ass self that I use to be. I'm either going to check out the sponge or get a IUD. I don't have sex often enough to even justify the hell the side effects the pill causes. I felt SO vulnerable and easily hurt all the time on the pill. Now, I'm like -F-off....I ain't taking your crap!

enforcerlady · 08-25-2007, 03:33 PM

Thanks so much for the replies.

Birth control is such a double edged sword--its so nice to not worry about unplanned pregnancies but sometimes the side effects can be brutal.

At this point I just feel like I've run out of options. I did depo for 5 years but quit b/c of the bone density issue. I tried the IUD but the insertion was traumatic and then my body expelled it after a few weeks. And the pill doesn't seem to be working out so hot for me.

clovely · 08-25-2007, 07:08 PM

I understand the double edged sword! But I'm not even worried about pregnancy - after my son was born poor hubby had that taken care of but it was all for nothing because a few months later I was in excrutiating pain again and had to go back on the hormones. It stinks.

I think I've been on all the pills (never tried Depo). In my 20's it worked like a charm. In my 30s it just seems like a cruel joke. I'm on Seasonale now because the low-does stuff seemed to stop working after a while. Seasonale is rough stuff. 12 week cycles sounds great, and it is for about 10 weeks. But at the end, I have gotten literally psychotic!! Like you said, to the point of being completely irrational and knowing I'm being irrational but seemingly unable to control it! With the Seasonale, though, these side effects seem to be tapering off the longer I'm on it. And I'm probably getting better able to anticipate it and to handle it. But if you're getting worse instead of better the longer you're on it, I think you need to find something else.

empresscat · 08-25-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enforcerlady

Thanks for listening to me vent. Has anyone experienced anything like this b/c of birth control pills? Or am I just losing my mind?

Yes - and the feeling of being out of control of yourself is the worst! I thought I'd adjust but it just got worse!

I talked to my physician, and she changed me to a different brand with a different hormone dosage, and I was fine.

enforcerlady · 08-26-2007, 07:30 AM

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll try to get through another few packs of pills and see how it goes. Today I'm feeling just fine, but if it gets bad again I will definitely look into switching to something else.

pinkinmiami · 08-27-2007, 01:38 PM

I used to take the depo provera shot a couple of years back. At the beginning it was great, but then I noticed it would make me feel real "blue" around the time I would ovulate. At first I dismissed it but as months went by it escalated into anxiety attacks. I'm not sure if any of you have ever experienced a full blow anxiety attack...it's the worst! Needless to say, I got off the shot and I no longer experience the emotional ups and downs.

enforcerlady · 08-27-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkinmiami

I used to take the depo provera shot a couple of years back. At the beginning it was great, but then I noticed it would make me feel real "blue" around the time I would ovulate. At first I dismissed it but as months went by it escalated into anxiety attacks. I'm not sure if any of you have ever experienced a full blow anxiety attack...it's the worst! Needless to say, I got off the shot and I no longer experience the emotional ups and downs.

Suprisingly, I never really had any side effects from depo (aside from not having a period for 5 years--which I enjoyed). Does anyone know if the hormones in Depo are different than those in BC pills?

On another note, I had another moment this morning at the gym. We were doing muscle cleans, which we hadn't done in a while. My sister, who hasn't worked out for 2 months, did the weight our trainer gave us, but I couldn't get that weight. I nearly started crying, well there were tears and red puffy eyes at least. I did a good job of fighting it off. I took a moment to refocus and then I repped out the cleans with no problem.

Hopefully its just a matter of me recognizing that I'm being irrationally sensative and taking a moment to put things in perspective. As long as I don't let it get to the point of a full blown emotional breakdown, then I can deal.

TeayotaSoupra · 08-30-2007, 07:40 PM

After about 2 months of me on my pills this go around (I had them when I was a bit younger but I was a wreck then anyways lol) I did start getting too out of it. Luckly I'm alone enough no one noticed.. err well my boyfriend has twice. I get a bit TOO upset when he goes out of town for work. It seems to be for only one week and normally it's the week before I take the "period pills".
This week is my psycho week and I havn't done anything! Granted I'm in that mood where i'm upset about some things in life but I've been making myself snap out of it and trying to think positive. It's easier knowing it's the pills and not myself.

Either way as soon as I get a REAL job and insurance i'm going to try the IUD. Knowing my luck it'll do the same thing to me as it did to you

If so i'll just go for surgery.. I really don't want nor do I need any kids.

AK-Element · 12-03-2007, 10:38 PM

I was on a very low dose of ortho-cept for over a year and was EXTREMELY emotional- they actually put me on anti-depressants to balance it out. So then instead of being over emotional, I didn't give a crap about anything at all. Me and my husband actually considered just forgetting about it and risking me getting pregnant because it was such a huge problem. (yeah, that desperate.)

I went off BC for about a year since my husband went to Korea, and recently got on a new one called "Yaz", it actually fights the signs of PMDD and helps IMPROVE your mood, bloating, cramps, etc. I love it... I honestly feel like I'm not on anything at all. They've got a lot of commercials on TV for it, and I want to recommend it to anyone because it's freaking awesome.

terracotta · 12-03-2007, 10:44 PM

I've been on Alesse for a long time, and I haven't had any problems with it.

A warning to anyone on or considering depa-provera - it leads to bone loss. I recommend staying away from it.

Quote:

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/sep2002/nichd-06.htm
A new study confirms earlier reports that Depo-Provera, an injectable contraceptive popular among young and low-income American women, is strongly associated with bone density loss. The study, funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), also found that bone loss associated with Depo-Provera use appears to be largely reversible once the injections are stopped.

Implications: Bone density loss increases the risk for osteoporosis, a disease primarily of old age in which bones become fragile and are more likely to break. Women who use Depo-Provera are at risk for loss of bone density, although this study provides evidence that Depo-Provera's effects on bone density appear to be largely reversible. However, women with risk factors for osteoporosis (for example, smoking, thin or small frame, prior broken bones, Caucasian or Asian ancestry, family history of osteoporosis, diet low in calcium) should discuss the issue of bone loss with their health care providers when considering this form of contraception.

Depo-Provera users lost markedly more bone density than did non-users throughout the three-year follow-up period. Based on their findings, the researchers estimated that women who use Depo-Provera continuously for four years would experience bone loss comparable to that which occurs during lactation (breast-feeding) or menopause. Specifically, Depo-Provera users experienced a loss of bone density at the hip of 1.12 percent per year, compared with a 0.05 percent per year loss among non-users. The comparable figures for spine bone density were a loss of 0.87 percent per year for the Depo-Provera users and a gain of 0.40 percent per year for the non-users. The researchers also noted that 18-21 year old Depo-Provera users had much lower bone densities at the beginning of the study than did 18-21 year old non-users.

Mrs_Muscles · 12-04-2007, 10:43 AM

I'm one of those people who is very sensitive to hormone bc too. Even the low dose pills mess with me. I switched over to an IUD and it's worked out great for me. It's calle the paraguard IUD, has no hormones and is good for up to 10 years. It does require a Dr. vist to insert, but that take only a couple minutes. My periods were heavier and I had more cramping for the first few months, but then everything went back to normal. I don't even realize it's there. Plus... no pill to forget!

jmccarthey · 12-04-2007, 02:20 PM

I've really never had a problem with BC pills... I've been on Triphasil for years now, and haven't really experienced any side effects (emotional or otherwise). The only time I had trouble controlling my emotions was when I took EAS Betagen....I'm not sure if it reacted with BC pills or what the deal was, but I turned into an extremely aggressive psycho. Once I figured out what was going on and stopped taking Betagen, it all stopped and I went back to normal.

Mrs_Muscles · 12-04-2007, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmccarthey

I've really never had a problem with BC pills... I've been on Triphasil for years now, and haven't really experienced any side effects (emotional or otherwise). The only time I had trouble controlling my emotions was when I took EAS Betagen....I'm not sure if it reacted with BC pills or what the deal was, but I turned into an extremely aggressive psycho. Once I figured out what was going on and stopped taking Betagen, it all stopped and I went back to normal.

You bring up an excellent point! When taking supplements it is extremely important to read the label carefully as well as double check the drug interactions on any prescriptions you are taking. Just because a supplement is OTC doesn't mean it won't interact with something else you are taking. I don't know much about drug interactions with hormone bc because I don't take it. But do take an antidepressant and there are a lot of supplements I shouldn't take because of that. Thermogenic fat burners seem to interact with a lot of phsychiatric drugs and can cause mood change in some people. I'm sure that only scratches the surface.

gfundaro · 12-04-2007, 03:58 PM

I get more emotional coming off of them...it's actually the drop in estrogen and progesterone before menstruating that causes the depression and 'PMS'. I did experience more problems when supplementing with DHEA, which I stopped once my gyno said, "Oh no, you don't want to do that."

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etali · 02-20-2009, 06:17 AM

I was an emotional wreck on microgynon, didn't get on with depo either (horrid cramps all the time on that - which my doc said couldn't have been caused by it, but as soon as I stopped the deop, they stopped) but I changed to cerazette and I'm fine on that.

I guess everyone has different responses. It is worth trying lots of different pills until you find the right one - even if your doctor makes you feel like you're being fussy. Your sanity is worth it

Jessica29 · 02-20-2009, 06:57 PM

Im off BC because of how psycho it made me.. literally.. I was NEVER a mean girl and I soon became a B*tch.. getting off it though..I suffer badly right before my period (PMDD) I don't take any antidepressents because I already did after having an ED and Depression associated with after having one...the antidepressent worked but I didn't want to rely on med anymore. But now that I get REALLY emotional before my period.. my doctor wants me to go on a low dosage of an anti depressent for PMDD.. I havent yet though because I hate any type of pill.. it stinks

Other than before my period though I am fine..

_Bethany_ · 02-21-2009, 10:23 AM

There's nothing worse that feeling of just pure rage (like your following the woman in the car). I've done that on more than one occasion, had someone beep at me at a stop sign or something bc I didn't move fast enough, throw my car into park in the middle of the street and get out of my car yelling like a lunitic, not fun and makes you feel like complete crap. I can't offer any help since I'm still working on it myself, but I know exactly how you feel!

cln1812 · 02-21-2009, 03:05 PM

BC pills made me a complete nutcase! I took them fine for several years and then suddenly, I went psycho on them, crying and emotional, like every day I had severe PMS. I changed pills 3 or 4 times and finally told DH that was it, we were using condoms or else no sex. Anyway, BC pills were effective BC for me because I never felt like having sex while on them! I had zero sex drive. After my daughter was born (a planned pregnancy), I got a nonhormonal copper IUD and have been happy with it. No more hormones for me!