I was on the pill for many years. I tried numerous different ones (Estrostep, Yasmin, Triphasil) & never had problems.

After the birth of my daughter in April 2004, I went on Orthotricyclene LO. I didnt realize it for almost a year, but the pill was causing me to be irritable, depressed & I had no sex drive. I figured I was feeling this way because I was a new mommy, but I still felt that it may have been due to the pill. I just felt keyed up all the time.

Well I went off of Ortho-Lo for about 3 months (Sept to Dec 05) Let me tell you I felt great except when I had my period (heavy periods & fatigue). So I spoke to my GYN doctor & she told me to try Ovcon 35 (low dose) to see if my periods improve. Ive been on it for a a little over a week & I feel awful! My poor daughter is getting yelled at for the littest things, my husband doesnt even want to be near me. Im a train wreck! Ive deceided to stop taking it because I dont want to live my life like this!

I spend my days feeling guilty for my mood & behavior. I feel so crappy.

Please offer me some advice :confused:

im sorry i dont have any advice but i can sure relate!

im taking Triquilar 21 and have been for 4 years now and i have THE WORST mood swings. i mentioned it to my doctor last time i was in for my physical and she suggested Micronor.. a progesterone only pill. i decided against it since the risk of pregnancy is higher then Triquilar.

but, sometimes i wish i had switched because there are times when i am terribly irritable, i cry at almost anything and i have little to no sex drive. this isnt constant but its enough that its bothersome.

anyway, sorry i dont have much advice for you, but just so you know.. you're not alone :)

All I can say is YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! The same thing happened to me not too long ago. I started Lo-Ovral (extremely high amounts of estrogen) a little over six years ago. Before doing so, I was a really good person, always mellow (you know, the type who lets people walk all over them). Anyways, I had just began dating my first boyfriend three months before.

After starting the pill, I became a rage-a-holic. I was beyond mad all the time, and over such stupid little things. I figured it was because he was my first boyfriend and I didn't know how I should react. I was beyond jealous and insecure.

I continued that way, even after I developed Melasma (brown splotchy spots) on my feet. I ended up getting High blood pressure too. In November of 2004, my GYN said that I had way too much estrogen in my system and she changed my pills to Ortho-Tricyclen Lo. Almost over night, I changed dramatically. My anger disappeared and I became really anxious and fully paranoid. I was scared to leave the house and I began to get highly stressed over everything. I felt like I was going to crack at any time and was actually thinking about institutionalizing myself. I also gained TONS of weight.

Then this past November, I was switched yet again from Ortho tricyclen lo to the mini pill (no estrogen at all). Within two days, I could tell a huge difference. I am back to the person I was before I ever started taking birth control pills, I never feel hungry and my blood pressure is lower. The only downfall is I had break through bleeding 4 days after switching and haven't seen a period since (very irregular periods).

I have heard some bad things about the mini pill, but compared to what I have went through, I will take my chances. As far as I'm concerned, it couldn't be any worse than what I have experienced. And if it gets that bad, I will go off the pill altogether (we use condoms most of the time because the mini pill has a slightly higher rate of pregnancies).

My advice to you is: if you are experiencing anything mentally because of your pills, get them switched right away or go off of them. I've talked to numberous women who have had depression/anger/anxiety/etc. due to their pills. I can't recommend a brand because different pills work for different people, but I do know that you shouldn't have such bad effects from them. The high amounts of artificial hormones can't be that great for our moods, and although I heard that it is the progesterone you have to look out for, I am a firm believer that it is the estrogen. After all, estrogen has been linked to cancer and other bad things.

I lost almost 6 1/2 years of my life to my birth control pills. Please don't let your GYN tell you that there is no way it could be your BCP's (as many of them do), especially if you can link it to them. I look at it this way, if testosterone can make men more angry and aggressive, why can't estrogen work the same way in women? Good luck.

I forgot to mention, my sex drive peeked!!! (My boyfriend - now my husband - couldn't be happier).