Help with side effects of Patch

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-21-2004
Help with side effects of Patch
5
Sun, 03-21-2004 - 9:54am
I've been on the patch for 9 months now. At first I loved it because I'm a forgetful person, so I was always missing pills. The past few months though, it hasn't been great. I wake up nauseated at least once a week, I get migraines which I never got as frequently before as I do now, I've noticed my heart beat is a little irregular at times, and probably worst of all, I get violent mood swings. The mood swings are terrible. I'll be happy and cheerful, and then in five minutes I'll go from that to very angry and yelling at people for nothing. Then I start to feel bad about yelling, so I start crying and hating myself. I can't take a lot more of this and I'm worried about the strain it's putting on my relationships. Are all these things happening because of the Patch? And have any other women experienced things like this?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Mon, 03-22-2004 - 7:18am

Are you under stress?

Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Mon, 03-22-2004 - 8:30am
That's interesting. Did you have those problems when you first started taking it? The biggest problem I have had is abdominal bloating and I gained about 7 lbs (in the first 3 weeks of use). I am still not sure if I am going to keep taking it as a result of this because I hate to feel fat. Normally I can't handle any type of hormone changes and I haven't tried any hormonal thing for 11 years so this is the first tiem I have had any hormoned in me in a long time. Its been cool not to have pms like I normall have though.
Avatar for kissmedeadly
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2003
Mon, 03-22-2004 - 5:30pm
I have been on the patch for 6 months, and thank god, this is my LAST month!!! I have been on 4 different pills, and this...the patch, for me has been a nightmare...I have gotten more yeast infestions, and not to mention it gave me a scar on my sholder!!! I have no libido and am basically miserable on it.

My doc is switching me to Mircette, she said it helps with mood swings..so we will see.

goodluck, and keep us posted!

:)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-21-2004
Tue, 03-23-2004 - 11:48am
I also got my first yeast infection while on the patch. I also have urinary tract infections every few weeks, which I never got before. My boryfriend pointed out to me that I don't want sex as much as I did while I was on the pill. I'm going back on the pill as soon as this month is over.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Tue, 03-23-2004 - 1:29pm
Hi everyone .......switch the 7 lb weight gain to a full 10 lb weight gain in the first month. I hate this. My appetite went up so much with it. I got a yeast infection on it the around the 2nd week I was on the patch as well. I think I'm trying to get another one too. (this is the 2nd day of my week with no patch). Did the pill make you have an appetite increase as well? I ordered some packs of MIrcette as well as desogen and I am gonna try Mircette and see if the appetite increase goes away or gets worse with it. The bloating too but I don't think I can blame a full 10 lbs on bloating sorry to say, darn. All my pants are ridiculously almost embarrassingly tight around my waist and hips and I havne't had a problem with my weight ever and i'm almost 29 so I am definitly blaming this on the pill and not "lifestyle changes" as they try to say. Can someone give me hope w/the appetite/weight thing? ughg. I really enjoyed how this cleared up my skin and made me not have any pms because normall I would take meds for the 2nd half of my menstrual cycle due to severe pms and I didn't have to do it this month it was a miracle.....but I don'[t think it was worth 10 lbs of weight gain unfortunately. I hate this!