Experiencing problems with Marvelon pill

[SRH]

I was wondering if anyone has had problems with the Marvelon pill. In the past I've tried Ovranette (got breakthrough bleeding) and Cilest (put on loads of weight) and so three weeks ago went on Marvelon. Since then I've suffered terrible mood swings and can't stop bursting into tears. I'm pretty certain it's the pill, so yesterday I decided to stop taking it (I'll obviously go to my GP this week, but just couldn't take the depression any more).

Am I the only one - on the internet most reviews say Marvelon is great. I'm starting to think that the pill just doesn't agree with me and that I'll have to just accept that I can't take it.

[aims1202]

I was the same as you, it was a while ago now but i kept changing pills and was on all those you mentioned. The only one i found did agree with me was Dianette but i was only allowed on that for 18 mths. So after that i came off it and never took it again. That was six years ago and my son ( a little surprise) is almost 5yrs, best thing i ever did!

[meglet]

I had the same problem on Marvelon.Have you thought of the injection?

[SRH]

Thanks for such quick answers - feeling very impatient and grumpy on this pill! I tried the injection a few years ago and loved it - but put on two stone in six months (not like me - I've always been very slim).

I was tempted to try it again and just hammer the gym to keep the weight off but doctor said my fertility could take up to two years to return after coming off and as I'm in my mid-30s don't want to take the risk of leaving having children too late.

Looks like it's back to condoms for me! Glad to know I'm not the only one who's had problems.

[mandimoo]

hi, theres always the iud to consider x

[SRH]

Thanks mandimoo - have asked three different doctors for the IUS (mirena) cos I have fibroids and apparently it could help shrink them. But they have all refused - I haven't had children and they said it could cause infections and leave me infertile. I'm pretty angry cos the fibroids could be damaging my fertility and from all the research the risk from IUDs is pretty minimal.

Doctors make me pretty mad when it comes to contraception! On my last visit to the family planning clinic, when I asked for alternatives to condoms, they prescribed Marvelon (which, as I said hasn't worked for me) and gave me a bag of condoms and a lecture and leaflets on STIs! I'm in my 30s and have been with my partner for two years with no history for either of us of STIs or promiscuity. Argggghhh!

[bewinarh]

I have been on Marvelon for some months now and I have found, apart from lowering my mood, to affect my digestion. My apetite has changed and I still get nausea quite bad at times. When I first started, I spent many nights throwing up. Nowadays, even if say I eat slightly later or something, I have to run to the bathroom in case I am sick and my intake of food is less. As I am showing deficiency symptom signs, I don't think this pill is helping. I aim to seek medical advice to improve both my mental and physical health

[Kahlua]

Hi,
I was also on Marvelon this summer, and I had to stop after 2 months because of really bad side affects including:
- Horrible mood swings
- Depression
- Weight gain

As soon as I stopped the symptoms went away, so I recommend you find a pill with a lower dose of hormones or a different type of progesterone.

I just got Alesse today, and I'm hoping for the best. Let me know how it works out for you. Remember that you are not alone!

[kelliekidman]

Hi

SRH your not alone!!
Since having my little girl I have been on different pills which did not suite me at all!! So in Sept 2007 I went onto Marvelon at 1st I thought it was great, it sorted my periods out. But recently my mood swings have nearly cause a divorce!! I thought I was ok but hubby says i'm short tempered and have no patience (and i'm the easiest person going). I have carried on taking it but have paid attention to me and he's right, some days i want to kill him others i just want ot be left alone and could cry. My latest problem is that i'm tired all the time, and I mean really tired!!! I 'm thinking of going back to condoms!! Don't really want to go back to doc's they must be sick of me!!

[RobynMarie]

well i never tryed the pill ever .. my docotor said that Marvelon pill .. was the best for me. i took the pill for a week and a half .. and all of a sudden out of no wheres .. i started crying .. and i couldnt stop .. than i had a pantic attack.. i felt so sad for no reason , and depressed. i found out that it was the Marvelon pill. i was just wondering .. what do you think is a good pill?

[lisamarie86]

Hi
I tried one type of pill when I was 18, to regulate periods, but really didnt get on with it at all. Then went onto the Depo-Provera contraceptive injection (every 3 months and less to remember) and had almost no problems- some mood swings/feeling low.. but nothing too bad but was told I should stop having as not really suggested for people in early 20s-can lead to arthritis in later years or something similar. Have now been on Marvelon for a year or more and have had problem after problem..
- headaches worse than normal
- always tired
- put on weight (a stone-alot for me)
- always eating even if not hungry
- no motivation
- sex drive suffering big time
- depression / feeling low and negative
- feeling upset and needing reassurance
- causing arguments for little reason
- not finding myself attractive (due to weight+feelings)

I have taken pregnancy tests and had a blood test done at the docs to check that way too - even though I knew I had been taking the pill and my boyfriend and I have started using condoms sometimes now as well. Obviously that came back negative. Don't know what else to do - hate having to start again on a new pill coz won't know if working for at least 2 months or so and have enough stress in my life at the moment. Any suggestions - Please advise!! Thanks

[Katie.2904]

I was perscribed Marvelon yesterday and came on here to see others' views on the tablet and i'm now very worried. My doctors seemed confident that this would be good for me as it can help skin and i have a history of minor acne, but now i'm v. scared i'm going to become depressed and get fat.
Any help?

[SRH]

Hi Katie. I guess what works for one person just doesn't work for another. I've tried loads of pills and have come to the conclusion that none of them suit me. But plenty of other people take the pill and have no problems. Hope we haven't scared you too much! Just see how you get on and if you have any problems see your doctor.

But, fingers crossed, you will be like the majority of people who have no problems with it. It could just be that people are more likely to write on message forums when they have a problem with something than when they don't ;)

[Sailorgirl]

I've been on Marvelon for about 18 months, primarily for acne and it cleared my skin up almost to perfection. Before Marvelon, I was on Dianette for 10 years, which suite me, but due to possible risks from the high hormone dose I had to stop taking it.

In the time I've been on Marvelon, I've experienced almost all the symptoms lisamarie86 lists, except the weight gain (although my boobs have increased in size significantly...!). Starting on Marvelon coincided with a difficult move abroad to live with my boyfriend, so I put the cause of my symptoms down to stress of moving, not adjusting to my new life, not feeling comfortable in the new country and relationship problems. Recently I have started to question myself and try to work out just exactly why I am such a misery guts. My relationship is about to fall apart becaue I have no sex drive and no interest in anything. I've looked for self-help tools on the internet and started some courses online. However, reading all the other posts here is making me suspect that maybe Marvelon has a lot to answer for. I think I'll stop taking it for a while and see if I feel better.

My advice would be to monitor yourself very closely and to stop taking it if you see your mood spiralling down. Believe me, it's not worth it.

[goldilocks77]

hi, thankyou so much to everyone on here being so honest. so far on the internet i have found nothing but good reviews for marvelon. however i have been on it for 6 months now, i am much more snappy than usual, am breaking into tears on a daily basis and i never cry. i also have zero sex drive and although my boyfriend is extremely supportive it is so frustrating for me. after reading your reviews i have decided to go back to the doctors and ask to be put on another pill, so thankyou all very much.
does anyone have any ideas what would be a good one to go on?
i have tried ovranette and i went up a whole size before i stopped taking it. but that is all i have tried. so any suggestions would be great.

[SRH]

Hi Goldilocks - I didn't know what I was starting when I put my first post up a year ago! I haven't tried another pill since Marvelon and have started to resign myself to not finding one that suits me... but if anyone else has any recommendations for me or Goldilocks, please tell all!

[Joggie]

Oh my goodness I have only jus researched this pill tonight have been on this pill since Nov last year and been fine until March this year - I thought I was going mad - everyone has been saying I am so moody...I feel down and low a lot of the time - I think I'll have to go back to the doctor to see if there is anything else I can try...Thank you for this blog because I really feel like I've been going mad - I'm the type of person that is very postive and motivated and there has been ups and downs recently - I blamed it on that - I jus thought I couldn't cope anymore. Can u tell me did you still have side affects when u were on your weeks break?

[synostosis]

Hi all.

I've been experiencing low mood for a long... long time. My sex drive is so-so... and I can't remember the last time it was running full throttle since before going on the pill. I've been on various brands of pills (Tri-cyclen, Tri-cyclen Low, and Marvelon) for about 10 years. I've recently seen my doctor for depression and she suspects it may be due to Marvelon. I'm absolutely terrified of getting pregnant. After reading all this, I'm very interested in going off of BCP and living sanely once again.

SRH: great post! :)

[bluestar180]

I was recently forced to change my pill to marvalon when my doctor took me off Yasmin, because she said it was too expensive for the NHS to pay for!
I was not keen to do this as although Yasmin was giving me a small pigment discolouration on my forehead...it had been relatively trouble free compared to the other pills I have tried. I have had side effects including rapid weight gain causing stretch marks, bleed thoughs, acne, water retention, and voloatile mood swings. I found Miragonon was the of all for all these symtoms.....until I started marvalon that is.
I have been on the so called marvalous marvalon for three weeks now, and have been feeling increasingly meloncholy...even tearful, which is something I hardly ever am. My boyfriend has noticed I have been very volatile since I have been on it.
What I want to ask is why all of us women put up with these crappy side affects...and the answer you get from the doctor when we complain is that we should count ourselves lucky because at least we are not pregnant.
Well not thats not good enough.....men don't have to put up with this rubbish!. I do not feel that there is enough research into this type of contreception and the dentremental impact it can have on women, with the so called, minor side affects.
I do not feel that the GPs are well trained enough when they perscribe. I also think that fitting someone to a certain pill becomes a crazy hit and miss process of trail and error.....would they do that with any other type of medication...I don't think so!
Is there any research that demonstrates what affect, and if it is bad for an individual woman, to continually switch and test different pills to try and find the right one. I am not just talking physically, but mentally too.
In france they a measure a womens hormonal levels and fit the pill accordingly...why do we not do that? I asked a sexual health nurse I work with this question, and she replied " its too

[SRH]

Hi Bluestar,

You have so hit the nail on the head! It all seems to go back to the1960s and the Pill being hailed as a wonderdrug that set women free.

I still find it incredible that a drug that messes around with your hormones can be prescribed so lightly. Sure, for each one of us experiencing problems there must be loads more who never have any side effects - but when the side effects for us in the minority are so extreme it makes you wonder why no one is questioning what we are doing to our bodies.

Since my first post on Marvelon over a year ago I've given up on finding a pill that suits me - it's back to condoms, which isn't ideal (I'm in a long-term relationship but my partner accepts he'd rather have to put up with condoms than a girlfriend on the pill who cries all the time, is bloated and unhappy).

Like others on here I do wonder whether GPs have enough specialist experience to be making these decisions for women...

[shmeegle12]

I was on Marvelon last year, i was on it for about 6 months. I was very moody and depressive and basically lost 'my spark' in my personality, i turned into a complete recluse. I completely lost my sex drive it was none existant, i just wasn't interested in anything. i don't know whether it was the pill alone or how my life was at the time. i'm not on any pill at the moment and i am happy. but i want to go back on a pill, just don't know which one will be good.