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RE: Alesse?

asw — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:08:11 GMT

This is so interesting... I've never taken anything other than Alesse and had no idea that other types of pills could potentially have very different effects. I'm happy to be on a very low dosage pill, I worry about the increased risk of cancer with exposure to higher levels of hormones, but my Dr told me that I don't need to worry about this with Alesse, as the risk is negligible compared to other factors such as diet.

I do get breakthrough bleeding if a miss a pill or take it late (good to know this is normal!). I'm just really careful now to take it at roughly the same time everyday and haven't had a problem in a while. My periods are great- regular and shorter and lighter than ever and rarely any PMS. I've had acne since my teens and it may be a little better now, but definitely hasn't cleared up completely, which is a shame, but I would have it anyway I think. We still usually use back up protection, which is fine with us- and it sounds like it could be a good job that we do! So overall I think I'm happy with how it works for me, but it's good to know about some of the other options in case I ever decide to change...

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:44:36 GMT

[quote][b]huntertobe (7/30/2008)[/b][hr]HATE it. but it's the lesser of the evil birth control pills :(

at least it doesn't make me homocidal like tricyclin did.[/quote]

I never really had any problems with Tricyclen. Or maybe they make me completely nuts and I just don't even realize it :hehe:

I decided the increased headaches/migraines and the very noticable increase in my anxiety weren't worth it. So I'm trying Marvelon next. We'll see how that goes.

RE: Alesse?

huntertobe — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:28:31 GMT

HATE it. but it's the lesser of the evil birth control pills :(

at least it doesn't make me homocidal like tricyclin did.

RE: Alesse?

portia123 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:45:56 GMT

Just wondering, what happened after you ladies stopped taking alesse? After I finished my last pack last month, I never started a new one. After 5 months of alesse my periods lasted 8-9 days and where 21 days apart. I'm waiting for a suprise af or some other side effect but nothing yet. What happened when you ladies stopped?

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:06:29 GMT

[quote][b]aotter (7/22/2008)[/b][hr]i took alesse for 6 months i think a few years ago, i found it did nothing for me. it made me really emotional and i felt sick during the week i had AF. i'm on a stronger version of alesse called minoveral or something like that and i really like it, AF last 4 days and i don't get headaches or feel sick when it comes. also noticed that it really balanced me out emotionally. I no longer cry over everything which is awesome:hehe:[/quote]

I've heard good things about that one! I'm definitely going to ask my doctor about it at my physical on Monday! Thanks :)

RE: Alesse?

aotter — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:42:47 GMT

i took alesse for 6 months i think a few years ago, i found it did nothing for me. it made me really emotional and i felt sick during the week i had AF. i'm on a stronger version of alesse called minoveral or something like that and i really like it, AF last 4 days and i don't get headaches or feel sick when it comes. also noticed that it really balanced me out emotionally. I no longer cry over everything which is awesome:hehe:

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:13:54 GMT

That's good to know.

I'm seriously wondering about its effectiveness, though. Side effects I can deal with. Pregnancy I can't (or rather, don't want to).

I've been noticing different CM compared to when I was on Tricyclen, so I'm not sure what to make of that... :unsure:

RE: Alesse?

sarahandjason — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:11:57 GMT

i've used alesse for 8 years now and i haven't experienced any terrible side effects. i have noticed lately though that the couple of days before my period, I have really bad gas and more cramps then I used to get, but other than that, it's been good!

RE: Alesse?

2bwed0609 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:36:26 GMT

Oh yes and after getting off Alesse I developed cystic acne (not even acne at all really - more like hives or boils under the skin along the jaw line, along my chest and back) which came back EVERY cycle after healing - I suffer it to this day but again, I have PCOS. I just always wonder if I ever would've gotten PCOS in the first place if I never took the pill.

RE: Alesse?

2bwed0609 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:33:21 GMT

[quote][b]sarahandrob2010 (7/2/2008)[/b][hr]I'm supposed to start Alesse on Sunday, after being on Tricyclen for years.

Any reviews? Did you love it? Hate it? Why?

Thanks!![/quote]

I haven't read the rest of the replies yet as I'm short on time but I was on Alesse for a few years about 8 years ago and after 2 years on it (and this could be with any pill by the way, or just how it didn't work with my system - may not apply to everyone) I found that after trying to get off it I didn't have an AF for almost 2 years following. I had to go back on the pill in order to commence AF again at the end of a pack/cycle.

I also found that while on Alesse my libido was very low and i dealt with some depression issues (though I think any pill would contribute to these issues from what I know). I gained a lot of weight quickly while on this pill too.

Docs diagnosed me with PCOS after about 2 years off Alesse and no AF plus cysts all over my ovaries (which had begun as a teenager actually). SO not sure exactly what was JUST because of the Alesse and what was from the PCOS.

With Alesse I also remember getting headaches regularly though stress could have contributed too but when the docs switched me a few years later to Diane for the PCOS (another BC Pill) I gained even MORE weight, had MAJOR migraines and low libido. I've been off all pills since September 07 now and never felt better.

If you don't HAVE to be on the pill and can use a non-hormone related form of contraception I highly recommend you go that route instead. It's just complicated and has potential to screw w/ your system. Why risk it?

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:05:18 GMT

I was reading the insert yesterday and it says that you should use backup protection for the first 7 days of your first pill pack with Alesse. I wonder how much that has to do with the rate of pregnancies... I guess we'll never know.

I'm going to try it and see how it goes for the first month.

RE: Alesse?

maplevizsl — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:13:49 GMT

I was first on Yasmin28 and it was terrible, i developed cystic acne, cried almost everyday, gained 20 pounds and hated how I felt on it.
My dr. switched me to tricyclen-lo and I love it. I stay the same great weight, literally little to no acne (just a breakout before my period), typical woman moodyness before period and I would recommend the lo dose version.

My friends have been on yasmin28 and have been fine, also on diane35 and one friends loves it, another on regular tricyclen and didn't like it, and my cousin on the depovera shot hates it. Says its the worst thing ever. I hear horror stories of getting preggers on Allesse.

Everyone is different and will react in a different way. My younger sister wants to start taking birth control and I told her to try TriCyclen-Lo first and if it doesn't work out to try diane35 perhaps. I hear "Mirena" I think its called is good too.

RE: Alesse?

anchor31 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:39:09 GMT

It was ok I guess... Until I started spotting so I switched.

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:46:23 GMT

[quote]My only warning about Alesse is that you must be very VERY careful to take it at the same time every day as it is a lower dose pill.

[/quote]

I'm not too worried about that, since I take my pills before bed, and I'm usually pretty consistent about when I go to bed. Or at least, when I go change into my pj's and lay down to watch tv ;)

RE: Alesse?

dlorraine — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:39:49 GMT

I had to switch to Alesse after being put on tricyclen lo. The Tricyclen was making my boobs swell ( 2 cups sizes for most of and sometimes ALL of the month), my stomache was hard as though I'd been doing sit ups for hours and I had this horrible stomache cramp that wouldn't go away. Oh, and moody? Yikes...

My doctor switched me to Alesse and I had no probs. HOWEVER, I had to refill my prescription and the pharmacy was OUT f Alesse and so they told me they would give me the generic brand, which ended up being Aviane.. NO good came from that.

They were insta- b***h pills-- I was ripping Nathan's face off for no apparant reason and crying at the drop of a hat, my face broke out, my stomache cramped and I was really sick a lot of the time... So I went to my doctor's after all of that was accompanied by three different period cycles in one month and clots.

Now before anyone goes getting spooked, she ran tests and I guess I'm just hyper sensitive. Generic brands by law must be between 80 and 120% the same product as their brand name counterparts, so I have no idea whether it was too much or not enough of something that caused my reaction...

My only warning about Alesse is that you must be very VERY careful to take it at the same time every day as it is a lower dose pill.

Hopefully you're having good luck with it though

RE: Alesse?

p0pc0rn — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:42:34 GMT

I've been on Alesse for about 10 years now and I've had no problems with it. The best part for me was I would have very very bad cramps when AF came (nausia, cramps, no energy, etc.). It did help me control those cramps and now I get a really bad AF like that maybe once a year. I have heard it can cause your sex drive to go down but I wasn't sexually active when I started taking BC so that wasn't a factor for me. I'm curious though to see what my body thinks when I stop taking it in a few months to start TTC.

RE: Alesse?

Belram — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:40:04 GMT

Sounds like me (although now it is for birth control) I switched from Dianne 35 to Alesse and was happy, I started getting sore boobs and would spot if a pill was missed or even late (but after a few years of taking it) so my doctor switched me to Yasmin. If your doc recommended it, I wouldn't be too concerned, just ask him/her any questions, mine was great about helping me find something that worked for me- plus he has two daughters my age so he knows a lot from their experiences. I know Alesse is a pretty low dossage, so some people do get pregnant from it, but you and your doc should be able to come up with a good birth control plan together.

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:12:01 GMT

[quote][b]missdish (7/3/2008)[/b][hr]I've had no problems with it, but I did have issues with the generic version of it[/quote]

I've heard other people say that, too. I asked my dr and she said that Alesse really wants your business, so she can give me a coupon to take to the pharmacy, and the company will cover the cost difference between the generic version (which is all my drug plan will cover) and the real one.

I'm not sure how it works, since I have 3 sample packs, but I can post it when I find out :)

RE: Alesse?

missdish — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:09:43 GMT

I've had no problems with it, but I did have issues with the generic version of it

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:08:42 GMT

I know the pill isn't great. Personally, I'd rather not have to worry about it at all. But FH is being a big chicken and refusing to see Dr. Snip :angry:

RE: Alesse?

kittybeans — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:47:28 GMT

Its a low dose one. It was too weak for me and I had alot of break through bleeding if i missed one pill or was late with it. so i switched from it to tricyclin (sp) then from it to Diane 35 to clear acne. then off all them because the pill is pretty bad for you, i got cysts (sp) and endemetriosis.

RE: Alesse?

kaisag — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:23:45 GMT

Ive been on Alesse for 12 years and Love it. I've had no side effects, no problems and no pregnancies on it. (I went off it for a few months and got preggers then).

RE: Alesse?

dmotkoski — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:24:39 GMT

I'm on Alesse and love it. I don't actually take it for birth control but because I didn't want a period every month and I take it constantly for 3 months and then take a break. I had no weight gain or any other noticeable symptoms (other than headaches in the off week - but that has decreased)

RE: Alesse?

satin — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:01:49 GMT

[quote][b]aotter (7/2/2008)[/b][hr]i was on Alesse a few years ago and it made me really emotional i cried alot and my periods were horrible. i'm on the stronger version of Alesse called Minoveral or something like that and its awesome. i've been on tricyclin and tricyclin low and they are both horrible.[/quote]

i got pregnant with my first on tri-cyclin. so did my sister!

RE: Alesse?

aotter — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:54:33 GMT

i was on Alesse a few years ago and it made me really emotional i cried alot and my periods were horrible. i'm on the stronger version of Alesse called Minoveral or something like that and its awesome. i've been on tricyclin and tricyclin low and they are both horrible.

RE: Alesse?

Adrea — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:35:07 GMT

Sorry didn't mean to freak you out:( But thought you should know before you go on it. My friends now call their new birth control pills Alotmore (A-lot-more) Maybe it's just in the London water:)

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:57:51 GMT

[quote][b]Adrea (7/2/2008)[/b][hr]Two of my friends got preggo while on it and I know of about 3-4 others who have gotten preggers while taking it due to the low levels in Alesse.[/quote]

Gah! This is the kind of review that scares me :(

RE: Alesse?

Adrea — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:44:05 GMT

Two of my friends got preggo while on it and I know of about 3-4 others who have gotten preggers while taking it due to the low levels in Alesse.

RE: Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:41:44 GMT

I've been getting a lot of headaches for a while with Tricyclen. Always on the week "off", usually a day or two before AF arrives. I'm hoping that switching will help with that.

RE: Alesse?

BellzBride — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:07:10 GMT

I've been on Alesse for about 5 years, and I've had no problems whatsoever. I didn't gain any weight, and I haven't felt any unusual nausea or headaches. I come from a very stomach-achey and head-achey family anyways, so that stuff is normal for me, hahaha :laugh:

It's hard to predict how it is going to affect you though because everyone's bodies are different. You may be just fine on it, or you may hate it too, who knows.....

RE: Alesse?

sgilmour — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:55:31 GMT

boooooooo...

Nausea, irregular periods, made me feel heavy (physically and mentally) and "low"...

Alesse?

sarahandrob2010 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:44:17 GMT

I'm supposed to start Alesse on Sunday, after being on Tricyclen for years.

Any reviews? Did you love it? Hate it? Why?

Thanks!!