Birth control with anxiety and mood disorders

I've just started taking Quasense a little over three weeks ago, and since then it seems a little bit of a "coincidence" that I've been increasingly insane. It's like all the things I have the tendency to do - anxiety attacks, acts of anger (throwing, breaking things), feelings of no remorse, what seems like could be considered dissociation, no emotional reactions - have all exploded in their frequency and strength. A few days ago, I bent the shower curtain rod, ripped the towel hook off the wall with the towel, broke the accordion door on the laundry closet, ripped all of the bedclothes off the bed into a mass, shoved my fiance against a counter, threw a bunch of toiletries onto the floor all while streaming profanities within about 45 seconds, then proceeded to sob and then pseudo-dissociate. This is what I'm talking about. Extreme exaggeration of symptoms. I have had two to three other occurrences of this in the last few weeks too.

I HAVE also discovered I may have a personality disorder and may not be getting accurate treatment, and that has sort of rocked me/slapped me across the face, so some may well be related to that too. Markedly, I have also had no interest in my fiance's affection or to showing any toward him in the last few weeks.

I think it may be the birth control. I'm ceasing taking it starting today, to rule it out. I can always start it up again if things stay the same.

Does anyone have advice for birth control methods? I have no insurance, so something like an IUD would be out of the question (right?). I've never taken birth control before this, so have no idea what I'm doing. I'm also anti-drug unless totally needed, despite the fact I take multiple per day to function at all, and am super paranoid about adding anything to this mix for reasons apparent in the description in my first paragraph.

Is the "mini" pill a good option? It just scares me 'cause of the time frame strictness, but I have surprisingly been really, really spot-on taking my bc pills since starting. It's actually helped be spot on with the rest.

I just need advice. ! Thanks for reading.

Here is the Planned Parenthood website with a comparison of how effective different forms of birth control are:

Birth Control Chart

And this one is a list that you can click on different types of birth control to learn more about them:

Birth Control Methods - Birth Control Options

I had to look up the mini-pill to be sure, but I thought it was the progestin only pill, which it is. This is the sight I was reading about it on:

Birth control pills: The minipill (progestin-only pills) | BabyCenter

I've never known anyone who has used it and haven't used it myself either, so I can't really give any advice on it. One thing to keep in mind with birth control is they say it can take 6 months for your body to get used to it and reduce your side affects. I do agree that this one does not sound like the right one for you. I don't know your specific brand, but there are a lot of different ones out there, so maybe just trying a different birth control pill might help. I was on the generic Yazmine for a while, and I found it gave me terrible mood swings, so I switched to Levora, which I have been very happy with. I think any medication is a bit of a trial and error, even birth control.

In the mean time, there are other options. Condoms are always readily available. You could also investigate fertility-awareness methods or family planning. I would definitely use a backup method, such as condoms, when going this route, but I'm also a big supporter of two BC methods at all times until I'm ready for a baby.

I would try talking to your doctor. Tell them the side affects your experiencing and that you would like to try something else. They might recommend a different hormonal birth control or talk about other options with you. They also might have ideas for managing an increase in PMS symptoms prior to your period (I had a pdoc suggest taking extra vitamin B complex 1-2 weeks before my period to help with increased anxiety).

Good luck!

A personality disorder has absolutely nothing to do with birth control. The way you try to trace cause-and-effect is really unusual and I would focus on seeing a good mental health profession to get the accurate treatment. I think you are right in that you are not getting an accurate treatment.

I took the mini pill. The Mini pill requires extreme discipline as you must take it exactly at the same hour daily. And still you can get breakthrough bleeding and still it is less effective for preventing pregnancy than the regular pill with estrogen. But you have been spot on, so you may be a good candidate for it. You will need to use condoms though still.

I would really talk to somebody who is professionally in the know before switching.

Thanks for the kind words and Options link, RomanSunburn - it's nice to have everything in one spot to look at!

hamster - I never suggested birth control and personality disorders have anything to do with each other at all. I merely stated that the new knowledge that I may have one has been upsetting (since that means I've probably been receiving inaccurate treatment). Not a great feeling for the mental state, and I doubt it would matter with or without any side effect birth control might have on moods/emotion. It's just worth mentioning that this could be a contributing factor to my anger, rather than just the birth control making me moody. Thanks for sharing your mini-pill experience.

Oh, if you recently learned about the possibility of a PD (I have a PD - self-defeating PD) and recently started on the regular pill, then your increased anger might have - as you say - resulted from learning angering information and not from the pill.

At any rate, since it takes time to get accustomed to medication, it would make sense to wait and see before making any switches.

Yeah, I've stopped taking it currently, but will definitely hang out to see what happens for a couple weeks, if anything really changes, rather than just running off for a new one. As many here can relate, I'm all for no new trials of medications if unnecessary. XD Not like I dumped the pack in the toilet or anything, so if stuff is still whack without, I'll just start again.

No clue if this is coincidence (again, situation-wise it could most certainly be), but rather than feeling like a volcano today, stoic but prone to explosions, I feel my familiar shade of depressed, that hasn't really popped up for weeks. Buhh. Can we fast forward a few days for instant results please?

Edit: I just ran across something pretty interesting from the NLM, a study conducted. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22537684
The findings: "These data suggest a protective effect of the combined contraceptive pill, and a deleterious effect of progestin only agents in regards to mood disorders."
That would not have been my guess, but I'm also nothing close to a doctor.

There was a time, right after my first child, and I went back on birth control. I was emotional, and opted for something different to use as birth control within my marriage.

What was going on in my marriage, and the stressors of life, issues with my mom, etc...looking back on it, were the root of the emotions. I went on birth control last year, as a preventative measure for something of a physical nature. Now, this is after a few years of therapy and I wasn't on any AD's last year, when I did. Honestly, I didn't notice any 'mood changes' this time around on bc.

hmmmmm, don't know why that is.

Under Precautions for this med "http://www.drugs.com/pro/alyacen-1-35.html
5. EMOTIONAL DISORDERS

Women with a history of depression should be carefully observed and the drug discontinued if depression recurs to a serious degree."

"
Adverse Reactions

An increased risk of the following serious adverse reactions has been associated with the use of oral contraceptives (See WARNINGS Section).

• Thrombophlebitis and venous thrombosis with or without embolism
• Arterial thromboembolism
• Pulmonary embolism
• Myocardial infarction
• Cerebral hemorrhage
• Cerebral thrombosis
• Hypertension
• Gallbladder disease
• Hepatic adenomas or benign liver tumors

The following adverse reactions have been reported in patients receiving oral contraceptives and are believed to be drug-related:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as abdominal cramps and bloating)
• Breakthrough bleeding
• Spotting
• Change in menstrual flow
• Amenorrhea
• Temporary infertility after discontinuation of treatment
• Edema
• Melasma which may persist
• Breast changes: tenderness, enlargement, secretion
• Change in weight (increase or decrease)
• Change in cervical erosion and secretion
• Diminution in lactation when given immediately postpartum
• Cholestatic jaundice
• Migraine
• Rash (allergic)
• Mental depression
• Reduced tolerance to carbohydrates
• Vaginal candidiasis
• Change in corneal curvature (steepening)
• Intolerance to contact lenses

The following adverse reactions have been reported in users of oral contraceptives and the association has been neither confirmed nor refuted:

• Pre-menstrual syndrome
• Cataracts
• Changes in appetite
• Cystitis-like syndrome
• Headache
• Nervousness
• Dizziness
• Hirsutism
• Loss of scalp hair
• Erythema multiforme
• Erythema nodosum
• Hemorrhagic eruption
• Vaginitis
• Porphyria
• Impaired renal function
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome
• Acne
• Changes in libido
• Colitis
• Budd-Chiari Syndrome

Alyacen 1/35 Official FDA information, side effects and uses.

Hope that helps, what were the warnings on your med? And did you discuss this with your ob/gyn?

Yeah, I had consultation appointment with my doctor and had done research some months before about what type I generally wanted. The only warnings it had were the standard depression ones, which is what I would have preferred sadly, haha, I'm used to what those symptoms and feelings are. It, and most oral birth control meds can mess with one med I take (Lamictal) by making it less effective. However, I discussed with my psych and I slowly moved up again to 150mg from 100mg with ample preparation before trying the birth control.

There are indeed a lot of stressors in my life, probably one of the most tumultuous few months of my life, so maybe what happened to you is happening to me.... Maybe everything was just getting exaggerated emotionally...and I convert unpleasant emotions directly into anger/frustration/rage, sooo... High probability, that.

Maybe I will try again further into this month... I have not had anymore outbursts? since I stopped taking the pill. By the end of this month, things should switch from stressful to exciting as wedding planning is finalized and only the fun stuff is left to do. Hrm.

I thought the only fun part of wedding planning was after the ceremony is all said and done and you can start relaxing and enjoying!

Good luck with finding the right mix of birth control and psych meds, and congrats on your upcoming wedding!