Switching From Loestrin 24 Fe To Minastrin 24 Fe

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Hey Guys!
So I went to the pharmacy to pick up my monthly pack of LoEstrin 24 Fe two weeks ago, only to find out that the makers of LoEstrin 24 Fe discontinued the pills and are replacing it with Minastrin 24 Fe. (I am VERY disappointed to report that I was NEVER notified of the discontinuation, as my reproductive health care is apparently not a priority of my pharmacy or my doctor). My pharmacist says it's the same pill as it is made by the same company and contains the same amount of hormones in it, the only difference is that this pill is chewable. The pharmacist then proceeded to tell me that she would be happy to fill in the prescription for me expect that since she could not get a hold of my doctor to approve the Minastrin, I could not purchase it which caused me to start my pack late. I was supposed start the new pack on a Sunday at 9pm but did not start it until Monday morning at 10:40am when the pharmacist finally got a hold of my doctor (this would put me at taking the pill roughly 13 hours late). I then proceeded to take my normal dosage for Monday night at 9pm. When my boyfriend and I are sexually active we always use condoms and pull out, in addition to taking the pills but since I started my pack late, I'm very worried that my birth control pills aren't effective. I haven't been sexually active at all this month because I'm too nervous about an unplanned pregnancy. The pharmacist told me that as long as I double up on taking two pills on Monday (which is what I did) I should be fine and no additional contraceptive is needed but the nurse at my gyno's office says that the pills won't be effective for two weeks and that during that time I need to use another form of contraception. I don't know who to believe! Does anyone have any insight on this, or has anyone been through something like this while making the switch from LoEstrin 24 Fe to Minastrin 24 Fe? Is there a high possiblity that a pregnancy could occur if I decide to become sexually active this month, as I started the new pill pack late? Thanks for your help!

289 Replies (15 Pages)

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1

All I can say is pretty much the same thing happened to me except I was 3 days late in getting mine (my doctors office was closed for some kind of training thing!) I really dislike the chewable part and I was told that if I don't chew it it will not work. So about a week and a half into my pack I got my period. And it didn't stop until I started my new pack! I was so pissed, extra hormonal and going nuts! So the makers of my old birth control thought it would be cool to totally screw up my month. I don't know if it's been protecting me this whole time but I guess they had that covered with my 3 week period, I couldn't have sex if I wanted to!

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2

Also wondering the same thing. Picked up my pack today, and after reading, I'm not sure if I want to take it!

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3

I also switched from Loestrin to Minastrin. No choice obviously since Loestrin is not in production anymore. The new Minastrin makes me want to cry for no reason at all and I have gained weight. I have not had any spotting yet but just thought I would share my experience on this pill so far. I was switched to a generic and had a difficult time as well. I want my loestrin back! lol Anybody tried any other birth control options that have worked for them?

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4

Same here! Im bloated which is probably why ive gone up in weight, and ive been a sobbing depressive mess!!! Bring back loestrin!!!

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5

I had to switch to Minastrin too, since Loestrin 24 fe is no longer being produced, and I am not happy. This is my third week on Minastrin and I do not feel like myself. I'm having anxiety, trouble sleeping, and I feel at times emotional for no reason. I have already contacted my doctor to switch and they have prescribed Loestrin 1/20. I'm HOPING that i will feel better soon!

Was this helpful? 7
6

My GYNO told me that he highly recommends Minastrin. It is a great pill and your period should last at most 2 days.
Well I am in the last week of my first pack, a little nervous to get my first period with this new pill. My only complaint so far besides the chewing, is that my acne has become worse than it ever has been.

Was this helpful? 16
7

Do you chew the pill???? My doctor told me that I can swallow the pill but the I read on the prescription information on Minastrin 24 FE webpage that the tablet should be chewed and swallowed. I don't get it! Chew first and then swallow? HELP!!!

Was this helpful? 93
8

Having some of the same issues. I feel like my hormones are all over the place and the symptoms have become unbearable. I do not believe the chemical makeup is the same because I never had issues with Loestrin. I cannot take Minastrin any longer...I hope there is an adequate substitute!

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9

There is a lot of confusion about this but It needs to be chewed to be most effective!! (Per pharmacist and manufacturer themselves!) I work in a pharmacy and we didn't know this was coming either, so everyone was surprised. I also had to switch to Minastrin and am not happy! The only upside so far is that they do offer the $24 discount card to anyone who is not currently on government funded insurance (I.e. Medicaid, Medicare, etc)

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10

I never had any issues on Loestrin. Actually, it was so great that I always FORGOT that I was on my period. I switched to Minastrin about 3 weeks ago and I'm absolutely miserable. I have a stomach ache every single morning and I have diarrhea on and off. I haven't had an appetite since I started taking this pill and constantly feel either nauseous or like I have indigestion. I've even been experiencing acid reflux. I am calling my doctor tomorrow because I can't take another day of this.

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11

I have a feeling this is a marketing scheme by the manufacturers to avoid
a generic being produced. Loestrin 24 has been on the market since 2006 and after 12 years other companies can start making generics. So great marketing scheme to guard their patent.
Same company manufactures the same formula but changes the name and manner
of ingestion. Brilliant!!!

Was this helpful? 13
12

this has been happening to me! im 17 years old and of course i have been getting paranoid about the symptoms...every morning i wakeup i feel the need to run to the bathroom. And i even feel some cramping...i even do not want to eat. not sure why this is happening because it is the same as loestrin...but i never had any of these symptoms...

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13

Most pharmacies and doctors didn't know right away about the discontinuation. Also, none of them have time to call thousands of people to tell them it was discontinued once they finally found out. The rest of us found out the same way you did and that was needing our refill of Loestrin. The makers were sued over Lorstrin 24 Fe. Has nothing to do with your doctor or pharmacy.

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14

Ummm wow! Talk about ignorant! Not quite sure how that answers this person's question an ANY kind of way...maybe you need to reread the post in order to ACTUALLY answer the question and instead of trolling lol. BUT thanks for your reply! :)

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15

I'm sorry this happened to you but you're fine :) It has the same kinds and amounts of hormones in it as Loestrin, plus you used back up. Don't listen to MinastrinSux...they don't even know how to answer a question to a thread posted on a website lol.

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16

So Super Pissed and Freaking out when I went to re/fill Lo24 only pill I have Ever taken was on for 3yrs.... Decided with much hesitation to give Minastein24 a chance "chewable" idea freaked me out but both Dr. And Pharmacy said I can swallow it..so thats what I have been doing 3rd week now!.. first week a few mild headaches and now night after night Experiencing the most Crazy Vivid DREAMS! PLEASE ANYONE else having this??? I Have Never Been A Big Dreamer So This Not Deep Sleep is Driving Me Crazy!!!.... Otherwise I Have Felt Great Hoping It Stays That Way!

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17

I too am having the same issue..there are artificial sweeteners as the inactive ingredients in the new pill so that it can be flavored to be chewable...that can cause stomach issues..artificial sweeteners have been know to cause all sorts of issues. The people with vivid dreams can also possibly be experiencing that from the inactive ingredients. I am on my 2nd month and asking to switch. have had weight gain, bloat, cramping, etc etc...pretty much every known side effect..loestrin 24 was my fave...possibly going to try desogen again...was on it years ago, or loestrin 1/20...hope to find a solution!

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18

iris17: i did not start my pack late;however, i was changing from a different pill as well. i was suppose to start loesterin 24 Fe but like everyone else, no one new it was discontinued. i am on my last week of minasterin24 Fe right now. i have taken my 2nd iron pill and am awaiting my cycle. i'm a little nervous because I'm not sure what to expect. i have not been having any issues with weight gain, bloat or anxiety at the moment. i am still monitoring everything as this is my first month on these pills. i had been off BCs for about 5 yrs or so (always use condoms) and needed something to help regulate my cycle and symptoms so i was placed in tricycline. it wasn't very effective for me (as far as regulating everything). spoke with my Doctor about a change and here i am. i don't like the fact that they are so expensive! i went from paying $10 to $94!!! i am having issues with my insurance since i renewed in August (that's another story...lol). does anyone insurance cover their pills? is it at least a significant discount?
CPhT: i use walmart pharmacy and one of the pharmacy techs/employee asked if i had a discount card since my insurance is screwed at the moment. i don't have one (discount card)but how can i get one? i receive no federal assistance.
thanks Iris for starting this post. It was very helpful to me.

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19

If you stay on the Minastrin 24 Fe, go to this website and print out the card.

Hopes this helps:)

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20

I am 22 years old and used to be on loestrin as well with no problems. I've been on minastrin for about two weeks now and have been crying for no reason at all like three times already! This is so unlike me...I'm not an extremely emotional person so I finally thought that the pills may be causing it! Looks like I'm not the only one with this problem!

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289

Re: Allie (# 10) Expand Referenced Message

hi. what pill did you go on to get rid of the acid reflux and indigestion?

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288

I had this exact experience. 2.5 months in, and I can't take it anymore. Stopping it today. Will get Copper IUD or something more permanent.

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287

PLEASE TAKE MY ADVICE!!! I started on Minastrin 24fe in February of 2016 because my fiance and I were going to be getting married in April 2016. We both were virgins and I had never been on a contraceptive before but we both wanted to wait a while to have kids in our marriage. Well at first things didn't seem too bad. However I started noticing acne breakout and I was surprised at how I waa easy to cry...however I thought it was due to wedding planning and not birth control. However, after a month and a half into our marriage...about month ago, I started developing extreme mood swings, depression, weird thoughts I couldn't seem to cope with, suicidal thoughts, emotional about everything, losing feeling for my husband (who believe me I adore and love so very much), 15 to 17 pound weight gain, panic attacks, depression, anxiety, fatigue, swollennes in my legs and feet, and even one of my big toes started to go numb. I even started thinking the worse things about my husband and losing loss of of feeling for him. I was scared to death! I was usually full of life and happy and carefree and a very energetic and outgoing young woman who loved her husband and her life! I was always active and tried to be health conscious. My husband has been extremely gracious and patient through all of this and believe me you do not want to start your marriage out like this!!! So he and I decided to stop the pill about 2 weeks ago (mid if June 2016). My acne has cleared, my swolleness has gone down and physically I am feeling better each day. My emotional swings are slowly lessening and I haven't had any panic attacks lately. I am still struggling but each day I feel mire myself and getting back to the real me. SO PLEASE TAKE MY ADVICE FOR YOUR SAKE AND THE SAKE OF THOSE YOU LOVE AROUND YOU!!! Stay away from this pill! These hormones are synthetic and fake and they aren't natural for our bodies. It may work gor some people but it is not worth the risk of going through what I have to see if it will work for you as well.

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286

I started taking LoEstrin 24 Fe for an ovarian cyst and love it! My moods have gone from bad and irritable to calm and relaxed. My doc said she could give me an even lower dose of hormone pill to ride out my perimenopause years to my early 50's. I didn't have my period the whole time I was on it for the cyst because the so called sugar pills are not sugar pills in these, they actually have a small amount of hormone in them so many people don't get their periods at all or very little.

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285

I just took first pill (swallowed it) and...then read it's chewable--because I noticed the word "chewable" in the long 9 word technical name for it lol!

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284

So glad I found these reviews. I was on Loestrin forever, like 6 or 7 years with no problems and then they switched to Minastrin like many of you here. Didn't have any problems but got off in Feb to try and get pregnant. I had a miscarriage in April and things have been really tough so end of July I decided to get back on the pill for a while. It's been 3 weeks and I've had really bad nausea, super fatigued, bad acne, bloating and weight gain, and have been really anxious and moody. Bo didn't connect the dots until I read these reviews and saw so many of these symptoms. Stopping Minastrin immediately!

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283

i have been taking Minastrin since i was forced to switch, finding out the same way you did but that didnt bother me. I have never chewed the tablet and it has been fully effective. I have had several procedures done that require a pregnancy test prior to anesthesia and none of those 3 test came back positive. ive been on loestrin since 2008 and had no problems switching and absolutely nothing changed for me when i switched.

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282

I just came across this thread and wanted to leave a comment in hopes to give some encouragement...

In short, I was on Loestrin 24 FE for 7 years with no problem (and no period, which is what Im now used to). I was put on Minastrin which I was experiencing constant break through bleeding (like full 7 day cycles). I tried to stick with Minastrin for 9 months, didn't work.. got put on Gildess 1.5/30, became a crazy person

I finally did my own research and came across Lomedia after trying Gildess for 3 months. I will say the positives is I'm not crazy emotional anymore, I kind of got my bite back (in a good way), also no weight gain. The first month I was a little broken out, mostly on my shoulders, and my cycle started 2 days early, so I had it for a full 7 days. The second month I had break through (an actual full, but light, cycle for 7 days). But did not have a cycle during the placebo pills month 2. I just finished up my third month, had another full 7 day cycle during the placebo pills, so it started a couple days early again. Im on my 4th month now, and am experiencing another breakthrough cycle almost at the end of my second week (so far 4 days).

I'm feeling good other than the breakthroughs and really would like to get this pill to work.

There's another thread "Switching From Loestrin 24 Fe To Lomedia" that has helped me with my research...

A girl named Melissa posted horrible side affects she was having with Lomedia (way worse then my breakthrough cycles), but she said after a solid 6 months, it was like she was back on Loestrin again. (And in researching the similar Minastrin and Loestrin, they stated after 6 cycles you period will be lighter) While I agree 6 months is a long time for those who have not even started this pill.. For me I'm half way through my 4th pack and decided to stick it out for the 6 months to see what happens. Better than starting all over again with something else. So if you are pretty into your packs of Lomedia, might want to stick it out.

Note this is my own personal opinion and experience, not medical advice...

I will be sure to repost here with a follow up.

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281

Yes i started these pills also and my cycle started and i had like 5 days left for the active pills so i called the pharmaceutical and all he said was call your doctor so i can't get an answer until Monday evening and the chewing part is just crazy to me!!!!

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280

I am haaaating this switch to minastein! I've been on it for a few months now and all of a sudden started getting a period, which I haven't had in 3 years. Now this month I started my period 2 weeks early and stuck around for 2 weeks. Stopped for 2 days and got my full on period again on my "normal" start day. My cramps have always been intense, but this month nothing will dull the pain. I have been putting on weight so fast and I thought it was maybe me not working out as often, but for this weight to come on so fast and heavy was unexplainable. Till I noticed everyone else has been gaining crazy weight too. Ugh I miss my loestrin sooooo much! I have to switch yet again but now what to?!

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