Switching From Loestrin 24 Fe To Minastrin 24 Fe (Page 5)
(Newest replies first)

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!

REPLY

REPORT

I am happy to hear this !!! I have been on Minastrin 24 Fe for months now and it is terrible with the side effects. I called my doctor and asked for Lomedia 24 Fe. I hope it works since the Loestrin 24 Fe was a miracle drug for me !!!

Thanks

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I'd been on loestrin for 3 years and had gained a few pounds from water retention, and would have two migraines a month, one before my period one after. When switched to minastrin I couldn't. Stop. Eating. And when I didn't eat, or I are healthy and exercised, I've still gained over 30 pounds since the switch. I can go hours without breakfast or lunch Nd just feel depressed or ill have spurts or anger. I now get migraines almost every day the week leading up to my period. I have very little sexual drive and sometimes I can sit for hours staring at nothing just feeling depressed. Pamprin has no effect on me or my cramps. I'm popping pain releievers for my headaches. Very disappointing. I went on loestrin to help with my period and it's not inaccessible...I'm going off my pill to see what will happen. I think ill be much better with out it.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Natalie, I'm not sure that's what the study means. The way I read it, 35 women CHEWED the Minastrin tablet and measurements determined that the chewed Minastrin tablet was bioequivalent to the norethindrone acetate 1 mg/ethinyl estradiol 0.020 mg tablet (AKA Loestrin 24 Fe or Lomedia 24 Fe) swallowed whole. Not bioequivalent to Minastrin tablets swallowed whole.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

It DOES NOT matter. Look at section 12.3 of the full prescribing information provided by minastrin: minastrin24.com/docs/indication.pdf

My doctor didn't tell me to chew it, but I was concerned so I did some research:

"12.3 Pharmacokinetics Absorption - In a single-dose, two-way, crossover clinical study conducted in 35 healthy, non-smoking premenopausal women under fasting condition, Minastrin 24 Fe tablet chewed and swallowed was bioequivalent to norethindrone acetate 1 mg/ethinyl estradiol 0.020 mg tablet (24-day regimen tablets) swallowed whole based on the exposure (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol."

What this means is that they had 35 people take the pill, sometimes they chewed it and sometimes they swallowed it. They measured how the active ingredients were absorbed into the body, and the result was "bioequivalence" aka THE SAME!!!

My guess is that "chewable" is used for patent / marketing purposes.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I've been on loestrin for YEARS and suddenly had to change to Minastrin 24 without notice. Now i have lower abdomen pain, has this happened to anyone else?!?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I tried LoMedia, and it has been great for me, now the Minastrin I tried initially and that was TERRIBLE!!!! Bled for two months straight, cramped for two months straight, that was horrible for me, but the LoMedia has been great, I haven't had any problems at all.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I thought lomedia was going to work for me but I was wrong it was horrible! I gained so much weight in just 3 months and had headaches every single day. Also fainted and was sent to the ER. My legs were swollen. I stopped taking it April 15 and feel much better. I'm not taking anything right now but my dr has suggested lo loestrin

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

That's what we are saying . . . LoMedia is NOT like LoEstrin. LoMedia has treated us like all the other *&^%$ generics these clowns are throwing (forcing?) on us!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Try LoMedia 24FE

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

OH NO!!! Wow. Not only are we being tortured by side affects, but our family planning IS OUT THE WINDOW too! Wow!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I too was on loestrin 24 for years and loved it, And loestrin 1.5/30 for years before that and loved that. Was switched in November after loestrin 24 went away, Three months of annoying , annoying side effects on minastrin which evidently meant it wasn't as effective because now I'm 3 months pregnant. :/

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I had the same issue! On top of that, it's way more expensive and I can't afford it now. When I started the minastrin after the loestrin, nobody told me I was getting something different and nobody told me it was chewable (they definitely didn't tell me that if I didn't chew it, it wouldn't work). Luckily, mine is solely for period control, as I'm not sexually active, but I was very upset to find this new pill practically useless. I basically get the flu every month and I have to take the first two days of my period off of work because I can't even drive. It has put me in a horrid situation. I can't afford the new pill and I miss two days of work every month because it isn't even useful. Has anyone found anything else more useful or at least close to the effectiveness of the loestrin??

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Can someone please tell me if they found a birth control like loestrin? I too was on it and had to switch to minastrin and was miserable moody and had my period forever on it. Currently I'm not taking anything but need to find something that's not going to throw my hormones all over the place. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance:)

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

It's horrible! I wish I knew what to do... I'm scared to take or try anything now
:(

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

So what can we do? This is a NIGHTMARE for everyone! It's ludicrious in this day and age that we KNOW what is wrong, yet there's no help? Really now!
Where do we call? Where do we go? What do we do?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hubby just pointed out I haven't been getting wet even after an organ. Just dries up. Been on minastrin for bout 7 months. Been crazy moody and just starting to suspect it's probably cause of those Damn pills. Have no idea what to replace them with. I miss loestrin

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Could it be that the side effects your daughter experienced on Lomedia were left over from her 2 1/2 weeks on Minastrin? It takes a cycle or two for those chemicals to get out of your body.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I would also like to clarify and reiterate the fact that I absolutely had no problems, whatsoever, the whole time (4+ years) I was on Loestrin FE. Minastrin is the devil.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I am so incredibly thankful to have stumbled across the forum. Like most of you ladies, I, too, was forced over onto the Minastrin boat after Loestrin 24 FE became discontinued. Before I was initially given Minastrin, I accepted the pharmacy's offering (with a doctor's approval of prescription) for Gildess, opting for it over Microgestin. I'm not sure if there could have been a win/win in this situation. Point blank -- I was none too pleased that this highly effective, on many levels, BC was being taken off the market, discontinued, and replaced-- just like that. I can safely say that Gildess FE oral, a "generic" offering in placement of Loestrin...well, it basically destroyed me. Some women are not meant to take generic medications, on a per case basis, and it just so happened I was not meant to take Gildess. 2-3 weeks into the first and only pack, I started displaying signs of mental illness that I do/did not have previously. The only way I can try to describe it, is that I felt like I had absolutely no control over my thoughts, emotions, behaviors...like, my brain had detached itself from forming any type of rationale and this...this..."poisonous" and terrible pill I had put in my body was taking over. I have never felt so uncomfortable in my whole life; I couldn't control my reactions to anything. Well, after that one terrifying month on Gildess, was I finally on the "correctly intended" BC, Minastrin. Like all of you, I was told nothing had changed about the medication, merely just the name. That was a bold faced falsity if I have ever heard one. My cramps are frequently so severe to the point that it's almost debilitating, I have gained 15 lbs. since October. With the exception of being pregnant, I have never weighed as much in my life, as I do now. I've also never been healthier or active (in my adulthood) as I am now, yet nothing seems to matter. None of my pants fit, no matter how strict I try and FURTHER tailor my already anal health conscious diet and up my exercise regimen...nothing happens except for a slow and steady weight gain. Basically, from what I've gathered, thanks to all you wonderful women contributing experiences and shedding light on the very upsetting, depressing, nerve-wracking and overall unpleasant side effects...this BC is a terrible thing to put in one's body and sounds like it should be ripped off of the market. It's causing more harm than good, sure it's pouring more cash flow into the doctor's pockets, because we have to keep scheduling further tests and appointments, etc. But if we can make a difference in more women's lives...we're at least taking something positive away from something so repulsive.

I would like to ask: how many women have tried the Lo Loestrin FE? Lomedia? I've already sent in a request to be changed over to the Lo Loestrin FE, since I've discovered positive reviews and experiences from women placed on that medication, but I'd love to hear more feedback.

Overall, I realize that each woman is going to react differently to any and all medications they are placed on, but I find it comforting to know that a collective group has pulled together, typed out their thoughts, and put it out there for other women to find.

For that, I thank you all. I am so terribly saddened and angered at the overwhelming amount of negative responses this medication has stirred up.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

For those of you who have experienced heart palpitations on minastrin, have you found another pill that has not caused the heart flutters? I was on loestrin 24 fe with no problems so I decided to try loestrin 1/20. Still experiencing heart palpitations though.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I am 39 and Have been on loEstrin 24 Fe for many years to now find out that it's no longer being made and was being ...

4 REPLIES

I am one of the customers unhappy with the discontinuation of Loestrin 24 Fe. I saw so many negative reviews with those ...

63 REPLIES

I have been on loestrin 24fe for about 8 years now. I loved it. No period and no problems with weight gain. Now that I h...

1 REPLY

I've been taking minastrin for about four years now. I was forced to switch over to the generic brand, mibelas. I ha...

37 REPLIES

I have been on the birth control aubra for 5 months and usually bled during my 7 day placebo week. However I recently ch...

1 REPLY

My doctor has me switching from effexor to prozac which I am in total agreement with but the symptoms I am having are ho...

2 REPLIES

I've been on brentillix for about 3 weeks. It HSS been a God send, up until about a week ago. I woke up with s sever...

1 REPLY

I have been on the butrans 20 mcg patch for 3 months and am getting ready to switch to the fentanyl 25 mcg patch. Will I...

2 REPLIES

Hello. I have been on Lexapro 20mg since July. At my last check up my blood pressure was extremely high and I had gained...

1 REPLY

I am currently taking fenofibrate. I just switched jobs and my prescription coverage won't take effect for another m...

1 REPLY