There are 131 ratings for the drug: ORTHO-NOVUM 1/35-28 in the Askapatient database.

Key to ratings for ortho-novum 1/35-28: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken		Date Added
				F  M
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1	birth control	it was my first time taking a birth control pill and i only stayed on it for about 6 months or so. before my period starts my boobs are soo tender they cant even be touched. my biggest comlpaint though...NO SEX DRIVE. ive been with my bf for a year and it has caused so many fights becaus i just enever get turned on. i could seriously go a month and not do anything sexual...without it even phasing me. also, i wouldnt get wet before sex and even during sex i would get really dry. i gained about 3 pounds and it all went straight to stomach. it did a good job at preventing pregnancy...but its kinda hard to get pregnant when you cant even get turned on enough to have sex...		F	18	6 months		1/21/2010
2		Weight gain no sex drive at all breast tenderness nausea anxiety	I had switched from Ortho Tricyclen lo and i wish i never did. I wanted to just skip a few periods a year. The big problem is that it kills my sex drive. i didn't believe it when my boyfriend told me but the more i read all these stories the more i feel the same as everyone else. It made me sick the first few months i took it. i get horrible mood swings my boobs always hurt it seems. the only good thing is that they got bigger and my periods are lighter.	F	21	7 months		1/13/2010
1	Birth Control/Help Cramp pain	Extreme mood swings, especially during the 3rd and 4th week, enough that my boyfriend noticed, and friends. I got extremely irritable and unhappy about the smallest things that would NEVER bother me before. Had my first panic attacks on it. Awful, never going on it again.		F	24	5 months		1/11/2010
5	1/35	Weight loss. Light period first few months and now I do not get it at all =)		F	24	4 years		1/9/2010
1	regulate periods	i experience very bad mood swings makes me feel very insecure heavy break through bleeding, depression, had tunnel vision for a brief second, bad headaches, paranoid,	i dont reccomend this to anybody my experience with this bc is horrible and espically for a first time taker like myself	F	20	3 months		12/28/2009
1	Stop Periods	Weight gain, extreme cravings, swelling of legs and breast, moodiness, lack of caring, no sex drive	I was put on this to stop my periods, which were causing me horrid migraines halfway through my cycle and right before my period. It did do that very well...for a while...6 months or so. Then I started spotting and I was always nervous about when I was going to start my period. I schedualled a period about every 8 week, but then even stopping the pills didn't cause a period. My hormones got more and more screwed up and I didn't really care. What was the most annoying was that I was at college and had all these guys around me that I wanted to date, but I had no drive to care about dating. I was 19 when I started them and 23 when I finally quit them. Though the migraines are back, I am now caring about things again. I'm now looking for another pill that will do what I want better. It seems that it is going to be a hard job.	F	31	3.5 years		11/26/2009 Email
1	Birth Control	Gained 15 pounds within a few months! Breast have grown and are tender, NO SEX DRIVE! Dryness in vaginal area, very moody.	I have been on this pill for almost a year now and Im just now realizing that my problems I've been having have been caused from this pill. My weight started changing around the same time I started Ortho Novum. I went from a size 8 to a size 12 in less then six months! My breast are hugh and heavy and always sore. I have no sex drive and I seem to always be in a bad mood. No other Birth Control pill has ever done this to me. I was put on this because I have high blood pressure and I was told that it would be safer for me. But this was my last month taking it. It might work for some people but it did not work for me.	F	26	12 months		11/5/2009
4	medical, prevent pregnancy	occaisonal breast tenderness and mild cramping with periods	I started this pill when I was 15 for medical reasons..an allergic reaction to a medication caused a hormonal imbalance and I bled horribly loosing about half my blood in 4 days(nightmare) and ortho-novum was the cure! I continue to stay on the pill to prevent pregnancy and keep my period regular-it has come the same day each month for 12 years. I tried switching to generic to save money but it made me crazy with emotions. I have not experienced any negative side effects to the original ortho-novum.	F	28	12 years		10/22/2009
1	regulate period	constant back pain		F	22	12 days		9/11/2009
1	Birth Control	Head aches, moody-ness, crying for no reason, feeling depressed.	I am usually very positive and upbeat, but taking this birth control has really changed me. I feel depressed for no reason, I've been crying for no reason, the littlest things will set me off. I'll be in a bad mood all day and when asked whats wrong, I just simply have to say, "I don't know" because there is no real reason why I should be unhappy. I found this site looking to see if my mood change was due to the birth control, and found the answers I needed. I would not recommend this birth control. I am definitely switching birth controls.	F	20	1 months		9/4/2009
2	birth control	Nausea, irregular bleeding, anxiety/panic attacks, breast tenderness, weight loss, chest pains,etc.	This pill was a welcome relief after the nightmare that was 'Ortho Tri-cyclen' but the longer I've taken it the worse the side effects seem to get. I'm finishing up my third pill pack and honestly i've been worried i'm pregnant. Until discovering that all the symptoms could parallel with my BC. I can't eat anymore because I'm constantly sick to my stomach. I've had sevel anxiety attacks in the last month and I cry constantly. I feel depressed as I did with the last pill. I'm thinking of giving up on birth control pills because I'd rather be pregnant than fighting these miserable side-effects.	F	18	3 months		8/20/2009
5	pmdd/birth control	none	I've been taking this pill, on and off, since my late teens. Went back on it at age 40 after a gap of about 10 years when I started suffering PMDD, and love it. I take it continuously, no side effects, no periods. I plan to stay on it until menopause.	F	45	6 years		8/15/2009
1	birth contorl	I started it at night and the next day I woke up with a headache the worst I have had in years, if ever. I started cramping with in a hour of taking the first pill. Feeling sick have to lay in bed all day. I have three kids to take care of. (Which I have been lacking at for a lack of modiviton.) Being unable to eat until 8 at night then I cant control my hunger the rest of the night. Mood-less-ness, I have stopped caring about caring. Not really depressed but think I maybe headed there. Have taken it for a week now and its turning me into an "I dont care" kinda person; I dont care that it is making me have cramps or headaches, or that my home is trashed. I havent cleaned since i started taking it, well I couldnt. not that it matters but NO SEX DRIVE!!!!!(which doesnt bother me at all, but it should, I use to love sex!) My husband wont let me take it anymore.	I have been breastfeeding for over 4 months and havent had a problem. Since I started this pill, my baby has become fussier and isnt sleeping as well. Plus my breasts are not making as much milk as they use to, so my son gets hungry almost every hour again like when he was a new born. DO NOT TAKE IF BREASTFEEDING!!!!!	F	23	7 days		8/10/2009 Email
2	Prevent Pregnancy	I have had a terrible experience with this pill I have been taking it for a short amount of time and have gained wieght rapidly i never feel full. I feel like i'm pregnant even tho i'm not my breasts hurt, i'm bitchy, i have sooo many food cravings, i'm tired, and my stomach is usually upset. The reason i'm preventing pregnancy is because i make a terrible pregnant person so go figure...i don't recommend this pill in particular.		F	24	30 days		8/3/2009
5	Birth Control	weight gain and no period	I liked this medicaiton. My new dr. did not, so I was takin off of this and put on Yasmin.	F	32	10 months		7/15/2009
3	Prevent pregnancy	Nausea, slight breast tenderness, heart burn	I have only been taking ortho-novum for about a month now. I just started my second pack and it occured to me that I have been feeling sick every time I eat, no matter what I eat. At first I thought I was pregnant again, b/c I had also had the breast tenderness. But I took two pt's and both were negative. So I did some research and found this site. I have taken several BC pills since I turned 13, I have always had really bad period cramps and bleeding, so bc helps. I have to change no matter what every 6 months b/c the hormones give me migraines,but never had I had a pill make nausea. I am planning on talking to my dr but I know she will make me take this for at least 3 months. It takes at least 3 months for any pill to get in to your system and work correctly. So keep that in mind when you are experiencing side effects.As far as everything else I have a perfectly wonderful sex drive, and my moods are fine. But my period was like six days on this pill and I didn't notice that it was any lighter.. I really want those three day light periods back.. LOL... Good luck to you all, hope this helped someone.. Also keep in mind that all of our bodies are different and we are all going to have different reactions to medications.	F	30	1 months		7/14/2009
3	prevent pregnancy	NO sex drive, weight gain, moodiness, vaginal dryness	I've been taking this for almost a year. It's great at preventing pregnancy. I have extremely light periods and have never experienced breakthrough bleeding. However, I have absolutely NO SEX DRIVE. My boyfriend is getting depressed over it and so am I. It's the topic of all fights that we have and I feel like it's putting a damper on our relationship. I've made an appointment to switch to something with a lower dose of hormones or anything that can bring back my libido. I've also experienced vaginal dryness and pain when we do have sex. If you're single and just want to regulate or lighten your periods, this pill is for you. But if you're in a relationship and want to keep things going, STAY AWAY!	F	20	9 months		7/12/2009
1	birth control, cramps	severe panic/anxiety attacks, paranoia, dizziness, headaches, spotting	On my 4th day of taking this pill, I had a severe panic attack. I started crying over something that I'm not even sure of. I had dizzy mornings and migraines. I was afraid of who knows what. Even after stopping the pill, I am still feeling paranoid/anxiety.	F	18	4 days		7/10/2009
1	to prevent pregnancy	extreme anxiety, depression and mood swings, constant nausea, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, irregular periods, angry at everyone	I am so happy to find this website! I have been nauseated for months and decided to see if it was my birth control, and as I am reading this posts, I realize that my extreme anxiety/depression started after I started this pill. I was on Ortho 7.7.7 for 4 years before this, and never had any of these problems. This pill is literally ruining my life - I have been having problems at work and with my boyfriend/friends and some family! I am going off of this ASAP!	F	27	3 months		7/6/2009
5	prevent pregancy while single	nearly none	I have really loved being on this bc. I started when I became sexually active at age 16 when it was under the brand Ortho Novum. I switched to the generic Necon 1/35 a few years ago to save on my co-pay and notice no changes. I had heavy periods and bad cramps as a teen (I started menstruating at age 10) but once on the pill, I've had no cramps and my cycle became regulated down to the day (literally day 3 of the "inactive pill" week). Sometimes at the end of the third week taking active pills, I will continue taking pills from the next pack, which has worked perfectly to skip a monthly peiord from time to time or to plan around a big event or vacation. I recently went off this pill four months ago (for the first time in over 20 years), since I am not sexually active at this exact time. My doctor said I am perfectly healthy, non-smoker and fine to go off for a while. It did take 2 months for me to get back to a perfectly timed 28-30 day normal cycle. I've noticed heavier and longer periods while not taking this bc, and also cramping early on in the period. I will definately go back on this bc once I am sexually active with a regular boyfriend again.	F	38	22 years		7/1/2009
2	Birth Control	Breast tenderness (for at least 2 straight months), weekly severe abdominal cramps, diarreah in the first month of taking it.	I was on the depo shot for 10 years, but when I realized I had bone loss in my spine, my Dr. switched me to this pill b/c of the high estrogen. I hate it- I get severe abdominal cramps every week that keep me up at night. Also, my breasts are uncomfortably tender. BUT- my breasts have grown a cup size- so that's the only plus about this pill. But the cramps are enough for me to switch to a different pill.	F	25	2 months		6/22/2009
2	birth control	Panic attacks + Anxiety, constant food cravings, fatigue, constant- random bleeding, depression, crying for no reason, suicidal thoughts.	I was on this pill for 7 years before figuring out that this is what Changed my life. I stopped taking it and after a week or so my symptoms went away and I feel like my self again! I wouldnt reccomend this pill to anyone. Even after taking it for so long I had very random month long periods, that were pretty gross-but I wont go into those details. It Changed my moods terribley. Everything would set me off, either in anger or crying non stop.	F	34	7 years		6/5/2009
2	birth control	contant headaches & nausea	I was on this for about 9-10 years before giving birth and never had a problem; nice light periods, felt totally normal. When I went back on after I was done breastfeeding I was given the generic Necon 1/35. I had headaches all the time, felt sick to my stomach constantly. I finally went off of it. I recently went back on it and plan to only be on it for three months; I want to avoid my getting my period as I have two triathlons that fall right when I am due to get it. The symptoms are again, horrible. Now I remember why I went off of it in the first place.	F	42			5/28/2009
5	Birth Control	None	23 Years later and I am still on this one, all be it the generic version now. I get my period two to three times a year for no more than a day. NEVER have PMS or cramps, I can't say if that is me or the pill.	F	41	23 years		5/14/2009
3	birth control	PMS symptons (mood swings, cravings) constant. Breakthrough bleeding. Weight gain.	I have been taking this pill for three weeks, and it has thrown me so far off my normal path. I have been living a healthier life style over the last few years eating good and dieting, and have lost 30lbs. Since taking this pill I've gained 4 pounds, and have to fight so hard not to give in to the cravings I only normally get just around my period. I've been having slight cramps, and today some break through bleeding/colored discharge.	F	28	3 weeks		4/1/2009 Email
3	stop breakthrough bleeding & cramps	skipped periods, the "blahs", (other people say) being moody, slight weight gain, increased appetite, decreased sex drive	I have been on this pill for 7 months now. I had to switch from Mircette in order to have an increased dose of horomoes due to breakthrough bleeding and frequent periods. Initally, I loved this pill as I would actually skip every other period. Since I have become sexually active again, skipping only gives me anxiety (currently have not had a period since new year). I have had a slight increase in appetite(not sure if it is nervouse eating or not though), and a severely reduced sex drive. Significant others in my life have told me I have also been moody.	F	25	7 months		3/19/2009
1	Pre Fertility Process	EXTREME FATIGUE, Nausea, Anxiety and Panic Attacks, always hungry, Very moody....cry all the time over nothing..	After being on Yaz for almost a decade, i never had any issues. I was put on this just to get my cycle in line to start fertility treatments and has been awful i can't wait for it to be over. I completely dont feel like myself, and feel that I am loosing my mind.	F	33	7 days		3/19/2009
4	regulate period/contraceptive	mild cramping,back pain, occasional headache, constipation	when i first started taking necon, it was great... i noticed more side effects the longer i took it. nothing too horrible that i couldn't live with. my cramps came back but not as severely as they were before i started the pill. I have noticed lately i have been more constipated, not sure if it is related to the pill but i never had this problem before i took it; however, ive been on this pill 2 years and this has just been occuring in the last few months	F	20	2 years		3/13/2009
3	Birth control/wanted to skip period	Increased appetite, some weight gain, NO SEX DRIVE.	I switched to this from Ortho Tricyclin Lo so I could just skip periods if I wanted. I had no complaints about OrthTriLo, I lost weight and got bigger boobs. On this one I gained a little weight and felt kind of hungry all the time(or maybe that was just me & I wanted to blame bc). But the major side effect I experienced was having a normal sex drive turn into NO sex drive when I started taking this. I never wanted to have sex. Boyfriend resented me immensely and was all upset about it even after I explained it was prob the bc, which I think is dickish, but whatever. So I'm finally switching (to Microgestin Fe 1/20)after him throwing so many fits about me not wanting to have sex. Hopefully that will help and I don't just not want to have sex with my boyfriend, that would be a bigger problem.	F	22	1 years		3/7/2009 Email
3	regulate period	Nausea, bad back pain, mood swings,depression,bad cramps,tiredness,sleepy	I never thought that the BCP were causin me to explode for tha smallest things,gettin more acne,and I never had back pain ever until I started takin the BCP. Now I see that I'm not the only one who has had the same,gettin angry for the smallest things,even my boyfriend said I changed a lot,now I definitely am going 2 change it a different pills.!	F	20	2 years		2/9/2009 Email
1	avoid pregnancy		This is my fourth month, and if it isn't spotting constantly between packs, it's just nonstop bleeding. This is accompanied by dull, constant cramps. Not to mention, I've become the most controlling person ever. I get anxiety when there are people at my house in a different room, I feel like a little kid in that I can't be away from my boyfriend for more than a few hours without being severely anxious or angry. It's a toss-up of how I'll react to things, very irrational, I feel like I'm losing my mind. My breasts grew a whole cup size within the first month, and I have severe appetite loss. After reading these, I'm switching tomorrow to save my relationship and my peace of mind.		19	4 months		1/19/2009
5	Birth control/regulating period		I love this pill. When I first started on BC, I took it for a year. I switched to a low-estrogen pill because I thought it made me gain weight...but then I realized I made myself gain weight! The low-estrogen pill I was put on gave me cramps and acne. I have recently gone back on necon, and my cramps and acne are completely gone. I've been able to lose 20 lbs so far while back on necon. It's worked out great for me!	F	21	1 years		11/26/2008
3	pregnancy prevention	anxiety, depression, crying spells, lonliness, lack of motivation, loss of self confidence	I thought this pill was great at first b/c it regulated my period (I had tried three pills prior to this: ortho tri lo, ortho tri, and yaz but they did not regulate my period) but now I feel out of control. I have constant mood swings, anxiety, crying spells, lonliness, and just recently I experienced my first panic attack. I tried to blame it on starting my first job out of college, but I feel like my body is just completely out of whack. I have not felt 'myself' for the past three months. I am switching ASAP	M	23	10 months		11/26/2008 Email
3	Irregular bleeding	Nausea/dizziness for the first 2 packs, rapid weight gain (14 lb), lethargy, depression		F	18	3 months		11/17/2008
2	Birth Control	Mood Swings/Depression/Anxiety/Headaches	Sometimes I feel like I am loosing my mind. I never felt like this before these pills. I feel like I'm a totally different person. Not myself anymore. The stupidest things make me angry, nervous, or start crying. Plus, my headaches keep gettting worse the longer I am on it. I'm switching this month!(but I'm on the generic Necon.)	F	27	1 years		11/17/2008
1	Cysts, Birth Control	Insomnia, heart racing, anxiety, bloating, depression, constantly hungry, cramps, muscle aches, moody, very goopy periods.	My doctore put me on this after being on Yaz for 3 months, which was terrible. I got terrible side effects. I have insomnia normally, but ambien works for me, but with this pill, the insomnia got worse that they ambien was not working. I was constantly hungry and always going to the fridge. I felt hormonal and moody all the time. My heart was racing when I tried to lay down.	F	31	1 months		10/25/2008
3	birth control/control bleeding	increased vaginal discharge (although clear & odorless)	was switched to this pill to control prolonged periods that never stopped (around April); i was prescribed to take it continuously for the first 3 packs (which worked,no bleeding or spotting) then had a period on the placebos. period never stopped - ended up in ER and a D&C. was prescribed to take it continuously again, with no break. in late august i had a long period followed by another never ending one 2 weeks after. i am now on Mircette...just started, i'll give that one some time before i review. i have gone from Ortho 7/7/7, Loestrin, Ortho 1/35 and now Mircette	F	36	6 months		10/14/2008
4	birth control	spotting the first 2 cycles (2 months) only this last month (3rd cycle) have I stopped spotting and my period actually is on the 4th week (placebo week) now. breasts grew (went up a whole cup size) and possible slight weight gain (but that may have happened anyways). still get my cramps as normal but my periods are definitely shorter. 4-5 days about. definite mood swings. crying at little things.	I am 23 years old and went on these pills 3 months ago. My mother had breast cancer so my doctor prescribed me ortho novum 1/35 which has a lower estrogen dose. my breasts got bigger, I went up a cup size. I had a slight weight gain. on the third month, the spotting is finally gone and my periods are finally falling on the 4th placebo week. Before they would come the third week and be pretty much over with by the 4th week but of course I was still spotting a lot. After the first month of taking this, I've started to cry at little things a lot more. My mood goes up and down- I'll be super happy and then something little or usually harmless will happen, and I'll be mad. I have more selfish tendencies and feelings lately. My poor boyfriend. Besides the mood swings, I really like it. I'm hoping the mood swings and crying at little things will go away or mellow out as I get more used to it. If it's the same in 6 months, I'll probably talk to my doctor about switching to somethin	F	23	3 months		10/11/2008
2	Regulate Period/Prevent Pregnancy	Acne, Cramps, Longer period, Moodiness	My PCP put me on this pill in April. I was on Yasmin before. After I switched I had longer periods (7-8 days) and I was spotting for about two weeks after my period every month. Horrible cramps, never had them before. BAD ACNE!! VERY emotional, crying for everything. Not satisfied at all. My doc is switching me to Necon 777.	F	23	6 months		10/7/2008
5	Birth Control	No side effects as far as I know, although I have had a slightly more discharge than usual that has a sour taste (I know it sounds weird). I went to the doctor and everything is normal, so I might stop using the pill and see if that helps. The generic version Necon gave me an allergic reaction. I had a rash around my lips, like a red ring that mainly came out if I spent time in the sun even for half an hour. I suffered from that for six months (terrible feeling, you don't wanna go amongst people). A dermatologist finally figured it out. I went back on the brand name Ortho Novum and all these are gone. I have been on these pills before the generic and I had no side effects that I know of. Hope this helps.		F	26	2 years		10/3/2008
4	Prevent Pregnancy & Regulate Period	Only some at first, swollen breasts, moodiness, slight weight gain (not sure if it's due to the pills or college :D)	I loved it! Just hated taking it every day. I'm switching to NuvaRing now.	F	23	5 years		9/30/2008
1	Birth Control	Depression, SEVERE mood swings,irritability, increased appetite, fatigue and acne(?)	I've only been taking these pills for a couple of weeks and I noticed the effects immediately! I feel horrible. I am ALWAYS tired, moody, depressed, extremely agitated, my appetite is out of control and my sex drive isn't the same.	F	28	2 weeks		9/29/2008
5	birth control	at first i got upset very easily, didn't get a period the first 3 months, had a little bloating.	i had tried many kinds of birth control and none of them worked until i found this one, i read a page like this and was nervous to start it but thank god i did, my periods are so light i barely notice them, went from 5 days to 3. Still get cramps and backaches the first day though	F	21	1 years		9/26/2008
2	DON'T WANT KIDS	MOOD SWINGS WERE VERY NOTICEABLE FEELINGS WERE HURT EASILY CRYING ABOUT LITTLE THINGS EVERYDAY. HAIR LOSS. INCREASED APPETITIE.	PREVENTED ACNE.	F	29	1 years		9/17/2008
2	birth control	extreme nausea and insomnia	I can't sleep at night and that's when the nausea starts, if I didn't already know I wasn't pregnant I would get tested! I've been extremely ill for the past week since starting these pills.	F	20	7 days		9/4/2008
1	Prolonged bleeding	Abdominal pain and cramping, weight gain, breakthrough bleeding back pain, breast extremely tender, moodiness, and lack of sexual interest because i might bleed. The upside is the periods are not as heavy.		F	36	5 months		6/28/2008 Email
2	Pregnancy Prevention	Extreme exhaustion even right after a full nights sleep, crazy mood swings, uncontrollable crying over little things and I'm one that doesn't cry over like anything, depression, lack of appeteit some days, crazy appetiet other days, axiety, not letting the little things people would do go, exhaustion.	I'm a college student and I work as much as I can being part time. I started taking this pill in September last year, right at the start of my first semester in college. I always thought my moodiness was due to not sleeping, which was due to homework, but then when I started breaks (like summer break), I'd still be so tired and cry for no reason, and I freaked out for a week about how my manager corrected me for cutting a pie wrong (wtf?). I sat back and really thought about it when my live-in boyfriend for two years said maybe it was my pill. That's when it hit me. I'm glad I found this website, cause I was worried that it was just me, and I was going crazy. I'll be talking to a real doctor (I'd started this from planned parenthood), and seeing if they can't fix my problem. Maybe this pill works for some people, but it's jsut not cutting it for me!	F	20	10 months		6/10/2008
1	birth control	consistant stomach aches, cramps, headache, sore muscles, dizziness, increased bowel movements, lack of concentration and nausea.	I started Seasonale in Jan 08, but just finishing my 3rd pack, I began to bleed for 4 weeks. Doc put me on Novum 1/35. First month, felt ok, skipped sugar pills to eliminate having a period, but started 2nd pack and into the 2nd week, the headaches started, then tummy aches that last all day, along with cramping, tender breasts and muscle pains. These symptoms remind me of when I was pregnant.	F	26	2 months		6/3/2008
2	pregnancy prevention	Extreme fatigue, loss of motivation, breast tenderness throughout the month, back pain and gained 10 lbs, without an increased appetite...		F	25	4 months		5/28/2008
2	Severe Endo	Weight gain and bloating, acne, mood swings, didn't help my abdominal or back pain, EXTREME fatigue	I've only been on it for about a month, and already the side effects are making me want to stop taking it. I haven't had a period in 8 months and my gyno thinks this will help with that and the endo. She wants me on it another 3 to 6 months before we try something else. I was on Loestren FE before this and never had a problem other than my periods stopped after 3 months	F	19	25 days		5/21/2008
5	Regulate Periods/prevent pregnancy	Had some breakthrough bleeding, not crazy, started working right away, slight weight gain, I am now getting some acne after a couple months.	Ever since I started my periods I never had a regular cycle. I have gone six months without a period before. I started this birth control and it regulated it right away which i LOVED. No big side effects, I have been getting headaches and some back pain right before my period, but no big deal. Starting to get acne after being on it for months.	F	21	7 months		5/4/2008
4	Severe Endo/ BC	Some insomnia, but otherwise no emotional effects and no weight gain	I have been using NECON, the generic of this but its really the same, i have been on it about 6 months and really like it. Ive taken ortho tri cyclin, Loveral, yasmine, ortho novum, and the list goes on. i am 23 years old and have advanced endometriosis symptoms. I was taking it non cyclic, so i only get my period every 3 months. I took this for advanced endo. My Dr. decided to change becuase my symtoms are neverending but overall i think this has been my favorite b c and best treatment. If this next one doesnt work im going to go back on this hopefully because otherwise they want to induse a chemical menopause and i just dont want to have to go through that. I am posting because im looking to see if anyone out ther has a good endo treatments. im too young to have a hysterectomy and besides early menopause im running out of options. This illness is ruining my life. I hope this helps someone else with a similar condition and i hope someone can help me!	F	23	6 months		4/25/2008
2	pregnancy prevention	Rapid weight gain, severe mood swings, crying at every little thing, sleepiness all of the time/fatigue, no sex drive* (my poor hubby) bad cramps		F	26	1 days		3/26/2008
5	Not having anymore kids	I get headache at least one or two days while on my period	I love this pill, I take it every night before I go to bed, I know exactly whenmy period will be here down to the hour and I have not gained any weight or other side effects	F	44	22 years		3/5/2008 Email
5	BIRTH CONTROL	NONE....I AM JUST TIRED OF TAKING IT FOR SO LOOOOOONG!!!	I'VE BEEN ON THE PILL FOR 8 YEARS NOW AND AFTER TRYING DIFFERENT KINDS, THESE HAVE BEEN THE ONLY ONES THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS LIKE HEADACHES, BLOATING, WEIGHT GAIN, ETC. THESE ARE LOW DOSAGE, SO WHEN I'M GOING TO TRAVEL AND I KNOW I AM GETTING MY PERIOND DURING THOSE DAYS I'LL JUST KEEP TAKING PILL FROM THE NEW PACK UNTIL I COME HOME. THEY'VE BEEN GREAT!!	F	38	8 years		3/4/2008
4	Birth Control/Cramps	For the first few months, I was tired and had headaches a lot.	I have been on this for quite a while now, and it's proven to be pretty effective. At the beginning, I experienced fatigue and headaches, but they both decreased over time. Overall, I am satisfied - it has protected me from pregnancy, decreased my cramps, regulated my cycle, and decreased my blood flow. I reccommend it as long as you are willing to get used to it the first few months.	F	19	1 years		2/20/2008
1	Birth Control	Weight gain, headaches, Hair loss, two periods a month, bloated	I've been taking birth control for five years now. I've tried everything, but I've been on this one for about a year now. I wouldn't reccommend it to anyone. I've gained weight, and I always live by a strict diet. Last year my hair was very thick and full, now my hair has thinned out noticeably, and it is almost impossible to lose weight on this pill. I'm starting LoEstrin 24 fe on Sunday. I can't wait.	F	20	1 years		2/20/2008
3	acne, help control mood	weight gain, laziness, didn't make my mood any better	it helped clear my face up, but that's about it... i feel fat and ugly	F	19	1 months		1/22/2008
2	Cyst and unexplained abdominal pain	Worsened my nausea, spotting/bleeding through the entire second pack, broke out with acne, been very short with people, worse cramps of my life (never really cramped before & had regular periods), vaginal dryness.	It hasn't seemed to work for me, taking it without the sugar pills per Dr' instruction, and shouldn't be bleeding at all, is making menstruation heavier than it has been in the past, and unpredictable.	F	24	3 months		1/15/2008
1	birth control	Sever abdominal cramps, back aches, weight gain, water retention.	Drinking a gallon of water does not help the water retention, and the cramps are so bad I'm almost incapacitated. I never had cramps before - have been off the pill about 5 years and never had a problem before.	F	40	1.5 months		1/10/2008
1	birth control	Gained 10lbs in 3 months, have had long crying spells for no reason,fatigue, and loss of motivation. Glad to see other people had the same problems; I thought I might just be crazy!		F	27	3 months		1/6/2008
3	period control	The side effects are not too bad. But as I get older, my headaches during the placebo week are terrible and getting worse. Doctor calls them "period migraines" and they are miserable. When I first started taking the pill I may have gained a little weight, but have managed to stay the same size for 12 years while on this medication.	Periods are very predictable and only last 2-3 days. Very little cramping too.		41	12 years		1/1/2008
1	To prevent pregnancy	Insomnia, bleeing 3 out of 4 weeks per month (some heavy, some light), chest pains, depression/crazy moods	I have been taking birth control (various kinds) for 15+ years. I was off for a year and went back on when I met my husband at age 32. That was 1.5 years ago. I have been bleeding 3 out of 4 weeks a month, cramping with each bleed, having trouble sleeping, aching body when sleeping (this is new) and generally feel more aggitated. Thought the aggitation was from work, but now am thinking that my reaction to this is getting worse and worse. Can't seem to lose weight or get a mental hold on that (not sure if it's associated or not). Now we are heading to our honeymoon, I just finished my regular cycle a week ago and now I'm bleeding again. Nice huh?	F	33	6 years		12/21/2007
3	Birth Control	Bloating, headaches, very crazy moodswings	I been on it for 2 months BUT do NOT like it...	F	27	2 months		11/21/2007
1	Birth Control/Cramping	Terrible cramps while on Period, wild mood swings, panic attacks, depression, lethargy, weight gain, continuous spotting, some nausea	I went on this for birth control and to help with monthly cramps. Generally, my period used to be 28-32 days, so a bit irregular with spotting a few days before, heavy cramps for the first two days, then spotting after. So a relative pain. My first month on this I started spotting two weeks before my period. I was cramping so bad that I nearly vomited on multiple occasions and the bleeding was heavy. This bleeding and cramping lasted a full five days. I've never felt that much pain in my life. I started the next pack last week and I'm already spotting again...	F	20	2 months		10/16/2007
1	birth control	Anxiety, depression, wild mood swings (my poor boyfriend!). Extremely irregular spotting, heavier than my average period. The timing was completely unpredictable on the spotting, I couldn't even tell when my period was, and I was bleeding a total of nearly 3 weeks a month! (off the pill, I was 4 weeks like clockwork!). Breast tenderness off-and-on. My acne did clear up, though. The longer I took it, the worse these symptoms got!	Too stressful on the me and my family; I felt like I was losing my mind. The mood swings were stressful and unpredictable, generally ending in prolonged tears. I also felt very separate from myself; I didn't feel like it was "me". (I can't describe it better).	F	29	6 months		9/19/2007
2	Ovarian cyst, birth control	Depression, mood swings, crying spells, lethargic, thoughts of suicide, nightmares, lightheaded feeling, and occasional sharp chest pains lasting 1 min to all day (not sure if this is related, but I recall this happening the same time I started taking the pill).	I went on Necon 1/35 for a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst when I was 14. I was instructed to take the pill continuously and skip the week of placebo pills except for 3-5X a year. When I first started taking the pill, I did not have any spotting, and had a normal period when I would discontinue the pill for a week. After being on it for a while, I would spot but would not have a normal period at all during the week I would discontinue it. (Like my body didn't know how to have periods anymore!) After the side effects starting kicking in severely, I made an appt. to just talk to my OBGYN about my pill. He said that after 6 years, I do not need to be on it to treat cyst because I have had no problem since I was 14. We talked about different options and varieties of pills to take to control pregnancy. I suggested blood work to find out where all of my hormone levels are (testosterone, FSH, LH, TSH) and to assign a pill that would benefit me the greatest. He said this would be a good choice, and I	F	20	6 years		9/15/2007 Email
1	Birth Control	Horrible moodiness, anxiety, panic attacks, uncontrollable crying, derealization, disconnection.	This pill started off making me slightly cranky for a few days. Then the following month, I was crankier. By the time I was going into my fifth month on this pill, I was having panic attacks. I would go from this wild extreme of uncontrollable crying and freaking out to complete numbness and inability to feel love for anyone or anything (I knew I loved my boyfriend and my family, but I was unable to feel it). It almost destroyed my relationship and my life. I have now been off this pill for as long as I was on it, and I switched to the ParaGard copper IUD. I have had that for 2.5 months. It's wonderful.	F	25	4 months		9/5/2007
2	birth control	extreme depression and anxiety, it was hard to wear my contacts, i cried all the time and was moody and a complete bitch	it did do what it was supposed to (kept me from getting pregnant) however the emotional side effects were to overwhelming. i did not gain weight but that was only because i was so stressed all the time it made me sick to eat, so i actually lost weight. When i was on my period i felt normal and my old happy self. Im not a "crier" yet as soon as i started this i was so depressed. Like i said, though i didnt get pregnant it made me soooo unhappy.	F	19	2 months		8/8/2007
5	period regulation/extrem bleeding	just a little acne and a few headachs	This medication has been really good for me. I have tried so many BC pills with no luck. I have had a period for2 years straight and at time extemly large clots. This medicine has made such a diffrence in my life. Going for wearing a pad everyday to feeling like a normal woman!	F	25	2 months		8/6/2007 Email
5	releive my symptoms	the first few months i was moody the week before my period had a little spotting the 3rd and 4th month but other than that it was great i now only have a 4 day period with 1 day of cramps.	i would recomend it i have had problems with EVERY other pill i took 4 others to be exact, finally on that works well.	F	19	6 months		7/23/2007
5	cycle control	none	Great pill! No weight gain.	F	37	1 years		7/22/2007
1	Ortho-Novum 1/35	Severe mood swings, made me very irritable and depressed. Slight weight gain, SEVERE itching-my entire body itched, I must have a allergic reaction to it. My head itches, my eyelids even! Ugh!		F	33	15 days		7/19/2007
3	Regulate period	Weight gain and breakthrough bleeding. Energy level has decreased somewhat.	I began taking this to regulate my period before our dream vacation. I've taken this before for about 10 years before I had my kids, and this time around is much worse. I'm going off of it as soon as possible!!!	F	34	2 months		7/17/2007
2	Severe Endometriosis	Extreme fatigue..I sleep constantly, no motivation, constant nausea, insatiable hunger and weight gain, mood swings, bloating, migraines, extremely irritable, bad acne.	I have very bad endometriosis, and I am trying to avoid a hysterectomy. The one good thing about this pill is that my doctor put me on it continuously with no sugar pills, so I don't have a period anymore, but I also have no life anymore because I am either sick or asleep from the horrible side effects. My doctor just switched me to Yaz, so I'm hoping the side effects will go away but the benefits will stay.	F	37	2 months		7/15/2007 Email
1	birth control	I became extremely emotional, depressed, anxious, irritable, and angry a lot for no reason. I also gained weight and was fatigued a lot. When I switched birth control pills, all these symptoms went away within a week.	While this may work for some, the side effects completely disrupted my life.	M	20	28 days		6/16/2007
5	regulate period	I got my appetite back, and my rash totally went away! I am stunned someone said they got a rash from it. I have never in my life had PMS and the sugar pills have no effect whatsoever on my mood...this birth control rocks!	not for everyone but I think its a godsend!	F	30	60 days		6/9/2007
1	period regulation/birth control	Severe mood swings, anxiety, and depression when I was on the INACTIVE pills, not during the other three weeks of active pills.	I have been on OVCON as well and didn't experience these symptoms. I was so happy when I found this site and saw others also experienced SEVERE mood swings and anxiety. But this only happens to me during the week of my period when I am taking the inactive pills. Anyone else experience this fluctuation in mood during their period week? I don't know what to do.	F	26	1.7 years		6/9/2007 Email
4	Birth Control	I didn't think I was having any side effects until I was diagnosed with anxiety, then I started looking back at the last year and the weird things that I had experienced. They all started after going back on this pill. I am going off next month and hope to have an improvement in the anxiety symptoms.		F	36	1 years		5/31/2007
4	Relief of Major Menstrual Cramping	Lack of energy, slight weight gain and breast tenderness for first few months.	I showed signs of possible endometriosis and whenever I had my menstrual cycle it was nothing less than painful (i.e. extreme cramping, diarrhea, vomitting, cold sweats, lightheaded, migraine). Since taking this pill, my symptoms have subsided dramatically. In addition, my period is shorter (3 days). I was very thin and actually embraced the slight weight gain of 5 lbs. and my breast are a little fuller! However, I do find myself a little moodier and with a lack of energy. I was considered regular and continue to be. Overall, I don't regret using this form of birth control...	F	24	3 months		5/28/2007
2	Military gave to me instead NECON	Military gave to me instead NECON. Since taking it for the last month my period hasn't stopped. I have been bleeding the whole time. I have also gained 5lbs this month also. I am tired and very moody.		F	35	30 days		5/16/2007
4	Break Through Bleeding	Cramping in low back, big clots being discharged at same time as back pain. Shorter period	Got adjusted at my chiropractor and low back pain and cramping diminished Greatly. New to pill, but very happy with it. MUCH better than other pill I was on previously	F	32	2 days		4/29/2007
4	Birth Control /stop break through b	Absolutely No Breakthrough Bleeding, weird discharge though no color, no smell, had a slight burning to it almost like I had a yeast infection, but then it went away. NO weight change. Sex has been great and noticed having more lubrication and not dry. Has anyone else had this discharge???	My husband says that I am more moody, but if I look at him the wrong way he also says I'm fussing with him. I have only been on it 2 months and am very happy compared to other pill that I was taking. This pill is a win win for me!	F	32	2 months		4/29/2007 Email
3	Birth Control/Cramps	EXTREME fatigue, depression, moody, breast tenderness, slight nausea, trouble concentrating, slight consipation/diahhrea.	It works okay, I'm on my third month taking it, but I'm so tired all the time, I fall asleep anywhere and everywhere... it's becoming to be a huge burden because I'm not as efficient with my work as I used to be, and that's a problem. All I think about is sleeping and I never seem to get enough of it.	F	18	3 months		4/26/2007
5	BC	I really have had no side effects whatsoever in the two years that I have been taking this medication. I have suffered no sexual side effects, haven't gained any weight and haven't had any skin reactions. I consider this wonderful especially in view of my age. I will take this as long as I need birth control.		F	39	2 years		4/18/2007
3	Birth Control	headaches, mood swings, lessened sex drive, cramps	side affects were tolerable in exchange for not getting pregnant - worked better than several other pills tried	F	34	15 years		4/9/2007
3	regulate cycle/birth control	I've been taking this for 2 1/2 years, and all of a suddeen on my 10th day of the pack I break out in hives on my chest and face. I've also noticed my weight flucuate after and before this time. Could I have an aversion to this medication now I had initial mood swings when I began taking it, but since it has subsided.		F	24	2.5 years		3/18/2007
1	Doctor called in the wrong script	Mild cramps 24 hours a day all month. I don't usually even cramp during period. Hungry all the time, but did not gain weight. Felt angry a lot for no reason.	I did not take it long enough to give a professional opinion, but it made me very uncomfortable while I was on it.	F	27	1 months		3/15/2007
1	contraceptive	heavy bleeding for a week...so far. i am very depressed and anxious. abdominal cramps, worse than i get when im on my period. fatigue, insomnia, no appetite, nausea, severe headache, tingling in my toes and hands.	I have been on birth control before and never experienced any side effects other than breast tenderness. I stopped taking them because the side effects were so bad, and even though I havent taken any in a few days, I still cant sleep and have pretty bad headaches.	F	21	2 weeks		3/4/2007
4	Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome	Severe moodiness, insomnia, other than that, not so bad.	I have been on it for a few months, not too bad, significant weight loss, cleared up my acne, and I only have a period for about 3 days instead of 5.	F	22	4 days		2/22/2007
1	acne, birth control	major bloating, cramping, throwing up, headache, dizziness, laziness, no energy at all, very weak	I've tried several different types of birth control pills before and I have never had side effects like this. I've only been on it for a few days, but again, never had side effects like this before, especially all at once.	F	23	4 days		2/21/2007
2	pre-IVF	Lethargic, no energy. Complete exhaustion. Breasts very sore, tender and swollen. Vomiting around the time of my period. Not depressed, just very apathetic and listless.	I definitely did not have any of these symptoms prior to taking birth control. I am usually sensitive to most medications, so it is not a suprise I am reacting negatively. Probably not related to the "brand" of pill...just the pill in general.	F	38	1 months		2/10/2007
1	birth control/ heavy periods	Sever nausea everyday!about a 5 lb weight gain, and major breast tenderness. headaches and major mood swings.	This pill is horrible. I was prescribed this because of my heavy painful periods, I would rather have them. Unless you don't live with anyone I suggest you not take it or else you will tear their head off. The anxiety is horrible, also I cannot sleep, and have severe headaches and worst of all feel sick all the time. I am stopping this pill today.		21	1 months		1/22/2007
1	birth control	Extreme anxiety, severe moodiness, uncontrollable outbursts for no reason...	This drug made me crazy! It made a MONSTER out of me, nearly destroying my marriage.	F	25	6 months		1/18/2007
4	Best option	None	I really appreciate this form of bcp. I am very picky and don't like doctors and I am very funny about medicines. So considering that I have been on this for over a year and have yet to complain. I say GO FOR IT LADIES!!!	M	27	1 years		12/14/2006
5	Birth control	None	I never had any problems while I was taking ortho-novum. I recently stopped taking it as I plan on having a baby soon. When I stopped taking it I returned to having my normal cycle with out problems. (I had a normal cycle before taking the pills).	F	26	8 years		12/11/2006
3	birth control and menstral symptoms	frequent migraines	This pill alleviated the horrid menstral cramping and reduced the length of my period from 10 to 6 days. But as soon as I started taking it, I started getting cluster migraines. With Kariva and Mircette, which I had previously taken, my migraines were less frequent.	F	35	3 months		11/29/2006
4	birth control/ period management	slight weight gain, eventually I stopped having a period.	i took this for a year and then went off of it try and get pregnant, and now I am back on it again I have tried three other forms of birth control and this is the only one that I have liked and that does not make me feel out of control.	F	26	1 years		11/28/2006 Email
1	Birth Control / regulate periods	cramps, nausea, heavy bleeding, headache, bloating	I took this pill for several years and had no problem. Then I was off for several years. When I started it back up, it's been horrible. I've been on it for two months and have had EXTREMELY painful periods. I'm doubled over in pain, can't sleep because of it, can hardly function. I'm extremely irritable, diarrhea, horrible headache and bleeding more heavily than I ever have. I bloat so much during my period that nothing I own fits me. It's awful.	F	45	2 months		11/22/2006 Email
2	prevent pregnancy	became increasingly anxious and irritable; got upset about things i normally would not care about; could cry over anything which is very unlike me; had bleeding throughout the first month and part of the second; signficant decrease in energy; extreme breast tenderness during 2nd and 3rd wks	i had a better experience with this pill than others i have been on, but i don't feel like the side effects outweigh the benefits	F	24	4 months		11/19/2006

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Average rating for drug: 2.5. This page is printer-friendly; use landscape print with background color turned on.

Key to ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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