| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken
and Dosage | | Date Added |
  | | | | F M | | | | |
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| 5 | | occasionally nauseas, it may be part of why I'm having difficulty losing a couple pounds but it was always hard for me to lose weight (im not fat, theres not much to lose), a headache once a month ish | all of these people's reviews scare me. maybe I'm a little bit quicker to cry, but I am by no means depressed and I have pre-OTCL had a tendency to get very depressed. I don't really have anything, but nice things to say. It seriously cleared up my horrible acne. I've been so nice to my skin for years, it's great to have the favor returned. My boobs are a little bit bigger, but just like a cup. It's also really nice to know to the hour when my period's going to come, so I don't need to fret before an event that it's going to come while I'm there or whatever. | F | 18 |
1X D | | 7/28/2010
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1 | Sex and minor back/face acne | Crying, negative thoughts, weighted down, anger | I have been on Ortho Tri Cyclen for a year and a half. Prior to taking the pill, I was the happiest person you could imagine.. never had negative thoughts and always felt cheery and lucky to be alive. Since taking Ortho Tri Cyclen, I have had so many mood swings. I am such a pessimist and cry all the time over things that never would have got to me before. I try to keep a positive attitude for my relationships sake, but even so... I can tell I'm different than I used to be - faking happiness rather than being happy. Looking outside at a beautiful sky doesn't give me the same rush as before. Instead I think about all the negative things in life leaving me sad. I forgot to re-fill my perscription this last time and went off the pill for a month. True story - towards the end of that month I was feeling better than ever and so happy (hadn't had that feeling in so long).. the weigh was lifted. I went back ont the pill again this month and yesterday (about 8 days into the cycle) threw a huge rage in my car and then this morning cried all the way into work for nothing imparticular. I can't focus on anything positive. I am going off the pill and will have to use a new method of birth control and get back on acne meds... but positive outlook is way better than feeling dumpy! | F | 26 |
1X D | | 7/27/2010
| 1 | birth control | weight gain, depression, no libido, tired, general craziness | I've gained almost 35 in 6 months. I get intensely irritated at the littlest things and no longer have a desire to even move- I'm fine on the couch watching TV. I want to scream when my boyfriend touches me and have to talk myself into having sex- same as many others here, I just don't have any interest in it at all anymore. I feel like I gave this one enough of a try and now I'm SO DONE. | F | 30 | 6 months
1X D | | 7/22/2010
| 5 | birth control, acne | None. | Switched from lo version to regular for acne. Better skin and no side effects. | F | 24 | 6 months
1X D | | 7/21/2010
| 1 | regulate periods | I started taking these pills because I had very heavy, long periods and these pills were wonderful for that. It sounds stupid but these pills gave me impatience. I would feel like I had road rage every time I drove and my family said I turned mean to them. | I'm so glad I found this site because I thought I was going through a personality change and I'm going to try a different pill now. I already made an appointment to see my doctor. | F | 18 | 8 months
1X D | | 7/21/2010
| 3 | birth control | i am a huge bitch, moodswings, crying, feeling like i can accomplish nothing | my poor boyfriend, i am such an emotional wreck now and i was never like this i used to enjoy life and now im a mess i am so depressed and i know its this pill. i would rather go through this than have a baby though haha | F | 19 | 2 months
1X D | | 7/20/2010
| 3 | regulate period | stomach aches, mood swings | I was camping with my bf whom i love with all my heart and his family when i started this pill and everything was fine and dandy for the first couple days. But on the 5th and 6th days of taking this i couldnt stand the sight of my bf and had thoughts about us breaking up and i couldnt stand it when he touched me. so i didnt take the pill the next day and i was ALL OVER him. The next day i took 2 pills like they tell you to do if you miss and i wasnt as all over him but i wasnt cringing at his touch either. So maybe i was just crazy for a couple days? maybe not. Im going to continue using ortho until i run out (in 2 months), and if im not wanting to kill my bf then i will keep taking this pill. | F | 18 | 9 days
1X D | | 7/19/2010
| 3 | Regulate cycle & prevent pregnancy | I did experience side effects while taking this specific birth control & WEIGHT GAIN is definitely a major side effect for me. I have gained 15 IBS in just a few months after taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen. I also feel bloated all the time and can't fit into my pants anymore :( Other than the bloating and weight gain, the pill did it's job with preventing pregnancy and regulating my cycle. | I am going to switch to Ortho Tri-Cyclen lo hoping to feel better and lose some of the weight that I have gained from being on regular OTC. | F | 26 | 8 months
30 1X D | | 7/19/2010
| 2 | birth control | mood swings, lack of sex drive, dryness, fatigue, depression, breast increase | Things started out fine but by my second month period I was a maniac. I cry for no reason, feel completely helpless and depressed, and my mood changes very quickly. My relationship has suffered from these sudden outbursts, and also because I have had little to no sex drive since I started the pill. I started to realize that this was NOT normal behavior for me, and I'm getting off this pill as soon as possible. | F | 18 | 4 months
.25 mg 1X D | | 7/19/2010
| 1 | birth control | Dizziness, nausea, migraines, night sweats,frequent urination, thirsty, general ill feeling which leads to crying and thoughts of hopelessness like I am dying or something is seriously wrong with me. I have been on bc for about 10 years off and on. Recently I accidentally took only two weeks of the pills and thought I was already at the sugar pills. Turns out a missed a whole week of pills. Had my period, it was normal, but had migraines and dizziness daily. Then the phone nurse told me to continue with the pill as usual so I started a new pack. I went to the doctor that same day when I almost fainted due to dizziness and a tingly sensation all over my arms and fingers. I guess I was having a panic attack. Dr told me to try to sleep it off, and blamed it on benadryll that I took for allergies. Now ita been five days and I have had non stop headaches and will take my pill at night (dr's orders) and then wake up sweating, heart racing, and nauseated. I am not taking tonights pill, even i | | F | 28 | 3 months
1X D | | 7/19/2010
| 1 | Birth Control | I became moody and impatient. I cried and got angry over any little thing all the time. I knew I was acting crazy but I wasn't able to stop myself. I changed doctors and she put me on another pill and I went back to being my happy self again but I wasted a whole year thinking I was going insane. | | F | 20 | 1 years
1X D | | 7/18/2010
| 2 | To prevent pregnancy | Moody, depression, feelings of hopelessness, exhaustion, headaches, weight gain, frequent urination, no sex drive | Sure, it prevented pregnancy but it made me feel terrible all the while.
I get angry/anxious for NO good reason and lash out at my husband and kids. I've gained 5 pounds. I'm always sad. I'm getting headaches almost daily and feeling nauseous. I am quitting the pill TODAY. I am not taking it tonight. I am sick of how it makes me feel! | F | 24 | 4 months
1X D | | 7/16/2010
| 1 | birth conrtol | I do not reccomend this bc I'm laying in bed researching the side effects because I feel terrible. I'm always nausious when I eat I feel even more sick I'm surprized I haven't thrown up yet. I even thought to myself earlier I shouldn't be driving when I feel like this.. I feel weak and faint. Everyones diffrent but I don't reccomend this bc | | F | 21 | 11 days
1X D | | 7/16/2010
| 1 | | I started taking this pill after no longer wanting to take the depo shot. After I took this pill I began to notice a change in myself. I no longer was happy, severely depressed, snapping at my boyfriend and my son for no apparent reason, having suicidal thoughts and unable to stop crying on a daily basis. I also felt drowsy, fatigue. My blood pressure became high, I'm very dizzy also. I stopped taking this medicine yesterday, I got a full night of rest last night and woke up this morning in a much better mood. I will not take ortho tri cyclen again. | | F | 25 | 2 months
1X D | | 7/15/2010
| 2 | prevent pregnancy | I began tri cyclen to prevent pregnancy about two months ago; i found the love of my life and everything was going great in my life for the first time. Last year I was diagnosed with depression and social anxiety, which had been devouring me since childhood. Only after hospitalization and medication was i able to see myself and life as it truely was and no longer "living" in the darkness. Never thinking i would be in that situation again i began to feel my old self seeping through. Tri cyclen brougt back symptoms of my depression and anxiety and slowly began to lower my sex drive. I was able to take control of the situation just in time, I stopped taking the pill about two days ago, but cant imagine what would of happened if i wouldnt of realized these symptoms were due to the Bc pill. I sttrongly recomened to anyone taking the pill to be aware of changes in your body or mood. Like all medications it can work great for one person and do the total opposite for another. | | F | 23 | 2 months
0.035 1X D | | 7/11/2010
| 1 | pregnancy prevention/ovarian cyst | depression, headaches, anxiety, no sex drive | I switched to ortho tri-cyclen a year ago after being on Ovcon 35 since I was 14 years old. I switched pills because I would get a very severe rash every time I got my period and my doctors did not know why...so they tried switching my pills. Well, recently, I developed anxiety and I am a girl who is always cool as a cucumber and very happy-go-lucky! I also began to feel very depressed, hopeless, and would just cry for no reason. I love my boyfriend of 6 years to death and just wish I had a sex drive...at all. I know all birth control pills react differently with every woman's body but I have decided to switch back to Ovcon 35 because I experienced zero emotional difficulties on that drug. | F | 23 | 1 years
1X D | | 7/9/2010
| 3 | Preventing Pregnancy | headaches and nausea daily, frequent urination, loss of appetite, fatigue | I started taking the pill so i wouldnt get pregnant, but the side effects suck. im going to give it a few weeks, or i might switch to another pill | F | 15 | 12 days
1X D | | 7/8/2010
| 2 | to prevent pregnancy | rapid weight loss, decrease in appetite, mood swings, overly emotional, my heart beats really fast sometimes, anxiety, dizziness, nausea, vomiting | I've lost 25 pounds in the last 6th months with no exercise, my appetite has decreased severely, I cry for absolute no reason all the time. I feel like I'm changing and something is definitely wrong with me. I'm usually a very happy, easy going girl and now I easily get annoyed and I sometimes just feel SO different from how I use to. I also read that this birth control can cause signs of a stroke or something else that causes pain in your leg or arm. Last night my shin and foot hurt VERY badly out of no where, which now I'm kind of scared about even though the pain is gone. I'm definitely considering switching birth controls. | F | 19 | 6 months
1X D | | 7/6/2010
| 1 | birth control | nauseas, mood swings, anxiety, depression, fatigue, panic attacks. | I have the most amazing husband and am constantly fighting with him for no reason. Feel anxious and depressed a few days before my period every month, pretty much around the time our fights begin. I never thought it had to do with the pill until I finally saw the connection. I'm not taking these pills anymore and will go to doctor to see if he recommends something better.
PLEASE if you experience any of these serious side effects stop taking this pill!! it can definitely affect your relationships big time! | F | 23 | 3 years
1X D | | 7/6/2010
| 2 | birth control | Lack of sex drive, weight gain, mood swings,depression | I have been taking this BC for 4 years. Before I started taking this drug my husband and I were sex maniacs and I liked it. As the years have gone by I've gotten to the point were I don't even want to be touched by him and sex is an "I can't wait till it's over" type deal. Since being put on this pill I have gained a solid 20lbs and can't for the life of me get it to go away regardless of being on a 1500 cal diet and working out daily. I, like many others, also have severe mood swings. I wake up and my day is crap from the beginning. I get irritated at anything and everything. I've been thinking lately that I'm just an a**hole but after reading all these posts I'm beginning to think this drug has something to do with my unhappy life the past couple years. | F | 24 | 4 years
25-35 1X D | | 6/28/2010
| 3 | To regulate my menstrual cycle | Terrible abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomit | I went to my doctor to see if I could be put on something that would help regulate my twice a month period since it hasn't regulated in about 6 years. This is my first week using it and I have woken up every morning around 7 or 8 (not by choice since it is the summer). Also, I never have trouble sleeping through the night, but it frequently wakes me up now. I woke up this morning with excruciating stomach pain between my ribs which later caused diarrhea and vomiting later that morning. The pain still hasn't gone away, but exercise and work have decreased the pain levels, but when I am idle again it comes back. I still want to give it a chance because it is only my first week. Good luck to you all. | F | 17 | 7 days
1X D | | 6/26/2010
| 3 | pregnancy control | dizziness, insomnia (in the first week), changes of moods frequently, increase sex drive (:), crying for no reason | | F | 31 | 7 months
1X D | | 6/22/2010
| 3 | bad cramps, thick uturus wall | So far the only thing I am noticing is there are a few hours of the day that I am feel really really tired, and I just don't care about anything really. I have had heart palpatations a couple of times and small amount of chest pain on the left side on my chest. Nothing major though. I hoping it gets better as time goes on. Hopefully I can get fixed the issue I have an no longer have to take the pills. | | F | 30 | 2 weeks
1X D | | 6/20/2010
| 1 | regulate her monthly period | depression, crying for unknown reasons,moody | My 13 year old daughter was put on this medication to help with her menstrual cycle. She was having 2 periods a month and horrible acne. Two days ago she just busted out crying I asked whats wrong she said "I DONT KNOW" This is a child that is very happy and loves life. Now shes confussed about everything in life and does not understand why shes feeling this away. Its breaking my heart to see her like this and I DO NOT recomend this medication to aanybody. Please keep her in your prayers. Thank You | F | 13 | 1 months
28 1X D | | 6/20/2010
| 2 | Prevent Pregnancy | I find i'm constantly having to urinate, i have severe cramping some days, i get headaches, fatigue, lack of sleep even from depression, panic attacks, i cry all the time. | I really am debating getting off this pill. I took it to prevent pregnancy but it's making me an emotional sooky wreck. I guess it works different ways for certain people, but one small pill to be THIS powerful, i don't think i can do it anymore. | F | 20 | 7 months
1X D | | 6/17/2010
| 1 | To not get prego | babe its the same exact thing as all the other ones..... babe, stop. hahaha. delete it. your gender is male.. ssssssstooooooppp.(urgh) "eyebrows" sigh smirk giggle. laughter as she says stop babe. come on. what are you doing. stop typing it. seriously come on as she hits me and screams into a pillow for 30 seconds. as you see she has fucking problems from this pill. | I'm sitting here and my girlfriend is a psycho... more than usual... apparently she is not A FUCKING PSYCHO. she is concerned of the language i am using. oh well. she has some problems to say the least. just staring into a mirror AND crying b.c she can't pluck her eyebrows correctly. i'm going to the bar. get me away from this soap opera. she doesnt think this is funny at all. I'm totally not getting laid tonight between her puking. I just thought all of you guys should know what this pill is doing to her in the WHOLE 4 days she has been using it. drama. drama. my opinion... wait for the body to get used to the hormone lvl change and it could possibly get better. i'm no doctor, just a realist. the end. i have to go get my ass kicked now. BYE BYE XoXO i got in trouble for doing xoxo.. she thinks im cheating on her with you people.... OMFG stop this. | M | 21 | 4 days
1X D | | 6/16/2010
| 3 | Contraception & Acne control | Nausea, moodiness, loss of libido, cleared up cystic acne | When I fist started taking this bc pill i loved it because it cleared up my skin and there weren't any more side effects. I started getting nausea, but it isn't that serious, recently in the past 6-10 months it has affected my libido severely which is making me consider switching bc pills but I had a really bad experience switching to YAZ and getting really bad cystic acne and depression. | F | 23 | 2.5 years
1X D | | 6/12/2010
| 2 | First birth control ever | Depression, depression, depression, and my period is late...I took a pregnancy test which was negative, but my period still hasn't come | Every now and then, everyone gets a little sad, but my depression that developed over a week ago for no apparent reason, has been ridiculous. I started taking it because me and my boyfriend were sexual all the time, and suddenly I just felt my world turned upside down. he broke up with me cause I was so nasty to him, and I can't stop crying about the stupidest things. I stopped today, feeling suicidal is too high a price for pregnancy prevention, and hey, I'm not going to be having sex for a long time anyway cause my boyfriend dump me.....so if you have any of these side effects, stop immediately | F | 22 | 21 days
30MG 1X D | | 6/11/2010
| 1 | BC | I switched to Ortho Lo from Cyclessa because of cost. I feel completely insane all the time. I do not have any desire for sex and don't even like to be touched. I'm depressed all the time and just feel hopeless. | I shouldn't have to live like this just because I don't want a baby. Who knows what this is doing to my brain... | F | 24 | 2 years
1X D | | 6/11/2010
| 4 | Birth Control | Sore breasts and slight fatigue. | This pill has caused my breasts to become sore, but it has not effected my sex drive at all. I just told my boyfriend to be extra gentle :P I'm a little more tired than usual, but I've also been a little more active than normal, so it might not even be the pill. Other than that, the pill works great. I still have not had my period while on the pill, so we will see how that works out. Too bad there's so many bad reviews on here. I figured I'd put a positive experience on here. No depressions or nausea or weight gain for me. | F | 19 | 12 days
1X D | | 6/10/2010
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| 1 | Birth Control | Irritability, moodiness, depression, panic attacks that caused me to go to ER, PVC's (Preventricular contractions of the heart), SEVERE nausea and vomiting that enabled me from working, dizziness, loss of sexual appetite, and fatigue | I do not recommend this pill to anyone. I felt like dying. The horrible side effects were enough so that I went to the hospital. I now have stomach problems which I did not have before. Since quitting the pill my headaches, nausea and vomiting have subsided and I feel like my body literally cleansed itself. Please DO NOT take this drug. | F | 24 | 3 months
1X D | | 6/10/2010
| 3 | prevent pregnancy | really bad cramps, irrability, tiredness, heavy bleeding, longer than normal bleeding--5days | | F | 32 | 5 months
1X D | | 6/8/2010
| 2 | Regulate Periods | Yeast infections with every package! I never had one before starting this birth control, but got them every month until I stopped taking them. Other than that, no side effects. | | F | 23 | 120 days
1X D | | 6/7/2010
| 3 | Pregnancy Prevention, Acne Control | SEVERE depression, constant suicidal thoughts (more so than usual). Motivation is out the window!!
Nausea hits hard when I take the pill during the day, so I switched to taking it just before bed time so that the nausea kicks in while I'm sleeping and it goes unnoticeable.
Vivid dreams... anybody else? | Just to give an idea - my ex-husband and I have been separated for a year after a very difficult marriage. It wasn't until I started taking this pill that I am disregarding all of the terrible things he's done and thinking of him in positive ways again. If you knew me, you'd know that this is unreasonable and insane!!! Yet it's happening. And the only thing I can attribute it to is the pill. | F | 25 | 30 days
1X D | | 6/2/2010
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| 1 | Birth control, skin | I have been taking this pill for a little over 2 weeks and I absolutely hate it. I am experiencing loss of energy, moodiness, over sensitivity, weight gain (6 lbs in 2weeks!), and my skin has only gotten worse with dry patches. I've heard it may take a month or so before some of these side effects go away, if they do. I will give it a few more weeks, but these side effects are not worth it. | | F | 27 | 15 days
1X D | | 6/2/2010
| 1 | Prevent Pregnancy | Suicidal, crying for hours, lack of energy, loss of appetite | I could not figure out was wrong with me over the past 4 days since I've literally only taken the first 5 pills out of the pack. I went off Estrostep 3 years ago and just got Ortho-Tricyclen from Planned Parenthood because I don't have insurance. I've been calling my boyfriend in tears every night telling him I want to die. He suggested it might have something to do with the pill and of course I was like NO IT DOESNT!!!! Then I did a quick google and here we are. I'm going to switch to taking it before bedtime and give it another month to see if anything changes. But otherwise I cant live like this. | F | 27 | 5 days
1X D | | 5/26/2010
| 2 | Period regulation | I am even more crazier than I normaly I.....I am lifeless....I don't want to do ne thing (but the Dr told me that I would feel like this for the first few months until the pill regulates in my system) so I am giving it a chance.....at least until dec....I have been having extreme diareha, HORRIBLE blood clot (coming out every time I clean myself up), cramps cramps and more cramps!!!!! | | F | 33 | 8 days
35 1X D | | 5/23/2010
| 3 | Painful Periods | Better, regular periods. Breast size increase then decrease. Extreme irritability and emotion. Depression. | Began taking this as a means by which to regulate awful periods (pain, nausea, etc). Absolutely effective in that respect. After skipping a cycle of pills I noticed that my awful mood swings and feelings of loneliness/depression were gone and I'm having an exponentially greater amount of fun in social situations. Pill's fault? Yes. | F | 19 | 2.5 years
1X D | | 5/22/2010
| 4 | prevent pregnancy | fatigue, still have acne, depression, moody, nauseousness, not pregnant though | ive been on the pill since I was 16..i always thought that the feelings I felt was mostly because of puberty or because it was just me. But after reading this Im starting to see that it's a problem....I have not considered switching because I figured all this would pass, but after several years..I still feel the same as I did when I was younger. I'm just not sure about how my body could react to a new pill. I guess what it comes down to is that i don't like change | F | 21 | 5 years
1X D | | 5/21/2010
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| 3 | Prevent pregnancy | Severe mood swings,rapid thoughts,crying spells,depression,anxiouty,serious freAK out sessions! | The only thing this pill has helped with so far is my acne and my breast are huge...no wieght gain(thank gawd) i was going fucking crzy i couldnt pin point why the f i was freaking out snapping at the simplest of things feeling down about life and just wanting to drive into a brick wall while driving!no seriously,is crossed my mind!and the worse is i snap at my 6 year old for nothing due to my moods! i didnt really notice the moods till about a wk ago when my dude was like you been tripping alot lately well now i know but i was fine today until i took the pill and thn i wanted to ring someones neck again!never had any emotional issues with any other bc so im going to try only taking ortho at night before i sleep and if that doesnt help then im switching bacck to the patch asap! | F | 23 | 1 months
.18mg 1X D | | 5/19/2010
| 2 | Prevent Pregancy | I'm so glad I found this site.I haven't taken birth control in years. About 3mnts ago I started. I have gained at least 10lbs it seems to be in the stomach area,breast are sore and swollen,stay hungry,frequent urination,metal taste in my mouth,bloated,constipated and gas.Sometimes very nauseated,moody,depressed,sleepy to the point were I just sleep all day. Also I have heart palptions and decreased sex drive. I can't believe a tiny pill can cause all this! | | M | 29 | 3 months
1X D | | 5/19/2010
| 2 | | Really bad mood swings, depression, anxiety, but no choice but to to take it, sucks. This site helped. | | F | 20 | 1 years
1X D | | 5/19/2010
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| 1 | prevent pregnancy | Extreme depression, mood swings, crying for no reason, no sex drive, neasua, vomiting, fatigued all the time, unexplained weakness, bad migraine headaches, panic attacks, abdominal pain, lack of motivation, abnormal period flow | I've taken this same kind of birth control before when I was like 16 or 17 and I never once had an issue with it. I don't know if they have changed something but I am switching off of this today!!! For all of those who do not know much about this product do not take it!!! It had ruined me relationship with my bf bc he thinks I'm crazy all the time and I don't feel the want to have sex anymore. | F | 22 | 6 months
1X D | | 5/18/2010
| 1 | Prevent pregnancy | Ok, so this pill makes me feel horrible! I am nervous, I have been throwing up, I am depressed, I feel suicidal, I am anxious, I am unmotivated, I can't even workout...All of this in the 10 days. I am not taking this anymore! This also happened with Yaz so I am very scared to take BC. So, I guess I'll take my chances. | | F | 29 | 10 days
1X D | | 5/17/2010
| 5 | birth control | sore breasts | got on this pill after taking loestrin for 6 months and having severe mood swings/depression... i love it! no more moodiness, my period comes when its supposed to, and im not having any babies. sex drive is up, too! MUCH better than loestrin was for me, but it varies by person | F | 21 | 2 months
30 1X D | | 5/12/2010
| 5 | Birth control | Sex drive is amazing! Regular periods, no cramps (used to have horrible cramps), no bloating, weight loss, I highly recommend this pill | I got on the pill to prevent pregnancy and clear up some acne. So far I love the dang thing! It is totally effective and number one in my book. We all have to remember that we all have different bodies and just because it doesn't work on one person doesn't mean you should stop taking it immediately. Listen to your body, not what you hear. | F | 18 | 2 weeks
1X D | | 5/10/2010
| 4 | birth control | Abdominal discomfort, loss of apetite, gas, bloating. | Im taking it because of my high prolactin levels together with the loss of libido, since I was in ortho tri cyclen lo. The lo KILLED my libido as well as my vaginal moisture, no pleasure at all. With this one, I do experience somewhat indigestion, but it won't stay all day. My sex life is back!!!! | F | 27 | 8 days
1X D | | 5/9/2010
| 3 | | I used to take the pill from age 18-23. I think I have a pre-disposition to being anxious and depressed but taking this pill made me severely anxious and depressed! I was switched to four different anti-depressants during this time, which helped a lot and my skin, which used to have acne, cleared up COMPLETELY. Once my insurance ran out, I stopped the anti-depressant and the bcp (tri[-sprintec). My acne came back but my severe depression lifted somewhat. With my new insurance, and with the encouragement of my current boyfriend, I decided to try the bcp again. I'm hoping my acne will go away. I've been on it for 16 days, and my depression and anxiety are BAD again! I'm also getting hormonal breakouts. I'm going to my doctor to see what I can do. I never realized the bcp was making my depression and anxiety worse. But if it helps my acne like it did before and it obviously helps prevent pregnancy, I will stick with it. I'm just happy to know I'm not crazy, and this pill really does chang | | F | 25 | 16 days
1X D | | 5/8/2010
| 1 | Birth control | I almost died.....from the side effects and lost my husband. No sex drive....and depression never went away! | Stop taking this while you can! | F | 28 | 8 years
1X D | | 5/8/2010
| 1 | prevent pregnancy | Extreme anxiety, severe depression, pounding heart, general lack of interest in everything, crying all the time | Took this horrible drug for years then switched to the generic trinessa and tri sprintec... all made me feel the same way...angry, anxious, depressed. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me for years. I would totally snap over the littlest thing, cry every 5 minuites over NOTHING, constant dark and irrational thoughts going through my head, not being able to cope with minor life events and anxiety that was so bad I could't get myself out the door to go anywhere! It was only until about 1 month ago when my prescription ran out, I decided to not get it filled. Only 3 days later it felt like the fog over my life had been lifted!! Then I started researching and thats when I discovered that this pill has been the root of my mood problems for years!! I wish I would have linked it together years ago. I've been off it for a month and I feel like a brand new person. I don't recommend this bc to anyone and if your having mood problems you should definitely talk to your doctor and think about coming off. | F | 32 | 9 years
1X D | | 5/8/2010
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| 3 | period pain regulation | depression, mood swings, virtually non-stop breakthrough bleeding from day 1, bloating, fatigued, trouble sleeping | I have fallen into a very unusual depression state in the past month since starting this pill and cannot seem to shake it. My mood-swings are unpredicatable and out of control. Before the pill I would only get mood-swings for one day a week before my period but I have been having them non-stop. The bloating and breakthrough bleeding started almost right away and was non-stop. I'm hoping these symptoms go away in a few months...reading everyone's comments made me feel like I'm not crazy for feeling the way I do. I am not sure these side effects are better than the severe pain that makes me nearly pass out every month, but we'll see. | F | 25 | 25 days
1X D | | 5/5/2010
| 1 | yes | I would like to thank everyone for posting there experience. i was going crazy i never had any side effects from birth-control pills until i started taking ortho-tri-cyclen, vaginal secreations, mood swings, no motivation, no sex drive. it took me almost a year to figure it out i was a reck and didnt know why. with the secretions i had no sign of an infection no smell ,no itching it was weird so i did reshearch and figured out it had to be the pill. | | F | 25 | 1 years
1X D | | 5/3/2010
| 2 | pregnancy prevention | extreme mood swings, depression, terrible nausea, anxiety | I began taking tri-cyclen to help with my extremely irregular, painful periods. I was on alesse a couple years ago but stopped taking it due to constant spotting. this time around my doctor put me on tri-cyclen instead. my mild acne has improved and my severe cramps do not last as long. i began feeling extreme nausea at random points in the day, almost every day. i've also found that my anxiety has worsened since beginning this pill. i find myself worrying heavily about trivial things, but being totally apathetic towards more important issues. i also began having terrible mood swings and getting very angry at loved ones for no reason at all. until i found this site, i haven't been able to piece together the side effects and now realize it must be due to the tri-cyclen. | F | 19 | 3 months
1X D | | 5/2/2010
| 1 | to prevent pregnacy | mood swings, depression, excessive vaginal secretion. i also have to thank everyone who posted on this site. i recently switched birth control because of my health insurance (not of my own desire) to othro tri-cyclen and have had a severe flare up of emotion issues and depression. i have struggled with self abuse since i was 15. i have gotten it under control since i've been in my 20s with occasional, minor, relapses over the years, but i can honestly say that i have never hurt myself as badly or frequently as i have over the past week that i have been taking ortho tri-cyclen. as with many of the other girls on this site i also thought it was just me and i was over reacting to everything, but after talking to other girls and reading this site i think i can at least partially blame ortho tri-cylen for my lose of control and excessive emotions. fits of crying, hopelessness and a lack of motivation to do anything or see anyone have taken over my life. i also have experienced excessive | | F | 25 | 5 days
1X D | | 5/2/2010
| 4 | Pregnancy prevention | I loved this pill. I started with Ortho tri cyclen when I was 15. Stopped at 17 because it made me severely anxious. I then dropped like 15 pounds and became anorexic. I started dated a new guy in college who forced me to get back on the pill. So, I tried Alesse. I instantly gained weight, felt bloated, and was hysterical all the time-sobbing and felt like a mess. Everyone noticed. So, I switched to ortho tri cyclen lo and it was AWESOME!!! Went on the Ring just to try it and that made me spotty and stinky down there. It was also too expensive and Planned Parenthood didn't offer it. So, I went back to ortho tri cyclen at 21 and have been on it for the past three years.
I started to notice problems when I moved to FL. I've been to a rheumatologist and a neurologist to try and make sense of this. But, I have had horrible migraines during the first few days of my period on it. IT feels like someone is stabbing me in the right temple. I've been having an aura of dizziness and like I'm | | F | 24 | 3 years
1X D | | 4/30/2010
| 5 | nausea,bc,cramps | +:Acne has cleared up some, but not fully due to the fact that I am constantly exercising and sweating because of this. +:Cramps are completely gone.Now I'm able to target foods that make my stomach hurt and I know they're not cramps. +:Regulated my periods COMPLETELY. I now know exactly when my period will start and end and how heavy my flow will be. +:My nausea is totally gone. I only feel sick now when I'm actually sick. | I was on Loestrin Fe for 3 months before getting on Ortho Tri Cyclen. While on Loestrin, the first month I had no period and was constantly having cramps. Months 2&3 was a non-stop period. I had a period for 2 months straight. My nausea and cramps worsened to the point where I was missing school and curled up in my bathroom for hours at a time. Medicines and hot compresses/showers did not help at all. Within 2 days of starting Ortho Tri Cyclen, my period stopped. When the inactive pills on the fourth week came around, it was as if my period was totally regulated right then. My body adjusted to this pill within 2 days. I've had no weight gain. I've actually been able to lose more now when I exercise. My cramps and nausea are completely gone, so I'm now able to target foods/drinks that make me sick. I absolutely love this pill and I plan to stay on it for as long as I am able to. Also, since I have been on this pill, I have been sick less and am much happier, things don't get to me so easily anymore, I'm not sure if that's due to the pill itself or the fact that it has gotten rid of the cramps/nausea. | F | 19 | 1 years
1X D | | 4/25/2010
| 1 | Birth Control | DON'T TAKE ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN. i was on Trinessa since i was 18 (i'm 21 now) which actually worked with no side effects for me. My Insurance company made me switch to Ortho Tri Cyclen because it's cheaper, and i have never felt so bad in my life. I'm usually a really upbeat and fin person, but lately i've been severely depressed. I'm crying all the time, freaking out on my boyfriend and friends for no reason, never motivated to do anything (including sex). I pretty much just want to sleep and cry all day. I'm going to stop taking BC for a month or two to get it all out of my system... and then go back on trinessa. | | F | 21 | 6 weeks
1X D | | 4/25/2010
| 2 | birth control/regulate period | + helped w acne, increased libido (almost too much)
- weight gain/increased appetite/bloating, breakthrough bleeding, longer period, dry skin
? decreased energy, maybe slight moodiness, constipation | on desogen in college. worked fine then went off birth control for few years. age 30 started having crazy pms/pmdd symptoms so went back on desogen. not strong enough b/c had breakthrough bleeding/pms so tried yaz and had same problems. went off of it then got an ovarian cyst that ruptured so went back on desogen(thought probs w/ it before due to concurrent antibiotic use) but not work. I gave each pill 6 months to work out any side effects. Then tried loestrin 1.5/30 (generic microgestin) - first pill with no breakthrough bleeding but had almost no period and got hormonal acne bad around mouth. switched to ortho tri cyc (tri-spirintec) for acne and just finished 3rd pack. I have had weight gain for first time on ANY pill. Prob 5-7 lbs but i work out a lot and very noticeable to me. also bloating and increased appetite depending on week and each mo i had breakthrough bleeding and long period. it did help some with acne and def noticed increased sex drive. But negatives too much for me so think i will go back to loestrin and figure out way to deal with the acne | F | 32 | 3 months
1X D | | 4/17/2010
| 3 | Brith Control | gained 35 lbs, total loss of libido, but no babies! | I've read quite a few forums where women have been pleased about OTC enlarging their breasts, which i would have LOVED if it had affected BOTH of them. My left breast grew a whole cup and a half while my right stayed the same! this and the weight gain have given me MANY more problems than condoms ever did. | F | 19 | 11 months
1X D | | 4/15/2010
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| 3 | Period Regulation | Possibly upset stomach, bloating, irregular bleeding worsening | I began taking Ortho Tri cyclen LO about 15 days ago. Doc put me on it to try and regulate my periods. I had a heavy flow for 8 months straight with no break. All tests are coming back normal except a 2cm cyst on my right ovary. I took Ortho back about 5 yrs ago and loved it. had no problems with it, then again, at that point i was on it for pregnancy prevention cause my periods were already like clock work. Shortly after starting this first pack of pills, I started feeling off. About week 2 started the nausea and bloating. the Nausea gets really bad at times and makes me eating pretty much not wanted cause as soon as I eat, I wanna get sick. The bloating comes and goes, nothing worse than a mild period bloating (I've had worse on my period). Now the bleeding is whats got me confused. Before starting these pills my period had finally stopped and vanished for 3 months. I started on the day I was to start the pill. Had a normal 5 day flow (man was i excited) then 3 days later, started again. I know break through bleeding is common in the first month so I'm still hangin in there. But when you just went 8 months with no break, you start getting scared that its gonna happen again. My point, ladies dont give up. I once loved these pills, dont quit just cause you get a little sick. Pepto is my best friend right now but I know its the best out there. If it doesnt start getting better by pack 2 then I'll start calling my doc but until then, wish for the best :) | F | 26 | 15 days
1X D | | 4/14/2010
| 1 | birth control | I've been on and off this pill for years and have never really put together the side affects until now because my hair has been rapidly falling out! Not to mention the INSANE moods and iritability that have made me feel completely out of control. I'm so upset that I didn't realize this sooner- I thought it was "just me"...it's not. It's this AWFUL pill!!! | | F | 37 | 2 years
1X D | | 4/14/2010
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| 1 | pregnancy prevention | I'm glad I found this site because it validates my feeling. I recently had a baby 6 months ago and about 3 months later started ortho tri cyclen. I have had some post partum depression and panic asttacks for years but I think with my body trying to get regular after birth the pills made it worse. My panic has becaome bad and I have awful crying spells out of nowhere! Was going to start yaz but I think I am giving bc a break so my body can get back to normal. Plus my face looks bad (acne) and I had a 17 day period followed by 10 days off and then on it again. Forget this I'l stick with another form of contraceptive! | | F | 28 | 3 months
1X D | | 4/11/2010
| 4 | regulate cycle | mood swings and pains in breasts and tension head aches. these effects only occured the first 1-4 months. after that, i couldnt ask for a better pill. all the other ones i have taken do not work well with my body. | | F | 16 | 13 months
1X D | | 4/7/2010
| 2 | clear acne, regulate my periods | I feel nauseous, have a headache and I'm having problems swallowing. It's only been a day and I already want to quit using it. I rarely get my period so I thought this might help, but I think I'd rather no period than feeling like hell. I didn't realize when the Dr. prescribed it that it was the same one my roommate took in college. She became extremely depressed and gained a lot of weight. | | F | 24 | 1 days
? 1X D | | 4/7/2010
| 3 | preparing for marriage | mood swings, nausa, emotionally drained, tired | I am so very glad that I found this site, because I had no idea what in the world was going on. I was just snapping at my BF like crazy for no reason. I didn't want to be bothered with him at all. I just know that he thought that I was going crazy and I'm glad now to know that it's really not me, but these pills. I'm going to give it a whole month to see if this goes away, because I hate feeling this way, but to know it's the meds make me feel much better... | F | 37 | 13 days
30 1X D | | 4/2/2010
| 3 | Pregnancy prevention | So I was on Yaz before and recently switched to Ortho. Within the past month ive been being a complete bitch to my boyfriend that cheated on me a few moths ago and our relationship has been a little rocky. But within the past month things have gotten really bad and ive been an emotional reck. At first i thought it was because I couldnt forgive him for what he did but I was getting way too mad way too sad way too fast and ALL THE TIME! I always feel depressed and that this relationship is going nowhere and im not doing anything with my life. This was so weird to me because I am usually a really happy person. So i called the advice nurse and she said it is very normal to have intense mood swings your first month, especially when you switch off another pill and that it should regulate within the next few months. So DONT WORRY GIRLS!!! Your not as crazy as your boyfriend may say your acting, its just the pill. Hopefully I dont ruin the relationship I have trying not to get pregnan | | F | 18 | 1 months
1X D | | 3/31/2010
| 5 | Birth Control | I took Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo throughout my late teens and early twenties. 2 years ago I switched to the depot shot and it was absolutely awful - no sex drive, horrible weight gain, and strange unpredictable spotting. I went back to Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo again and am glad I did. This BC method is great for making you have regular periods, a normal sex drive (at least for me, throughout the white and light blue pills my sex drive is great), and even helps clear up acne. I have never had great skin, but definitely noticed right away that this helps. I am surprised that Ortho Tri-Cyclen does not have higher ratings on this forum. | | F | 27 | 7 years
1X D | | 3/24/2010
| 4 | PMS, regulate periods | Migraines | I started on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen (brand) and switched to Tri-Lo-Sprintec, the generic, after 11 months. I haven't noticed a difference. From the first day I took OTC-Lo, I got horrible migraines, and have had them 1-2x/month til now. I never had migraines before. Also, my breasts got bigger (no complaints there). No other side effects, but now I'm switching to see if I can stop the migraines.
| F | 21 | 15 months
1X D | | 3/22/2010
| 2 | pregnancy prevention | My personality has changed for the worse. I'm an emotional wreck on these pills. My breasts constantly hurt & I have no desire to be intimate with my boyfriend :( ... I now also suffer from vaginal dryness or sometimes a white discharge. I've used these pills 7 years ago & never had a problem, but something has changed... I will go back to using condoms! | | F | 28 | 2 months
1X D | | 3/17/2010
| 3 | Pregnancy prevention / acne | I have been on this for nearly 4 years and never had any issues with the pill until my most recent pack that I'm on now. I have 3 pills left until the placebos and I have been throwing up every day and night, with general queasiness. I really like them and I think maybe they just changed the formula? But I am really tired of throwing up and not having any appetite. | | F | 20 | 3.5 years
1 pill 1X D | | 3/15/2010
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| 2 | tri nessa | mood swings like crazy, lighter periods, got pregnant using it. | | F | 20 | 8 months
1X D | | 3/15/2010
| 3 | ovarian cysts | Horrible weight gain, severe fatigue, irritable, no sex drive, very heavy, long period, bad cramps. | I started taking birth control when I was diagnosed with ovarian cysts about 7 years ago and have been on it ever since. I have been on so many different kinds and this one seemed to have the worst side effects. This is the heaviest weight I have ever been and I eat very well and exercise all the time. I don't understand the weight gain and my PCP said that it was probably due to the birth control. They recently took me off of it to see if it would make me feel better.. and not being on birth control for the first time in years is great! I feel so much better, I haven't experienced weight loss but I feel less bloated and I have energy and it's just wonderful. It sucks for my boyfriend... but I'm happy! | F | 19 | 4 months
30 mg 1X D | | 3/12/2010
| 5 | Lessen periods/cramps, prevent preg | Lighter periods, far less cramps, almost no PMS, stable moods, weight loss, bigger boobs, decreased sex drive. Nausea when I first started, but went away within a couple of weeks. | I took Ortho Tri-Cyclen for about a year when I was in my late teens, it worked great then. I'm 30 and started taking it again 6 months ago (I'm actually on Tri-Sprintec, the generic version), and it's working GREAT!! It's almost like my body needs this pill to stabilize my mood. I used to get horrible PMS, killer cramps, and super heavy periods, and now they're all gone. This pill almost feels like Prozac to me; I feel sane when I'm on it (versus being depressed/anxious/angry during PMS when I'm not on the pill). My boobs are a little bigger (fill out the cup better), I eat the same and have not gained any weight. My skin is VERY clear, whereas I used to break out before my period. | F | 30 | 6 months
1X D | | 3/11/2010
| 1 | pregnancy prevention | painful breasts, severe mood changes, bloating, weight gain from water retention. | In spite of the fact that I am a marathon runner and eat a very healthy diet, I gained weight while taking this pill. I believe is most of the weight gain is water retention, as even my face got kinda puffy and my shoes do not fit right. My breasts hurt, which makes running very uncomfortable - that was a show stopper for me. I was also cranky as hell - borderline homicidal, even. I am usually a very mellow and upbeat person. I have decided to discontinue taking this pill, and seek other alternatives. | F | 37 |
1X D | | 3/11/2010
History | 1 | birthcontrol | Sick to my stomach within hours. This last all day and night on and off. | I've only been on this for 4 days. everyday all day and night my stomach feels yuck!!!! I'm eating crackers the entire day
in hopes that I wont get sick....I will be contacting my DR. first thing Monday morning for a different medication. | F | 40 | 4 days
1X D | | 3/7/2010
| 1 | Birth control | anxiety, Heart palpitation, pain in my left side | Please stop taken these pills | F | 24 | 1 years
1X D | | 3/6/2010
| 1 | prevent pregnancy | depression, sore boobs, crying over anything | I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BC TO ANYONE! IV ONLY BEEN ON IT FOR A WEEK AND I ALREADY HATE MY LIFE!! ALL I DO IS CRY AND FEEL DEPRESSED! | F | 18 | 7 days
1X D | | 3/6/2010
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| 1 | Generic Trinessa | weight Gain, anxiety and maybe the cause of a stroke | i was using the BC patch and my insurance did not cover it any more so i was told it covered Trinessa so switched, my boobs hurt, gained weight and then last saturday i suffered a stroke which my be due to this BC i have had numerous test which have come back ok i have one more test to do and if that is normal then the BC was the cause of the stroke, I dont smoke and I am only 44 | F | 44 | 4 years
1X D | | 3/5/2010
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| 1 | birth control | dizziness, panic attacks, throat tight -- difficulty swallowing | I was taking the generic -- tri-lo sprintec -- and would NEVER recommend this drug to ANYONE. Made me feel like I was losing my mind, like I couldn't possibly work feeling this dizzy and awful! | F | 36 | 56 days
1X D | | 3/3/2010
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| 1 | BC | headaches , frustration , tiredness , sleep problems , lots and lots side effects. | I was on tri cylen Lo for 2 yrs. I started taking this pill from Feb 2008 , u will not believe after one year i got B12 deficiency it was 125 it was too low , than after some months i started getting ovarian cyst . I heard that when u get a ovarian cyst BC is prescribe to control it . common i am freaking out . I got lots of health problem after i was put on this pills . I really want to warns u my friends pls don't take this pills . | F | 32 | 2 years
1X D | | 3/2/2010
| 1 | birth control and period regulation | hair is ruined(split ends, used to be thick, now thin and brittle)Headaches, depression, mood swings, panic attacks | Wow- I can't thank you all enough for putting your comments on this page. I JUST decided to look up these terrible pills i have been taking for years and have been wondering why i feel terrible all the time and why my hair is turning to something i can't manage and am embarrassed to call my own. I am NEVER taking these pills again. I feel SO happy about this. I used to feel good inside when i skipped taking them or missed taking them. (It made me feel better when i didn't take them) Now i know why my body was telling me something. Too bad it for me it took me this long to listen. My hair used to be thick and beautiful and now it's damaged and i can't stop getting split ends. I wish i could sue these jerks! | F | 27 | 7 years
1X D | | 3/1/2010
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| 1 | | nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, extreme mood swings, spotting | It took me 2 months in a row of being psycho to my new BF to realize it was the pill. Feelings of intense emotions, dread, hopelessness. I've been on the pill before but never felt like this. I'm taking myself off the pill right now to try and save a new relationship if it isn't too late! I am not a crazy person but this pill has made me psychotic! | F | 35 | 2 months
1X D | | 3/1/2010
| 3 | cramps, prevent pregnancy | Moody, zero sex drive, and I mean zero. | I have been on and off birth control since the age of 18 years. Started when I was 18 took for a couple of years, and then stopped. Had to return to it to control severe cramping. I was a track runner and wonder if that contributed to my endometriosis. After I go married in my thirties, I took the pill between planned pregnancies. Hair thinned (but could be just age) and my once great sex drive has been driven into the dust. I never want to have sex..!! I would rather sleep. The only time I feel slightly normal is at the tail end of my cycle. It is awful to walk around feeling like a mummy. I often have high anxiety as well. | F | 46 | 8 years
1X D | | 2/27/2010
| 1 | BC | nauseous, extreme mood swings, headaches, increased appetite, depression | i suggest don't take this medicine at all. "possible" mild side effects are extremely common. my doctor said that not many patients get the side-effects of this medicine but everyone person that i have come into contact with that has taken this medicine has had a problem with all of the above effects. | F | 20 | 1 months
1X D | | 2/26/2010
| 3 | to not get pregnant | fatigue, hungry, acne, headaches. | Before taking this pill, I would get a pimple maybe once every other month if that. Since I have taken it, it's pimple after pimple. I'm constantly breaking out. I can eat and I'm hungry after my food goes down. I have been feeling very fatigue. The one good thing that I did like about it is that it controlled my cramping where it wasn't bad. I finally did stop taking it 2 days ago, now I just have to wait for my hormones to get back to normal and for what I've taken to get out of my system. | F | 33 | 95 days
LO 1X D | | 2/23/2010
| 1 | BC | weight gain, acne, severe depression, mood swings | OMG! Im so happy that I found this site! I was starting to think I needed depression medication. I am generally a very happy person, and I am in a wonderful relationship with a terrific man and I have so many things to be happy for, but I noticed since I started to take the pill I have gained weight, am extremely moody and getting terribly depressed.Ive had anxiety attacks for no reason and Ive even had thoughts of suicide. I could not figure out what it was and the thought occurred to me today that maybe its the pill. Ive been doing research online and come to the conclusion that I am DONE with taking this pill. It almost cost me my relationship with a person that I love more than anything. Not to mention pain in my breasts, weight gain, acne (when i usually have perfect skin) NOT WORTH IT! I will try something else. | F | 25 | 3 months
1X D | | 2/23/2010
| 2 | birth control | painfully heavy boobs, severly irritable at times, headaches, big hormone acne, weight gain, dry skin | horrible side effects! low self esteem! throwing in the towel! not worth taking! i wore two bras for the past three days. i wake up feeling hungover and drowsy. i actually took a preg test to determine my symptoms. this is my second time on ORTHO TRI, i've been on the patch, won't do depo, and the free condoms from the doctors broke! i'm frustrated and have yet to find the birth control best for me. ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN makes me feel like a beast! | F | 26 | 1 months
1X D | | 2/22/2010
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| 1 | birth control | EXTREME mood changes,feeling sad and depressed,freaking out on my boyfriend and mom for the littliest things ,crying over nothing.Not motivated to do things i normally enjoy.This pill made me nuts!! | I had not been on birth control for about 2 years because i had a baby and was on tri-cyclen normal for like ten years with no side effects i dont know why this one is sooo different! but it made me feel crazy and not myself,i stopped taking it after one week ,after finding this page of info ,im so glad i found this and can share what i have also gone through! | F | 30 | 7 days
1X D | | 2/19/2010
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| 2 | cramps, acne, birth control | bloating, bad cravings, mood swings, loss of appetite, nausea | I have only been taking the pill for about 2 weeks and I HATE it! I feel like I'm seriousley pregnant. Im getting bloated and I dont need big boobs and it's giving them to me! This pill is horrible. I have started breaking out bad and getting random cravings, and then big appetite loses. I have never had weight problems and suddenly I'm getting hips. Dont even start! Im getting off as soon as possible! | F | 17 | 14 days
1X D | | 2/16/2010
| 1 | birth control | This pill has made my life a living hell. I'm always hungry, I have major headaches, and I blow up about the smallest things! The mood swings are horrible, I'm happy one minute, pissed and crying the next! I'm pushing everyone away! I thought I was insane until I found this site! Next month, I'm off this crap! | | F | 16 |
1X D | | 2/16/2010
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| 2 | PMS Symptoms | Breakouts, Cystic Acne (became worse over time), Weight Gain, Major Appetite Increase, Mild Depression, Heart Burn, Irritable, Residing Feelings of Anger | So odd how pills effect each woman do differently. I guess it depends on what our personal hormone levels already are? I was on Nuva Ring 5 yrs before this. Switched to this, because of no sex drive on Nuva Ring and hyper pigmentation on face with Nuva Ring. | F | 39 | 9 months
1X D | | 2/13/2010
| 1 | Birth Control | Depression, weight gain, Intense sex drive, Breast groth, Loss of intrests, Intense Mood swings, Panic Attacks, Dry Skin, dry skin around the eyes | Worst thing I have ever done was go on ortho tri-cyclen lo! I have been taking this for 6 months now and after reading this site, I finally realized this was because of the pill. I had began feeling unhappy about anything in my life when I had nothing to be sad about. I am a very upbeat person and I have with time more and more depressed. I cry 3-4 times a day over nothing and most recently had a panic attack. I was hysertical crying, my hands and face went numb, I couldn't breathe or talk, and I had no control over my actions. I pushed my boyfriend away from me for no reason, my friends, my family. This is such a relief to know that this is why this was all happening to me. DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL! I am seeing my doctor today to switch it. | F | 22 | 6 months
1X D | | 2/9/2010
| 2 | yes | extreme mood swings, depression, sworness in the breast, weight and fatigued | im usually not the one to leave comments, im always reading them and making my decisions based on the comments left by others. but i couldnt resist this one because ive experienced almost every side effect listed on this site with the worst being my extreme mood swings, not wanting to be bothered with my boyfriend when he's and amazing man to me. constantly irriated and wanting to break up. then crying, crying, crying all the time. im sure my bf felt i was a one woman freak show with all my different emotions. i never would have equated my irritation and meaness to this pill until again i broke up with my bf today over the dumbest thing and he asked me if the b.c. was messing with my emotions. i decided to google the side effects of otc-lo and came across this site and what a big releif to know that im not alone. i love my man soooo much and almost lost him due to this pill. after finding the site i printed the comments and gave him a copy and told him how sorry i was and i think majority of my anger,depression, crying and extreme mood swings had to do with the pill and he instanly said we'll get you off and find out how to go from here. im getting off this pill and will talk to my doctor about switching to something else. thaks to all the women out there who has shared. i plan to update next month after being off the pill. | F | 26 | 1 years
1X D | | 2/8/2010
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| 5 | Birth Control | Haven't had too many side-effects yet. I am 27 and this is the first time I have been on birth control, I have lost 5 lbs since being on it and haven't had any mood swings or any negative effects. So far I like it :) | | F | 27 | 2 weeks
1X D | | 2/6/2010
| 2 | birth control | mood swings | i have been on this ortho tri-cyclen for about 5 to 7 years on and off. i find that i cant control my mood swings, i get crazy and mean and i never understood why until hearing that b/s can make you crazy. its true, i was off of it for about 5 months, from sept to jan and when i got my period i felt crampy and tired, but not bitchy then i get on this pill and within the next period i was so mean and bitchy to everyone for things i would normally not care about... i didnt realize how many people this affects. it is even worse if you drink and are moody makes for a pycho moment.. i am not taking this pill anymore!!! | F | 22 | 5 years
1X D | | 2/4/2010
| 1 | Make periods lighter | I'm trying HARDER than ever to lose weight, but yet i GAIN because of this drug. This birth control is horrible. | Didn't really work!
Made me gain weight! | F | 14 | 3 months
1X D | | 2/4/2010
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| 3 | Acne. | Weight Gain, mood swings, 2 week periods, Acne CLEARED | Positive- my acne is gone (worked in 2 months to clear). beautiful skin. Negatives, I gained weight, lost muscle tone, i have my period for 2 whole weeks, and i'm a moody depressive bitch. grr. Whats the best BC for acne that wont have me gain weight and period for 2 weeks?! | F | 23 | 2 years
| | 2/3/2010
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| 2 | Birth Control | Vomiting, going back and fort between no appetite and constantly hungry, always tired, no motivation, moody, crying for no reason, skin even drier than normal (and not just because it's winter, I am constantly using lotion on my arms and legs, but my whole body itches my skin is so dry!), no sex drive, vaginal dryness/yeast infection and odd (unpleasant) odor, acne on face started breaking out again, depression, minor panic attacks | I switched from Ortho Evra, the birth control patch to Ortho Tri Cyclen lo because I was concerned with the amount of hormones being pumped into my system and I was experiencing some unpleasant side affects. As a birth control, OTC Lo it works great...but mainly because I feel too disgusted with myself to let my boyfriend touch me. I don't know if I've gained weight because I haven't weighed myself, but I feel like I have. I'm tired all the time, and have no motivation to do anything. I've also been really moody. Normally I'm an emotionally stable person and really happy, but lately I don't feel like me and just about anything will make me cry. I love spending time with my boyfriend, but since I switched I just want to be left alone. I'll finish out the month on the pill, but am switching back to the patch. The patch only messed with my body, not my moods. I'm tired of being constantly tired, and I just want to feel like me again. | F | 21 | 10 days
| | 2/2/2010
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| 3 | Horrible cramps | CONS---- I am 19 and I started taking this pill in the morning and I would ALWAYS feel really blah, nauseated, and after about an hour of that I would eventually throw up! I haven't vomited since I was literally 6!!!! This happened several times in the first few weeks. I would also cry over everything and feel really sad. I started taking the pill at night because it would always make me sick if I took it in the mornings, and it worked. I was on my period for about a month after switching from morning to night. I did stop getting sick after that. 8 months after taking it my breasts got really sore for about 3 days and I couldn't wear a bra. I do get medium cramps the day I start but I am thankful for that because I use to have them for the whole week and have to stay in bed. I often get headaches due to bright lights and etc
NOTE: EVERYONE WILL GET SYMPTOMS IF THEY DO NOT TAKE THE PILL EVERYDAY WITHIN THE SAME HOUR! | PROS---- being nauseated went away, cramps went away 90%, period lightened, mood evened out after the 3 month,... | F | 19 | 9 months
| | 2/1/2010
| 3 | to help me regulate my period | i started my pack on the 5th and its now the 28 and i still have my period.IM just tired of it but at the same time i lost 10 pounds so i want to stop taking it but at the same time i dont. but at the same time i harly ever get my period i didnt get it for 3 years untill know | | F | 23 | 23 days
| | 1/28/2010
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