| Key to ratings for desogen: 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. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken | Date Added | |
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| 5 | birth control | NONE | I would highly recomment Deosgen. I have been on it for 17 years (recently went off with no side effects) and i have had no side effects and no pregnancy scares. My period came like CLOCKWORK for this entire time! | F | 34 | 17 years | 7/16/2007 | 1 | Birth control | mood swings, loss of sex drive | I started taking birth control at 19- now turning 39 I am a lab case example of uncaring doctors and the greed of the pharmaceutical industry. I started taking Desogen at the age of 24 and switched to the cheaper generic brand in the early 90's. I stopped taking Apri last year in April 2006 and have not had a period since then...I will see my doctor this week for an "annual" exam. For years I mentioned to my doctors the low libido and lack of interest in sex. They never made the connection or even implied that possibly the hormone could be the problem. I am still with my husband of 15 years, but it has been trying for both of us. I recently spoke about a class action lawsuit so no one else has to suffer and be a guinea pig for greedy pharmacy companies. | F | 39 | 15 years | 6/8/2008 | 3 | irregular periods, cramps, b contro | No side effects until last year when I got a blood clot on my left lung, pulmonary embolism. | I was on Desogen for 12 years. In that time, Always got period on time, only lasted about 3 days, light bleeding, very little craps, never got pregnant and never had break through bleeding and was no longer vomited during my periods. With that said, I thought it was a miracle drug, until I went to the ER after 2 days of severe pain under the breast bone when breathing in and pain radiating down my left arm and side. They found a clot on my lung which can be fatal within minutes of getting one. I am lucky to be here and thank god. After reading about desgogen, it is a 3rd generation pill which puts you at higher risk for blood clots. I would have given the drug a 5 had I not gotten a clot from it, since it did everything it was suppose to. I really don't know what to rate it due to this, so I gave it a 3 | F | 28 | 12 years | 3/2/2008 | 3 | pain asso with PCOS, acne | Negative: complete loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness, severe headaches during period, moderate depression, bloating, constant stomach-aches Positive: decreased acne, light periods, no pelvic pain from ovarian cysts | I have taken Desogen (generic Apri) off and on for 12 years, going off of it to get pregnant and breastfeed. I know how good I feel mentally and emotionally when I'm off of it compared to how unbalanced I feel while taking it. I should add that I have tried other pills over the years, and the Desogen made me feel the LEAST psychotic of them all. The loss of libido is especially frustrating. However, Desogen keeps me from ovulating which eliminates the pain of my polycystic ovaries. It's a shame that so many of us have to choose between having a sex drive and feeling happy or living with excruciating pain everyday. I got tired of dealing with the negative side effects, and I recently stopped taking Desogen. The positives for this drug are great- it really does its job, but the negatives have finally outweighed the positives for me. Not to mention the FDA has been petitioned to pull this drug due to the number of bloodclot related deaths linked to the desogestrel in Desogen. | F | 30 | 12 years | 4/26/2007 | 4 | regulate periods and reduce symptom | slight mood swings | Desogen was the best birth control that I have ever taken. It helped clear my skin and I did not experience any side effects except for a slight increse of mood swings(not serious enough to really say it affected me) I just recently tried Yaz which I was very disapointed with and seasonique which gave me serious mood swings and acne and am definitely changing back to desogen. When something works I think stick with it. | F | 28 | 10 years | 5/27/2008 | 3 | heavy periods, pregnancy prevention | Developed hypoglycemic reactions and elevated triglycerides. Doc says both of these likely caused by bc pill | Liked it for the 10 years on it, controlled periods great and completely eliminated the heavy bleeding problem. Then I found out it was what was making me miserable with hypoglycemic reactions: shaking, sweating, food-based panic attacks if I didn't eat every three hours. Off it for a month now, and the hypoglycemic symptoms are already much less frequent. Also ended up with severely elevated triglycerides when all my other cholesterol numbers were excellent. | F | 41 | 10 years | 2/28/2006 | 3 | Prevent Pregnancy | Major bloating, mood swings, headaches, irritability, sluggish, no sex-drive and vaginal dryness. I often switch moods dramatically everyday. I have one "normal" week, the week of my period, great, lots of energy and my clothes fit. I have fluid retention the other 3 weeks. I am going to stop taking the pill after this pack. I can't take the emotional rollercoaster, the last cpl mths have been very bad. I work out and I can't tell if I loose weight b/c of the fluid retention! No sex drive at all, I actually roll my eyes when my boyfriend brings it up. Not good! I can't wait to see the "real" me. I never thought about it until my friend got off the pill (different brand) and told me how much she changes physically and emotionally. | Great for complexion and light periods | F | 25 | 10 years | 6/23/2006 | 2 | To not get pregnant, reduce cramps | Tired all the time, bigger breast(the only thing I liked about this pill),severe depression, huge appetite, tired all the time, weight gain. | I was on this pill for 10 years. I first got on it to help out with cramps and then stayed on it to keep from getting pregnant. When I first started it, I gained about 5 pounds and my breast went from a 34c to a 34d. I got off it about 3 months ago. I never realized how much this birth control effetcted me until I got off of it. For years I have battled severe depression. I have had a HUGE appetite and cravings that I have had to fight for years by constantly dieting and yo-yoing. I was constantly tired and didn't know why. I took all kinds of blood tests and they could never tell me anything. I got off birth control 3 months ago to give my body a rest and what do you know...NO DEPRESSION at all. For three months I have felt wonderful! I am not as tired, I am happy, I actually have energy to work out and I enjoy life a lot more. And as for the huge appetite...it is gone! I don't have those cravings for fried foods etc. Infact...I push food away because I am not interested and/or am f | F | 27 | 10 years | 4/26/2007 | 5 | Dysmenorhea, fibrocystic breasts | None. | I've been on BCP's for nearly 20 years. I've been on Desogen for 8 years. This is the first one to have no noticeable side effects. No breakthrough bleeding, no breast tenderness, no weight gain, no headaches. I'm on a quarterly cycle to control the fibrocystic breast disease. | F | 40 | 8 years | 8/1/2005 | 5 | birth control | NONE | I did not get even one side effect from Desogen. My period came like clockwork every month and was shorter, lighter and came with less cramps than it did before i went on them. I was on Desogen for 8 years and the only reason that i stopped is because my pharmacy and other pharmacies near me had stopped carrying them. I have been on Depo, Seasonale, Seasonique, Yasmin and Yaz, and i have had side effects with every single one. | F | 28 | 8 years | 12/17/2008 | 4 | birth control | migraines | F | 27 | 8 years | 8/10/2009 | 3 | prevent pregnancy | Apri(generic desogen)-Random/unpredictable spotting sometimes clumpy, thick and very dark. Decreased Sex drive. Change in mood and behavior. Clear skin most of the time and no weight gain ( I'm an avid gym goer though) | Extremely aroused days when off of pill and for 24-48 hours after mensuration begins. | M | 27 | 8 years | 2/5/2008 | 1 | Birth Control | Horrible mood swings. | I was on this for 8 years and didn't relize how bad it made me until I went off. My husband couldn't believe how different I was. (I was on Desogen before we started dating). I am a happy person again. I don't get mad about small things any more, it's great! | F | 26 | 8 years | 10/22/2007 | 5 | birth control, excessive body hair | Most symptoms associated with my period have improved with this pill. I have also have experienced a number of other positive side affects. | I have had a very positive experience taking Desogen (I take the generic form - Apri). My doctor originally put me on Desogen due to an increase of fine long hairs which started growing on my chest. This may have been caused by a past eating disorder. I saw immediate improvement with reducing the hair growth when I started taking Desogen. I also noticed a number of other positive side effects including less breakouts, fewer mood swings, reduced cramping, consistent periods, and reduced anxiety. I have stopped taking Desogen for a few months at a time and have noticed a number of negative side effects when going off of it including hair loss, increased moodiness, and anxiety. I have not had hair growth on my chest region return when going off Desogen (though I've not been off it for longer than about 2-3 months at a time). | F | 32 | 7 years | 4/5/2008 | 4 | Contraception and regulate periods | none except decrease in libido. | I have been taking OC's for 20 years now. The last 7 of them have been on Apri, the generic of Desogen. My period comes exactly every 25 days, on a Tuesday, around 11 am. Experience nausea once in a great while. I have gained weight over the years, but that can be attributed to cheez-its and wine every night. When I want to loose weight, I am able to. Libido is low, but that can also be caused by 2 young children, work and the ups and downs of life in general. Went off the Apri a few months ago because I accidentally flipped the package upside down and started on the placebo pills! So I tried an IUD for 6 weeks and hated it. Went back to the Apri because I never really had problems with it and I knew what to expect. Overall, it has been a good experience for me. | F | 38 | 7 years | 7/8/2009 | 4 | Heavy Periods, Acne | None the first couple of years, not even in the beginning. It was the only bcp I tried that did not make my periods worse or make me nauseous. I had horrendous periods before, now they last two days, are always on the same days, and are extremely light. I have generally been very happy with it. I did not notice a change in my acne at all, though. I have gained weight and cannot lose it. In the past 1-2 years, I have developed more symptoms, such as fatigue, severe depression, hair loss, and headaches. I have been tested for anemias and thyroid disorders, but all my labs have been normal no matter how many times tested - except one of my iron tests, which was elevated due to taking desogen. | I have been considering stopping or changing due to the symptoms I have now developed. | F | 28 | 7 years | 6/12/2006 | 3 | prevent pregnancy | Initially I experienced no side effects. Worked great! Periods were very predictable and light. | I have recently sought counseling due to anxiety and depression and have been put temporarily on an anti-depressant. I decided to read up on desogen's side effects because that is the only other medication I take. Anway, after reading all of these comments, I was so surprised at how many of you are feeling what I have been feeling for the past two years. I have been dealing with with depression, no sex drive, extreme mood swings, and most recently anxiety. I am definately planning on going off of this pill and trying something else. This might be the root of all of my problems. | F | 40 | 7 years | 4/21/2007 | 2 | prevent pregnancy, minimize acne | Pros: cleared up acne, prevented pregnancy, increased breast size Cons: weight gain, bleeding between periods, cramps between periods, low sex drive, headaches, dizziness, fainting, lightheadedness, fatigue, weepiness, anxitey, moodiness, confusion, foggy thinking | After being on the pill for total of 9 years, I've made the difficult decision to stop. My doctor told me I have a hormonal imbalance off it, but now I feel like I have a hormonal imbalance ON it! I've been symptom-free until about a year ago, when I began experiencing cramps in the middle of my cycle. Now I have constant headaches, anxiety, no energy. I've almost passed out a bunch of times and frequently feel light-headed. I only feel like having sex 1 or 2 days a month. I just don't feel right about feeding my body synthetic hormones anymore, and I think it's time to stop the pill for good. I feel like my body has figured out that it's been tricked into thinking it's pregnant, and is now rejecting the chemicals. I'm going to miss the larger breasts, but I am tired of feeling terrible all the time. | F | 29 | 7 years | 7/11/2009 | 1 | No period at all, contraception | Headaches that just won't go away, no sex drive at all, crying at anything, constant mood swings, severe panic attacks, anxiety attacks, depression, feeling totally hopeless and that I was doing something wrong all the time. | I have been taking April and Desogen for the past 7 years. I started taking it because my body wasn't making enough estrogen or something like that. Basically I didn't have a period at all. It finally all clicked together when I read these reviews that everything that I was going through is being caused by this medicine. I'm an emotional mess. I even cry at tv commercials. Especially the puppy chow one where the dogs are at the pound and they say that they are good and don't know what they are doing there. I'm allergic to dogs and just seeing that commerical makes me cry and want to go an adopt a dog. My relationship with my boyfriend of 5 years is suffering because of my lack of sex drive and my constant mood swings are holding us up from taking the next steps in our relationship. I just don't understand why my doctor didn't tell me this when I was put onto the pills. I have an appointment at the doctors next week and I'm going to switch right away. I'd stop taking it all | F | 22 | 7 years | 4/28/2007 | 5 | Period Regulation | Cramping | I have been taking Desogen for over 5 years and the only side effect I have experienced is cramping on the first day of my period, which is normal. I have tried at least 4 other pills (Yasmine, Ortho, Mircette, etc) and have always went back to Desogen. This has been the only pill I haven't gained weight on and had no spotting or break through bleeding. Like other comments, this pill has lightened my period, I know to the day and hour when I will get my period, and it only last 3-4 days. Every woman's body is different and obviously their bodies may react differently than others but I have never had any problems with it and would highly recommend it! | F | 23 | 6 years | 2/8/2006 | 5 | birth control | I have taken this pill for 6 years and had no problems with it, I took the generic Apri most of the time. | My doc just switched me to another pill, ovcon-35, because the slightly higher estrogen might help with my hormonal breakouts. I read all the comments about ovcon on here and got scared, but then the comments for Apri, which I've had not problems with, are about the same. So hopefully I'll continue to have good luck. If not, then I'll come back to Apri. Being female sucks. | F | 23 | 6 years | 6/3/2008 | 4 | Regulate cycle; prevent preggers! | Killer headaches--once a month or so. My entire digestive system goes crazy during the placebo pills | My doc put me on it at 18 to regulate my crazy periods. Initially, they helped alot with the bleeding and cramps. That's decreased over time. No weight gain, no increase in breast size, somewhat regulated mood swings. Now, I've been on it so long that I'm a little scared what my body will do without it. My doctor recommended YAZ b/c of fewer bleeding days. BUT, the hormone dosage is so different, that I didn't want to mess with it. Maybe next year??? | F | 24 | 6 years | 9/10/2007 | 3 | F | 34 | 6 years | 1/10/2007 | 3 | birth control | I've been taking desogen for years. Noticed slight weight gain and decreased sex drive in the past. But lately, on the one week off time I noticed I get very nausious, migraine headaches, and my stress level increases enormously. Don't know why but it feels like my body has grown dependant on the drug. | F | 25 | 6 years | 6/2/2005 | 5 | Birth Control | Slight spotting occasionally. Otherwise none. | I have never had a problem with Desogen. I've been on it for years and have never experienced weight gain, depression, mood swings, decreased sex drive, or any other side effects. I can't imagine this pill is entirely responsible for people's severe weight gain or fragile emotional states. I would recommend it. | F | 24 | 5 years | 4/25/2007 | 5 | Birth Control/ Regulate Period | Desogen was the second pill that I tried and I didn't experience any side effects on this b.c. | I took Desogen for 5 years and didn't have any side effects. In fact, I lost weight while I was on it. Unfortunately, I had to stop taking Desogen because after 5 years I started experiencing breakthrough bleeding and my doctor said that sometimes your body changes, therefore she switched my b.c. I am on Estrostep now an absolutely hate it. I don't think I will find another b.c. that I liked as much as Desogen and I've been on 5 different pills now. | F | 29 | 5 years | 6/22/2005 | 5 | pregnancy prevention | Aside from the light headaches and mild nausua that is associated with almost every birth control; without a doubt people are exagerating the side affects of desogen. Hello? You're going to have side effect with any birthcontrol because your basically poisioning your body. | F | 18 | 5 years | 2/19/2008 | 5 | birth control | Other than the first few months of adjustment I have never experienced any side effects as long as I didn't miss any pills. | I love knowing exactly when my period's coming and when it's going away. If you can make it through the first three or four months of spotting and mood adjustment(which happens with most pills anyway)....this pill is great. | F | 23 | 5 years | 12/10/2004 | 5 | Birth Control | None | F | 34 | 5 years | 4/28/2008 | 3 | Prevent Pregnancy | Major weight gain. Mood swings. Lack of sex drive | I noticed I get more yeast infections now. Also if I am 30 minutes late taking my pill I cramp. It is like my body is so immune to it and I need. I dont like that feeling at all. | F | 19 | 5 years | 6/21/2007 | 2 | prevent pregnancy | headaches,weight gain,depression,no sexual drive, gallbladder problems, bladder infections, cramping, acne, bloating, breast tenderness, contact lens discomfort, hair loss, kidney problems, fluid retention, menstrual pattern changes, muscle/joint pain | I never really noticed a problem with this med until recently. I was researching the side effects of it because I haven't been feeling well. When I saw the list I was in awe, so many of my symptoms were right there. My doctor never told me about any of them. I recently had my gallbladder removed(when I was in pain all the doctors told me I was too young for gallbladder problems). I have been battling bladder infections on and off since I started taking Desogen, I had never had one before. Recently my cycle has been very unpredictable and short & I have gained about 10 pounds over the last couple months. I think it's time to try something else or go off birth control all together. | F | 25 | 5 years | 2/7/2005 | 1 | birth control/PCOS | How about a weight gain of over 60 pounds?? that enough for ya? Mood swings, etc etc etc. | Now on Mircette, which is the same thing, essentially. Going to change. Desogestrel is a sucky progesterone and should be removed from the market! I'm going back to Yasmin! | F | 30 | 5 years | 4/12/2005 | 5 | Low hormone imbalance | Heavy periods | Ive been dealing with hormonal imbalance issues since Ive went through puberty. Finally at age 15, I was put on Desogen to straighten out my problems. Cleared up my acne, helped me shed a few pounds, made my hair feel thick and lush. My only complaint that I can really recall is that it caused heavy periods. I was on it for 4yrs then decided to try Depo-Provera (the shot, worst mistake in my life) and had major problems since then. Ive been on a lot of BC's, and so far Desogen and Yaz and have worked the best for me. Agreeing with another reviewer, everyone's body is different and will respond differently to different BC's, so its all a matter of trial and error with it til you find the one that works best for you. | F | 23 | 4 years | 7/19/2008 | 3 | painful periods | greatly decreased libido | It made the cramps completely go away and my face cleared up a lot, which was good, but even though I'm not sexually active I didn't like having no sex drive so I finally stopped taking it a little less than a year ago. However, my sex drive still has not improved, which is odd and has me a little worried, but I read something that said it can be up to year before your body readjusts to being off the hormones. Also, about 6 months after stopping it, my face suddenly broke out worse than it ever has before and my periods became irregular, among other things. But fortunately the cramps have not returned. But some of this may also have to do with my getting off Paxil about 6 months ago as well. | F | 22 | 4 years | 5/20/2005 | 3 | prevent pregnancy | weight gain, headaches, hair loss | was ok for the first 2 1/2 years of taking the pill no bad side effects everything ok. last year and a half i've had major weight gain went from 125 to 170 and started losing hair. don't know if these side effects are worth it of not... | F | 22 | 4 years | 5/30/2006 | 2 | Prevent Pregnancy | slight weight gain, headache, NO sex drive, vaginal dryness, yeast infection, breast tenderness, depression, bloating, minor hair loss, dizzy | The only positive thing I can say about Desogen is that I never got pregnant while taking it. The side effects aren't worth it... My relationship went down hill while I was taking Desogen, I became very depressed & moody until I stopped taking the pill. | F | 23 | 4 years | 5/3/2005 | 2 | birthcontrol | HORRIBLE mood swings, 10-12 lb. weight gain within first few months, HIGHLY DECREASED SEX DRIVE. | I've been taking this birthcontrol since I was 16. Despite the wonderful ability to know exactly what time my period is coming, and the cleared up complexion, there are some not so awesome side effects: nausea, mind-numbing headaches occasionally, terrible terrible mood swings, weight gain, and nearly nonexistant sex-drive. I will flip out about something, and 30 seconds later wonder why I'm so upset. Crying too. I'm planning on switching to an IUD soon, with fewer crazy hormones. | F | 20 | 4 years | 9/28/2008 | 1 | period regulation | i turned into a lard ass. do not take this pill unless you are willing to eat 24/7 because your mouth always wants to chew. | avoid small children; they tend to resemble a full rack of ribs. | F | 18 | 4 years | 11/17/2009 | 5 | Birth Control | None; break through bleeding after 3.5 years | I thought it was a great pill, but of course it was the only one I have ever tried. I'm stopping at the end of this month, because I had breakthrough bleeding one week before my period was supposed to start. Other girls wrote that after a period of time (years), they too started to have breakthrough bleeding. My doc switched me to Ortho Tricyclen, so I'll see how that goes. Fingers crossed! | F | 22 | 3.5 years | 12/16/2006 | 4 | Pregnancy prevention, regulation | Weight loss, breakthrough bleeding, spotting | I took Desogen for 3.5 years to prevent pregnancy and to regulate my heavy periods. Instead of taking the placebo pills after the cycle ended, I would go right to the next pack, thus eliminating my period altogether. This worked well for me, since I do get horrible PMS symptoms, and very heavy and lengthy cycles (lasting anywhere from 7 - 10 days). Also, it helped me lose the weight that I had gained from taking Ortho-Tri-Cyclen Lo (10 lbs, shed without an increase in my physical activity or a change in my diet... not too shabby!) However, the downside to Desogen was that if I missed my pill by 15 (yes, 15) minutes, it would cause spotting and breakthrough bleeding until I stopped taking the pill and let my body have a full period. Even when I took the pill at precisely the same time each day, about every three months I would still get breakthrough bleeding. I recently talked to my doctor about this, and he said that the best BC pill for me would be Yasmin. I will be switching over in | F | 22 | 3.5 years | 9/28/2007 | 3 | Acne | Bleeding between periods | After 3 1/2 years of taking Desogen with absolutely no negative side effects, i suddenly got two periods, just one week apart. This just started two days ago, so I have yet to see my doctor for diagnosis. | F | 20 | 3.5 years | 3/19/2006 | 5 | PCOS | Slight increase in breast size and quick weight loss in the first few months. | Desogen worked great for me. Initially, I lost weight very fast, about 25-30 lbs in the first month, acne cleared, decrease in excess hair. But after 3 years, it seems that my old PCOS symptoms are coming back and it seems to be very difficult to lose weight--I exercsie daily and diet. I think that Desogen does not work for me anymore. My Doc has presccribed a new pill but I am affraid to take it because it is higher dosage and had terrible reviews on this page. Thinking of maybe taking a break off the pill and trying to go back on Desogen. | F | 24 | 3 years | 12/12/2006 | 5 | birth control | works great! Slight weight gain, but also started the pill my first year in college where my meals were pretty much buffets every single day... | I've been on Desogen for almost 3 years now and I've never had any problems with it. I never had a real problem with my skin, but what little problems I did have went away after starting the pill.. my face is pretty much always clear.. I manipulated my pills so that I would get my period on a Monday to be off by the weekend.. and so far I've gotten it on the exact Monday I expect it to.. no big problems with cramps.. no depression.. no fatigue.. no decrease in sex drive (for those of you who have experienced a decrease in sex drive, maybe your partner(s) just suck) ..My breasts did seem to get a bit bigger (from B to full C) but hey I'm not complaining.. the only "bad" side effect I experienced was that I gained about 10 lbs.. but then again, I started the pill my first year in college where I had "all you can eat" meals in the dorms.. and I hardly exercise anymore or maintain a healthy diet.. and I'm still at around 115.. but the most important thing is i haven't g | F | 20 | 3 years | 3/30/2007 | 5 | menstrual problems/contraception | Gained 30lb in 6 months, but I was also a college freshman so it was a combination of factors.Since changing from the college lifestyle my weight is stable, but that 30lbs was a big change, especially on my 5'1" frame. | Despite the weight gain, I am very happy with desogen(I take the generic).I used to have debilitating cramps,nausea and dizziness with my heavy, long periods and now I only have mild cramping the first day, which is easily remedied by a single dose of ibuprofen (before I was taking 2400mg a day to deal with cramps and it barely helped).I now have the freedom to go to class and work on the first 2 days of my period, which is markedly shorter and lighter.I also back-to-back 3 packs of pills at a time, which helps as well. I don't have any spotting or breakthrough bleeding with it, and if anything have a heightened sex drive!I do get some breast tenderness during my period,but oh well. One thing I've noticed is once the hormones are out of my system my emotions get all out of control from the sudden drop,but again the blinding pain I used to experience is much worse than these other effects. I do wonder if I went off it if the weight would be shed.I had to buy all new clothes because I | F | 21 | 3 years | 9/30/2006 | 5 | avoiding pregnancy | none, unless i try to skip over a period...then the next month is rough. I've been on this pill for a few years now and of the ones i've tried in the past... this one has the least hormonal side effects. | F | 30 | 3 years | 10/18/2007 | 4 | Prevent pregnancy | No side effects | Desogen has worked perfectly for me for the past 3 years, no negative side effects to speak of. It's obvious that birth control pills affect every person differently, so don't base whether or not you take desogen on people's reviews. The side effects for all birth control pills (and other hormonal birth control methods) are all similar, especially within the first month or two, so stick with a brand for a few months before switching. You'll eventually find one that works for you! | F | 24 | 3 years | 12/6/2007 | 4 | BC / Prevent Ovarian Cysts | Some months I have very bad breast tenderness. Great pill, I gained 20 pounds on Ortho, have gained none on Desogen. My periods are now light and about 4 days compared to 6-7 heavy days when not on this medication. | F | 27 | 3 years | 1/18/2006 | 4 | birth control, period control | decreased sex drive, weight gain | I started taking desogen almost 3 years ago because I was traveling out of the country and wanted a way to make sure I wouldn't get my period unexpectedly. I had a fairly normal cycle prior to starting the pill, although sometimes it seemed like a very short time between periods. Since I've been on the pill, my acne hasn't really cleared up at all, my sex drive is pretty low, and in maybe the last year or so? my cramps have been pretty bad, could be more stress though? But it did deliver regular, predictable periods for me. Only a couple of times though- but both times I was out of the country, did I start my period without warning, which was super annoying when I was in a foreign country. I also used 6 weeks of active desogen pills before taking the inactive pills for my period, which my body adapted to really well. I just took my first Seasonique pill to see if it has more beneficial effects for me, but after reading some reviews I might just go back to desogen. | F | 22 | 3 years | 9/15/2008 | 3 | Acne, cramps, pregnancy prevention | My acne has cleared up a little bit, but it could be just because I'm getting older *I'm now 18*. I started taking BC *tricylinlow* when I was 15, and have recently switched to Desogen because Tricylinlow wasn't cutting it for me for my acne. My periods are indeed lighter, and less intense, but my sex drive has decreased. When I'm off Desogen for about a month or so, my sex drive is pretty awesome, and my boyfriend is happy about that. But still, not having a safety net of BC makes things hard, and constantly worried about being pregnant. | So in short, my acne has cleared up a bit, slight increase in breast size, better periods, better thoughts about not being pregnant, but a decrease in sex drive. Ever girl is different, so therefore different results for everyone :D | F | 18 | 3 years | 1/18/2009 | 3 | Birth Control | -Moodiness -Decreased sex drive (vaginal driness etc.) | Desogen was the first birth control pill I was put on at age 18 & I didn't really know what to expect because I had never aken birth control pills before. I have been on Desogen for 3 years now and even though it has prevented pregnancy...I know spot a week before my period & I seem to get really bad PMS symptoms. I know your body can't really "get used" to a birth control pill but honestly I feel like the pill isn't as effetive as before...I am going to try Mircette, hopefully it gets better. | F | 21 | 3 years | 4/2/2006 | 3 | Birth Control | Loss of sexual urges, depression, weight gain, headaches, tiredness, sensitive to sunlight, dizziness, breathing problems | I have beeen on this pill for quite sometime and it seemms like i have absolutley no sexual urges an i am in the prime time for that!! It makes me dizzy often and I am super sensitive to the sun. I am going to try to get on something else because the depression is also a factor that i have just come to realize....when i am off it for the week of my period i am in a great mood i have sexual urges ,.... i think its the pill...what about you! | F | 26 | 3 years | 11/4/2004 | 2 | Birth Control | I wouldn't recommend this pill for long term use. This is my third year on it, and I've had really bad breathrough bleeding for the past two months. | F | 29 | 3 years | 6/30/2007 | 3 | Birth control, acne, prevent cysts | breast tenderness, depression, cramps, bloating, headaches, hair loss. | I took Desogen for 2.5 years, and stopped three months ago. I didn't recognize the symptoms until I stopped. After stopped I was happier, my periods are lighter, shorter, easier (less bloated, less pain). My skin is clearer, and my hair has stopped falling out. I started the pill right before spending a year abroad, so I blamed all of my misery on culture shock and homesickness. I could sort of manage my mood via yoga/diet, ect. I also gained 14 Ibs in the past two years. This past fall I had a lot of issues. I found I had to eat every few hours or else get horrible headaches and start crying. I was very cold, even when noone else felt cold- I would turn bluish and have to cover up with everything I owned to get warm again. I felt a bit distant, disconnected, and even a bit paranoid. I was tested for adrenal and thyroid problems, and anemia, my bp and heart rate...and nothing. Everything was normal. Just freezing cold and moody and bloated and oh, my hands | F | 22 | 2.5 years | 2/15/2007 | 3 | contraceptive/irregular cycles | breast tenderness, increased size (not a bad thing), NO sex drive at all, wonky appetite, moodiness, random spotting | The bummer part of these side effects is that they have just appeared (except for the low sex drive - that's been around for a while) and I have been on this for 2+ years. So time to hunt for a new pill. | F | 26 | 2.5 years | 6/16/2009 | 5 | I just wanted to say that while the Desogen and generic Apri are the same hormone amounts, the inactive ingredients are different! Apri has Red Lake #40 which is a dangerous dye, as well as indigo dye which is used for jeans, etc. There are also some other differences as well. I live in Maine, where your doctor (until recently) had to request on the prescription to give you the name brand. I just went from Apri back to Desogen. I was on the UK version Marvelon when I lived in London for a few years. There is a major difference in the way my body reacts to the difference in inactive ingredients between the two. Keep this in mind when "shopping" around for BC! | F | 26 | 2 years | 12/5/2008 | 5 | prevent pregnancy | none that I know of, possibly made me more emotional but it's hard to tell because I was a little emotional and anxious prior to going on desogen. | I switched to desogen from mircette because it was cheaper for me. On mircette, I was pretty much crying constantly for the first 4 months over everything and nothing. Once I switched to desogen, I was still a little overemotional but it was SIGNIFICANTLY less, but I'm normally a little moody so it's hard to tell whether it was desogen's fault or not. No acne. No sex drive changes. No cramps or bloating or headache patterns that were different from before, but I also never had problems with these before going on the pill. | F | 22 | 2 years | 11/16/2007 | 5 | prevent pregnancy | Weight gain in breasts only, clear skin NO acne whatsoever, very regular periods, mood swings, bad PMS | Desogen definetly has its pros and cons. Pros- I went from a 32B to a 32 DD :), I didn't gain any stomach weight. I have flawless skin and I havent had a pimple for 2 years (the whole time i've been on it). No decrease in sex drive. Very Regular periods. Cons: I have bad mood swings and can be very emmotional. The week before my period I am a wreck! I should be locked in a cage because it makes me a crazy person. | F | 18 | 2 years | 11/21/2007 | 4 | birth control | slight weight gain, but easily taken off | hey, i haven't gotten pregnat. thats the point. | F | 18 | 2 years | 3/15/2007 | 3 | prevent pregnancy | bad nausea, slightly decreased sex drive, vaginal dryness, "yeast" infections | I was on Desogen for almost two years and everything was great. Then I had to switch to Mircette for like 5 months due to my dr. no longer offering desogen. I hated Mircette [no sex drive at all], so i found a new doctor that would get me desogen again, but I think I am having bad side effects to it now [I've now been on it for 6 months]. I cannot say for sure that this nausea is caused by the pill, but it would definitely make sense. I just feel sick all the time. I'm thinking about going off the pill to see how I feel. But I'm absolutely terrified to try any new pill since they all suck. | F | 22 | 2 years | 6/19/2006 | 2 | Birth Control | I started taking the pill 2 years ago and at first i got the normal side effects like nausea and i spotted the first month.I went up a bra size which is good and started to nitice weight gain , i went from 112 to 128 (that was bad). Now i have been very angry and moody all the time. I freak out over everything and cant control my anger. I was never like this before i started taking this birth control.Im with my husband its our first year being married and he cant stand to see me like this. Now i know why im acting this way and im def switching over to a different pill. | F | 20 | 2 years | 5/10/2009 | 2 | pregnancy prevention | SLAUGHTERED SEX DRIVE, leg cramps (earlier on), serious depression, generally feeling un-like my usual self. | I am taking Apri, (generic desogen)..I have taken it for two years now and have experienced severe depression. It made me feel like something was wrong, and DUH, something was, this pill! I went from loving sex and masturbation to nada! No desire for sex (despite having a sexy bf) and no desire to even play alone! I have felt suicidal at points despite having a perfectly fine life, and constantly complained of feeling as tho I had a hormonal imbalance. Genius me never thought to ask about pills with lower progestin levels that won't kill my testosterone production and make me depressed and completely uninterested in sex. Appt. to change birth control pills is in 2 weeks, CANT WAIT! | F | 23 | 2 years | 10/26/2009 | 1 | acne | It caused a pulmonary embolisum - the massive blood clot almost killed me. I spent a month in an ICU and then 7 months in rehab. I coded multiple times in the ER. I am lucky to be alive. | Do not take it. | F | 19 | 2 years | 10/23/2009 | 1 | birth control | Mood Swings,Vaginal Dryness, Loss of Sex Drive | I hate this pill. I finally realized this pill was making me sick after reading some of these comments and after 2 years decided to stop taking it and look for another birth control pill and am considering tying my tubes.I thought it was just me going crazy or feeling unsexy. With Desogen, before my periods I would have mood swings where I was so upset, mad, and sad for no reason. I would feel like a differrent person when I acted like this.My family had to suffer with this. My sex drive did go down and I had vaginal dryness even when I was turned on. This wasn't normal for me because I always had a great interest in sex. I have also gained weight and I think 's because of the pill. | F | 30 | 2 years | 3/25/2009 | 1 | prevent pregnancy | MOOD SWINGS, NO sex drive, nautia, sleepiness..... | Mood swings!I am angry then depressed then complacent then I'm back to being angry. It is rare when I feel sane.I have no more sex drive which has NEVER been a problem. I am constantly sleepy and hungry. I often feel nautious in the mornings and after eating. I'm affraid of taking another pill but I think it is time to try. I haven't taken another form of birth control before but none of my friends have all these problems on what they are taking. I would rather gain 20 pounds than go through this BS! | F | 23 | 2 years | 10/15/2005 | 1 | Birth Control | Total decrease in sex drive, paralyzing nausea, weight gain, depression, sudden severe headaches, fatigue, vaginal dryness and pain, increased appetite the week before my period. | I began using Desogen in 2005 and in the beginning it was working great! It got rid of the nausea I had every month before my period and it made my periods light and bareable. But in the last year, i have noticed a decrease in my sex drive so that it's now at the point where it's non existent. The nausea is back and worse than ever, and I have gained 40 pounds since I began desogen which I cannot seem to loose even though I diet and exercise. I can't even remember the last time I actually felt happy about anything! I have decided to stop using desogen when this pack is done. The only thing this pill has done good for me is prevent me from getting pregnant! But I want my happiness and sex drive back!! I wouldn't recommend this pill to anyone! | F | 22 | 2 years | 3/27/2007 | 1 | birth control | Depression, major mood swings, crying for no reason. This put a serious strain on my marriage. | This pill is horrible! I felt so depressed and had no energy or felt like doing anything. Until I read all the reviews I didn't realize what was causing it. I stopped taking it last week and I already feel better. It feels like a fog has been lifted and I can think more clearly and feel happier in general. | F | 26 | 2 years | 7/20/2007 | 3 | cramps, contraception/birth control | Severe cramping within the past month, acne breakouts more often in the past 6 months (may be from stress), major weight gain about 30-40lbs within the first 6 months | I am not going to continue taking the pill after this month, but while I was on it, with the exception of the weight gain, I was very satisfied with it's efficiency | F | 19 | 1.5 years | 2/19/2007 | 2 | irregular periods + birth control | Unpredictable periods, diminished sex drive, acne explosion | Huge decrease is sex drive, just the thought of it has made me sick at points, and I was never like that before. I actually broke up with a guy of 1 yr only 3 months after starting the pill thinking I fell out of love with him because the thought of him began to repulse me. Now I think it was all this pills falt. | F | 21 | 1.5 years | 12/11/2006 | 5 | I used Desogen (actually the generic "Apri") about 2 years ago, and it was great for me. No side effects and my skin stayed clear. Then I decided to go off birth control for a year, but when I did i noticed worse cramps around my period, and more break-outs. Recently I decided to go back to Apri (generic for desogen), and it has been great for me once again. My skin has been clear and no side effects. The generic brand , "Apri" works great, and I would recommend that for those who likes things cheaper. It will help with clearing your skin | F | 23 | 1 years | 2/15/2006 | 5 | BC, Acne, Cramps, period regulation | None at all!! | I have super short periods, a few days long 3-4. My acne has improved only slightly. My cramps are almost non-existant, not nearly as bad as they were before! I would reccomend this, it does the job for all of the reasons i am taking it!! I would definitely would reccomend it!! | F | 19 | 1 years | 3/22/2006 | 5 | birth control / regulate period | Switched to Desogen from Mircette (if I missed Mircette by over an hour I would start cramping due to low Pergestrone (spelling?) level) and am very pleased so far. No acne, weight gain, etc. Never had cramps before birth control but find that with any birth control I've taken (Desogen, Mircette, Ortho TriCyclen) I experience cramping. Been on Desogen now for over a year and don't have a reason to switch. | F | 22 | 1 years | 2/4/2005 | 5 | birth control | breast pain first month thats it! | the first two months i had bad breast pain but i later realized that it was simply because they were growing from a B cup to a C cup! i usually gain weight on the pill but on this one i lost weight! so i lost weight and increased in boob size. it's amazing! no other side effects, i recommend this pill to all my friends because it is so great. go on it! | F | 21 | 1 years | 10/4/2006 | 5 | Birth Control | None, even helped my mood swings that I would get for a day before my period and at times on the first day. | F | 22 | 1 years | 6/28/2007 | 5 | BC/Perimenopausal symptoms | Only POSITIVE ones!! Clearer complexion, healthy glow, softer hair, lighter/easier periods, weight lose, pleasant attitude, more patient, happier, laugh more... | The reason there are sooo many bc pills on the market is because everyones body responds differently. It is important to find the right match for you. THIS is it for me, but if you try it and it's not right for you, don't knock it, just try something else. Simple. Stop hatin' | F | 44 | 1 years | 5/28/2008 | 4 | birth control, fewer periods | some occasional break through bleeding | works well as continuous birth control, I have less break through bleeding than when I was on Seasonale, other than that I have no side effects | F | 36 | 1 years | 5/6/2008 | 4 | birth control/positive health | Went from a size 34 C to a 36 D/ Weight gain. | The weight gain could be due to the fact that I'm not really working out as much as I used too. Helped with acne at first but once in awhile I get small pimples/red spots on face. No problems with breakthrough bleeding unless I miss a day or two. Periods are lighter. No cramps. Some slight backaches but not as bad as when not taking the drug. | F | 26 | 1 years | 3/23/2007 | 4 | Birth Control | Mostly cleared up acne, shorter periods, less cramping, but breakthrough bleeding. | Have been on this pill for over a year now and is by far the best I've been on. Has helped greatly with acne, though still get some. Periods are definitally shorter (~3-4 days)and cramping is less severe. However, I have had long episodes of breakthrough bleeding that last 2-3 weeks. Am using the pill continously (not taking the placebos) and nothing seems to make it stop besides just sticking it out. However, this is miles above any other pill I've been on and has not had the worse side effects that others have. | F | 23 | 1 years | 1/21/2008 | 4 | birth control & period regulation | increased breast size | I had thought I was side effects free, but after one year I have gone from a C cup size to a DD. I'm worried about the other effects it may be having on my body and am planning on switching to a pill with a lower estrogen level. I've read that the lower ones work equally well as a birth control and cycle regulator, and that side effects are mainly due to estrogen levels. I am uneasy, though, about other side effects which may appear with another pill. | F | 27 | 1 years | 11/3/2006 | 3 | Birth control, perimenopause | On & off fatigue days; BTB w/cramps starting during 2nd week of pills thru 3rd week of pills & then I still get a period after that. Some anxiety/tension/depression. | I am taking generic (Apri). I wonder if Desogen or the authorized generic Solia would actually work better than this. This pill took care of the side effects of breast tenderness & bladder irritation I experienced on Triphaisil, Ortho Tri-Cyclen & Ortho Tri-Cyclen LO. I do like that benefit. | F | 47 | 1 years | 12/17/2006 | 3 | birth control | Decreased libido but Desogen was not as bad as Alesse for causing decreased libido, my boyfriend says I am more moody on Desogen, Desogen made my breasts a bit sore and swollen and caused mild feeling of nausea, had lighter periods on Desogen but still always had a period | Loestrin 1/20 is the best for libido but now I don't have a period and I have acne for the first time in a decade. Still searching for the perfect pill... | F | 30 | 1 years | 3/24/2005 | 3 | Pregnancy Prevention | HYPER-PIGMINTATION! I have an olive complection and Desogen has started to make my skin discoloer per my physician. | Moodiness, Breast growth and soreness. | F | 24 | 1 years | 5/13/2005 | 3 | Birth Control | moody,vaginal dryness, yeast infections, breakthrough bleeding, decreased sex drive. | This pills works to prevent pregnancy, but I would not recommend because of the side effects. Periods are lighter, but too much breakthrough bleeding. I took my pill at the same time every night and bled for a month while taking it. I'm still on it but will discontinue after this month. | F | 28 | 1 years | 6/28/2008 | 2 | BC, period regulation, acne | MOOD SWINGS, WEIGHT GAIN, ANXIETY, SLUGGISHNESS, INCREASED BREAST SIZE, NO SEX DRIVE | Works great to prevent pregnancy and clears up skin well, but the side effects are terrible. I can't wait to be done at the end of this pack. Mood swings are extreme, always tired, unmotivated, much bigger breasts, 30 pound weight gain in 1 year. No desire to have sex whatsoever. | F | 20 | 1 years | 3/30/2008 | 2 | birth control | mood swings, stomach pains, tiredness, depression, NO sex drive | This is the only brith control I've tried and I hate it! My. Dr suggested I stay on it for at least a year to see if the side effects would go away, but they haven't. I started Desogen one month before I got married and for about the frist two months of my marriage I had a desire for sex. Now, nothing! I finished out this month and my husband and I have chosen to try natural forms of birth control. Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon. I'd warn girls to stay away from this drug! | F | 24 | 1 years | 4/17/2009 | 2 | abnormal heavy vaginal bleeding | out of control mood swings, bloating, cramps, headaches, heightened blood pressure, inability to handle stress as before, fluid retention, zero sex drive, terrible debilitating cramps | on one hand, desogen is the only pill that stopped a MASSIVE 75 day straight period, it did get my cycle on track, and my periods are short and predictable, but as soon as my perscription is up, I'm talking about switching | F | 34 | 1 years | 10/27/2006 | 1 | Birth control, perimenopause | BTB that started after day 12 and lasted to day 21, then I still got my period on the placebo pills. Depressed feeling & innability to handle minor stress without feeling very stressed. | I was taking the generic Apri. I stopped taking it and have been off it for over a month and feel so much better. The above side effects are gone. I think I was having perimenopause symptoms that were caused by this pill. The doctor switched me to Alesse & I got the generic Aviane, but I am going to wait several months before trying that pill. | F | 47 | 1 years | 1/23/2007 | 1 | Birth Control | Extremely bad mood swings, irritation, anxiety | This pill has screwed up my life! I have been on an emotional roller coaster and horribly depressed. I'm normally a happy-perky kind of person but lately the only person who makes me smile is my boyfriend. A while ago, I had a complete mental break down and felt everything was completely out of control of my life and mind. At one point I started thinking something was wrong with my relationship with my boyfriend but I got lucky because he knows I've been depressed and won't take me seriously when I'm in one of those "moods" which makes me happy because once I'm off the pill for my period everything feels right again and I know I love him and would die if he wasn't in my life. I cry over being at home or for accidentally stepping on my cat in the middle of the night for goodness sake! All this happens when I'm on the pill. When I'm off it for my period (taking the blanks) I'm back to my old self for a week or two. I really don't recomend taking this pill, it's messed my life u | F | 17 | 1 years | 7/9/2007 | 1 | Birth Control | DEPRESSION TO THE MAX, mood swings, very emotional | This. Pill. Sucks. I'm a girl who has always hated crying and have always been the happy one in the room. When I started taking these pills all of that disappeared. I cry over my boyfriend not being with me even if i know he has other things he needs to do. I feel completely depressed and have been crying all the time. Sure, desogen keeps my period light and easy to manage, I haven't gained weight, and my skin is normal...my boobs i have no clue about...they're just there. All that is fine and dandy but I wont take that over my mental and emotional well-being. I can't handle something like this messing with my mind and life. I'm getting off it as soon as I can. | F | 17 | 1 years | 7/9/2007 | 1 | Birth control | Weight gain, depression, emotional instability, pregnancy and stroke symptoms | Since I've been taking desogen, I've gained weight,(eaten like a pregnant woman), I've been on an emotional roller coaster ride, I often times feel very depressed, and I've had several other strange side effects. I wasn't warned about any side effects that this pill may have so I've been on it for a little over a year. When a friend of mine pointed out that my weight gain and depression may be a side effect of the pill, I decided to look it up online and found this site. I'm incredibly upset with my doctor at this point... this pill messed me up severly.I almost broke up with my fiance, over NOTHING! I've gained weight and I'm never happy. I'm off it this weekend and I'm finding something else! | F | 19 | 1 years | 5/26/2007 | 4 | treat endometriosis, contraception | spotting in the first month, breast tenderness, breast growth, clearer skin, FAR less painful periods, nausea, vomiting, occasional mood swings, recently a serious lack of sex drive. | I took Desogen for 20 months. I've only stopped because my local Planned Parenthood stopped carrying it and put me on Ortho Cept. Desogen has prevented pregnancy and stopped my horrific monthly pain from endometriosis. At first I had very little adverse side effects; it worked well. Over the last few months though my sex drive has absolutely plummeted and I've had lots of nausea. My relationship with my boyfriend is suffering because I am NEVER in the mood anymore, and this upsets me too because I miss being a sexual person. Also, after the first pill of every new pack I would get extreme nausea and sometimes vomit. This past pill pack I had slight nausea almost every day (no vomiting, though) which was irregular. Hopefully Ortho Cept will be better. | F | 19 | 20 months | 12/13/2008 | 3 | birth control | lightheadedness, dizziness, mysterious muscle/bone/joint aches, highly emotional, increased anxiety, anxiety attacks | I recently sought therapy for dramatically increased anxiety, and I have also experienced several other symptoms that I thought were isolated. However, after talking to a therapist and looking over several lists like this, I am wondering whether these symptoms are connected to the birth contol pills. Since going on the pill a year and a half ago, I have had several dizzy/fainting spells (Dr. did tests and everything was fine--thought stress was cause), weird muscle/joint pains in various places (they feel like something is pulling or pressing on the bone under the skin, last less than a minute--Drs. assured me it wasn't blot clot), major head rush when standing after seated for longer than 20 minutes, mild headaches, occasional fogginess in head and eyes. Psychologically, I have had significant feelings of anxiety, a sense of impending bad events, an increased tendency to cry (almost every day for many different reasons). That said, I have been told by many physicians and counselors th | F | 27 | 18 months | 8/24/2007 | 1 | To prevent ovulation (PCOS) | 'Mild' side effects include: fuzzy-mindedness, a feeling of being constantly sedated, weight gain, dry mouth. Serious side effects: palpitations, breathlessness, fatigue, migraines, complete lack of sex drive. | There must be something better out there? I have been sterilised but need something to stop ovulation and PCOS and to stabilise mood swings. Can anyone suggest anything? | F | 37 | 15 months | 5/21/2007 | 3 | prevent pregnancy | weight gain, increased appetite, depression, irritability, anxiety, a general feeling of carelessness/"nothingness" towards life | i've been on apri (generic of desogen) for 13 months. although it has worked effectively at preventing pregnancy, i have gained at least 15 pounds within the past year. i also feel depressed and lethargic, unmotivated, etc. i see no results when going to the gym which makes me even more unmotivated. i cannot even explain the ridiculous cravings i have for junk food ALL THE TIME. it is so hard to fight against this pill. i didn't even realize it was the leading cause for my depression until right now, 13 months later. i want to get off this and maybe off BC altogether. | F | 20 | 13 months | 12/26/2008 | 5 | I didn't want to get knocked up! | other than the first week--none. | I only had symptoms the first week. Intense lower abdominal pain. But after I got through a few days, I was fine. I have no acne and my periods are like clockwork. | F | 19 | 11 months | 1/29/2009 | 3 | BC, cramps | Since taking Desogen, i have dropped 15 lbs, and the only reason seems to be the birth control. I also have experienced migraine headaches since starting Desogen which i have never had before. I have extreme mood swings a couple days before my period, and i have absolutely NO sex drive. | switched from ortho-low dose because of breakthrough bleeding,and it wasnt helping my cramps. i know it seems wierd to have lost weight because of a BC, but i have not changed anything as far as diet and exercise. | F | 20 | 11 months | 9/4/2006 | 5 | prevention of pregency | nothing... maybe the first week or so I was alittle fatigued and had a few mild cramps but nothing out of the ordinary. I;ve had no weight gain if anything Ive lost weight. I haven't had any acne from this product. I love it it does the job without me having to have any side effects! | F | 19 | 10 months | 2/5/2009 | 2 | prevent pregnancy | nausea after taking the pills, moodiness, crying spells | i just started my 11th pack of pills for this brand, and like the girl who reviewed this a few below me, i'm having the same problems she's now having. a few months ago i never had a single side effect with this pill... i wasn't moody at all, no weight gain, no loss in sex drive. the past 2 months i find myself freaking out about simple things with my boyfriend of 6 years, we're suffering because of my crying and freaking out. the side effects are slowly peaking their way through to me on this pill and i cry about once a week now for no aparent reason. i have had NO weight gain on this pill, no loss of sex drive, i actually have had an INCREASE of sex drive, has no cleared up acne but has not made it worse, and my stomach does feel sick about 30-60 mins after taking the pill. this is my 4th brand of pill i hate switching to another one i just cannot stand crying and getting mad at my boyfriend for nothing. i get irritated and annoyed rather quickly now and cannot hold my temper. this p | F | 21 | 10 months | 11/4/2007 | 2 | cramping and as an o.c. | weight gain, depression, emotional rollercoaster | this is the third OC i have taken and i have been taking desogen for about 10 months and it was going pretty well the first couple of months but after about the 4th month everything just decided to go downhill. i am not an emotional person (i don't cry over anything) but since taking this pill i get weepy over the littlest things. i feel unstable and constantly down when i used to always be pretty peppy and out going. now i just feel like sitting alone and being a hermit because i am afraid of who i might snap at next. the weight gain hasn't been too bad mainly in my breasts which please if anyone wants extra!! i started at a 34 D and now i can't quite fit a DD but i am overfilling my bra... it's insanity... i look pretty top heavy because i don't have a very big frame | F | 22 | 10 months | 6/2/2007 | 2 | Birth Control | Weight gain of 10-15lbs after 10 months, Loss of sex drive | I switched to Desogen after being on Ortho-TriCyclen for 3 years because Ortho was giving me breakthrough bleeding. Desogen has left me with no Sexual urges after 3 months and weight gain after 7. I am very unhappy with it and just switched to Cyclessa. | F | 21 | 10 months | 1/11/2005 | 5 | birth control | slightly nauseous | I have tried many other pills, and this is the only one that I have liked. Orthotricyclen made me gain about 10 lbs in 2 weeks, made me bitchy and moody. Whats the point of being on birth control if you're fat, mean, and crying all the time. This is the first pill I have been able to take... I actually have lost weight, my sex drive is the same, my periods are light and predictable, and I don't feel like crying all the time (which I can NOT say for other pills) Also, some info for those of you who say there is such a difference between this and Mircette: there isn't. They are exactly the same hormones. Desogen, Mercilon, Ortho-cept, and Mircette are all exactly the same. Most of these side effects are probably in your head. | F | 24 | 9 months | 8/27/2005 |
| 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. |
