ORTHO-CEPT Reviews (DESOGESTREL; ETHINYL ESTRADIOL)Average Rating: 2.9 (108 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ORTHO-CEPT with similar:
Type: Brand name discontinued; available as generic
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Results are sorted by Age oldest to youngest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on ORTHO-CEPT: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ORTHO-CEPT | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | contraception | I did great on this medication until about a year and a half ago. I began experiencing very bad headaches and numbness in my toes. As time went on I began to get swollen feet,ankles and my legs began to get sharp pains.After all my blood work came back normal, I was advised to quit taking the pill for 6 months and see if my symptoms disappeared. I sure hope they do. This will be the last month I will be taking the pill. I hope my symptoms disappear. | I didn't know why I was having these problems. If you have any of these symptoms , call your Dr. right away. I waited too long. | F | 43 | 16 years | 3/9/2007 | 5 | birth control | none | I have taken Ortho-cept or a generic equivalent (e.g. Apri-28, Reclispen) for 15 years. I have had no problems. although I will add that if you are looking for relief from PMS symptoms, I wouldn't recommend this particular pill; it hasn't done anything on that front, but my symptoms are very mild. | F | 41 | 15 years 1X day | 5/14/2010 | 1 | contraceptive/regulation/cramps | Extreme bloating right before and during period; flow is disgustingly heavy, chunky, and stringy; after 4 months on this pill, I now have HUGE brown blotches/discolorations on my face that are hard to cover up--I've been taking various OC's for 14 years, and this is the FIRST pill I've been on that has done this. | After getting a good look in the mirror, I am calling my MD on Monday. | F | 41 | 4 months | 8/18/2007 | 5 | Birth Control | I recently switched onto Ortho-Cept from Loestrin 24 Fe. Since the switch, I've felt great and have lost 5 pounds. The weight loss seems to be an unintended side effect since I wasn't trying to lose weight. My doctor warned me that there is a slightly increased risk of blood clots on Ortho-Cept, but I take a baby aspirin every other day (I'm 40 years-old) and am not particularly worried. | F | 40 | 30 days 33 mg 1X day | 9/23/2013 | 1 | birth control | I am 39 & had a stroke 16 weeks ago. I would not recommend this drug. | F | 39 | 3 years 1 a day | 1/10/2014 | 3 | To treat heavy bleeding / fibroids | No bloat or weight gain, but extreme mood swings. Around the first day of the second week of each 1 month packet I become depressed, tearful, having feelings of hopelessness and have even felt suicidal. I always tell myself that it will pass and it does, but when you are going through it, it is very tough. I eat well, exercise, and do not do any drugs. Hopefully this symptom will resolver itself at some point. Also, I sometimes have breakthrough spotting but nothing much. | F | 37 | 2 months | 4/10/2007 | 2 | Birth Control | Acne, weight gain, increased intensity of my migraines, increased appetite, period not shorter or lighter, cramping, bloating | I initially started taking BC to help with my migraines. I was on an awesome pill for over 10 years. Now I no longer have insurance so Ortho-Cept was what became available to me. I noticed side effects right away, but after reading some reviews that said it needs a few months to work, I decided to try. My periods never got lighter or shorter, I would break out (I have never had acne, not even as a teen) I gained 30 pounds (and I race bicycles and run marathons) so I was not sitting around. My appetite increased, and most of all, my migraines became worse. A week before and during the week of my period I had cramping, bloating, and migraines everyday. I don't know what I will take instead, but I quit taking this. | F | 37 | 1 years 1X day | 4/20/2010 | 1 | Irregular period | Sleeplessness, depression, migraine headaches, heavy break through bleeding | Started taking this pill to regulate my cycle. Headaches started within 2 weeks and depression started within 1-2 weeks. Sleeplessness started 3 weeks ago. Stopped taking this pill | F | 36 | 2 months | 12/20/2014 | 1 | for pms symptons | mood swings..hopelessness..tired all the time..cant even do basic daily activities. Horrible, would not recommend to anyone. I took it for 3 months then stopped and decided to try it again. Was on ortho tri-cylen for 5 yrs and never had these isues.. | F | 35 | 30 days 1X day | 6/10/2010 | 1 | In order to regulate menstrual flow | I've suffered from migraines for years, but never this bad. I get them almost on a daily basis. Menstrual cramps are more severe as well as acne on face and some on my back. Mood swings are awful. I've never been a screamer, now I find myself yelling and my kids and starting fights with my husband. I'm more emotional than normal. | It's not worth taking it. Try something else if you have that option. | F | 35 | 2 months 15 mg 1X day | 10/23/2010 | 5 | birth control | none | Worked great. Want to go back on it and stop taking Lo/Ovral. Would have never gone off it but my clinic stopped carrying it. | F | 34 | 10 years | 1/30/2008 | 4 | birth control | stable for long-time. recent decrease in sex drive and increase acne. | I've been on orth-cept (Apri tabs) for about 5 years. Recently moved and have been bounced around to other generic versions (Reclipsin from one pharmacy, degestrol (sp?) from another). I spoke with my doctor about switching and even though the estrogen is the same, I may be reacting to the other stuff which varies between brands. On the degertrol (sp?) now and my skin is very oily. Might switch back to reclipsin to see how that goes. I think the decrease in sex is due to the stress of moving and 8 years of marriage (ha ha). | F | 34 | 5 years | 5/3/2008 | 4 | Birth Control | acne on shoulders and chin (weird on the shoulders), fatigue, lack of energy and absolutely no sex drive. | I like ortho-cept because I do not get severe mood swings on it. I can handle the acne, as it is starting to go away, but I cannot handle losing my sex drive. If this continues, I will discontinue this medication. Plus, I went for a two mile walk tonight and thought I was going to fall asleep walking. It makes me very tired. | F | 34 | 1 months 1X day | 8/11/2011 | 3 | Prevent Preg | Tired a lot, frequent irregular periods, slight mood changes | I have been taking this pill going on 4 months and so far all I have to complain about is my constant periods. The first month of taking this pill I had a period the whole time, the 2nd month got my period towards the end of the month going into the next. It stopped for 2 days then I got it again and lasted 8 days it stopped then 2 days later started again and it is going on 5 days now I've had only 4 days this month period free and this is frustrating not only to me but to my fiance as well since I've always had normal periods before. I have noticed feeling really tired mid day. Has this happened to anyone else? I am worried that this will cause me to become anemic. | F | 34 | 3 months .15 mg 1X day | 6/25/2011 | 4 | PREGNANCY | REDUCED SEX DRIVE - AND AFTER BEING ON ORTHOCEPT FOR APROX 10 YEARS I STARTED GETTING BAD HEAD ACHES | NO OTHER SIDE EFFECTS - I CHANGED TO SEASONALE TO GET RID OF HEADACHS AND LESS PERIODS BUT IN 9 MONTHS I HAVE GAINED 10 LBS AND I EXERCISE OVER 1 HOUR A DAY EVERY DAY (RUNNING AND SPINNING AND WEIGHT TRAINING) AND COULD NOT GET RID OF THE WEIGHT -- AND I TRIED DIETING TO UNDER 1300 CAL. PER DAY AND ONLY LOST 4 LBS ?? AND ON SEASONALE AM HAVING NIGHT SWEATS! DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO! | F | 33 | 9 months | 3/9/2006 | 3 | irregular periods | headaches, insomnia. | It's only been two weeks, so I am trying to give it a little longer for my body to get used to it. I have noticed more frequent headaches, but I get headaches while not on birth control, again I am waiting it out to see if my body gets used to it. I feel for those on who review it who are having a hard time. It's been a few years since I've used the pill, so I think its ok to wait it out a little or try something else. Best of luck. Excedrin Migraine helps with headaches and I find lowering caffeine has helped. Good luck, if not there are other choices out there and something may be a better fit. | F | 33 | 14 days 1X day | 4/26/2012 | 4 | pregnancy prevention | My migraines suck around my period. Other than that NP | F | 31 | 1 years | 12/15/2011 | 2 | pregnancy prevention | Major depression high anxiety no sex drive | i was fine for a month or so, anxiety hit early like 2 weeks in. the depression is just getting worse every month. its to the point now that my boyfriend even wants me on a different pill, he says i was never like this before. so all this crying and feeling bad about myself plus NO SEX. i can hardly even think about having sex. i get highly anxious and depressed when i think about it. terrible mix of hormones for me. i'd like to get off it, but can't afford the dr visit. | F | 31 | 7 months .15 1X day | 7/25/2011 | 3 | Birth control. | I have been on the pill (Desogen) for years and years (at least 10), and was switched to Ortho-cept which is evidently supposed to be the same thing. It might be just me (I just turned 30), but I have been having irregular periods for the past year. I thought it was because I was traveling a lot at the time, but my life for the past 8 months has been stable and normal. I'm not on any other medications, I don't diet, I excercise, etc. I was having a lot of breakthrough bleeding, and my doctors kept telling me that nothing was abnormal, and now this month I got my period over a week early and it is very heavy. I also have worse cramps than ever this whole past year. Perhaps my hormones have changed and it's not strong enough for me? I hate to put my body through switching brands because I have never had any other side effects! | F | 30 | 1 years | 4/9/2007 | 5 | birth control | occasional light spotting | If I take a pill more than an hour late in the last week, I'll spot starting 3 days later. If I'm very timely with my pills, this one is a dream. No mood swings or anything! | F | 29 | 4 months | 9/19/2007 |