Balcoltra for Birth Control User Reviews

• Cat
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 3, 2020

"Started Balcoltra about 4 months ago. I was so scared with all the bad reviews but my gyno put me on it so I went with it. Other than a little breakthrough bleeding, I haven't had any major side effects. I noticed the cramps during my period lasted a little longer the first couple of months, but now on month 4 I can say that my period is shorter and lighter than what it used to be. No acne, no bloating or weight gain. I'm happy with it!"

• KitKat
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2021

"I was switched to this birth control to help regulate my periods and help with break through bleeding I’ve had with another pill. I haven’t been on this pill for a week and for the first few days I kept telling myself that I need to continue this birth control at least 3 months because maybe my mood will level out. It has not. I have become extremely depressed and unmotivated. I was not struggling with depression before the pill and I was generally in a happy mood. However, I did suffer from depression in my early teen years. I have been on this pill for 5 days and I am already having suicidal thoughts. Because of this, I have decided to quit taking the pills. There is no reason I should have bad thoughts about myself and my body and my existence this much from one pill. It has also made me lose my appetite and I cannot sleep."

• Jules
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2023

"I recently switched to this as another option to Lo Loestrin which I heard worked in a similar fashion. The mental side effects have been absolutely horrible. Five days in and I am moody, agitated, and picking fights, which is definitely not my personality, and I have been so incredibly depressed it’s insane. While this might work well for some people if you are doing well on the Lo Loestrin, or have had any issues in the past with other birth controls with higher estrogen that affect your mood I would definitely not recommend this birth control. ..this has been a nightmare and I’m immediately going off of it."

• Annoyed
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2020

"This birth control Balcoltra sucks. I was off of BC for 2 years because the brand I was on (Orto tri cyclen lo) was discontinued. Pharmacy switched me to Lo Sprintec and that also sucked so I stopped altogether. Anyway, had a pregnancy scare and decided to give BC another chance. My OBGYN said this was a mild, low dose BC and shouldn’t give me any side effects. WRONG. I threw up everyday (Took it before bed) , had constant dizzy spells that rolled over to the next day, and the worst of all were mood swings. Not only did I almost break up with my boyfriend, but I cried and almost put my fist through a wall over a text message. Safe to say that only lasted 5 days before calling it quits. My suggestion? Don’t try it, I get everyone’s bodies work differently— which is why I ignored the reviews and tried it anyway. Boy was I wrong. To put it simply— don’t do it. You’re welcome."

• hells...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2020

"I’m on my second month of taking this BC. My gyno put me on it to help shrink an ovarian cyst I have that’s close to rupturing. So far I have noticed somewhat of a decrease in cramps. Thank goodness because those cramps were the worst pains I’ve ever felt and I would consider myself a person who has a very high pain tolerance :/ Butttt on the other hand, I have been bleeding/spotting for about 3 1/2 weeks now after I had my full 6 day period, I’ve experienced abnormal mood swings, increased anxiety, worsened depression and insane random crying sprees over the smallest things or just nothing really at all. At this point I think the pain is a better option than how crazy this pill has made me feel"

• Balco...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 23, 2020

"I have been on this birth control for about 7 months. I started using Balcoltra after my IUD started to fall out (yeah scary I know). Since starting it I have been tracking my cycles. My period comes within a day of when it has been predicted (either 1 day early or late). I am an overall anxious person, so I don’t see my anxiety being worse bc of this BC. Another plus is that my weight has been maintained, even through quarantine. Overall this form of BC does its jobs and I’ve had no major side effects."

• Yaz
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2020

"Horrible. Experienced terrible mood swings and increased depression and anxiety plus cystic acne that I never experienced before this pill. I’ve also been constantly bleeding for the past 4 weeks because of it, wouldn’t recommend at all."

• eg123
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 20, 2020

"I was on balcoltra for 9 months. I am only 18 years old and was 17 when I started on this medication in hopes it would help with my acne. I have always had a fast metabolism and never gained a significant amount of weight in my life and have always been able to drop off weight fast. However after taking this I gained about 20 pounds after a few months and tried everything I could to lose it, but never did until I switched to a different birth control. Balcoltra makes you feel bloated 24/7, even when you first wake up in the morning. I also did not notice any change in my acne. I would NOT recommend this to anyone, UNLESS you want to gain weight."

• Bano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 4, 2020

"Balcoltra is the first birth control that I’ve ever been on. The first 2-3 months I had really bad headaches and bad mood swings that would come after taking the pill at night and I was about to call my doctor to switch off of it. The only other side effect symptoms that I’ve noticed is my breasts becoming tender, headaches every now and then, mood swings, and abdominal cramping. Over the months, it’s gotten a lot better and I really can’t complain about Balcoltra. It’s helped my acne and I still sometimes get those other symptoms but it’s not often so it’s bearable. It’s a lot better than I expected it to be."

• xobal...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 13, 2022

"This was the best BC I ever have been on! My full face of acne completely cleared up, I didn’t gain weight, my period lightened up, and I stopped throwing up each month! I tried Lo Loestrin and that was the worst 3 months of my life. Thanks Balcoltra!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 2, 2021

"This is my first time ever being in birth control. I’m not sure how other brands work but this brand really works for me. It helped with acne, and lighter and shorter periods, less cramps and everything."

• gano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2020

"I am not even kidding when I say this pill Balcoltra made me bleed for 3 months straight. I’m three days into a new pill and I’m STILL BLEEDING. I was bleeding through ultra tampons in less than two hours. Not to mention it’s insanely expensive. There are better options I promise."

• Elly
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 29, 2019

"I have been on balcoltra for around a year and it really is one of the best birth controls I have been on. Previously, I was on Sprintec and it caused me to be very depressed and have mood swings. Being on balcoltra allowed my acne to heal up, and a very short light period. The only downside with this pill is that I find if I take two in one day I get violently sick to my stomach and vomit."

• Leah
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2019

"I have been on 2 other birth controls which made me nauseous and feel horrible everyday. Balcoltra is the only one that hasn’t made me feel that way. I haven’t had excess weight gain or acne. I feel really normal"

• Rachel
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2022

"I don't know how I feel about this pill. It has stopped my period in its tracks and helped to get rid of some pain I was having, but I have this new depression that has turned me into a completely different person. It is really like what they say on the commercials, doing things that used to make me so happy, now I'll leave early because I feel blah. I have anxiety, and did have my first anxiety attack in a while about a 1 week into the pill, idk if that is related though. No big changes in weight or diet though."

• JTEE
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 9, 2019

"Everyone's chemistry is different and what works for one women will not necessarily work for another. This is the third hormonal birth control I've tried and the side effects have been the most manageable on this medication. First, it does what it claims it will do, I've been on it for about a year now and am not pregnant. ;) For me, the side effects have been mild, much milder than other BC's I've tried (Generic patches and LO Loestrin FE). I do experience mood swings (generally irritability, sometimes lethargy) and bloating (which goes away during period week). Acne doesn't seem to be affected, it's slightly better than when I was taking nothing but it does not keep my skin entirely clear. Periods are shorter than normal on this medication and I don't experience cramping any more or less than typical."

• Balco...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2022

"I’m usually not one to leave bad reviews but I’ve been on 3 different pills and this was the worst experience I have ever had. Cystic acne on my jawline, neck, cheeks, back, and chest. 2 periods every month. Made my suicidal thoughts so much worse. Horrible cramps and super heavy period. MAJOR hair loss and scalp issues (that stopped immediately after I stopped taking it). I took it for 3 months but I should have listened to the reviews before I started taking it. Everyone’s experience is different but I would 100% not risk it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 11, 2022

"DON’T use this! I’m 26. I’ve been on birth control (Ortho tri-cycle) since I turned 20 with no major issues. I switched because of pre disposition for heart conditions and blood clotting disorder, and Balcoltra is supposed to be lower in hormones. Gyno gave me 2 free packs. I don’t have insurance and I quickly realized the pharmacy wanted to charge me $240 A MONTH! I had already started taking them so I figured I’d finish the free packs. Within a maybe the first weeks I had become extremely depressed and unmotivated. I’m usually a happy person and I’ve never had issues with my body. I developed some sort of body dysmorphia. I lost my appetite and often skipped meals and somehow still managed to gain weight and had bloating. I started having severe acne and I think I might be losing my hair too. I didn’t think it was the pill until the second month on it. I’m done with it now, but my recommendation is save yourself the mental strain!"

• Janine
• July 22, 2019

"Balcoltra has caused my acne to go from mild to severe in a matter of 6 months. Previously, I was on Yaz for 7 years. My acne on Yaz was mostly mild. It also made me lose weight. But, overtime I started experiencing migraines and increased acne so I talked to my gyno and she switched me to Balcoltra. She explained that my body could have changed and the hormones in Yaz just weren't working the same. Boy do I wish I never made that switch. I have always been the type to say birth control does not make you gain weight, but in 6 months I've put on almost 10 lbs and I really haven't made any changes in my diet. But the worst is the horrendous cystic acne that's now covering my jawline, cheeks, and chin. I tried not to believe that this was the culprit and that it's just because I've been under a lot of stress, but I can't hold out any longer. I'm coming off completely. For now I'm just praying that my acne gets under control."

• Charity
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2021

"I’ve experienced the worst side effects possible with this drug. Doctors couldn’t tell if I was having a seizure or a migraine so severe it mimicked seizures. The headaches didn’t start until two weeks after I had taken the drug. The headaches completely crippled me and Drs couldn’t tell me why or what was happening. Birth control was ruled out as not causing the problem because it had been two weeks since I’ve taken it. It’s been a solid month in and out of hospitals and seeing new Drs. After my last trip to the ER I stopped taking my birth control and my headaches stopped the follow day, on the second day I realized I had lost my memory of the entire month. Currently I haven’t been off of it for even a week yet and I’ve started my period way to early as I’ve already had my period once this month. I’m terrified and traumatized to the point where I never want to try another birth control pill so long as I live."

• Marie
• June 24, 2020

"I had an absolutely awful experience on this Balcotra pill. I had almost constant cystic acne that abated during the placebo week, but returned immediately upon starting the new pack. Nothing improved the acne, and it actually worsened over time. I also experienced weight gain and moodiness. I haven’t experienced such significant side effects on any other pill, so I really cannot recommend it to anyone."

• Oano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2020

"WORST PILL OUT THERE! I have never been on birth control but recently diagnosed with PCOS so this was recommended by my GYN. I was on it for 1 week and had THE worst anxiety ever!! Also, I bloated up so bad it looked like I was pregnant all over again. I had random dizzy spells. After consulting with the doctor I stopped taking it 2 days ago and my chest is still in pain! I would never recommend to anyone who is new to BC!"

• birth...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 2, 2019

"I switched to Balcoltra because I was experiencing breakthrough bleeding on Sprintec and Tri-Sprintec. At first, Balcoltra was great -- had NO breakthrough bleeding or side effects for the first 3 months. For some reason, at month 4, I started experiencing breakthrough bleeding again, as well as lots of gastrointestinal problems, bloating, mood swings, acne -- you name it. It was very frustrating, but my doc encouraged me to keep with it for a few more months. During these months, the pill was very inconsistent. Sometimes, I'd have a great month with no breakthrough bleeding and short periods. Others, I'd have every side effect in the book. I also gained about 5 pounds, but that could be for a number of reasons, even though I eat very healthily and work out 5 days a week. I've finally decided to switch off Balcoltra and try something else."

• Mads
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 24, 2019

"I was encouraged to take this BC by my OBGYN to prevent breakthrough bleeding. The only positive things I can say about this pill is that it has prevented pregnancy and breakthrough bleeding. However, from the beginning I noticed severe breast tenderness, cystic acne, stomach cramps, headaches, and worst of all mood swings. I’m currently home for the holidays and my mother brought up the fact that something is off with me emotionally which really opened my eyes. Everything in my life is going well so I have no doubts it’s the birth control messing with my anxiety and depression. My doctor encouraged me to test it out for a few months but I’m so miserable that I’m getting off of it immediately."

• Anna
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2022

"I needed to get on BC and this was my first ever prescription. Week 1 of the pills, I didn’t notice much just tiny little pimples. Week 2 was absolutely horrible. Nauseous, always bloated, no motivation to do anything, weight gain and the worst of all dizzy all day everyday, and bad chest pains. I stopped talking the pill due to these side effects. Do not get on this bc!"