User Reviews for Ortho Tri-Cyclen

I started taking birth control pills a few years ago but after trying 5 or 6 different ones, I started taking OTC. This is the ONLY pill I have tried that does not make me bleed through half the pack, clears up my acne to an extent, does not affect my mood, and makes my cramps basically nonexistent. It is a miracle pill for me. I think because it has varying amount of hormones each week that mimic your own cycle, it works better for many women. I have not experienced any difference in my weight, I've started working out since I began taking this pill and have lost a little weight. The thing I am happiest about though is that I do not have breakthrough bleeding.

Effective form of birth control

I've been taking this pill for about 6 months now, and have gained 20 pounds. I haven't made any change to my diet or exercise routine. But the pill's been working well otherwise. I never really got acne, so that stayed about the same, I'm about the same emotionally, except for maybe worse PMS symptoms. My sex drive is outrageous, maybe even a little more than when I started on the pill...I'm just worried about the amount of weight gained in such a short time..I am also really bad at remembering to take the pill every day.

I started this birth-control after I had my son, and for a while I thought my post pregnancy hormones were to blame for my moodiness. After four months I realized this birth control was to blame! I am usually happy-go-lucky, and see the best in every situation. NOT on this pill. The smallest things upset me and I would get mad for no reason at all. A friend of mine had the same experience... The only reason I gave it any stars at all was because it did prevent pregnancy unlike the kind I took before!

This pill made me an irritable, moody, depressed mess. I would fly off the handle at the drop of a hat and was constantly agitated. It was AWFUL for me and I would never take it again. It did manage to clear my skin pretty well and also my breasts were a little bit more full but it was not worth the emotional issues it caused me. I recently stayed on it for 3 months as recommended to see if side effects would lessen but they did not. The fist time I ever took this medicine I was 19 and ended up on anti-depressants because I didn't realize it was the birth control pill causing my mood swings and depression. This led to a tailspin of anti-depressant madness for the next 5 years and not one doctor ever told me I should try a different birth control pill.

I have PCOS and worked for years on diet and exercise to regulate my period. But never was able to get to regular to where I could predict it. For about nine months prior I was taking metformin to help and I lost about 16 pounds with it. So My gyn recommended taking birth control to help regulate my cycle. My period became regular to between 22-24 day cycle. However I had intense bloating and crazy food cravings, that I have never had before. My mood swings changed to the point where some months I would be really depressed and down. Around the 3 or 4 month of being on the pill I started having severe break through bleeding that lasted between cycles and eventually did go away. Once that stopped I was experiencing severe indigestion.

First of all, I started taking birth control when I was 17. I started to regulate and lighten my period. I took Yaz for a year. No problems. After I turned 18, my insurance dropped me so I went to a women's clinic and was given six months of the Ortho. I have been taking it for four months now, and once this pack is gone, I'm done. The side effects are HORRIBLE. I have no drive for sex. I'm moody, I cry constantly. My period is heavy and unpredictable. It also lasts forever. I haven't gotten pregnant (we use condoms as well though), but that's the only plus. My relationship is at stake here because of a pill.

I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for over a year. It did what it had to do which was to prevent pregnancy. During the use of the birth control, I had mild spotting in between periods as well as some cramping. But I became very depressed and emotional. Anything would set me off. I would be happy one moment then I would start crying. Now I've been off for two months and my family and friends can tell the difference.

I have been using this for a year while regularly having sex and never got pregnant. I think this is a great pill, it worked wonders for my sex drive as well. However, it does cause me to spot the week before my period most months and not all cramping is gone. Emotionally it has not affected me at all!

It took me a long time to realize some major changes in my life directly correlated with the time I began to take Ortho Tri-Cyclen. I thought these were just general changes in my life until I realized they all started around the same time. I gained about 8-10 pounds, which is almost 10% of my body weight so it made a noticeable difference. The biggest negative point, however was the depression and irritability. I would cry for at least 2 days every month for no reason and considered dropping out of school and moving back home because I was so unhappy. Since I stopped taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen a month ago my whole life has gone back to normal, dropped 5 pounds and generally happy and comfortable. I never got pregnant, though.

I started this pill and immediately had horrible mood swings. I thought I was losing my mind, I am not a crier and I cried almost everyday for a week. I had horrible cramping, nausea, weird sleeping patterns. Also, my anxiety increased, my breasts became severely sore and I started to sweat a lot more. I'm switching to Aviane now and hopefully it works better. The plus side to this pill though was my acne cleared up and I didn't gain any weight.

I started taking this as an alternative to the Nuvaring which was giving me all sorts of troubles. I bled the entire time and after the first month, I decided I couldn't keep doing it. I bled for a little over a week after. I wouldn't say it's a terrible birth control pill, I just don't think it agreed with me.

This birth control is great, better than I was was on before and that was the NuvaRing. This pill is easy to take. Some cramping here and there before my period but I always get my period the third day of my iron pills. But there's a down side. I wear contacts, I prefer them so much more than my glasses but sometimes my contacts will start getting super blurry and I can't see at all. Sometimes I'll put in my contacts and leave the house, and while I'm driving my contacts start blurring up so I'll have to pull over and take them out and put on my glasses. That's the only downside of this pill if you wear contacts.

I have been using this pill for almost three months now. It has worked great for preventing pregnancy and has made my periods lighter with less cramping. At first I was experiencing some abdominal cramping, but that went away after a while. The only side effect that has caused me problems is it made me very emotional. I get depressed easily, but not on a daily basis. Usually every one to two weeks I go through a phase where I cry a lot and think about things from my past that upset me. Judging from what I have read, the emotional side effects go away after a while so I want to keep taking it and I would recommend it for anyone.

I used this as birth control and to regulate my menstrual cycle. I am usually an extremely happy, bubbly person. While Ortho Tri-cyclen did prevent unwanted pregnancies, it wreaked havoc on my life. I took it for three and a half months. I became extremely depressed for no reason. I mean DEPRESSED. I cried at least 3 times every single day, I felt listless and hopeless. The closest I came to feeling happy in the last month of using this drug was feeling nothing at all. Feeling empty was as good as I got. Usually I felt angry, sad, despairing. For NO reason. I alienated friends, family, and boyfriend. My mother made me stop taking these pills as she thought they were the cause, and like magic, I began to feel like my normal self within a week.

Have been taking this for not even a month and I have been super emotional, its crazy because I'm usually layed back. I want sex more now but I guess you can say I experience a little cramping sharp pains every now and then. Overall its okay.

So, I have been taking Ortho-Tri-Cyclen for 3 years. I gave it a 5 beacuse I'm not pregnant but other than that I have noting good to say about it. After taking it for about 6 months I had severe chest pain, a headache almost everyday, almost zero sex drive and the worst acne I have ever had in my life. Oh and I gained 30 lbs in the first 4 months. After the first year of taking it all these symptoms became "normal". But the thing that made my Doctor switch me to Apri was that I had spotting everyday for 15 days before my period for the last 4 months of taking it. I am getting ready to start the new medication next month. I just hope I do not have the same side effects.

I took Ortho Tri-cyclen for a few years when I was younger. During the first month I gained 5 lbs, but that was it. I did notice I was very emotional for the first couple of months and I was told by others that I got angry or upset easily. However, while taking Ortho Tri-cyclen, I never got pregnant. It helped decrease my acne, my period went from 5-6 days to 3-4 day, my period was also very light (almost no heavy days), and I almost never had cramps. I switched to Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo after and I was less moody and less emotional so I guess the decrease in estrogen was better for me and the pill was just as effective as the regular Ortho Tri-cyclen for me.

I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for 8 months then I switched to the generic brand (Tri-Nessa) for 2 months and started to get migraines.

I've used this pill for a month and I've gained 10 pounds in just one month, and I became very moody. Besides, I've got a break through bleeding and it lasted over than a week.

I began Orth Tri-Cyclen at 18. The first two or three months I was extremely emotional and would spontaneously sob for no reason on the Saturdays prior to getting my period. After a few months, I adjusted and had a good experience with this pill. My periods were generally 5-6 days long. I've since began Alesse/Aviane for insurance reasons. I've experienced some hair thinning, which may or may not be caused by the pill. My periods are light and last 3-4 days. But I am considering switching back to Ortho to see if this helps with my hair.

I am currently on my second month on Ortho and it works great. The side effects I have had are: I lost a couple of pounds since starting it, my breasts are pretty sensitive, and I will get occasional headaches. Other than it worked great. I followed the exact instructions by starting the pill on the first Sunday of starting my period (my period began on a Sunday) and didn't have unprotected sex until the after the 7 days. I started my period on the 2nd green pill and it lasted for 3 days.

I been taking this pill for almost two years and gained 13 pounds.

I was taking this pill for a month and I started getting very moody, tired and then I started getting very depressed. I was depress to the point that I used to start crying suddenly without no reason. I am usually a very happy and positive person.

I used Ortho-tri cyclen for 8 years, and had very few side effects. I had 7-day periods, which was unwelcome but expected. I gained 15 lbs over the course of taking the pill, but that is probably due to getting older (16y-24y). I never had any emotional problems or problems with sex drive that some users report. Overall, I had a good experience with this pill.