Apri and Depression: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 11, 2020

For Birth Control "I took Apri for 5 years. The first 2 years were great - light periods, skin cleared up, etc. However, everything slowly started to change. In 2018, I found myself constantly worried, feeling like walls were caving in on me. My anxiety climbed every day. I fell into a deep depression where I contemplated suicide. I started having violent thoughts - wanting to hurt those around me. Physical changes - gained 30 pounds in 2 years, skin started to get greasy. I would sleep 12+ hours and still not have energy. Mood swings. Crying daily - not able to control my emotions. I decided enough was enough. I stopped taking Apri immediately. It has now been 2 months since then - I no longer cry daily, my mood is significantly improved, and my skin is less greasy. My sleep schedule is learning to regulate itself, and I have more energy. Apri for the first 2 years was great. However, somewhere along the way, that changed. It's possible that in the time I was getting older, my inner body started to change and Apri just no longer worked for me."

• Ahm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2014

For Birth Control "I was put on Apri because I had horrible cramps and long, heavy periods. I took it for about six months, and around the five-month mark, my longtime boyfriend and I broke up. He told me it was because I was 'too emotional' and stressed him out. He was right, before Apri, I was always happy and relaxed, but on it, I would lie in bed at night and cry sometimes for no reason at all. I had constant fatigue, frequent headaches, mood swings, moodiness, and felt depressed a lot of the time. After a conversation with my boyfriend, I realized that we began to argue about the time I got on Apri. I went to my doctor and told her this, and she told me that this was because of its high levels of progesterone. I switched and am much better now without Apri."

• And...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 19, 2020

For Birth Control "Took one month of Apri in preparation for IVF frozen embryo transfer, and it has been horrible for my mood. Every night I took the pill at 9 pm, and within 1.5 to 2 hours, my mood plummeted and stayed that way throughout the following day. I haven't been sleeping well, lots of laying in bed thinking. I just took my last pill last night, and today I am in such a horrible mood. It has been over a week, I have not wanted to do anything during the day and have been in nearly nonstop bad mood. I feel depressed, I also had breast tenderness the past week or two and wanted lots of junk food. Honestly, the depression/mood side effects were worse on my body than any of the hormones I was on during my 3 IVF cycles. Really do not recommend this drug, and it is disheartening to see many others talking about similar mood changes."

• Chr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2013

For Birth Control "I am thrilled with Apri! I decided to try birth control again because of terrible pelvic pain, probably due to my polycystic ovarian syndrome. Since starting Apri, the pain is gone completely! I was to the point where I was going to opt for laparoscopy just to find a reason and hopefully a cure for the pain, but my doctor convinced me to give this a try, and I'm glad I did! Another bonus is that it helps with my depression and daily fatigue, which was something I wasn't expecting. Add in the fact that I can take the active pills for multiple months straight means I'm feeling a thousand times more energetic than I did before Apri. But when I do switch to the white placebo pills, I feel awful again for that week. Light periods too! Works for me."

• SEa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 1, 2019

For Birth Control "I just started this, and right now I am on the period pills. I feel horrible and have felt horrible since the very first pill. Legit nausea all the time to the point where I was waking up once or twice a week around 4 am throwing up (I tried to take it around 12-2 with food every day to maybe avoid this). I also experience uncomfortable bloating really bad when I haven’t even eaten much to be bloated. I haven’t even been eating much period because I’m nauseous all the time. Add mood swings, sadness, anxiety, and headaches to the mix too. I just feel so awful and not myself, so I DO NOT recommend this pill! I hope it gets out of my system ASAP!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 7, 2018

For Birth Control "Going into my inactive pills of my first pack. Although this is only my first pack, it has been the pits. Very nauseous, but no vomiting. Bloated, more depressed, very irritable, overthink everything more than usual, almost no sex drive, horrible cramps, almost no appetite, lost all motivation for things, got bad chest pains, indigestion, heartburn... you literally name it. I’m trying to give this pill a chance, but so far, it doesn’t seem worth it."

• Lin...
• March 17, 2010

For Birth Control "I was previously on Yaz, both for birth control and to reduce my mild acne. I am normally a very happy, optimistic person, yet this pill made me depressed and very moody. I switched to Apri, it's been 4 months, and I love it. I am not moody at all, and haven't gained any weight."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been using Apri for 6 months now. The first 3 months were ideal, it cleared up my acne tremendously, and this is the first birth control pill which hasn't affected my mood. However, after 3 months, I started noticing the negatives. I have felt super depressed, nearly empty/numb every day, which is opposite to the person I am. I, like another user, blamed my stressful job, but I've come to realize it was my birth control. I have no sex drive at all, and I actually have cystic acne on my face now, which I never had before. I would not recommend this pill due to how horrible it has actually made me feel."

• wha...
• March 7, 2017

For Birth Control "So I've only been on this pill for a month. Before this, I was on Yasmin for a month, and before that, I was on Junel Fe for 4 months, and before that, Lo Loestrin Fe for 2 months. I know it's still pretty early, but so far it is a great pill. On Yasmin, I was a monster. My temperament is usually very laid-back and carefree, but I was an emotional, depressed mess. After switching to Apri, it almost feels like an antidepressant for me. I'm in such a happy, good mood all the time. So far, I've only gotten sad one day the week before my period week, where I cried a little, but nothing compared to last month on Yasmin. So far, no weight gain either, my skin hasn't broken out on this, and my boobs are getting bigger (plus for me, being an A cup)."

• wha...
• March 7, 2017

For Birth Control "So I've only been on this pill for a month. Before this, I was on Yasmin for a month, and before that, I was on Junel Fe for 4 months, and before that, Lo Loestrin Fe for 2 months. I know it's still pretty early, but so far it is a great pill. On Yasmin, I was a monster. My temperament is usually very laid-back and carefree, but I was an emotional, depressed mess. After switching to Apri, it almost feels like an antidepressant for me. I'm in such a happy, good mood all the time. So far, I've only gotten sad one day the week before my period week, where I cried a little, but nothing compared to last month on Yasmin. So far, no weight gain either, my skin hasn't broken out on this, and my boobs are getting bigger (plus for me, being an A cup)."

• Anonymous
• June 23, 2019

For Birth Control "This pill sucks. I was always anxious, but this actually made me depressed. Also, I felt hungry every 5 minutes and nauseous for the rest of the day. I always woke up dizzy, I broke out with acne. And I was always lightheaded and fatigued. Advice to people that don’t want to feel like rubbish: never take this! I’m warning all of you."

• Apr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2017

For Birth Control "I was put on this birth control pill in preparation for IVF. I've been on other birth control brands in the past and have never had an experience like this! It's only been one week and I am miserable. Incredibly depressed, emotional, fatigued, and unmotivated. I've also noticed a huge appetite increase. In the beginning, I was also super nauseous, but that is fairly typical in my experience. I know that different pills have different effects on people and it takes a while to adjust, but as I said, I've been on multiple brands and none has ever been this bad. All I want to do is sleep, eat, and cry. Good times."

• Sky...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 2, 2021

For Birth Control "Love this birth control. I was nervous before taking it because I read so many reviews about depression and mental health issues associated with it, but I have none of those symptoms, and I’ve been on it for about a year. Light periods and no weight gain for me. I am also a diabetic, so this is a great birth control as it doesn’t affect my blood sugar levels as some other birth control methods have in the past. I would definitely recommend."

• Sky...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 2, 2021

For Birth Control "Love this birth control. I was nervous before taking it because I read so many reviews about depression and mental health issues associated with it, but I have none of those symptoms, and I’ve been on it for about a year. Light periods and no weight gain for me. I am also a diabetic, so this is a great birth control as it doesn’t affect my blood sugar levels as some other birth control methods have in the past. I would definitely recommend."

• Anonymous
• September 23, 2019

For Birth Control "Let me tell you that the first couple of months of Apri were bad. I had trouble sleeping, nausea, very tender breasts, among other things, but the worst part was the depression and anxiety. I would cry pretty much every day for absolutely no reason. I lost a lot of motivation to do anything. It was pretty miserable, but I decided to stick it out for a couple of months hoping that these symptoms would go away, and they did. I’ve now been on this birth control for about 6 months and I am very happy with it. It regulates my period, which is the main reason I went on birth control because my periods were consistently 10 days long and very irregular, sometimes I’d have a 2-week cycle, sometimes 2 months. Now I get a 5-day period, exactly every four weeks, it’s great. I do still get cramps, but they are not as bad as they were before I went on Apri. I would recommend this birth control if you are prepared for a rough first couple of months."

• 2gr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 11, 2019

For Birth Control "Unbelievably negative experience here. My natural demeanor is optimistic, easy-going, fun-loving, and happy. Upon the second or third month I was on this birth control, I noticed drastic mood swings, feeling agitated, and being irritable constantly. It felt like out of nowhere, I had serious anger management issues. I blamed a stressful job. I'm now on the seventh month taking this pill, and my zeal for life is completely gone. I am depressed, lethargic, and have terribly dark thoughts about myself, the ones I love, and life in general. That is wildly uncharacteristic of me. The week that I take the sugar pill, I am nearly 100% myself. Within two days of starting my next pack, I'm back in the dark hole. I have also experienced some minor stomach issues, including constant gas/bloating and loss of appetite."

• use...
• February 2, 2010

For Birth Control "I love Apri. I tried another birth control, and it made me so depressed, but on Apri, I feel just fine. The only problem is that in 18 months on the pill, I have gained about 20 pounds, with very little change in my diet and exercise. It is SO HARD to lose weight on Apri."

• gia...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 13, 2018

For Birth Control "I am 20 and have been on this birth control for years. I mean at least 3-4. I can say I have absolutely zero sex drive whatsoever. I didn’t even understand how girls were even interested in sex at my age, or even in the slightest. It made no sense to me. It’s really sucked. I am still on it to this day because I am prescribed Accutane and you have to be on a contraceptive to be on it. I haven’t noticed my skin get any better on this, but I didn’t even know people switched birth controls and have been living in sadness for years. I don’t know if the sadness is from the birth control or not, but it’s also been there for years. I hate these pills with a passion. Don’t be me, who feels like an 80-year-old woman with no sex drive and just feels like general garbage."

• smh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2021

For Birth Control "I am a 22-year-old, and I was only on Apri for almost three months, and I couldn't handle the effects it was giving me. Before Apri, I was on Tri-Sprintec for like five years, and I had breakthrough bleeding, so my doctor prescribed me this. No joke, just two days after taking it, I started getting migraines, and I fell into depression, and I have never gotten migraines before. Since I was in finals, I had to fight through the effects, but it was not fun. Before getting my period, I would get some strong cramps that felt like someone was stabbing me in my pelvic area, having hot flashes, and wanting to just sleep all day. In addition to this, my discharge started to become heavy; I would have to go to the bathroom to clean myself down there because I felt it leaking; it was not fun. This was my effect on this, and I don't think everyone would get this; this was how my body handled it. Just take precautions and ask your doctor too if this formula is okay for you."

• miu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2017

For Birth Control "I've posted here a few months ago, and it's an update. I'm starting the 4th pack now, and almost everything I was complaining about went away! During the first few months, I've gained around 10 lbs, my boobs became much larger (that was super uncomfortable, because they're large anyways), I felt a little depressed and tired (nothing I couldn't handle though, I've been living my normal life). I couldn't work as hard as I wanted. Now I've lost all the weight I've gained, and I am me again. Feels like magic. Also, my tastes for food changed a bit. Something I loved does not taste good to me anymore, it's strange but fun to experience."

• miu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 9, 2017

For Birth Control "I am taking the second cycle now. In general, I'm happy with my experience so far, and I'll keep taking it. Negative sides. During the first week, I felt sick to my stomach all the time, and I was super tired, but it went away. During the third week, I had mood swings and felt depressed, but I always feel this way a week before my period, so it was normal to me. Also, my boobs became larger, and it's a little painful to touch them, but that's okay. Positive sides. It feels really good not to worry about becoming pregnant. My sex drive is the same or even increased, weight is the same, appetite doesn't seem to increase. Period is less heavy, skin is better, acne is disappearing."

• Anonymous
• September 7, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on Apri for almost a year now. It works great protecting against pregnancy and keeping my periods regular, which don't happen exactly on the sugar pill day, but every time on Wednesday. But the downside to these pills is how big of a mental and emotional toll it takes on me. It gives me crazy amounts of anxiety. I've had anxiety a couple of times in my life, but it's an everyday thing now. It makes me feel like I've changed as a person and makes me very depressed and have deep, dark thoughts on life. I've always been an outgoing, go-getter type of person, but all I want to do now is sleep and ignore my anxiety. I don't know if I should change it or stay on it and see if it goes away, but it's been happening for almost a year now."

• Meg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 15, 2015

For Birth Control "This pill put me in pretty deep depression. I was extremely emotional and cried about everything all the time. I didn't gain weight, but it didn't really help with acne, and it caused me to get my period about 2 times a month. I had to stop taking it because I was so sad all the time and couldn't stand it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2021

For Birth Control "This is the 3rd bc pill I’ve tried, and it’s by far the worst. There’s barely any time during the month where I feel okay. The week before my period, the week during, and the week after, I feel super gross and have low energy. I have gained 15 pounds in the past 2 1/2 months, and it’s been super detrimental to my mental health. My depression and anxiety are the same as on any other pill, but I have depressive episodes where I cry for no reason every so often on this. Do not recommend."

• TCH...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 8, 2019

For Birth Control "Wow, oh wow, this medicine, Apri, has messed my body up. To begin, when I began taking it, I thought I was going crazy. My body did not adjust well at all. I was so depressed and moody. I was on Apri from May 2017 to August 2018, and when I stopped taking it, I felt instantly better and happy. My only thing is my periods still have not returned. Again, this was the worst experience ever."