Apri and Mood Swings: 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."

• All...
• November 21, 2016

For Birth Control "I was switched from Loestrin 21 to Apri a few months back because my periods were irregular and my doc thought Apri would be better for me. I like that there's placebo pills in Apri because I was awful at taking 21-day packs. The first couple of months were a little tough adjusting to the higher dose of hormones. I was super emotional! But that's normal. I'm on month 5 now, and things are fine. I'm still a little emotional, but only 'cry at something dumb' emotional. Nothing I can't handle. My periods are light, and I barely have any pain. Close to no acne. My boobs seemed to have grown a bit, so that's cool. My sex drive seems to be a tiny bit lower, but I never had a crazy-high sex drive in the first place. My husband and I still have a healthy sex life. I might have gained like 5 pounds or less, but that might be because of my lazy ass and not the birth control. :) Best of all, I haven't gotten pregnant! I recommend Apri. Give it a chance and let yourself adjust to the hormones."

• 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."

• 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!"

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 19, 2017

For Birth Control "When I first started it, I got really emotional and would get irritated easily, but that all subsided after the first month or so. No weight gain, no acne, no pregnancy, lol. But about the only downfall to this medication is that if I don't eat quite a bit right before I take it, I'll wake up in the middle of the night feeling nauseous and not able to go back to sleep. I can't just eat a cracker or some chips and take it, my stomach has to be full. Different medications affect everyone differently, so that might just be me, but I'm kind of curious as to whether anyone else has had this side effect from this medication?"

• Anonymous
• April 4, 2010

For Birth Control "I have been on Apri birth control for 3 years now. I give it a 3 for the fact that it in fact helped me to get and regulate my period, at the very late age of 22. And that I am not pregnant. But I have worse acne now than I did when I was 13. I have gained a lot of weight on my hips and stomach. I have the worst mood swings, and my sex drive is completely gone. It has caused a lot of problems in my relationship since I started taking it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 25, 2012

For Birth Control "I haven't had a single noticeable side effect while taking this pill. No acne, no significant weight gain, no mood changes, no loss of sex drive. Not to mention it works wonders for your cycle: mine's extremely consistent, my periods are lighter, and my once terrible cramps are distant memories. Oh, and you also won't get pregnant. This is a great pill, the side effects some people report are probably an expected reaction or an individual bad experience. Highly recommended."

• 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
• April 2, 2012

For Birth Control "I've been taking Apri for a little over a year now. My breasts have grown almost 2 full cup sizes, but I have not gained weight anywhere else. So I'm ecstatic. No cramps, 5-day periods, no mood swings, not pregnant. I love this pill!"

• Ham...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I had previously been on Microgestin, which didn't work well for me. I was cranky, tired, moody, and found myself having bleeding between periods. My doctor put me on Apri, and it doesn't affect my mood whatsoever. I feel fine, my periods are light and (bonus!) only last 2-3 days. Also, I'm not pregnant, so it definitely works."

• Lau...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 22, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Apri for about 4 years now. For the first 3 months or so, the mood swings and agitation were almost too much for me to be around some people. I did feel as though I gained some water weight, and my boobs went from a B to a D over the course of that time. My acne got a little worse before it got better. Now, with being on it for so long, I think it’s great for me. My skin is incredibly clear, I have control over my weight (at least it seems), and I can skip my periods with no issue. I do have some lingering anxiety and get agitated a little easily sometimes, but it very well may be due to just me as a person in general. Once I go off it later in life, I'm interested to see how the anxiety does. Overall, I really really like this and will continue to stay on it for a while. It’s great once your body gets used to it, but everyone’s different."

• Mel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I went on Apri after taking Tri-Sprintec for 2.5 years. I have now been on Apri for about a year. Before taking Apri, I struggled with breakthrough bleeding and very irregular periods. Now my period is so consistent and short. My period went from 6 days to 2-3 with no spotting. It was a life changer. Every person is different, so do not take the super negative reviews seriously. Apri has changed my life!! If you struggle with breakthrough bleeding, super long periods, or irregular periods, I 100% recommend this option. I get no acne, and my mood swings are no worse than they were normally, LOL!! Good luck on your journey!"

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 30, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been taking this birth control for 6 months now, and as far as I'm concerned, it works well. I haven't gotten pregnant, and I don't use condoms with my significant other. The first few months, I may have had a little bit of nausea and bloating, but that's all gone now. My acne has pretty much stayed the same, but my periods are lighter and shorter. They are also very regular. As for changing my weight, I believe Apri has actually helped regulate my weight, so I haven't gained any pounds nor lost any while maintaining the same diet. Mood swings could probably be better, but that comes with all young female adults under stress anyway."

• Lov...
• May 14, 2013

For Birth Control "My experience with Apri has been great. I have been on it for about 5 years now. I do not get any of the side effects - no headaches, mood swings, weight gain, etc. I was recommended by 2 doctors to take 4 x 21 packs of Apri in a row, totaling 3 months of birth control, then stopping for a week to get my period. So this means that you only get your periods 4 times a year. This causes no health risks at all (unless you take it longer than 3 months in a row), and I have been doing this for 3 years with no side effects at all. I have spoken to 4 doctors about this, and none of them disagreed with this method. I was told to try it, and if it worked for me, to definitely keep doing it. *May not be for everyone, so please consult your doctor first*."

• 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."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2018

For Birth Control "I was switched from Junel to Apri because of breakthrough bleeding. While that has been fixed, Apri has some pretty serious negative side effects for me. My mood is completely unstable and swings terribly, and my anxiety is uncontrollable. Sex drive is basically nonexistent. Other than that, no weight gain, acne, lighter periods, and less painful cramping (my cramps were unbearable before)."

• Ash...
• April 9, 2015

For Birth Control "Highly recommend, no weight gain or mood swings compared to other birth control pills I have taken. Everyone is different, but I give this birth control an excellent review because of the experiences I have had with others."

• Anonymous
• March 8, 2019

For Birth Control "Since the time I have been taking Apri, I have been facing various problems like intense chest pain, problems in concentration, nausea, headaches, extreme mood swings, acne, dizziness, fluctuations in the quality of vision."

• ale...
• October 20, 2013

For Birth Control "I was on this birth control for a month and a half. I experienced terrible bloating. I've been thin my whole life, always very active and able to eat whatever I wanted. With this pill, I constantly felt tired and had to monitor what I ate so I didn't gain weight (I gained about 5 pounds, still working out, although not as intense as before due to being tired, BUT I was eating less!) Also, this pill affected my mood a lot - it was a subtle change, but then a month and a half later I realized I never had the energy to do anything. I was sad quite often. My acne didn't improve at all, if anything, it made it worse. Breasts were tender. But, no decrease in sex drive and did prevent pregnancy."

• apr...
• January 24, 2021

For Birth Control "I like this Apri birth control pill a lot! I was quite surprised running across all these negative reviews. I understand everyone has a different experience with Apri and is affected everyone differently. Personally, I’ve had no problems, although it’s only been a few weeks of being on it. If anything, my mood swings (from when I was BC free) have gone down DRASTICALLY. I feel much more chilled out and content. No cramping, headaches, etc., but slight anxiety. I have noticed a little weight gain, but this is something that isn’t that big of a problem for me or detrimental. I was initially taking Depo, which caused me to bleed every day straight for 3 months (the same amount I normally would at the start of a period, except EVERYDAY) and suffered from cramps from time to time and nausea. My doctor switched me over to Apri, and so far I have little to no complaints. My skin has been consistently clear and I don’t feel fatigued."

• 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."

• Wou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 29, 2014

For Birth Control "Although Apri was very effective in doing its main job, preventing pregnancy, the side effects were very bad. I had perfectly clear skin prior to going on Apri, and about a month after starting, I started having very severe breakouts. I had noticeable mood swings that were not present before going on Apri. After being on Apri for 5 months, I have now switched to Sprintec, which is a pill with a higher dose of estrogen. After being on Sprintec for a month, I have noticed my skin clearing slightly and no crying spells before my period. Works better for me and would recommend it over Apri!"

• 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."

• Mar...
• December 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm 19 and have been on this pill for 4 months now and have realized many changes. Some pros are that my acne has cleared up and excess hair slowed its growth rate, but the cons outweigh the pros. I have terrible mood swings, headaches, and nausea when I never had that before. My sex drive is nearly non-existent. My periods are more controlled, but they are very heavy and leave me very tired. I have gained 15 pounds in 4 months despite getting 2 hours of exercise almost every day. I thought this pill would help my hormones level out and help my depression, but it has made my relapses far between but much more intense when they happen. Overall, it gets the job done, but if you can, try a different pill."