Desogestrel / ethinyl estradiol for Birth Control User Reviews (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• May 31, 2019

"I’m 35. I was prescribed Isibloom before beginning IVF. This is the first birth control that I ever had. My experience is just bad! On pill 3, I started having mood swings and what’s worse, I felt like having pressure in my throat (after 6 hours of taking the pill) - all that continued for like 10-12 hours. On day 4 of the pill, I went crazy - uncontrolled aggression, and started having difficulties breathing. Day 5 - I could not sleep, choked. On day 6 of the pill, I had a sleepless night with heart pain and pain in the back (in the area of the heart or lungs). Today, day 7 - I stopped the pill, I cried the whole morning and decided to stop taking the pill. Other side effects were weight loss (4 pounds in 6 days), no appetite, aggression, crying, insomnia, depression, being scared of everything around. It’s horrible for the first experience. But I thought I would let others know. Of course, we are all unique, and maybe what did not fit me will be good for others."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 5, 2012

"I started taking Kariva when Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo became too expensive for me. I have been on Kariva for the past 4 years. Positives: predictable 5-day periods, no acne, fewer mood swings. Negatives: weight gain (20 pounds), no libido whatsoever. I was able to deal with the side effects for 4 years (my poor boyfriend), and now I've had enough. I've stopped taking it, immediately lost 5 pounds, have a great libido again, and find it easy to track my period with the P-Tracker app."

• Anonymous
• September 5, 2012

"I have been on Kariva for three months now. It has been the first birth control I have tried, and it seems to work in the area of birth control, as I have not become pregnant. However, I have had my period for eight days every two weeks and finally figured out that my depression symptoms may have been caused by it; I've been terribly moody, depressed, and cry way more often than normal once I started taking Kariva. Sleep disruptions, loss of appetite, and lower sex drive have also been symptoms I've experienced."

• SHa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2019

"I just started my third month of Kariva. I switched from Junel Fe 1/20. Before, I would get insane mood swings and depression. On Kariva, my mood is balanced as long as I take it at exactly the same time every day. I haven’t noticed any weight gain or change in my sex drive. I had a horrible migraine the first day I took it; after that, it’s only happened one other time. My periods last 3-4 days and are light. The only side effect I can’t stand is that I can’t sleep. I have trouble falling asleep and, once I do, I wake up throughout the night. I’ve been dealing with that for two months, and I’m trying to hold out and see if it gets better because it is a great pill otherwise."

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

"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?"

• Tar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 10, 2020

"This Enskyce is the worst birth control pill I’ve ever taken. I took it for 3 weeks and am switching back to Marlisa, which I was on for over a year. Just within the few weeks, I have been an emotional MESS. I’ve never felt mood swings this intense or started crying because of simple little things that should definitely not be making me cry my eyes out! The skin on my face has also dried out so much that it seems like normal moisturizer has done nothing. I’ve lost basically all of my appetite and need to force myself to eat throughout the day because I never feel hungry anymore. Sex drive is also much lower, almost to the point that I have none."

• Tii...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 27, 2019

"No problem with the pill, been on for 5 months. Since starting, my breast used to hurt every day, they just stopped hurting (they used to hurt around the time of my period). Haven’t had a period since starting the pill, no cramps. I do get bloated sometimes. Only thing is I’ll eat, then I’ll get hungry like 10 mins later, lol. Gives me the munchies, but I don’t munch. I have also lost weight being on the pill. I pay out of pocket, 19.99 for 4 packs, so not bad on price either!"

• Str...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 30, 2016

"I've been taking it for over a year now (going on 2). I've really had no adverse side effects. I used to get hormonal acne the week before my period on my chin, and once I took the pills, I stopped breaking out. I didn't gain weight. It also helped extremely for my mood swings that I used to get before my period. I would randomly get upset, and the pill has really helped me control my emotions better. The only thing is you have to be consistent and not skip any days. As soon as I skipped a day, I noticed some side effects (ex. minor breakouts). Overall, I really love it. Not everyone's body reacts the same."

• aut...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 10, 2019

"I've been on Isibloom since July. The first two weeks, I suffered headaches, and at times I felt nauseous. Since I was using this pill to skip my period, I had breakthrough bleeding for a few weeks. However, I decided to have my period this month. Before birth control, I had 7-day periods that were quite heavy the first 4 days. Now my period lasted 3 days with light flow. I have not gained any weight, in fact, I was able to lose 5 lbs through frequent exercise and somewhat watching my diet. My acne is under control, and I rarely have blemishes."

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

"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."

• Xsh...
• February 19, 2016

"I started this BCP because every month I grew cysts on my ovaries during ovulation, which landed me in and out of the hospital. I also suffered from moderate to severe acne. This birth control has regulated my periods, prevented the formation of cysts on my ovaries, and I haven't had a breakout in weeks. The only downfall about this BCP is my increased appetite, but that's nothing that can't be controlled. My advice for those who seem to eat more while taking ANY birth control is to eat cleaner and healthier so you're not gaining weight. Simple as that. Also, exercise to prevent blood clots and keep blood flowing. That is all. Good luck!"

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

"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!"

• mik...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 2, 2017

"I started taking this pill about a year ago, and it's been complete hell since I started. The first week and a half, I'm unbearably nauseous and hardly have an appetite. At first, I thought these symptoms would subside, but they never did. The next week and a half, I'm cursed with almost extreme PMS symptoms: ridiculous bloating, awful acne, breast pain; you name it. My periods last an entire week, and I get debilitating cramps, so bad that they make me sick the first few days. I tried to wait it out the year, but it's only gotten worse. This birth control has given me the worst anxiety, migraines, heart palpitations, and I'm dizzy constantly. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, not even my worst enemies. Please be cautious when using this."

• Meg...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 28, 2014

"First, I want to start by saying weight gain depends on you. Of course, not everybody is the same, and you cannot expect birth control to help you lose weight. Secondly, this birth control is great, I had to switch to it after the one I was taking got recalled (Yaz). So far, this has made me happy. Like I said, everyone is different. I've had no bloating, cramping, or weight gain. I have been a little emotional, but it's something I can deal with."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2019

"I’m 18 and was prescribed Isibloom using an online birth control provider. I’m currently on my second pack, and I don’t really have many complaints. My emotions haven’t varied all that much, although some days I am definitely moodier, but it’s not to an extreme. I have had no adverse side effects, maybe I feel a little hungrier at times. My period has lightened up a bit— I used to have a 5-day period, now it’s down to 3, and it’s very light with minor cramps. No pregnancy scares either, so I can confirm that the pill is effective. Overall, I like Isibloom, and it seems to work for me."

• izh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 29, 2019

"I’ve been taking Apri since November of 2018. This is my first time ever being on birth control. During the first month, I was experiencing dizziness. I’m assuming because I would take the pill in the morning without anything on my stomach. When I switched my dosage to the evening (I’ve eaten by that time), the dizziness left. It’s very effective. My only issue is my weight. I’ve never had an issue losing weight, but I could gain weight rather quickly. It’s like I’m unable to lose weight. I’ve been vegan for almost a month now, and I haven’t shed a pound. I believe it’s due to this birth control. Since I do believe it’s due to that, I’m going to stop this brand and method. I truly wish I didn’t have an issue losing weight because it’s very effective."

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

"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."

• Anonymous
• February 29, 2008

"I've taken about every pill on the market, and this is by far the best. I've never had a problem with my drive while on this formulation of the pill. Actually, my drive is more normal than it's been with the other pills, especially the Ortho line and Seasonale. I have had no side effects other than my appetite has increased, but there is such a thing as self-control, so other than watching what and how often I eat, I love Apri!"

• Sid...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2020

"This was the worst BCP I’ve ever taken. Terrible side effects, headaches, stomach cramps, bloating. Weight gain, swelling, bladder issues. I had no problems until I started taking this pill. I took it for 2 months and decided to stop because of the unbearable side effects. DO NOT TAKE, you will regret it!!"

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

"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."

• Fre...
• November 18, 2016

"I've been on this pill for about 2 and a half years now. I started taking it when I was 16, and I'm now 19. It's been my first and only birth control, and I was put on it because I had insanely irregular periods. My periods were always super heavy and lasted around 7 days. This made me completely regular, gave me way lighter periods that last at most 5 days, lowered my mood swings, and reduced my cramps. I've never once experienced any nausea or negative side effects from taking the pill. Everyone's gotta find the right pill for them, and this is definitely mine."

• Eli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2020

"My Dr. told me Enskyce would clear up my acne, and I would have no bleeding because she highly suggested skipping the placebo week. HOWEVER, about 2 and 1/2 into taking Enskyce, I noticed bleeding outside of my period time. Apparently, it was spotting from withdrawal bleeding (something my Dr. failed to mention to me), and when I looked it up, it seemed normal for women starting a new birth control, so I thought nothing of it. It wasn’t until the bleeding became heavy and constant that I began to worry. It’s been 13 days, and the little “spotting” is now a heavy flow of blood. My normal periods have NEVER been this bad. What sucks even worse is the cramps that accompany this constant bleed. The pain has woken me up at night, interfered with my job, and overall just made doing anything difficult because it’s crippling. To top it all off, this med has given me intense headaches every evening, hot flashes, and zero improvement on my acne. I would absolutely not recommend Enskyce to anyone."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 17, 2014

"I've been on Apri 28 for about two and a half months now. For about the first two weeks of starting it, my stomach was so upset I couldn't really eat much food. But it did go away. My breasts did get bigger, and I gained a little weight, but also I've been working out, so I don't know if it's muscle gain or from the pill. Another thing is, my period either comes super early, like two weeks early, or a week late. I know it's probably just my body not used to the pill and it won't follow the pill's schedule until after 6 months of taking it. However, my periods don't really hurt at all now. But I'm just sharing my journey so far in case anyone else has been experiencing the same stuff."

• Anonymous
• April 4, 2010

"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."

• Nur...
• April 11, 2014

"I've tried many different birth controls for about 3 yrs prior to taking Apri. I took Apri for my acne & birth control for 2 yrs & it worked great. I decided to stop taking birth control altogether about 1.5 yrs ago. My acne came back immediately, but my periods were lighter and I didn't have cramps while I was off of it. My dermatologist prescribed me Accutane for my acne, but I decided to try birth control again. I've been taking Apri for 4 months & my skin is basically completely clear. Maybe 1 or 2 when it's TOM. However, I've noticed recent weight gain (10 lbs in 2 wks) & increase in my appetite & cravings. My breasts are sore & noticeably bigger. I'm worried this is side effects from Apri. But 10 lbs is better than acne!"