Kariva and Depression: What Users Say

• mhm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 30, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on many types of birth control before, and I have never left a review, no matter how good or bad. But this pill literally was destroying me mentally. I was on this pill, Kariva, a little less than 2 months and had to stop mid-month because I could not handle the anxiety and depression anymore. I'm a sensitive person, but wow, this pill made me not able to function. I cried ALL the time. I didn't want to go anywhere. My anxiety was a level I never experienced before. At first, I was like, cool, this pill doesn't make me hungry. Later, I realized, yeah, I'm not hungry because I'm so anxious all the time I couldn't focus on eating if I tried. It did its job at preventing pregnancy, but the emotional state it put me in was so not worth it! Please be careful taking this pill. I know it affects everyone differently."

• Anonymous
• October 21, 2012

For Birth Control "I have been on this medication for about 5 to 6 months. And it works great for birth control. Even if you miss a pill or two by a little bit, you're still protected, and it doesn't affect your period. But ever since I got on the pill, I'm not myself. I'm constantly depressed and get bad mood swings. And I have literally no sex drive whatsoever."

• Anonymous
• September 5, 2012

For Birth Control "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

For Birth Control "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."

• Rui...
• August 6, 2014

For Birth Control "I started taking Kariva in May 2013 when I was 18. It was the first time I was taking a birth control pill, and I was with my boyfriend for 3 months at the time, so it seemed like a smart decision. I mainly went on it to control my periods and clear up my acne, which I was fed up with after years. Now I have realized that over the past year, it has made me completely emotionless, and I have absolutely zero sex drive. On the bright side, my periods have been light and short (still painful cramping), and my skin has never looked better. I am going to stop taking it and try out a different pill that hopefully doesn't diminish my emotions."

• Gal...
• August 6, 2010

For Birth Control "This birth control pill has its advantages in the fact that it gives you a very predictable period, and that's it. The side effects outweigh the benefits. I started getting acne at 23 when I hadn't had it for years, my skin became oily, I started getting headaches that persisted all day, my appetite increased, my sleep was disrupted, and I became depressed. The depression is the worst part. I would wake up and be horribly angry or depressed, without cause. I'm switching back to my old birth control."

• but...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 4, 2019

For Birth Control "I think it is important to note that birth control is different for everyone, but I was on Kariva for 5 days, and it was awful! I would wake up between 3-4 times in a night, have night sweats (which is not normal for me), my breasts were so tender, I was insanely bloated, and the worst part... I think a blood clot was forming in my calf. I did not think this was possible since I was only on it a few days, but then I read that clots normally form when first starting birth control. I was also very emotional/anxious/depressed. I will be switching birth controls."

• Anonymous
• June 19, 2011

"I've been on Kariva for 2 months, and it has turned me into a completely different person. I'm always tired. I can sleep just fine, but I'm constantly tired. I never feel rested. I've noticed it's made me depressed. Everyone around me notices, also. I've had horrible headaches. My appetite has changed. I have blurred vision, dizziness. It's ridiculous. As far as spotting, I haven't experienced any of that. So, effectiveness has been pretty good."

• Anonymous
• January 17, 2010

For Birth Control "I was on Kariva for about 2 years straight (almost never missed a pill) after being on various other pills for 3 years before that. Kariva solved my cramp problem, and I did not experience any nausea or depression/mood swings like I had on other pills. I recently switched off of Kariva after missing a week of pills - I didn't even realize until then how low my libido had been! My doctor just switched me to Microgestin Fe 1/20. Obviously, everyone's bodies are different and will have different reactions, but I am happy to be off Kariva."

• sol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 8, 2023

For Birth Control "I never leave reviews, but let me tell you, this birth control affected me severely. I had horrible mood swings, depression, and anxiety. I cried almost every day, experienced diarrhea, and lost more than 20 lbs in 2 months, going from 140 lbs to 120 lbs."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 25, 2019

For Birth Control "I switched to Kariva about 1.5 years ago to help with breakthrough bleeding that I was experiencing with the prior birth control. For a few months, my period was light and only 3 days long and was expected during the inactive week. I would say I did notice that this medication made me more depressed before my period was coming, and I did gain around 8 lbs. After taking this medication for a longer time, I experienced breakthrough bleeding earlier and earlier, to the point where I ended up having a heavy two-week period as well as longer bouts of moodiness and cramping. I do experience a lot of bloating and gassiness. I have decided that I need to try another type of medication. This was great for the months that it worked properly for getting my period on time, but I could not imagine continuing this."

• Han...
• June 29, 2017

For Birth Control "At the beginning, Kariva seemed to be working well, my skin started to clear up, lighter periods, and emotional stabilization. However, once I started my second pack, my emotional state felt off. I didn't realize that it could be the pill I was taking, so I continued to use it. I felt very depressed, sad, and on the verge of crying most times. Once I told my doctor, I changed to Blisovi 24 Fe, and my emotional state began to change in a positive way!"

• Han...
• June 29, 2017

For Birth Control "At the beginning, Kariva seemed to be working well, my skin started to clear up, lighter periods, and emotional stabilization. However, once I started my second pack, my emotional state felt off. I didn't realize that it could be the pill I was taking, so I continued to use it. I felt very depressed, sad, and on the verge of crying most times. Once I told my doctor, I changed to Blisovi 24 Fe, and my emotional state began to change in a positive way!"

• kai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2021

For Birth Control "I started taking Kariva to improve my skin, and it only got worse. After only a week on this pill, I started feeling horrible depression and anxiety, plus my skin was breaking out worse than before. I went from having zero symptoms on my previous pill to having all the symptoms in the book: breakouts, weight gain, lower back pain, horrible periods, mood swings, etc. This was only after about 2 weeks on the pill. I just finished my sugar pills and couldn’t switch back to my old pill soon enough. Would not recommend this pill to anyone who has a history of depression and anxiety."

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 18 and Kariva was the first birth control I was prescribed. Definitely does its job birth control-wise, there was some prolonged spotting after my first period on the pill, but my flow was steady after that. No weight changes, however, I noticed it did nothing to help my acne, which was a factor in starting birth control. My first week on the pill, I experienced heavy nausea and diarrhea, so first-timers, keep that in mind. The worst part about the experience in general was the mood swings. I have always been an anxious person by nature, but Kariva increased my level of self-consciousness, stress, and feeling of uneasiness. I also experienced some bouts of depression. All in all, it could work well for some, but I have just switched my b.c. brand."

• noo...
• July 19, 2021

For Birth Control "I’m still currently on Kariva and have been for 3 years now. It is extremely reliable and does prevent pregnancy. However, I never cramped until I started taking it, and they are severe cramps. I used to cramp all throughout the month, but that has gone back to normal, and I only cramp while on my period. I will say, the reviews are true. I do experience depression and anxiety, and I’m positive it’s a side effect from Kariva. However, it does its job well, and I always feel protected. So I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get on birth control. It’s also a combination pill instead of a progesterone-only pill, which I really love because I have some wiggle room if I accidentally miss a pill. It also got rid of my acne! I love my skin very much since taking it."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 7, 2020

For Birth Control "This pill gave me depression, and I gained weight. I went on it to regulate my periods, and even though I finally got it when I was supposed to, it was extremely heavy and painful."