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Kariva and Depression: What Users Say

Depression: mentioned by 17 users (13.3%)

Based on user experiences from 128 Kariva reviews, the following table shows the most commonly mentioned side effects.

All user comments are moderated by Drugs.com. Each review is verified for relevance and screened for inappropriate content. Side effects are user-reported and not clinically verified.

mood swings 32.8%
sexual dysfunction 25.0%
cramps 21.1%
weight gain 18.8%
acne 16.4%
anxiety 14.1%
depression 13.3%
moody 12.5%
headaches 11.7%
nausea 10.9%

Reviews for Kariva

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • 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."

1 / 10
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16 Report
  • 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."

4 / 10
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23 Report
  • 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."

7 / 10
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10 Report

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  • 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."

2 / 10
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17 Report
  • 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."

6 / 10
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11 Report

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  • 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."

2 / 10
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14 Report
  • 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."

1 / 10
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6 Report
  • 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."

3 / 10
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5 Report
  • 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."

6 / 10
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6 Report
  • 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."

1 / 10
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1 Report
  • 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."

5 / 10
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3 Report
  • 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!"

5 / 10
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2 Report
  • 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!"

5 / 10
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2 Report
  • 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."

2 / 10
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  • 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."

6 / 10
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  • 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."

10 / 10
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0 Report
  • 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."

2 / 10
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2 Report

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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.