Reclipsen and Cramps: What Users Say

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

For Birth Control "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."

• Kel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 16, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been taking Reclipsen for over 6 months now. I am 21 and have no children. This is my 3rd birth control to try, after Depo-Provera and Natazia. I decided to try Reclipsen for my acne and cramps. It immediately cleared up my face and is effective at preventing pregnancy, but I'm starting to wonder if the side effects are really worth it. I am extremely irritable, and my attitude goes from great to depressed/angry in an instant. I even tried Zoloft for a while but realized it was the Reclipsen. I still have a period for about 5 days a month, along with the awful cramping. I'm calling my doctor soon to discuss other options. I know medications affect everyone differently, so it may be a good choice for you, but definitely not for me."

• pes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 18, 2014

For Birth Control "I had been on Reclipsen for a year and use it to regulate and skip periods. From the very start, everything was going well. I had better skin, no weight gain, when I skipped, there was no spotting or anything. But I did notice that when I would stand up too fast, I would have a slight and short cramp. And it wasn't until I just tried out a new birth control (Microgestin for 3 weeks) that I noticed how Reclipsen depleted my sex drive completely. I might end up switching back to Reclipsen and try taking B vitamins."

• Kat...
• September 29, 2015

For Birth Control "This birth control made me extremely depressed and suicidal. I also had mild cramps, tender breasts, and acne. No spotting so far, but I am going to finish this month and stop taking the pills. I probably will not try any form of hormones for birth control again after this experience."

• Dad...
• June 2, 2016

For Birth Control "I started taking this due to a hormone imbalance about four months ago. My period the first month was the most painful thing I have ever experienced (more painful than my appendix gluing itself to my internal organs with scar tissue), but my subsequent periods have been mostly painless besides dull cramping. Whenever I go from the placebo week to the actual hormones again, I am excessively nauseous and spend way too much time in the bathroom dry heaving. My appetite for food and sex has been shot, and my weight has remained the same regardless of activity level. I think the worst thing, though, is the crying. Before this pill, I was a pretty even-keeled person. Every week or so, I have a night where I become completely inconsolable."

• Anonymous
• June 17, 2014

For Birth Control "I started this when I was 13, for heavy period relief. Pros: no weight gain, shortened my period from 7-8 to 4-5 days. Cons: before Reclipsen, I never had cramps, moodiness, or really any period symptoms or PMS. Although my period lasted for 7-8 days and was very heavy, it was honestly pretty easygoing. After I began Reclipsen, my period was shortened to 4-5 days, but it took about 3 days of active pills for it to start and two of my inactives for it to stop. This hasn't stopped. I started getting cramps, moodiness, and extremely bad PMS. I used to act no different on my period than off, but since starting Reclipsen, it's been much worse."

• viv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control for about 3 months now, I agree that it made my periods much lighter, which is nice-only 1-2 days of regular period and then light spotting. No weight gain as of yet. This birth control was recommended to me because I had complained of acne and cramps to my doc. Acne is coming in 1-2 weeks prior to my period, just little pimples here and there, but more than I'd like. Cramps are minimal. I do feel down sometimes and have mood swings here and there, more of a funk than depressive, taking B complex as a supplement helps. I've decided to give Nexplanon a try, but if it doesn't work out, I'd stick with this birth control."

• Kat...
• August 12, 2018

For Birth Control "I've been on Reclipsen for 7 months so far, and I believe this will be my last. I started tracking how I feel every single day up to my cycle day. I started to realize recurring symptoms on the same cycle days of the medication! I'm finally throwing in the hat. Last month, my neck became sore, and my shoulders and back pain have escalated! Well, now I can't even move my neck side to side on the same cycle day. I believe this medicine has not helped my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), has made me have heart palpitations, a few days before my period I get really deeply depressed on the same day every month and have extreme dark thoughts. I've had toothaches, headaches, strong cramps, black blood, bladder pain, extreme weight loss, no appetite, dizziness, seizures, constant anxiety, extreme fatigue, and weakness, and all these weird things over the course of the last few months. My periods wouldn't come till 4 days into the sugar pills, and I would suffer the last week of the pills, and 3 days into my period."

• Lan...
• March 20, 2016

For Birth Control "I started this birth control on the 1st day of my period exactly 2 weeks ago. I started to notice some extreme headaches within the first week that would not go away no matter what I did. I wasn't absolutely sure it was the pill that caused it, I thought maybe it was from oversleeping. However, here I am two weeks later bleeding and having unbearable cramps, whereas before I would bleed for 5 days with minor cramps. I just stopped taking it 2 days ago, so I'm hoping the side effects go away soon. I know birth control affects everyone differently, I just couldn't deal with the headaches. Hoping the Nexplanon side effects aren't too bad."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2016

For Birth Control "Been on Reclipsen for about a week and a half. My face is breaking out so bad, and I usually have very good skin. I feel swollen all over, especially my face and legs, and lately I have been having pounding headaches, not to mention the horrible cramps."

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

For Birth Control "This was the first birth control I ever got on at 14, and it’s the only one that ever had side effects. I gained weight, had cramps so bad I would have panic attacks, and my emotions were a roller coaster."

• KC1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 2, 2016

For Birth Control "Just about to finish my first month of Reclipsen. I had never taken birth control before and was a bit terrified to start this one. I noticed I was very emotional and cried a couple of times, even at work, which had never happened in the year and a half that I've worked there. My breasts did swell a little, which was nice since I'm an A cup. My period started 3 days into the inactive week. I've always had painful cramps and trouble sleeping while on my period, but this one was by far the worst. The first night I started, my cramps were extremely painful, and I couldn't fall asleep after waking up in the middle of the night for the first two nights. Acne is the same, it hasn't helped or made it worse. Overall, this has been a decent first experience."

• Ins...
• July 7, 2016

For Birth Control "I only give it a few points because I was put on it to regulate periods, which it has done. But this BC has made my cramps severe to the point of near vomiting. My emotions drastically switch in an instant. I haven't been able to sleep much since being on it."

• Tae...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 4, 2015

For Birth Control "Been on Reclipsen birth control since April. Was switched from Desogen. Since I've been on Reclipsen, I've been spotting in between periods, which in turn has ruined all of my underwear. But just yesterday, after ending my period a week and a half ago, I started my period again. Not just spotting. Heavy, painful period. I've been taking the pills every day at the same time like I'm supposed to since my period ended. Only a week and a half, and I have a second period in one month. I think not. Went to my doctor and switched to something different today."