Desogestrel / ethinyl estradiol and Weight Gain: 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."

• Bik...
• March 6, 2021

For Birth Control "Should be illegal! Constant bleeding, extreme bloating (look 6 months pregnant), severe mood swings from angry to hysterical, uncontrollably sobbing for days, severe depression, breakthrough bleeding almost the entire cycle, insomnia for days, anxiety and panic attacks, swelling, massive weight gain (8 lbs) despite eating 1,200 calories and biking every day, horrible fatigue! Tried multiple times and gave up after the fourth month."

• 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."

• Bun...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 25, 2019

For Birth Control "So I was on a regular birth control, Ortho, and gained weight and was super moody and crying all the time. I got switched to Mircette, doctor thought less hormones would be good, and she was right. I lost weight, I wasn't crying nonstop, and when I was ready to have my son, I was pregnant within a month of stopping the pill. I ended up getting an IUD after, and it was the biggest mistake of my life. It threw my body's immune system into a panic, and my health got worse and worse. Acne, weight gain, like being pregnant, etc. Doctor removed it, and I am going back to Mircette. Best birth control I have ever used."

• ABa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 23, 2013

For Birth Control "I was on Kariva for about 6 months and gained about 15 pounds. It regulated my period just fine, but I had to go up like 2 pants sizes and had to buy all new bras. I used to be a size 0-3 (depending on the brand, usually around a 2 though) but went up to a 5-7 on Kariva. Once I switched to Apri, my breasts stayed about the same size, but I lost all of that bloated water weight that I had on Kariva. On Kariva, I was so bloated every single day and it was miserable. I was all squishy and plump, and considering I gained all of my weight on my stomach, wearing anything other than sweatpants felt horrible. DO NOT RECOMMEND."

• Kit...
• February 8, 2014

For Birth Control "The first thing to remember is that everyone's body will react completely differently to different types of birth control. It all depends on your body. I was on Reclipsen for one year. I'm a pretty upbeat and happy person, but literally, as soon as I started taking Reclipsen, I fell into depression. I hated it. I wasn't myself, I was moody, irritable, I lost confidence, and I was really, really sad, which is not like me at all. I also gained a ton of weight, which didn't help with the whole self-confidence thing. The only good thing I have to say about it is that I didn't get pregnant, and my periods were shorter."

• MEC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2013

For Birth Control "I was prescribed Kariva after another birth control became too expensive. I was afraid to try it out since there were so many negative reviews, but I am happy to say that this is a magical little pill (so far). I have not experienced any weight gain, moodiness, or low libido. My acne cleared up (I'm 27 and have always battled with acne) for the most part. The only drawback is some mild discharge, but nothing to worry about. I LOVE this pill!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 10, 2016

For Birth Control "I took this BC for a year. My main reason for taking it was due to recurring ovarian cysts that ruptured every month, and it worked wonders. As an added bonus, it did its job as birth control and without any side effects. I had no weight gain, no acne, no babies, and no cysts. I didn't lose my sex drive. And when I did stop taking it, I was pregnant the second month after. So it didn't affect my fertility, which is a huge thing for me, considering I miscarried after being on Depo for 6 months."

• Nor...
• February 5, 2015

For Birth Control "I've used Reclipsen since I was 16 and have never had any problems. Most importantly, I've never gotten pregnant. It helped with my acne as a teenager, and I've never experienced mood swings. Periods are light and very regular. I gained a little weight in high school and college, but this is probably due to many other factors (quitting sports, not exercising, eating poorly, etc.) as opposed to the birth control. Both of my sisters have also switched to Reclipsen after experiencing mood swings and other problems with other birth controls and have seen good results. Highly recommend."

• Rhi...
• January 29, 2016

For Birth Control "I love this pill, I've been using it for over 4 years now. I had some pretty bad acne, and my periods were heavy and long. Now my face is pretty clear, and my period is still a little heavy, but it's super short now (4 days tops). I haven't put on any weight since I started taking the pill. My significant other and I haven't used a condom in over 4 years, and I haven't gotten pregnant, so it works!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on Kariva for a month now after switching from Loestrin (which gave me insane mood swings and heavy discharge). My skin is good, periods are light, cramping is limited, and mood is normal. But my boobs have gotten bigger, and I do notice that I have gained some weight in my upper thighs and hips."

• Abc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 1, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on Kariva for a year and 4 months. I switched to it due to unwanted side effects of an IUD. Some pros of Kariva are that it’s super reliable (never had a pregnancy scare), and it did lighten my period. The negatives far outweighed the positives, though. The cons were: extremely low sex drive, dryness, extreme weight gain, and increased anxiety the week before my period. I love the effectiveness of this pill but can’t stand the side effects. Switching soon and can’t wait."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2013

For Birth Control "This pill is a dream! I was so worried to go on birth control, due to all the scary side effects I always hear about! After two months, I have had none. I had really bad periods that would leave me very sick for days. I only get very light cramping right before my period starts. I haven't gained any weight. I actually lost weight around my waist, and I am already very petite to begin with. My cup size went up to a C from a B, and my light acne has become almost non-existent. I was lucky to find a pill that worked for me right off of the bat!"

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

For Birth Control "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."

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

For Birth Control "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
• 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."

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

For Birth Control "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

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."

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

For Birth Control "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."

• Nur...
• April 11, 2014

For Birth Control "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!"

• Anonymous
• August 25, 2010

For Birth Control "I started taking Apri about 7 months ago. My breasts got noticeably larger within the first few weeks, and I gained about 10 pounds, but I'm a thin girl anyway, so I gladly take on the extra few pounds and curves. I got prescribed this birth control because of my ovarian cysts, and since then, I have not had any problems with them. They've been unnoticeable, and my cramps don't even exist anymore. I love Apri, and it's affordable. Just what I need in this economic clash."

• Ick...
• January 23, 2019

For Birth Control "DO NOT TAKE. The hormonal rage, hot flashes, weight gain, mood swings, night sweats, insomnia, THAT'S JUST TO NAME A FEW side effects. We won’t even address the hemorrhoids, breast pain, vision problems. I’d rather be pregnant."

• Kri...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been on Isibloom since 2010. I don’t have a period, so I have no cramps or bloating. There were no side effects such as mood swings or weight gain for me personally. This is the best birth control."

• Sup...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 17, 2018

For Birth Control "Haven’t gotten pregnant on this, and my period is pretty light. It lasts about 5 days. My face is also pretty clear, except for random chin breakouts. However, I am SO moody/ sporadically depressed, have gained 15 lbs, and have a severely decreased sex drive. I kept thinking something was wrong with me because I’ve always been very easy-going/positive, but I’m beginning to think it’s this pill. Beware!"

• pic...
• October 14, 2015

For Birth Control "Holy no. I do NOT recommend this birth control medication. I've been on it for three months now, and I've experienced: bloating, breakthrough bleeding (heavy), headaches, moodiness (anger), crying, increase of Tourette's tics, anxiety, 7/10 lower back pain, weight gain, increase in desire for all things sugar :( And the blister pack itself is terrible! I've never had such a difficult pack to use. I wouldn't recommend this medication whatsoever."