Desogestrel / ethinyl estradiol and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 2)

• JSa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2020

For Birth Control "STAY AWAY! I’ve been on Enskyce for two months and have decided to call it quits. I have had three full periods while on active pills per my IVF doctor. Spotting if I’m not actively bleeding, migraines every day that I cannot get control of, and major mood swings, mostly the urge to cry. I’ve also experienced weight gain and cystic acne. I don’t know what I’ll be on next, but I’ll never take Enskyce again. It has controlled my everyday life."

• Pof...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 8, 2014

For Birth Control "My sister switched to this birth control after I had such a success with it. I haven't noticed any weight gain, in fact, I have successfully lost weight on it after making some dietary changes. I get more emotional than usual the first day back on it after taking the 4th week off. Besides that, no complaints. So glad to find a birth control that works for me without any crazy side effects. Been over 2 years on it now. LOVE it."

• Anonymous
• June 30, 2010

For Birth Control "Been taking Apri for about 2 1/2 months, and I've gained about 10 lbs. My sex drive is extremely low, and I'm really moody for no apparent reason. It's really interfering with my relationship. I also have been having chest pains, and I feel a heaviness in my chest when I wake up. When my period came on after the first month, I had really bad cramps. The only reason I gave it a 3 is because I have an irregular period, and it came on time while taking Apri."

• 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!"

• Lau...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 22, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Apri for about 4 years now. For the first 3 months or so, the mood swings and agitation were almost too much for me to be around some people. I did feel as though I gained some water weight, and my boobs went from a B to a D over the course of that time. My acne got a little worse before it got better. Now, with being on it for so long, I think it’s great for me. My skin is incredibly clear, I have control over my weight (at least it seems), and I can skip my periods with no issue. I do have some lingering anxiety and get agitated a little easily sometimes, but it very well may be due to just me as a person in general. Once I go off it later in life, I'm interested to see how the anxiety does. Overall, I really really like this and will continue to stay on it for a while. It’s great once your body gets used to it, but everyone’s different."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• April 19, 2010

For Birth Control "First time on birth control and was nervous that I'd have the horrible side effects that I've heard about online and through friends. Went on Apri and have never had ANY side effects (nausea, weight gain, etc.). I think that the horror stories you hear are the exception, not the rule. My Dr. said that she's prescribed Apri for first-time birth control users for years and has never had any complaints about it. Got it for $15/month at first and am now paying $25 through Wal-Mart. Other than the disappointment in price increase, I think that I will be taking Apri for a long time."

• Mmi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2019

For Birth Control "Let me tell you... this Apri birth control pill has been something terrible. I was put on it because my hormones were messed up bad, and sometimes I had a period that wouldn’t stop for a month, then I didn’t have a period for like 3 months. So my OB-GYN put me on Apri. I also have PCOS. Anyway, I have terrible headaches, my sight has gotten terrible, made my anxiety worse, no sex drive at all, and the worst thing, I gained 40 pounds in like 6 months. This pill is straight the worst thing ever!"

• myp...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 19, 2018

For Birth Control "As a few have said, I started out on Reclipsen and got switched to Enskyce. I will give it props in the fact that it doesn't make me feel sick to my stomach at all. I was on one where I would vomit every day. However, I've noticed I'm more sensitive and prone to cry, which I'm not a cryer. I've also gained a good amount of weight while not changing my eating habits, and I just feel bloated and like I have inflammation everywhere. Another thing is I've noticed my hair feeling thinner. Ugh... if they have the same amount of hormones in the pill, why do they act differently?!? grrrrr!"

• Anonymous
• October 29, 2011

For Birth Control "My doctor suggested Kariva to me because I was previously on Ortho Tri-Cyclen (which made me extremely moody/emotional) and more recently Lo-Estrin (which gave me no sex drive whatsoever and made me completely emotionless). I was anxious to find a happy medium after going from one extreme to the other. I've been on Kariva for three months now. I've never been one to have any type of headaches of any kind, and after being on Kariva I experience headaches multiple times a day. I'm extremely tired all the time and I've gained weight in my breasts (I'm naturally a D and I've gone up to a large DD). No sex drive, extreme mood swings, acne, and increased appetite. I can't wait to get off this pill. Look for other options before taking Kariva."

• Anonymous
• October 6, 2011

For Birth Control "I have been taking Kariva for about 8 months, and so far I love it. My skin has cleared up, I have less cramps and far less moodiness before my period. Also, my periods are usually only about 3 days long when they used to be almost a week. I love this birth control! Also, I haven't gotten pregnant yet, which is a huge plus. The only negative is I have gained about 15 pounds since starting Kariva (much of which went straight to my breasts). This weight gain could, however, be from the stress of college and a new boyfriend. Also, the first month I took the pill, I would get incredibly nauseous every day around 8 or 9 pm, but thankfully that subsided. Occasionally, I will get this way on the first pill of a new pack, but it is bearable. Overall, love it."

• Mto...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 24, 2018

For Birth Control "So I have been on this pill for about 6 months now. I’ve gained 15-20 lbs, I’m bloated 3 weeks out of every month, and the week before and the week of my period I’m hormonal as heck!!! It is effective for not getting pregnant, and I only bleed for a few days when I’m on my period, but not worth the weight gain and hormonal episodes, nope. Not for me."

• Lan...
• April 15, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been on Reclipsen for 3 months for terrible periods (I'm 15), and my acne isn't any better than it was before. My periods are just as heavy as before, and I've gained 17 pounds. It caused severe mood swings, anxiety attacks, weight gain, more acne, strange cravings, always hungry, and didn't help with the amount of blood or my cramps. The pros are it shortens my period to 6 days rather than 12-16 days, but I still bleed abnormally heavy to the anemic point. The weight gain is the worst."

• eol...
• January 8, 2020

For Birth Control "I've been taking Isibloom from Pill Club for almost 3 or 4 months now. I was very nervous about taking it because it was my first time taking birth control. And oh boy, did I change. I was angry all the time, always mad at something, felt like I was going to throw up all the time, my weight changed, I've gained almost 30-40 pounds (maybe that's because I live with my boyfriend lol), my acne was doing okay, but the changes in my period were great! My flow isn't as heavy, the first day it's light, but the second day it's heavy! The cramps are the worst on the first day, but after that, no cramps! My period lasts up to roughly 2-4 days, depends if Mother Nature wants to be nice. ALSO, this is coming from a girl that has sex almost every day or every other day, AND I'm not pregnant. AND we don't use a condom either. I would say this birth control is effective, but it just depends on who you are. And we all are entitled to our opinions. And taking the pill is worth all the struggles! Xoxox"

• wel...
• December 16, 2020

For Birth Control "I used Isibloom for 3 years. I initially got prescribed it at age 16 for hormonal cystic acne, and it immediately perfected my skin. I have not had cystic acne since, and I rarely get pimples. It was great at lightening and regulating my periods to the Wednesday of the placebo week. I did gain weight, but I believe this is not due to the medication and more so to just my body changing for the better over time (I was really skinny, 120 lbs, 5’8 when I started it). The reason I went off it was that I have anxiety, and remembering to take a pill every day was not good for my mental health. My body also did not respond well to the sudden decrease in hormones during the placebo week (I would become very depressed, bloated, and increased anxiety). But again, I did have an anxiety disorder prior to starting this. I switched to Nexplanon, and so far, it has been a lot better for me. But Isibloom is an AMAZING birth control for someone who is alright with taking a pill every day to prevent pregnancy."

• use...
• February 2, 2010

For Birth Control "I love Apri. I tried another birth control, and it made me so depressed, but on Apri, I feel just fine. The only problem is that in 18 months on the pill, I have gained about 20 pounds, with very little change in my diet and exercise. It is SO HARD to lose weight on Apri."

• Lov...
• March 1, 2018

For Birth Control "I used to be all organic for 28 years. I started this birth control and now I’ve been on it for almost a year. I gained an insane amount of weight, 15-20 lbs total. I would have a ravenous appetite, be moody and depressed. Crazy amounts of anxiety and overall unhappiness. I would always be so energized, and this made me lazy and sad. I would have really scary thoughts, losing my self-confidence. The worst part of this drug was finding bald spots in my hair. I have thick, healthy, really long hair, and I felt so sad and heartbroken to find bald spots. I was devastated and decided then and there to stop it. I never want to be on birth control again. I am really scared to ever try this again, I will be using condoms instead. I will highly recommend that no one try this drug, it is unhealthy, and the side effects are just traumatizing. I don’t think this type of drug should be approved by the FDA because of the amount of negative side effects it has on women."

• run...
• November 17, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been taking Viorele for a little over two years. I started out with a prescription for Kariva, but CVS gave me the generic version, which is Viorele. I was really impressed at first because my face was very clear and my horrible cramps and backaches from my period went away. After a few months, I gained 20 pounds and 2 cup sizes and became very depressed and anxious. I did not know that Viorele was the cause of this until I went to my doctor. I just switched to a different birth control, and I am waiting to see if there is a difference. Overall, this was great for acne and cramping, but the depression and weight gain were not worth it."

• Pon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 28, 2015

For Birth Control "The birth control is definitely doing its job at making sure I don't get pregnant, so that's why I gave it some stars. However, I have been experiencing bad hair loss and lifeless hair, which I have narrowed down to this pill, and have noticed other women mention the same thing. I also get motion sickness in vehicles if I am not driving. I have gained 10 pounds since getting on this medication, and my diet and exercise regimen has not changed. My skin was clear to begin with, and I did not end up getting acne from Reclipsen, except for a few pimples right before my period. My periods are average. My PMS seems worse than it used to be. I will be making an appointment to switch my birth control. I hope this helps someone."

• hom...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 30, 2015

For Birth Control "I hated this birth control. It worked, as in it prevented pregnancy and it regulated my periods, but the side effects were so horrible that I had to stop taking it. While I was on this birth control, I gained an extra 15-20 pounds that I could not lose despite the hours in the gym and the healthy eating. I felt like I was going insane... hot flashes, extreme mood swings. The mood swings happened all of the time, not just during my period. It didn't help alleviate cramps or anything. I will never, ever, ever take this again."

• AAP...
• April 19, 2018

For Birth Control "First few weeks, I was bloated, had extreme cravings, breasts were sore and still are. I went up 3 cup sizes and gained about 5-10 lbs. The only consistent issue I’ve had is nausea, but it’s subsiding. I started Cyred about 7 months ago, took it for 3 months straight with NO SIDE EFFECTS, and then I skipped about 3 months and went back on it, which could be why I’m now experiencing these side effects. Since I started Cyred the second time, I’ve only completed one month's worth. I notice a change in texture in my skin, though not large breakouts (I don’t have acne ever). I’ve tried 4 different BC, including this one, one also including the depo shot, which I DO NOT recommend. But so far, this OC is the only one that my body has adjusted to the weight gain, and I’m starting to gain in more “flattering” places. I’m confident my experience with Cyred will get better as my body gets used to it. Nothing too severe as far as side effects."

• Ame...
• November 21, 2016

For Birth Control "My doc prescribed this for endometriosis. I've tried other BC pills, and right away they either made me depressed, nauseated, made my period last for weeks, gained weight, breasts ballooned up and were painful, cramps every day, acne, pretty much every awful side effect you can think of. But thankfully NOT on this pill. There have been zero side effects. Maybe for the first week I experienced mood swings at the same time at night when I took the pill, but it didn't last if that was related to it. I only gave it 9 out of 10 because I've just started the second month, and I'm keeping an open mind in case things were to change. But I'm so thrilled with it so far, and I hope it holds up!"

• Lov...
• May 14, 2013

For Birth Control "My experience with Apri has been great. I have been on it for about 5 years now. I do not get any of the side effects - no headaches, mood swings, weight gain, etc. I was recommended by 2 doctors to take 4 x 21 packs of Apri in a row, totaling 3 months of birth control, then stopping for a week to get my period. So this means that you only get your periods 4 times a year. This causes no health risks at all (unless you take it longer than 3 months in a row), and I have been doing this for 3 years with no side effects at all. I have spoken to 4 doctors about this, and none of them disagreed with this method. I was told to try it, and if it worked for me, to definitely keep doing it. *May not be for everyone, so please consult your doctor first*."

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 25, 2014

For Birth Control "Reclipsen pros: prevents pregnancy, clear skin, regular cycles. Cons: weight gain, extreme mood swings, longer periods, depression, nausea, increased appetite, frequent yeast infection/bacterial vaginitis combination. I will find a better match for me. I was taking Reclipsen for about 1 year, then stopped taking it, and all my cons went away. I lost 15 pounds with no change in activity, and my yeast infections and mood swings stopped."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2018

For Birth Control "I was switched from Junel to Apri because of breakthrough bleeding. While that has been fixed, Apri has some pretty serious negative side effects for me. My mood is completely unstable and swings terribly, and my anxiety is uncontrollable. Sex drive is basically nonexistent. Other than that, no weight gain, acne, lighter periods, and less painful cramping (my cramps were unbearable before)."