Viorele and Cramps: What Users Say

• Nik...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 31, 2017

For Birth Control "I really don't understand the negativity this birth control has. I started this in July 2016 and have had pretty much a standard experience in terms of taking BC. This isn't the first BC I've been on, but it's definitely the best. I suffer from PMDD, so this BC is a life-saver. No longer am I on the floor in crippling pain, unable to move and/or walk. My periods are a lot lighter, as are the cramps, back, and breast aches associated with it. I don't understand 'this birth control made me gain weight!' It's been proven that birth control isn't the cause of weight gain. I'm still the size I've always been. I did, however, gain two cup sizes, but shopping for cute bras is okay with me. It does its job; unprotected sex with the fiancé and not preggo."

• kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 7, 2018

For Birth Control "I want to share a positive experience on Viorele. I've had a really difficult time finding a birth control that works for me. On other pills, I spot if I take my pill even hours late. I've had full week-long heavy periods on other pills. With the arm implant, I spotted for two months straight. With Viorele, I have some cramping right before my period, but just one day, and Advil helps. And then my period is three days long and so light! I missed a pill just last week and no spotting, which is huge for me. It's all about finding what works for you, so I wanted to share my success story on it."

• 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!"

• duc...
• November 21, 2013

For Birth Control "Horrible starting with the very first pill: severe cramping, migraine, loose bowels, tiredness, confusion, nausea. Had to stop after taking only three pills. Been on the pill off and on since the age of 19. I'm now 43, and this is the absolute worst experience I've had with a birth control pill."

• Hol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2020

For Birth Control "On Viorele, I had horrible anxiety and depression after only taking it for a couple of days. It’s been a little over a week now, and it’s already caused me anxiety attacks and problems in my relationships and abdominal cramps. It made me dizzy and feel out of it too. After 9 days, I’m already done, I can’t continue to take it."

• unh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2019

For Birth Control "I have only been on this birth control for two weeks, and within the first day, I began experiencing cramps. I switched from my previous BC (Junel Fe) because I get very painful menstrual cramps, and Junel Fe was not getting rid of them. My OBGYN recommended Viorele to fix my cramps. I cannot even wait to find out if my period will be better because of the awful side effects I have been experiencing. I have the worst acne to the point where I couldn't look at myself in the mirror without crying, random cramping, back pains, and awful mood swings. I have already emailed my OBGYN to switch back to my previous BC, where I had no side effects. I will just suck up my cramps and take Midol and some Aleve. Do not recommend."

• Not...
• October 21, 2018

For Birth Control "I was having extremely heavy, painful periods about 2-3 weeks apart, so my doctor decided we should try a pill. I had stopped bleeding, and on day 3 of Viorele, I started bleeding again, and I’ve bled through the entire pack! I have had cramps, migraines, low sex drive, and I’m extremely irritable. This is not normal for me! I do not recommend this one!"

• Mar...
• February 6, 2015

For Birth Control "Tried lots of different pills after the one I was on was discontinued, and nothing worked for me, so I stopped trying for about 3 years. When my doctor suggested the pill for acne, I said, sure, why not. This pill is one of the few I don't have spotting or crazy 3-week periods with. The only downside is that I find my cramps are 10x worse, and I have gained some weight, I've especially seen that my breasts have grown. My acne has been a lot better, and my periods are more normal, although they do last a bit longer, my mood has also been consistent. Overall, I have had a good experience and am happy to have normal, predictable periods."

• Evi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2019

For Birth Control "I liked the pill because it prevented me from getting pregnant, but I had no sex drive! Horrible, it was causing a lot of issues with my marriage. I had very strong cramps, and my periods lasted 5 days. I stopped taking it because I honestly felt dead down there."

• ELC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2021

For Birth Control "I loved Viorele. I switched to it after having bad side effects with 2 other pills that were 30 mg of estrogen. Viorele is amazing because I feel absolutely nothing, no nausea, have lost weight since I began taking it, no cramps, although I have been breaking out some, but it could also be due to wearing a mask. 10/10 recommend if you are coming out of a higher estrogen pill."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 29, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill for probably about 4-5 years. My experience has been overall pretty pleasant. I never noticed it affecting my mood or behavior, and I have never felt depressed due to the pill. I also never gained any weight or experienced acne. My periods last about 4 days, previously, before using the pill, they lasted much longer. I usually experience cramps and bloating the day before and the day I get my period. My cramps have always been pretty bad even before I began using birth control, so I don't think it is caused by the pill. I do recommend this pill for people who are looking to use it as a form of birth control and a way to regulate the menstrual cycle. Unfortunately, I must switch pills due to insurance coverage."

• Bar...
• October 5, 2017

For Birth Control "My daughter was switched from Azurette (no side effects) to Viorelle, by the pharmacy. She's miserable. Periods are still unstable, the breakouts have stopped, but that's the only plus! Her periods last forever, she's always exhausted, looks like a zombie half the time, got sick with a cough and took a month to kick it, has no energy, no strength, gaining weight, horrible headaches and period cramps. After reading the other problems ladies have had with this pill, she will be stopping it! Thanks, ladies, for coming on here to tell your stories!"

• San...
• November 3, 2020

For Birth Control "Do not take this Viorele birth control pill! My pharmacist gave me this instead of Kariva, and it made my period go from 3 days to 7 days, horrible cramps, made me super angry with my boyfriend, low sex drive, made me cry, and makes me nauseous. This is terrible. I had taken this before I took Kariva and didn’t realize that birth control is not supposed to make you feel this crazy!"

• ary...
• December 6, 2017

For Birth Control "I was switched from Azurette to Viorele by my pharmacy. Took Viorele for almost 3 months because I got 3 packs at a time. It gave me frequent headaches that I didn't experience on the Azurette even though they are supposed to be the same. The biggest issue is I thought I had a UTI because it made me have to pee all the time. I had no other changes in my life except the pill, so after going to the doctor and getting checked for UTI and it being negative, I have switched back. My boobs were always sore, but it made them look bigger, so I didn't mind too much. If you have already big boobs, though, this might be a problem. Skin looks great on both pills. Period is light, but cramps can be horrible sometimes."

• Hal...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 11, 2022

For Birth Control "I went on Viorele to help with heavy and painful periods, and it helped very minimally. It made my periods much lighter, but they would last a week instead of my usual 4-5 days. It sometimes made the cramping worse, or it didn’t help at all. I liked taking it because it made my hair less greasy and my body hair grow less— I’m not sure if I am making this up, but when I stopped taking it, my hair was so greasy, and my leg hair grew like crazy. My acne went away almost completely. My cup size went from a B to a C. But my sex drive definitely declined. So, in the end, it didn’t really help, but that was on a very low dosage."

• kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2021

For Birth Control "Do yourself a favor and avoid this one. I’ve tried about 10 different pills over the last 6 years, and this was by far the worst. While this helped my skin and helped me lose a little weight, I was on my period for 3 out of the 4 weeks for four months, with heavy bleeding the entire time. My doctor was hoping my body would adjust, but it never did. I also had excruciating cramps and some of the worst migraines of my life about once a month on this. I’ve heard the other generics of Mircette, such as Karina and Azurette, are much better, ask your doctor about them before you try this."

• abb...
• February 12, 2021

For Birth Control "This was the first birth control I tried and have been on it for the past two years. I have had no side effects besides a lowered sex drive. It shorted my period and lightened them as well! I have never experienced cramps before, but when I first went on it, I got the worst cramps ever, but that was only for a month and it went back to normal! This also did help me with acne after Accutane, and I did lose weight! I would recommend this to anyone, but everyone's body is different! The only thing that sucks is that it does lower your sex drive by a lot, but if you are not looking for that, then I suggest trying this pill out."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 10, 2022

For Birth Control "It hasn’t even been a full month I’ve been on Viorele, I gained 5 lbs, breasts went up like 2 sizes, and cramped the whole month. Everyone has a different experience, but I stopped taking it today. It had me feeling like a pregnant woman."