Viorele and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say

• BRa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 25, 2018

For Birth Control "I started taking this birth control in the fall of 2016 and was fine the first few months. By early 2017, I started to develop anxiety for the first time in my life at age 23. Throughout 2017, my sex drive noticeably decreased to the point of nonexistence, and my anxiety worsened to the point where I was having panic attacks multiple times a week. I decided to stop taking my BC in December 2017, but now, two months later, I’m still dealing with health-related anxiety, which I’m hoping lessens soon (panic attacks usually when I’m alone for no reason, heart palpitations, mood swings). This may not be the effect on everyone, but I wanted to post this to ensure others that if you’re feeling similar symptoms, you’re not alone."

• Kat...
• November 12, 2017

For Birth Control "This drug is the absolute worst. Severe mood swings, depression, anxiety, constant gastrointestinal issues, zero sex drive, and the list goes on. Initially, I thought there was something wrong with me, but then realized that my timeline of severe symptoms matched the timeframe of being on this awful pill. I stopped taking it about two months ago and haven’t turned back. Knowing how extreme the depression is, I encourage everyone to talk openly about these side effects and encourage anyone who is on this pill and is feeling a little off to make the switch to something else immediately."

• Gig...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 17, 2016

For Birth Control "So, I took this birth control for 3 years. Did its job in terms of preventing pregnancy, but at a horrible cost. I gained over 30 lbs, had terrible nausea, mood swings, anxiety, depression, headaches, almost no libido, you name it. It wasn't until I got off the pill completely to give myself a break from the constant stream of hormones that is birth control that I realized all of the issues I was experiencing were all the pill, not me. After 2 months off of the pill, all of the aforementioned issues have disappeared. Consumer beware. Not worth it. When I do decide to go back on birth control, it will not be Viorele."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 1, 2023

For Birth Control "I have been using this birth control for almost 4 years now because of my heavy periods and painful cramping. It has done its job as far as pregnancy prevention, and I no longer have heavy or painful periods. However, my mood is always off, and my sex drive has really plummeted, this is not like me at all. I’ve also noticed I often get yeast infections and am always extremely tired. I will be discontinuing this birth control and all others permanently."

• 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!"

• hal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2017

For Birth Control "This is the worst birth control I've ever taken. I have been on it for a few months now, and it's making me miserable. Depression, constant aches and pains, bloating, decrease in sex drive, and yeast infections are most of my symptoms. Do not take this. I am going to quit taking birth control altogether if I cannot replace this one because I would rather have awful periods than deal with all of these side effects."

• Anonymous
• April 18, 2018

For Birth Control "I’m beginning to think the cause of my low sex drive, depression and anxiety, and skin rash is due to this birth control. I always thought it was just me, but after reading similar reviews, I don’t think it’s just me."

• RTN...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 8, 2018

For Birth Control "A lot of these comments on here are negative and complaining about the pill when only using it for a few weeks or so. It takes ages to get your body regulated with the pill and normal. I have been on this pill for 6 1/2 years, nonstop. I get some mood swings around my period time, but that’s normal. The only thing I’d complain about is my sex drive is at an all-time low, but my acne and period are so much better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2019

For Birth Control "Was switched to this Viorele from Azurette, and it’s the worst. Horrible mood swings, fatigue, depression, and low sex drive. The only good thing is no acne, but I’m only 20 and shouldn’t be tired all the time. I noticed this about a month after taking these and would rather stay off of them rather than put myself through that again."

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 24, 2020

For Birth Control "Viorele was the first birth control I tried. I started it in Feb 2020, and I just switched over to Sprintec to give that one a whirl. Every single body is different, so it is so hard for you to base an opinion on what has happened to me. I hate birth control for this exact reason. It is so, so hard to find one that works for your body. Trial and error. But my sex drive is low. I work out hard 5 days a week, the bare minimum of calories I burn a day is 800, and I cannot lose a single pound on this stuff, it is so frustrating! And I have also noticed that I am very tired, and my temper is very short with my husband. I hate that birth control works differently literally on everyone, so don't let this one post stop you from trying what might be the best BC for you! You have to try for yourself. The whole reason I started with this BC was because of how good the reviews were. I need to stay off of the reviews and trust what the doctor says."

• Anonymous
• March 31, 2016

For Birth Control "I took this pill for a year and a half before I decided enough was enough. It cleared my face up, and I did not experience tremendous weight gain, but I lost my sex drive and became extremely moody and depressed. I was crying over everything, I was always irritated and angry at my boyfriend, and on top of that, I never wanted him to touch me. I stopped taking the pill about three weeks ago, and I cannot begin to explain the difference that I already feel. I finally feel like my bubbly, lovable self again, and it feels great."

• Lon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2018

For Birth Control "I have been taking this BC for almost 4 months now, and it's been amazing for me. I see a lot of negativity, but everyone is different. I had been previously on several different BC pills, plus before on the Depo shot, and with all the others, I had so many issues: breakthrough bleeding, acne, depression, anxiety, loss of energy, libido, and focus, foggy type feeling. On the last birth control I took, I had severe bleeding for 3 weeks, which caused me to almost pass out several times. As soon as I finished the first pack of Viorele, my symptoms cleared up. I haven't had any issues with this pill except a little acne and gaining some cup size, but I actually lost weight with this pill, which is amazing because with all the others it was impossible. I started taking BC after I had my son and was having 3-month-long periods. This BC has regulated my periods so much, and I have increased energy, focus, and libido."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2020

For Birth Control "I recently changed from Kariva to Viorele. In just three weeks, I have been constantly urinating. I got tested twice for UTI, and both came out negative. I am nauseous from this medicine and the lack of sex drive and anxiety I already feel. For the people saying that Kariva and Viorele have the same effect, as the active ingredients may be the same, the inactive ingredients are not, and it is affecting me quite differently. You can easily research the difference for more information."

• 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!"

• Kan...
• July 12, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Viorele for maybe two years now. Everything seemed to be fine up until the last year. My sex drive has been incredibly low, and I’ve been getting re-occurring problems down there, whether it’s BV or yeast infections, I never know. I’ve been with the same partner for almost two years, and I properly take care of my lady parts, however, I keep getting extremely irritated down there. I don’t know if this has any correlation with the pill, but despite taking antibiotics for BV, I remain having issues. I noticed this past year my sex drive plummeted. I mean, I never have the desire anymore. I am very much attracted to my partner, but no matter what, unless I’m intoxicated, I am not in the mood. Besides these two negative potential effects, I have had no other issues that I know of."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2017

For Birth Control "I was switched to Viorele from Azurette about 3-4 months ago. Azurette was amazing. Light periods, no cramps, no acne, no mood swings, no weight gain, and did not mess with my libido whatsoever. It worked with my body perfectly. Since I've been put on Viorele, I've had the WORST mood swings and bad depression. My boyfriend has even noticed that I never want to do anything anymore and am on the verge of crying/having anger episodes. I have not been myself since I've been on Viorele. I was on my period for literally the first 2 months of taking it. I also have had NO sex drive, which is also affecting my relationship. I know different medications affect differently to each person, but I wanted to share mine with this medication."

• 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."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on Viorele for the past 4 months, and within that time, I have gained between 15-20 lbs. I have severe bouts of depression and anxiety, I have chronic migraines that have intensified in pain and occurrence, and the lowest libido I've ever experienced in my sexual history. Thank goodness my boyfriend is the amazing man he is, because I would have left me due to the irritability alone! The only plus about this pill for me is the regulation of my cycle, the clear skin, and the fact that I'm not pregnant. I have set an appointment to get back on the IUD."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 26, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve only been on Viorele for a few months. I would recommend this brand only for period regulation. Other than that, NOTHING ELSE! When taking this birth control, I have been nothing but tired, had loss of appetite, moody, and have had the lowest sex drive EVER! Most importantly, if you have a history of depression (DO NOT TAKE). I’m going to be done with my last pack starting tomorrow. I will also be contacting my doctor for other BC methods, or I might try some natural remedies to jump-start my period. But just keep in mind, at the beginning of your period, when using this BC, your emotional and mental health will be AT AN ALL TIME HIGH! Good luck."

• Kta...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 15, 2019

For Birth Control "This Viorele brand was my knight in shining armor. The brand I was on previous to it made me so depressed. I was emotional and sad for literally no reason, so I switched to this brand. This brand is effective for me as a contraceptive, which is why I need it, and it regulates my periods. I get my period for 4-5 days, and it always started in the morning. The only issue I have is that it makes me nauseous. I’ve been on this pill for 1 1/2 years, and I still get nauseous from it. I got nauseous from the other brands I’ve been on, so I think I just have to get used to it, but this brand didn’t make me crazy hormonal, so it was the best option. My sex drive is non-existent, though. So that’s a bummer. Nausea and sex drive are the only difficulties I deal with."

• Eba...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm anemic and have heavy periods, so my doc suggested these would help me get my blood iron levels back up by lightening my periods. This is my second month, and it sure has done that. I've been having trouble going to bed, but when I'm out, I'm out, and I feel rested when I wake up. Maybe I have more energy from not almost bleeding to death this month. It has lowered my sex drive for sure. But I'm not complaining because I lack self-control, and my husband can take a break."

• Ell...
• December 3, 2019

For Birth Control "This pill served its function, it helped my acne, periods, and, of course, prevented pregnancy. I was on this pill for over a year, and my sex drive was nonexistent. It got to a point where it took a toll on my relationships, my depression, and self-esteem. Now that I've been off the pill for about six months, my libido is slowly coming back, but it's not like it used to be."

• Wen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 18, 2019

For Birth Control "This birth control saved me from acne and painful long periods. The only problem is that my sex drive is non-existent. I’m literally dead down there. I feel like a doll every time I have sex with my boyfriend because I can't stand him all over me, which it wasn’t a problem before. We’ve always been very active. Definitely quitting on this pill."

• Dla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 28, 2019

For Birth Control "In the time I’ve been taking this birth control pill, I’ve had a normal 3-4 day period. No acne and no noticeable weight gain. There were some negative side effects, I had a low sex drive and recently constant panic attacks. There were days when I would just be at home, and I started to cry for no reason, and I had no control over it. I would also get irritated easily, and there’d be days I just wouldn’t want to talk to my boyfriend, even though he didn’t do anything. Overall, it’s effective, but I will be switching to another brand because it seems to be affecting my relationship."

• Pro...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 27, 2022

For Birth Control "I’ve been taking Viorele for 4 years now (I’m 33 yrs old). Overall, I really like this pill. Before this pill, I used to take Lolo, and I went crazy with that pill (depression, suicidal thoughts, etc.). I’ve always been a very happy person, so I knew it was the pill making me crazy. Pros: When I switched to Viorele, depression went away almost right away, I started to lose weight at first, no mood swings, my periods regulated, and my skin is 10/10. Cons: zero sex drive, 1 year after starting to take it I yo-yoed and started gaining weight at a fast pace (30 lbs heavier), no kids, never been pregnant, even though I’ve been eating the same and I’m as active as I used to be. I am constantly bloated and sluggish. I’ve tried working out a little more, but it’s extra hard losing any weight at all. I decided to take a break from birth control to see my body’s natural full potential and to see if it’s the birth control or just age. I’ll keep you posted 3-4 months from now."