Safyral and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Lan...
• July 20, 2011

For Birth Control "I started taking this birth control a while back and then stopped after I completed one cycle. I did have a little weight gain because of the carbohydrate cravings. Breast tenderness and bloating were also a factor. Those were my negatives. The positives for me were age-related. I am over 35 and a non-smoker. Therefore, the extra vitamin B and folic acid supplements are excellent. I did stop taking them after the first trial because of the food cravings. After a few months, I decided to try them again. I am on a weight loss plan and have lost weight. I wasn't significantly overweight from the beginning, but needed to drop about fifteen pounds. I reached my goal. My only real concern at this point is will I have the cravings."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2013

For Birth Control "I've been on Safyral for about 6 months now. When my doctor first put me on this pill, I really liked it. It was my first time going on birth control, so I was nervous about all the weight gain rumors. But it was fine, I didn't gain any weight. I actually lost weight, and my breasts got bigger. My skin cleared up, it has been a great contraceptive so far, but it made me so emotional. Maybe 2 or 3 months in, I just got so depressed. Randomly, I would just get so sad and not even know why. I cried all the time, I had a short fuse. The littlest things would just upset me, and I've never been like that, so I'm switching. Everyone is different, though, and besides the emotions, it was a great birth control."

• Koj...
• May 2, 2013

For Birth Control "Been on Safyral for 6 weeks. I have no complaints. I've never been on birth control but had to go on it due to bleeding for 2 months straight, really heavily. My bleeding stopped, I've not had any mood changes, weight gain, acne, or anything. It's regulated my periods, and now I'm back to normal. It's been a great first experience with birth control."

• Bet...
• September 21, 2014

For Birth Control "I was concerned about starting Safyral after reading some of the reviews here, but have been pleasantly surprised by how easy my transition onto it has been. I was not on any contraceptive previously, and when I started my Safyral regimen my only side effect was very light spotting for the first month. Not only did I escape mood swings, weight gain, acne, nausea, etc., but my usual menstrual symptoms (bloating, cramps, breakouts) have become almost nonexistent. I am not yet sexually active, so I can't speak to Safyral's effectiveness as a contraceptive, but I've been very happy with it in the meantime."

• Ang...
• March 24, 2015

For Birth Control "I just finished a package of Safyral yesterday, and so far I've had no weight gain, my acne has cleared up some, and my period came when it was supposed to. However, I have had spotting all through the first month, which the doctor said was normal, so I have no complaints other than one really big one. While being on this pill, I have had serious depression. I'm always moody, crying, and sad. I am so sad that I have no appetite, no desire to go out, I'm never happy. In fact, I get raging angry sometimes, and I cannot control any of this. I am hoping that this side effect goes away soon."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2012

For Birth Control "I haven't been on this pill for very long, but my doctor gave me some free samples because I was having breakthrough bleeding with LoEstrin. So far, my main complaint is nausea. I have never felt so consistently sick in my life - not even with the flu! I'll post again when I've been on it longer about weight gain, mood swings, cramps, etc."

• not...
• March 11, 2014

For Birth Control "I was put on Safyral two months ago after being on Camrese due to breakthrough bleeding. Safyral definitely took care of that issue, but it came with several others. I now have very painful cramps just before and on my period. My periods last 7 days and are very heavy (which is normal for me off of birth control), and I'm constantly bloated. I also get headaches more than usual and have gained about 4 lbs and cannot lose weight at all. Going tomorrow to hopefully switch to a lower dose again."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2020

For Birth Control "I was put on Safyral in 2010 and took it for about 4 months. The nausea was the main reason I came off of it. I always felt terrible, and I gained a lot of weight fast. My period never came back after I came off the pills. I was still able to get pregnant twice, still no periods. Just this year (2020), I had my first period in almost 10 years! I have had hormone tests, Pap smears, everything, and they all have said that there's nothing abnormal. But it's weird that I had a normal period like clockwork before I started that birth control and the almost 10 years of nothing. By the way, I am now 28 years old, so I'm nowhere near menopause. I do not have PCOS or any other hormonal issues. The only thing doctors can think of is possibly this birth control did something."

• Kar...
• July 28, 2013

For Birth Control "I had a pretty good experience with Safyral while I was on it. It helped regulate my cycle to be much more predictable and on time, and helped with my often severe leg cramps. I didn't experience any weight gain, and though I was sometimes moody, it wasn't anything outside of normal PMS. It did what it was supposed to do, I suppose. However, my problems were when I had to go off Safyral. My insurance stopped covering it, and at first, my OB/GYN didn't have any samples for me, so I had to stop taking it for a while. This is when I started to gain weight and had some crazy mood swings. I felt kind of depressed at times, cried often at work (which is unlike me), and just felt over-emotional."

• Anonymous
• August 9, 2011

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill for five months now, going on 6. I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for years, almost 10, then my body started to reject it. But I loved it. Perfectly timed periods and no side effects whatsoever. My doctor switched me to Natazia. Terrible. I had terrible acne and ridiculous bloating and weight gain all in my stomach area. I work out regularly and eat healthy. My only vice is alcohol. So after three months on that pill, I was switched to Safyral. I get very bloated one week before my period. My period is very heavy. I get bad cramps, although this month they seem to have subsided, as today is the first of my placebo pills and no cramps this month. But I am very bloated. Acne minimum."

• 113...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 27, 2016

For Birth Control "I started this pill about a year ago. I was on a couple of other birth control pills before. This pill made me gain a bunch of weight, frequent breast pain, and horrible cramps. My emotions are always out of control. I eat healthy and work out at least three days a week and shouldn't be gaining all of this weight. The bloating when on my period has gotten dramatically worse. I would recommend not taking this pill. I am in the process of getting a different pill."

• Anonymous
• March 18, 2012

For Birth Control "I have been on Safyral for two months, no babies. I used to have heavy periods, but they are lighter now. But I did gain weight, breasts got bigger and very tender. My skin is very broken out, I have a lot of headaches and nausea."

• Jam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2015

For Birth Control "So I'm barely on my first pack of this, but I'm a little worried. I've been on probably five different birth controls: Sprintec, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, Lomedia 24 L, Amethyst, etc., etc. With those, I would eventually have breakthrough bleeding that wouldn't stop, so I kept switching. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo was awful, I broke out so bad. So my doctor suggested a higher hormone dosage since I kept having breakthrough bleeding. Since I've started this, my stomach hurts a lot, kind of like cramps. I have headaches, my breasts have gotten a lot bigger, and they hurt to barely be touched. I also seem to have gained weight, obviously with my breasts being bigger. I'm scared kind of, but I read to give it a few months, and hopefully, it goes away. No bleeding though."