Ocella and Depression: What Users Say

• No...
• October 19, 2010

For Birth Control "24 yrs old, healthy. On Ocella 14 months. Take it same time each day. Periods lighter/shorter with less cramping. Cleared up moderate acne. Great birth control - still kid-free. Complaint is emotional side effects, which I noticed 6 months after starting Ocella. Super emotional for 1-2 weeks before my period (never had PMS symptoms before). The tiniest thing bothers me - very irrational and impatient. Feel like I've gone insane 2 weeks each month. Worst part is I *know* I'm being ridiculous, but can't pull myself out of it. Was on anti-depressants for 3 yrs, and this makes me feel like I'm getting depressed again each month. The only time I feel 'normal' is when I'm on my period. I want to switch to a pill that has a gradual hormone transition throughout the month."

• JMa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 12, 2018

For Birth Control "HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. Took it two times and was overcome by horrible irritability, depression, and ridiculous thoughts. I am a positive person, and this was AWFUL. As soon as I stopped taking it, my mood went back to normal. I felt as if Dementors (from the Harry Potter series) were sucking my soul. AVOID!"

• Jsz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 9, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been taking Ocella for about a year now. It has controlled my breakthrough bleeding, but the last few months I've been experiencing extreme mood swings, depression, anxiety, anger/rage... I don't know myself. Friends/family notice too. I am stopping this pill today. I have a call in to my OB. I feel like I'm going crazy!"

• MAa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 26, 2020

For Acne "I went on Ocella about a year ago (freshman year of college, 18) to help with my hormonal acne that I had been struggling with since I was 15. I immediately noticed that I felt a lot more depressed/moody, but I was also adjusting to college. Three months in, my acne was the worst it had ever been, but I decided to stick it out. Suddenly, around 4-5 months, it started to clear up, and my skin has been clear since! I also noticed some weight gain and water retention, but that went away over time. I have also developed some issues with anxiety that I never experienced before the pill, but cannot really say whether Ocella directly caused it or not."

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2018

For Acne "I took Sprintec years ago, which initially worsened my skin and caused severe depression. Since taking Ocella for almost 6 months, I’ve had great experiences. My skin is great, I barely have any cramps (before, I had extremely severe cramps and heavy flow), and my flow has lightened. I am really happy with this birth control."

• wyl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 1, 2018

For Birth Control "Every woman's body is different, so every person has different side effects. The worst side effects I ever had were from Nexplanon (severe depression, weight loss, anxiety, horrible acne, no sex drive), so I decided to switch back to the pill, and Ocella was free under my insurance. This is the best birth control method for my body! No depression, no heightened anxiety, cleared up my skin 100%, I gained my much-needed weight back, and I got my sex drive back! Unfortunately, you won't know how a birth control will affect you personally until you try it out, but this is my favorite one!"

• Ren...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Ocella when I was 16 for about three months. In those three months, I became severely depressed, I was uncontrollably angry and sad every day of my life, I gained 20 pounds, and I became a recluse. This might just be a unique experience for me, but please talk to your doctor before you have your mind set on this birth control. It barely helped with my cramps, which is the reason I was taking it. I don’t think, in my opinion, that it was worth it. It took two years for the effects to wear off."

• Ren...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Ocella when I was 16 for about three months. In those three months, I became severely depressed, I was uncontrollably angry and sad every day of my life, I gained 20 pounds, and I became a recluse. This might just be a unique experience for me, but please talk to your doctor before you have your mind set on this birth control. It barely helped with my cramps, which is the reason I was taking it. I don’t think, in my opinion, that it was worth it. It took two years for the effects to wear off."

• Ros...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2021

For Birth Control "If you have IBS or any issues at all with your stomach, I do not recommend this pill. Not only was I severely depressed, moody, and anxious more than I had ever been in my life, but I also had terrible bowel movements, stomach pain, and pelvic pain. I could not eat anything normally for 3 weeks, and I've been off the pill for about 2 months now, and my stomach is finally just now regulating. Everyone is different, but this pill was the worst mistake for me. (I was only on it for a month)"

• col...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 18, 2017

For Birth Control "I started taking this pill because everything else gave me cystic acne. At first, I loved this pill, besides the fact that it gave me terrible mood swings and no sex drive. I tolerated that part because it seemed like I was losing lbs and increasing my bra size, which I was happy about. But about a year into it, I started going through periods of what seemed like depression, lasting about 3 months at the longest. Two years into it, I'd gained about 10 lbs in 3 months (without any lifestyle change), and NOTHING I did would help me lose the weight. Finally, I decided to stop taking it 1 month ago, and I already lost 5 lbs, am 10 times happier, and my sex drive is back. Didn't get pregnant, but not worth the long-term side effects."

• cos...
• March 10, 2012

For Menstrual Disorders "I am 18, and I love Ocella. I feel like it's balanced me out. I used to feel depressed, moody, and irritable for the two weeks before my period, almost suicidal in the couple of days before it. Then my period would come full blast for the first two days, and I would be in so much pain that all I could do was scream. I couldn't work or go to school. I took a lot of pain medicine, so I was too high to function, and also could still feel occasional pain. Now, on Ocella, I felt the extreme pain for maybe an hour when my period starts, and then I'm able to take a normal amount of pain medicine and I'm fine to go to school. The mood swings before my period are very slight. I also use it as birth control. I do not feel a decrease in my sex drive."

• Moo...
• November 8, 2016

For Birth Control "Did what it was supposed to do, i.e., I didn't get pregnant and I was sexually active the whole time I was on it. Also, I don't believe I had a single zit for the whole year and a half I was on it. Nice! However, I experienced a lot of very annoying headaches while taking Ocella. They were stubborn too, wouldn't go away if I took an Aleve. Also, weight gain definitely happened. I went up 2 full cup sizes and 'filled out' in general. I would say about 8 lbs or so. (With little to no change in my diet/lifestyle.) Also, I feel that Ocella increased my anxiety and depression. It also affected my sex drive and level of lubrication. Everyone's body is different, hard to say if symptoms were from Ocella or unrelated."

• hnm...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 13, 2012

For Birth Control "Pros: Periods were lighter, cramps hardly existed, not pregnant. I got on the pill for these reasons. So, yes, it worked for that. In addition, I lost about 27 pounds. However, CONS: I was SUPER depressed, and that depression hit hard. I've always been a happy, outgoing person, but Ocella made me upset at random times, and now that I'm off it, my period is heavier than before and the cramps are worse. I've also gained weight since going off the pill. I'm 18, 5'7", 189 lbs. I would not recommend it. Of course, there was the noticeable decline in sex drive, but that didn't bother me much."

• Anonymous
• December 13, 2011

For Birth Control "Ocella was the first contraceptive birth control I tried, and I thought I was going crazy because of its side effects. As a generally happy and healthy woman, I was so confused and lost as to why I'd suddenly turned into someone that couldn't stand to get out of bed. I cried ALL THE TIME. It could be the tiniest of things that would elicit tears, but it was constant. I shut almost everyone but my boyfriend at the time out, and was so depressed I didn't even know what to do. This lasted 6 months before my mom forced me to stop it, of which I am very thankful. Ocella made me a different person, sure, it did its job in keeping me from getting pregnant, but the girl it made me into is not worth that protection."

• Anonymous
• July 11, 2010

For Birth Control "I switched to Ocella after taking Yaz for 3 months. I have PCOS as well. Ocella worked wonderfully in clearing my skin, and it gave me a 7-day period (instead of the constant flow). That was a relief. But, I had bad side effects that caused me to ask for a change in medication after 3 or 4 months of using it. I didn't realize they were connected to birth control at first, but now it's obvious with timing. I get debilitating migraine headaches during the first few days of the placebo week (from hormone drop), and the week before my period I have severe constipation, which affects my body image (I feel unattractive). It also has me very depressed a week before, too. And this last month, I started spotting 2 weeks in."

• Bee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 23, 2015

For Birth Control "Not a huge fan. I started taking Ocella about 9 months ago only as birth control. It was my first experience being on the pill. Good: NEVER GOT PREGNANT! Meh: I went up a full cup size (C to a D, but I already have a small frame, so I didn't celebrate). Bad: It gave me terrible nausea, headaches, and migraines. I started having awful mood swings and felt like I was always lashing out. Period didn't change, I still had an extremely heavy flow for at least a week with little to no spotting before or after and said goodbye to too many pairs of cute panties. Worst of all, it brought a horrible bout of depression that I'm still dealing with. I recently switched to another birth control with lower estrogen, so hopefully it goes better this time."

• Anonymous
• December 11, 2009

For Birth Control "I LOVE OCELLA! I was on a generic form of Seasonale and it was HORRIBLE. I had the worst depression/mood swings ever and breakthrough bleeding EVERYDAY. So I switched to Ocella and love it. Acne hasn't really cleared up and I do have some weight gain, but my eating habits aren't the best either, so I won't blame it on that. I don't like that the price went up, but I'm not going to switch because I feel so normal now and never want to experience anything like my first birth control. I definitely recommend Ocella!"

• tok...
• September 18, 2016

For Birth Control "I hate this pill, it's the second birth control I have been on, and I can't wait to switch. I have been on Ocella for 6 months, and all 6 months have been terrible. I've been gaining weight, which makes me extremely depressed, and I've had really bad mood swings. I am usually a calm, easygoing person, but ever since I have been on this pill, every little thing irritates me or makes me mad. My doctor also assured me this pill would make my period shorter and lighter... no... not at all. However, I have not gotten pregnant, so it works in that regard."

• Anonymous
• July 30, 2009

For Menstrual Disorders "I had so many bizarre symptoms! I had hot and cold flashes, night sweats, numbness and tingling in fingers and feet/calf that lasted weeks, difficulty concentrating, and I had mild depression symptoms (easy to cry, very emotional), irritable, etc.! Many premenopausal symptoms that were getting harder to live with. I was also diagnosed with an underactive thyroid that was adding to my symptoms. The first HRT (hormone replacement therapy) pill I was put on, I was allergic to one of the dyes in the third week of pills. This pill has improved my symptoms greatly, and I am interested in my husband once again. THANK YOU, Ocella, for making me feel better!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2022

For Birth Control "I was super scared to take birth control because of the side effects, and I’m glad I made the decision to hop off of it when I did. I was on Ocella for 5 days and had to stop because it completely changed who I am. I stopped going to the gym, had to skip classes, and almost lost vision in my left eye (it felt like there was a line of blurriness). Additionally, even though it was only 5 days, for my past two periods off of it, I have experienced the worst anxiety/depression I have ever felt in my life. This feeling has been going on for 5 days now, and it’s only getting worse. Although it was nice not having to deal with breast pain/cramps, the side effects were not worth it in the long run."

• Anonymous
• November 15, 2012

"I'm not going to say this is a bad product because everyone is different. But I was on this for about 6 months. And the last couple of months, I had noticed myself having horrible thoughts and also helplessness. I would cry all the time and freak out over nothing. I was suffering severe depression. People all around me started noticing I was acting different. My face also broke out, and my sex drive was very minimal. I am an emotional person to start with. All around, the pill did what it was supposed to, but it was just way too much estrogen for me. I am now on the NuvaRing, and I love it."

• Anonymous
• August 8, 2011

"I have been taking Ocella for 7 months now. At first, I felt very sick about an hour after taking a pill, so I had to eat something every time I was taking it, however, I didn't gain any weight. On the contrary, I have lost some, weird I know. Nausea went away after the first cycle, my period became lighter, I don't have bad cramps anymore or before period acne. My issue is terrible mood swings right before and when on my period. As some of you were saying, I feel insane. I can't control my emotions. Also, recently I started feeling fatigued. I feel tired all the time, almost depressed, especially right before my period. I have never acted this way before."

• Iha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2015

For Birth Control "The only reason I didn't rate this pill a 1 is because it did clear up my skin, which is initially why I switched to Ocella. I was on BeYaz for 3 months and loved it, and when I learned my insurance did not cover it, I quickly had to switch to a similar generic birth control, which I thought Ocella was always compared to BeYaz. So let me just say it did wonders for my skin. HOWEVER, within a week of taking the pill, I noticed a huge change in my mood. I was really sad all of the time, especially at work. It only went down from there. After 5 weeks on Ocella, I had an anxiety attack at my boyfriend's house, and the following week I experienced the heaviest depression I have ever felt in my life. I had horrible thoughts, felt hopeless and down."

• Iha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2015

For Birth Control "The only reason I didn't rate this pill a 1 is because it did clear up my skin, which is initially why I switched to Ocella. I was on BeYaz for 3 months and loved it, and when I learned my insurance did not cover it, I quickly had to switch to a similar generic birth control, which I thought Ocella was always compared to BeYaz. So let me just say it did wonders for my skin. HOWEVER, within a week of taking the pill, I noticed a huge change in my mood. I was really sad all of the time, especially at work. It only went down from there. After 5 weeks on Ocella, I had an anxiety attack at my boyfriend's house, and the following week I experienced the heaviest depression I have ever felt in my life. I had horrible thoughts, felt hopeless and down."

• Ash...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 20, 2021

For Birth Control "I took it for a week, and the first couple of days were fine, but by around the third day of taking Ocella, I started to feel extremely irritable. Every little thing would make me super upset that usually I wouldn't get so upset over. I also felt super anxious and depressed. It's like every ounce of positive feeling and self-love has disappeared out of my body. I stopped after a week because it is not worth feeling this way. I know it can affect everyone differently, but I personally have had a bad experience."