Altavera and Mood Swings: What Users Say

• Amy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I had my IUD removed and was put on this immediately after. It has been 3 months. I have gained 15 lb, have acne on my face and chest, and horrible mood swings, as well as periods of sadness. I do not recommend this at all. My doctor said it was a great pill for women in their 40s...men should take these things first!"

• AY0...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 30, 2015

For Birth Control "#1 It gave me acne. #2 I gained so much weight in such a short period of time. #3 It made me beyond emotional, I hated everyone/everything. I wouldn't smile, and I was on the verge of thinking I am bipolar at times. If your doctor ever prescribes this to you... run! Long story short, I had a terrible experience."

• Hel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 21, 2016

For Birth Control "I am a healthy 27-year-old female and have been on Altavera as a birth control method for the past 2 years. In the first 2 months, I had some issues of stomach upset and increased emotional fluctuations, but after 2 months of usage, my hormone levels evened out, and I have not had any side effects since. Also, sometimes when I schedule my period around vacation or an important event, it has been very easy to quicken my period (take only 2 weeks of pink before white). However, when I tried to skip my period (skip the white sugar pills and go to a new pack), I did have some spotting in the 5th week on the pink pills. I have not experienced any weight gain, headaches, increased cramps, nor acne in the 2 years I have been on Altavera."

• Pha...
• August 3, 2018

For Birth Control "Altavera made me so huge and gave me acne. I was always tired. I couldn’t move. I always felt heavy, even after working out. This pill made me so emotional and cranky most of the time. I wasn’t motivated to move around at all. It slowed my body down!! WORSE PILL!! DO NOT GET!"

• Pha...
• August 3, 2018

For Birth Control "Altavera made me so huge and gave me acne. I was always tired. I couldn’t move. I always felt heavy, even after working out. This pill made me so emotional and cranky most of the time. I wasn’t motivated to move around at all. It slowed my body down!! WORSE PILL!! DO NOT GET!"

• ann...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 24, 2019

For Birth Control "Alright, I was switched to Altavera after experiencing nausea every day for weeks with my old birth control. I started taking it in the mornings, and it seemed to be working fine. My appetite was insane, though, constant eating and then no desire for food at all. The nausea every time I started a new pack was tiring, and I was always constipated. On the bright side, my skin was clear as ever, and my periods became a bit lighter. I also experienced migraines every two weeks on the dot. The ocular kind, too, so I had to be sent home from work or bedridden because I couldn’t see straight. I didn’t gain any weight, and my mood swings became nonexistent. I’d recommend it if it didn’t cause me nausea and migraines all the time. But then again, everyone is different."

• Sam...
• March 9, 2021

For Birth Control "So I had been on Levora for 5 months, and my pharmacy ended up giving me Altavera. WOW, don't let them switch you. They are NOT the same. I had zero side effects with Levora. With Altavera, my hair loss started coming back, my acne got bad again, my appetite ... destroyed my progress in my training program. I am ravenously eating, even while on a prescription diet pill. All that was on top of a month of breakthrough bleeding. How exactly is it the same strength and ingredients but causes a month of breakthrough bleeding as if it is a different pill? Weird. Also had WILD mood swings when I first switched, admittedly, I was having a really bad start to the month that coincided with my starting this pack. Would it have been different? Idk, but I was randomly crying for two weeks straight. My mental health dropped to an all-time low. I have 2 more peach pills of suffering until I can switch back. I know every body is different, but it's just not worth it. It is a rubbish brand."

• Yer...
• July 25, 2017

For Birth Control "I took this pill for about 4 months before I was switched to Portia (which is the same thing) by my pharmacist. I liked this pill. My periods are so light, which is nice because I have always had heavy periods! No acne and no weight gain. As much as I liked this pill, I did have mood swings at the beginning, but by the end of taking Altavera, I was fine!"

• Giv...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 28, 2021

For Birth Control "At first, I was put on Chateal, worst thing ever. Then I switched to Altavera. My first month on it, my skin was horrible and I was emotional, otherwise, I had no other problems. Anyway, I decided to stick with it. It'll be a year in October since I've been on it, and my skin is clear, my period comes the same time every month, I'm not having mood swings, no weight gain. Of course, everyone has a different body and will react differently. However, I hated it at first, but you have to give it time for your body to adjust."

• Giv...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 28, 2021

For Birth Control "At first, I was put on Chateal, worst thing ever. Then I switched to Altavera. My first month on it, my skin was horrible and I was emotional, otherwise, I had no other problems. Anyway, I decided to stick with it. It'll be a year in October since I've been on it, and my skin is clear, my period comes the same time every month, I'm not having mood swings, no weight gain. Of course, everyone has a different body and will react differently. However, I hated it at first, but you have to give it time for your body to adjust."

• ell...
• May 24, 2019

For Birth Control "Yeah, absolutely not. I would rather have my period for 4 weeks straight than have to take this pill. I'm usually on Portia and have been for about 10 years, and it says it's equivalent, but absolutely not. Altavera makes me the moodiest, most emotional person ever. To the point where I'll be completely fine, and then one minute goes by, and I'll have tears in my eyes for no reason. It's the WORST. Highly, highly, highly recommend asking for a different pill if this is what your doctor prescribes."

• BPL...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 26, 2023

For Birth Control "This is my holy grail of birth control! I have been taking it for 3 years and love it! I use it to skip my periods, and it works seamlessly. It also cleared my skin and eliminated my mood swings almost entirely. The only thing, though, other generic brands and even the name brand of this drug (Levora) do not work the same for me, and it has been tricky for me to get both physical and online pharmacies to prescribe me this specific generic brand."

• Bci...
• March 9, 2022

For Birth Control "I just started this, and within the first 2 days, my acne got bad, cystic acne on the sides of my face and forehead. Day 6 it went away, and now my skin is pretty clear, but starting it, I was 131 lb, now I’m 138 lb within 7 days. I’ve been feeling extremely ill and horribly emotional. I got on this because my mom thought it was a good idea, and the doctor said it was good for my acne and preventing pregnancy. But to be honest, I’m ditching the pills today. I’d rather have never taken these since I deal with body dysmorphia and bad depression. I’m already bipolar enough, why add Altavera on top? Hearing that when you stop a birth control like this, you get post-pill acne, which I wish the doctor had informed me about since I’ve suffered with severe hormonal acne almost my whole life really puts me down the damn rabbit hole. I don’t recommend this pill to anyone with severe mental health issues and body dysmorphia unless it works for you. And if it doesn’t… ditch it."

• yea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 26, 2022

For Birth Control "I was on Lillow for about 3 years steady until they started trying to give me Altavera. Ever since the first day I took it, it gave me a raging UTI after sex, and Lillow never did that. This pill also makes me an emotional disaster. I’ve been on it for a week because CVS won’t give me Lillow, and I have been crying every day, with no sex drive. My face is also breaking out. Never take this pill!!!"