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Aubra and Depression: What Users Say

Depression: mentioned by 51 users (22.1%)

Based on user experiences from 231 Aubra reviews, the following table shows the most commonly mentioned side effects.

All user comments are moderated by Drugs.com. Each review is verified for relevance and screened for inappropriate content. Side effects are user-reported and not clinically verified.

acne 34.6%
mood swings 31.2%
depression 22.1%
weight gain 22.1%
nausea 19.0%
cramps 18.2%
headaches 16.0%
sexual dysfunction 13.0%
anxiety 9.1%
bleeding 9.1%

Reviews for Aubra

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • Ric...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 31, 2019

For Birth Control "Do not take this birth control. A week into it, I got horrible anxiety and depression. I cried terribly for no reason, and I always felt like I was going to throw up when really it was a burp. I go to the gym almost every day and I eat super healthy, and I noticed weight gain. Nausea, headaches, sweating all the time. Do not, I repeat, do not take this birth control. It will ruin you. I’ve been the most social person my entire life, and this past week has been terrible, and all I want to do is sleep and ignore my friends. Sure, it helps with pregnancy, but it is 0% worth the intense side effects. Don’t even bother getting it, trust me."

1 / 10
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21 Report
  • Jac...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • January 26, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been taking Aubra for about 2 years now. I got prescribed this birth control in Planned Parenthood. The nurse never told me the side effects about this pill, and let me tell you, it gave me really bad side effects. I have anxiety, gained weight, really bad mood swings, I feel nauseous. Most of the time, I am crying. I never thought this pill would make me lose myself. I have really bad depression where it has gotten to the point where I don't want to get out of bed and not even go out. I haven't gotten my period for the past 2 months. I don't recommend using Aubra."

1 / 10
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11 Report
  • Han...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • March 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Aubra because I had severe cramps. The first few months had been really great and pain-free. My period became gradually more painful as I continued to take it. I had also gained over 35 pounds even though I worked out and ate well. My sex drive disappeared completely, and my period was so light it was barely there, but it was still really painful. My depression and anxiety had gotten so bad I had to leave my job because I was so anxious I could not work efficiently anymore. I felt like I wasn’t myself anymore, and it got to the point where I could no longer look in the mirror at my body anymore because of the weight gain. I’ve been off of it for two days, and I hope my life returns to normal."

1 / 10
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8 Report
  • Dre...
  • October 1, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been using Aubra for a little over a year now. I switched from a terrible Depo experience that made me gain a lot of weight and made me lose a lot of confidence in myself. As much as I hate taking pills every day, it’s a great BC and very reliable. No weight gain, mood swings, or depression. I don’t even feel any side effects, but I know everyone is different. Glad I gave this a try! Btw, my doctor said it’s more effective if you don’t take period pills, so I switch off about every other month or when I just feel like getting a period."

9 / 10
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  • sam...
  • October 23, 2018

For Birth Control "I ordered this from a mail-order birth control site. I wasn't given an option as to what I was taking, they just sent it to me. The first month, I was fine. The second month, I started spotting (which I have never done in the 12 years I've had a period). By the time my period rolled around, I was passing blood clots the size of golf balls. I was in the worst pain I've ever been in. My depression and anxiety were amplified 1000 times, and I cried over everything. My face stayed broken out (I looked like I was on drugs from the scabbing), and I developed seborrheic dermatitis that is just now getting better (2 months after stopping the pills). I'm still seeing abnormal side effects (abnormal for me, anyway) like how emotional I get a few days before my period, the heaviness of my period, and how bad my acne gets right before. I've been to the ER and made several emergency doctor's appointments because my period is so bad since I had started and stopped Aubra."

1 / 10
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6 Report

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  • Gri...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • April 26, 2016

For Birth Control "First time taking birth control pills. Not even a week I lasted. I read reviews online to see what the side effects consisted of. I was convinced that, you know, 'Everyone reacts differently,' so I went ahead and gave it a shot. Within the week of taking these pills, my side effects were: - Knee pain on both sides - Acne (another main reason why I wanted to get on it is so my acne would ease down) - Migraines - Depression - Body aches - Allergic reaction (I began to see large, itchy, red patches around my body). Overall, I couldn't bear it any longer and immediately had to see a doctor. I never write horrible reviews on anything, but I think it's fair to share my experience for other first-timers too."

1 / 10
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9 Report
  • Sta...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • February 25, 2019

For Birth Control "This is the third brand of birth control that I’ve taken in the span of ten years, and it has given me the fewest side effects. I had some mild nausea in addition to spotting, but my mood swings and depression have actually improved on this pill! No weight gain or noticeable sex drive change. Initially had some acne breakouts, but now my skin is the clearest it’s ever been."

8 / 10
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5 Report
  • Sar...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 13, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm absolutely DONE taking this horrible birth control! I've been taking Aubra for a month and a half... I'm moody, irritable, depressed, hungry, bitchy... vaginal discharge has changed (gross), my urine smells, my acne has gotten so out of hand, and it's STUBBORN. Cystic acne all around my mouth, jawline, chin, and neck. After doing some research online, I discovered I'm not the only one. Birth control is different for everyone, but this is going in the trash... I will not be taking this any longer. It also kills your sex drive... as for the difference in bleeding, I wouldn't know. I started this pill on day 1 of my menstrual cycle last month and haven't had a period yet... have had plenty of headaches though!"

1 / 10
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8 Report
  • KNA...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 24, 2017

For Birth Control "I would NOT recommend Aubra to anyone. The entire six months I was in it, I constantly felt depressed and exhausted. Staying awake was a constant struggle. I also experienced crazy mood swings that caused major problems in my relationship. I also developed extremely bad acne, which I never had before. Also, I never felt hungry, and whenever I did eat, I always felt so bloated and uncomfortable afterward. On top of that, my periods actually got worse: heavier bleeding, really bad cramps, etc. I wish I would have talked to my doctor sooner about getting off this birth control and would strongly discourage anyone else from ever taking it."

1 / 10
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6 Report
  • Cla...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • January 29, 2017

For Birth Control "The only great thing about this is that I didn't get pregnant. Seriously, I cry at everything, and I have horrible depression. I get mad at my boyfriend for everything, and I am always upset. Don't recommend."

2 / 10
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5 Report
  • KKa...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • January 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Aubra a year ago and have been taking it almost continuously throughout the year (I took the sugar pills 3 different times, only after I started spotting). It was great at first; it got rid of my horrible period cramps and cleared up my skin. However, I've noticed huge changes in my sexual drive, i.e., I don't have one anymore! This has put a tremendous strain on my long-term relationship as I never EVER want to have sex (I don't even touch myself anymore). The rare times we do have sex, it is uncomfortable/painful for me, which makes me even less interested in sex, if that's possible. Nothing else in my life has changed, and I'm a healthy, active 26-year-old, so I'm sure this is due to Aubra. Also, the few times I took a break by taking the sugar pills, I had major mood swings and felt severely depressed. I've decided to stop taking this BC. Having no periods and no unexpected pregnancies is amazing, but for me, it's not worth the emotional toll."

4 / 10
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  • Jas...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • January 17, 2019

For Birth Control "This is the worst birth control I’ve ever tried. I had every side effect known to man: monthly yeast infections, violent headaches. Also didn't get my period for months with this stuff, yet I still had VERY painful cramps. It gave me depression and made me antsy. I also would have episodes where I’d shake uncontrollably. I’m convinced someone evil handcrafted this stuff. Stay away."

1 / 10
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  • B-B...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • November 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I got prescribed 6 months of Aubra EQ by Planned Parenthood after I had been off the pill for a year. Almost immediately, this pill reduced my sex drive. I've always had a high libido, especially when off birth control. Aubra made me so dry and unable to get 'loose' during sex, I didn't really enjoy sex anymore (lube didn't even help), but not having sex can be the end of a relationship, so I powered through it and put up with the pain. I've always been quite thin, but I felt like Aubra stopped my appetite to the point where eating feels like a hassle and it's only done out of necessity. I feel like it made me kind of depressed, but nothing too extreme. I think I got used to being depressed after 3 months, and it was easier to manage. Overall, I wouldn't want to take it again."

3 / 10
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3 Report
  • Cat...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • February 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I am not an emotional person ever, but this Aubra pill gave me extreme depression for months. It would be the worst the week before my period, but throughout the month, I felt tired and sad almost every day."

1 / 10
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3 Report
  • Cat...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • February 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I am not an emotional person ever, but this Aubra pill gave me extreme depression for months. It would be the worst the week before my period, but throughout the month, I felt tired and sad almost every day."

1 / 10
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3 Report
  • imn...
  • March 17, 2021

For Birth Control "Trigger warning: mentions of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, self-harm. Never taken birth control (BC) before, and today I’m 2.5 months on and decided to switch to a different BC. Bleeding on my period is very light (switch from regular to light tampons), but my cramping remains the same. Didn’t do anything positive/negative for face acne, but did give me neck/under chin acne. I was bloated and gained 5-10 lbs the first 6 weeks on it, and that weight and bloating is now gone. I am now noticing this past 2 weeks that I’ve lost a whole cup size in my breasts and my butt has gotten a bit bigger; I’m indifferent to these 2 changes. Physically, for me, this BC worked pretty okay, but the toll on me mentally is something I won’t accept. The entire last month I’m experiencing the worst depression I’ve ever experienced, anxiety for the first time, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, terrible sudden mood swings, and I’ve cried every day the last 2 weeks."

4 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 18, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been taking this birth control for about 3 months and noticed I would be constantly anxious or depressed. I found myself without a drive to do anything, whether it be to have sex or simply go out. It also made sex painful when I would go dry while enjoying it. It did help with cramps and made my period lighter, except for my spotting about a week before. No pregnancies, and periods were better."

5 / 10
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3 Report
  • Pai...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • August 31, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm 33, w/no kids. I've been on a couple of different types of BC before, but I think this one has been the worst. Started taking these pills because I was cramping a lot during my period, and they were heavier than usual. It was fine for the first 3 months, w/little to no side effects, my periods even seemed less painful and lighter. 6 months later, I've noticed that I'm super emotional/sad, periods are inconsistent, 1 month it's heavy w/breakthrough bleeding for about 4-5 days, spotting for about 2 weeks before and/or even after my period. The next month, I may not bleed much at all, and the cramping hasn't decreased. I've also noticed an increase in the frequency of bad headaches and a lack of energy. Wouldn't recommend Aubra, but everyone is different."

4 / 10
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3 Report
  • Tri...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • March 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I started Aubra, and it had the same dose of estrogen and progestin. I noticed the first weeks I was very emotional. I cry over a lot of things because I'm just naturally a sensitive person, but the first two weeks were pretty sad. My period either lasted 5 days with heavy to light bleeding or a week with moderate bleeding. I never break out, and when I do, it's once every blue moon. As for weight gain, that's natural when taking birth control. The first time I gained 10 pounds, but I am also an active person and go to the gym daily, so I lost it pretty quickly. I've been on Aubra for 3 years now. So far, no complaints, but definitely I would recommend giving it a little over a month to see if it's for you."

10 / 10
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4 Report
  • Nat...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 23, 2017

For Birth Control "No weight gain. Actually lost weight because this pill made my appetite smaller, and I get full faster. No acne, just broke out little bumps along the jawline, but no one can notice except me. I have crazy mood swings or depression like I got on other birth control pills. Regular period, no pain. First day light cramps, that's it. No spotting. Happy with this pill. Almost on my third pack."

9 / 10
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  • Jam...
  • March 11, 2016

For Birth Control "This pill has been a painful experience. It is definitely effective because I haven't gotten pregnant or anything. At first, it was nice because my periods were lighter, and my cramps weren't too bad. But about 2 months into taking it, I realized I was always really emotional the day before my period, which I just chalked up to PMS. But then I found myself crying all the time over seemingly nothing, and it wasn't just simple tears, I was always close to having anxiety attacks. So far, there hasn't been a day or two that's passed where I wasn't crying over something. Physically, I didn't have any side effects, but emotionally, it really tore me up. I was depressed and felt empty. Switching off this pill ASAP."

4 / 10
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  • Nic...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • January 24, 2018

For Birth Control "This is my first time being on BC, I just started my third pack. Everything was fine until about two weeks ago when I started having a pretty bad constant headache and occasional migraines. I went to a walk-in, and the medication they prescribed hasn't helped at all. My anxiety and depression have gotten much worse (probably adding to the headache too). I'm not sure if I should stop taking it before seeing my primary doctor or not. I don't know, seems like it's doing more harm than good."

3 / 10
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  • Car...
  • May 1, 2017

For Birth Control "Medication made me depressed easily over nothing, never was one for mood swings. Also, it was a constant struggle to stay awake. Period. Went from super tampons to ultra tampons, acne for the first time in my life after I decided to get off of it. And worst of all, it made sexual sensitivity numb to any stimulation. So glad to be off of this garbage."

2 / 10
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2 Report
  • MAR...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 22, 2022

For Birth Control "My experience with Aubra was horrible!!!!! I know everybody is different and maybe it works for other women better. My first week was horrible, my mood changed, I felt sad all the time, I was hungry all the time, no sleep sometimes. I said I'm okay with that, but when my period came, OMG!! Horrible. I have had 12 days with my period. I stopped using the pill, and the pain I feel right now is horrible, bleeding a lot, heavy bleeding, my hemoglobin went down, and now I'm taking pills for that. NEVER, EVER WILL I USE THIS PILL."

1 / 10
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1 Report
  • Anonymous
  • February 10, 2018

For Birth Control "Worst birth control I've ever taken. It makes me super depressed and emotional. I have no sex drive. It started at first to clear up my acne, but now it has increased. I thought the Depo was bad, this is worse. I have been taking it for about 3 months now, and the symptoms have been getting worse: severe nausea, headaches, and the depression has only gotten worse than before. I hate this birth control, have given it a fair shot, and it has only been making my life miserable, as well as my boyfriend's."

1 / 10
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2 Report

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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.