Chateal and Depression: What Users Say

• Fdu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been on Chateal for around 4 months and have been having a terrible experience. Not until I had read some of these other reviews today did I realize that my horrible mood swings, depression, and anxiety were completely exacerbated by Chateal. I honestly thought I was losing my mind and have had some suicidal thoughts from time to time. I'm a college student, and these emotional episodes are taking a huge toll on my academic life. In addition, I have gained a significant amount of weight and feel bloated a good amount of the time, and also, I'm always breaking out with acne on my face, back, and arms. I'm so glad that I was able to see some of these reviews, which validated what I was going through. I'm going to stop taking Chateal today!!!"

• Sea...
• April 5, 2015

For Birth Control "I got this birth control in February (now it's April), and I have noticed this pill has had a few side effects. One being I'm always tired and get tired out really easily, which is annoying because I'm always sleeping when I want to be with friends, another is nausea. I will feel sick occasionally and have headaches, and the last is being SUPER emotional. I will cry for no reason, and I believe it has made me a little depressed. I'm hoping this will all blow over, if not, I'm getting a new pill."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2015

For Birth Control "I had an intensely bad experience using Chateal. The first few weeks of taking Chateal were okay, I started to get more and more anxious as time went on, and by the fourth week of taking this birth control, I had a major panic attack/mental breakdown that sent me to the ER. I thought I was having a heart attack. I had numbness in my legs, arms, and face. My other symptoms were major mood changes, including depression and anxiety, loss of interest in life/suicidal thoughts, tightness in my chest, trouble sleeping, nightmares, sleepwalking, and irritability and anger/sadness. It was terrible."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2015

For Birth Control "I had an intensely bad experience using Chateal. The first few weeks of taking Chateal were okay, I started to get more and more anxious as time went on, and by the fourth week of taking this birth control, I had a major panic attack/mental breakdown that sent me to the ER. I thought I was having a heart attack. I had numbness in my legs, arms, and face. My other symptoms were major mood changes, including depression and anxiety, loss of interest in life/suicidal thoughts, tightness in my chest, trouble sleeping, nightmares, sleepwalking, and irritability and anger/sadness. It was terrible."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2015

For Birth Control "I had an intensely bad experience using Chateal. The first few weeks of taking Chateal were okay, I started to get more and more anxious as time went on, and by the fourth week of taking this birth control, I had a major panic attack/mental breakdown that sent me to the ER. I thought I was having a heart attack. I had numbness in my legs, arms, and face. My other symptoms were major mood changes, including depression and anxiety, loss of interest in life/suicidal thoughts, tightness in my chest, trouble sleeping, nightmares, sleepwalking, and irritability and anger/sadness. It was terrible."

• Jai...
• March 24, 2016

For Endometriosis "Effective for birth control and less painful periods, but holy moly, no, no, no on depression and acne. I've been depressed before, but this birth control made me have thoughts of suicide for the first time in my whole life. I felt like crying for no reason every day, I thought life would be better for everyone if I weren't here anymore... I stopped taking it for 2 weeks, and for the first time in months, I feel like myself again. I feel like my head isn't on sideways, and I feel better. More energy, happier, no crying... My face broke out like crazy, and I've always had normal skin. Not worth it for me. I'd rather take a few days off every month due to painful cramps than be crazy and pimply."

• Gkh...
• January 24, 2018

For Birth Control "I've been taking Chateal for a little over a year. It's a great option if you want to become incredibly depressed, gain 15 pounds you can never get off, have no sex drive, and never have another orgasm. To look on the bright side, I didn't get pregnant!"

• Gig...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 25, 2019

For Birth Control "Chateal is the first birth control I've ever loved. I've tried them all, and they make me severely depressed and moody. I realized I never had levonorgestrel, which is the hormone recommended to treat period pain. I specifically asked to try this after tons of research. I skip the placebo pills and take only active pills. I breakthrough bleed about every 4 months and give myself a painless 4-day kind of period. I lost weight, acne was reduced, boobs bigger, great sex drive, no periods really, no pain. Miracle pill. I've had 2 amazing years. I am 28 and have been experimenting for 12 years and have hated everything until now. I did just grab a refill and was given Chateal EQ. I hope it's the same thing. Looks like it is."

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 7, 2016

For Birth Control "It kept me from getting pregnant, but gave me horrible cramps, even in between periods. My mood was out of control. I had extreme anger and depression, I've never felt so crazy in my life. Mild headaches, but they were daily. Lost my sex drive and got a yeast infection like immediately. Couldn't eat anything, which may sound like a dream come true, but it was really unhealthy. Forcing myself to eat made me nauseous. Also had vaginal dryness, felt really dehydrated, and was constipated. Definitely not the right pill for me. Good luck, ladies, I hope you have a better experience on this. * Take it at the same time every day or you'll get nauseous!"

• Ama...
• July 16, 2017

For Birth Control "I'm on my second month of taking this pill, and I'm really considering changing to another one. I'm usually not an emotional person, but after around 2 weeks on the pills, I just got super emotional about EVERYTHING. I could start crying while eating, talking, walking-just anytime. And I can't even tell why I'm crying and being so emotional. And I just feel depressed all the time with the mood swings. And I get irritated super easily. Also, since I started taking them, I'm so tired ALL the time, all my energy is gone, and I just want to sleep. I haven't noticed either more or less acne than before. I've gained weight around my hips and thighs. But other than that, I'm not pregnant, so that part of the pill works."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been taking this for about two months to see if it would help with the constant yeast infection I was getting with my previous birth control, it made it worse. I read some reviews before taking this and read a lot of people going through depression but thought to myself it's not going to happen to me. This made me depressed to the point, not wanting to commit suicide but thinking, OMG, this is why people think about it. I hated my life, and there is nothing in my life to be upset about, and making this worse was this pill made me completely lose my sex drive. No wonder the pill works because it makes me not even have the urge to have sex. I stopped taking this pill. I wouldn't recommend this pill to anyone. I only gave it a 7 because it did its job."

• Gir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 2, 2016

For Birth Control "This was my first birth control medication, and I had a pretty rough time with it. I thought it would help clear up my acne. I didn't have acne issues whatsoever before taking this medication, and it just completely made me break out like never before. Also, I'm not much of an emotional person at all and had major mood swings and sometimes depression. Yes, it did serve its purpose by preventing pregnancy, it did help regulate my period, and my cramps weren't as bad, however, my face is literally a pepperoni face. I just got off of it 2 weeks ago, and my face is starting to clear up, and I'm not moody anymore. For a 19-year-old college student, you definitely don't want to have acne and mood swings. I would not recommend taking this at all."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 20, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been taking this for a month. I've never had acne before, and now I do. I get really depressed and have breakdowns. I've been spotting for almost two weeks, and I've put on weight that is hard to lose! I have stomach cramps every few days and sometimes really bad migraines. I hate these pills!"

• Mou...
• February 11, 2017

For Birth Control "I was on Chateal for about two years until I moved to a different state that didn't carry it. The best thing about it was it cleared my skin completely! I wouldn't even wash my face for days, and I still never got a pimple (I'm definitely prone to acne). However, it did lower my sex drive and make me extremely apathetic. The week before my period, I always got aggravated easily too, which was odd 'cause I'm a very mellow person. No weight gain, though! The first month, it did make me a little emotional, but after that, I really didn't have any emotions (which was the problem). However, I really do miss this medication. Now I constantly have acne, and the pill I'm on now makes me spot. Definitely recommend Chateal, though."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2018

For Birth Control "I was initially prescribed Chateal in August of 2016 and began experiencing intense mood swings after several months’ use. I am a very emotionally stable person normally, so after journaling the effects and doing some research, I decided that this was not normal and stopped taking it. I felt better right away. After starting a new relationship, I started taking Chateal again in October of 2017, hoping that this time it would be different... it wasn’t. About two months in, I began feeling depressed and experiencing deep-in-the-pit-of-my-stomach anxiety. I would go from a happy mood to a depressed mood and back again in the matter of minutes, even waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety. I experienced terrible insomnia, irritability, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. After reading reviews, I am happy to know that I am not as crazy as I feel and that other people have dealt with the same things, so hopefully this review can help someone else!"

• Sfc...
• November 30, 2015

"I've been on Chateal for about a year and a half. I agree with many reviews that it's very effective for its intended purpose, but the side effects are awful. I've experienced extreme moodiness, irritability, and depression, panic attacks, and what I believe was a burst ovarian cyst. I've also been experiencing acne on my chest and back, which I've never had before. A few months ago, I ended up in the ER after having a severe panic attack and throwing up in the middle of the night. I can't say that the Chateal was directly responsible for the burst cyst, but I'm 30 years old and have been using BC since the age of 16 -- I've never experienced any of these conditions prior to using Chateal, save for your standard PMSing."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 31, 2016

For Birth Control "I was on Chateal for 4 months, and I didn't like it. I was always moody and very emotional. I was always feeling depressed, and I didn't like that. I'm normally a happy person, so when I started feeling this way, I immediately wanted to switch birth control. The only thing I liked about it was that I had an appetite and was able to gain weight like I wanted to, unlike the other birth controls I've taken. I didn't like being moody all the time, so I switched to the depo shot, and I've been so much happier."

• Mak...
• November 8, 2016

For Birth Control "I always had really severe period pain, and I would throw up. So, I started a birth control, and it made me feel horrible. I no longer threw up, but it made me severely depressed. I was afraid to try another pill. I started Chateal, and I didn't gain any weight. I didn't get depressed or break out any more than normal. And I no longer felt pain. I do still get slight nausea around my period, but nowhere near as bad as before. I have taken this pill a little more than a year, and I have not gotten pregnant either. Although I use other precautions as well. My sister is looking for a good birth control, and this is the one I've been recommending."

• Km1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 26, 2016

For Birth Control "My experience with my first month of using Chateal has been eventful. I feel a little less stress in the getting not getting pregnant aspect of taking birth control, however, the side effects have been testing. I'm almost always feeling nauseous or bloated, and I can tell I've gained a lot of weight. I have had crazy mood swings, which has caused some issues between my boyfriend and me. I was out to eat with some friends, and I literally wanted to simultaneously punch a wall, laugh, and cry all at once. I feel my depression is growing stronger, but I am taking preemptive strikes to keep that controlled. Yes, I would suggest this pill. However, Chateal may not be for everyone."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I am going into the second week of taking birth control. I was super stoked for it, not going to lie, but after all these symptoms I'm having, I'm not so sure anymore. I know everyone's body is different, but if you are anywhere near as sensitive as I am, I wouldn't recommend taking it. Within the first week, I had woken up with extreme nausea and eventually vomited. With that occurrence, I had automatically thought the pill didn't work and I was pregnant, but I did take a test, and so far so good. Anyway, I am now starting to get period-type symptoms of tender breasts and cramps, which those are easy for me to look past and not worry too much about. However, not too long ago, I woke up and felt almost empty, sad, and depressed."

• Ste...
• August 5, 2017

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "Before taking Chateal, I was on Sprintec for 9 years. I had a flawless experience with Sprintec, but when my health insurance ended, I was left with Chateal. The first few months were fine, but over time, I started spotting between periods more and more frequently. I was very careful about taking it at the same time every day, but still, the spotting persisted. After just over a year on Chateal and about 6 months of spotting, I switched back to Sprintec a week ago, and no spotting yet! Also, while on Chateal, I felt down a lot of the time and had pretty bad anxiety. I'd rather pay out of pocket for Sprintec than get Chateal for free. It kept me from getting pregnant, though, so it works in that sense."

• Fam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I went to a clinic in downtown. The doctor came in with a bag of these pills without asking me what I wanted to take. I've been on 10 different pills in my lifetime, this one was really the worst. My mood swings were terrible, followed by depression I've never had before. Strange breakthrough bleeding. I cry over nothing like my second trimester of pregnancy, with terrible bloating. They should rename this terrible drug to something evil-sounding to truly reflect what it is like. After I stopped taking it, I felt normal again. The Family Planning Associates should really consider having their doctor take more than 2 minutes with a patient. Careless."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2015

For Birth Control "The first month of taking Chateal was fine. After a month went by, I started getting acne, which I never had, my mood swings were very uncontrollable, I became very, very depressed, and very emotional. The side effects aren't the best."

• bre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 3, 2019

For Birth Control "Overall, great birth control. I've tried three different birth control pills and I think Chateal is my favorite. I have, however, experienced some negative side effects. Weight gain: my weight always fluctuates, but in the last 8 months of using this birth control, I’ve gained 10 pounds. Anxiety: I’ve noticed my anxiety and my depression peak, especially the week prior to my period. I was giving it a few months, but I realize it’s the pill because my anxiety skyrockets during week 3. Now for the pros! In addition to the negative side effects, I’ve had amazing effects as well. One being regularity: my period works like clockwork and I’m back to 3-day periods like when I was a teenager. It’s great! I’ve also noticed a lighter flow. I don’t normally have skin problems, and this has had no effects on my skin, possibly has made it even clearer."

• Kie...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2016

For Endometriosis "I started Chateal four months ago to stop endometriosis pain. It does the job, all I have is minor bloating and cramping occasionally. However, it has worsened my depression and made me irritable and mean. I get panic attacks too now, which never happened before. It's changed my personality. It makes me incredibly nauseous, and my appetite has lessened as well. I also get acne on my chest and back, which is new as well. Other than the lack of period pain, this pill has been a horrible experience."