Chateal and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Swi...
• March 2, 2015

For Birth Control "This pill was the first kind of birth control my doctor recommended me. I was very nervous at first because she said it would help with my size and because I have had chronic episodes of anemia. I also had the fears of every girl: gaining weight, acne, mood swings, and the contraceptive failing. I've been on Chateal for a year now, and none of those things have occurred! I'm very happy with this pill and will renew my prescription."

• Sue...
• December 1, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on this birth control since June. I haven't had any problems. My period comes like clockwork, no scares, no hair loss, no weight gain, no mood swings. I was on a different birth control where I had my period every three months, and I prefer this one, just because I can keep track of everything! I recommend it."

• 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!!!"

• sar...
• September 2, 2014

For Birth Control "I was on Levora for a year and absolutely loved it. Never a negative side effect. I'm finishing my second month on Chateal and have gained weight, experienced extreme mood swings, crying and yelling for no reason. I'm also cramping like crazy before my period. I'm in more pain than before the birth control. (Which was the reason I started in the first place.)"

• Lun...
• February 16, 2016

For Birth Control "I just want to share my experience because I'm pretty impressed with this pill. I was on another pill previously, and it was okay, except for the fact that I would spot ALL THE TIME, which got annoying. So my Dr. suggested I try this to see if my spotting would stop, and at first, I was hesitant to try it due to the bad reviews I've read, but I'm glad I tried it anyway because so far I don't have any negative reaction to it. No headaches, no increased appetite, no weight gain, no breast tenderness, I don't find myself really emotional, no PMSing, which is great. I would recommend trying it, it takes about 3 months for your body to adjust to BC pills. I'm glad it's working out for me, better than the previous pill I was on :)"

• ENN...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 3, 2014

For Birth Control "Five because I never got pregnant, gained weight, spotted, or lost my sex drive. However, my skin has been absolutely horrible the past 7 months on this pill. I had flawless skin before birth control. I also had flawless skin on the Nuva Ring. I wake up and dread seeing my face because I know there will be a raised red bump(s). They never surface and are cyst-like. I used to never wear foundation or powder, now I have to cake it on because I can't stand looking at the huge bumps. Beware. As someone who had flawless skin until 19, this birth control can do a number on your face. Also, I have been extremely emotional and moody constantly."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 5, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on Chateal birth control pills for almost a year from Planned Parenthood. I LOVE it, and I will forever continue to use it. These pills definitely make my period shorter, lessen the pain of my cramps, and helped my acne. I used to have the implant, and I had my period every single day and broke out on my face and chest. Usually, I get bloated before my period comes. Once I start the green pills, bleeding begins on the 3rd or 4th day. I never experienced weight gain or migraines."

• Not...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 8, 2019

For Birth Control "Honestly, this birth control took me months to get adjusted to, but a year in and it works fine! It doesn’t help with my acne, but my boobs did get bigger, and I only gained a pound or two (although that could be from my bad eating out habits, lol). Also, it’s super effective. We are not using any other form of contraception, and I’m not pregnant!!!"

• 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!"

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 8, 2016

For Birth Control "I took this pill for 5 months before deciding to get off of it a week ago. For birth control and unwanted pregnancy, it definitely does the job. The first couple of weeks, I felt nauseous almost every day and just all around sick. One time, I felt so overwhelmed and burst into tears at work for no real reason. After week 3, those feelings went away, and I didn't have those problems anymore. However, I feel as if it suppressed my metabolism, and I gained about 15 pounds. And tired. All I wanted to do was sleep all day, and if I let myself, I slept for hours. The biggest issue I had, though, is my sex drive went completely away. I didn't care if I had sex or not, which created a big problem with my boyfriend."

• Nay...
• March 11, 2016

"Very unhappy with this pill. Never had any issues with any other brand I've been on, but I lost my insurance and had to start going to Planned Parenthood. When they no longer carried the pill I was on previously, they switched me to Chateal. I didn't get pregnant, but had severe acne and weight gain. I gained about 20 pounds and couldn't lose it no matter how much I exercised. Definitely was irritable on it, too. But my periods were much lighter and shorter with less cramping. I quit taking it since I'm not currently having any sex, and things got so much better. My acne cleared up after a week, and I started losing all the weight I gained right away. I'd definitely keep an eye out for the side effects though."

• 391...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2016

For Birth Control "While it does prevent pregnancy, it has many negative side effects. I experienced weight gain (weight that won't go away no matter how much exercise I do), frequent acne breakouts, and a negative mood. However, it does what it's supposed to do and keeps my period very regular. I plan on continuing my use of Chateal just because it's my only option and it was free from Planned Parenthood."

• 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."

• Tif...
• November 13, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on Loestrin for 4 years, and then it changed to Minestrin. I skip my period every month due to my horrible cramps, and no pill seems to help with them. My gynecologist suggested to me that I should skip my period. I switched to Chateal because after years of Loestrin/Minestrin, I think it stopped working properly. I was spotting and cramping, and even tried to get my period, and that was a mistake. Chateal has been wonderful so far. I am almost on my third month, and I haven't had any issues. My cramping is gone, and there has been no spotting at all. I haven't noticed any mood swings or any other side effects some people say they have. I haven't had any weight gain, and I feel like my acne actually has gotten better. I rarely break out now."

• 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!"

• Jhf...
• October 19, 2015

For Birth Control "I honestly started taking this pill and loved it. I wasn't getting any acne or weight gain; however, 3 months into taking this pill, my periods suddenly stopped. My periods stopped, but I was still having cramps. It's actually become very concerning."

• wal...
• January 31, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on Chateal since Oct 2015, and the only negative thing about it is the extreme weight gain... I am a professional personal trainer, very athletic, eat a very well-balanced diet for my needs, and I've gained about 12 lbs... I am not happy at all. Before Chateal, I was on Ortho 7/7/7, and on that pill, I never gained weight, never had a problem, and I had no need to get off it and go on something else."

• End...
• November 15, 2016

For Birth Control "I took Chateal for 3 months. I was depressed, got nauseous every day, got horrible headaches, gained 20 pounds, got horrible acne, had the worst cramps, lost my sex drive. I stopped taking them 3 weeks ago, my acne is clearing up, my headaches are gone, my sex drive is back, but I have been bleeding since I stopped taking them."

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 31, 2017

For Birth Control "This birth control is an amateur one for sure. I have been on it for almost 3 months now. I have mood swings, weight gain in hips and thighs (I'm a professional athlete and have never had weight there), increased appetite, and occasional bleeding. I have had some minor breakouts too. I am definitely switching over to a different brand."

• Kaa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 4, 2017

For Birth Control "Good things first; shorter, lighter periods, came at the same time every month, like started and ended the same day of the week, less pain, I get really bad backaches. Now for the bad stuff; discharge, horrible discharge every day. Acne, weight gain, mood changes, like so bad! It ruined my new relationship and turned me into an anxious, depressed mess. Like a literal crazy person. Gave it a three because it's easy to use, I didn't get pregnant, and it made my periods easier. So it did its job, but turned me into a crazy person."

• 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."

• Hid...
• July 15, 2019

For Birth Control "For many years, I took a different form of combined hormone birth control pills (Apri). I eventually discontinued this when I realized it had been what was causing anxiety (panic attacks), low libido, and migraine headaches. Earlier this year, I decided I would like to try a different type of pill and was given Chateal. I started in early March and have constantly questioned it. This type of pill has not caused the problems I had with Apri, which is great, and has also made my boobs about 2x bigger (!! awesome), but I have many other side effects. Side effects include: severe breast tenderness, weight gain (5 lb in 4 months, which is very unusual for me), but also just general abdominal bloating, cystic acne on face/chest/back (which I never have usually), poor sleep (waking up frequently), mild anxiety and sharp irritability, and thick white vaginal discharge (unrelated to yeast infection). Maybe this pill works for some people, but after 4.5 months, my body is clearly not taking well to it."

• 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."

• toy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 8, 2016

For Birth Control "Previously, I was on a Microgestin pill from Planned Parenthood, but I wanted a pill that would let me have my periods, so they switched me to Chateal. It was a bit more potent than the one I was previously on, but I really did not experience any worse side effects. I experienced moderate weight gain - I am already pretty petite, though, so this did not bother me. The only time I experience any mood problems is the few days preceding my period. The pack that I have has the 4th row of reminder/sugar pills, and I usually do not start bleeding until my 3rd or 4th day in, and the periods are light and very manageable. All in all, I have had a great experience, however, my transition from Microgestin pills to Chateal may have played a leading role."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 25, 2016

For Birth Control "This pill has really worked for me. It's the only BC I've ever been on, and it's been close to two years of no worries. The first week I started taking it, I had to pee like crazy. I've gained some weight, but I don't know if I can blame it on the pill."