Ethinyl estradiol / levonorgestrel for Birth Control User Reviews (Page 4)

• mpa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2021

"Started this pill at the end of 2020, so it’s been about 4 months. I don’t really notice any side effects of it. Before I started it, I used to have bad depressive episodes, and I still do, but somehow I think it lessens once I took it. Period cramps used to be really painful for me before, but now it’s pretty much nonexistent. The first month or so was me adjusting, so I still felt some cramps, not anymore. My flow is also much lighter and lasts for a less amount of days. It used to last 7 days, now it’s about 3-4 days. I also don’t notice weight gain or more acne breakouts that are abnormal. I’m glad it works out for me. Remember it’s different for everyone."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 24, 2022

"I’ve been on this pill once, for about a year, then switched and went back on it for insurance purposes. I have no idea why it has taken me so long to look into the birth control being an issue, I won’t be taking it anymore. I'm usually a happy person, but for the last year I’ve been miserable, nothing makes me happy, even if it’s something I would usually be happy about. I'm moody, so, so moody and angry. My sex drive is nonexistent, and I usually enjoy it. I have to hype myself up for sex and really set myself in a mood that goes and quick as it comes. My period pain has increased. I’m constantly bloated. I’ve also been nauseous and chalked it up to a weak stomach, but seeing here that might not be the case. I would not recommend this birth control, and the reviews have validated me. Thanks."

• Dee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 8, 2015

"I've been on Chateal for 3 months now, and I did not gain weight, nor did I get crazy mood swings. The only thing that happened was my period came at the same time every month, and I didn't get pregnant. It works great!"

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 11, 2020

"I have been on Aubra EQ for a little over a month now, and I have no complaints. This was my first birth control, and after reading some of the bad reviews, I was nervous about how this would work. But, I have had no side effects whatsoever! Even my extremely stubborn acne seems to be clearing up. For me, this birth control is great; don’t be deterred by the negative reviews and give it a try; everyone’s body is different."

• ano...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 16, 2021

"So I’ve been on this drug, Vienva, for a couple of years. My pharmacy automatically switched me to this from Lutera. Pros: no weight gain, periods are regular, and I’m not pregnant. Cons: cystic acne, depression, horrible anxiety, and constipation. I’m going on a new birth control soon and crossing my fingers it won’t be worse than this one. I feel like this birth control will benefit you physically but definitely not mentally. I find it very sad how doctors do not discuss the mental impact these medications could have before prescribing them :("

• Car...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 13, 2021

"Only pill I’ve ever been on. I have been taking it since November 2017. 4+ years on it, and I can say I love it! My skin type went from combination to normal, and it helped to clear it up significantly. In terms of my period, it kept my already regular period regular and even shortened it by a day or two. In terms of mood/anxiety… the pill stabilized my mood tenfold. I definitely have had depressive episodes the past 4 years, but I wouldn’t blame this pill for it. With my sex drive, it’s been great. For me, that’s really dependent on my mental state, so that’s that. For weight gain/loss — I have maintained the same weight since, and I never saw big physical changes except maybe in my chest size. Find a pill that works for you! You’re doing the right thing looking up reviews and trying things out. My friends have changed multiple types, and I’ve stayed on the one. Every body’s different! I liked this because my body does, and it’s low estrogen levels. Good luck! XO"

• mor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 20, 2022

"Okay, so let me say I was TERRIFIED of starting my birth control after reading these reviews. HOWEVER, I’ve been on Vienva for about a month now, and I have had very few side effects. I know it is still early in the adjustment process, but I haven’t noticed any weight gain, my skin has actually started to clear slightly, and it hasn’t made me nauseous. I will say that I’ve been a bit bloated, and my boobs are a little tender (and slightly bigger, which is a win in my book), but nothing too bad. I promise you people are more likely to leave reviews when things are bad, so I wanted to make sure and say how happy I’ve been thus far with this BC."

• sad...
• June 2, 2020

"This pill hasn’t given me any bad side effects besides weight gain and a lot of bloating. It made me gain 6+ pounds (probably from water retention) after the first month of taking it. I’ve generally never had a problem with losing weight, but this is the least confident in my body that I’ve ever felt. I never had issues with weight gain when I had the IUD. Will be asking my doctor to change my prescription. However, different birth control works individually and affects every body differently, so take this review with a grain of salt! Just sharing my personal experience with it."

• Bea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 16, 2018

"I have been on Levlen since I was 18 (I am now 24) and have realized how depressed and anxious this tablet has made me in the last 2-3 years, especially the last 6 months. It has gotten so much worse. I literally have no sex drive and feel really lazy and have no energy. I have constant migraines and dizziness, and I honestly think all of these things are related to this pill. I have decided to try and change my pill to a different one and see how I go, and already 3 days after not being on Levlen (period week), I feel amazing!"

• Anonymous
• January 21, 2009

"I've been on this for a little over a year (it just came on the market in the summer of 2007), and I have had no problems with it whatsoever. No breakthrough bleeding, no spotting, no periods (unless I missed more than a pill, then I had some light spotting). I've had so many problems with other birth controls, ranging from Depo to the patch, to the ring, to 13 different types of pills, and I finally found one that worked for me!"

• coc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 22, 2020

"I'm on Aviane for birth control. I don't have any kids, my skin is mostly clear, I haven't had any weight gain. It doesn't seem to help much with cramping, but I only have my period every few months now anyway (by choice). Personally, I haven't had a single negative side effect from this in the 3 years I've been taking it."

• Kom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 24, 2022

"Was really scared of weight gain and acne from reading the reviews, but did not experience any of that. My breasts were super sore, but they also did go from B to DD in a span of a few months. Only a bit of bloat, but nothing that some herbal teas and working out didn't fix. Also, sex drive was CRAZY high on this! Ladies, whatever BC you might be taking, remember to take your supplements (B2, B6, B12, folic acid, vitamin A, zinc, iron), etc., since BC lowers all that and it might explain symptoms. As always, you never know how your body will react unless you try it! Stay vigilant for symptoms, but try not to be too paranoid or stressed. It is your own body!"

• Ara...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 8, 2021

"I've been on this birth control for a year. I got prescribed Lutera, and Vienva is the generic brand I got. I love it, it helped with my acne, and I didn't get any side effects. It's time for my yearly renewal, and I'm 100% going to get the same one. I highly recommend it."

• dha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 30, 2020

"I started using this pill about 2 months ago. I’ve only used birth control this time and another time about 2 years ago. The first time was fine, I didn’t have any side effects whatsoever (but then again it was a different pill), so I decided to go back on the pill again. I got prescribed Vienva from the pill club. The first 2 weeks of taking it, I would wake up every morning with extreme nausea, my mood swings started getting really bad and started affecting my relationship. I felt like I was starting to get depressed. Last night I got an overwhelming feeling of sadness out of nowhere and started crying uncontrollably, sobbing in the shower. I’ve NEVER done that before, and that for me was the last straw. I’m not pregnant, no, it works, I guess."

• Bre...
• May 19, 2014

"Aviane is the second birth control I have taken, but the first that I have actually stuck to for a somewhat long period of time. I first started out with progestin-only Nora-Be, and I did not like it at all. Upon receiving Aviane, I was fairly excited to start. I heard mixed reviews but decided to start it anyway, and let me tell you, I'm glad I did. Aviane has cleared up my acne almost completely. I used to suffer from mild acne, and my skin is almost flawless. Also, my breasts seem to have enlarged. I feel like I may have gained weight due to an increased appetite, but probably no more than 4-5 pounds, which is worth not getting pregnant and having clear skin, plus I'm fairly petite. I definitely plan to stay on Aviane for a long time! Love it!"

• Goi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2019

"I’ve been on birth control for over 6 years. I started with the depo (did that for 2 years) and stopped because I was bleeding constantly. Then I had Skyla (IUD) (I had it for 3 1/2 years) and had no problems but had to get it removed because it wasn’t going to be effective anymore. I decided to give the pill a shot, and I started taking Vienva in April of this year. I did notice that I was more emotional, and my libido declined a bit. The company that provides me with birth control switched my pills to Lutera. I’ve been taking it for a little over two months and a half, and I feel like I’m going insane. I started having irrational dark thoughts, and I break down crying all the time. Also, my sex drive has had a huge decline. I’m a mess, I don’t feel like myself, and I can’t take it anymore. With all that said, I decided to stop taking the pill, yesterday was my last day, and I hope I feel back to normal soon. My mental health is more important."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 7, 2012

"I received Sronyx from a free clinic, and I have been on it for over 3 years! I have literally tried every single birth control option they had available. Nothing has ever given me such perfect experiences as Sronyx has. While I'm on Sronyx, my periods are very light without cramps or pain. All my acne is gone, and my skin glows! And if I miss a pill, like clockwork, I would break out. Sronyx even regulates my weight and curbs my appetite, no lie. I notice other birth controls make you extremely hungry and gain weight, but Sronyx does not at all. I will never stray away from this pill. I absolutely love it!"

• Jad...
• September 14, 2010

"I usually don't write in these forums, but after reading a few posts, I realized that I needed to share my experiences to help someone else. I'm on my 8th week of Seasonique. Of course, I started taking it because I was attracted to the 4 periods a year. The first side effect I started experiencing was headaches, backaches, and stomach cramps. It either went away, or I just got used to it. Secondly, I noticed my face breaking out along the jawline. This has been a problematic area for me before but never quite this severe. I get once-a-week facials, and there was absolutely no explanation for this. Lastly, I've had these non-stop hysterical crying episodes."

• Geh...
• May 11, 2014

"I've been taking Lutera for about five months now. I've noticed that my mood swings have gotten terrible. I am prone to headaches, and I've gained quite a bit of weight that is nearly impossible to lose."

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 29, 2013

"I used to take Diane 35 from age 20-25, and my new doctor in a new city convinced me to start taking Alesse recently. I've been taking it for two months now, and I have experienced spotting basically every single day since I started, sometimes light spotting, sometimes heavy, and it only stopped for one or two days. I can't find anyone else who has had this same experience so far - might have to change to a different pill. I'm hesitant to do that though because one very good side effect from Alesse has been a reduction in appetite for me! I haven't had aching breasts or acne yet. My moods also have seemed pretty fine. I just want to stop spotting every day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2014

"I have been taking this pill for two weeks now, and I have noticed I've been feeling super fatigued. I am usually energetic and outgoing, but the past two weeks all I have wanted to do was sleep, even while I'm out with friends, I'm still tired."

• Nor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2013

"I never write reviews, but I decided to share my experience with everyone on this birth control. I was so freaked out when I got this birth control because I saw all of these horrible reviews: depression, weight gain, etc. I have had nothing but an amazing experience on this. I have been happier, my weight is finally staying in one range and not fluctuating, I even lost a few pounds (nothing serious, but it did not make me gain). It has really been amazing, and I think that if the reviews scare you, just try it. You can always switch. I was terrified, but everyone has a different body and reacts differently. You never know, this might be the best thing for you."

• ILo...
• February 18, 2010

"I was on YAZ for about a year, and it was a horror trip. After lots of internet research and talking to my doctor, I switched to Lybrel. This pill is THE BEST I've ever been on. My mood swings are gone, and I have not had any noticeable side effects. Thank you, Wyeth, for this great product!!!!"

• Els...
• June 23, 2013

"I've taken Levora since I was 18 and am now 30. Not once have I noticed any issues except for a slight decrease in my sex drive. No weight gain, no cramps, very little mood swings (but that can be said for all, including men). My period lasts about three days and they are extremely light-to the point it can go unnoticed. I've also had unprotected sex for 11 years with the same man, and not once have I been pregnant or even had a close call. My period arrives at exactly the same time every month like clockwork. It makes me feel like a normal human being. I might have one day prior to starting my period in which I feel a little funky; but it sure beats the alternative! I'd never switch, and if you're unsatisfied, try it!"

• Tor...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 8, 2021

"I am 19 years old, and this is my first time using birth control. I was nervous because some friends of mine have had horror stories about birth control, but I guess I got extremely lucky because this has worked perfectly for me. No terrible mood swings, my periods have been regular, my skin is clear, normal blood pressure, no crazy weight gain, and I have not gotten pregnant, yes! (I have been taking this pill for around 9 months now.)"