Ethinyl estradiol / levonorgestrel for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome User Reviews

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2020

"I love Lutera!! So I switched to Lutera 3 months ago from Junel Fe 1.5/30, and Lutera was so much better! It was a change from a higher dose to a lower dose, so maybe my body reacts better to a lower dose, not sure, but Junel Fe gave me so many mood swings, cramps, and anxiety, which is not normal for me. I don’t usually experience mental health issues, so it was totally out of the normal for me, and it was horrible. Before Junel, I was on Tarina Fe 1/20, and that one gave me spotting all the time! The spotting was always brown. Very annoying. It defeated the purpose of me being on birth control because my main reason to be on it was to regulate my period. But after going from Tarina to Junel to Lutera, I’m happy to say I found a BC that reacts well with my body. I’m sticking with Lutera! The only side effect I have is tender breasts and some slight PMS. My period is regular, on point, and I’m not pregnant, so I recommend!"

• Not...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2020

"I was really hesitant to take this birth control after reading the reviews on here. I have been on a variety of BC, including Aviane and a bunch of others, but none have stabilized my moods as much as Falmina. In the first month, I definitely had an increase in breast size and a little bit of weight gain. Acne hasn't been that extreme except for one zit on my chin (spironolactone helps with that), but that's minimal in comparison to PCOS symptoms in general. I've had a really good response to the medication, and I have had the most emotionally stable month I've had in a long time. Please try it for yourself before freaking out about the comments. I know how anxiety-provoking it can be to be switching hormones up."

• Hal...
• January 3, 2020

"For 4 months or more, my periods lasted 10-18 days. Then, I started getting infection after infection. I had UTIs, yeast infections, staph, a parasite, and was experiencing random intense burning pain in my vagina that would send me to the ER until they gave me pain meds to treat at home. Then, I started getting circulation issues. My fingers, arms, and legs would tingle and go numb periodically. Then, I occasionally started getting extreme pain when having bowel movements. Now the pain is every day, and I have constant abdominal pain and cramping. I’m in so much pain and have missed so much work I’m worried I’ll lose my job. I’m so glad that I had an epiphany that all this started when my BC was switched. I have also noticed my breath is disgusting, my mouth is always dry, I’m tired all the time, depressed, forgetful, and have started getting irrationally paranoid about stupid stuff. I’m never taking BC again."

• Anonymous
• April 10, 2012

"My periods were fine. I was ovulating, had normal blood flow, slightly heavy cramps. I started this pill for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome symptoms. While it did clear up my skin a little, it has made me borderline suicidal. Within 3 days, I started hating people, crying at the drop of a hat, becoming irrationally angry, entertaining thoughts of suicide, and becoming severely depressed. I would be losing weight since I have no appetite, except I'm so bloated it doesn't matter."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 13, 2012

"I love this pill! I used to have very painful periods, and other birth controls would make me feel worse. My doctor didn't want to prescribe me this, but I wanted it anyway. I only get four periods a year. This pill doesn't make me gain weight, and it has helped my acne more than others. I have been on this pill for over a year now, and I will never switch to anything else. I trust this pill and am very satisfied with it! I would definitely recommend this to any woman out there!"

• Gyp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2017

"I have been on birth control for 16 years now, Chateal for the past 6 months. This is the first pill that has actually lessened my bleeding and period pain. I have always had excessive bleeding and cramps (to the point I couldn't leave the house), this pill has changed all of that! I have PCOS and hypothyroidism. Since taking this pill, I have actually been able to lose 10 pounds. I would have given it 10/10, but I have been super emotional and cry a bit more than usual (commercials are the worst). No acne, no weight gain, no excessive bleeding, no cramps, no hair loss (as many reported), and the big one: I'm not pregnant!"

• Bec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 7, 2020

"I had taken this birth control last year and decided to get off of it for almost a year. I didn't experience any side effects, and my periods were coming regularly. I've been put back on it, and it's been about 2 weeks now. However, I'm experiencing side effects that seem rather detrimental to my health. Every time I take my pill for the day, I experience chest pain and arm warmness. I was also experiencing horrible back pain on my left side for the first few days. I'm going to discontinue taking it."

• Cys...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2019

"This medicine is terrible. 3 weeks in, I started having severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and hideous dark thoughts. I had zero history of mental illness prior and have never experienced any of this prior to taking this medication. If your doctor suggests it, ask for something else!"

• AMa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 15, 2018

"I went on this birth control to regulate my period because I have PCOS, so it is what my doctor recommended. I never had any side effects, and it worked well for the first year. Last month, I started noticing very weird feelings and was literally questioning my sanity. I had days where I was my normal self and then others where I was totally not. I felt loopy and out of it, like I was high. I have never had anxiety or any mental health issues, so this was terrifying. I told myself it was NOT worth it and got off them right away after reading similar experiences and reviews on this birth control. Will never go back on them!"

• Anonymous
• April 27, 2010

"I really like this pill. I have been on several types of birth control, and this is the only one that has helped clear up my skin. I did have some spotting during the first pack of pills, but that has always been pretty typical with me. Other than that, I have done well. My moods are good, my body feels good, very short period, and now great skin. This is the best birth control pill I have taken, and I can definitely tell it has helped with the PCOS and side effects. Also, my sex drive may have even increased, which is a plus with the fiancé."

• Ana...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2019

"I was given Levora because I was diagnosed with PCOS. I have been on a different pill about 2 years ago, and I went off due to side effects. I must say that Levora is horrible. Not only did it give me stomach cramps and bloating 30 minutes after taking it, but it also made me feel really, really tired just 2 weeks into my first set. I am also moody, depressed, and with absolutely no sex drive. So bad so that I can't even stand my husband touching me. So yeah, job well done on one hand: I will never get pregnant because I don't feel like having sex. At the end of this one month, I am going off the pill, and I will try more natural ways. Goodbye pills for the rest of my life!"

• Eri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 26, 2020

"I was prescribed Alesse for PCOS and developed severe depression, crying almost every day for several months, to the point that I could hardly function. I also developed melasma (hyper-pigmentation/brown splotches) on my face. My doctor did not warn me about either of these possibilities, and I did not connect them to the pill at first. I was about to go on antidepressants and use bleaching cream on my face when a friend who had been through something similar suggested I try going off the pill first. I did, and the depression vanished within about a week and has not returned. The melasma took a few years to go away but eventually did. (I have also found much better ways to manage the PCOS through herbs, diet & exercise.)"

• 1ah...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 24, 2014

"Taken the pill for 4 months now, after having no period for 6 months. Since I started the pill, I have had two periods each pack, despite taking the pills like clockwork. I've also developed sore breasts and super painful cyst-like acne all the time. No weight gain, nausea, or blood pressure issues, though. Not going to take this anymore!"

• Luc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2019

"Was worried about switching from Brenda (a high-dose pill) to Levlen, but after 10 years on Brenda, felt it was time to try. Brenda has made my acne go away and so was concerned that would come back. Pleased to say skin has been fantastic, clearer than before actually and smoother and not as dry. Small patch of breakthrough bleed once, but only minor. No other side effects or problems. This pill is so much cheaper than Brenda too, so I’m wishing I’d given it a go much sooner."

• Don...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 29, 2013

"I have more headaches than usual, and I am always bloated and hungry with non-stop cravings. The only good thing is that my periods go from light to barely there. I love that aspect. I never had any skin issues, so that was not my concern. I take pills to regulate my cycle, which it does. But I can do without the headaches and weight gain."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2016

"As I am not sexually active, I cannot state upon the effectiveness of this as a birth control, however, upon taking this, my anxiety and depression flared to the point that my therapist is suggesting medication for that. I have not experienced any odd weight gain, although my hunger signals are off (I do not get hungry nor full anymore). My acne is the same as usual, with no more or less cystic acne. I am choosing to switch birth control brands to see if it will change, but the emotional symptoms are just too much for me to handle."

• Anonymous
• March 25, 2011

"I started this birth control six months ago. I was prescribed it for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and mild Endometriosis. It helped quite a bit with my frequent periods and cystic acne. However, I had constant spotting for the six months I was taking it. I took the pill at the same time every single night, and I would still spot! I know this is common with this pill since it is supposed to give you four periods a year, but I couldn't take the spotting anymore. I also have absolutely no sex drive."

• NCa...
• June 22, 2020

"After 13 years on Diane35 (Estelle), I switched to Levlen. At first, it seemed fine, and for quite a long time, it appeared to be keeping my PCOS under control. Around the two-year mark, hair growth and acne reappeared at quite a fast pace, and nothing I tried seemed to help. After 6 months of battling acne, I’ve moved back to Diane35."

• Tam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 27, 2012

"I have been on Jolessa for 41 days, and for the last 16, I have been bleeding some days with terrible, terrible cramping, then clotting like crazy, and just when I think it's over, it remains, and I am bleeding again. I can't wait for my appointment, I may stop before then."

• Anonymous
• September 25, 2011

"I am at the end of my first pack of LoSeasonique. I am contemplating restarting another pack. I saw no improvement. I would bleed for 3 weeks straight. So much for my sex life. On the 5th week, I started a flow like a regular period, which lasted for 2 weeks. I am getting the exact opposite of what the pill is indicated for, which is supposed to give you a period at the end of the pack, making it 4 periods per year. Instead, I have more than tripled that, if I continue taking it. Everyone is different. It might work for some and not for others. I am still bleeding and cramping. I quit; I will go back to my old birth control."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 20, 2015

"I've been on Alesse for five months now, and I had every side effect. Crazy acne (I've never had until I started taking Alesse), mood swings, weight gain (I was 120 lb before starting Alesse and not five months later 145 lb - I am a petite woman, and I don't eat very much, my food intake and exercise have not changed, thus, the weight gain is depressing), chest pain, swollen breasts, and no sex drive. The pro about Alesse is that it regulates. I had regular periods for five months. The only reason I was put on birth control was to maintain my polycystic ovarian syndrome. I'm 23 and was diagnosed with PCOS last year. I am now switching to a new birth control (Tri Cyclen Lo), and hopefully, this one is better. Fingers crossed!"

• Yee...
• April 7, 2020

"Background: 26 y/o female with PCOS since the age of 12. Been on and off 21/7 day birth controls for many years. They worked fine, but with how bad my PCOS has gotten, I wanted to avoid having a period every dang month. So I finally found a doctor that *allowed* me to use an 84/7 pack. It is hard to get different medications at this exact point, as my husband is in the military and they only dole out one month at a time and not a day before. I am almost done with week 7 of my first pack, and I am getting bleeding on and off since week 6. I am trying to manage this problem by taking Excedrin's NSAIDs ingredient to manage the bleeding and pain. My main complaint is that the whole world is in the middle of a toilet paper crisis as it's COVID-19 time. So if I started my period by stopping the pills and just toughed it out, I would be out of TP well before I stopped bleeding (and I just bought 12 rolls) OR I have to stick it out for who knows how long (these comments have me fretting)."

• Oml...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2016

"I was put on Chateal 5 months ago because I was diagnosed with PCOS and hypothyroidism. I had bleeding for 28 weeks prior, so they wanted to stop it. It didn't regulate me at all. I've experienced period cramping, which I've never had before. I've lost weight and my sex drive. I've had nausea, dizziness, frequent migraines, blood in stool. But worst of all, stomach cramps and extreme pain in the abdomen area. If I stop taking the pills, the bleeding will continue, and I won't be able to get the tests I need to find out what is wrong. All in all, I'm going back on Friday to get more tests and a biopsy. If this birth control gives you extreme side effects or doesn't regulate your period, contact your doctor right away."

• K i...
• December 28, 2017

"I was on Jolessa for 5 months. I had to stop because of the constant bleeding. I've literally been bleeding for four months. I'm depressed, sometimes have thoughts that I'm dying, feeling hopeless, have gained 13 lbs that I can't seem to shake, and am exhausted. If I clean house, walk somewhere, or take out the trash, the bleeding increases. My doctor put me on Beyaz a week ago, and the bleeding hasn't stopped. I'm starting to wonder if it ever will. I think Jolessa broke my uterus."

• Wil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2014

"Lutera left me exhausted, and I felt nauseated all the time. Yet, unlike other birth controls I've tried, it did not give me nasty mood swings. It made me feel calm and pleasant. My breasts grew at least another cup size, which some would consider a positive, but I've paid a lot of money for a breast reduction and do not want large breasts! So overall, it was great for my mood but left me feeling so tired and sick that I just couldn't stay on it."