Larissia and Depression: What Users Say

• aej...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 21, 2021

"IDK who needs to hear this, but this BC is the reason you’re not feeling like yourself. I have been taking Larissia for 8 months. At first, I was only experiencing painful, constant headaches and increased appetite, but as time went on, the side effects worsened, and TBH, I was in denial and didn’t want to switch because my periods are so light and only last 3 days. But it’s not worth how fatigued, angry, uncontrollable, depressed, anxious, and emotional I feel. I have been falling out with the people closest to me for no reason. My sex drive decreased, the headaches are so painful my vision gets blurry, and with all this, I have a child to care for. So, I’m here to warn you: pay close attention to your body. If you feel even slightly different, immediately stop taking it because it will get worse. Avoid this BC at all costs!!"

• pen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 13, 2019

For Birth Control "I took this pill for three months and experienced some of the worst depression of my life. I experienced 3 panic attacks within the first two weeks of starting this drug, as well as worsened, really dark thoughts. I was constantly depressed and seemed to have lost my ability to be happy. I stopped taking it once I realized that it was probably causing my mood issues, and afterward returned to a normal mood cycle, although some symptoms still linger (like the occasional suicidal thoughts). I've never had such dark, dark thoughts as much as I did when on this drug, so if you have preexisting mental disorders, stay far away from this drug."

• A M...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 1, 2020

For Birth Control "I use birth control for period regulation, not to prevent pregnancy. Switched from Junel Fe to Larissia after one year of Junel Fe. Junel Fe was fine for me physically (no crazy weight gain or other side effects), but it was giving me dark thoughts and making me depressed. After the switch to Larissia, I noticed my mood immediately lightening. Very satisfied with the switch."

• exa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2020

For Birth Control "Larissa is by far the worst birth control I have ever used. The mood swings, depression, and anxiety were through the roof. I was constantly emotional and anxious about nothing. I didn’t feel like I was in my own body. My head was always foggy. My appetite changed, and so did my sleeping. A week before my period, I would always get unbearable uterus pain. Do not use this birth control whatsoever. Always do your research!"

• kek...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2020

For Birth Control "I switched from Microgestin FE to Larissia. Microgestin FE gave me terrible anxiety and depression and made me feel like I was an alien in my own body. Switching to Larissia, I definitely had some cramping, breakthrough bleeding, mood swings, and acne during my first 2-3 packs of this pill, but after a couple months, all of those symptoms went away. My first pack, I could tell that my boobs were bigger, but that went away as well over time. I haven’t gained any weight on this pill (I was actually hoping that I would) and have less acne than I did while on other pills. I would recommend this to a friend."

• Kel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I have never in my life been so miserable. Please don’t do this to yourself. I have acne everywhere, and I’ve never had acne in my life, and it’s ALL OVER. Huge red bumps. I’ve never been this depressed in my entire life."

• Fir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2018

For Birth Control "Since there aren't many reviews for this brand and most of them aren't that great, I thought I'd share my experience since the reviews here scared me a little. I went on BC for the first time and started out with Sprintec, which was awful. I had horrible mood swings, nausea, and it was making me depressed. I immediately switched, and the first week on Larissia I was still feeling this way, but that's probably just the Sprintec wearing off. Now, I feel great, no mood swings, and it's even making me grow in 'all the right places.' So pleased with this pill!"

• Ris...
• February 12, 2020

For Birth Control "This is the absolute worst birth control I ever took. Weight gain to the max. And not to mention, I have been having the most insane night terrors religiously. My eyes are sensitive to lights. I feel tired always and so depressed. My doctor switched me to this one because they called in the wrong pill and told me it was fine to take for a month. I truly do not feel like myself at all. I am stopping it immediately. DO NOT TAKE EVER!"

• Fal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 16, 2019

For Birth Control "Do not take this! It has literally been the worst 2 months ever. The first month I was EXTREMELY nauseous the whole time. In these two months I’ve had lots of heartburn, been extremely emotional, I used to only need 7-8 hours of sleep and now I need like 10, I randomly get super anxious and really sad. I have a great life, so idk why I’m becoming so sad. It has mainly made me feel like a chicken with my head cut off who is drowning. WORST PART: All these issues have been causing me to be ungrateful and selfish, and it’s tearing apart my relationship with my best friend, aka my fiancé! I know it’s got to be partly me, but dang this stuff just switched me 180 degrees. My fiancé says I’m a stranger to him."

• Jja...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2020

For Birth Control "The first month on Larissia, it was good, my skin cleared up. I weighed like 116 pounds, and of course, I wanted to gain weight. This made me 140 pounds in 3 months, and I worked out and ate a lot, so it gave me a big butt and a little stomach. But it made me really nauseous and sad all the time, and I did end up getting pregnant, but I had a huge blood clot miscarriage a few months after. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't want to always be nauseous, sad, and pregnant."

• Bel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I've been on Larissia for about 6 months now. I have gained weight, and I've noticed a drastic difference in my mood. I have always been a happy person, but while taking this, I feel sad most days, for absolutely no reason!"

• do...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 17, 2019

For Birth Control "Larissia and Vienva have been the absolute worst birth controls I have ever taken. I was on Vienva for 3 months a couple of years ago and had to switch to another birth control from the horrible side effects. Recently, my doctor put me on Larissia, and the side effects seem like they've been amplified tenfold. Minor inconveniences make me angry, I'm having depressed thoughts multiple times per day, my chest hurts so much that it's hard to breathe, constant fatigue, and horrible acne breakouts. I would highly suggest taking literally any other birth control besides one with levonorgestrel in it."

• xmx...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2019

For Birth Control "Since I started Larissia, I have been a completely different person. I have had horrible angry outbursts, severe depression, and awful mood swings. I am someone that's diagnosed with depression, so this is just my personal experience, but I feel like this medicine amplified that. I was taking a different brand of this medication before, Lutera, and I was fine, but my pharmacy changed it to this one. I have also experienced nausea almost every single day after taking it. The first few weeks, my stomach was completely torn up. I had severe constipation, and I couldn't eat anything. I never have constipation problems. I still am having digestive issues, which is so weird for me. I will say I'm not getting the PMS symptoms I normally get. As for everything else though, the mental issues are making this absolutely unbearable for me, and I am getting off of this medication as soon as I finish this pack."

• Jam...
• January 23, 2021

For Birth Control "I started Larissa 2 months ago and recently stopped because the side effects are horrible. The first two weeks I had horrible mood swings and was very depressed. It made my cramps more painful and my acne much worse, to the point where I’m breaking out all over my face and have no more self-confidence. I do NOT recommend."

• lan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2020

For Birth Control "I was shocked to see how many bad experiences people have had on Larissia. For the most part, I have had minimal symptoms. The first few weeks/adjustment period to the hormones was awful, and I experienced a lot of random irritation, anger, mood swings, and awful depression. I was feeling extremely hesitant to continue taking it, but since the first few weeks, I've had no symptoms other than occasional mood swings every now and then, and I think my boobs got a little bigger. Overall, I'd recommend, but it clearly differs a lot from person to person."

• sug...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 10, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been taking Larissia for almost 9 months now. I am so glad I’m finally going to switch birth control. I came onto this website to see if everyone else that took this medication had the same side effects as me. They do. I have been going through depressive episodes, gone through eating everything in sight because I had cravings (which I never had a problem with at all). I’ve gained 20 pounds even though I am a college swimmer. I have fatigue episodes even though I am having so much fun and happy, and I haven’t felt like myself during this time. I’m so done with this medicine. I didn’t take caution until now because my doctor said it might take 3-6 months for my body to get used to the hormones since I haven’t been on birth control before. I should’ve switched a long time ago. I would never recommend this to any person that wishes to take birth control."

• use...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 19, 2022

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Larissia for about 4 years now, no acne, weight gain, or horrible periods. However, the depression and mood swings are out of control. I can’t be happy for one day anymore. One little thing and I’m angry to bawling my eyes out, sometimes it’s so bad. I have horrible thoughts. For the first year or so, I thought it was just me, but after seeing all of these reviews, I'm starting to think it’s the birth control and that I should try and find a new one that won’t cause me to have this bad of depression. I don’t feel like myself at all anymore, it’s tearing my relationship apart because I just get so worked up and crying and thoughts going. My boyfriend tries to calm me down, but no matter what he says or does, nothing cheers me up, and I just want to be happy again and be back to who I used to be."

• Bee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 5, 2019

For Birth Control "I switched to Larissia after many years on the 28-day packs that have 23 active pills; Larissia is a 28-day pack with 21 active pills. I was previously on generic Yaz and had terrible issues with being very depressed, weepy, and emotionally dysregulated in the 2 weeks before my period. My emotions are WAY better on Larissia than they have been on other birth controls, although my eating gets a little bit more craving/binge, so I guess that is the tradeoff."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2021

For Birth Control "I haven't felt this bad in years. Take a horrific stomach virus and combine it with the worst PMS symptoms you've ever experienced - that's how I felt on Larissia. Nausea, acid reflux, diarrhea, and full-body aches and pains, plus fatigue, lack of motivation, depression, mood swings, and crying at the drop of a hat. At least when you're cycling naturally, the latter symptoms (minus the nausea, acid reflux, and diarrhea) disappear when your period starts. With Larissia, this is your life; it doesn't end. I had to stop after 2 weeks because I can't live like this 'until my hormones balance out' after 3 months; I have a job and responsibilities and can't afford to be so physically and mentally compromised. I'll be taking proton pump inhibitors for the next 2 weeks to try to heal my stomach. If I could, I would throw the rest of the pack on the FDA's lawn in protest. I gave this a 2 and not a 1 because at least I didn't get a blood clot. Avoid Larissia at all costs."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2021

For Birth Control "I haven't felt this bad in years. Take a horrific stomach virus and combine it with the worst PMS symptoms you've ever experienced - that's how I felt on Larissia. Nausea, acid reflux, diarrhea, and full-body aches and pains, plus fatigue, lack of motivation, depression, mood swings, and crying at the drop of a hat. At least when you're cycling naturally, the latter symptoms (minus the nausea, acid reflux, and diarrhea) disappear when your period starts. With Larissia, this is your life; it doesn't end. I had to stop after 2 weeks because I can't live like this 'until my hormones balance out' after 3 months; I have a job and responsibilities and can't afford to be so physically and mentally compromised. I'll be taking proton pump inhibitors for the next 2 weeks to try to heal my stomach. If I could, I would throw the rest of the pack on the FDA's lawn in protest. I gave this a 2 and not a 1 because at least I didn't get a blood clot. Avoid Larissia at all costs."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve been on this form of birth control since April 1st, 2020. Ever since I’ve become sexually active with it, I’ve had no problems with pregnancy scares. When I did first start out, though, it did make my vagina very dry. I also have been experiencing a little bit of depression and anxiety with it, but it’s not overwhelming."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 12, 2021

For Birth Control "Started this because I struggle with cramps and mood swings during my periods, but this pill was 10 times worse. Definitely be careful if you already have mental health struggles— I have bipolar disorder, and this pill made me more depressed than I'd been in years, and I was almost hospitalized multiple times. I already get migraines, but they got much more severe, and the nausea was constant. I couldn’t eat anything without feeling awful. Other fun side effects have included digestion issues and constant bloating, getting acne for the first time in my life, gaining weight consistently, breasts growing in size, breast tenderness, and periods that became even more painful and irregular than when I started. Not to mention, I feel awful self-esteem-wise and have grown to hate my appearance. I’m glad this works for some people, but I will be getting off of it as soon as possible!!"