Levlen for Birth Control User Reviews (Page 3)

• Wom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 9, 2021

"After 3 days, I have decided to stop taking Levlen. I felt light-headed, and the thought of food made me nauseous... thought, okay, this can happen with any new medication, woke up feeling very dizzy and was having lots of absent seizures (I usually have 2 in the morning, but they wouldn't stop), so I went back to bed for a few hours. Woke up with a migraine and more seizures :( I have also been taking Prozac for 5 months, so not sure if it's a bad combination. Just a warning to anyone with epilepsy or anyone taking Prozac."

• dai...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 6, 2022

"Levlen made me a psycho! Felt like years of emotional rollercoasters and anxieties. I am literally so much more chill now that I’ve been off it for over 5 months. If you’re having relationship issues because you’re a moody person with mental health issues, then I recommend trying a different contraceptive option. It works well as a pregnancy deterrent, but so not worth it."

• Lev...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 23, 2022

"I had been on Levlen for over 10 years. I started at 67 kg and now weigh 83 kg. I do a lot of weight training and am a PT, so I don’t blame all the weight gain on the pill. The biggest change I noticed was the way I reacted and my emotions with certain things. The past 6 to 9 months, my anxiety has definitely exacerbated to a point where I’ll feel differently every hour, from being super anxious to feeling numb. My mind would be going a hundred miles an hour, and I would be snapping at my mother constantly over the littlest things. The week before my period, I would have intense PMS and would have to constantly tell myself that it’s just PMS week. The week of my period, my moods would lift and the bloat would go away, then, once I’m back on the active tablets, the moods and bloating would come back. I’m trialing a month of the pill. It’s day 6. I’ve had bleeding/withdrawal for 5 days, and I can think properly again without brain fog, nervousness, and all-day tiredness."

• Bri...
• September 10, 2021

"Mood swings, cyst-like acne, weight gain, and on top of this, I bled for 3 weeks straight while taking the active pills. My boobs have doubled in size and are so sore all the time. I would NOT recommend this pill, it has done nothing but make me an emotional mess. I have been off Levlen for 2 days now and hoping I start to feel like myself again soon."

• Put...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 14, 2021

"I’m 28 years old. I took Levlen pill for a whole month. My hair started thinning out and falling off in big chunks, I had constant bloating, stomach ache, back ache, and headache. I stopped taking the pill for 3 months straight, and only now did I gradually start getting to normal, and all other symptoms stopped too."

• Imo...
• January 11, 2022

"I went to my doctor and asked to be moved from the bar to the pill. All I asked was that nothing would affect my weight and skin, as after 2 years I had finally lost weight and my skin was clear for the first time ever for about a month. After I started taking it, my skin broke out the worst it ever has. No weight gain though, except for my boobs, and I find it can make my moods 10 times worse. Definitely do your research and tell your doctor if you’re not comfortable with a certain pill."

• Imm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2021

"I was on Levlen for 27 days. It made me depressed, caused severe anxiety, horrible acne, and nausea. Absolute worst I have ever felt. Started crying at work for no reason, was sent home by my manager and switched to a different pill that night. After a week, I was back to normal. - Levlen is the worst."

• Con...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2020

"Started this Levlen last August, and as of writing this review, I’ve been using it for about 7 months. It did take about 2 months for me to settle into it, which killed my libido, and my bleeding was abnormal (spotting, super long periods of 7+ days, unpredictable period starting days), but probably since November it’s been well. My periods come exactly when the pack says it should (though very heavy the first 2 days), and my libido is back to normal. I’ve had no issues with mood swings, though that might be attributed to my other meds. I also take Lovan (an SSRI), so my libido for the combination of these two is pretty good."

• ram...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2018

"I have been on Levlen for 2 months now. Months ago, I was on Yaz, and it went terribly after 2 weeks, with painful breakouts, mood swings, feelings of depression, panic attacks, and random bouts of anger. Levlen has been amazing. None of the side effects I once experienced, and my skin has cleared up! Plus, I'm not pregnant! I would recommend Levlen if you're unsure which pill to try, as it's a good price."

• ano...
• September 20, 2018

"As most women, I had an adjustment period of getting used to the hormones that lasted about 2 weeks to 1 month, and that just entailed some nausea, cramping, headaches, mood swings. Sort of 'PMS' type symptoms in a way, but I found it tolerable. It was the perfect pill, aside from the fact it gave me horrible acne! I had to stop after just over 6 months of use because my self-esteem from my skin was taking a real beating. My skin was never perfection before going on this pill, but it definitely was not acne level, and as soon as I started on Levlen, my skin erupted. Not just a few pimples here and there either... All over my cheeks and chin. Absolutely no doubt if you go back and look at photos, you can see my skin progressively worsening over the time of me taking this BC. Everyone's body is different though, and I have some friends that take Levlen and are perfectly fine! Best of luck to anyone starting it, just listen to your body and go in with an open mind :)"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 21, 2021

"I was prescribed Levlen strictly for contraceptive purposes. Worked really well, as it should, over the years, and one of the bonuses was being aware of when the time of the month was coming up. However, come 2020 to 2021, I noticed that my period started getting lighter and lighter until it completely stopped early 2021. Months without a period was quite concerning, but I was aware that could only be a side effect of prolonged use. Until one night after arriving home from work and parking my car and randomly waking up, finding myself in the hospital. The pill had somehow caused a blood clot in my brain and triggered a stroke and several seizures (which was something that did not exist in the family). Bottom line is YES, this method of contraception was very useful and helpful; BUT spending months in the hospital and having to do rehab afterward and see specialists was not worth it at all in the end. Tread lightly."

• Rob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2020

"I took this when I was about 20 years old. For not quite 3 weeks. I got the worst nausea and had to take Maxolon to help with that. I remember when the anti-nausea medication wore off and I rushed to the bathroom, so sure I was going to puke. I didn't, but whoa! I looked at myself in the mirror and said, 'No pill ever again,' and I've stuck with that! Shocking what this pill does. And I took this years ago when the hormone dosage levels were far higher than they are now! It's not surprising how horrible so many women's experiences are on here. Being on the OCP is basically pretending to your body that you're pregnant, among other things. Nausea, sleep problems, weight gain, acne, lack of libido; you name it. The list of side effects of Levlen ED is disastrous. AVOID THIS PILL. Honestly, if you want all those symptoms from this pill, just get pregnant! At least you get a cute little baby at the end of it!"

• sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 10, 2023

"I'm 35 and had bad experiences on the pill, so have been using condoms for the past 4 years. I started Levlen after a scare and have been very happy! It's only been a month, but I've had zero side effects aside from some breast growth and slight bloating, which I'm sure will subside. Otherwise, my moods, weight, skin, and libido are exactly the same! Couldn't be more pleased!"

• tee...
• May 8, 2018

"I've been on it for a few days now. I can really tell the difference in my moods. It is a good pill, and my first time on any sort of pill. I haven't had a breakout but have been having mood swings. The first 2 days I felt dehydrated and sick, but it's gone now."

• dor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 27, 2021

"It was great, didn't affect my mood, weight, or skin. However, I did skip a few months of my period and didn't take some placebo pills, which then caused me to have my period for 6 weeks straight. It only resolved shortly after I stopped taking the pill to try to regulate my period again."

• Mig...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 12, 2023

"I was on this pill from the ages of 16 to 23 years. To begin with, the pill was great, no issues, regular bleeding, minimal pain, no PMS, etc. Then I got into my 20s, and I developed severe PMS, chronic pain, and could not keep weight off. By 23, I had decided I could not do this anymore. Two years ago, I came off this pill, and every day since has been hell. I have had migraines multiple times a day, every day. I have PCOS, which was masked by the pill itself and was further exacerbated due to the pill's ability to mask symptoms and may now potentially be infertile. I don’t know why we still allow big Pharma this control over our bodies."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2021

"My experience has been nothing less than horrible. My anxiety has gotten 10 times worse, with my overthinking being uncontrollable, crying over nothing, and being overwhelmingly anxious. I’ve been gaining weight but consider the fact that I eat healthy and work out 5 days a week. Not only have the side effects taken their toll on me, but I feel like it has affected my relationship as my anxiety has been so much worse. I would not recommend this pill to anyone."

• Bir...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 8, 2021

"This pill caused me to have a decidual cast, which was the most painful thing I have ever felt in my life. The doctor said the pain was equivalent to early labor pains. I have continued taking it, as the doctor told me to, but I often experience breakthrough bleeding. No one told me decidual casts were a possible side effect of this pill, I guess that’s my fault for not reading? Idk, by the way, this happened when I was 17 and had only been on the pill for a few months."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2021

"So glad to know I’m not alone when reading all your comments. I’ve been taking Levlen for 4 months now. I began weighing 47 kg and now weigh 52. Gaining that much weight in 4 months is not worth it for me. I also wake up every morning with huge bloating, which never goes away. On top of the weight gain, I have developed acne, something I had rarely had an issue with before. I’m very disappointed with this pill and can’t wait to find a better form of contraception that doesn’t affect me like this has."

• pho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 18, 2021

"First of all, this pill is the worst!!! I’ve been on Yasmin for over a year and decided to change to Levlen as a cheaper option. I was told by my doctor it was a similar pill to Yasmin. I’ve been on Levlen for over a month now and have had the worst experience. Coming from someone who suffers from severe depression and anxiety, this pill definitely made it worse. I experienced increased anxiety attacks and genuinely felt very low and in a dark place. I felt like a zombie consistently and had no motivation to do anything, low libido, severe migraines almost every night, trouble eating, bloating, and gaining weight, hair loss, stomach cramps, and nausea. I thought I was going crazy, but after reading what other women have gone through, I realized this pill is very harmful. I would not recommend this pill to ANYONE. Worst pill ever, I will definitely jump back on Yasmin!"

• Sak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2019

"I’ve been on Levlen for a couple of months now, and both times while having my period I have experienced headaches and cramps, which I never used to get on contraceptives. I used to be on AVA 30, which was great, but then Levlen was the new drug to replace that, which I was super gutted about, but tried it anyway, and I’m definitely going to change to something else!!!"

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2021

"I had been using the Yasmin birth control until a few months ago. My doctor said, why not try a cheaper brand and suggested Levlen. I had been taking Yasmin with no problems, it had reduced my stomach pain during my periods, and my acne had practically disappeared. But unfortunately, this has all come back, and it's even worse now that I'm taking Levlen. The acne has increased, I get stomach pain, and I'm so moody! The worst of all, for the past 4 months, I get my period 4 days early when I'm still taking the pill. When I first started taking it, I assumed it was because it was the change of brand and that the next month it would get better, but it has not, and every month I am getting my period days before I have even finished my pills. I am unbelievably stressed as to why this is even occurring, and it's not doing its job properly! This has never happened before in all of my years of taking birth control, and now I'm going back to Yasmin. It's clearly not doing its one job as a birth control pill!"

• Rhi...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 13, 2021

"I went on Levlen when I was just 15. I started breaking out all over my face and back, which led to a heightening of my insecurities. I got eczema all over my neck, and I gained a reasonable amount of weight/water retention. I then came off the pill, and my period did not return for around a year. I have now been off the pill for roughly 2 years, and only within the past 2-3 months has my period become somewhat regular again."

• Pop...
• August 5, 2021

"I was on Ava 30 but got switched to Levlen from my doctor. I had the absolute worst experience. I got extreme stomach pains and had to get internal exams done, with nothing coming back in results. I also experienced chest pain while on Levlen and was sent to get X-rays and exams done on my lungs - again nothing in the results. I didn’t have a clue what was happening to me! I gained about 15 kilograms on this pill, had intense headaches and no libido at all. I was extremely emotional and had intrusive and suicidal thoughts often. For me, this was horrid and once I came off it, the symptoms disappeared within weeks. Worst couple of years of my life."

• Anonymous
• August 5, 2008

"I had migraines for years until I switched to this pill. Now I no longer have headaches. I think it is due to the low dose of hormones in the pill."