Levlen and Bloating: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 30, 2020

For Birth Control "Like many others, I have been on Norimin for 11 years. Due to COVID, I had to switch to Levlen and had the worst experience. I’ve become super anxious, the worst acne outbreaks on my chest, back, and face. I rarely ever had any pimples, and now have extremely painful ones that don’t seem to heal. I’ve gained close to 4 kg and have started to get bad tummy pains and bloating."

• Mox...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2019

For Birth Control "Terrible! I went on Levlen for exactly 1 month, and it was terrible. On day one, I weighed 75.5 kg, by week 4 of being on this pill, I weighed in at 82.2 kg! Sounds impossible, I know! My breasts doubled in size, I experienced terrible migraines, was extremely bloated, had no libido, was constipated, and generally felt very low and unwell! I went straight off it after my period and haven’t returned to it! I have stayed off the pill entirely and feel back to myself and well! I’ve been off it for exactly 3 weeks now, and my weight has returned back to 76 kg by doing absolutely nothing! Ladies, listen to your body."

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 11, 2020

For Birth Control "Wow! Just when I thought I was completely alone! I have been using Norimin for 8 years, and due to Covid, got supplied with Levlen. I have cried and cried due to my severe bloating, which didn't occur previously! Thank God I’m not alone! Hopefully, I can find something else soon because this is driving me insane!"

• Lou...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 16, 2018

For Birth Control "I used Levlen for about 12 months. After 4 months, I had to see the gastroenterologist for the following symptoms: bloating, vomiting, insomnia, nausea, weight loss, I couldn’t eat anymore during the evening, everything felt stuck. Low FODMAP diet didn’t resolve the issue. I am now on a gluten- and dairy-free diet without any added sugars. In my blood, they found: low ferritin, low folate, low white cell count, low neutrophils (up till 1). I saw the hematologist for the mild neutropenia I had, and after I stopped Levlen, after 2 weeks, my blood results came back to normal again without changing anything else. Levlen had definitely had a very bad impact on my health, and I would recommend anyone with digestion issues/bloating get off Levlen immediately!!!!! Can cause severe immunology problems like mild neutropenia."

• Neu...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 30, 2022

For Birth Control "Five years ago, I took Levlen for 12 months, and it has given me mild neutropenia to the point I had to go see a blood doctor. After stopping with Levlen, immediately my white blood cells were going up again. Had serious health issues in the past (also gut polyps), bloating, and constipation, and would recommend staying far away from this product!!!"

• Man...
• February 22, 2021

For Birth Control "I was prescribed Levlen for PMDD. This changed my whole world - gone are the extended fits of crying and bouts of inexplicable rage. Within days of starting my first cycle, I felt the bloat come in instantly, really sore nipples, and I felt really tired. Essentially, I felt like I was pregnant (according to Google searches), but for me, it's a small price to pay for the benefits I get. I am in my second month, and the water weight seems to be going down, I have gotten back into my usual exercise routine, and my skin is markedly improved too. I allowed a withdrawal bleed and experienced PMS-like symptoms but not the terrifying rage and profound sadness that I usually do. I am over 35 and have cardiac issues, so I will have to be monitored closely and will be bummed if my specialists decide that this medication isn't for me. It's restored my sanity!"

• Sam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 25, 2022

For Birth Control "I started Levlen purely to prevent pregnancy, and in that regard, it has worked well. I never had acne before taking this pill, but I’ve been taking it for a year now, and my skin is the worst it has ever been. While adjusting to it, I experienced severe nausea and bloating, but after six months, these symptoms have disappeared. There was no effect on my libido as far as I’ve noticed, but I did notice that my mental health has taken a turn for the worse. Really bad anxiety for a while after taking the pill, and some symptoms such as hot flashes and hyperventilating, that I’ve never experienced before. Yes, in my experience, it works to prevent pregnancy, but it has had some considerable negative impacts on my life too."

• Hay...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 19, 2022

For Birth Control "I have been on Levlen for around 2 years, and this pill is NO GOOD!! It’s taken me till now to figure it out, but I had side effects from the start. - Weight gain and inability to lose any weight, even with diet and exercise. - Mood swings were relentless, I felt angry all the time. - Low sex drive - Anxiety - Fatigue - Brain fog - Headaches - Bloating"

• Mis...
• January 11, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Levlen for about 2 years. When I started Levlen, it took me roughly 3 months to 'settle' into. 3 months of spotting/bleeding through the active pill, moodiness, and eating anything and everything to do with food, as well as the odd food craving.... So you guessed it, weight gain. I'm a bit of a pushover, so this is why I stuck it out for so long. After the 3 months, I went back to normal, and me exercising got rid of the extra weight. My eating habits went back to normal, and I was back to my normal placid self. My partner and I are VERY sexually active, and no pregnancies and no scares. Long story short, besides 3 months of me being the worst kind of person with a passion for food, it did its job very well, and I was easily able to skip my period when I wanted, with no spotting/bleeding in between. P.S. If I skipped my period, I was bloated for almost a week."

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

For Birth Control "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."

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

For Birth Control "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."

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

For Birth Control "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

For Birth Control "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!"