Lutera and Cramps: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• February 25, 2020

For Birth Control "I’m on my first month of using Lutera, and so far I’ve had no major side effects. The only side effect I’ve noticed the first week was a little mild cramping, but other than that this birth control has been good to me :)"

• J J...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 7, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm 19, and I started taking Lutera 4 months ago. It's been working pretty well for me, but I had a horrible period, mood swings, and nausea in the first month I took it. After that, my periods were light, and the only side effect that stuck around was some breast tenderness and mild cramping on the first day of my period. Also, it caused my breasts to grow larger, even though I weigh the same as when I started it. It's a great birth control pill once you get past the first few weeks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 12, 2025

For Birth Control "I have used Lutera for 13 years. I'm sexually active and have never been pregnant while taking this pill. I'm currently 42 and have been told that I'm still safe to take it. It's a low-dose combo pill that is safe to use for women who aren't high risk for side effects from using oral contraceptives (refer to your physician). I have had no side effects from this pill. I get the normal PMS syndromes I have always had (since I was a teen before I even went on BC), like breast tenderness and occasional cramping, but overall it has been very effective with no other side effects."

• Liz...
• December 12, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been on Lutera for a few years now. I could not be happier with the results! I noticed after the first few packs my period was diminishing. After about 4 months, I had no period at all: no spotting, no bleeding, no PMS, no cramps, no mood swings. I took several pregnancy tests over the next few months because I was scared that I didn't get a period. But I was never pregnant! So after all this time, I'm still having no period and no PMS symptoms. I have to explain every time I go to the doctor why I can't put an answer on the question, 'When was the last date of your menstrual cycle?'"

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

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "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!"

• Car...
• September 21, 2015

For Birth Control "After being off BC for 8 years, I finally had to get back on. I've been on this BC for 2 months, no problems so far. I used to get severe cramps, but since taking Lutera, it's been all better. No weight gain, no mood swings, or no loss of sleep either. My skin has cleared up a bit as well. I used to break out before my time off the month, and now I don't. So far, so good, everybody is different. What might not work for me won't work for others."

• Lut...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 30, 2013

For Birth Control "Been on Lutera for 4 months now, and it's been good! Went to Planned Parenthood because the wait for my gyno was 2 months, and I didn't want to continue risking pregnancy... newlywed here! I was worried at first because I had terrible side effects from other BCs (Depo made my hair fall out and Seasonique made me overly emotional and gave me sharp chest pains). I take this one at 10:30 pm each night. Side effects for me: my boobs are larger and sore; I was a little crampy the first few weeks; I get moody around 6:30 pm each night like clockwork (I'm guessing due to the hormone levels dropping in my body?). Skin and weight stayed the same. Periods are light, short, barely any cramps. No baby. Also, I still have my HAIR! Happy so far."

• nan...
• January 9, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Lutera about a year and 3 months, and I love it. Clear skin, no weight gain, but I lost some, no mood swings, no cramps, no tender breasts, no pregnancies. I had heavy 7-day periods, now I have light 5-day periods, which is awesome."

• Pea...
• April 4, 2014

For Birth Control "I'm about 3 pills away from finishing my first pack. My experience is okay so far. I say okay because I started the pack 3 days before my period. Worst mistake ever. My period was super heavy for 4 days and had really bad cramping. My advice for first timers is to wait until you end your period and start taking the pill right after. Because I didn't wait, now I have my period again (this time it's really light, still cramping). Hopefully, by this next pack, my period is on track. On a good note, my skin is clear from acne, and I went up a cup size. Breasts are still tender, but I'm hoping that goes away. I have gained some weight, but I'm working on losing it. Some PMS, nothing crazy. I can say I'm pleased with Lutera so far."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 6, 2014

For Birth Control "At first, I hated this pill but had a 3-month supply. In the first 2 months, I had spotting all the time, crazy mood swings, intense cravings, and cramps around PMS time and was losing a dramatic amount of hair. On the bright side, my acne was non-existent and I noticed weight loss. By the 3rd month, I feel most symptoms cleared."

• JH3...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 3, 2014

For Birth Control "A couple of years ago, I took Lutera for a year and didn't have too many problems. I stopped taking it, then re-started 6 months ago. This time was bad. My mood was off - little things would make me super aggravated or want to cry, while 'better' days made me extremely happy and hyper. I also had on-and-off dryness down there - pretty uncomfortable, especially sex-wise. The worst part was the 2-week periods I got on this pill. For five months straight, I had my period for half the month, with cramps, lower back pain, irritability, and heavy bleeding. The gyno kept saying it was my body adjusting, but after the fifth month of this, I'm taking a break from birth control for a month and then switching to another pill."

• Nur...
• August 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I am only on week 2 of Lutera, and I am stopping it. I know you should wait for the first few cycles to really get a feel for it, however, I cannot take the side effects anymore. Even after the first week in, I felt weird. My mood was so weird, I was all over the place. Crying for no reason, irrational thoughts, angry outbursts. Then I started having the weirdest cravings and nausea as bad as my morning sickness was. So bad that I went and bought a pregnancy test while I was spotting because I was convinced I was pregnant (negative). I haven’t been on it long enough to know if I would gain weight, but I can already tell by the way my appetite has been that I would have. Cramps and bloating with bleeding during week 2. BAD idea to use this form."

• Aki...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 29, 2016

For Birth Control "I love Lutera. I am very sensitive to other forms of birth control. Lutera has been one of the only kinds I can take. Pros: light periods, no cramping, no intense side effects, bigger boobs. Cons: brown periods, slight weight gain. I also tend to get a bit emotional 1 or 2 days before my period, however, I am always an emotional person, so this could just be me. I have been on Lutera for 6 years."

• Jgi...
• November 9, 2019

For Birth Control "It's been over half a year since I've been on this birth control, Lutera, and I have nothing but great things to say. It's affordable through means such as the pill club (online) for people with no insurance, and I experienced little to no side effects. I used to have excruciating cramps that would immobilize me, and I would have to take prescription-strength 800 mg ibuprofen to manage the pain, and even then it wouldn't go away. I used to bleed a lot with a lot of clotting, but since I've gotten on this pill, I only bleed lightly for about 2-3 days, and my cramps aren't even noticeable anymore. No weight gain, no acne. I feel beautiful, and my sex drive is also the same. I absolutely love this birth control. Especially after switching from Seasonique, which was the worst experience of my life, I was a completely different person, always moody, had food cravings and aversions, and basically felt pregnant all the time. I love, love, love this BC, it's perfect for me!"

• kay...
• June 28, 2010

For Birth Control "I started Lutera about 2 weeks ago, and the only side effects I have noticed are slight tenderness and swelling of my breasts (not really a problem) and occasional mood swings (which are easy to control if you're aware you are having mood swings). At first, it was difficult remembering to take the pill, but I set an alarm on my cell to remind me. I set it for a time when I'm usually awake and not busy. The pill, however, like any other birth control, will cause slight weight gain, so it's wise to cut back on the amount of calories you consume while on this pill. It does not stop your period either, well at least not for me. My menstrual periods are much shorter and somewhat lighter, but still there. Also, I've noticed occasional, slight cramping."

• Anonymous
• November 29, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been switching from birth control to birth control, trying to find what works the best with my body. Lutera is okay; my acne is manageable, no weight gain/loss, and no depression. I don't like how it makes me nauseous a lot, but maybe that's just with the starting months. I really don't like how it is giving me cramps (I'm nowhere near my period week) and COMPLETELY took away my sex drive. It scares me when a medication gives me a certain reaction, but it scares me even more when the medication takes something away from me that I was fine with."

• Eli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on the Aviane equivalent for a year, and it was fine. My insurance switched me to this. Now, for the past four months, I’ve become depressed, angry, and irrational. My periods have become altogether 10x worse on all accounts, including migraines, weight gain, emotional breakdowns, horrible cramps and backaches, and heavy bleeding. Stopped taking it for two weeks and feel so much better already. Beware this pill! Made me crazy :("

• Sir...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 20, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on Lutera non-stop for about 5 years. Pros: Never had any noticeable weight gains, acne, mood swings, cramping, or any other side effects that would be linked to the pills. Also, no pregnancies, which is kind of the whole point! Cons: Within the past year or two, I've noticed a big decrease in sex drive. Also, stopped taking it for a week or two recently (was on antibiotics), and my next period was medium flow for almost two weeks. Noticed my PMS kicked in big time when I took that time off."

• zdy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2015

For Birth Control "I started taking Lutera because I have horrible pain and insane cramps, hot flashes, etc., on my period. I could've taken a pain killer, but I chose I could just go on birth control again. I used to be on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. This was a low dose of Lutera they told me, so I said ok. It worked as far as birth control and took my cramps and pain away right away, which was a plus. On my 4th pack, I started noticing I had very bad anxiety, I was sweating in my sleep, feeling zoned out after a full night's sleep. I hated how it made me feel. So, I stopped taking it. After 3 days of stopping, I started having light brown discharge and horrible cramps. The longer I've been off it now for a week, the worse it is: heavier discharge, headaches, body hurts, and I have bleeding."

• Tay...
• December 13, 2013

For Birth Control "This is my second birth control. I started off with Microgestin, and it worked okay for me, but my periods were extremely irregular, and my breasts were so sore that even slightly touching them on accident would hurt a lot. Now that I've been through a full pack of Lutera, I really do like it. Other than the fact that I seem to cry at every little thing and seem to irritate a little more easily, my period was on point this month, and it lasted only 4 days. Although before I started, I cramped really terribly, I'm thinking that since it was my first month on Lutera, that should subside as my body gets used to it. My skin is the clearest it's ever been, my breasts grew a little, I gained a little weight, but it seems to work for me quite nicely!"

• Ali...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2018

For Birth Control "I had been on Aviane for 3 years and was pretty satisfied with that birth control pill. Then, unexpectedly, my insurance no longer carried it. My pharmacy told me Lutera was the generic equivalent of Aviane. I reluctantly took it for 2 months and hated it! I can't understand why I had so many side effects when I never had those side effects with Aviane. First of all, this pill completely killed my sex drive. I was totally dead from the waist down. It was awful! I had sore, tender boobs most of the month too. Emotionally, I just felt really dead. I can't explain it. The hormones in this pill just made me numb. I felt strange on it. No emotions. I was also shocked at how much I bled on it when my period came. Also, a lot of stomach nausea 2 days before my period and a lot of cramps during my period, which I never had with Aviane. I stopped taking this pill and finally feel normal again. I would not recommend Lutera at all. It was strange how it made me feel."

• han...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2013

For Birth Control "For 8 years, I was on Aviane. Had horrible cramps, breast soreness, awful mood swings, weight gain (at least 5-7 lbs), and very odd periods (some would be heavy, heavy, then the next month barely anything). Not too long ago, the pharmacy gave me Lutera instead for no reason. Questioning how good this was, I was very nervous. My first week on Lutera, I lost those lbs, felt happy (like a weight has been lifted), no cramps! My period was light, short, and cramp-free! I had NO MOOD SWINGS. Then, the next month, back on Aviane...worst breast tenderness I have ever felt within the first few days back on it! Cramps returned. The next month: Lutera. After that...Aviane. Now, I've finally been on Lutera...for good! This is the best."

• han...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2013

For Birth Control "For 8 years, I was on Aviane. Had horrible cramps, breast soreness, awful mood swings, weight gain (at least 5-7 lbs), and very odd periods (some would be heavy, heavy, then the next month barely anything). Not too long ago, the pharmacy gave me Lutera instead for no reason. Questioning how good this was, I was very nervous. My first week on Lutera, I lost those lbs, felt happy (like a weight has been lifted), no cramps! My period was light, short, and cramp-free! I had NO MOOD SWINGS. Then, the next month, back on Aviane...worst breast tenderness I have ever felt within the first few days back on it! Cramps returned. The next month: Lutera. After that...Aviane. Now, I've finally been on Lutera...for good! This is the best."

• kna...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 12, 2014

For Birth Control "With Lutera, I had a good experience. I had light but regular periods. My only complaint was I got horrible headaches right before my period and during my period. My cramps were tolerable, if at all. I did not notice any weight gain, and my moods were pretty regular. I only switched to something different because the headaches were too much, and I got a new doctor, and she said that there were too many hormones in this and lowered my dose of estrogen with a different birth control."

• She...
• June 12, 2017

For Birth Control "Negatives of this pill: Rapid weight gain (I gained 30 pounds, and my diet was the same as it has always been, and prior to birth control pills, I've never had problems with weight gain). While I already suffer from anxiety and depression, taking this pill had doubled that. Almost every day, I felt depressed, angry, and sad. I've had so many breakdowns, it was tiring. Now that I am off it for a couple of weeks, I feel much more calmness and peace of mind. There's no doubt that the hormones in this pill had something to do with it. Do not take this back to back (skipping inactive week), when I did this, my legs swelled up and hurt, and I couldn't stand for long periods of time and also had constant spotting and cramps. Always had breast tenderness."