Orsythia and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• March 21, 2015

For Birth Control "I used to get extremely heavy periods and very severe cramps, and I was looking for a birth control pill that would help with it. My OB/GYN prescribed me Orsythia, and I was a little worried about side effects from what I've read online from others. But, I had none! No weight gain, mood swings, acne, or nausea! Nothing at all! My problems with cramps and heavy periods went away within three months, and there was a definite improvement right when I started taking it. No more cramps or acne, and my periods are now super light! I can't speak for everyone, since hormone pills will affect everyone differently, but this pill was a perfect match for me! I'd highly recommend it for birth control and managing difficult periods."

• Lan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2013

For Birth Control "First time ever starting birth control, and the reviews on here scared me! So glad I decided to tough it out! I've been taking it for 4 months, and the only symptoms I have had are a little more emotional outburst two days before my period (not that big of a deal, I was always prone to PMS emotional outbursts anyways) and breakthrough bleeding the first month. No weight gain, no acne (actually, less acne). I realize all women are different, but just thought I'd share my mostly pleasant experience with this pill! Oh, and of course...it works! Not pregnant!"

• Anonymous
• September 24, 2011

For Birth Control "I had been on Lutera for several years and never had trouble with it. My pharmacy switched my medication to Orsythia. I have only been on it for 2 weeks, and I am unbelievably bloated, my clothes hardly fit, I have gained weight (probably due to the bloating), and my skin has broken out. My husband thought I was going through puberty again! I hate to see what the third week is going to bring. I had an appointment with my doctor and told her about my symptoms and told her about the pharmacy switching my medicine. She wrote another prescription for Lutera and told them not to substitute. I want my Lutera back!"

• Ksg...
• August 15, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for 3 months, and I've gained 10 pounds. I'm bloated the first two weeks of my pills. It's terrible. I always start in the middle of my row of my active pills, and my period is long. Like 8 days. Not happy. I'm calling to switch. I switched from Minastrin Fe, which was terrible too."

• L L...
• December 25, 2013

For Birth Control "I am on my 4th month taking this pill. This is my first time regularly having sex without a condom, and I have not gotten pregnant. My sex drive is great, but I have a lot of cramps and breast tenderness. I gained some weight at first, but I went back down when I stopped eating as much. My periods have been long, but relatively light. Considering I can overcome the side effects, and I get this brand for free, it works for me."

• Pri...
• June 4, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been taking birth control for three years now. The Orsythia is the only birth control that has made me gain weight, I'm constantly hungry. I get moody a lot. And I've only taken this pill for three months."

• Izz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 14, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on this birth control for the past 4 months. It's my first time ever being on birth control, and I'm 19 years old. The positives for me about it are that I don't have cramps at all, I have a period for only 3 or 4 days, and my acne cleared up really well. I still get a few little pimples every now and then, but not as bad as I used to. The negative factors about this are the weight gain, I hate it. I went from a size 8 jeans to a size 10-12 in the past 4 months. I'm trying to find ways to control it, though. I also don't have any sex drive, I'm hardly ever in the mood to do anything anymore. The last one is that I get depressed every now and then."

• Lol...
• January 31, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for about 2 years. I've never really had a problem with this pill. Heck, I have no complaints really. I just notice sometimes I get breakthrough bleeding, especially if I start a new cycle after skipping a month. My skin remains clear, my mood swings are in check, plus I get a lighter period. I really do believe this pill works differently for different people. Yes, my breasts do get tender around my period, but that's normal for my body. I did gain weight, but I'm not sure it was due to the pill because I do eat a lot. Lol. My body only filled out more in the right places. I also have a healthy sex drive, unlike when I was on the NuvaRing."

• Ktg...
• September 26, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for 2 1/2 months now. It's been downhill since 3 days after I started taking it. I've experienced headaches more often, weight gain (10 lbs), water retention and bloating, my mood has changed radically. I snap all the time for no good reason, irrational agitation, irritability. My anxiety has spiked, I've had multiple anxiety attacks since starting this pill (I am also on an anxiety medication and have been for a year and a half, and it's helped with my anxiety levels wonderfully until I started Orsythia). I'm almost at my breaking point with it. I'm going to finish out this month and switch to something else. The only positive thing I can say about Orsythia is that it has prevented pregnancy. Would not recommend."

• Hat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2013

For Birth Control "I started taking this pill 2 months ago, and although I haven't experienced any breakthrough bleeding, I've gotten a lot of other negative side effects. I've broken out with acne like a teenager, my sex drive has decreased, mood swings, increased appetite, and weight gain. Yesterday was my last day taking this pill."

• aim...
• April 4, 2012

For Birth Control "I was on Mircette for over 5 years and loved it. No side effects. Due to insurance changes, I was switched to Lutera and eventually given Aviane. Again, no side effects. My mail order recently had a manufacturer change and sent me Orsythia. I gained 10 pounds (mostly water weight), had mood swings and shortness of breath. I could barely fit in my clothes, and my periods were so inconsistent. I DO NOT recommend this pill. I'm going back to Lutera!"

• Dia...
• September 21, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for 1 year, and I've gained 30 pounds. I've been the same size for years until I started taking this pill. My emotions are crazy, but it does make my periods shorter and not as uncomfortable."

• Tri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 3, 2014

For Birth Control "I was originally on Lutera for a couple of months, my clinic transitions from Lutera to Orsythia occasionally. They have the same amount of medicine in them, so it's pretty neutral. My experience has been pretty good. No headaches, lighter cramps, and shorter period days (3/4). However, I became moody, where I'd get very angry or very sad. It fluctuated but was persistent during my placebo week. My weight also increased a little, went from a size 1/2 to a 3/4 with lots of bloating 3 weeks of the month. Not too horrible, I've been on this transitioning medicine for over a year and have not had any pregnancy scares or babies. Does its job well with some side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 21, 2014

For Birth Control "I started this birth control in November of 2013, waited about a month and a half before I started having sex, and it protected me. I stopped in mid-March and got back on it two weeks later, right after my period. Then, 12 days after I started taking it again, I had unprotected sex and I was so scared I was pregnant, but I'm NOT. It's best to start taking this birth control RIGHT after your period or during your period, you will be fully protected. Only side effects were the weight gain because my appetite increased. Other than that, I was good. Light periods that last about 1-2 days also."

• Bre...
• August 13, 2016

For Birth Control "This was my first time on the pill, and I can say that it has been great. I gained a few pounds the first month, but I also started lifting weights and eating a lot more to help build muscle the same time I started taking it, so I can't say definitively that the pill is what made me gain weight (and by gain weight I mean like 5 to 7 pounds-I haven't gained or lost more than 2 or 3 in the past 4 years as a high schooler, so that was pretty significant for me). It didn't clear up my acne, but it didn't make it any worse. I've had no mood swings, no cramps, no PMS symptoms, no bloating, really no side effects at all. The only real change I've experienced by taking this is that it made my period more regular and lighter. I have no complaints."

• Ter...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 15, 2016

For Birth Control "The only reason I even give this two stars is because I never had an issue with pregnancy on this pill. I started with Aviane (which I had no side effects and generally felt great) and was switched to this by my pharmacy. Since then, things have gone downhill. I had very mild anxiety before going on the pill, Aviane did nothing to it, but Orsythia has amplified it to the point where I've really struggled with my anxiety and mood swings. A few days before my period, the smallest things will set me off into episodes of weeping and panic. I've gained some weight (5 pounds). Experienced nausea every so often (more than Aviane). Worst is the cystic acne on my chin. While my periods have been lighter and shorter, cramps have gotten worse. Terrible."

• Pur...
• September 27, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on Orsythia for a year now, and I have to say that I have never been happier with another birth control, and I've had one other before starting Orsythia. I did NOT gain any weight, lose my sex drive, get acne, have mood swings, PMS symptoms, or, most importantly, get pregnant on this birth control. I am so happy with my RX, and I would highly recommend it. I understand that everyone is different and experiences drugs differently, but you need to wait the 3-4 months before getting used to a daily drug in your body that changes your natural hormones. I love it, and I see that it is very effective for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2013

For Birth Control "Reading the reviews. I'm really jealous of those light periods, no crampers. I've only been taking Orsythia for 5 weeks, and at first, it wasn't too bad. I noticed significant weight gain during the past 2 weeks and am on my first period on birth control. They are killer. I have never experienced cramps this bad. I get sharp pains in my back, legs, shoulders, and stomach. Everyone's body is different, and this pill isn't working for me."

• Jes...
• February 8, 2016

For Birth Control "I was on Orsythia for about a year. It did its job in that I did not get pregnant, but I had to quit taking it because of the awful side effects. Weight gain was minimal but definitely occurred. After about 6 months, my acne became worse than it has ever been, but even that wasn't the worst of it. Orsythia brought my anxiety to an all-time high, and I was experiencing awful mood swings. All of these symptoms practically disappeared within 2 months after quitting it. I did not have anxiety before taking Orsythia, and now, even though it has been almost a year since I quit (haven't taken another birth control since), I still have bouts of anxiety from time to time. I believe my anxiety was triggered by this birth control."

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 29, 2016

For Birth Control "When I first went on the pill, it was to help with my PMDD, which I will say helped significantly. However, I have no sex drive. I used to masturbate at least once or twice every day, but now I'm lucky if I can even make myself orgasm in a month. Orgasms don't feel very good anymore, and nothing turns me on. Sex is painful and boring. Other than that, it did make my periods a bit shorter, which is one positive of this pill. The first week I was on the pill, I was super queasy, ugh! Some other side effects have been weight gain (only about 3-5 pounds, but still) and horrible acne in the first 3 months. I'm seeing my OB-GYN soon because my low sex drive is hurting my relationship and makes life miserable."

• Ama...
• August 17, 2015

For Birth Control "I used to have really bad cramping and a really heavy flow before I started this birth control. I've been taking it for a year now, and my period is only four days compared to the week and a half it used to be. I did gain a bit of weight, but it was all in the boobs area. Love this birth control!"

• Hrm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2018

For Birth Control "This is by far the absolute worst birth control. It does its job at preventing pregnancy, but everything else is just awful. A week into it, I was ready to stop taking it! I had awful headaches and strong cramping and stayed nauseous. I gained a good bit of weight immediately, my face broke out and I was like, it's just side effects, it will go away when it gets in my system good. So I continued to take it. I stopped after completing the first pack. I had felt like a crazy person, my anxiety was through the roof, I was having mood swings, I didn't care about life, I went into an awful depression, and I was like, nope, can't do this, I knew it was the meds. So I stopped and little by little my stomach pains went away, the headaches were gone, my face started to clear up and I started my period again a week later and all the swelling went down, my mood swings, everything. But I have currently been bleeding nonstop, extremely heavy for 2 weeks now, no pains or anything."

• gin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2018

For Birth Control "I used this birth control for about 10 months before getting off of it. While on it, I must say it did very well at managing my periods. I did not have a heavy flow or a lot of pain. This was very nice because I usually have rough periods. However, I did notice that my libido lowered, and I was more dry. I also gained weight while on it and really struggled to lose it. Honestly, getting off it was the best for me. While my rough periods did return, everything else went back to normal as well. I'm definitely looking into a different option post-pregnancy."

• Sma...
• November 23, 2015

For Birth Control "Been on this BC for three months now. I switched to this type in hopes that I would be able to regain my sex drive, but I was a bit put off after seeing such terrible reviews. I'll start by saying I do not experience anywhere near the severity of side effects most people are reporting. I have not gained any weight, but my breasts have filled out a bit. I currently don't experience any mood changes, although between the first and second month, I noticed that I was quick to get angry at smaller things much more frequently. This is no longer happening. My only complaint is the acne--I get a few cystic pimples on my chin on the weeks where I am on the active pills. Overall, I am very happy with this birth control."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2013

For Birth Control "Like many other reviewers, I too was switched by my pharmacy from Aviane to Orsythia. I decided to give it a try because my doctor said that they both had the same ingredients and were made by the same company. I never experienced any side effects from Aviane, even when first taking them. Since I've been switched to Orsythia, I've experienced all the unpleasant side effects: nausea, massive weight gain (95 lb to 101 lb), breakouts, and major mood swings."