Portia and Bloating: What Users Say

• Gra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I was switched to Portia after Levora was discontinued. TLDR: It was not a cute look. I experienced wild physical side effects that I had not experienced with Levora. 1) My skin broke out into more acne than it has in years, and my cheeks were constantly red. 2) I started Portia the same time I got back into my old cardio routine and clean diet that typically maintains my weight. THIS BIRTH CONTROL MADE ME GAIN 20 POUNDS in a month. And I'm 23, so it's not because my metabolism is slowing down. 3) I'm bloated ALL the time and hate how this medication gives me a perpetual food baby. 4) I'm constantly nauseous. 5) But I'm also constantly hungry. Now for the psychological symptoms: 6) I got depressed so easily and intensely, in a way that I had never been before and ended up being sent to the psychiatric ward for the first time."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 17, 2013

For Birth Control "I've been on a couple of birth control pills since I was 17. I'm 24 now, and I just started Portia. I've noticed bad bloating and weight gain. I work out a lot, and I've felt HUGE for over a week now. I've also had mood swings and BAD acne."

• the...
• September 21, 2017

For Birth Control "I was switched from Levora to this. I never had issues with Levora, but I hate Portia. I get cramps and pain randomly throughout the whole month. My right breast has gotten nearly a half cup bigger, despite my weight being stable. I feel bloated a lot and have cut carbs to try to fix it. This is my third pack, so I was hoping the side effects would have subsided by now, but they haven't. I am not impressed and hope Levora comes back on the market or whatever is going on with it because Portia sucks. Also, they have red dye in them, something I try to avoid. I waited to review until I had been on it a while to see if I was biased because of the dye, but there's definitely an unwelcome change going on in my body that is really frustrating."

• dak...
• January 12, 2012

For Birth Control "I've been on birth control for over a decade and Levora for over five years with no issues. The past three months, the pharmacist has substituted Portia for my normal medication, insisting it was the same. In the first month, I noticed severe pain and bloating with my period; the following two months brought bouts of depression, rage, and hysteria. If you are prone to depression, avoid this medication. Additionally, I lost my appetite almost completely and probably ate less than 1,500 calories a day, and gained weight! Four days ago, I switched to Syeda (a Yasmin generic) and already I feel better - and my libido has improved."

• Eva...
• October 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I have never been so happy to read reviews where women are going through the same things as me. This has been the worst 4 months of my life. Like everyone else, I was on Levora, and I loved it, I even lost weight. Then Kaiser switched me to Portia. I'm in grad school, so I thought all these side effects were just stress until recently. I've gone up 2 bra sizes. It feels like there are two weights on my chest at all times. My upper back has been killing me due to how large and swollen my breasts are. I've cried every day for the past 3 months for no reason. I'm super irritated and annoyed all the time, and I feel insane. I'm normally happy and outgoing, always excited, but I am sad as hell. And not to mention, I'm bloated every day. I had to start taking water pills to reduce my water retention. The only opposite effect I have experienced is I have a very high sex drive, higher than normal. If your doctor suggests this pill, DO NOT TAKE IT. I would rather just have a baby."

• DoU...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 1, 2019

For Birth Control "One of the worst BC pills I have ever been on. Took it for 8 months. The only pro - I didn't get pregnant. Everything else was a con, here is the following: severe - migraines, PMS (PMS would be almost a month long), mood swings (to a point of psychosis & paranoia), depression & anxiety, cystic body acne (vile). Complete loss of libido, made my current partner seem repulsive. Weight gain (I gained 15 pounds!) greasy skin & hair, constant dermatitis and dry patches of skin. Would make me bloat before and during my periods immensely. Did not matter if the periods were 'lighter' considering the PMS, and bloating was so bad to a point of needing to take time off work. I started getting horrible gingivitis on this pill, bad breath & garnered over 6 tooth cavities after 6 months of being on this pill. I never get cavities. Once I went off this pill, all of these disgusting and unfortunate side effects went away. If a GP prescribes you this pill, say no."

• Nik...
• October 12, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on 3 different types of birth control since I was 15. I am now 21, and I wanted to be able to skip my periods, so my doctor put me on Marlissa, and then they discontinued it, so I got switched to Portia. I was only on Portia for just a month, and I hated it!! I was very moody and felt sad. I was hungry, and it made me very, very bloated. I was getting bad migraines as well. The worst was when I got my period, it started off not normal than what it usually is for me, and it was the worst cramps I have EVER experienced! I suggest trying a different birth control like Tri-Sprintec or Tri-Linyah (which I am now on)."

• Sup...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I came here to say-OMG-the weird brown discharge?? Yeast infection even while taking probiotics? The massive bloating! The insatiable cravings! Moodiness and depression out of nowhere?? No thanks. I will deal with my PCOS."

• Mag...
• June 11, 2018

For Birth Control "I was switched to Portia from Levora when my pharmacy switched manufacturers. The only issues I had with this birth control were that my emotions were very high the week before my period, and I experienced a lot of water retention/bloating. However, I already suffer from severe anxiety, OCD, and depression regardless that has always gotten worse around my period, so it is hard for me to tell if this is a side effect or merely just part of how my body deals. I hear a lot of talk about Portia being blamed for weight gain, but scientifically, there is no evidence that hormonal birth control leads to actual weight gain. I have gained weight, however, I noticed a change in my diet as well. I was not eating well, craving sweets and more food than normal, so that is what is responsible for my weight gain, I believe. Anyway, overall, this is a good birth control. My boyfriend and I never use protection, and I tend to take my pill late, and I have never even had a pregnancy scare. Love, love, love"

• Nek...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 18, 2018

For Birth Control "I feel absolutely terrible. I have painful breast pains/tenderness, pelvic pain. I've been super anxious and depressed, the nausea is my worst effect. I could eat normally and still feel nauseous. I wake up and feel nauseous. I recently spotted for the first time, and it sucked. I've never had such a terrible period. For my first month, it caused heavy bleeding and painful cramps. It also hasn't affected my sex drive, but the discharge is horrible, I'm always wet. Also, recently, as of these past two weeks, I've been diagnosed with a yeast infection and vaginitis, and yesterday I went to urgent care, and they did x-rays to find out the pills' hormones have been causing me to be constipated - making my stomach growl after literally anything I eat. I get gas/bloating, so everything has been building up inside me causing the pelvic pain on my left side. Now, the only good effects are I've been losing weight, and my acne got somewhat better. I hope to switch brands soon. I hope this information helps someone."

• not...
• October 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been on Portia for almost 3 full months, and I hate it. I’m so emotional all the time and cry over everything, and I was never emotional before! Also, I get insanely bloated. It looks like I’m 7 or 8 months pregnant, and it makes me cry. Also, I've noticed I’m extremely tired all the time and have lost a lot of motivation in school. And the most recent problem is dryness down there! It will happen in the middle of sex, and it’s the worst thing. So, I’ll definitely be switching."

• Cat...
• April 3, 2017

For Birth Control "During the first month of Portia, I was loving it. No side effects, no nothing. My only side effect was breast enlargement, which was not a problem for me. But when it came to be the week before my period, I noticed I was getting pimples by the daily. My face is always perfectly clear, but I literally turned into a pizza face. Not exaggerating, I decided to stay on it because I knew it was because of my period. But once my period came, my cramps got so much worse than what they normally are like. I was bending over the whole entire day, and it became painful to walk. Not to mention, my stomach is always flat. I am always bloated now. I could eat a grain of rice, and my stomach will pop back up. I've gained 10 pounds. I am not confident in myself."

• All...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2018

For Birth Control "I had significant weight gain, constant bloating, fatigue, and nausea. This was by far the worst birth control I’ve ever been on. It was used to treat endometriosis, but I would rather have the symptoms of it than I would the birth control."

• Ker...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 14, 2013

For Birth Control "This pill is perfect! I've been on it for about a year now, and I have to say it's done me well. I never had really bad PMS or cramping, but because of Portia, my periods are incredibly light and virtually cramp-free. My breasts got bigger, and I did gain a lot of water weight, and I was bloated for the first month or so, but once I adjusted, it went back to normal, and I feel very healthy on this pill. No mood changes because it's a lower hormone dosage than most pills, and my period is very normal. Love Portia!"

• Js1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 8, 2017

For Birth Control "I started taking Portia after my first pill was giving me too much breakthrough bleeding. I never had any breakthrough bleeding on Portia, but I developed moderate depression and anxiety issues while on it. I was moody, less interested in sex, and bloated most of the time. I switched back to the original pill I started on, so hopefully that goes better!"

• Kir...
• April 29, 2015

For Birth Control "I started this birth control about a month ago and immediately felt side effects. The first two weeks I noticed my appetite was completely gone and my stomach always felt slightly bloated. Then suddenly I started my period, and the first four days were very light bleeding, but I had terrible cramping/back aches/nausea like I have never experienced before during menstruation. Now I'm on day 9 of this never-ending period, and I've had a consistent stomach ache/cramping to accompany it. I HATE this birth control. I know that you're supposed to give yourself time to adjust to these things, but I don't want to keep putting something in my body that can make me feel this sick."

• Rha...
• July 26, 2015

For Birth Control "I switched to Portia after being on Levora (I had no side effects with it) for three years. My first period was extremely heavy, but no cramps. I'm on my second period, and I feel like I've gained 10 pounds from bloating. I look like I'm 3 months pregnant. I've been very irritable and had cramps and headaches during these few days. I hate this birth control. It's effective, but it's not worth severe, uncomfortable bloating and weight gain."

• xoh...
• April 6, 2015

For Birth Control "I just finished a month of this pill, and so far it has worked really great. At first, I was very unsure and skeptical since it was my first time on birth control. I mainly took this due to my bad cramps and heavy period. The first week was a little tough for me since I had minor feelings of nausea in the morning and threw up three times that same week. But after that, everything was great, my skin cleared up, my PMS got so much better (my boyfriend and I used to fight a lot due to my PMS). We didn't even fight this month at all. And my period lasted only four days, cramp-free, along with slight bloating, which is great compared to lasting seven days."

• Mon...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 29, 2012

For Birth Control "This pill has been magic for me. I've been on it for 6 years until last month when the pharmacy switched me to Levora. Levora was not good for me, so I am switching back to Portia and NEVER taking any other pill again. Portia took away my PMS (only side effect that remained was getting a little bit bloated before my period). The horrible cramps ended, and my 6-day period was reduced to 3 or 4 days. I have bipolar disorder, and it didn't affect my antidepressant. I'm also on Lamictal. If you take Lamictal, be aware that it might reduce the effectiveness of it, which means you may have to take a higher dose than if you weren't on birth control. I've had a great experience with Portia and can't wait to get back on it tomorrow!"

• Lis...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 15, 2021

For Birth Control "STAY FAR FAR AWAY FROM PORTIA!!! I was like many other ladies on here taking Levora and had no side effects and no weight gain. Kaiser switched me to Portia and told me it was the exact same thing. So I trusted them. I have menorrhagia and was given birth control to stop my periods completely. It did its job for a while, that is keeping my periods away. But as months went by, weight came on so fast. No matter how much I did and how healthy I ate. I was a fitness instructor and had never had weight issues. From the start till now of taking Portia, I have gained 60 pounds that are stubborn and will only budge a pound or two. As the years went by, I became different. I wasn't me. I became severely anxious and was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, then the depression set in. I became foggy-minded, and often dizzy. I am constantly bloated, have severe mood swings, feel drained, have acne, and experience chest pains. After 5 years, I'm getting off it with a hysterectomy."

• mia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 6, 2018

For Birth Control "I hated Portia. A lot of why I was on it was to combat heavy bleeding, acne, cramps, and bloating. It made me have 10-13 day-long periods, of which the last 5 days would be so heavy I would use 6-10 Super Plus tampons in the span of a day. I broke out less but still broke out around my period. I had unbearably bad cramps. The only thing it fixed was my bloating and fatigue and partially acne, everything else it made worse. I also began to uncontrollably lose weight and feel faint around my period, including constant dizziness."

• fin...
• October 21, 2015

For Birth Control "I went from Mylan to Portia. Ever since I switched, I've been getting massive headaches, horrible cramping/bloating when on my cycles, and just overall been feeling terrible for the past 2 months of taking it. Still works, but not the type of pill for me."

• JSc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2021

For Birth Control "I have been taking Gianvi since I was 20 years old, and I absolutely loved it: no weight gain, clear skin, no emotional breakdowns, and it cleared my PCOS. I recently changed my birth control because I noticed I was bloating due to being on it for so long. My doctor switched me to Portia, and only 3 days into my new pack, my body itches, I’m emotional, and I am antsy. I also gained a few pounds within 3 days. DO NOT USE PORTIA! It reminds me of YAZ and should be taken off the market! I would take the bloating with Gianvi any day over the side effects with Portia!"

• Sun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2018

For Birth Control "This pill has made me feel horrible! I have awful morning-like sickness and wake up in the middle of the night throwing up. My breasts have become bigger and so sensitive. I have broken out. My moods are all over the place - very depressed and lethargic - uncharacteristic for me. I am so bloated and gassy no matter what I eat - I can eat rice and bananas all day and still bloat up."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 9, 2024

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill for the better part of 4 years, and I loved it most of the time. The first 6 months I started taking this pill, I had frequent spotting and irregular periods, but otherwise no other symptoms (that I can remember). After 6 months, I switched to SPRINTEC and absolutely hated it, as it made me bloated, made me gain 20 pounds, and gave me dry and painful periods. I decided to switch back to Portia after a couple of months and have been on it regularly for 3 years. Over the last 3 months, however, I started to get severe mood swings and depression the week of my period, and it got to the point that I had to switch it for the benefit of those around me (I would cry all the time and get easily annoyed with them). Other than the very recent mood swings, I loved this BC, and if the next BC doesn’t work, I will absolutely be coming back to Portia and deal with the mood swings."