Ethinyl estradiol / levonorgestrel and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 22, 2016

For Birth Control "Started taking 3 years ago. It is important to understand more people will review for negative experiences. When I realized all the negative reviews on this birth control, I thought it was time to hear from a Lutera 'expert' (of course everyone's body is different). PROS: LIGHTER periods (went from 5-7 days of super tampons to 2-3 days of regular/light tampons!), CONSISTENT periods, LESS cramps, BIGGER boobs (lol I went up from an A to a B so I personally like this), NO pregnancy! CONS: HEADACHES (before/during/after period), MOOD SWINGS/DEPRESSION (idk if I'm crazy but I cry a lot and cause fights), BROWN periods, ACNE (never broke out before), WEIGHT GAIN (20 lbs in 3 yrs)."

• HTa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 16, 2020

For Birth Control "This pill was the worst. I broke out in acne all over my body. My breasts were so swollen and tender, and the bloat never, ever, ever went away. Ever; don’t even ask about the weight gain. The only thing it did was avoid pregnancy. DO NOT TAKE THIS. Find another pill."

• Blo...
• November 9, 2016

For Birth Control "When I started Jolessa, I had been on the Depo Provera shot for almost two years. While on Depo, I gained 30 lbs, and I experienced every side effect. When I switched to Jolessa, I didn't experience spotting, and my weight plateaued. I am very pleased with Jolessa, and I love that my periods are only every three months, also that they are only heavy for three days. I know I keep water weight given that I am on birth control, but that's the only negative thing I have to say about Jolessa!"

• The...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 22, 2024

For Birth Control "This birth control requires incredible patience for your body to get used to it. In the first year of taking it, I was bleeding every day and gained 25 lbs. After the first year though, light spotting every now and then. Normal period bleeding (light bleeding) now occurs every 3-4 months, which I'm super thankful for. I’ve been taking Amethyst for almost 5 years now and have no regrets!"

• aem...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 23, 2014

For Birth Control "Started taking Camrese to combat PMS-related anxiety, and it totally leveled me out. Now I take it for contraceptive purposes, and it has worked great. I gained 20 lbs the first time on it, went off, lost some of the weight, went back on it, and haven't gained since. No spotting after the first pack, once my body was regulated. The dose of constant hormones really helped me feel in control and normal again."

• Lol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I was taking Lo Seasonique with no issues for 2-3 years until I was switched to Ashlyna for insurance and pharmacy reasons. It is the same hormones, but Ashlyna is stronger. The first 3-6 months were seemingly okay until I started bleeding/spotting randomly at any time in the pack (not on placebo pills), mood swings/depression became an everyday thing, and if I did not take the pill like clockwork and was off by even 4 hours, I would get breakthrough bleeding. Not to mention the weight gain, 20 lbs in 6 months. I would not recommend."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2018

For Birth Control "This garbage has completely destroyed my system. PLEASE seek a replacement if you start feeling off! This garbage has changed who I am mentally and physically. I was “giving it a chance” for my body to adjust, but it has put me into insane bouts of depression and uncontrollable mood swings (as in bawling my eyes out and then rage screaming the next). I’ve gained weight, have acne, a yeast infection, spotting, etc. This “birth control” pill is DANGEROUS."

• ILM...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 31, 2013

For Birth Control "Portia is good for preventing pregnancy. It also made my periods lighter and with hardly any cramps. The downside of this is the side effects I faced for 8 years. They included: Pain with intercourse, major migraines, neuropathy pain on the right side of my body, severe pain on my right side that made it extremely difficult to walk, episodes of expressive aphasia, which was extremely embarrassing when speaking to the doctors I worked with. Luckily, they blew it off with a joke. Dizziness, off balance, and blurred vision. Weight gain. I went to many doctors and had a lot of tests, and nobody could figure out what was wrong with me. When I stopped this pill last year so we could try to get pregnant, all my issues went away."

• Rio...
• March 3, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been taking Lutera for a year. It has protected against pregnancy very well. My periods are much lighter, and I almost never get cramps. I have missed 2 periods, which was a little scary. I have gained about 8 pounds, and I crave sweet foods even more than I used to. My breasts are slightly bigger. I feel tired if I don't get at least 10 hours of sleep. My sex drive is slightly lower. I do have a mood swing usually about once a month, where I cry about anything and everything for 2 days. I have always felt more emotional right before my periods, but I did not cry as much before. I think I am going to switch birth control because of the weight gain. Other than that, the side effects do not bother me."

• Anonymous
• February 5, 2012

For Birth Control "I have been on Lutera for almost a year, and that's the first and only birth control pill I've ever been on, so I can't compare it to others. However, I have found this pill pretty good. The lower dosage of hormone still works as well as any other pill as long as you wait about three months after starting it. My skin got so much softer, and my periods are now very predictable. My breasts got a lot fuller (B-D cup), and my hair grew longer and is now shinier. I have mild mood swings, but that's how I was before I started Lutera, so I doubt it's due to the pill. I did gain some weight, I get a few stomach cramps, and my breasts hurt a little from time to time. Everyone's different, and I recommend this pill to not only first-time users, but to everyone."

• Tor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2018

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I've been on this for a month, and I was in horrible shape. Spotting, mood swings, headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, weight gain, major cramps, and tummy gurgling. I was in a bad mood every day, and I couldn't be nice to my children. I stopped taking them, and it's like magic, all my symptoms disappeared. I'm so upset. My new doctor recommended this since they do not carry Chateal. I loved Chateal. It worked great! I wish my insurance carried these. Never will I take nor recommend this because."

• Kyx...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2022

For Birth Control "I really liked Lutera, was on it for 6 months, but Nurx has decided to send me the generic Vienva for the next 6 months instead. Mood was great on it, didn't experience any weight gain. As someone who has had issues with depression and anxiety, I was worried going from Nuvaring to a pill, but I had no issues with mental health. In fact, I have felt better than ever. I have previously felt like I have a low sex drive, but this has actually had me feeling pretty good in that regard, and that may be related to how it didn't have effects on my mood. Everyone's body responds differently to birth control, but Lutera really worked for me. Hope Vienva is just as good!"

• Han...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Aubra because I had severe cramps. The first few months had been really great and pain-free. My period became gradually more painful as I continued to take it. I had also gained over 35 pounds even though I worked out and ate well. My sex drive disappeared completely, and my period was so light it was barely there, but it was still really painful. My depression and anxiety had gotten so bad I had to leave my job because I was so anxious I could not work efficiently anymore. I felt like I wasn’t myself anymore, and it got to the point where I could no longer look in the mirror at my body anymore because of the weight gain. I’ve been off of it for two days, and I hope my life returns to normal."

• Per...
• February 9, 2016

For Birth Control "This was the first pill prescribed to me in my teen years (I'm 32 now). I took them for about 3 years before I got off the pill altogether for about 10 years. When I got back on the pill, I was prescribed a different brand and went with it thinking how bad can it be...biggest mistake ever!!! After 8 months of suffering on the other pill, I switched back to my old, trusty Levora. What a relief!!! I experience very little, if any, side effects on this pill, and it immediately started to reverse the chaos the other pill had caused my body (weight gain, bloating, and severe mood swings). Thank you, Levora!!"

• FL2...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2014

For Birth Control "I started Lutera about a month ago. I was on the Nuvaring before that. I switched to Lutera because being as active as I am, the Nuvaring somehow found its way out. Lutera is the first birth control pill that I have taken, and my experience has been great so far. The pills are small and easy to swallow, which was a huge plus! I did not have breakthrough bleeding on the pill like I did with the Nuvaring {I skip my periods purposely by starting a new pack instead of the inactive week pill/Nuvaring}, so that was fantastic as well. No pregnancies here, so it's been very effective for that! I never had any nausea with the pill, but I did have some weight gain {about 6 pounds, which did not make me happy!}."

• Lil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 5, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Seasonale for 6 years now. I’ve never had any side effects such as weight gain, decreased sex drive, etc. Every 3-month package I take, I’ve never had a breakthrough unless I forgot to take my pills for a few days. It’s been the most effective birth control for me. I love it."

• Joy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 12, 2013

For Birth Control "My doctor switched me from YAZ to Alesse to help with the weight gain that YAZ gave me (20 pounds in 1 year), and I hate this birth control. From the first month of using it, I was an angry beast, it was way too much. Second month, I noticed that I lost a little bit of the weight, but I noticed I would start crying for no reason often and become depressed. My doctor told me to stick it out for 3 months. Third month, I am still an angry beast, as well as extremely irritable for extended periods of time. Mind you that YAZ also caused some of these symptoms as well, but on Alesse it was tripled."

• Anonymous
• April 1, 2010

For Birth Control "After being on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, which gave me every possible bad symptom in the world, I asked my Ob/Gyn to put me on Aviane after reading some good things about it. Aviane has been a godsend. I have been on it for about a month now. No/very little weight gain. Hardly any mood swings (nothing abnormal from when I have my period). No breakthrough bleeding and no acne. I am on day 2 of my period now, and it even seems a lot lighter than it normally was. Aviane is amazing!"

• Pea...
• November 10, 2015

For Birth Control "Worst birth control ever! My first month, 2 months were great, no period, mild bloating, a little weight gain, and my boobs went up an entire cup size (no issues with this)... Although I did start my period halfway through the second pack, and it lasted for 28 days! And my symptoms were terrible. I was so depressed and bloated the first 3 weeks of bleeding, and then the last week, I became extremely lightheaded and vomited at the smell of anything. I went in to see my doctor wanting to get answers, and he had me stop taking it right away, explaining that due to the bleeding, my iron had dropped dangerously low! And it was all thanks to this birth control. I have tried plenty of birth controls in the past and never had anything like this happen!"

• 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."

• Fr1...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 16, 2022

For Birth Control "I've been on Seasonique for nearly 5 years. It cleared up cystic acne, lessened the severity and frequency of my migraines, and most importantly, controlled the psychotic symptoms I have with severe PMDD and menstrual psychosis. The drawback? I gained over 30 lbs without major exercise or dietary changes. So it's a toss-up in my opinion."

• apa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 10, 2020

For Birth Control "I used to get extreme cramps, and I would get super nauseous while on my period. And they would be heavy and super irregular. So I got on birth control to get my period to be regular. I love only getting my period four times a year. I haven’t had any crazy side effects like weight gain. I do get mild mood swings, but I don’t think it’s because of the birth control. I highly recommend this birth control."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 23, 2019

For Birth Control "Don't know if this BC works. I just recently started it, and right away I noticed a lot of acne. I have also been gaining a lot of weight, and FAST. I don't know if all these 10/10, perfectly written reviews are real, seems like they're too good to be. Yet everyone I talk to has issues with this birth control. One of my friends even got cysts as a result of taking this, and I've just heard a lot of bad things - now I'm experiencing them firsthand. I stopped taking this BC today, I don't recommend it."

• Ris...
• February 12, 2020

For Birth Control "This is the absolute worst birth control I ever took. Weight gain to the max. And not to mention, I have been having the most insane night terrors religiously. My eyes are sensitive to lights. I feel tired always and so depressed. My doctor switched me to this one because they called in the wrong pill and told me it was fine to take for a month. I truly do not feel like myself at all. I am stopping it immediately. DO NOT TAKE EVER!"

• May...
• March 8, 2020

For Birth Control "The worst birth control pill ever. Was on IUD before and decided to switch because I felt it was better for me in the long run. Been on it for 2 months and noticed that switching was the worst decision I have ever made. The IUD worked great for me. No side effects and no weight gain. When I switched to Larissia, I gained 10 lbs in 2 months, and I can’t seem to get the weight off. The less I eat, the more I gain, and I was never like that. My anxiety level has been out of control as well. I’m always fatigued and groggy. Though it was all in my head, but after I saw all the reviews, I’m definitely stopping it."