Xulane and Mood Swings: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Jes...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 26, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Xulane for about 4-5 years, and it was good at first because I didn’t know any better. Helped combat my endometriosis and ovarian cysts, which were horrible. However, this BC is the pits. I literally have every side effect this BC offers minus the stroke and heart attack stuff. The mood swings and anxiety are the absolute worst. High blood pressure, hot flashes, migraines and headaches, breast tenderness and swelling, and major cramping in between and on my period are all bad too. I would advise against this form of BC. I’m in talks now with my doctor about changing this because the side effects are more harmful than helpful for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2016

For Birth Control "After being on the depo shot for a year, I absolutely hated it! Gained 30 pounds in a year, bled for 6 months straight, mood swings, pain during sex, and no sex drive. So far I love the Xulane patch. I've only been on it for about 3 weeks, but the only side effect I've gotten was breast sensitivity. The only thing I dislike is sometimes I feel as if the patch will fall off."

• 849...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 10, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on the patch for about 3 months now. I used to have severe headaches every day before starting Xulane. Now I rarely get them-only on my period. I also have not had any issues with the patch coming off, if anything, it is hard to take off at the end of each week and actually quite painful! Also, the week before my period and during my period, I have intense mood swings and become extremely irritable and emotional. So, 2 weeks out of 4 in every month, I feel pretty terrible. I am considering stopping the patch completely, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage."

• 849...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 10, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on the patch for about 3 months now. I used to have severe headaches every day before starting Xulane. Now I rarely get them-only on my period. I also have not had any issues with the patch coming off, if anything, it is hard to take off at the end of each week and actually quite painful! Also, the week before my period and during my period, I have intense mood swings and become extremely irritable and emotional. So, 2 weeks out of 4 in every month, I feel pretty terrible. I am considering stopping the patch completely, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage."

• Cra...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 5, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on Xulane for over a year now, and so far, so good. I have found it easier to cry, and during my period, I'm in pain with backaches (basically my whole body hurting). I had the Nexplanon for 7 months before Xulane, and it was horrible. I didn't have pain or cramps before trying birth control. With Nexplanon, I had horrible, never-ending spotting/bleeding for 6 months and mood swings, mostly anger, I wasn't in control of myself, so this was a great change."

• Sir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2016

For Birth Control "Switched to this after Ortho Evra was discontinued; had just about every bad side effect there is. LOVED my Ortho Evra patch, expected this to be the same, but this Xulane mess is awful. First off, it won't stay stuck. Tried shaving the skin, swabbed with alcohol, let it dry, stuck and held in place 10 sec, etc. It just never stayed more than 3 days at best. My pharmacist even had to give me some weird tape to try to keep it on longer. So of course, with the patch not consistently in contact, there's breakthrough bleeding, irregular LONG periods, terrible mood swings. I thought my body might just need a period of adjustment; I stuck with it 3 months. I gained 14 pounds and looked so bloated and puffy. At age 30, I started having cystic acne for the first time in my life. Oh yeah, and NO sex drive. Yeah, my husband just loves that. I will never recommend this to anyone. Ever. Finding something else has been an ongoing nightmare."

• Anonymous
• August 9, 2015

For Birth Control "I started taking Xulane when my insurance stopped covering Ortho Evra. The first month was fine, no side effects, irritation, or pregnancy scares or anything, but then the second month I started experiencing nausea, cramps, my period was late, and then I had the absolute worst depression and even started losing touch with reality. I thought I was going crazy, but since I stopped it, I've felt completely fine. Did prevent me from getting pregnant, but the mood swings were not worth it anymore, will have to move on to the pill."

• Bou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 27, 2016

For Birth Control "My first time taking birth control, and I chose the patch. I was prescribed Xulane. I hate it. I already had a slight acne problem, it didn't improve it. It made my breasts tender all the time. I was spotting for a whole week, which was expected. The main issue from being on this patch was my mood swings. I felt depressed, sad, I was crying for no reason, and then I would be happy again. My boyfriend hates it because of my mood swings. I've been on it for 3 months, but not anymore."

• KOM...
• June 9, 2015

For Birth Control "I first was using the pill, and that made me have my period for 2-3 weeks straight. I don't know why I didn't just get the patch in the first place! I love the patch. It's one less responsibility I have to deal with. I've been using it for 3 months now, and so far, I never had a pregnancy scare. The downfall of this (because of the type of person) I get every symptom. I got rashes, I threw up before, my boobs get so tender when my period comes (but that always happened even before taking the patch), and my mood swings are crazy! But this only happens when I put the patch on after taking the week-long break. After a couple of days, I'm perfectly fine. I do recommend the patch, though. Just because I get all the symptoms doesn't mean you will :)"

• Mel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 9, 2019

For Birth Control "Ahaha. So I wanted to get started on birth control, and my doctor prescribed this Xulane. I decided to check the reviews just out of curiosity. So I saw a few things that were concerning about others' experiences, so I was just like, well, maybe there were just random negative reviews, plus my doc said this is really good. So lo and behold, a few days later, I started vomiting like crazy. At first, I thought this is probably just a bug or something. Then the mood changes started, and I could not keep anything down. I felt awful. I just had to stop it immediately. Worst experience I have ever had with a birth control. Good luck."

• AKR...
• November 22, 2016

For Birth Control "Nightmare! I was on the Xulane birth control patch for 2 full months. I have felt like a complete zombie with no energy at all. I can feel depression, anxiety, and mood swings getting worse. I'm starting to get headaches and nausea, which I have never experienced before. The patch doesn't stick very well on the skin. I've gotten rashes, and it's always itchy at the site. I'm giving up on birth control because the crippling mental side effects are not worth it. I'm going back to condoms forever. BEWARE, the mental/emotional side effects sneak up on you over time."

• ver...
• June 26, 2015

For Birth Control "I could tell this patch wasn't for me after two months of being on it. I had every side effect you could think of: mood swings, depression, nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches, tingling in my feet and hands, aching in my arms and legs. It got to the point where I was so concerned I had to go to the emergency room to make sure I didn't have any blood clots and that I wasn't in danger of having a stroke or heart attack. Turns out I was okay, but they took me off the patch immediately. I'm only 22, but I smoke, so I guess that could be why I had such a bad reaction to it. I'm disappointed it didn't work for me because the convenience of not having to take a pill every day was nice. Oh well."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I was on Xulane for about a year, and it seemed to work well for me. After deciding to go off of it in February to see if my bleeding had gone to normal, everything was thrown off. I've gotten my period about twice since then at very weird times, and that was only in the beginning. It is now July, and I haven't had a period since April, and I am not on any form of contraception. Not having a period would be nice and all, but I still experience PMS, mood swings, and extremely bad cramps; yet not bleeding at all. I guess this would be okay if you're not planning on getting pregnant soon after going off (I'm not considering that for quite a few years)."

• Yas...
• August 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I switched from the Nexplanon implant simply because I heard of a recall on it, and I couldn't take the constant dizziness and headaches. I used Ortho Evra before, and it was lovely, but this isn't at all. The first night, I felt like I couldn't sleep. With that being said, I was up for 3 days with absolutely no sleep, walking around like an insane person. Severe pain (hunger pangs) that I think contribute to the weight gain, nausea, and breast pain. I took it off. I tried it again, and the physical side effects have faded somewhat, but depression, anxiety, and mood swings are back in my life 10 times worse..."

• Mar...
• September 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I have mixed feelings about Xulane. It did wonders for me regarding my functionality while being on my period. I used to bleed very heavily, feel very dizzy and lightheaded, like I was going to pass out, vomit, and have awful cramps. That all went away when I started taking this. I also like how convenient it is. The patch stays on pretty well. But that is all I have to say that's good. It took about three months for my body to adjust, but I had excruciating headaches and spotting for two weeks straight at a time. The worst part of this is the awful mood swings I get. I don't feel like myself sometimes. I'll just be irrationally angry over the smallest things or have minor anxiety attacks. It killed my sex drive, which is the complete opposite of how I used to be, and it's starting to take a toll on my marriage. It all makes sense considering that the information packet that my pharmacy gave said that it contains more estrogen than certain pills."

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been on the Xulane patch for 2 1/2 months now, but I just took it off this morning. When placing the patch, whichever butt cheek I would put it on, that leg would go numb for about an hour. I was having crazy mood swings. And every 1st patch of the box would cause me to throw up for a few days. The Xulane patch is not for everyone."

• Lei...
• June 11, 2016

For Birth Control "When I started Xulane, I had many reactions. I experienced severe mood swings, and Xulane increased my depression and anxiety. I also experienced redness and itching at the application site, which stopped happening about a month later. I experience nausea, headaches, and severe cramping during times of suspected ovulation. My breasts increased in size, and veins are more prominent. They are also more tender. Sex drive has also decreased. My period comes at the expected time and sometimes lasts 4 days to 6. All in all, I like the idea of not having to remember an oral contraceptive every day! I change it three times a month and the fourth week I leave it off. All forms of birth control have their weak points, but I think Xulane works for me."

• Emy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 6, 2018

For Birth Control "This is the worst thing I have done to my body. I have been on this patch for a year. The first few months I didn't notice any major side effects except for the itching. Then I started noticing that I was very irritated and anxious for no reason. Again, I didn't suspect that it was due to the patch. Now, a year into it, I realized it's all due to this stupid patch. I had never been like this. The mood swings and irritation got so severe that I was becoming a completely different person. Constantly tired and depressed. Stay away from this patch. I do not recommend it."

• Cri...
• September 15, 2016

For Birth Control "This is the first review I've ever written in my life. I say that to say, this is how horrible Xulane is, so bad that I had to write a review about it. I started the patch 3 weeks ago. I was very excited because I didn't have to take pills, which means you have to remember to take them every day. With the patch, you just have to wear/change them once a week. First week of using the patch, I noticed a difference in my body. I was very nauseous, migraines were almost every day, and loss of appetite. Second week, I was very, very emotional, I would cry for no reason along with being very moody. I'm literally nauseous every day now, I have vomited a few times. Long story short, I have pregnancy symptoms. STAY AWAY FROM THE PATCH!! It's horrible!"

• Che...
• March 28, 2018

For Birth Control "Before I explain my experience, let me first state that as long as you use this form of birth control correctly, it will work in preventing pregnancy. That being said, I did use this correctly for 4-5 months and did not fall pregnant once. I did, however, have some unanticipated side effects; after the first 2-4 weeks, I experienced extreme mood swings, more facial breakouts in between periods, an 8-10 pound weight gain/bloat (did not change my diet), my breasts were incredibly swollen, and as a result, I went up a full cup size, intermittent cramping, and the worst of all was the nausea-it was every morning and night. I felt like I was pregnant for the last 3-4 months while on this birth control. I understand that my reaction may differ from others' reactions, so don't let this one bad review keep you from trying it out. It works for many women, but I am not included in that group. I just took off the patch and anticipate going back to normal in the next 4-6 weeks. Good luck!"

• Anonymous
• July 12, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on Xulane for six months now, and I'm sticking with the patch. Before Xulane, I was taking the Depo shot, and I had my period for 3 months, it was horrible. On Xulane, I do get mood swings, and since I seem to be tired a lot. I've also gained some noticeable weight. These would be the only cons, besides that, I love the fact I only have to change the patch once a week, and my period always comes the week when the patch is not required. I've always got my period for nine days, now my period is only 5 days. I love it!"

• Wei...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2017

For Birth Control "Started/switched to the patch in Feb 2017 @ 229 lbs after giving the NuvaRing. Slight itching at patch site (buttocks), noticeable mood swings, and came off one time. Menstruation consistent, took patch off Sunday, the end of Week 3, and by Wednesday, the menstrual period arrived. No spotting in between. I started a weight loss program and lost 13 lbs in one month (June 2017). On Monday of Week 3, I started spotting (20 days post last period) and it was consistent at every use of the bathroom. Only a panty liner needed. Called GYN, said it's normal, weight loss triggers hormonal changes and to use the patch as usual. Week 4, no period, new patch cycle. Skin itching insanely! Patch site swelled up as if I was branded. Week 6, pregnant with #5! 200 lbs less effective, says label."

• All...
• September 13, 2017

For Birth Control "Do not, I repeat, do not take this birth control. I read the bad reviews and figured it would not happen to me because I never have bad medical side effects. HOWEVER, I got sick to my stomach every time I put on a patch to the point of throwing up. I lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks due to this. I got severe mood swings and a lot of acne. Not worth it. I lasted 3 months and nothing changed."

• Ape...
• February 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Xulane for 3 1/2 years. I had tubal ligation, and my surgery was only supposed to be a half hour, but it ended up being an hour and a half. My body was full of adhesions, so my doctor could not find my ovaries! I have been dealing with intestinal spasms ever since. Going on 10 months and still on medication to treat them. Xulane caused me weight gain, mood swings, and pain where the patch was. NOT A GOOD CHOICE!"

• Kay...
• May 31, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been using Xulane for about 2 to 3 months, maybe longer. I have not gotten pregnant, though my boyfriend is fixed. Next, I went back in to get checked, so there is a slim chance. I used the NuvaRing before, I liked it to a point, but it was uncomfortable to me and my boyfriend, so I switched to the patch. At first, it was fine, then after a month or less of using it, I noticed intense mood swings, like bipolar mood swings, wanting to go off on people for stupid little things, being straight up mean to my man and not caring, then feeling terrible after. I have no energy at all, always tired. I hate myself like this, it's not me. I'm going to stop this birth control. I hate these bad mood swings."