Xulane and Vomiting: What Users Say

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2020

For Birth Control "Was on the patch for 6 days when extreme nausea set in. I had to call into work sick and vomited all day. By day 9, I was still having nausea and couldn’t take it anymore, so I removed the patch. Would not recommend."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2017

For Birth Control "I would not recommend this birth control to my worst enemy. I have had terrible headaches, arm and stomach pain, and nausea. I stopped the patch as soon as I started throwing up while driving in my car. I am thinking about going to the ER, it has been almost 2 hours, and I still cannot stop vomiting. This is the worst pain ever. I regret ever using this patch. It is worse than the pills."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I took this Xulane patch because I struggle with remembering the pill. This was the worst option for me. I started this on a Sunday morning, and by Monday night, I was having horrible symptoms. I have a very sensitive body, and it caused me to throw up nonstop for 5 hours the first night I was on it. I was instructed to remove it immediately from my doctor. This is not a good option for people whose bodies are sensitive."

• Myr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 19, 2023

For Birth Control "This patch drove me crazy during the almost 2 months I was on it. Initially, I had to change it every couple of days due to minor discomfort like itching or sliding. However, right from the start, I began experiencing pregnancy-like symptoms such as tender nipples, nausea, and bloating. I'm not exactly sure when it began, but I used it for a whole month, had my period, which allowed me to take it off for a week, and then continued using it for another week or two before realizing the impact it was having on me. It caused me to vomit unexpectedly. It was strange because I would randomly feel nauseous and throw up whatever I had eaten or drunk, or sometimes just foam or bile due to an empty stomach. The migraines were absolutely unbearable! I could hardly tolerate light in my eyes or loud sounds without my ears ringing and my head throbbing. I also experienced severe mood swings, loss of appetite, sadness, and a feeling of being disconnected from myself. Finally, one day I removed it before taking a shower and forgot to put it back on. Surprisingly, I immediately felt different the next day. I would never use this patch again. I feel like a completely new person now."

• Rac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2020

For Birth Control "I took the Xulane patch because I wanted another option for birth control. This was the worst. I put the patch on a Sunday, and by Sunday night, I was having an extreme headache, and on Monday morning, I was violently vomiting uncontrollably. I took the patch off and felt fine for the rest of the day despite a horrible headache for the rest of the day and the next day. I switched back to a new pill (Lo Loestrin), and I love it. No side effects so far, and very happy with it."

• Sar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 5, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Xulane for about two years. During that time, I’ve had almost constant nausea, extreme fatigue, weight gain, and strange chest and abdominal pain. I actually went to the doctor thinking there was something wrong with my heart, as it runs in my family. Though I am only 23. My sex drive disappeared completely, and I found my anxiety to be worse than normal. I spent every ‘new patch’ day vomiting and would sleep by the toilet. This is even AFTER two years. The symptoms have never gone away. My breasts are always swollen and tender. I’ve gone up to an uncomfortable 32G from a 32DD. I would definitely not recommend this to anyone. My body is very sensitive to medicine, but this was just too much. I’m finally saying enough and trying something new."

• Cai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been on the patch for a little over a month now. After failed attempts with almost every option of birth control, I was given the final choices of NuvaRing or the patch, so I chose the patch. I will keep the rating high because it is really easy to remember and is much better than some side effects I’ve had on other forms of birth control. The biggest drawback for me is the nausea and vomiting, which I didn’t realize how common these were until reading the reviews here. Some days the nausea is so debilitating, I can barely get off the couch, and I have a 1-year-old to take care of, so it definitely isn’t ideal. I also am experiencing pretty bad, frequent cramping as if I am on my period, even with a patch on. I will hold out for my trial period, however, and hope it gets better, like lots of women here report, especially since I am virtually out of BC options. Women really need more options of birth control available to them."

• ayo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2019

For Birth Control "Xulane was fine for the first day. My sex drive was up, but nothing too bad. The next morning, I was vomiting for 4 hours. I ripped the patch off and started to slowly feel better. I wouldn’t recommend this at all. I was nauseous throughout the night but wasn’t too surprised. When I woke up, I immediately needed to throw up and couldn’t even leave my bathroom."

• Hor...
• October 8, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on Xulane for over a year now after being on Ortho Evra for 12 years. It's working really well on keeping my cycles down to 3 days vs. 2 weeks. I'm not sure why everyone has been throwing up or having rashes with this medication, as I have not had that experience at all. Some complain about the patch coming off. The best way to do it is to make sure your skin is completely hair-free, dry, and use rubbing alcohol and let it dry before applying the patch. It never comes off."

• Ros...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I started this almost a year ago, and a few months ago, I started developing severe side effects the day after I had put the patch on. It would start with nausea, but then lead into vomiting for several days. Now I'm getting major chest pains, and it feels like my heart is beating really fast. I don't think this one is very safe."

• sam...
• March 23, 2017

For Birth Control "Been on Xulane 3 months starting today. The first month went great, no side effects, noticed my boobs grew a bit. When the second month started, it was going well until I applied the second patch. I had terrible headaches, nausea, extremely lightheaded, and the worst part, extreme stomach pains. I had to remove the patch because of the pain. I almost went to the ER. I applied the third patch of the month the following week and still had some symptoms, but they only lasted 2/3 days. I applied the first patch of the third month this Monday that just passed, and the extreme stomach pain returned along with vomiting and headaches. I've overall decided I'm going to stop Xulane and hopefully find a birth control that won't send me to the hospital."

• NAa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2019

For Birth Control "The patch for me is honestly the worst birth control I have ever tried. I had it on for one day, and it was horrible. I knew the side effects and knew I would or could have nausea when starting out. Around 12 a.m., I felt very nauseous, and by that time, I didn't have any food in my stomach. I wanted to eat something but knew I couldn't hold any food down. An hour later, I just got worse, and my body felt so horrible with all the hormones from the patch. Throughout the night, I was nauseous, weak, vomiting, and dry heaving. Which was so bad to the point where I took off the patch. After taking off the patch, I still felt sick, but the vomiting stopped. One of the worst pains my body has ever felt. Maybe the patch was too much for me because I am 4'11 and weigh 85 pounds, but I'm not sure. I've read reviews that it worked for some people, but I will try another birth control."

• NAa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2019

For Birth Control "The patch for me is honestly the worst birth control I have ever tried. I had it on for one day, and it was horrible. I knew the side effects and knew I would or could have nausea when starting out. Around 12 a.m., I felt very nauseous, and by that time, I didn't have any food in my stomach. I wanted to eat something but knew I couldn't hold any food down. An hour later, I just got worse, and my body felt so horrible with all the hormones from the patch. Throughout the night, I was nauseous, weak, vomiting, and dry heaving. Which was so bad to the point where I took off the patch. After taking off the patch, I still felt sick, but the vomiting stopped. One of the worst pains my body has ever felt. Maybe the patch was too much for me because I am 4'11 and weigh 85 pounds, but I'm not sure. I've read reviews that it worked for some people, but I will try another birth control."

• 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 :)"

• Ann...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 31, 2019

For Birth Control "So I started back on the patch after being off all birth control for a year. I was diagnosed with endometriosis, and this does help regulate it. While my periods are still a week long, the cramping is so much less. I do get extreme nausea and sometimes vomit because of it, but I’ve also lost 16 lbs in 3 weeks, so."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• kmb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 13, 2018

For Birth Control "I have been on the patch for maybe 5 months now, and I do like it because my cramps are not bad, my period is not as heavy or horrible as it used to be, and I do not get pregnant on it. But I throw up a lot on the patch, it also increases my anxiety. I am miserable being on this type of birth control, I would not recommend this to anyone."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 14, 2022

For Birth Control "So I’ve been on Xulane for a few months and been okay, but on Sunday, I put my two second-week patches on for the new month, and ever since Sunday, I’ve been having horrible migraines, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, and high blood pressure. I can’t sleep at night, I’m always tired. I feel like I’m dying! So something told me to take it off tonight, so I did. I hope and pray I go back to normal. Today is Thursday, just FYI."

• 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!"

• Kok...
• September 5, 2017

For Birth Control "The symptoms made me feel pregnant, constantly vomiting, always wanting to eat, always nauseous. Couldn't really do much for a week and a few days. My breasts became tender, didn't want to be touched, it made me feel horrible. After a week and 2 days, I took it off, couldn't bear with it anymore."

• Kok...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 16, 2019

For Birth Control "After trying every pill imaginable, my doctor finally allowed me to try the patch. 1. As far as emotional side effects: very little. I have anxiety and depression as is, and Xulane doesn't seem to exaggerate my usual symptoms. The only noticeable change is the first day that I take the patch off for my 'off week,' but my emotions seem to even back out once I become well-rested and relaxed. 2. Physical side effects: minor, temporary headaches. Didn't gain weight, but that's because I have been nauseous for the whole year that I've been on it. I can go all day, do whatever and eat whatever I want, but the second I lay down to go to sleep I break out in sweat and dry heave 2-3 times a week. BUT, on the bright side, I'm not pregnant and my periods are practically nonexistent. So I guess it's better than morning sickness and a baby that I'm not ready for yet!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2022

For Birth Control "I'm 18, 5 feet tall, and this was my first experience with birth control.... worst possible choice. I put it on the day I started my period, as it stated in the official instructions, and I went to bed that night feeling just... off. A little woozy and very fatigued. I woke up that next morning sick to my stomach. I didn't even eat anything or even drink water before I started vomiting. I couldn't hold down water, tea, saltines, nothing. I kept throwing up for 2 hours before I took myself to the hospital to make the nausea and vomiting stop. I took the patch off before I went, and the next day I woke up feeling so much better. I thought it would be an easy method, just change it every week on the same day, but NO. I would not recommend this to anyone. The nausea, dizziness, and overall crappy body feeling is just not worth it. I could not imagine dealing with that for at least a MONTH after starting when I couldn't even handle one day. I am terrified of starting another birth control now."

• Mel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 10, 2021

For Birth Control "Be careful of this birth control patch. By far, one of the worst experiences I’ve had so far. SEVERE migraines for days at a time and constant vomiting. The side effects are aggressive with this one. No more for me. Not sure this should even be an option for birth control."