Junel Fe 1/20 and Cramps: What Users Say

• kiw...
• June 23, 2021

For Birth Control "This was my first time on any birth control, so I was prepared for the worst, but honestly I had a good experience. First day I experienced some nausea. I have had on and off GERD, and in the first two weeks, I noticed I was feeling symptoms similar to when it flares up (bloated, burping a little stomach acid up, mild nausea). Nothing some Alka-Seltzer Gold couldn't fix :). It subsided after the first two weeks. The week before my period, I tend to have mood swings, increased anxiety, and be very sensitive, but I was doing better than usual on Junel Fe. I also feel like it reduced a bit of my anxiety. I chose not to skip my period, and I usually get debilitating period cramps, but Junel Fe pretty much erased them. I did not experience any changes to my skin, weight, or appearance. I think the reason why this site has overwhelmingly bad reviews is that those who had a bad experience feel more inclined to share it than those who had a good. Talk to your doctor for what is best for you. :)"

• doe...
• June 3, 2021

For Birth Control "I got on this BC in March 2021 after my Nexplanon expired. I am a newlywed and even though my husband and I want to have children, I want to wait at least a year to have a baby. My PCP decided to put me on Junel so I can stop at any time. Symptoms the first couple of weeks were cramps, sore breasts, headaches, and fatigue. Today marks 3 months on this BC, and I will not continue taking them. The non-stop crying, panic attacks, anxiety, arguments with my spouse, sadness, and depression are out of hand. I lay in bed last night and wished I was dead. I have so many suicidal thoughts and felt like I was going through some tough times in my marriage, but after reading all these reviews and being able to relate to these other women, I realize I'm not crazy. I've been feeling so alone in my dark thoughts. I was scared I would end up in the hospital sooner than later. Listen to your body, please, and if any of this relates to you, please consult your doctor. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!"

• ash...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 7, 2021

For Birth Control "I've been using this birth control since June of 2020 and haven't had a period since. I don't have any complaints with using it, and I have no symptoms. I don't get cramps or acne or headaches. It seems to be affecting me just fine."

• Tan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2021

For Birth Control "Started this birth control to help with cramps, bad lower back pain, and to regulate my period. First 3 months I had bad anxiety, mood swings, and my periods would start the week before the brown pills and then zero period during the brown pills. I was just about to switch pills and figured I'd give it 1 more month. Then, it all changed overnight. I no longer have any mood swings, and I think it actually has helped with any anxiety. I have no abdominal cramping, no lower back pain. I will still get hot flashes and night sweats right before my period starts though. This is the first pill that has lessened my period. Now if I wanted to, I would probably only have 1 full tampon day and then spot for 3 days. At this point, I am very happy that I stuck with it and hoping each month will continue to get better. I have now taken for 5 months."

• Ker...
• December 29, 2014

For Birth Control "I recently switched to this birth control and have nothing bad to say about it. I used to have cramps, bad acne, mood swings, and back pain. My mood swings, cramps, and acne went away! My period used to be 7 days and very heavy. It's 5 days and light! I couldn't be happier!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2012

For Birth Control "In February, I started Junel. It's been very good with almost everything, but it hasn't helped with my cramping. I have regular periods that aren't heavy or light, they're just sort of painful. I haven't had any breakouts, major weight gain, or bad nausea. As for spotting, it only happened for a few weeks during my first month on Junel. My breasts also grew about a cup size."

• blu...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 22, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm on my 7th month of this pill, and it has been great. The first month was a little rocky, I broke out a lot and had really bad anxiety and depression, but it went away after the first month! Everything has been good from there. My periods are SUPER light and last 3-4 days. They used to be heavy and last up to 7 days. I also rarely get cramps anymore, and when I do, they are bearable. It hasn’t affected my sex life, and I’ve always been anxious/depressed, but this pill hasn’t made it worse. Also, not pregnant! So it works."

• Gab...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 20, 2012

For Birth Control "Around December of 2011, my OBGYN prescribed Junel to me. Honestly, it's been great. My periods are lighter than they've ever been before. Previously, my cramps when I got my period were absolutely horrible. Now, I can only tell my period's coming when I'm on the fourth row of pills. Being regular is a huge plus. Also, my fiancé and I have not found ourselves in any trouble while using it. As much as a couple may find themselves having sex, we have never once had to face the consequences. These have been great to me and my relationship!"

• Jac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2019

For Birth Control "Within days, I felt my entire mood begin to switch. I have never had dark thoughts like I began to have when taking Junel Fe. Extreme anger isn’t even the best to describe it, you can tie your own shoes the wrong way and it would make me mad. Anxiety at an all-time high where my mind would run wild or I would even be sometimes too anxious to get out of bed or out of my car to go into work. I didn’t gain any actual weight (sometimes water weight), but I always felt heavy, bloated, and downright disgusting. The mood changes and water weight aren’t even the worst. I would experience a lot of “breakthrough” bleeding, but it wasn’t spotting, it was a full-on period, and HEAVY!! It was like a monster period, super heavy and would last for days!! I also experienced cramping randomly throughout the month and not just close to/during my period. I do not recommend this birth control unless you want to start turning green and become the Hulk."

• Han...
• February 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I was switched from Microgestin due to insurance (I was on that brand for a year and NEVER had any side effects). The second I started Junel, I turned into a different person. I'm just going to break down my symptoms by month: Month 1: nausea, two weeks of breakthrough bleeding, migraines, sore and swollen breasts. Month 2: bloating, spotting, headaches, bowel problems, increased appetite. Month 3: EXTREME anxiety and paranoia, worse bloating, mood swings, leg cramps, abdominal cramping. Month 4: lower back pain, uterine and stomach cramps, intense bloating, mood swings, even worse anxiety. Literally thought I was pregnant this month because I didn't have any bleeding whatsoever and because my stomach hurt constantly. Do not take this pill if you have anxiety or depression. It has made me stress about pregnancy more than when I was relying on the pullout method. The ONLY plus side is that my withdrawal bleeds are super light and my acne (sorta) cleared up. I hate this medication."

• Han...
• February 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I was switched from Microgestin due to insurance (I was on that brand for a year and NEVER had any side effects). The second I started Junel, I turned into a different person. I'm just going to break down my symptoms by month: Month 1: nausea, two weeks of breakthrough bleeding, migraines, sore and swollen breasts. Month 2: bloating, spotting, headaches, bowel problems, increased appetite. Month 3: EXTREME anxiety and paranoia, worse bloating, mood swings, leg cramps, abdominal cramping. Month 4: lower back pain, uterine and stomach cramps, intense bloating, mood swings, even worse anxiety. Literally thought I was pregnant this month because I didn't have any bleeding whatsoever and because my stomach hurt constantly. Do not take this pill if you have anxiety or depression. It has made me stress about pregnancy more than when I was relying on the pullout method. The ONLY plus side is that my withdrawal bleeds are super light and my acne (sorta) cleared up. I hate this medication."

• Han...
• February 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I was switched from Microgestin due to insurance (I was on that brand for a year and NEVER had any side effects). The second I started Junel, I turned into a different person. I'm just going to break down my symptoms by month: Month 1: nausea, two weeks of breakthrough bleeding, migraines, sore and swollen breasts. Month 2: bloating, spotting, headaches, bowel problems, increased appetite. Month 3: EXTREME anxiety and paranoia, worse bloating, mood swings, leg cramps, abdominal cramping. Month 4: lower back pain, uterine and stomach cramps, intense bloating, mood swings, even worse anxiety. Literally thought I was pregnant this month because I didn't have any bleeding whatsoever and because my stomach hurt constantly. Do not take this pill if you have anxiety or depression. It has made me stress about pregnancy more than when I was relying on the pullout method. The ONLY plus side is that my withdrawal bleeds are super light and my acne (sorta) cleared up. I hate this medication."

• Kan...
• March 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Junel Fe for about 5 months and haven’t found the relief I was searching for. The first month went on without a breeze, but since then it’s been a disaster. My cramps have lessened but still are a nuisance and require medication to allow me to function properly. My cycle is completely irregular, I haven’t had a period while on my placebo pills the entire time I’ve been on Junel. I bleed on my active pills each month, and it’s still not regular or consistent, which terrifies me, thinking my birth control is not effective. My mood is ALL over the place, and my anxiety has been through the roof. My skin has sorta cleared up, but I contribute that to me not wearing makeup anymore. I contacted my doctor to change pills. This was my first time using birth control, and this experience was far from what I wanted. I kept giving it time so my body could adjust, however, I didn’t want to suffer anymore. Hopefully, I can find something that really fits my needs and doesn’t make things worse."

• Mjj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 8, 2017

For Birth Control "I personally like this BC. I tried the regular Junel 1/20, but because I'm iron deficient, my dr recommended this one. The only downside I would say is that it gives me cramps, nothing crazy. But I don't usually get cramps, so this was a change for me, but they are mild, nothing I couldn't handle. My skin is clear, it's made me lose weight in general. My sex drive actually got better. My period is super light, lasts about 3 days (: I've been on this one for a month now. With the regular Junel 1/20, I was on it for 6 months, and it was basically the same. I'm happy."

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2011

For Birth Control "I have been very happy with Junel. This is the 1st pill I have taken without horrible side effects. I experienced slight nausea and cramping on day 2, but that's gone away. I have a slightly elevated hunger level, so I have needed to be conscious of food intake. No bloating, spotting, or weight gain. My libido has increased and my acne cleared up."

• EMa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on Junel Fe 1/20 for 3 years and never had any issues with it. I then switched to the copper IUD and then Paragard IUD for 6 months, which caused excessive hair loss for me and a hormone imbalance, so I switched back to Junel Fe 1/20. I've been on it for about 2 months now, and the first week I had bad cramping, but since then I have had no issues. My skin is clear, my moods are actually better, and I've lost a few pounds."

• ABa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 17, 2018

For Birth Control "Before I started this medication, I had read reviews of it, and I was horrified. It's now been a year and four months that I've been on Junel Fe, and I honestly haven't encountered any issues. Before I was on birth control, I was depressed, had anxiety attacks very often, always tired, had my period for at least six days, and had a lot of cramping. I never had any issues with having acne. Ever since I started, I feel like a whole new person. Zero anxiety attacks, no longer depressed, very light periods that last three days (at most), no cramping at all, and still no issues with acne. I constantly see reviews that other people leave saying that they're constantly nauseous or having headaches or gaining weight, but I personally haven't had any of these issues. Although this medication doesn't work well for some people, it works perfectly for me! Don't let other reviews discourage you. I almost didn't start using this medication due to the bad reviews I had read. I'm also glad I'm not pregnant."

• Pla...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 16, 2013

For Birth Control "I started Junel Fe in the summer of 2011 after being on Tri Lo Sprintec in 2010 and breaking out in severe hives the size of my fist. My doctor wanted to give me something that was low in estrogen. I was on Junel from August of 2011 until April of 2013. During this time, my periods were regular down to the day of the week that I got them. However, my mood swings were TERRIBLE in the beginning. I mean, bipolar jubilant to depressed in minutes. But that ended, and it was perfect. I still had PMS and mild cramps, but nothing insane like the beginning. The reason I changed was because they said Junel was not being made anymore, and my pharmacy gave me Gildess instead. All in all, regular periods and no pregnancy gets an A."

• mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 26, 2014

For Birth Control "Month 1 OK. Nothing that noticeable. Month 2 extremely tired all the time. No patience, overemotional, beyond ragey. Full period on the second week of the pack. Dry, flaky patch on my usually non-acne face. Headaches, some abdominal cramps. Want to give it a chance, but the tiredness I can't deal with... the side effects of feeling depressed."

• Liz...
• January 5, 2020

For Birth Control "I am on my second pack and third row of medication. I have depression and anxiety and started the pill because my PMS was horrible, and it was really irregular. My doctor put me on this medication, and the non-physical aspects of my PMS were reduced greatly, and even the physical aspects were reduced. I was so happy. I had breakthrough bleeding and abnormal discharge but then started having some heavier breakthrough bleeding, which was a little strange. It cleared up my acne significantly as well. I started having nausea and stomach aches this past week, and I don’t know if that’s because of my eating habits/stress or because of the medication. I also had, just today, some breakthrough bleeding like a light period with dark, almost brown-colored blood and cramps. I assumed this was just because of the medicine, and it didn’t really affect me too bad today. I have been so incredibly happy on it, it pretty much changed my entire life. I feel like a whole new person."

• KiK...
• November 30, 2018

For Birth Control "My dr gave me Junel Fe for my horrible periods due to fibroids. First month was awful. Major headaches, felt like I was PMS'ing 24 hours a day the entire month, major depression, hunger, and cystic breakouts. But my period came during placebo week, and I have never experienced such a light period before. Second month had improvement on ALL side effects. Period was still light, but it came for a couple of days, stopped, then came back. Third month, headaches and PMS symptoms are gone except for the period week, and my skin is perfectly clear!!! Super light period and minor cramping. No breakthrough bleeding, but I am very diligent about taking the pill at the same time each night. I set an alarm on my phone so I don't forget. Overall, I have been very happy with results. You do have to suffer through a couple of months of adjustment, but after that, it clears up. The benefits outweigh the negatives. I even started a low carb diet and have lost 11 pounds so far while taking this BCP."

• m f...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I never feel compelled to review anything, but this pill ruined me so badly that I feel I need to. I only lasted 2 weeks taking this pill. When on Junel Fe 1/20, I had horrible headaches, nausea, and depression. I cried constantly for no reason, I blew up on people for no reason, and my skin began to break out horribly. The worst part was the bloating. I have been bloated day and night for over a week. My weight is up from the water weight. I’m so uncomfortable 24/7. I stopped taking the pill and am now withdrawal bleeding heavy blood with the worst cramps I’ve ever had in my life. DO NOT take this birth control. It is ruining my life."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 10, 2017

For Birth Control "Worst birth control I've ever taken. It made me angry, moody, cranky, and emotional. I've had cramps every day since I started taking it, and now I'm spotting constantly-almost daily. I also gained 8 pounds in the first 3 weeks of taking it. I stopped taking it after the first month because it had so many negative side effects. I've never had issues like this in 35 years from birth control pills... SMH."

• JPa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2021

For Birth Control "Constant breakthrough bleeding. Supposed to let you skip your period, but I’m either always on my period or having PMS or about to start another at the beginning and middle of packs, so annoying. Have had a two-week spotting period thing, ridiculous. Pretty much everything can get me to cry now. I waited the 3 months, no resolution, currently looking for brands to switch to. Not many positives, but my acne has never looked better, not pregnant, some periods are light and easy (had one that was crazy painful though)."

• Nin...
• December 27, 2016

For Birth Control "I normally take Gildess Fe, which has been totally fine for me for over a year, and when I changed my pharmacy, they changed my prescription to Junel. Worst. Birth control. Ever. It makes me cry constantly for no reason. The other night, I was at dinner with my mom, and I didn't enjoy my food very much, and I sat in my car and cried for a half an hour because of that. It makes me so moody to the point where everything everyone does irritates me. This is seriously the worst birth control to go on. I never had cramps before, and now I get my period in between cycles, and my cramps hurt so badly. I cannot wait to be off of this brand. I hate it. I have had the same reaction to this brand twice now. Horrible."