Junel Fe 1/20 and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Ups...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 23, 2018

For Birth Control "First off, I began taking this immediately after an abortion because I was terrified to cause another unwanted pregnancy. I am almost 2 months in, and this is the worst feeling ever. I feel EXACTLY how I felt when I got pregnant: nausea, slight headaches, minor depression, increased appetite, random yeast infections. Took 2 pregnancy tests just to make sure! Both negative. I crave food constantly. I gained a good 5-10 pounds since I started it. I've been feeling unmotivated. I've never had an issue with acne, and I break out every day. Everybody's different, so everybody will react differently. By the way MOST of these reviews look, it's only fair to say it doesn't work right for the majority of users."

• She...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 9, 2021

For Birth Control "I have been on Junel Fe (Sub) for 6 months now, and I want to give my honest opinion because I read these reviews back before I started it, and they scared me. First few months, I was dealing with very painful and sore breasts, headaches within an hour of taking my pill (I took it at 9 pm so that I could fall asleep after due to the headaches), and bloating. At month 3, I was having some anxiety, unreasonable irritation at anything and everything, and random crying. But once I hit month 4, everything changed! The breast pain stopped, the headaches stopped, I felt like my normal self again: calm, kind, relaxed, no more bloating, my skin was really clear, and at my 6-month visit with my gyno, I was down in weight. I think with all birth control, you need to give it some time to regulate your hormones. I definitely talked about stopping the pills during that 3rd month, but I am really glad that I waited it out because I feel back to normal, and I don't have to worry about an unplanned pregnancy."

• CGE...
• January 3, 2017

For Birth Control "This pill was wonderful at first. Did not experience weight gain, headaches, nausea, etc. I went through my teens without getting one pimple and never struggled with acne until taking Junel. Do not take this! My chin was covered with painful, cystic acne. Even now that I'm off this pill, my face has never fully cleared up."

• Nat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 5, 2021

For Birth Control "I've been on this for over two years. In February 2021, I started having 2 periods per month. I just finished my period per the pill pack on 3/22/21. Then, on 3/30/21, I started to bleed again. I haven't missed any pills. It is now 4/5/21, and I am still spotting dark brown. Not supposed to have my 'real' period until 4/19/21. I'm currently considering just quitting this birth control and making my husband use condoms. My OB-GYN told me that this happens on this low-dose birth control and that if it doesn't end on its own, I should quit taking it for a week and start a new pack or just switch to a higher-dose birth control. Neither of those options sounds good to me. I have headaches often, I'm always exhausted, nausea at odd times. This birth control isn't for me. It never used to do this to me. I don't know what changed, but this is awful."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 16, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been on these pills for 3 months now, and I can honestly say I’ve never had such a terrible experience in my life. I had taken Alyacen (with zero problems or side effects) for almost 6 years and decided it was time to go on a lower dosage, and boy, do I regret it. I was prescribed Junel Fe 1/20 and got headaches, acne, nausea, constant exhaustion, mood swings like you wouldn’t believe. My depression and anxiety have been nonstop, and my lower back has been in tear-jerking pain since the day I started them - so badly that sometimes I can barely walk. The only good thing is that my cramps and breast tenderness are nonexistent, but I would take some cramps any day over the rest of the side effects. Definitely switching either back to Alyacen or to something else!"

• num...
• August 14, 2015

For Menstrual Disorders "I started this pill on July 22nd, and received my period on August 1st. It's now August 14, and my period is still on and showing no signs of leaving. The first two weeks, I was sick, couldn't eat, and had extreme headaches. Now, I'm very low in energy and just ready for this to be over. My doctor tells me that it's normal, I have had a heavy flow since I started this. Can't be normal."

• Pol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 12, 2018

For Birth Control "I have had an awful experience with Junel. My pharmacy ran short of the Microgestin I normally take and gave me this instead. I am normally not sensitive to medication, so I figured this would be okay... but boy, was I wrong. I have woken up every day since I’ve started the third month with minor headaches and migraines that come what seems like once a week. Around the time of my period, I have caught myself being moody and on edge. I am visibly bloated to the point that I can’t fit into my pants. I am breaking out in places I’ve never broken out before. I feel like my skin can never get enough moisture— it is constantly dry, and a new one I’ve never had an issue with has been hair thinning. As a 22-year-old, I thought that I’d be experiencing hair thinning later in life, so this absolutely terrifies me. The only positive thing it’s done for me has been keeping me from getting pregnant. I DO NOT recommend this birth control to anyone."

• JMD...
• November 5, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on Loestrin Fe, to Minastrin Fe, now to Junel 1/20 since that's all my insurance would cover. I have been on it a week and a half. This is possibly the worst birth control ever. I have been on birth control for 5 years, and not ONCE have I ever experienced this. I am moody, anxious, depressed, exhausted, have mild headaches, and am nauseous. I have no clue who I am on this, and it's only been a week and a half. I'd hate to see long-term effects. Coming off of it immediately."

• ck3...
• October 16, 2017

For Birth Control "This pill literally made me miserable. Obviously, everybody is different, but I felt absolutely awful the entire time I was taking it. Almost immediately after starting this pill, I began to have vicious headaches for days at a time. I also felt nauseous for a good portion of the day and had no appetite. Maybe because of this, my energy basically disappeared, and all I wanted to do was sleep. I also started retaining a ton of water, which made me feel even more lethargic. I continued to bleed and have cramps throughout the entire pack, and I would frequently feel dizzy. On top of all of this, my mood was all over the place, and I started having anxiety that manifested as tightness in my chest and difficulty breathing."

• The...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 15, 2019

For Birth Control "My wife has been taking birth control for over a year, and out of the blue, her doctor switched her to Junel Fe. Things seemed fine at first for her, but then after a couple of months of it, she started having headaches almost regularly. She would never have headaches in the past. She also describes the general feeling of just never feeling well in her head, like always feeling foggy. Her energy has been very low. After only working for 3 hours, she is exhausted and cranky. She also gained a bit of weight. We go to the gym 3 times a week, but she never sees any progress with her weight. She also hasn’t been dealing with her stress well at all, and she has been getting very anxious to the point where she can’t sleep at night. And the nausea... She gets car sick easily, but it has been getting worse. After reading these reviews, I will get her to read it and suggest she stop taking it. I hope within the next couple of weeks, she starts to feel better."

• HSN...
• February 24, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Junel FE for over 8 years. It was given to me in middle school because I had such horrible cramps I couldn't leave my house. Middle school and high school I didn't really have side effects. My sophomore year of college, it started to give me vaginal burning and dryness. The dryness stayed, but the vaginal burning would come and go. I noticed I had frequent yeast infections throughout high school and college on the pill. I finally stopped Junel last month because it gave me breast cysts after over 8 years of use. For the last three months that I was on Junel, I had extreme breast pain every single day of the month. The last month that I was on birth control, the pain in my breasts was so bad that I would cry out in pain every day. Off it a month and my breast pain is gone, my headaches have significantly improved. At 22, it gave me painful breasts and cysts, so I had to stop it for fear of getting breast cancer. Also, it gave me horrible anxiety during the last year on it."

• Tzi...
• October 25, 2017

For Birth Control "I started taking this pill about 5 months ago to regulate my period. 10 days, sometimes super late or early, extreme headaches, cramping, nausea, and vomiting from pain. This pill helped regulate my periods very well. Reading through these other bad experiences, it's weird. I've noticed nothing wrong. No acne, no weight loss or gain... mood swings are unsure, mainly because I had a traumatic incident in July and then again just 2 weeks ago, along with having chronic illnesses. Same with the sex drive; I haven't noticed much due to not paying attention and then a traumatic experience. I personally really like it, although the extra iron is pointless."

• Jas...
• February 13, 2018

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for about a month now, and I have never felt so unbalanced in my life. When I first started, I was so hungry. I would literally eat anything my eyes looked at. The cramps were unbearable. I've never had cramps for weeks. It originally stopped my period, but now I have been on my period for 9 days with so much clotting, and it's not normal. The anxiety attacks are so true! I've never been so emotional and upset! The tender and swollen breasts. The pain from the cramps. The headaches. Food cravings. I WILL NEVER USE THIS PILL AGAIN. It's terrible."

• Emi...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 30, 2021

For Birth Control "I spent 7 years on Junel, and I’m sad I can’t get those years back. The pros: clear skin, no weight gain, no periods, and obviously no pregnancy. The cons: extreme anxiety and depression, constantly feeling like I was in a fog and not really there (just going through the motions of life), no sex drive, vaginal dryness during sex, bloating after eating, nausea in the mornings, low energy, always tired, night sweats, insomnia, constipation, dry hair and skin, headaches a few times a month, very high blood pressure. I’m a completely different person since stopping and will never take hormonal contraceptives ever again."

• ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2021

For Birth Control "I started taking birth control for the first time 4 months ago, and it was fine for the first 3 months, but then things went downhill. I developed an eczema rash, which is very unusual because I've never had eczema before. I would get chronic headaches and an upset stomach, which again, is unusual because I do not have a sensitive stomach. My cramps and tender breast issues did not improve on this birth control, in fact, I think the tenderness may have gotten worse. The worst part about this medication was the mood swings. I already struggle with anxiety, but it is manageable, and normally my mood is stable. This birth control made me very sensitive, irritable, anxious, sad, and any other negative emotion you could think of. It started causing problems with my loved ones, and I feel like I can't control my own emotions. I don't feel like myself, and I hate it, so I will be switching as soon as this pack is over, and honestly, I can't wait to be done with these pills."

• Kel...
• February 27, 2021

For Birth Control "I started Junel Fe February 7 after a 10-week medical abortion. Here's my opinion: • It did lighten the after-abortion bleeding. • I am getting more acne (I'm someone who never gets pimples, so this is new). • My anxiety and depression have heightened (I've always had these problems growing up, but I'm noticing I'm becoming extremely empathetic & my anxiety, I have become self-conscious and more of an introvert). • I feel like a ticking time bomb (I feel like I'm going to cry at everything, I'm very emotional, which is unlike me. I'm not sure if the birth control is at fault for all my emotional breakdowns). • No change in weight, but I am also trying extremely hard to lose weight, so I wouldn't say it's harder or easier to lose weight. • Getting more headaches, but usually fixable by taking a Tylenol. I look forward to updating you all on my experience. As a person who doesn't like birth control and has super sensitive hormones, this birth control has not been horrible."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 29, 2021

For Birth Control "Please do not take this medication if you already struggle with anxiety or depression! I have had anxiety since 2015, but it was minor until I started taking Junel Fe. I first took Junel Fe in 2015-2018, but switched to Liletta. After I was having complications with Liletta (cramping, bad PMS, slightly increased anxiety), I decided to switch back to Junel Fe as I had taken it in the past, but it was not the same. I started in November of 2020 and stopped abruptly in April of 2021. At first, I felt fine, but I started to notice random intrusive thoughts that disturbed me a lot. I developed headaches and switched to Junel Fe 1.5/3 in hopes that it would help. That month on that pack was the worst month of my life. I felt depressed, had the worst panic attack of my life, and began to speak with a therapist. This medication worsened my anxiety to the point that I almost took antidepressants. I feel better after 3 months off of it, but please be cautious! You are not crazy if you feel this!"

• Jay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2019

For Birth Control "I only took Junel Fe for 2 weeks, but I'll share my experience. So at first, I loved it because I felt like it wasn't giving me any crazy mood swings. Also, the nausea was very mild and didn't last long for me. However, after a week, I was constantly exhausted, which is to be expected at first, and the mood swings began but weren't terrible. The reason I stopped it is because it gave me HORRIBLE nodular acne. Multiple of them. They are bigger than quarters in diameter and four-dimensional. And, omg, the headaches they gave me from the pressure, and they hurt SOOO bad. I didn't even want to go in public. I'm still healing, and I've been off it for a week. It ruined my skin."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2019

For Birth Control "I had Mirena for a year and a half and didn't like the way it made me feel, so July 16th, 2019, I got it out and started Junel Fe 1/20 the next day. I started my period 2 days later, and it was so heavy I was bleeding through the tampons at least once a day. This is my 2nd month taking it, and I haven't missed a pill, but no period. Cramping, sore boobs, and headaches, but nothing. I'm debating on calling my doctor to switch to something else. I have 0 energy and 0 sex drive. Not liking it so far at all."

• Hal...
• November 4, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on this birth control for a few weeks now and have had nothing but issues with it. The first few days were fine, and I had very few problems. As I got farther along into the pill pack, I started having more side effects, such as bad cramps, lightheadedness, I was very moody, my back was very achy, and I started to have headaches. Day 7, I started my period three weeks early. I figured it was spotting, but I ended up having to use tampons and pads. I called my doctor, and they told me to stay on it and it should get better. So that is what I did. It hasn't stopped. I have been on my 'period' for a week now when usually it is only three. I am very disappointed with this medicine."

• BSe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 16, 2017

For Birth Control "I've taken this for probably 6 months now? I switched pharmacies, and they gave me this after being on something similar or whatever the equivalent was. I was used to the barely-there periods after the other brand for about 6 months, but over the last year, I've had extreme stress. Deaths, moving, etc. I'm a type A and own 2 businesses, my husband is an exec and gone a lot, and we have 2 kids. But after looking online for possible reasons about my mood, anger issues, and my physical symptoms, I'm starting to wonder. I'm a personal trainer, my body has gained and lost weight from kids, and I usually have self-control. On this? Nope! Breasts sore, crampy bloat, headaches terrible pre and during period week, and now weekly. Calling OB-GYN mañana!"

• Ali...
• September 6, 2018

For Birth Control "This was my first time being on birth control, I started in late May. This birth control is literally giving me acne. Before, I had pretty “good” skin, I only broke out during my period, and now it’s acne 24/7. I have heard your skin gets worse before it gets better, but I’ve been on it for like 4 months, I feel like my body has adjusted. I also get more headaches, but the one pro (other than preventing pregnancy) is that my period is lighter and less crampy, but I don’t know if it’s worth this additional acne. I’m gonna try another birth control and hopefully not ruin my body."

• Ran...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2021

For Birth Control "This was my first time taking hormonal birth control. I am 43 years old and started taking Junel to help take the edge off of perimenopause symptoms. I took the first pill on the first day of my cycle, and the first effect I experienced was that my period ended up lasting for 12 days (as opposed to my usual 4). For the weeks, I had some minor headaches and bloating, minor weight gain (maybe 1.5 - 2 pounds), and breast pain. I was willing to put up with the physical discomforts, but what made me discontinue Junel after 1 month was the depression and anxiety. I do have a history of postpartum depression, so it's possible that I am just one of those who is more at risk for depression with *any* BC. Maybe it would have leveled off after a few months of use, but I just wasn't willing to risk it. Of course, as soon as I stopped taking the pill, I got my period right away. I essentially had my period for 3 out of 4 weeks of this month. Ugh."

• SLA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 23, 2022

For Birth Control "Please do not take this, and if you are experiencing new anxiety or depression, stop taking this! I have taken Larin Fe with no issues for over 2 years. Recently, my pharmacy switched wholesalers and can no longer get Larin Fe, so they gave me Junel Fe. I have been taking this medication for 6 weeks, and it finally hit me today what has made the last 6 weeks so miserable: Junel. I went from being a happy, easy-going person to a miserable, moody, depressed, crying for no reason, anxious, and withdrawn individual. I have had chronic headaches, awful menstrual cramps, breast pain, bloating, and generalized pain in my abdomen. It has been awful. I did some self-reflection to try to determine what was happening to me, and it hit me, this all started when I began taking Junel Fe. I reached out to my pharmacy and was told, 'you are not alone, we hear this a lot with this medication.' Why is this still on the market? I would not wish this on anyone."

• Nau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2018

For Birth Control "My pharmacist couldn’t get my regular birth control in and said this was close enough to my normal pack. Well, maybe ingredient-wise, but this made me sick for two months straight! I started losing weight because I couldn’t eat, everything made me sick to my stomach. Don’t forget the headaches that would come daily. Yes, my doctor checked to make sure I was pregnant. Soon we figured it out, and all went back to normal when I trashed these nasty birth control pills and went back to my others."