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

• Tan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I was diagnosed with endometriosis last July/August. I decided to go with the pill to see if it helped at all before getting something more permanent, and for a couple of months, it did. It took two months to fully regulate my period, but once it finally did, I had almost no pain and an extremely light period. It was great. Flash forward to my 5th/6th month on this pill... what a change. I have no sex drive, I’m back to having period pain, I even had cramps a few days ago that made me think a cyst had ruptured because the pain was so intense. I’m not sure what to make of this pill. I had absolutely 0 side effects when starting it, I haven’t gotten pregnant, and it did help me for a little bit, so I guess it deserves something."

• jul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 5, 2018

For Birth Control "I have been on LoLoestrin for over a year and never had any problems, except for some weight gain. I had to switch to Junel due to insurance coverage, and it is awful. I'm only on my second week of taking it, and the mood swings and irritability are insanely awful. I am constantly hungry no matter how much food I eat, I just want to keep eating, and I am tired all day long. I have no motivation to do anything. Having stomach aches and cramps when I'm not expecting my period anytime soon, and my chronic headaches have gotten much worse. My sex drive is completely gone, and I just keep snapping at everyone for no reason."

• hal...
• March 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I took Junel when I was 19 years old for birth control. The only downside to it was my decreased sex drive, which was kind of a big deal. Otherwise, I didn't experience any crazy symptoms, but my relationship ended, so there was no reason to continue using."

• Anonymous
• October 16, 2019

For Birth Control "DON'T TAKE IT!!!! I’ve been on it for a few years, and until reading reviews, I had no idea it was my birth control. I get migraines for weeks at a time, no sex drive, I have vaginal dryness, I get BV frequently, I gained 9 pounds, I’m so moody and cry over nothing, absolutely nothing.... Only good thing is that my periods are light, and I don’t get cramps, and it didn’t make me depressed. At times, I get waves of sadness, though."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 18, 2019

For Birth Control "Junel Fe 1/20 has been okay. At first, I was ungodly nauseated every day, so I started taking it at night before bed, and I think that's helped. Also, I got extremely depressed at first, which was awful. But it's slowly easing up. My sex drive has entirely gone, though. That's my biggest complaint. Acne is much, much, much better. But my sex drive is shot. Even when I'm trying to be intimate, it's just not the same. Otherwise, after the first 3 weeks, this pill seems to be working fine. It took a little while to work out the kinks, but I'm getting there. I hope my sex life rebounds."

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2018

For Birth Control "I have been on this BC for a little over 2 months now, and I thought that everything was going okay. I never realized what was going on until I started to look into it. I have no drive whatsoever. I just got my health risk assessment back for my insurance, and after reading up on side effects, I believe that this medicine has caused my triglycerides to become dangerously high, which is a sign of heart disease. My HDL (helpful cholesterol) is low... combined is a bad sign of a possible heart attack!!!! and I'm only 28, so I'm definitely going off of this."

• Cra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 5, 2018

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill for five years. It made my sex drive non-existent. I’m 22 years old, and that is not normal! It also caused me to get cystic acne on my chin and jawline. I am switching to Gianvi to treat my acne."

• Ugh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2021

"Way too much iron. I was having issues with my stomach for 2 weeks before realizing this birth control was the cause of it. I experienced extreme constipation to the point I was taking laxatives for relief, my intestines felt so clogged. My poop was green from all the iron. I started having mood swings and a nonexistent sex drive. Do not recommend."

• Liv...
• February 24, 2021

For Birth Control "I started this pill after switching over from Sprintec. I get terrible migraines around my period, so my Dr. suggested I go on a pill with less estrogen. I have been on the pill for over 4 months now, and I can't stand it, I am finally taking myself off of it. I have not had my period ever since I switched over. I think the estrogen level may be too low in the pill for me and causing a hormonal imbalance of sorts because before I was on any pill at all, I was also having trouble getting my period, so I needed something to help induce it. I have not had my period, I have been pretty emotionless, my migraines have increased (I previously had them under control -- only 3-4 a month, but now I'm back to 9-12). My libido is gone, I'm tired all day, fall asleep easily but can't stay asleep, and my skin is dry. I ordered an at-home hormone test to hopefully see if my levels are out of whack, but right now, I believe the pill is causing some of these symptoms, and it is best to go off of it."

• Ajd...
• June 5, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on Junel for close to 5 years. It did the job of preventing pregnancies. It didn't do much to clear up my acne. I had crazy breakouts on my forehead the first year of taking it, but my body has gotten used to the hormones, so I'll only get a few zits right before my period. The curious thing about this BC for me is that my period will skip to every other month. I won't get it one month, but the next month, I'll have a really heavy flow. No significant weight gain or mood swings on this pill. The only thing I despise is that it has made me incredibly dry down there and decreased my sex drive. Overall, it's an alright pill, and I don't hate it. Unfortunately, I have to switch to a new pill since my insurance no longer covers it."

• Gab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 23, 2020

For Birth Control "So I got on this pill because all my friends have babies, and I was like, no way. Lol. No. So I just want to say my first four days went great. Skin was clearing. Appetite curbed. Great. Day five hit, and so did the dizziness and migraines and random nausea. I ignored it because all my friends said it’s normal. Then I got my period again. Extremely dark blood. Now, day six I'm ending taking it. When I say my body is a 12/10 on pain, I mean I can’t leave bed without puking. I’ve cried all day. Leaking dark brown blood. No sex drive at all. Migraines. Everything. Worst decision ever. I can’t even eat. I’m hoping I can recover quickly from this torture I put my poor body through."

• Che...
• October 28, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been taking this birth control for almost 2 years, and I really don't care for it. I do not have acne, and I do not experience weight gain, but it causes me to always start my period mid-pill pack. And then I will have a period for a week, and then a week later, when it is time for my sugar pills, I will have another! They are, however, light periods, but I am just always bleeding. This pill has also caused bad depression. And I have noticed a decrease in sex drive. I am, however, not pregnant, which is a plus. My insurance covers this pill 100 percent, which is why I take it."

• Sam...
• November 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been taking Junel Fe 1/20 for 2 years, and lately I’ve been having breakthrough bleeding between periods and horrible breast tenderness. My breasts feel lumpy, and I have no sex drive. I’ve also been really short-tempered and total mood change. I’m going to switch."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2019

For Birth Control "This pill is absolutely awful. On Junel Fe 1/20 I am spotting non-stop, cramps, breaking out, horrendous migraines, bloated, and zero sex drive. Prior to starting this, I was off BC pills for about 6 months and felt great, Doc said I need to take BC because I take this other med that you cannot get pregnant on. Not worth all the horrible side effects, will use condoms."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Junel Fe when I was told to, and I immediately experienced bleeding. I bled for a month straight before my cycle started straightening out. My sex drive was basically nonexistent after I started the pill, and the mood swings were unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I was extremely depressed and would go through fits of rage. Worst birth control I have taken."

• KS_...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I’m fairly active (work out at least 3x/week cardio and weightlifting) and have a good diet (fruits + yogurt for breakfast, chicken + rice for dinner, no fast food/snacks/sodas), and I don’t smoke or use tobacco. Side Effects: The first week I was on Junel, I immediately got hormonal acne around my mouth and forehead, I was able to improve it 99% with an ACV + water 1:3 mixture. Every now and then, I get a small breakout, nothing major. However, I noticed a major decrease in my sex drive, it’s nonexistent no matter how active I am through the week. I do experience rare achy headaches, but they go away quickly with Excedrin and don’t tend to come back. I’m not sure how related these headaches are to Junel since they come and go without a distinct pattern, but I stay hydrated every day. I have noticed I get small bouts of frustration and crying, but rarely. Positives: This is one of the first BC brands that I don’t experience seasonal depression with."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 3, 2018

For Birth Control "This birth control sucks. I've been experiencing irregular bleeding ever since I started taking this, and I swear it's made sex painful, like I don't even know. I did experience a mental breakdown the first week, and now I'm just always moody. I have cravings more now than I did before the pill. I'm just sick of bleeding every day. What a horrible pill! I'm switching ASAP. I don't know why my doctor prescribed me this yucky pill with such horrid side effects. Today was probably the last day that I took it, and I'll be throwing the rest out. I don't even care what my husband says, my health is more important. Very unsatisfied. I took birth control a few years ago and had no issues. I think it was Tri-Cyclen, way better results there."

• Anonymous
• June 6, 2018

For Birth Control "I use birth control to treat endometriosis and "mittelschmerz" (pain associated with ovulation). I was on Microgestin for about a year, but was switched to Junel. Initially, sex on Junel was painful and I had issues with vaginal dryness that flared back up. While taking the placebos, I did get an increase in my sex drive, but after taking them, I experienced side effects: I have nausea, unprovoked, almost every day. Also, bloating, cramping, and unstable emotions. Recently, I spot between periods. I don’t want to do things I usually enjoy. My ability to feel full seems gone, but I haven’t had significant weight gain or loss. I’ve had vision problems, mainly episodes of temporary loss of lower peripheral vision in my left eye. Personally, I will be asking my gynecologist to put me back on Microgestin. But I wouldn’t discourage anyone from trying Junel. I didn’t have major side effects, besides sex-related, until after taking the placebos."

• Mil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 1, 2018

For Birth Control "This is the second birth control I've been on, and I love it. I've been taking Junel Fe consistently for about a year. It has helped my mood swings during my PMS week, did not make me gain weight, made my boobs seem fuller, did not make me break out in acne, and has overall been very effective for me. I got on birth control because of how painful my periods were, now I only get a period that lasts about 2 or 3 days. I still do get cramps, but they are not painful at all, my biggest problem with my periods. The only negative for this pill is that I have noticed a decreased libido, but I will take that over a painful period or pregnancy."

• Kmf...
• July 1, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control since I was 13 to help my periods. Now I'm 21, and I'm starting to recognize its side effects. I'm 21 with no sex drive at all and painful sex with severe dryness. I will be getting off this birth control very soon and visiting my doctor because it's affecting my hormones."

• Kmf...
• July 1, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control since I was 13 to help my periods. Now I'm 21, and I'm starting to recognize its side effects. I'm 21 with no sex drive at all and painful sex with severe dryness. I will be getting off this birth control very soon and visiting my doctor because it's affecting my hormones."

• ASo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 28, 2018

For Birth Control "This was the first birth control I was ever on and stayed on it for about 2 years continuously (no periods). I loved this pill in the beginning and had no noticeable side effects for the first year, except that it cleared my horrible cystic acne. In the second year, I was taking it I experienced a significant drop in libido, and it was impossible to have sex without extreme pain and bleeding, and to me, this defeated the whole point of being on birth control to prevent pregnancy from sex. So I decided to take a break from it for a few months, and my cystic acne came back, leaving lots of scars, so I started again. The pain and dryness came back, and my acne did not go away after 2 months, so I decided to try and change it. I just switched to Aviane with a few side effects, but I've heard that it makes acne worse, so I'm hoping to find a pill that works for me someday!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 24, 2018

For Birth Control "When I first started this pill, the first three months were a living nightmare. I was super emotional, I was so depressed to the point I was concerned for my mental health (I knew it was the pill, but it was too scary). I was super quick to get angry. Luckily, after that terrible experience, I quickly leveled out. I've currently been on it six months. It's nothing compared to my Lomedia. I'm not happy with it, I'm only sticking with it because I'm terrified to try anything else after what the beginning of this pill was like for me. Six months in and I'm starting to be super emotional all over again. Up until now, for a few months I was experiencing vaginal dryness (which has never been an issue of mine), and it leads to sex being painful. The past few weeks (off my period), I'm hungry all the time. I've already gained a good 5-10 pounds on the pill, and I'm 5'0. I can't put on any more weight. I would NOT recommend this pill. The beginning was almost impossible."

• Emm...
• November 11, 2017

For Birth Control "I was on Junel FE 1/20 for almost 3 years, mainly to treat my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and for birth control. I took it consistently, and I never got pregnant during this time, and my cysts did get smaller. I also noticed that I gradually got less acne to the point where I only have 1 or 2 breakouts per month now (but I had acne before I even started the pill). My breasts grew 1 cup bigger for the first 2 years. However, after the 1st year, I noticed that my periods became very light, and I would miss my periods for consecutive months. I noticed that my breasts went back to their original size during the third year. Also, I lost my sex drive in the third year due to dryness in my vagina, so I decided to switch."

• ver...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 20, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill for 10 months, and I completely lost my sex drive - it wouldn't be a bad thing for people who are single, but I am in a committed relationship. The lack of intimacy started to make me question how I feel, and it brought guilt to me. I thought it was normal for couples who have been dating for years, but later found out it was because of the birth control."