Junel Fe 1.5/30 and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say

• Han...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 19, 2020

For Birth Control "Don't take this unless you want problems. Junel will make you gain a lot of weight. I gained 45 pounds in 10 months (I was 140 pounds 1-2 months postpartum, so I was only 5 pounds overweight before starting Junel), more than likely caused me to have hypothyroidism, feeling tired all the time no matter the amount of sleep, dry hair, dry skin, mood swings, severe anxiety, migraines for days, random numbness of feet, weird 1-day periods with brown clots after the first 2 months, no sex drive at all, this makes me feel like I'm dying, just too many side effects."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2019

For Birth Control "I took brand Microgestin for a year, and it was the worst. I had yeast infections constantly. My periods would last over a week. I had horrible moods and bad cramping. My sex drive was low, and when I was in the mood, I was as dry as a desert! Sex was incredibly painful, and I absolutely hated it. Well, a couple of months ago, my insurance stopped covering the brand Microgestin, and they switched me to Junel 1.5/30. I was afraid at first, but now I'm pleasantly surprised! I haven't had any yeast infections. My periods only last about 3 days, and my moods are normal! My sex drive is up, and it's not painful! I'm so sorry to all those that have had really bad experiences. I'm glad I was able to find a birth control that was right for me. We all have different bodies, and they react differently, of course. I hope you all can find a suitable birth control that is right for your body!"

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2019

For Birth Control "I took brand Microgestin for a year, and it was the worst. I had yeast infections constantly. My periods would last over a week. I had horrible moods and bad cramping. My sex drive was low, and when I was in the mood, I was as dry as a desert! Sex was incredibly painful, and I absolutely hated it. Well, a couple of months ago, my insurance stopped covering the brand Microgestin, and they switched me to Junel 1.5/30. I was afraid at first, but now I'm pleasantly surprised! I haven't had any yeast infections. My periods only last about 3 days, and my moods are normal! My sex drive is up, and it's not painful! I'm so sorry to all those that have had really bad experiences. I'm glad I was able to find a birth control that was right for me. We all have different bodies, and they react differently, of course. I hope you all can find a suitable birth control that is right for your body!"

• Ann...
• December 14, 2011

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I tried this medication based on recommendations from my doctor. First, read ALL the information about the pill before taking it. My doctor prescribed this to me knowing I suffer from severe migraines (it was in my medical history and discussed). It says in the description NOT to take this if you suffer from migraines. So aside from that, here is what this pill has done to me: extreme and heavy bleeding for 14 days now (and it's showing no signs of stopping), body soreness, breast soreness, increased headaches, extreme eye pain, extreme fatigue, extreme mood swings, loss of appetite and weight, heavy cramping, chest pains, difficulty breathing, and loss of libido."

• 123...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I found Junel Fe 1.5/30 pretty good. I did not have any of the side effects that people keep talking about. I didn't take this BC for 3 months after it was prescribed because I was so scared of the side effects, but I have none. Remember, birth control is super common, and a majority of people don't have any side effects at all. Noticed a bit of increased appetite and less sex drive, but overall I do not feel a difference at all. My periods are so, so, so much better, and it helped a lot with my iron deficiency. I'm also on Zoloft and have severe anxiety, and it didn't make a difference, and the Zoloft still works how it worked before I started BC. I don't have any anxiety at all with these 2 drugs. Just don't knock it till you try it!"

• Anonymous
• March 28, 2021

For Birth Control "OMG! Reading these reviews explains so much! To start off, I'm a 19-year-old, and this was the first ever birth control I've been on. - Nausea my first month, but it went away. - INSANELY BIG APPETITE. I'm 5'3 and I gained 25 lbs in 6 months. - Depression. I was never depressed my entire life, and on this pill, I became so sad it's crazy... one week, every day that week, I would wake up at 5 and have these crazy thoughts about my boyfriend cheating on me. - Decreased sex drive, vaginal dryness... - RECURRING YEAST INFECTION EVERY SINGLE MONTH. I never had a yeast infection in my life. - Boobs swollen and tender even after being on it for 6 months. - Positive side: I didn't get pregnant on it. The side effects weren't terrible, but the only reason I'm giving such low stars is because of its effect on my mental health. Why does this pill do this to you? I'm just going to use condoms and hope for the best, lmao."

• Jac...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 23, 2022

For Birth Control "I took Junel Fe 1.5/30 for five years, from the time that I was 18 to the time that I was 23. I took it at the same time every day and never had a single pregnancy scare. Please, girls, remember: birth control is hugely personal. Our hormones are so sensitive. What works for one may not work for another. I would say that the first three years of the pill were fine for me, and I had no issues except for one. That issue? I would fall asleep every early afternoon and sleep for two or three hours. I needed a nap. It was a family joke, a friend group joke. I never connected it to my birth control. That issue was the same issue for the full five years. The last two years on it, however, I also lost my libido and felt totally disinterested in sex and less joyful than I'd ever felt. That was really the last straw for me, and I went off it in November of 2020. Within a month, my sex drive was back, I wasn't sleeping all afternoon, and I felt better than I'd ever felt."

• dyl...
• April 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I've been using NuvaRing for the past 7 years, which I loved. I'm about to lose my insurance, so I decided to make the switch back to the pill for a cheaper out-of-pocket expense. I heard horror stories about this pill but wanted to share my experience since it's been nothing but great! Although I loved NuvaRing, I had zero sex drive and was constantly bloated, whether I was on my period or not. Since starting Junel, the bloating has stopped and my sex drive is up. I haven't noticed any mood swings or increased anxiety or sadness. I do experience breakouts, but only when I'm on the week break before my next pack. My period is about 4 days long, it immediately starts, like a couple of hours after the first placebo, but again it only lasts 3-4 days. All in all, this pill has been really effective for me. I know everyone's experience with birth control is different, but I wanted to share a positive experience about this pill specifically."

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2018

For Birth Control "Listen, I have been taking Junel Fe 1.5/30 birth control for 2 weeks, and my side effects are nausea, occasional vomiting, low sex drive, dry vagina, painful vagina, dizziness, insomnia, weird heart fluttery feelings, and headaches. It's been two weeks, and I genuinely feel near death. Ohhh, and I've started to get bumps on my face. Getting off of this as soon as I possibly can."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 24, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on the lower dose and constantly had breakthrough bleeding for a month straight, so my doctor switched me to the higher dose. Within a year, I gained 20 lbs. Before this, I never had any problem with weight gain and could always lose weight, no problem. Now, it is so difficult to lose any weight. It made me super depressed, and I have really bad anxiety now. It completely depleted all of my sex drive."

• Jin...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 27, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve taken this pill for about 5 years, and I love it. My weight is maintained, my skin is clear and less oily, and I have a perfectly scheduled period. I started taking it at 16 as a contraceptive for super bad periods. Before taking it, I had a 10-day heavy flow and bad cramps that I was prescribed Vicodin for. Junel saves lives, I never want to stop taking it. I can say I’ve had a very low sex drive, but I’m okay with that."

• Nur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2018

For Birth Control "I was previously on Sprintec for about 5 years, but switched because my periods were becoming shorter, but I was having really odd periods that were heavy and clotting. I also had a lower sex drive and just felt blah, so my NP decided it was time for a change. After changing, I instantly felt a change! My periods have been lighter, shorter, and consistently regular. My sex drive came back about a month after switching. The only downside is my cramps are worse, but I've always had bad cramps. I would definitely recommend!"

• Dan...
• October 26, 2016

For Birth Control "I did not get pregnant while taking Junel Fe 1.5, so technically it worked. However, that could have been because it knocked my libido down quite a bit, so I was basically abstinent. I also gained weight, had problems with my skin, and found myself suffering from drastic mood swings and anxiety. I was nauseous daily, despite taking the pill with food, at night or at precisely the same time every day. As someone who infrequently suffers migraines, this pill made them a thousand times worse. Blinding headaches. I've been off it for a year and a few months at this point and have seen a huge reduction in migraines and problems with my libido since. Pro: While I was on this, it made my periods really light or nonexistent."

• Les...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 20, 2017

For Birth Control "Been on Junel now for 4 years. I've never been pregnant, no weight gain, less mood swings than other BC pills. Less sex drive & less self-lubrication. Over the last 2 years, I’ve noticed my hair (which used to be thick, dark, and coarse) changed color & texture to more fine, less curly, and lighter. Many hairs are falling out after only growing 2-6 inches long, and overall I’m shedding more hair than I used to. After doing research, experts say this type of birth control can increase hormonal hair loss. I talked to my doctor, and she didn’t think that’s what is causing my hair loss. I still have a full head of hair & only I notice the difference, but will continue to monitor the situation to see if the thinning becomes more noticeable. Will continue to take Junel..."

• yee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I have never been on birth control prior to this, so I only know how this one (Junel Fe 1.5/30) works, and I don’t really have anything to compare it to. I will say that it’s helped clear up my skin, and I haven’t noticed any particular weight gain, other than the fact that I can’t seem to lose weight, despite eating better and exercising regularly. Some side effects that I’ve experienced are an incredible drop in my sex drive and also a very noticeable appetite difference. I hardly have an appetite for any food ever. I also notice light nausea in the mornings. I had normal periods the first 2 or 3 months, but this last period I had barely came at all, and it was just slight brown discharge for like 4 days. This freaked me out since it hadn’t changed my period before, but my doctor did say it takes a few months for your body to sort itself out after you start birth control. Overall, I think it’s an okay pill to take if you don’t want to get pregnant."

• Ros...
• August 15, 2015

For Birth Control "Not pregnant, so at least there's that. Beyond that, I'm not terribly impressed. Dramatic mood swings; just this morning, I went from being a ray of sunshine to crying on the floor in my room because my jeans were tight. This happens several times a week. Which brings me to the next lovely side effect; weight gain. I have an active career (I'm a dancer), and I work out 5-6 days a week. I have a very healthy diet, which I monitor carefully. Yet, I have gained about 8-10 pounds since starting this pill. I normally have very clear skin, but have noticed some breaking out along my cheekbones and jawline. The best one; my libido is in the basement. I'm at the end of month four. Calling the doctor in the morning. Not worth the depression, especially."

• Sta...
• July 26, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on the Junel Fe 1.5/30 28-day pack for 6 months, and I've gained about 17 pounds while on this. No anxiety or depression, but my sex drive did decrease significantly to the point where it concerned me. Getting off of this right away!"

• Az1...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 12, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been taking Junel 1.5 for about a year and a half. I didn't gain weight, have mood swings, breakthrough bleeding, or low sex drive, but I did notice around my period time I would have 1 or 2 cyst-like pimples pop up that took roughly 2 weeks to heal and sometimes left a scar, which I'm not prone to acne and have a good skin regimen. So I am switching to Sronyx (generic of Aviane) due to that. Otherwise, this was good birth control for me. Didn't get pregnant and had regular periods, usually 4 days long and light."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 16, 2021

For Birth Control "Update from my post on July 26, 2020. I am now 7 months in with the Junel Fe 1.5/30 pill. Haven’t experienced any bad symptoms yet other than the first few weeks on the pill. Sometimes I would wake up feeling very nauseous. Other than that, haven’t had anything negative. Other than this, the pill makes my periods really irregular, so I never know when it is starting. Because of that, I’ve missed my period 2 times and freaked out and took pregnancy tests that both came out negative. Right now, I’m 2 weeks late, but I’m not worried because ever since I’ve been on the pill, it’s always been late. So far, this pill hasn’t changed my mood, hasn’t made me depressed. I’ve gained a little weight, but that might just be quarantine weight since I don’t walk a lot every day. My sexual drive decreased a little, but I have a high sexual drive, so it just turned to normal. Lol, and no bad acne. Like I said before, each pill is different for everyone :)"

• Wac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 8, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been on Chateal (bad), Levora (good for one year), Nexplanon (awesome, but bad vaginal dryness), Aubra (worst nausea of my life), Apri (the BEST! Lost all sex drive and my boobs though, lol), and Junel Fe 1.5/30 for 3 months. Junel was my worst experience. I am a very stable person and literally thought I was on the brink of a psychotic episode. Now I’m going to try NuvaRing."

• gol...
• May 7, 2016

For Birth Control "My OB-GYN switched me to Junel 1.5/30 after taking Sprintec for 4 months. The Sprintec was fine, except I noticed breakouts. I now realize that the breakouts were due to a skincare product, and that switching to Junel is the worst thing that's happened to me. I have constant mood swings, I cry all the time for no reason, I have a CONSTANT throbbing headache, I have no sex drive whatsoever, my appetite has changed, and somehow my breasts got smaller. I stopped taking it and I'm switching back to Sprintec as soon as I can. Horrible, horrible birth control."

• Tan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 25, 2018

For Birth Control "I took Junel Fe 1.5/30 for three months before I switched to a new birth control. It did effectively prevent pregnancy and gave me a regular period. The first couple of weeks consisted of terrible nausea and extremely tender breasts. The nausea did subside after the first month or so. My breasts have been tender the entire three months and have grown very much. Although I did not gain weight, I did have really bad mood swings, non-existent sex drive, and depression! I didn't notice until the end of the 2nd month going into the third one, but I was constantly unhappy and my mood could switch at the drop of a dime. Before taking this pill, my sex drive with my boyfriend was extremely high, but after I began taking it, we've gone nearly 2 months without even touching each other because of me (feel so bad). The pills affect everyone differently, so it really is trial and error."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 5, 2023

For Birth Control "I started back on birth control in November 2022 on Hailey Fe 1.5/30. For some reason, my last RX at my pharmacy changed to Junel 1.5/30. This has been my first pack, and I’m on my last week and have quit it and will not be taking it again. I have bled the entire month, have been lethargic, angry, sad, starving, zero sex drive. This stuff is terrible. Not sure why it would be so different than the Hailey, but I’m done with it and will not take it again."

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

For Birth Control "This is my most recent prescription, and I can't say it's been the best. I have had terrible mood swings, episodes of extreme anxiety, and no sex drive, which isn't the biggest deal for me. I am easily upset and have been crying very often. My poor boyfriend has been taking the front load of it all, he probably thinks I'm crazy at this point. I am not hungry as often, and this has caused me to be lightheaded when I stand up. I only switched this brand and upped my dosage because my periods were not normal, I had one every two weeks. Thankfully, I have not gained weight because that was my biggest concern from the reviews I have read. I'm not overall thrilled while being on this prescription. I have PCOS, and my mood swings and anxiety are more severe being on this. This medicine is almost putting my relationship on the line at this point."

• Mir...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 12, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve been taking this Junel Fe for almost 4 years. I had a 6-month gap after 2 years, and boy, was my life way better back then. I was definitely more motivated to do things. This pill makes me a depressed girl with vag problems. I get yeast infections more than I should. I barely eat any food, and it’s becoming extremely unhealthy. I cry so much. My sex drive is extremely low. My symptoms include feeling sad, a constant need to pee, and reoccurring yeast infections. My periods are SO irregular, it’s really annoying not knowing when I’ll get it. I lost a lot of weight, and when I informed my OB-GYN, she told me that’s not something I should be complaining about. Always looking at the cup half empty. This Junel Fe is definitely not worth all the side effects and complications in the long run. I honestly thought it was my mental health, but it wasn’t. Because that 6-month gap between stopping it and going back on it was the happiest 6 months of my life. Avoid this birth control."