Larin Fe 1/20 and Acne: What Users Say

• Roa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 16, 2019

For Birth Control "*PLEASE READ* I never put reviews for medication I have been on, but I wanted to WARN all the girls who have to be put on this generic pill for some reason. I used to take Lo Loestrin, and it was amazing, however, my insurance stopped covering it, so I was given Larin Fe. WORST MISTAKE OF MY DAMN LIFE... At first, I didn't have any symptoms, but within a month, I've hit the darkest of spots in my life: insomnia, shakiness, HORRIBLE anxiety, breakouts (not severe), acid reflux, lack of appetite. Sadly, there was not a single day in that month where I felt normal, I was going crazy with mood swings, depression. I barely could leave my bed, I even had several panic attacks. I wish I could say a positive side to this drug, but THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING POSITIVE ABOUT THIS DRUG. Believe these negative reviews, please, and if you don't feel any side effects right now, the second you feel it, please switch to a different birth control. It won't get any better waiting."

• Hai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 19, 2019

For Birth Control "In the beginning, Larin FE was a little rough. I was nauseous 1-2 times a day. Luckily, I had Zofran. I had acne terribly. I was moody and had random stomach pain. But that was the beginning. DON'T RATE THIS WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF TAKING IT. If I went by the bad reviews of people who had only taken this a couple of weeks, I wouldn’t have gotten it. First off, your body hasn’t even had time to adjust to the medicine in that amount of time. I’m halfway through my second pack and now I don’t have acne, maybe a small blemish occasionally, no weight gain yet, no more nausea, no headaches. It’s great now that my body is used to it. I bled lightly for about three days the first week I started it, but since then I’ve not had a period. I had spotting for one day about a week ago, and usually, my period is 3 days and a regular flow but painful, so I don’t mind skipping it. If you try this birth control, give your body until maybe a few packs to adjust. Any meds you take, you have to adjust to the hormones before you know if it is good for you or not."

• pos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been on this Larin Fe birth control for five months after being traumatized from Depo-Provera. I literally begged my doctor for the BC pill with the lowest complaints and dosage. It’s been a miracle. So the Larin did clear up my skin (maybe one to two zits a month), my periods are lighter but now consistent, no weight gain, no severe mood swings except right before my period... the only complaint is I cramp most of the month on it, light cramping but still kind of obnoxious. I still am very happy with this birth control thus far."

• pug...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 21, 2019

For Birth Control "So I've been on this pill for two months now. At first, it was a little rough. I was nauseous and felt like I was going to throw up. Every time I ate, my stomach hurt like anything. Then, about the third row down, it went all away. Now my face still gets acne, and for some odd reason, my face is dry as well. Never used to be like that, smh. And I've gained weight on this. I was almost down to my pre-pregnancy weight, then bam, almost gained all the weight back, which was about 30 pounds. I've had one period, no cramps, which is ok. I haven't had a period yet for the second month, though."

• Car...
• November 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I'm 24 and took this BC, Larin Fe 1/20, for 3 months. I can see the negatives. In the first month, I was experiencing random light bleeding directly after taking the pill, definite mood changes (much more irritable), and chest pain. The second month, I noticed that my acne was getting worse (I do have acne-prone skin). I was hoping birth control would help my breakouts but instead gave me worse acne on my cheeks and chin (I never got acne on my chin badly before). My side effects in the third month are what made me decide to switch BC pills. I noticed that my hair was definitely falling out more than usual. I have thick hair as it is, but noticed in the shower my hands were literally covered in hair on wash days, which I have never experienced prior to this BC. I'm actually scared to wash my hair, seeing how much falls out. My last week on the pill, I also experienced intense headaches out of nowhere. The pros to Larin Fe 1/20 are that my periods are super light and short and that I am not pregnant."

• Anonymous
• October 27, 2015

For Birth Control "I hate this pill. I've been on different pills before, and I have never felt like this. I'm throwing up all the time. My appetite has increased heavily. My acne has never, ever been this bad. I'm tired all the time, and I just feel like shit since taking it. I've been on it for three months now, and every new pack is just a horror story. I get a very, very light period, which really pisses me off. I get it for one day. I hate that I'm the type of person who freaks out if that happens. It makes me so uncomfortable and nervous to basically not get a period. My OB won't change the pill, and I'm so fed up with it. I have no motivation at all. I never felt this way before taking this pill. I hate it."

• Anonymous
• May 2, 2021

For Birth Control "I started this pill when I was 13 (17 now), and trust me it was a rollercoaster, but I was also super young with raging hormones when I started it, which could have been a lot of why this pill was difficult for me. I started this to help my acne, which it did help clear up significantly. I developed depression and anxiety that I was medicated for, but it was tolerable. I noticed I was a lot more moodier and snappy when just starting the pill. I also gained weight, which wasn’t really a problem for me because I had an eating disorder at the time of starting it. This pill regulated my periods a lot and only brought them down to 4-5 days, and I had absolutely no cramps or breast tenderness. I just recently switched over to a new birth control because this one stopped working for me. I’ve had a huge increase of acne that I have never seen before, not even when I hit puberty. I also bleed in between my periods, which I have never had a problem with. I also have mild cramps."

• Hai...
• April 19, 2020

For Birth Control "I want to start by saying EVERYONE has a different body. My sister takes the generic brand of Loestrin and LOVES IT!! My friend got the shot and swears by it. I only took the pills for 12 days and I’m stopping MID PACK. Here is what I noticed. 1. I was getting cramps, and they hurt kind of bad. 2. I was nauseous and didn’t want to eat sometimes because I was scared to vomit. 3. I have started spotting and have not stopped yet. 4. I am breaking out again, and I have always struggled with acne. I got my skin clear about a year ago with spironolactone and Epiduo, so seeing my skin sh*t itself in 12 days was one of the last straws. LASTLY, my mother said she gained weight on BC, so considering genetics, I wanted to keep my body how it was. I called a pharmacist, and he told me the worst thing that would happen if I stopped mid-pack would be mood swings due to an imbalance of hormones. Good luck, ladies!!"

• ski...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2018

For Birth Control "Please read the reviews and listen to them! This pill is terrible. I've been on birth control for years now and was recently switched to this one because Medicaid didn't cover my Junel. I've been taking this for 2 months now, and I've missed my period completely for both months - I always used to get a light period before this one. I've also experienced more depression/anxiety, including crying a lot for seemingly no reason, nausea, and stomach cramping! The first month, I broke out in acne too. Please avoid this one if you can, I cannot wait to get back on Junel."

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

For Birth Control "I wouldn’t recommend this birth control. My boyfriend and I have sex regularly, and I can rely on this to prevent pregnancy. The side effects were not worth it, though. I’ve never suffered from acne, but now, I’m having really bad breakouts from the medicine. I’ve gotten hives and swollen lips. Maybe this isn’t a great fit for everyone, so talk to your doctor!"

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

For Birth Control "I wouldn’t recommend this birth control. My boyfriend and I have sex regularly, and I can rely on this to prevent pregnancy. The side effects were not worth it, though. I’ve never suffered from acne, but now, I’m having really bad breakouts from the medicine. I’ve gotten hives and swollen lips. Maybe this isn’t a great fit for everyone, so talk to your doctor!"

• ash...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2021

For Birth Control "I started this birth control on March 8th on the first day of my period and had unprotected sex 7 days after and then two days after that, both on my most fertile days. Hoping it works as it should. I keep having pregnancy symptoms such as painful nausea and bloating. I’m tired all the time and have no motivation whatsoever. I have been diagnosed with depression last year and I HIGHLY recommend not to take this pill if you suffer with mental health issues!! This pill made me more suicidal than I have been in a long time, and my mood swings were horrendous. Hopefully, I’m not pregnant! But I would not recommend it to those with mental health issues. It did help my acne a bit though, I will admit that."

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2022

For Birth Control "Originally on Junel Fe 1/20 but needed substitution as no pharmacies locally are carrying that anymore, so Larin Fe 1/20 was substituted. Started getting acne on my shoulders and breasts? Plus the packaging is ugly compared to others I've seen. Switching brands."

• Nay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I just started it like two weeks ago, but I’ve been getting acne more often than before, and my period is longer than usual, and I feel like I’ve gained weight. My stomach always feels bloated, and I feel like every time I comb my hair, more falls out."

• sss...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2022

For Birth Control "I had a very negative experience with this birth control. I only took it for one month and had to switch brands. It made me have the worst anxiety and depression of my life to the point where I couldn’t leave my bed. It also gave me terrible breakouts. Everyone’s body reacts differently, but I wouldn’t recommend this birth control to anyone."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 16, 2022

For Birth Control "I was recently switched to Larin Fe without my knowledge because Junel Fe was out of stock, so they switched to a generic brand and the name was covered on the label, so I didn’t think anything of it. The last two months I have been broken out head to toe with severe breakouts, couldn’t sleep at all, and had random severe anxiety, and I would snap in a second over the stupidest things. I now stopped taking it altogether and can now sleep, my breakouts are clearing up, and no more anxiety or feeling to cry or snap at anyone. I would never recommend this birth control to anyone. I feel pharmacists should be letting us know when there is a change from regular to generic brands for this reason. I pray this saves someone from making the wrong choice."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2021

For Birth Control "Larin is absolutely the worst thing I've ever been on! I got on Depo at 18, this was my first time getting on birth control. Depo simply worked for me. I was on Depo for almost 6 years and never had ONE SIDE effect. Skin was always crystal clear, never had a period or spotting except once or twice a year, never gained any weight, no mood swings or energy issues. I switched to Larin because of the risk of osteoporosis when on Depo. Let's just say I'm switching back to Depo next week after being on Larin for 3 months. I would much rather deal with osteoporosis than these side effects. My skin has never been this bad in my life. It's dry, and I have so much hormonal acne that won't go away (I also know it's the birth control because on the off week from the pill, my skin instantly begins to clear up). I'm so dehydrated all the time now. I've been experiencing horrible motion sickness and vomiting. My breasts are swollen and tender all the time. My energy levels and sleep patterns are horrible. 0/10"