Lo Loestrin Fe and Cramps: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2016

For Birth Control "Started Lo to manage perimenopause symptoms. At first, it made me bleed a lot, gave me terrible cramps, and made me cry for two days straight. About one month in, my peri symptoms got much better! I feel like myself again. And as of right now, I do not have negative side effects."

• MMF...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2019

For Birth Control "I've tried several BC pills, and this one is the worst. Spotting all month long. Cramps, headaches, nausea, moodiness, very tired. Do not take this unless you've done well with low-dose pills in the past. I've tried this one twice and never make it to the end of the pack. A lot of times, if you tell your gyno you're having side effects, they'll lower your dose... Sometimes you actually need a higher dose. Try Sprintec... It's the best one I've used so far! Do not take Lo Loestrin, not even as a free sample pack."

• Ell...
• August 20, 2016

For Birth Control "Took it for about nine months, and everything went smoothly. My heavy, horribly painful periods suddenly became lighter, shorter, less frequent, and less painful. I even lost about 30 pounds while on the medication (I'd been trying to lose weight for years prior). However, I stopped taking it for about a month (had surgery and had to cease all medications), and when I got back on it, it was like a completely different drug. My period went back to being heavy and my cramps were even worse than before, but this time it came with intense mood swings. I'm talking screaming/crying one minute, laughing the next. My advice: this is a good medication as long as you continue to take it and don't stop. The hormones will mess you up."

• Lil...
• October 4, 2018

For Birth Control "I love this pill! It has been my saving grace. Two years ago, I used to have heavy periods with painful cramping that had me out for days and would make me throw up from the pain. I no longer even have a period. I also used to become very aggressive, depressed, and even violent during PMS. I could not control any of my emotions and became a different person. Now I feel more mellow all throughout the month. Highly recommend this birth control."

• Liz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 24, 2020

For Birth Control "I started this BC Lo Lo in September and have since gained 27 pounds despite a healthy diet and exercise. I have little to no energy, experience several depression days a month, and just don’t feel like myself at all anymore. I also cramp basically all month but barely bleed when my period comes around."

• All...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 4, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been on this birth control, Lo Loestrin Fe, for quite some time. I really have no complaints besides the fact that I don’t get my period. As silly as it sounds, I like to get my period so I know I’m not pregnant. I never experienced weight gain or unbearable acne. I do spot occasionally but never on my placebo pills. For the first time in over a year, I’m up with bad cramping and back pain, which I normally don’t get. I’m hoping this is just a fluke because, besides not getting my period, I think this is great birth control."

• b49...
• November 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I would give this birth control a rating of 0 if I could! This is absolutely the WORST medicine I’ve ever taken in my whole life!!! This is the first birth control I’ve been on, and it has done nothing good for me. This pill gave me excruciating cramps (worse cramps than I had before taking Lo Loestrin Fe), terrible mood swings, and I have had breakthrough bleeding 3 weeks out of the month for the past YEAR. It’s almost as if my body has never adjusted to this low-dosage medicine. I had anxiety/depression before I started taking this medicine, and this past year has been absolutely awful for me emotionally and mentally. This is NOT the right birth control for you if you already have anxiety or depression. I cannot believe I have waited this long to realize all of my problems came from this birth control. I do not recommend it at all."

• NN0...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 26, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on Lo Loestrin Fe for 1 1/2 years. Overall, good experience. Not pregnant and never have been while on this medication. I took it every morning around the same time, weekends within 4 hours of my usual time. I did not consistently have a period each month, which is normal for this medication. Sometimes I had the usual cramps and mood swings around the time I was supposed to have my period, but no bleeding. Had breast tenderness. I did not gain weight. No issues with acne, but I have a very strong regime for that due to the type of skin I have. I would recommend it to women starting birth control for the first time. I needed a higher dosage of estrogen due to breakthrough bleeding twice, so now I am on Junel 1.5/30, no complaints so far."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 15, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on LOLO (Canadian version) for just over a month now. I personally have had side effects on this pill, but nothing extreme, and I feel pretty good. Here's a list of my side effects week by week: Week 1: dry eyes, dull cramps, vivid dreams, feeling tired. Week 2: small dark spotting, irritable, acne, large appetite, tired. Week 3: large appetite, acne, emotional, dark spotting. Week 4: dark spotting, tired, dull cramps, appetite normal. Did not get my period on the placebo pills. Spotting was no big deal at all. No weight gain. No bloating. No horrendous cramps that I usually get. So far, during the second pack, I am feeling pretty good. I think this pill is worth a try, and you need to give your body time to adjust!!"

• Wat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2017

For Birth Control "I do not recommend this birth control! I've been taking it for almost 3 weeks, and my body feels completely different. This pill made me very nauseous, bloated, moody, and tired. It also made my periods closer together and my cramps more painful. Definitely going off of it."

• LCS...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2021

For Birth Control "I started this pill to try and lighten my period and regulate my cramps, as well as prevent pregnancy, as I am in college. I was previously on Accutane but have had clear skin for the past four years. The first month on this pill, my hormonal cystic acne was HORRIBLE. It also made me extremely nauseous the first month. The last three months have contained consistent headaches, horrible cramps, constant breakthrough bleeding, terribly swollen and sore boobs, and bloating. The only upside of this pill is that I didn't gain any weight, and my period is only 1-2 days long and is more like spotting. I did miss it the first month, though."

• Ala...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2021

For Birth Control "Started Lo Loestrin Fe January 3rd, was fine the first week, no weight gain or anything-until the second week. Started my period during active pills, cramping like nobody's business, medium flow, nausea worsened more than normal periods. Everyone said stick it out, but my mood has decreased significantly as well, changing to a different one Sunday."

• Don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm 21, I've been on this pill for about 5 months now, and it's been terrible. I got on this pill because I wouldn't get a period for about 4 or 5 months, and when I finally got my period, it was super heavy and the cramps were unbearable. I now get a period every month, and they are light, lasting 4-5 days, but I still get intense cramping. I also have dark brown spotting every month, probably a week after my period, and that lasts another week. But this month, I have been spotting nonstop and waking up with cramps every day. Ever since I started it, I have also had the worst mood swings, crying at everything, pushing my boyfriend away, and it's been affecting our relationship badly, 0 sex drive, and severe depression, making my anxiety worse."

• Kay...
• October 16, 2015

For Birth Control "So it's been three months on this birth control, and I'm insanely happy! I read a lot of reviews, and I was afraid of the side effects, but so far I haven't noticed anything off. The first month was awful because I was bleeding every day. I almost decided to stop taking it, but my doctor assured me everything would sort out after the first month, and she was right! My periods are almost non-existent, no cramps or bloating either. My skin is looking better than ever. I haven't gained any weight, in fact, I'm down 5 pounds from when I started. Weight gain was my biggest fear, but I have been eating healthy and hardly doing any workouts with no problems. So I would definitely recommend this method of birth control."

• kri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 30, 2012

For Birth Control "I have ovarian cysts. I LOVE Lo Loestrin Fe. I have been through multiple other birth control pills, and they all had bad side effects for me, either making me sick or making my periods last longer than they should. The first month I started Lo Loestrin Fe was a bit rocky, as I had a 2-week period, but since then, I have had either VERY light periods or no periods at all, and little to no cramping (which before was a BIG issue for me). The only things that might possibly be a negative for me are I've gained about 6 lbs, but most of that went to my breasts, so no complaints there. The cost is ridiculous as my insurance doesn't cover it. But I started taking it because I had ovarian cysts, which it seems to have cleared up."

• Med...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2015

For Birth Control "I started Lo Loestrin Fe 3 weeks ago, and so far have had a great experience on it, no weight gain, (I've actually lost 3 lbs) and if anything, my moods are a lot better, no nausea, no headaches. Overall, this pill is good so far. I was put on this due to very heavy bleeding every month, and clots the size of plums coming out every 10 min from me. I had a DNC to try and correct bleeding before I started the pill, and that worked for 2 months, then went right back to the same thing, bleeding like crazy for weeks with clots. About 3 days into the pill my bleeding has completely stopped, no cramps, no clots. I worry about the weight gain, so hopefully I will not gain. Overall, I think this pill is doing its job and I would recommend."

• Ale...
• May 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on Lo Loestrin Fe for about 3 years. Although Lo Loestrin Fe did stop cramping and gave me a little to no bleeding monthly periods, the mental health dip that I took was not worth it. Within the first year, my family and friends noticed I was moody and possibly depressed. I knew I was anxious and began having panic attacks. I was prescribed antidepressants and lived the next two years very out of it and sad. The last year on this birth control I started having migraines. The migraines were debilitating. My gut instinct told me to stop taking the birth control after doing some research. Within the first 6 months of not taking this birth control, I started to feel like myself again and the migraines went away. I am happier than ever and loving life! I have decided to go the hormone-less route. I've had the copper IUD for about a year now and I love it! I’m sure the Lo Loestrin works for some, but for me, it did not."

• Its...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been using Lo Loestrin Fe for 1 month now, and I've had my period three times this month, breaking out like crazy and having so many mood swings with depression. On my period, I have medium-high cramps, back pains, and my breasts are sore. All the time! I haven't really gained any weight, which is good, but I'm going to keep using it and see if it gets better."

• Ano...
• April 14, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been taking this pill for a little over 3 weeks now, and it's absolutely terrible. Let me start off by saying I take it at the exact same time every single day and have never missed a pill, so I am using it correctly. The second week in, I began bleeding and have been for over 10 days now. Not just a little spotting, but full-out blood, almost like a period, and with cramps! My boyfriend noticed I'm moodier. I'm so emotional I can cry at any second over the smallest things, and I get headaches all the time. The first week I took the pill, I had no appetite and was sweating and hot every second. I know you are supposed to wait 3 months to let your body adjust to the birth control, but it is not worth bleeding for over a week and the mood swings."

• Air...
• March 10, 2012

For Birth Control "I have been taking this pill for around 6 months now, and I love it. At first, I had a lot of random bleeding and spotting the first month. Second month, I had my period, but it was really short, around 3 days. Third month, I had lighter spotting. After that, I have had no periods at all, but I do get some cramps when I am supposed to have it. I have had no side effects at all from this, and it is the best birth control I have used so far."

• Sor...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 23, 2017

For Birth Control "I have spent nearly 5 years on this birth control, taking it continuously, to help keep my endometriosis under control. I have been on many different pills over the years, including very high doses of estrogen. They would work for the first year, then I would get constant breakthrough bleeding. I've always had issues with acne, but this pill didn't make it any better or worse. I have occasionally suffered from random cramps, usually due to shifting the time I took my pills during the time changes of the year. I am vigilant about taking it the same time every day, have never had a pregnancy scare, and was hoping to continue with it indefinitely, however, my insurance provider had other plans. I am hoping to go back on it again ASAP."

• Van...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 3, 2014

For Birth Control "The first month was the worst. I had a lot of mood swings and very tender breasts. After that, the side effects have been very minimal. I no longer have my period, but around the time I used to get my period every month, I get light cramps. I also get very tender breasts during this time, but they have gotten bigger since taking the birth control. The only major complaint I have is that I've had a major decrease in sex drive as well as being very tired in the morning. I switched to this birth control because I got very sick every morning. I like this one much better."

• Anonymous
• January 9, 2013

For Birth Control "So far, I really like this pill. I just started my second pack, and I haven't had any side effects besides some breast tenderness, and when I first started taking it (I started the first day of my period), I had some light spotting for about 4 days after my period ended. The only problem I'm having with it right now is that I got my period, but it isn't any shorter or lighter than usual, and I'm getting mild cramps. It's kind of a bummer. I know my body is still getting used to the pill since it's only my second month, but I was hoping that it would kick in right away. But overall, it's a great pill, and I feel completely normal on it."

• Lau...
• November 6, 2016

For Birth Control "For years I swore Lo Loestrin was the best BC I'd ever been on. I no longer had periods, which I loved, no bleeding, cramping, or bloating ever. No weight gain. I loved it so much I'd even shell out over $100 a month just to purchase it once I lost my insurance and later when my new insurance wouldn't cover it. Other concerns led me to the idea of quitting birth control altogether. I'm in a committed relationship, and I think 15 years of taking hormones is enough. After I stopped taking it for a couple of months, my libido skyrocketed. It took getting off of Lo Loestrin to realize it had virtually killed my sex drive completely. My marriage is so much better without it! It's effective, but understand like any other drug there are costs."

• Big...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 9, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for almost 2 years now, and I love it. I was placed on this due to my irregular cycles, my mood swings, weight gain, and, of course, for contraception. I originally inquired about an IUD so that way I never had to worry about pregnancy, side effects, and getting periods as well. My gynecologist suggested I start this pill to help and suggested I skip the week where my cycle would usually begin and to start a new pack so that I wouldn't have to worry about periods altogether (like you would with an IUD). I thought it would cause me to bloat/cramp, but it has been 2 years since I have had a period, I'm not pregnant nor have I ever had a pregnancy scare (and we're quite regular). I haven't experienced any cramping/spotting, mood swings, and I haven't gained any sudden weight since beginning this. I think this pill's success varies from individual to individual, but I will say for me it's been amazing, and I would recommend at least giving it a try (but ask an MD first)."