Lo Loestrin Fe and Spotting: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Emm...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 20, 2024

For Birth Control "Very happy with this birth control. Positive effects: - Improved mood stability - Reduced bloating - Clearer skin after month 2 (had an initial breakout) - Reduced appetite - Fewer ingrown hairs and slightly reduced body hair growth - Reduced pregnancy anxiety - Improved libido and sexual satisfaction. Negative effects: - Dry skin in winter with eczema - Severe nausea during the first month of taking - Reduced enjoyment of aggressive metal music - Reduced appetite (sometimes forget meals) - Mild acne and mood swings while taking the white and brown pills - Slightly reduced vaginal lubrication - Occasional spotting. This medication has greatly improved my overall well-being. The negative side effects are minor and manageable, and the positive ones outweigh them. I had severe PMS and extremely heavy periods. I wish I had tried this before Accutane, as I think the combo of this and my two courses has led to severely dry skin in the winter."

• Bro...
• July 15, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm almost done with my first pack of Lo Loestrin Fe, and I am pretty happy with it. I had minor spotting the second week and light spotting during the two white pills so far. The only side effects I've noticed so far are changes in appetite - first two weeks I was super hungry, and then the third week I hardly ate at all. I had some nausea, along with the changes in appetite, but nothing too major. I have a history with anxiety, and the pill has slightly elevated it, but it is manageable. I'd say anyone who is sensitive to high doses of estrogen should definitely try Lo Loestrin Fe."

• Alw...
• March 14, 2014

For Birth Control "I bought this 2-3 months before I got married and had very little side effects. I have been married 2.5 years, and I haven't gotten pregnant yet. I think the only annoyance is that my period comes every other month and that I get some spotting off and on throughout the month. My periods are shorter, and there is less bleeding, which is a nice thing. I haven't taken any other birth control, but I'm thinking of switching to a cervical cap a year before we want to have kids (so I can get my hormones regulating correctly again)."

• ADD...
• December 28, 2020

For Birth Control "I have endometriosis, so my gyno recommended this birth control to me. It wasn’t bad at first, but since my body was adjusting, the first month’s period lasted for 3 weeks, but spotting and mild cramps. I am now on my fourth month, and I spot for a day or two and no cramps whatsoever. I love this part about this BC, but I finally realized how much it affected my mental health. My anxiety and depression have skyrocketed to the point where I am getting actual chest pains from my anxiety. I already have bipolar disorder type 2, and this did not work well with it at all. I don’t recommend it if you have preexisting mental health issues, but if you don’t, it’s a great pill - no bleeding, no cramps, no weight gain/loss, no acne. I’ll give it a 2 because of how everything else worked so well besides the mental health issues - they are so awful."

• Sam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 15, 2018

For Birth Control "In the first 2 months, I had random spotting and lost 10 pounds almost immediately, however, by month 3, my periods were lasting 9-12 days and were extremely irregular! (They used to be regular and never lasted more than 4 days.) Also, by this time, I noticed that I had become extremely depressed. It was affecting my relationship because I was always crying and never wanted to do anything but sleep. I became extremely insecure and truly just felt like I didn’t like myself. I also developed extreme anxiety to the point where I couldn’t even go to the store without crying or panicking. That is so unlike me, so after 8 months, I finally got off it and I feel 100% myself again! I do not recommend this to anyone who already has mood swings or anxiety. Other than the drastic effect it had on my mood, there were no other symptoms other than irregular/longer periods."

• sni...
• August 10, 2018

For Birth Control "Ladies, this pill has to be the worst form of contraceptive I've ever used. I only gave it a 2 because it kept me from getting pregnant, which was the goal. But that could have been because it killed my sex drive, and so I wasn't doing much in the bedroom department. But those side effects though... I took Ortho Tri-Cyclen for 10 years and I never had any side effects. I took this for 2 months, and my breasts felt physically hot to the touch like I had just had a baby and my milk came in. It was insane. They were swollen and tender and almost kind of hard for several days. It was very painful. Even my husband noticed it. I had huge emotional swings. I cried for an hour straight one day for no reason at all. I've had the worst cramps of my life for 4 days. My normal period wasn't even that level of cramping. And I would have spotting in the middle of the package. Plus I've gained 10 lbs in 2 months. Needless to say, I stopped taking it a couple of days ago."

• Mor...
• October 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on Lo Loestrin for about 3 months now. Before this one, I was on Safryl. I switched because Safryl was giving me horrible side effects. I like Lo Loestrin, however, I don't love it because the spotting between periods has not stopped. I haven't gained weight, if anything, I have lost some. My face is clear, and my sex drive is okay, not like before, but I haven't lost it. In my experience, this pill has more positives than negatives. I was also diagnosed with PCOS and Hashimoto's disease. Birth control pills don't have the same effect on everyone. My GYN had me complete a hormone test before prescribing me this pill. He wanted to balance my hormones out with the pill, and it looks like he did. I'm hoping the spotting goes away."

• FFF...
• October 26, 2013

For Birth Control "Took Lo Loestrin Fe for 2 weeks, and immediately had to discontinue. Started with spotting during the second week, developed anxiety attacks and unnecessary fears, back pain, low libido. After I stopped, it took a week for me to return to being functional. It's been about 6 weeks since I have stopped the pill and haven't gotten a period, and every few weeks, symptoms of anxiety and unnecessary fears come back."

• Ann...
• January 1, 2021

For Birth Control "Worst birth control I’ve ever! I asked my doctor to switch birth control because after being on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for 9 years, I started to get migraines. She told me to change it to Lo Loestrin. I waited and decided to give it a try. Eleven days later, I started spotting, cramping, and bleeding. My face started to break out. Never had any issues with a birth control. I stopped taking them. So please stay away from these pills."

• Kae...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm just about to start my 3rd month on Lo Loestrin and so far it's been great! The first 2 weeks were pretty rough as I experienced severe nausea every time I took the pill. To be fair, this was also the first time I've taken a hormonal contraceptive in about 5 years. I experienced about 3-4 days of very light spotting the week before my period is due, and my periods are pretty much non-existent, spotting for about 2 days. I started taking this birth control to relieve debilitating menstrual cramps, and since starting on this pill, I haven't had ANY pain AT ALL. It has been life-changing. My sex drive and skin have both improved, my breasts have grown about a cup size, and my weight hasn't changed."

• ars...
• July 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for about 5 years, and I'm writing this while mournfully staring at the end of my last pack - my insurance changed, and it's no longer covered. Even in the beginning, my symptoms were mild besides the usual spotting. My periods went from week-long, horribly heavy and painful to barely noticeable, extremely light, and only 2 days long. I've always had some mild anxiety/depression issues on and off, so I can't say there was any change one way or the other there. I do suspect it fixed my sleep schedule though - I have always struggled severely with insomnia, and around the time I went on this pill, I started having a normal human sleep schedule. I can't think of any other explanation - but I guess I'll find out for sure now."

• Bre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2021

For Birth Control "I'm 46, and I've previously had just bad experiences with birth control, but I'm trying again because my cramps are so debilitating. I also have generalized anxiety disorder. So, I tried a pack for a month, being super aware and sensitive, paying attention to how it affected me. I can honestly say that I had zero mood changes, which was awesome. Then, the third week, I started spotting. Okay - here's the breakthrough bleeding. The second day, it was more, and I started having cramps. Every day, the bleeding increased: cramps, diarrhea, temperature fluctuations, fatigue - I felt like I was on Groundhog Day with the first day of my period. I mostly laid around and just felt like trash. It went on for 5 days, and I was like, 'I am not enduring this for 3 months.' So, I stopped before my active pack was over, and the cramps stopped a day or so later. My spotting is decreasing. I contacted my doctor, and she was like, 'Yeah, not enough estrogen.' So, I am trying a new pill next month."

• Cam...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I absolutely love this pill. I never experience weight gain, acne, spotting, nothing. I've been on this pill for a year now, and my insurance doesn't cover it. I loved the pill so much I wouldn't switch to a pill that my insurance covered because I'm scared of the side effects I'll get. I sometimes do break down over stupid things, but other than that, it's an amazing pill."

• Isa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2019

For Birth Control "Not for me. They say give it 3 months, but I have a heart condition, so I decided to stop taking this pill and try another. I got chest pain/pressure and occasional breathlessness. I don't know if it's because it was affecting my heart or if these were side effects from the anxiety I got on this pill. I have occasional anxiety, but being on this pill made me very anxious almost every day. I had a lot of spotting, but they say that's expected for the first 3 months. I also went from only being moody right before my period to being moody almost all the time. I felt angry and emotional very often. The only pro for me was that it made my usually very heavy periods become extremely light, which was awesome but not worth all the other side effects I experienced. Don't be scared if you were prescribed this pill, give it a shot, but pay close attention to your body while taking it. Finding the right birth control can be very hit or miss, and everyone is different."

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 25, 2016

For Birth Control "I wouldn't recommend this BC. It made me feel like I was in my first trimester of pregnancy again... nauseated, exhausted, aversion to food, etc. On top of that, towards the end of the first month, I ended up with major depression from this pill. Not to mention the spotting. I really wanted to give my body the full 3 months to adjust to this pill, but I couldn't do it. I hope people have better luck than me, but if you have the same experience, I'd say get off Lolo ASAP."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I am 32 and suffer from fibroids, which give me heavy, painful periods and very sore breasts, so my doctor prescribed me this pill. May I remind you I have been off any BC for almost 3 years, but my periods have become unbearable. I have been on Lo Loestrin for about a month now and have just gotten my period for the second time this month, only one week apart to be exact. The first month, I had very mild spotting almost for 3 full weeks, but it was bearable using a pantyliner. My first period on the pill was a dream compared to not being on the pill. I bled for 4 days, and it stopped immediately when I started my new pack. I had high hopes for month two. I have bad cramps and also noticed I went up a cup size, which I’m not thrilled about, and my breasts are constantly sore and huge-feeling. I am contacting my OB to see if I should continue. I have tried so many pills, but they have all given me terrible side effects and heard this one didn’t. Fingers crossed my hormones even out!!!"

• Ano...
• July 28, 2016

For Birth Control "Overall, I've had very minimal side effects with this pill. I just finished my first pack, and the only two side effects I experienced were spotting (one for about four days and was almost full-on bleeding, and the second was only about two days and was very light) and weight gain. I am 20, 5'1", and normally weigh around 107-109, but have been weighing around 111-112 ever since starting the pill. I'm hoping the weight gain/bloating and spotting subsides in the next three months of me trying this birth control, but other than that, it seems to be just as sufficient as any other birth control I have used."

• Mes...
• February 1, 2017

For Birth Control "This pill is great for me! I've tried the shot, NuvaRing, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Seasonique, so many birth controls, and each one caused spotting or bleeding every single day over about 2 years unless I was not on a pill. I also still had extremely heavy periods with them. On this pill I spotted for about the first 15 days, then nothing. My period was the lightest it's been since high school. Lighter than high school, so I'm very happy to finally find a pill that works. I was just about to give up."

• Nor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2016

For Birth Control "Took for 3 months, and it took that long for the spotting to subside. The side effects I had with it aren't worth it for me. It killed my libido - took it from 100 to 0. Dried my lady parts out. It killed any sense of motivation I had. I used to go to the gym in the morning regularly and couldn't figure out why all of a sudden I no longer wanted to go. It made me nauseous at random times during the day. I had stomach issues because of what was possibly an interaction with an antidepressant I take. I have stage 3 kidney disease and am on blood pressure meds and have never had an issue on other pills. This raised my blood pressure from my normal 115/75 to 145/90, thus giving me a month-long headache before I figured it out. Plus, it's expensive."

• Kwa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 3, 2021

For Birth Control "So I started this pill because my doctor said it’s worked the best for the majority of her patients, and it’s such a low dose. While I’m sure it works for many, it was AWFUL for me. I have anxiety to begin with, and I’m a pretty emotional person as well. Well, let me tell you, I couldn’t get through a day without crying about nothing and wanting to rip someone’s head off over nothing. My irritability, anxiety, and every negative feeling you could think of surfaced. I had dizziness (I even fell), terrible paralyzing headaches, which I’ve never experienced, along with a straight 26 days of spotting. I think birth control just isn’t for everyone, and my body is extremely routined and reacts very strongly to change. I personally would not recommend this to anyone. The emotional rollercoaster is not worth it."

• nel...
• February 1, 2012

For Birth Control "I have been taking my first pack of Lo Loestrin Fe, and I must say it really works for me. I was a little nervous at first because this is my first time taking birth control, and I've heard all the negative side effects of taking birth control. I have had spotting [brownish color] for three weeks after my period, but that's normal for the first month. I have breast tenderness and mood swings every now and then, then again, it's expected for the first few months. I have not yet experienced any weight gain. So far, I am satisfied, but I wish it wasn't so expensive."

• Ano...
• July 17, 2015

For Birth Control "I went on Lo Loestrin Fe primarily for extreme period pain, and it works great. I've tried lots of different kinds of birth control, and I'm the happiest with Lo Loestrin Fe because the side effects are barely there! I had nausea for the first 3 days only, and I haven't gained a lot of weight like on other ones, but I have gained a cup size. I had a bit of spotting the first month and had to use liners, but that went away. I've had really minor mood swings, definitely not as bad as Marvelon (I cried over everything). Overall, I'm really pleased with this pill."

• A...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 13, 2018

For Birth Control "So here is what happened in a span of 7 months: *I have skipped all the placebo pills since receiving my first pack.* My 1st week taking it in June, I got nausea, but it was easily fixed by eating crackers. Period came normally in July. I got a lot of spotting in August, which was unsettling. In September, the spotting stopped completely. Periods got shorter and got further apart and eventually stopped. The last time I had a period was the very end of October. I got it for both acne and contraception, it cleared my skin, however, what makes me nervous is never knowing if it has failed as a contraception pill due to not having a period to rely on. So if you are looking to not have a period anymore, or less frequently, this may be the pill for you."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for three months now, and I like it a lot. This is my first time ever being on BC, and I'm 17, so I was looking for something simple and easy to handle, and this pill was definitely good for me! I didn't get my period the first month, and the only side effects I get are sore boobs, cramping (during the same time every month), and minor mood swings. The only negative aspect that I didn't like was that I had spotting in between periods on the third pack (the one I'm on now), which made me nervous since I didn't get that the first two months. Other than that, I would highly recommend it!"

• Jul...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 20, 2021

For Birth Control "This pill made me spot halfway through the pack every month. I thought my body just wasn't used to it, but it happened continuously even after 7 months of use. I was a bit more irritable and emotional than usual, but other than that, I had no other negative or positive symptoms."