Loestrin 21 1/20 and Headaches: What Users Say

• Loe...
• September 14, 2015

For Birth Control "After only taking this pill for 14 days, I made the decision to discontinue it. For me, this medication makes me miserable. The problems I experienced were: major anxiety, irritability and agitation; nausea; one episode of extreme dizziness and headache to the point I wondered if I was having a stroke; breast tenderness; fluid retention; fatigue; strange dryness around my gums; abdominal cramps; and a noticeable change in my bowel movements; an absolute loss of libido. It is hard to believe that a little BC pill can wreck your physical and emotional well-being in less than 14 days. I will never take this pill again!"

• Spo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I love this birth control, Loestrin 21 1/20, compared to Yaz, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Mirena, Seasonique, and Depo Provera. I do get mild headaches, but no weight gain or acne. I was on it for endometriosis, and it was great."

• Jan...
• August 4, 2018

For Birth Control "This is a fantastic pill (Loestrin 21 1/20). I was originally on Microgynon, and it gave me mood swings, headache, and a bloated feeling. Since I switched to Loestrin 21, all that has gone, and I now feel like myself again. My periods are light, I had 2 days of very light, hardly any spotting and took them back to back, 2 packs, no problems. Definitely found the right one for me. You all should go for it!!"

• Ali...
• January 27, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "After the first 3 weeks, it was amazing. The first 3 weeks, I had horrible headaches and nausea, but once my body got used to the hormones, that went away, and I had little to no side effects. I did have weight gain, but I've had that with all the BCs I've tried. I had very heavy periods with awful cramps that were making me miss school/work, and this made my periods very light, regular, and with very tolerable cramps. Lifesaver. I haven't had as good of luck on the 'generics' of Loestrin, but it got very expensive and then discontinued. Oh, and also no pregnancy."

• gol...
• September 10, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I started taking Loestrin 20 three weeks ago, and today, after seeing my doctor, I was forced to stop it. From day one, I have been experiencing all sorts of awful side effects: numbness in all extremities and face, fainting, problems with breathing, headaches, weakness, and dizziness to the point that I couldn't drive to work. I ended up in the hospital twice. I never had issues in the past with birth control pills, but this one is not suitable for me, while thousands of women are fine taking it. If you experience bad side effects, please interrupt your treatment and see your doctor ASAP. Birth control pills shouldn't cause major side effects, and if they do, it's a clear sign that you are at risk and must look for a better option!!"

• Lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2023

For Birth Control "I am 38 years old and decided to get back on birth control. The doctor prescribed Loestrin as I wanted to try something new. In the past, I had taken Ortho Tri-Cyclen for a short period. Anyhow, I started this new BC and had an unpleasant experience immediately. On the second day, I had cramps and dizziness. On the third day, I got a light headache which I figured would go away, and also felt dizzy and tired. On the fourth day, I still had a minor headache lingering and dizziness, and after I ate lunch, I felt sick. On the fifth day, I took the pill again and my headache became a migraine later in the evening. I took some Tylenol and felt my heart race a little and took a warm shower to ease the migraine. I went to bed and woke up at 4 a.m. with a migraine and had to shower again to ease it off. The next day, I decided to stop taking this birth control as I don’t feel I should have that many side effects with birth control. The only pros were that I felt my mood was better but not worth the side effects."