Microgestin Fe 1/20 and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 3)

• des...
• February 18, 2017

For Birth Control "I was prescribed Microgestin FE 1/20 after finding out my insurance didn't cover Loloestrin FE 1/20. Thought I'd give it a try since my provider said it's similar to Loloestrin, however, it has a higher dose of estrogen, and she suggested that no other BC will have lower estrogen than Loloestrin. Paying for it out of pocket would be about $120 a month. I was on Microgestin for 2 weeks. I know that's not long enough, but it was long enough for me! My breasts were way sensitive and tender to the point that laying on my side felt uncomfortable. The reason why I decided to stop it altogether was because sex was painful! My vagina was so dry that although I wanted to have sex, my parts weren't working with me! LOL."

• Rev...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I took this pill for birth control and to help my cramps. It made my cramps so much better, hardly any at all. When I got my period, it was very light. Spotting and just slight cramps. I also did not get pregnant on this pill. Those were the pros. The cons were the lack of sex drive. My sex drive greatly diminished, which was very frustrating for me and my fiancé."

• use...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2018

For Birth Control "I was on this pill for about 5 months. No bad symptoms except a lower sex drive, but it was manageable. I started to have irregular bleeding, so I switched to two pills over the course of 3 months, both of which made me severely depressed. I am hoping to get back on Microgestin since although there were symptoms, none of them compared to what the other pills put me through."

• Mrs...
• October 19, 2010

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for about 9 months. So far, I'm not pregnant, so it's been effective in that avenue, but I've gained 15 lbs, my breasts are tender and sensitive most of the time, and they've increased in size from a C cup to DD. My acne is only marginally better, my periods have been irregular, I'm moody, weepy at times, and I have NO sex drive. I still have some pelvic pain, and I don't sleep, which is weird because I also take Singulair, which causes drowsiness. In the first three months, I had daily morning-sickness-like nausea, but this has tapered off and happens only on the first day or so of my pill cycle."

• ken...
• November 29, 2011

For Birth Control "I have been on birth control for about 3 years. I started out on the shot, it worked well, but I didn't like not having a period, and with my emotions, I spotted all the time. The patch did not work for me (hated it). I'm 5'5" and weigh about 110, my weight has always been on the lighter side (and I can't gain it no matter what). For me, I like the pill, I've been on it for about a year. I do have a low sex drive, I'm always dry. I did go up one cup size. Periods are on the lighter side, and sometimes I don't have one. Since I have been on the pill, I feel sick more often: stomach pains, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, leg pains, vaginal pains, back pains, but it's never constant, so I usually dismiss it."

• Hal...
• July 25, 2013

For Birth Control "I loved this birth control at first. I never had any side effects at all, and then when I moved, I had to switch brands because my pharmacy didn't carry it. That brand was fine too, but then I ended up moving again and got switched back over to this. Ever since the switch (it's been almost 8 months now), I have felt terrible. I get depressed and moody easily, and I have completely lost my sex drive. When I do try to have sex with my boyfriend, it takes an extremely long time to get me aroused, and we end up having to use lube every time. It's also made me gain about 10 pounds. Basically, the only upside I've had to being on this pill is that I've gone from a B to a D."

• Deb...
• January 5, 2017

For Birth Control "So far, I like it. I've only been taking it for a few days, so I may rate it again if any other side effects start. My acne has cleared up a little already, and I've noticed I've been slightly more energetic than when I was taking Levora, which always made me tired. I've also noticed a lot of people said it decreased their sex drive. For me, it has increased my sex drive, but I don't self-lubricate, so it kinda sucks. But other than that, I like it so far."

• ano...
• July 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been taking Microgestin for 10 years and have experienced minimal side effects. The positives: My periods are much lighter, shorter, and I have less cramping. My skin cleared up dramatically; I would get cystic acne, and this pill in combination with tretinoin from my dermatologist has drastically improved my skin. I have experienced no weight gain. The downside is my libido has decreased recently (only after being on the pill for many years); I'll be switching pills temporarily to see if there is a difference. I did stop taking this pill for about 6 months, and I immediately gained weight and my acne returned. If it works for you, it's a great low-dose option!"

• Kar...
• February 25, 2016

For Birth Control "When I first started taking this pill, I had irregular periods and some slight mood swings for the first couple of months. Now I have regular periods that are very light and last about two days. No cramps or nausea, and I haven't noticed a weight change. The cons for me are lack of sex drive and tender breasts."

• krc...
• March 2, 2012

"I've been on Microgestin for a couple of years. The pharmacy accidentally gave me Junel Fe, and I started breaking out, headaches, low libido, and fatigue. I am running back to Microgestin. I have no side effects and still have a libido. I like this one out of others I have tried."

• Amy...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 30, 2022

For Birth Control "I took this for 6-12 months when I first married. I didn’t get pregnant, but I did gain weight and get depressed. Cried a lot for no reason and felt hopeless. And my sex drive dropped completely, which was really sad since I was newly married. This pill did not work well for me. A positive blood type. Not sure if that is relevant."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2022

For Birth Control "My doctor switched me to Microgestin after issues with my previous pill. I had the worst anxiety of my life on Microgestin. Panic attacks every other day, crying at the drop of a hat, no sex drive, depressed, exhausted all the time. I felt like a shell of myself. I know this pill has worked for some, but if you try it, just pay attention to how you’re feeling. It took me way too long to figure out it was this pill ruining my life."

• Lis...
• August 6, 2018

For Birth Control "I switched to Microgestin Fe 1/20 back in September 2017 because I wasn't happy with the one I was currently on at that time. I had been on Microgestin Fe 1/20 before when I was a freshman in college eons ago, but for some reason, I stopped. After being on this pill for almost a year, I remembered why. THE WEIGHT GAIN! I've gained almost 40 pounds since I started taking this pill, which really didn't help since I was already on the heavy side to begin with. I also felt like my sex drive went down once I started this pill, not really liking that, of course. Outside of these 2 issues, I don't have any other complaints. It was REALLY good on my skin. I only get breakouts around my cycle, and once that's over, the bumps are gone. It definitely shortened/lightened my menstrual cycle. I never really had severe cramps before bc, so they're practically non-existent. I do plan to change my pill at the end of this pack, in addition to adding some gym time to my schedule!"

• qwe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on Microgestin for about four months and wanted to look up what other people have said about the drug because of potential side effects I've seen. I've gained a solid five pounds since I've been on the pills that I'm having a lot of trouble shaking. That's after being at the same weight for three years. I also have zero sex drive, which is annoying as hell. I'm on the pill to not get pregnant, but if I don't want to have sex when I'm on the pill, what's the freaking point? I've had really bad mental and emotional reactions to other birth control pills, so I'm sensitive to that issue, but have not experienced it on this pill. Still adjusting and haven't gotten into a period cycle on these yet, but I've had no period on others before."

• Afr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2016

For Birth Control "So when I first started taking birth control, I was 15. It was my mother's idea, and it was supposedly to minimize cramping. Anyways, I started gaining weight and immediately stopped taking the pills. Zoom forward to 23 years old, and I'm recommended by my gynecologist to take these pills. Well, I've been on this pill for 3 months now and just realized I gained a whopping 20 lbs in those 3 months!! And I know for certain I've consciously made better food choices in regard to some modeling events coming up. On top of that, my acne has gotten awful in my adulthood, but this pill made it worse! I started getting large, painful cystic acne on my forehead. I also experience a decrease in sex drive, fatigue, and an increase in vaginal discharge. BEWARE."

• K11...
• March 21, 2016

For Birth Control "This birth control made my face really clear. When I get my period, I get tiny pimples here and there, but it's nothing serious. Before the birth control, my menstrual cramps used to be so painful! Now I barely have cramps. The con of this pill is low sex drive. I rarely have sex with my boyfriend, and when I do, it burns afterward. That never happened before the pill."

• Anonymous
• November 10, 2011

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill for almost a year now. It does its job in that I have not gotten pregnant, and it does give me a regular period (when I'm not on birth control, I rarely get periods). However, I have pretty much no sex drive whatsoever and am very dry. This is quite troublesome, and I will be looking for a new pill soon."

• kai...
• November 19, 2010

"Okay, I just finished my first month, and in that month, there has been maybe 2 days that I have gone the whole day without bleeding heavier than my normal period. My hair is like 3 times thinner and getting progressively worse. I'm calling my doctor on Monday to switch. I would never recommend this to anyone. Also, every time I eat, I feel awful, like my stomach hurts, my head hurts, and I'm always tired with absolutely NO sex drive. My breasts got a little bigger, but my acne got worse. Overall, this pill is miserable."

• Anonymous
• December 29, 2011

For Birth Control "I have been taking this pill for over a year. I only got on the pill because I get serious cramps. The pill gives me a lighter period on time every month and no cramps at all. But I have no sex drive at all. I'm completely dry, and my boyfriend is sick of it."

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 22, 2016

For Birth Control "This pill caused me to gain 10 lbs, stripped me of my natural lubricant (dry during sex), caused abnormal discharge, and caused irregular periods (I wouldn't have a period for 3 months straight). There were two pros to this pill, which prevented me from pregnancy 100% and cleared my skin of acne. I did stop taking this pill because of the amount of cons, I switched to a higher dosage BCP and dropped 5 lbs so far :)"

• HW1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I started taking this after being on Lo Loestrin Fe for a year. I have incredibly painful periods and wanted some relief. However, after starting this birth control, I have gained about 7-10 pounds and gone up a couple of clothes sizes. NONE of my clothes fit, and my breasts have gone up a cup size. On my small frame, the weight gain is significant! It looks like I am 4 months pregnant, and considering I have been on this pill for 3 months and not gotten my period, I've been freaking out. Pregnancy tests say I'm all clear, but I am having all the negative pregnancy symptoms. I also have had decreased sex drive, and it is causing strain in my relationship. I'm getting off this pill and never looking back!"

• Pav...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2016

For Birth Control "I got onto Microgestin Fe 1/20, and it is my first experience with birth control. Needless to say, I was extremely nervous about starting the pill and was putting it off as long as possible until I couldn't deal with my awful, excruciating period pain anymore. I am 26 years old, and this birth control saved my life. My body is no longer taking a beating every month. I take my pill at 9:30 pm, which helps me sleep through any sickness that I feel after taking it. I have experienced moodiness (this got better with time), body sensitivity, and dryness during sex (invested in good quality lubricant). I highly recommend this BC and remember that everyone's body is different. Give it a shot, and if you don't like it, you can always change it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 14, 2017

For Birth Control "Yes, everyone's body is different, but while taking the Microgestin pill, I had a lighter period, which was a plus. But I also felt really nauseous at times, tender boobs, bloating, weight gain, and a very low sex drive, which was the main reason I stopped taking it."

• xne...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2015

For Birth Control "I switched to this pill from a higher dosage. It still did not work for me. I had terrible acne, which I had never experienced before. I am actually still trying to get rid of it now, and I have sadly scarred. Terrible mood swings, no sex drive at all. I came off it after about 3 months because the side effects were too bad for me. The only plus was that I did not gain weight, and I am glad I am finally getting back to normal, even if I do have the acne scars."

• bth...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2014

"There are a lot of negative reviews, so I thought I would share my experience because I was freaked out before going on it after reading reviews. Just remember, everyone is different. I've been on this birth control now for a little over 2 months. My experience has been overall pretty good-mild nausea the first 2 weeks, a few hours after taking it, (I would say at worst a 4/10). I would suggest taking it before bed, that's definitely helped and literally zero libido, so that really has sucked. Other than that, no other side effects."