Minastrin 24 Fe and Mood Swings: What Users Say

• Jam...
• September 13, 2014

For Birth Control "I've just recently started taking Minastrin. I haven't even made it through the first packet, and I'm noticing side effects. I've had severe back pain and mild mood swings. I want to cry all the time, and it's affecting my relationship. I get mad at my boyfriend for every single thing he does, and I was not like that at all before. I've been a very angry and depressed person since taking it."

• aro...
• October 1, 2014

For Birth Control "I tried several different birth control medicines before my doctor prescribed Minastrin 24 Fe. On other pills (particularly Viorele), I felt very emotional and uncomfortable. While taking Minastrin, I feel like myself and I have had no weight gain. Minastrin has caused me to stop getting my period, but my doctor says that this is completely normal."

• Lau...
• November 6, 2014

For Birth Control "This is the first BC I have been on and have been taking it for two years now. I have had no issues with it. While starting, I did have the normal spotting until my body was used to it. But after my first two periods, I was fine. I haven't experienced any mood swings or pain. If I miss my pill, I take it as soon as I can remember, and I am fine."

• kat...
• November 11, 2013

For Birth Control "Like with everyone else, was switched to this medication unknowingly. I receive my birth control in a 6-month supply, and this last bulk included 2 Minastrin packs. I used Loestrin for a good 2 years and had absolutely NO side effects. I'm halfway through my second pack of Minastrin, and I've been bleeding 2-3 days every other week (which isn't a huge deal, more annoying than anything), horrible lower back pain that will not cease, I've cried 4 times just in the past few days over nonsense, and have been in a generally depressed state. I made sure there were no other stressors that could've triggered this ridiculous emotional roller coaster and finally connected the dots and realized these symptoms presented after starting Minastrin."

• Ara...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 7, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on Minastrin for over a year now. My very first form of birth control. The first 2 months were tough to get through, with spotting, bloating, mood swings, etc. But after my body got adjusted to the birth control, everything has been perfect. My periods are lighter and last 4 days. My cramps are still present, but they aren't as bad. I don't have severe acne or weight gain. Anyone who has a bad experience, I say just give it time before you write it off as terrible birth control."

• Ama...
• June 25, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Minastrin for 5 months now. The first 3 were horrible. I had every possible side effect: bloating, mood swings, sore chest, acne, spotting, you name it! About my fourth month, my body got adjusted, and I now love it. No spotting, mood swings, and my acne has subsided. For those who are just now on it, push through."

• Gla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2014

For Birth Control "This is the first birth control I've ever taken, and I've had a few mood swings, at the same time, I'm still a teenager, and hormones are flying everywhere, so it doesn't truly bother me. I used to have terrible periods where I would have to miss school for a few days at a time, and immediately the medicine fixed it. My period only occurs on the placebo days and is very light, with minor cramps that a few period relief pills help. Last month, I did feel very sick during my placebo days, and I'm sure it's because I was taking it but not eating. I was told that would happen, so I advise you to always eat before taking it. I also had terrible acne, and it has cleared up immensely. Overall, it's great for me."

• Hea...
• October 7, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been on Minastrin 24 Fe for 2 months now. I wasn't on any birth control previously. I have not noticed any weight gain...if anything, I've noticed a decrease in my appetite. I do have slight headaches daily, but not anything Tylenol can't fix, and they are slowly subsiding. They were pretty brutal in the first month. The biggest side effect I've noticed is how emotional I am! I used to NEVER cry, and now if my boyfriend even looks at me the wrong way, I start crying! It's ridiculous. Sometimes I feel like I'm about to cry, and I have absolutely no idea why! Also, my periods are lighter and shorter, but I still have a little spotting. The doctor told me this would happen. I'll keep taking it for now."

• Lb3...
• June 24, 2015

For Birth Control "I wanted to write this review because I see others really struggling with Minastrin at first, and I want to tell you - take heart! I'm in my second month on this pill, and the first was rough. I had mood swings, bloating, and bleeding every day for a month. I felt miserable and was convinced I would stop taking this. However, I took the very first pill of my second pack, and every single symptom disappeared overnight. I don't have a single issue anymore, and the bleeding stopped. Not even experiencing spotting. I know every body is different, so I'm not saying this will work for you as well, but in my case, sticking it out that first month was so important. I'm really glad I stayed with it, and I hope you give it a chance too."

• Per...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 31, 2015

For Birth Control "I am 16 and have been on this for almost a year now. I like this medication because, for me, it has done a great job of easing my headaches and nausea. I still get some once in a while, but it's not as bad as before. I have not had any real problems with my mood, but I do see that I cry more often and sometimes get a little depressed, but I am able to blow it off. The only real criticism I have about this medication is that when I started on my period again, it was regular, then it stopped. COMPLETELY! But I was like, what?!? I would spot, but at random times. For the year I have been using it, I can say I have only gotten my period maybe twice. Very hard to know if you're pregnant without a period."

• D H...
• March 24, 2016

For Birth Control "Honestly, I love this birth control so much. I've been on it for almost 3 years, and I've never had any problems. I feel it has actually helped me to not gain weight, though I am naturally thin to begin with. No mood swings, no weight gain, no weird side effects for me. My hair seems to grow faster, like from my scalp... but no weird body hair growth (as I had on a progesterone-only pill I once tried out. Yikes.) No acne. No problems. The only thing I would say is weird to most but really great, in my opinion, is that I haven't had a period on this stuff. I bleed lightly for 1 day once a year. I frequently have unprotected sex with my long-term committed partner, and we've never had a problem. 10/10 would recommend."

• aiv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2013

For Birth Control "I was switched from Loestrin 24 to this since it was discontinued, and at first, I was super nervous because it was chewable, but I liked Loestrin, so I went with it. The first month was okay, and it was exactly like Loestrin 24 with nothing different. The second month, I was told by my doctor that I can skip the placebo pills to not have my period, and I did just that. The first week after doing so was great, but then I started to spot. I knew it would happen, but it's been going on consecutively for three weeks, and it's into the next pack now. It's also caused mood swings, headaches (and I never get those), vision blurriness here and there, cramps, bloating, gassy, all the upsetting side effects. Overall, not good, and I may switch to another BC."

• Jbe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2014

For Birth Control "Loestrin 24 Fe was discontinued, and I was switched to Minastrin 24 Fe. I was told it was the same exact pill. I had been on Loestrin for 4 years and never had a problem. Sadly, Minastrin was not the same. I had horrible side effects from this pill. Besides the weird periods, I had mood swings that made me miserable. I also had a horrible allergic reaction to this medication. It was extremely unclear whether this has to be chewed or not."

• Mus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2016

For Birth Control "PLEASE TAKE MY ADVICE!!! I started on Minastrin 24 Fe in February of 2016 because my fiancé and I were going to be getting married in April 2016. We both were virgins, and I had never been on a contraceptive before, but we both wanted to wait a while to have kids in our marriage. Well, at first things didn't seem too bad. However, I started noticing acne breakouts, and I was surprised at how I was easy to cry... however, I thought it was due to wedding planning and not birth control. However, after a month and a half into our marriage... about a month ago, I started developing extreme mood swings, depression, weird thoughts I couldn't seem to cope with, suicidal thoughts, emotional about everything, losing feeling for my husband (who believe me, I adore and love so very much), 15 to 17-pound weight gain, panic attacks, depression, anxiety, fatigue, swelling in my legs and feet, and even one of my big toes started to go numb. I even started thinking the worst things about my husband and losing loss of feeling for him. I was scared to death! I was usually full of life and happy and carefree, and a very energetic and outgoing young woman who loved her husband and her life! I was always active and tried to be health conscious. My husband has been extremely gracious and patient through all of this, and believe me, you do not want to start your marriage out like this!!! So he and I decided to stop the pill about 2 weeks ago (mid of June 2016). My acne has cleared, my swelling has gone down, and physically I am feeling better each day. My emotional swings are slowly lessening, and I haven't had any panic attacks lately. I am still struggling, but each day I feel more myself and am getting back to the real me. SO PLEASE TAKE MY ADVICE FOR YOUR SAKE AND THE SAKE OF THOSE YOU LOVE AROUND YOU!!! Stay away from this pill! These hormones are synthetic and fake, and they aren't natural for our bodies. It may work for some people, but it is not worth the risk of going through what I have to see if it will work for you as well."

• Dot...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 23, 2014

For Birth Control "I am now in my third month of using Minastrin 24 Fe, the first time I've been on the pill in four years. Aside from a random day in the first month that I was extremely emotional and two weeks out of month two when I spotted constantly, I haven't had any other noticeable side effects. My weight has been constant and my mood the same. I don't have any real complaints other than the adjustment period being pretty awful."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 9, 2015

For Birth Control "Been on for about 7 months. Sex drive has been gone since starting. Sex hurts if tried, and I'm very emotional constantly. Gained a bunch of weight. Haven't had my period in 4 months, only some spotting."

• Ano...
• August 30, 2015

For Birth Control "I had been on a different BCP for over 20 years and had a generally low libido but pretty much no period with that pill. I went off to have a child, then returned to the same pill and became very emotional and depressed with a worse libido. My doctor changed me to Minastrin, and my emotions were much better, and libido improved also. I do get spotting the week before my period, which is non-existent. However, now that I've been on this pill for over a year, my weight has increased 14 pounds. I am so hungry, and my blood sugar doesn't seem to be very steady (I tend to get low blood sugar easily and am not a diabetic). So now I'm really hungry and can eat as much as my husband, and even though I'm exercising more, I continue to gain weight."

• Ven...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2015

For Birth Control "I started taking this pill about 3 1/2 months ago after taking Lo Loestrin for over a year, which, by the way, I loved. I switched because apparently my doctor wanted me to get my period back and he thought that by increasing the estrogen dosage, my period would, ergo, come back. Well, it didn't! So far, I do not like this birth control. My mood has changed and so has my libido, which is crazy because I'm like the female version of Christian Grey (Fifty Shades of Grey reference). I gained 6 freaking pounds, I already can't see things that are far away, and this pill has made it worse. I cannot wait to go back to Lo Loestrin. Hope my experience helps some of you ladies and please let me know if any of you also lost your period, lol."

• ano...
• December 8, 2014

For Birth Control "Like the others here, I had been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about six years before I was forced to switch to Minastrin because they discontinued it. It was awful, gave me horrible mood swings, and I kept having huge fights with my boyfriend and everyone, and I knew it was this pill because that is not like me at all. As soon as I switched, the mood swings went away."

• Pyl...
• January 15, 2016

For Birth Control "When I got my period at 12, I was getting it 2 times a month for 7 days each. Literally, half of my life I was on my period. Then I was on a pill that was good (Tilia Fe) and got my period regularly for 5 days at a time. Then my doctor told me about this pill and that her entire staff used it because they either got their period for 2 days or not at all. I was sold! And I'm still sold after a solid year on it. NO weight gain, NO cramps, NO mood swings, and I get my period for 1-2 days max! It's a miracle pill for me. I'm so sad to read such negative reviews about Minastrin 24; it's funny how pills are so different for people! YAZ made me completely insane; it is very expensive though at $54 - I would pay a million dollars; I LOVE IT!"

• Wor...
• September 26, 2015

For Birth Control "I agree with the girl that said if she can rate this any less than a 1 she would. My doctor put me on it to stop my migraines after switching from Yaz. I'm 24 and have been on the pill since I was 16. I've struggled with depression in the past, and this gave me such bad mood swings that I have not felt this depressed in the longest time. Still getting migraines. Skin is breaking out. I've always struggled with that, but Yaz is the only one that helped apparently. I'm supposed to start my 3rd month until I see my doctor again, but at this point, I decided not to take it and wait until my visit."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2015

For Birth Control "Within a day of starting this, I started experiencing horrible side effects-my skin started to break out, and my appetite was fluctuating drastically. But the worst part was the terrible mood swings. I became terribly depressed and was crying for an hour a day for no reason. Couldn't finish the month."

• and...
• April 27, 2015

For Birth Control "I got on Minastrin because I used to take Loestrin 24 Fe, and my doctor told me it was the same thing, but just a different name. Loestrin was perfect - I didn't even feel the effects of the pill (never gained weight, suffered from mood swings, etc.). Minastrin was the complete opposite experience. I'm constantly crying, I'm in constant PMDD mode, and my sex drive is literally non-existent. I tore apart my relationship with my boyfriend, and I completely regret ever going on it."

• Ano...
• January 8, 2016

For Birth Control "Before I started taking this, I was very easygoing and rarely let little things get to me. As soon as I started taking it, I got horrible mood swings, which have continued on and off ever since (I give my boyfriend all the credit in the world for putting up with it). Also, I immediately started gaining weight, about 30 lbs, until I basically started starving myself. Plus, my breasts grew from about a C to a DD and are starting to feel saggy, which wreaks all kinds of havoc on my back and stomach muscles. My periods have been very heavy, and previously, they were always very light. It seems like the only days I'm not bloated are when I take the placebos. I only rated as high as I did because I haven't gotten pregnant :p (yet)"

• r1k...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 28, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on Minastrin 24 Fe for nearly 5 months. During this time period, I had horrible mood swings, and I was constantly emotional. My boyfriend said that I didn't seem like myself. I also ended up gaining nearly 10 pounds and had very tender breasts all the time. I also would get awful cramps, backaches, and headaches during my periods. My periods were very light, though! All in all, Minastrin 24 Fe was not for me. I have now switched to Loestrin, and I already feel so much better."