Ethinyl estradiol / norethindrone and Bleeding: What Users Say

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I started this pill to stop ovulation and hopefully regulate my PMDD. I was really hesitant because I've had terrible experiences with birth control in the past. Yaz, specifically, put me in a flat-out depression for 3 months. I've been on this BC for the last 3 months consistently, minus a week when breakthrough bleeding and cramping were causing issues that I stopped for 4 days to relieve. My moods are amazing. I haven't had a single outburst in the last 3 months. My sex drive is incredibly high, and my boyfriend is grateful. I feel like I have myself back and suggest it for anyone who's had problems with other birth controls."

• Bee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 25, 2021

For Birth Control "Before I started on Hailey 24 Fe and I was reading the reviews on this site, I was really nervous for bad side effects. I am happy to say my fears weren't all justified. I just started my second month on Hailey 24 Fe. So far, my symptoms have been as follows: - Loss of appetite - more emotional but it has steadied out - Larger swollen breasts - Can't stand the smell of fish or cooked bacon - Super mild periods - Barely any cramping or bleeding - No weight gain - No acne. Overall, starting Hailey 24 Fe has been almost stress-free and everything is manageable."

• Anonymous
• May 13, 2009

For Birth Control "My doctor put me on this medicine for dysmenorrhea. I LOVE this birth control pill. I have NEVER had any bad side effects from it, no acne, no mood swings. I only have light bleeding/no bleeding and cramping when I do have my periods, which only last 2-4 days. But the best part, NO WEIGHT GAIN. I have actually lost 30 lbs since I have been on it. I really love this pill and would not go to any other birth control pill."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 9, 2025

For Birth Control "I see a lot of negative comments about this BC, so I thought I should weigh in. I’ve had a VERY positive experience with Junel Fe 1/20. I tried multiple pills before and had terrible side effects. This pill has worked for 3 years, and I’ve never noticed any negative side effects. I skip the placebos and haven’t had a period in 2.5 years. No spotting/breakthrough bleeding, no acne, no anxiety, no weight gain. I love it and will continue to take it, even though I’m not sexually active at the moment. BC affects everyone’s body differently. What works for you might not work for someone else."

• HWo...
• February 17, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on Junel FE 1/20 for two years with no issues at all. My heavy periods were finally light, and I rarely got cramps. When COVID hit, Walgreens told me that this birth control was on backorder because the manufacturer was changing the formula. Transferred my script to Giant Eagle because they had a big supply. November 2020 rolls around, and I start having a period in the middle of the pill pack. It caused me so much anxiety and money because my doctor ordered all these tests to see why I was bleeding. Was becoming severely depressed with the darkest thoughts I have ever had in my life. I would cry for days for no reason. I felt so 'out of body.' After three months of on-and-off bleeding, horrible anxiety and depression, and a host of other symptoms, my husband made me go off this pill cold turkey. All my symptoms are now gone, and I feel so much better. This pill should be taken off the market for sure! Whatever they changed is messing with so many women."

• ALa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2020

For Birth Control "Horrible. Do not recommend. At all. Save yourself. Just started month 3, and it has been AWFUL. So glad I found this. I've had about every side effect but abnormal bleeding. Haven't been able to have sex for over a month because of vaginal dryness/inability to get wet/loss of interest (just ended month 2 yesterday). Sex was great until this pill! My side effects: major vaginal dryness (going on 3 months), no sex drive/interest/pleasure, breast tenderness/PAIN/enlargement, nausea, headache, bloating, fetal-position cramps, mental changes/mood swings, trouble concentrating, tired/weak ALL of the time, irritable, anxious, discouraged. I could go on. I was starting to question myself, my body, my mind, my relationship, felt like I just could NOT get better. I'm disappointed it took me so long to realize this was the only change. Good thing is I'm not pregnant, but hard to get pregnant when you can't have sex."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I was so scared to take Junel Fe 1/20 after reading all of the reviews. However, I am happy that I did. The first month I experienced a lot of breakthrough bleeding as my body was adjusting to the pill, but now I have my period regularly, and it is almost nothing! It is super light and just enough to let me know I am not pregnant. I didn't experience any side effect symptoms with this pill either, no weight gain like everyone says... however, I am fairly active and eat pretty clean. I would give this a try before taking any of these reviews into consideration, everyone's body is different!"

• meo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 22, 2020

For Birth Control "I love this pill so much. I’ve never had such a good experience with birth control before. My side effect symptoms have been so small that I barely notice them, very little to no bleeding/spotting through the 2 months I’ve been on it, even in the starting weeks, which was always a huge problem for me on other forms of BC. My skin has cleared up, my libido has increased, no weight gain, no mood swings, no depression. The only negative I’ve noticed so far is my energy levels are sometimes pretty low. It’s important to remember when reading reviews that every woman’s body responds differently to BC, so don’t get scared from the bad reviews! You could be lucky and finally find the one that works perfectly for your body!"

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2017

For Birth Control "Do not base your opinion off of these reviews! It is important to remember birth control works differently for everyone. I was absolutely terrified to go on any type of birth control pill because I find myself prone to side effects with these things and was already having bad anxiety. Turns out this pill completely leveled me out. I haven't experienced any negative side effects at all except for the breakthrough bleeding (which is why I came on this site in the first place). Besides that, nothing. Try it! I feel as though my body actually really needed this since it seems as though it's actually leveled out my anxiety."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 10, 2021

For Birth Control "I thought I was losing my mind until I saw this! I was diagnosed as clinically depressed and referred to a suicide hotline yesterday, no lie. I’m not suicidal, but I’ve been depressed, more depressed than I have ever been in my life the past few months. I’ve become detached, emotionless, and have lost all empathy. I cry all the time and hate being in the same room as myself. I’ve been bleeding for 4 months, and I have no sex drive at all. I didn’t research Junel Fe 1/20 and depression before now because it wasn’t listed as a side effect. My boyfriend just suggested that I look into the pill as a “leave no stone unturned” thing, and voila. I’m not crazy. I’m flushing this stuff right now."

• rea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 7, 2020

For Birth Control "Junel Fe 1/20 has been absolutely awful for me. The first few weeks, I felt mostly okay, my sex drive was normal, and I felt a little more emotional than normal, but nothing too extreme. Then I had the most intense body aches I’d ever experienced. I was unable to move from my bed for almost a week. No position was comfortable, nothing helped, and I just cried all day. I experienced a lot of breakthrough bleeding, and my breasts became incredibly sensitive and sore and have stayed like that the entire time I’ve been on the pill. The second month in, I started experiencing intense panic attacks and OCD-like symptoms as well as severe depression. This has lasted through the third and fourth months, and I haven’t gone a day without weeping or having a panic attack in two months. My appetite has been gone for about a month now too. Zero sex drive, lots of dryness. Overall, it’s been absolutely awful, and I would not recommend it at all. I’ve never been so mentally unstable in my life."

• bee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2020

For Birth Control "I absolutely hate this medication. They gave it to me because my Junel Fe was on backorder. Horrible mood swings, zero sex drive whatsoever, symptoms of depression, breakthrough bleeding, and lack of interest in things I previously loved. I didn't use this for the purpose of preventing pregnancy, but it didn't even work for the things I needed it for. Everyone is different, but I have never experienced such dark emotions in my life, and this was a horrible experience."

• Coc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2020

For Birth Control "Ladies, do not take this medication. The month I began this Lo Loestrin Fe pill, my life became a bit of a nightmare. The first month, I had spotting every other day, then a horrible yeast infection (my 1st one EVER) during my actual period in the fourth week. During the 2nd month, I had breakthrough bleeding every other day, a period the 2nd week, and another during the inactive week. My mood has been so high and low. I have no desire to have sex whatsoever. I honestly feel really crazy!!! No sleep, no eating, and an overall feeling of dread/failure/sadness. Almost finished with the 4th pack, and I lost count of how many blood-free days I've had because I've been bleeding ALL MONTH and not little droplets. I'm talking enough to wear a regular tampon. Officially done with this and going to just try the fertility awareness method because no BC seems compatible with my body :("

• Coc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2020

For Birth Control "Ladies, do not take this medication. The month I began this Lo Loestrin Fe pill, my life became a bit of a nightmare. The first month, I had spotting every other day, then a horrible yeast infection (my 1st one EVER) during my actual period in the fourth week. During the 2nd month, I had breakthrough bleeding every other day, a period the 2nd week, and another during the inactive week. My mood has been so high and low. I have no desire to have sex whatsoever. I honestly feel really crazy!!! No sleep, no eating, and an overall feeling of dread/failure/sadness. Almost finished with the 4th pack, and I lost count of how many blood-free days I've had because I've been bleeding ALL MONTH and not little droplets. I'm talking enough to wear a regular tampon. Officially done with this and going to just try the fertility awareness method because no BC seems compatible with my body :("

• Anonymous
• October 25, 2012

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "This birth control is awesome as far as its effectiveness with preventing unplanned pregnancy and increasing your bra cup size! The only drawback I would say is that the pill had me bleeding constantly. It wasn't light spot bleeding but full cycle bleeding maybe 80% of the time for the first 2 months on the pill. Other than the bleeding, the pill is great with no other side effects."

• Bnw...
• November 19, 2011

For Birth Control "I am very sensitive to hormones. This pill is great...no side effects. I am very active and in tune with my body. No weight gain, no acne, no bleeding, no change in libido. Great pill! Worth every cent."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Microgestin for 3 weeks. I started taking it on the 1st day of my period, and it made my (normally VERY regular period) last for 8 days (it usually lasts 4-5)! For the entire time, I have been very moody, bloated, retaining water, have had cramps, nausea, acne, breakthrough bleeding, EVERYTHING. THE WHOLE TIME. I literally feel like I have been on my period for 3 weeks. I keep hoping that eventually, my body will get used to these hormones. My doctor said it will take 1-3 months to regulate, but I don't know if I want to live like I'm on my period for 3 full months."

• Meo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 14, 2020

For Birth Control "I'm 27, tried this pill for over a year (been on BC since I was 15, trying to find one that doesn't make me hate my life). The only great thing about it for me was that it works well as birth control. The first 3 months, my cycle was normal on it, but after that it was SO irregular. Gave me terrible cystic acne and also acne on my back (which is very rare for me). Basically, my new mantra was 'another day, another cyst' because basically, every day a new one would appear and they take FOREVER to clear up and hurt so bad!! I work out 3 times a week and have an active lifestyle and mostly eat healthy, haven't gained weight, but I'd imagine I would've if I wasn't active. Besides not being able to lose weight and having terrible skin and abnormal bleeding, I definitely felt moody and like my hormones were imbalanced on this pill. I started taking 'Nikki' a few weeks ago and am starting to feel better and have had no breakouts, so hopefully that does the trick."

• Aub...
• February 27, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill, Junel Fe 1/20, for over a year, and I have honestly had no issues with it whatsoever! I was on the mini-pill previously, and that was tough with having a rare and unpredictable period, so I switched to a combo pill. I was honestly so skeptical at first because this doesn’t have the best reviews on here, but honestly, everything has been good for the past year! This allowed my hormones to be regular, helped to clear up my skin, and best of all prevented pregnancy without any horrible side effects. I did have breakthrough bleeding for a month or two there, but it hasn’t come back since the beginning. Starting this new birth control was scary with all the possible side effects and some of these review horror stories, but it was a good choice. Personally, I have had no issues with this birth control and would not hesitate to recommend it to a friend. As I said before, I have had no issues and will stay on this pill for hopefully years to come."

• Anonymous
• September 1, 2009

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "I just wanted to say that I love this birth control. Besides helping me with my cysts, it has given zero side effects. I tried Yaz before this one, and I felt like a monster! It gave me horrible mood swings, migraines, and I gained weight! Will never get off this Loestrin Fe 24. Remember that everyone's body reacts differently to the hormones in these contraceptives! Try it out before you decide on one, if you get a side effect, move on to a new one! Oh, and one thing, with this pill, I had breakthrough bleeding the first month only, and you MUST be very specific with the timing with this pill, and I get my period for 2 days only (which is also a plus)."

• Ano...
• September 9, 2019

For Birth Control "I just started this pill, and it is my first time starting birth control. I've just started my first pack and have had no negative experiences with it so far. My doctor told me it will take 3 months for my body to get used to the medication, and taking the pill at the same time every day has been slightly challenging for me, but I've shifted my time to be a little later and it seems to be working better for me. During my first month, I was spotting for the first week, had bright red, more period-like bleeding the next few days, but then I stopped spotting completely by week 3. After this, when I started taking the placebos, I started to spot again, although very little. I have been used to having very heavy periods with intense cramps for the first day, but those have seemed to subside after taking this pill. My skin is clearer, with no darkening spots, and my mood during my time of the month seems to be much more pleasant."

• Sha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on Lo Lo for a year and two months, and it is great! This was my first experience with birth control pills, and it went perfectly fine. I used to have very bad/heavy periods, but now I get my period for maybe two or three days each month (no cramps!). My body did take a while to adjust, though, so I had breakthrough bleeding for the first 6 months or so. I had no other negative side effects other than maybe feeling way more emotional."

• amb...
• May 22, 2021

For Birth Control "HORRIBLE. I have been taking birth control for 7 years and have tried multiple brands. This is by far the worst one I have ever tried. I started this pill after my pharmacy changed my prescription from Bisolvi without my consent! I have been on this pill for only two weeks. I have been bleeding the entire time. I’m having awful cramping and acne. I have back pain and I am nauseous. I am diagnosed with depression and anxiety, so it is normal for me to feel low on a daily basis. But oh my goodness, I have been crying 2-5 times a day every single day. I am completely emotionally unstable. I am crying over everything and very jumpy/scared. If you are having problems with this pill, get off of it ASAP! I am miserable and exhausted."

• A R...
• May 10, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been taking these pills for the past two months. Usually, I'm a very rational person, but after taking them, I have extreme mood swings, and minor disagreements turn into week-long fights. I stopped taking them last night due to it almost ending my relationship. No pill should be able to cause such a drastic difference in personality. I also have irregular bleeding between periods, but hey, at least I'm not pregnant."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2024

For Birth Control "I’ve been taking this for 2.5 months now and I’m absolutely loving it. I’ve had no negative side effects. I take it continuously so I never have a withdrawal bleed or any shifts in hormone levels from taking the iron/placebo pills. My mood has improved so much since not having a menstrual cycle and no PMS. No weight gain or appetite changes (if anything I have fewer cravings due to no PMS), my hormonal acne (which was out of control prior) has completely cleared, and I am loving life without a period. I’ve never been so happy with a medication and plan to take this for as long as I can. I will note that the initial first 10-14 days were rocky with breakthrough bleeding and moodiness, but I’m so happy I stuck it out. I haven’t had any breakthrough bleeding since then. I also take my pill every night at the same time by alarm and I believe this helps. Will update my review if anything changes."