Ethinyl estradiol / norethindrone and Depression: What Users Say (Page 2)

• 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."

• Aly...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2021

For Birth Control "I see a lot of these reviews sharing depression and anxiety symptoms. I have never been a person to say I struggle with those, and for the most part throughout the 5 months being on it, I didn't notice anything. But looking back on it, I definitely see the correlations. It would come to me in spurts, though, the sadness wasn't throughout my whole experience. But I noticed I was sad about things that I had already gotten over/accepted previously, which was odd. Anyway, my BIGGEST concern is the ACNE it causes. IF YOU HAVE FOR THE MOST PART CLEAR SKIN, DO NOT TAKE THIS. It will ruin your skin so badly. I stopped the pill because of this. Never in my life had I had acne so badly, and within just 5 months. Also, my breasts are huge and so sore, had to get new bras. Got fitted, went from an A to a borderline C, they said. Never in my life... that was so crazy. Either way, the acne was so bad I couldn't stand it. Not even for bigger boobs..."

• Jul...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 25, 2020

For Birth Control "I’m not great with keeping a specific time, but I always take this pill between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. This pill should take about 3-6 months to regulate in your body. Within those months, it’s normal to feel some mood swings, slight changes in period, and/or weight gain, so don’t worry. Prior to this pill, my periods were 5-7 days tops. The first period while being on this pill lasted 2 weeks, the second lasted a week. From the third month moving forward, my periods last about 3-5 days tops with no ovulation. My period dates also shift a bit. I didn’t notice any mood swings until about the 6th month. To today, I sometimes feel sad or depressed, and I won’t know why. I also cry a lot easier now. It’s nothing I’m concerned over though, not too bad, and the mood swings are easy for me to quickly get over. Positive side effect: my breasts have gotten noticeably bigger. My boyfriend has also “finished” in me multiple times with no pregnancy outcome, so the pill has been doing its job. I’d recommend."

• Jul...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 25, 2020

For Birth Control "I’m not great with keeping a specific time, but I always take this pill between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. This pill should take about 3-6 months to regulate in your body. Within those months, it’s normal to feel some mood swings, slight changes in period, and/or weight gain, so don’t worry. Prior to this pill, my periods were 5-7 days tops. The first period while being on this pill lasted 2 weeks, the second lasted a week. From the third month moving forward, my periods last about 3-5 days tops with no ovulation. My period dates also shift a bit. I didn’t notice any mood swings until about the 6th month. To today, I sometimes feel sad or depressed, and I won’t know why. I also cry a lot easier now. It’s nothing I’m concerned over though, not too bad, and the mood swings are easy for me to quickly get over. Positive side effect: my breasts have gotten noticeably bigger. My boyfriend has also “finished” in me multiple times with no pregnancy outcome, so the pill has been doing its job. I’d recommend."

• 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 :("

• MAa...
• August 24, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had very bad experiences in the past with birth control pills (depression, weight gain, etc.). I tried Lo Loestrin Fe after the birth of my daughter and was happily surprised at how well my body reacted to it. I took it for 2 years and then stopped as I wanted to have a second child. I will get back to it soon. After stopping it, my periods came back as well as bad PMS. It seems like everyone has a different reaction to it, so I would suggest testing it and seeing with your OBGYN if this one is good for you. Because when it works, it is a true relief to be able to rely on a birth control that your body likes."

• Npa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I had been on Lo Loestrin Fe for years with no problems, recently, my doctor switched me to Blisovi 24 Fe, and I am now on month two. They are not even the same pills. I am throwing these pills away today. I’ve never had anxiety and depression until being on this pill. Today at work, I randomly burst into tears. I DO NOT DO THIS. I have zero sex drive to the point I don’t even want to hug my husband anymore. I have heart palpitations and a constant brain fog. Please do yourself a favor and stay away from this birth control. THERE ARE BETTER OPTIONS. I don’t even recognize myself anymore, and I’ve always been a confident woman. Currently crying while writing this."

• 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."

• San...
• June 28, 2019

For Birth Control "DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE if you do and experience side effects such as nausea, unstable moods, depression, low to NO sex drive, constantly fatigued, constant yeast issues, brain fog, and your Dr. tells you it has nothing to do with the birth control and recommends you stay on it, and also blames the side effects on something else and sends you for blood work after blood work, all while getting PERFECT results back. GET A DIFFERENT Dr. AND STOP TAKING THIS BIRTH CONTROL IMMEDIATELY. I stupidly trusted my Dr. for YEARS when she told me it was impossible these side effects are from this birth control. When I finally got the sense to just do the research myself, it was clear as day that this IS the reason I have been experiencing the side effects mentioned above to the point where it has been noticeable to my family and friends. I have stopped taking this birth control and cannot wait to see the improvements."

• jeo...
• July 17, 2013

For Birth Control "I've never taken birth control pills before. After taking these birth control pills, I've noticed a drastic change in my behavior. It's only been a couple of weeks of taking them, and I stopped. I've never felt lethargic and depressed in my life. I've noticed everything bothered me, and I would get upset easily. No desire to have sex at all. I didn't gain weight or break out, but I did crave junk food (which I don't eat). Overall, I guess it depends on the person. As for me, it definitely was a no-go!"

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 10, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been taking Blisovi Fe 1/20 birth control since late 2017, and it has been a wonderful experience for me. My acne has drastically reduced, I no longer have cramps, and my periods are extremely light. I luckily haven't experienced any of the symptoms that others have shared on this website: no anxiety, depression, or any bad changes. Every single body is different, therefore, I recommend you try it and see how it works for your body."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2021

For Birth Control "My doctor decided to put me on Aurovela Fe 1/20 to help with awful menstrual cycles related to endometriosis. I’ve only been on it for 3 days, and I’m experiencing the worst anxiety, depression, nausea of my life. I honestly feel terrified because of this anxiety. I can only compare it to the depo injection I had about 18 years ago that made me incredibly anxious, but this feels 1,000 times worse. Please do NOT take this medication. Nothing is worth feeling like this. I pray I feel like myself again in a couple of days once the hormones are out of my system. If I could give this negative stars, I would. They really should take this off the market."

• KJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2019

For Birth Control "READ THIS IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO MEDICATIONS OR HAVE DEPRESSION! Everyone is different in how their bodies metabolize medications. I am very sensitive to side effects. My doctor suggested this pill with the lowest amount of estrogen in hopes that it wouldn't cause too many side effects. At 22 years old, I already struggle with depression & regular migraines. The only thing this pill did for me was decrease my headaches. I was on it for one month & my depression was seemingly worse than it ever had been. I had constant really dark thoughts, life just didn't seem worth it. I stopped the pill immediately & was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. A couple weeks off the pill & everything went back to baseline. Even if you don't have depression, this is a MAJOR side effect that is not properly addressed. A lot of people have reached out to me telling me they had a very similar experience. Again, everyone's experience is different, just be careful and do your research, as with any birth control."

• mka...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2020

For Birth Control "I am taking birth control for PMDD, and I had just switched to Blisovi since my pharmacy did not have any other brands available at that moment. I was already dealing with anxiety and depression, but Blisovi made it so much worse. I started having suicidal thoughts all the time and more panic attacks, and I was only on Blisovi for 2 weeks. I will never use this again."

• Man...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 25, 2020

For Birth Control "I took Junel Fe 1/20 for one year. I had never been on birth control before starting Junel. When I first started it, I experienced very mild nausea, so I took it at night right before bed, and that fixed that problem. My periods have always been short but very heavy, 3-4 days with medium-heavy bleeding. Junel didn’t really affect that, but it made my breasts extremely sore. It cleared up my acne, only a small breakout during the placebo week. But let me tell you... the emotional roller coaster has been a nightmare. It didn’t start until about 3 months in. I would not be able to sleep at night and just cry out of unexplainable anger or sadness. I would get really, really angry for no reason. Dwell on things that made me upset and become so irritable I couldn’t express what I was feeling because I didn’t even know where it was coming from. Anxiety and depression worsened the longer I was on Junel. It was terrible. I’m onto something new and probably won’t go back to Junel."

• clo...
• April 22, 2021

For Birth Control "The worst experience in my life. Like others, I was on Necon for years and loved it. Then I moved to a new city, and the new pharmacy didn't have the Necon in stock, so they gave me the Nortrel instead because 'it's the same exact thing.' Famous last words. The worst 6 weeks of my life followed. Crippling anxiety, the worst depression (had never had depression before), heart racing, zero appetite (had to force myself to eat protein bars so, you know, I'd stay alive). Even had 2 ER trips because I thought I had a heart problem. I'd sob 6-7 times a day. Had no interest in anything and couldn't even choke down my favorite foods. Suspected Nortrel, stopped immediately, and within a week, felt like myself again. Now I take only Necon and haven't had an issue since. There is something off with this pill, even though the active ingredients are the same, there are other differences. These can make a difference in some people. There's something fishy. Avoid if possible. It's not worth going through that nightmare."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been using Junel Fe 1/20 for about 5 months. I started taking it to help with PMDD, endometriosis, and fibroids. It makes me exhausted during the day, and I've started having bad dreams that have progressively gotten worse, to the point that they are full-blown horror. I have also become progressively more emotional, with alternating rage and severe depression. I had the most terrifying nightmare I've ever had last night and woke up feeling like I was losing my mind, that there was no reason to live, and I couldn't shake the feelings of dread and impending doom. Thank goodness I know this is not right and I'm not crazy. After doing my research, I've found that I'm not alone. This happens more than science would like to admit. Although it eased my symptoms from fibroids and endometriosis, it caused side effects that most definitely outweighed any benefits (and it never helped the PMDD). I WILL NEVER TAKE THAT PILL AGAIN. NEVER, EVER, EVER."

• meg...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 10, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on this birth control for a little over a year. It was the only pill that didn’t give me acne, make me gain any weight, or give me migraines. However, this pill gave me severe mental health issues. I felt depressed, anxious, and not even like myself for a year. I was miserable to the point where I needed to seek therapy. My therapist suggested an antidepressant but told me to get off of Blisovi first in case that was the issue. Once I decided to get off of it, my mental health was restored in the matter of a week. I didn’t know that birth control could have such a severe effect on me, and I am so relieved that I got off of it. My sister began taking Blisovi a little after me, and it had a similar effect on her as well. If you begin this pill and notice that you are feeling depressed, GET OFF OF IT IMMEDIATELY. Don’t put yourself through it for a year like I did. After going through this, I have decided to give up on the pill altogether. Not worth it for me."

• War...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 18, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on Junel Fe 1/20 and was prescribed this as a substitute when it wasn’t available. This drug made me feel more anxious, depressed, and disgusting than anything else that I have ever taken. I have gained 20 lbs on this pill and can’t seem to stop eating when I take it. I can’t seem to get off it either since every time I call Walgreens, they tell me that they can’t get my original medication. If your pharmacy tries to give you this prescription as a replacement for your prescription, please ask for something else."

• Sky...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2021

For Birth Control "Horrible. I’ve taken Junel and Microgestin for years with no issue. Pharmacy switched to this, and I was eating nonstop. I was constantly hungry and also feeling depressed within the first week. This has never happened to me in 15+ years on the pill. Stopped taking it after about 10 days and went back to Junel. No way I’m destroying my body and mental health so Walgreens can save a few bucks on this awful generic. Demand you stay on your previous generic and do not switch to this!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 3, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been taking this pill, Junel Fe 1/20, for about 9 months. The first 3 months were the worst, with mood swings, depression, and anxiety. My body took 3 months to get into a groove, but after that, it's been smooth sailing. No weight gain, acne cleared up, light and painless periods, and no pregnancy scares. I would recommend! Don't let the negative reviews scare you. Everyone's body is different and will react differently depending on how you take care of your body."

• Han...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I only started taking Blisovi Fe 1/20 three weeks ago, and I have cried at least twice every day since. I am an emotional wreck, and it’s ruining my relationship. Maybe that’s how it’s an effective form of birth control, it just makes you so emotional and depressed that your partner doesn’t want anything to do with you. I advise against it. Oh, but I did gain 10 lbs and big boobs out of it!"

• nik...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I am only writing this review to let other women know that Lo Loestrin Fe gave me major depression and suicidal thoughts. It also raised my blood pressure significantly. If you have issues with mental health, I ask that you be cautious of this pill."

• Han...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 13, 2018

For Birth Control "PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL, I'M BEGGING YOU!! I've been on it for a year now. I used to be this extremely happy girl 24/7 until I got on this pill. I got on it a couple of months after I got with my boyfriend. Before I was on it, my boyfriend and I had a good relationship, I was always laughing and etc. Well, I got on this pill, and all of a sudden, I was a different person. It took me this long to finally realize that it was the Blisovi, and I only did because a friend of mine mentioned it could be my birth control. So, I looked up reviews, and pretty much I was having what everyone else went through. I’m always depressed, I constantly yell at my boyfriend over the littlest things, I’m extremely emotional over the littlest things, anger got worse, anxiety is terrible, I have no sex drive anymore, I’ve only bled 4 out of 12 months while being on this pill. When I did bleed, it was blood clots or either brownish-reddish color, it wasn’t normal. PLEASE DON'T TAKE BLISOVI!!"