Ethinyl estradiol / norethindrone and Headaches: What Users Say

• doe...
• June 3, 2021

For Birth Control "I got on this BC in March 2021 after my Nexplanon expired. I am a newlywed and even though my husband and I want to have children, I want to wait at least a year to have a baby. My PCP decided to put me on Junel so I can stop at any time. Symptoms the first couple of weeks were cramps, sore breasts, headaches, and fatigue. Today marks 3 months on this BC, and I will not continue taking them. The non-stop crying, panic attacks, anxiety, arguments with my spouse, sadness, and depression are out of hand. I lay in bed last night and wished I was dead. I have so many suicidal thoughts and felt like I was going through some tough times in my marriage, but after reading all these reviews and being able to relate to these other women, I realize I'm not crazy. I've been feeling so alone in my dark thoughts. I was scared I would end up in the hospital sooner than later. Listen to your body, please, and if any of this relates to you, please consult your doctor. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!"

• Anonymous
• December 30, 2009

For Birth Control "I am taking Microgestin FE 1/20 for a month now. I took the first pill and then decided to just read up on it. I was scared out of my mind after reading reviews. I tried to calm myself down by saying that people usually only give reviews with a bad experience. Rarely do people seek these sites out to give a positive one. Nevertheless, I was scared. I thought I was going to gain weight, be an emotional crazy person, suffer from bad eyesight, etc. I was especially scared because I would take the pill at noon and at 5 pm every day I would feel nauseous. I changed my time to 5 pm, and hey, problem solved. I am usually in bed by the time the nausea would start. Other than that, no weight gain, no headaches, no loss of sexual interest, and no breast tenderness. Everyone is different, and their bodies react differently. I would say I am very satisfied with this birth control."

• Suz...
• October 13, 2014

For Birth Control "Into my second year on this and very pleased. The first two months adjusting were definitely a bit tough: nausea, headache, breast tenderness, bizarre acne. I stuck it out and very glad I did! After those two months, zero side effects. No period, no weight gain, nausea, cramps, or breast tenderness... Nothing! In fact, I'm 37 & I've lost 20 lbs while on it. And most importantly, it's been effective in preventing pregnancy!"

• Khz...
• October 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I wanted to get on birth control to regulate my period, but please, please, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS. I gained 30 pounds in a 3-month timespan because it caused my appetite to skyrocket. My appetite went back to normal after stopping it, thank goodness. I had my period for 20 days straight, broke my eczema out on my face really bad, acne everywhere, constant headaches, my mood was horrid, and I felt so exhausted 24/7. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone. But again, everyone’s body is different, so it might work for you! But still, be wary."

• 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."

• Kkp...
• December 27, 2019

For Birth Control "Larin Fe 1/20 has been kind of good so far. I was recently switched to this brand from my other brand, Junel Fe 1/20. On this new brand, Larin, I have had horrible headaches and random cramps throughout the month. I did have a pregnancy scare because I had some symptoms of pregnancy due to the switch of brands, but it turns out that Larin did do its job at preventing pregnancy. My periods are much lighter, and I don’t have much cramping when I get them. Overall, Larin is great! Just gotta let your body get used to it after a few packs!"

• Dee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 24, 2021

For Birth Control "I had to switch to this birth control because my insurance stopped covering Junel, my doctor told me it was the same thing, but it’s not. I’ve been on this for 3 months, and I have a headache every day, moody, bloated, and nauseous almost every day. I stopped taking it because I’d rather not be on any birth control than feel the way I did. Since I’ve been off of it, I’ve been feeling better than ever."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been taking Blisovi 24 Fe for about 5 months after switching from Tri-Lo-Sprintec, which made my moods crazy. Blisovi 24 Fe has been nothing but good to me. I don’t get acne, I haven’t gotten pregnant (knock on wood), and my periods have become very light and only about 2 days long. Occasionally, I experience headaches and nausea, but any birth control will do that to you, so I don’t find it a big deal. My moods have been much better and less fluctuating overall. I guess everyone really just reacts differently to it."

• GOO...
• March 22, 2021

For Birth Control "PART ONE: This is for someone who bases their decisions off of reviews (like myself). This is my first experience ever using the contraceptive pill. After reading numerous reviews of this product, I was really scared to start Hailey. My doctor prescribed me Junel, but my providers only carry Hailey. It has now been two weeks going on three weeks of being on Hailey and using birth control for the first time. I am 22 years old, height 4'11 and 95 lbs. I did not experience any crazy symptoms. I wanted to put this honest review out to ease people's decisions. However, if you currently already use Junel or another brand, I do not recommend changing your formula. But this was my first time and I feel perfectly normal. My face has remained clear. Some minor headache an hour or two after I take the pill, but shortly goes away. I take it at night so I sleep it off. My boobs are a little sore now. I haven't gotten to the sugar pill yet, so I am curious how long my period will last and how much cramps."

• Hai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 19, 2019

For Birth Control "In the beginning, Larin FE was a little rough. I was nauseous 1-2 times a day. Luckily, I had Zofran. I had acne terribly. I was moody and had random stomach pain. But that was the beginning. DON'T RATE THIS WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF TAKING IT. If I went by the bad reviews of people who had only taken this a couple of weeks, I wouldn’t have gotten it. First off, your body hasn’t even had time to adjust to the medicine in that amount of time. I’m halfway through my second pack and now I don’t have acne, maybe a small blemish occasionally, no weight gain yet, no more nausea, no headaches. It’s great now that my body is used to it. I bled lightly for about three days the first week I started it, but since then I’ve not had a period. I had spotting for one day about a week ago, and usually, my period is 3 days and a regular flow but painful, so I don’t mind skipping it. If you try this birth control, give your body until maybe a few packs to adjust. Any meds you take, you have to adjust to the hormones before you know if it is good for you or not."

• Che...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 23, 2019

"Ladies, this pill, Blisovi Fe 1/20, has been the biggest, most positive life changer I've been so fortunate to have. I took it for adenomyosis. I've spent many years trying different hormone and non-hormone birth control options and had absolutely sworn off any and all hormones since I had tried pretty much everything on the market. Over the last couple of years, I've developed extremely painful periods that have kept me from functioning at all. I became open to whatever my ob/gyn wanted to try, so we tried Blisovi Fe four months ago, and not only have I been able to bypass my period completely, I have zero side effects :) Nothing at all!! No spotting, weight gain, headaches, tenderness - nada. I'm so grateful for this, you have no idea!!"

• ash...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 7, 2021

For Birth Control "I've been using this birth control since June of 2020 and haven't had a period since. I don't have any complaints with using it, and I have no symptoms. I don't get cramps or acne or headaches. It seems to be affecting me just fine."

• Anonymous
• November 12, 2011

For Birth Control "I've tried several types of birth control/contraceptives, and this is by far the best. In the past, I have had insane mood swings, random periods that last for months, serious weight gain, headaches/nausea, extremely low sex drive, etc. Since I started taking this, I feel like a normal person again. I'm not randomly mean to my boyfriend, I want to sleep with him too. I have noticed that since I've started taking this pill (I'm on my 3rd month), I've been able to lose weight a little bit easier, unlike the last pill I took. I will continue taking this."

• Anonymous
• November 4, 2009

For Birth Control "I'm 21 years old and have been on this birth control for almost a year now, and I absolutely love it. No weight gain, no headaches, no acne, no side effects really, except I no longer have a period at all. Just to be cautious, I take a pregnancy test every month, but so far there hasn't been a need for it. My sex drive is the same and hasn't changed at all. The pills are easy to swallow. I would never switch birth controls!"

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2019

For Birth Control "Don’t listen to the bad reviews! As someone else stated, people who have good experiences tend to not leave a review. I was terrified to take this Blisovi Fe 1.3/30 birth control because of all the bad reviews. I took the risk anyway, and I’ve had literally zero of the horrible symptoms others reported (apart from a mild headache the first couple of days). I have PCOS, I feel like the hirsutism (unwanted facial hair) has slowed, and I’m losing weight (although I am watching my food). Give it a shot!"

• Pep...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I had to leave a review because I almost avoided Lo Loestrin because of the reviews. I took it anyway, and I love it. I started it on day one of my period and continued all the blue pills, setting my alarm to take them at the same time every day. There was one day that I took it 4 hours late, but all other days were fairly close to the same exact time. The first month I was maybe a little down, and a slight headache, maybe. Fast forward to the end of the month, and I was feeling great. My period at the end of the month was only a few days of very pinkish spotting only/extremely light. This is in contrast to usual heavy periods day 2-3, so a definite perk. And I’m not pregnant despite having unprotected intercourse multiple times throughout the month and even every day within the usual fertile window. I’m well into the next month's pack now and haven't had any side effects whatsoever and have even lost about 4-5 lbs. I love this pill and will update if anything changes."

• Lov...
• September 24, 2015

For Birth Control "To everyone worried about taking this because of the awful side effects people talk about: RELAX. Junel was the first birth control I ever took. I have a VERY sensitive system, and my main concern was weight gain. My body is so sensitive that I've even gained weight from a natural progesterone cream. I did not gain a single OUNCE from Junel. Not one. It did not make me hungry. It did give me a headache for the first few days, but I'm three weeks in, and I don't even feel any difference in my body. Please take negative reviews that you read with a grain of salt. Yes, all birth controls affect people differently, but I honestly feel like if you go into it thinking you'll be fine, you won't experience weight gain, you WILL actually be fine."

• Jas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 24, 2020

For Birth Control "So, I used to be on Junel Fe, which worked great for me. I didn't notice any side effects at all, so to hear so many having trouble finding a decent BC was shocking. Unfortunately, my pharmacy stopped carrying it, without notice, so I had to look elsewhere. I transferred to one that was supposed to have it, yet they just gave me Blisovi Fe instead. I didn't mind it at first. But I have had the worst experience on this pill. Every bad side effect you can imagine. I constantly will get random nausea and bad headaches. I used to be in the low 120s in weight and am now 133 pounds. That is crazy to put on when my diet has been consistent for years. I don't recommend this pill for anyone. Some may be okay to take it, but I don't think it's worth the time."

• owo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2019

For Birth Control "My doctor gave me the prescription for this pill, Blisovi 24 Fe, and I started taking them without reading the reviews. I’m actually surprised at the negative experience most of the people here had! Then I remember that everybody reacts differently to every medication, and I might have gotten really lucky with this one. I am about to start my second pack, and so far, I’ve had no problems at all with this pill. When I first started taking them, the only side effect I noticed was headaches that lasted for only a few days. After that, everything was fine and normal. My weight has stayed the same, and I’ve had no breakouts on my face. I can’t say what this pill has in store for me in the future, but so far, it’s been uneventful and easy. If you’re reading this and you are still unsure, I’d say just take it anyway and see if it works for you and your body. The negative reviews may seem overwhelming and terrifying, but keep in mind that there are people who had a positive experience with it."

• 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."

• Snu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 18, 2025

"This is my first birth control. Lemme just say, from reading the comments, I was terrified of taking it. I went weeks holding the pill about to take it just to chicken out because of the horror stories I've read on here. However, my experience is nothing at all like most of the users on here. I've actually had a good time with it overall. I take these at night around 10 pm (college student). The first two days are just normal. The third day I woke up at 5 am in a hot sweat and threw up once that morning. But it wasn't like a 'sickly' pukey feeling, just like an 'oh that happened' and I was immediately better and never experienced it again. I'm a month in. What I will say though is don't take this on an empty stomach or take it before having to study. Personally, it makes me a little drowsy for a bit, but wears off, but really dangerous feeling when you're cramming. If I take it on an empty stomach or long after eating something, it upsets my stomach for a bit and gives me a headache."

• Anonymous
• August 26, 2013

For Birth Control "I must admit, after reading all the negative reviews, I was very nervous to start this pill. I switched from Loestrin 24 FE a couple of days ago because I randomly started to have a lot of spotting. Generess was the next pill my gyno recommended. I'm glad to say SO FAR SO GOOD. I've had no problems! So many women complained of headaches, severe nausea, and increased appetite, yet I have experienced NONE. What a relief! Just goes to show these pills really do affect everyone very differently! I've also noticed that I have actually been in a better mood and had an increased sex drive (which is good for me because Loestrin decreased it). Don't be scared to give it a try!"

• Che...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 13, 2017

For Birth Control "I had to switch from Minastrin 24 FE to Taytulla last month. Minastrin 24 FE is not covered by my insurance anymore. Taytulla is not either, however, there is a coupon that drops the price tremendously. Taytulla is the 'bioequivalent' of Loestrin 24 FE. I used to take Loestrin 24 FE before they discontinued it, so I felt a bit better about Taytulla, as Loestrin 24 FE worked wonders for me. I have been on Taytulla for less than a month. My first week, I experienced headaches, not sure if it was stress from work or the pill or both, but they eventually subsided. My breasts have been tender, but nothing crazy or painful. I'm starting on the pill where I will get my period, so I will update at a later time and let you all know how that goes."

• DJa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 28, 2020

For Birth Control "A good friend of mine's daughter just recently died from Larin Fe side effects. She was 26 years old, who had a bad headache, went to InstaCare, who gave her migraine meds and sent her home. She had a seizure later that night, transported by ambulance to the hospital. She now has a blood clot on the brain and was dehydrated. This young lady had just received two college degrees and lost her life because of this drug. The doctor could only say, 'it's rare, but it happens.' Really?"

• Anonymous
• July 24, 2020

"I was in Lo Loestrin for years but switched to Blisovi 24 Fe. I have been on this pill for about 2 months now. I’ve been having terrible headaches, nausea/vomiting, and my mood has been all over the place. I have anxiety, and as soon as I started this pill, I have seen it heighten incredibly. My anxiety is terrible now. My mood swings are almost as bad as the anxiety. I become angry and upset so quickly, and I’ve never been like this in my life. I feel insane and emotional. I’m so happy to know that I am not alone, I read all the reviews on this site because it makes me feel less crazy. I’m definitely getting off of this. Also, my face is starting to break out in places I’ve never broken out before (my chin + around my mouth). Please discuss other options with your gyno before switching to this birth control!!!"