Ethinyl estradiol / norethindrone and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 4)

• jiq...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2018

For Birth Control "I switched to Junel 1/20 recently from taking Tri Sprintec. And personally, I enjoy Junel 1/20 so much more. The only side effects I get are having a headache, feeling drowsy after 1 hour of taking it, loss of appetite, and a little mood swings. Yeah, these are side effects that many may be frightened of, but honestly, it's so much better than my side effects from taking Tri Sprintec. When I took Tri Sprintec, my side effects were depression, weight gain, breast growth, cramps, and constantly being in a bad mood."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been on this birth control for about 4 months now. It is the worst pill I have ever taken. The only positive thing about it is my periods last maybe 4 days and are very light. The negatives... I can't control my acne breakouts. I have NO sex drive. I have constant mood swings. I feel like I'm a teenager again. I also have headaches, and I have trouble staying asleep at night. It just makes me feel NOT MYSELF. I made an appointment with my gyno for a visit. I am never using this birth control again. I thought I was crazy, but I read other reviews, and I guess I have a lot in common with many others that have taken this pill before. It's horrible! I am grateful for those people that it helps, but this is definitely not the pill for me."

• sam...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 11, 2015

For Birth Control "I was never able to take 'the pill' due to side effects of nausea, headaches, and other issues. I am 41 years old, and my gynecologist said to try this one and see, and I knew right when I started it that I was not having any issues at all. I do not feel sick or have any headaches. I do not have a problem with my sex drive, and my weight is the same. I have been on it for about 2 years now. I am very happy that this one came out, and for me it has been great. I know everyone reacts differently."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2012

For Birth Control "I was very hesitant to try this birth control after reading so many negative reviews. I decided that I would go ahead and try it anyway, since everyone reacts differently. Personally, I absolutely love this birth control. I have been on it for approximately three months now and have not had any bad side effects whatsoever. I used to be on Yasmin for three years and would get headaches almost daily. Ever since I switched, I rarely get headaches. I have had no weight gain, no mood swings, no acne, and no change in breast size (unfortunately). I have noticed my periods are much lighter, and I have had no spotting. Overall, I give this birth control an A."

• Hey...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2019

For Birth Control "I will give this Junel Fe 1/20 pill a 5/10. So, I have taken this pill for 3 months, this is my first time using a BC. It didn't give me such horrible side effects like going crazy (even though my bf stated that I was meaner during that time). My sex drive was the same, no change, no weight gain, only got the headaches the first month, after that it almost felt like nothing. BUT the biggest thing about this pill was I've had back-to-back yeast infections, especially on the week before my period. IT WAS THE MOST HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE to go through. I did not want to believe that it was the BC, but I was desperate to get rid of the yeast infection after all the meds that I had that didn't work. It has been 3 weeks since I got off this pill, and I finally feel like me again, with no mild or severe symptoms of yeast infection."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 15, 2018

For Birth Control "Update: I previously wrote a review for Taytulla that I thought was befitting at the time. So fast forward, I’m 6 months in and I swear I’m starting to have nausea, vomiting, headaches, mood swings, no sex drive whatsoever, and I’ve gained 17 pounds. Now the funny thing about the weight gain is that I follow a strict diet, work out 4 times a week, and walk on average 12 miles a day on my job. I constantly feel bloated, and I’m not doing anything different than I was when I first started them. My doctor said it’s water weight and retention, but carrying around the extra weight is making me feel bad physically, as well as being a mental challenge when I feel like I’m working out and watching what I eat is all in vain. Just know that these symptoms can hit you at any time."

• Bri...
• September 15, 2020

For Birth Control "I started Junel Fe four months ago and never had a period on the days I took the hormone-free iron pills. The first month I had lots of breakthrough bleeding and bled for two weeks, threw up almost every day, had headaches daily. The second month, I bled for four days, thought, ohhh yes! I can get used to this. A couple of weeks later, into the third month, I bled for two weeks again in mid-pack, my face broke out to the point of scarring, my thoughts have been awful. I’ve been anxious, and then going into the fourth month, I was emotionally unstable, crying, raging. I am a stepmom of four kids and a mom to a daughter of my own. I can’t be acting like this or bleeding to the point I think I’m bleeding out. I was supposed to start a pack Friday before Labor Day, and I didn’t. I’m not and won’t ever again. I don’t recommend it to anyone. Now hopefully, I won’t get knocked up, lol."

• Tor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I haven't even been on this for a month, and I'm already looking into something different. My head is always hurting, I'm nauseous, tired, and my anxiety has been off the charts. And I've been insanely emotional. The only good thing is that I'm not pregnant, but the symptoms are similar to pregnancy, so it still makes me think I'm pregnant."

• Anonymous
• April 7, 2015

For Birth Control "Been taking for 6 months. During the first month, I had extremely sensitive breasts (even clothing touching against me was sore). Other than that, my experience has been positive - a little random mid-month bleeding, but no side effects such as headaches, weight gain, mood changes, etc. I plan to stay on it."

• Ali...
• October 22, 2013

For Birth Control "I would say I've had an overall good experience. I just took my last pill from my first pack. It was a little rocky at first. I did experience some unusual heavy bleeding that lasted about 10 days mid-way through the pack. But it has calmed down. I've had no mood swings or emotional/mental side effects. My weight is pretty much the same, and I didn't get sick or have headaches. I'm just going to monitor the bleeding on my next pack of pills. I also have to see if my insurance will cover it. I got my first three packs from my ob-gyn as samples to see if I like it. I'm going to continue using it, and I'll update you guys in 28 days lol. I hope this helped someone."

• Kel...
• August 1, 2014

For Birth Control "I was on Microgestin for about 3 years. Over the past year, I started to get extremely bad headaches during the sugar pill week. I took extra strength Tylenol the entire week, twice a day, and it still didn't make my headaches go away. I also would feel very lightheaded and nauseous. I had to leave work early, it was bad. The only good thing was I've had the same box of tampons for the entire year. I barely had a period. Oh yeah, I also got high pigmentation right above my lips. They call it a 'pregnancy mask,' but you can get it with certain birth control. It is very dark, and it is difficult to hide with makeup! I'm not a big fan of having a weird skin mustache, so I went off it."

• CGa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 29, 2021

For Birth Control "I love this stuff. I had switched from Lo Loestrin because of price, but I'm really glad I did. My skin has been perfect ever since I started taking it. When I was taking Lo Loestrin, it made me have red bumpiness around my chin, but once I started taking this, it went away immediately, and my skin has looked so good ever since. I haven’t had any bad experiences, besides my breasts hurting (and they got bigger, which I'm happy about). Some reviews said they got headaches, nausea, weight gain, bad moods, but I haven’t experienced any of that. My periods haven’t been bad either, no heavier than what they were when not on birth control. Works super well for me!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 15, 2014

For Birth Control "I'm getting ready to finish up my second pack at the end of this week. I have to say after the first month, I really debated quitting taking it. I had horrible side effects. Constant headaches, muscle aches and spasms, and my period was horrific. Then again, this was the first real period I've had in years. It came on my second week and lasted throughout the rest of my pack, and it was heavy. Like three boxes of super tampons heavy! I was breaking out, cramps were terrible, I was irritable and felt like I had no energy, but I found out I was also extremely deficient in vitamin D and I needed more potassium. Now that I'm taking my multivitamins, I've found that my side effects have really subsided. My period is light, and my sex drive has increased."

• Mam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2018

For Birth Control "After reading so many negative reviews, I have decided to come back and update my experience on Taytulla. First and foremost, please, please give your body at least 3 months to cope when starting a new pill. This birth control has been nothing short of amazing. Goodbye, acne. Goodbye, cramps. Period only lasts 2 days, and it's barely enough to have to wear a panty liner. The first few days out of a new pill pack give me very mild headaches, but hey, I'll take that over painful cramps. I have been taking it for just over 4 months now, and Taytulla has changed my life for the better!"

• Lol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 22, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been taking this medication for one week and feel moody, low on energy, bloated, just overall not well. Dizzy, heat is bothering me. Anxiety, just so tired, headaches. I am listening to what my body is telling me and will stop now."

• CCM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 12, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm almost finishing my second pack of Lo Loestrin Fe, and so far, not very many problems! The first couple of weeks of taking it, I had really bad headaches, and I've gained maybe 2 lbs, my weight does change from time to time anyway! I've had one period, which was very light, and haven't had any other side effects! I would recommend Lo Loestrin Fe."

• 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."

• Ann...
• February 8, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on birth control on and off for the last 17 years. This is by far the worst one yet. The only positive thing I can say about it is I didn’t get pregnant. However, I felt like I was. I have been on Junel FE for years with no trouble. My pharmacy was out of it and assured me Larin FE was the same exact thing. I beg to differ. By day 5, I was so nauseous and felt horrible. I was ready to fall into bed by 7:30, utterly exhausted, which was not normal for me. The nausea was horrendous. I actually lost 5 lbs in 12 days because I couldn’t really eat. My anxiety went through the roof, which hasn’t happened in a very long time. To the point, I had a horrible panic attack in the middle of the night, which hadn’t been normal for me in a while. Don’t even get me started on the headache. Whew. I stopped taking it because my doctor called my script in somewhere else, and within 36 hours, I was back to my normal self. I would avoid Larin at all costs."

• Eri...
• December 28, 2015

For Birth Control "I loved this birth control, contrary to everyone else who's written a review. I took this pill for 2 years straight, and for me it worked wonders - I gained weight in all the right places (breasts and butt), it prevented pregnancy, and I had clearer skin. My only complaint was that after I began the pill, my period stopped completely for the entire duration that I took the pill (2 years). Overall, I had no ill side effects like nausea or headaches, and it worked great for me! I would highly recommend."

• San...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 7, 2020

For Birth Control "Lots of people seem to hate on Lo Loestrin because they've tried it for a few weeks and base their judgment off of that. With birth control, you need to take it for a few months before making any judgment on it as it gets used to your body and see how your body handles it. I've seen people complaining about the same stuff I've gone through. In the beginning, too, I was told to take my first pill on the Sunday of my period. I then got my period for two weeks. After the first month, I have NOT gotten a period since, no blood, no cramps, no headache, no wacky acne. Yes, it's safe because I have doctors in the family who even recommended Lo Loestrin. EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT! Giving this drug a few weeks to do its thing and expecting such high results is setting yourself up for failure. Let it actually get used to your body for a few months. If it still doesn't work after a few months, switch it. If you stuck through a bit of your hormones changing and the pill actually getting used to your body and now it works, then :) !"

• Ban...
• January 8, 2020

For Birth Control "So I was recommended to take this birth control because I have a cyst on my ovary. They are trying to see if birth control would stop it from growing. I'm 24, never was on birth control, never had a pregnancy scare, nothing. I've been taking this birth control since Oct 2019. And it's been the worst. The first month wasn't that bad, the second month until now has been awful, my boobs are extremely sore and enlarged, they never stop hurting. I will take my bra off and have to grab them because that's how bad they hurt! The period situation I have been spotting with cramps for 2 weeks now, it's annoying because I don't have a clue when it's going to stop. I get headaches, I don't really eat, mood swings are bad, in a horrible state of depression, and it's just like you can't tell what is wrong with you! I called my gynecologist and am waiting for my appointment to get off of it and back to how I was living before... birth control is bad for your body anyway, just have safe sex."

• Eck...
• February 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Larin 1.5/30 for maybe two and a half months. At first, I didn’t notice any real side effects, but eventually, they all started to creep in. It started with my breasts becoming swollen and tender to the touch, and they’ve been uncomfortably tender for about two straight months now. My appetite has decreased dramatically, and some days I barely eat at all. I feel like I’ve definitely lost some weight due to that, and I’m terrified of it getting worse because I’m trying to actually gain some weight right now. I randomly get headaches and some small cramps, but nothing too bad. I would say the worst part about all of this is the anxiety and mood swings I’ve had. I already have anxiety, but since taking this birth control, it’s gotten much worse. I will say, though, it is HIGHLY effective at preventing pregnancy."

• KiK...
• November 30, 2018

For Birth Control "My dr gave me Junel Fe for my horrible periods due to fibroids. First month was awful. Major headaches, felt like I was PMS'ing 24 hours a day the entire month, major depression, hunger, and cystic breakouts. But my period came during placebo week, and I have never experienced such a light period before. Second month had improvement on ALL side effects. Period was still light, but it came for a couple of days, stopped, then came back. Third month, headaches and PMS symptoms are gone except for the period week, and my skin is perfectly clear!!! Super light period and minor cramping. No breakthrough bleeding, but I am very diligent about taking the pill at the same time each night. I set an alarm on my phone so I don't forget. Overall, I have been very happy with results. You do have to suffer through a couple of months of adjustment, but after that, it clears up. The benefits outweigh the negatives. I even started a low carb diet and have lost 11 pounds so far while taking this BCP."

• Dia...
• September 27, 2016

For Birth Control "I am in love with this pill. It is expensive without insurance, but it's been worth it for me. I haven't had a period in almost 5 years now. I haven't had any issues with temperament, weight gain or loss, acne, etc. I have a history of aural migraines, so any birth control with estradiol in it is a little more dangerous (which is essentially all of them), but with this I have noticed a huge reduction in headaches and complications with my vision during them."

• m f...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I never feel compelled to review anything, but this pill ruined me so badly that I feel I need to. I only lasted 2 weeks taking this pill. When on Junel Fe 1/20, I had horrible headaches, nausea, and depression. I cried constantly for no reason, I blew up on people for no reason, and my skin began to break out horribly. The worst part was the bloating. I have been bloated day and night for over a week. My weight is up from the water weight. I’m so uncomfortable 24/7. I stopped taking the pill and am now withdrawal bleeding heavy blood with the worst cramps I’ve ever had in my life. DO NOT take this birth control. It is ruining my life."