Tarina Fe 1/20 EQ and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Kit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2017

For Birth Control "Life-changing in a good way. I'm sorry to all of you who had terrible side effects. This is the third pill brand I've been on and by far the best. I'm not taking it to prevent pregnancy, though. I suffer from terrible PCOS that left me sick for over a year. We are talking extreme anemia, constant nonstop heavy bleeding for months on end, fatigue, crippling cramps, weight gain, and no sex drive. Taking it 4 months now (note I take nothing but continuous active pills to level out my hormone imbalance) and I have experienced zero bad side effects. I'm healthier than I've been in years, weight loss, glowing skin, thriving sex drive, no cramps or endless painful periods. It's been a real lifesaver."

• VAa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2019

For Birth Control "Was on this BC for 6 months, and it was the first pill I had taken for a long period of time. Cleared my acne miraculously, got a lot of comments about how clear my skin was! I did, however, gain a little weight (like 5 lbs) and was incredibly moody. I don’t typically cry very often, but this medication made me burst into tears at the slightest thing. My periods became incredibly light and would last for a day, if that. Never had any other issues."

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

For Birth Control "The Tarina Fe 1/20 was the first birth control pill I’ve gotten on. It wasn’t too bad. Although I gained around 10 or 15 pounds after being on it for a year (recently just started the Blisovi Fe pill), it did clear up my acne pretty good. But I would get very emotional at times where I would literally tear up for the slightest thing, then become moody the next second. My period was only 4 days instead of being 7 days, and I would get cramps, but they weren’t too bad, and my periods weren’t too heavy but not too light. Also, my sex drive didn’t decrease! Hopefully this helps someone! :)"

• Pis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I started taking Tarina Fe 1/20 for lighter, shorter periods. So far, I've bled almost every day since I started taking this (2 months ago). I've noticed a bit of hair loss, eczema breakouts (which I haven't had this badly in years), depression, mood swings, decreased sex drive, increased appetite and weight gain, and I can't sleep at all. I'm done taking this as of today, and I don't intend to touch it ever again! The only slight upside was I went up a bra size, but my chest hurts all the time now, so that's a 50/50 win regardless. I would not recommend even trying this!"

• Ken...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 8, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been taking this Tarina Fe 1/20 pill for 4 months now. My periods have definitely become a lot lighter since taking the pill. They were irregular for the first two months, but the last couple of months they have been normal and are lighter than they used to be. The pill has caused me to gain some weight (about 5 pounds) since I started taking it. This all happened within the first month, and my weight has stayed the same since. The pill does cause some random cramps. But it does everything it’s supposed to do."

• Oll...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve only been taking this birth control for about 2 and a half months, but it has already significantly decreased my acne. I used to get 5-7 pimples a week, and now I have none! I decided to take this after having had horrible pain due to an ovarian cyst and often small little pains during ovulation. So far, I have not had any pain, and my period is incredibly light-almost as if I don’t have one. I was afraid of possible weight gain, but none has happened. This birth control works so well for me."

• acr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been on this Tarina Fe 1/20 pill for 1 month and wow... I’ve experienced chest, back, and underarm pain. Mood changes that consisted of sad, anxious, a little depressed, and extremely paranoid. My period was about 2 days late, and I couldn’t tell if it was spotting or just a lighter period (TMI: my period was dark brown). I gained weight in my arms, mid-belly, breasts, and thighs. I had some acne on my forehead that was red-white heads and some red dots on my chin. Again, TMI, my discharge was thick and milky white and came in large amounts daily. It’s definitely not my favorite pill, but I hope this helped anyone."

• Bla...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 9, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm 5'5", 150 lbs normally. I was diagnosed with endometriosis and PCOS within a 2-month span. Suffering with intense pain between cycles and fluid was in my lower abdomen according to an MRI. Tarina Fe is not the best when it comes to mood swings, but it's worked for the endometriosis pain and now my cycles are light to nonexistent. It is big on water retention, which causes weight gain. I wasn't sweating well during my workouts and not peeing as much water as I consumed, which scared me for a while. The effect was my abdomen would bloat, I wear waist beads, so I notice it more. No amount of diet change and exercise worked to get that 10-15 lb fluctuation down. I spiked at 167 lbs. The doctor thought I was going in on hamburgers or something for a while. When I stopped the birth control for a one-month period (after 6 months on it), the weight fell off like melted butter. Once I started back, it's creeped up again. My skin has cleared up a bit. I haven't noticed any pigmentation problems."

• Per...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 17, 2022

For Birth Control "I've been using this for a little over 3 years now, and it's the best birth control I've used. Other brands have made me gain weight or amplified my mood swings, but this one has solved all of my problems, including: heavy and irregular periods (used to bleed through the heaviest overnight pad on the shelf every 4 hours for 7-11 days, and now I only bleed for 5 days and can wear smaller pads and tampons without worrying about leakage!), body acne. I experience less intense cramps and mood swings, and of course, no babies. The only negative side effect I've noticed is vaginal dryness. Compared to other birth control pills and when I didn't take them, it's significantly drier down there, but the benefits totally outweigh the negatives for me!"

• Ery...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 24, 2018

For Birth Control "I like it better than the pills I had before. I'm not as angry or sad. I have been experiencing constipation, breast swelling, and weight gain. I know the weight gain is purely the pill because I've been exercising and dieting. Oh! And the pills gave me freckles. They're cute."

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 14, 2018

For Birth Control "I've actually loved this pill. I've tried others and been so emotional. I've had no weight gain, no loss of sexual drive, or even dryness, periods evened out with no issues. I'd like to try taking it straight for 3 months at a time to avoid periods, but will have to talk to my doc."

• ala...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 16, 2020

For Birth Control "TAKE SOMETHING ELSE! It's not worth your life! I've been on this birth control since December of 2019 (today is 10/16/2020). I experienced the weight gain but kept taking it due to the effectiveness of the birth control itself. About a month ago, I began experiencing bad headaches that would come on in the evenings. After 3 hours and multiple tests in the ER, I was told I was being admitted due to having a double pulmonary embolism (2 blood clots) in my right lung. The next morning, the doctor came in and told me that I need to immediately stop taking Tarina due to that being the cause of the clots. Now, I have to spend the next 6 months at minimum on Eliquis and Xarelto and simply hope they are effective. I can't pick up my 3-year-old and am basically restricted to a light-duty lifestyle until I have a medical green light. PLEASE, please reconsider taking this birth control. There are so many other options that do not have PE's as a side effect - rare or not."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 29, 2020

For Birth Control "I was prescribed this birth control, Tarina Fe 1/20, after giving birth to my daughter (I was taking Sprintec before pregnancy). I am not a fan of Tarina Fe 1/20. Side effects are I’ve gained significant weight, mood swings are terrible, and my period lasts longer than usual. I also have noticed that I will spot throughout the month (dark brown), and there is an increase of milky white discharge. I’d say the only plus is that it does help with menstrual cramps - I can’t feel a thing, and it has cleared my skin. I’ll be taking this for another few months before asking my doctor to switch me back to Sprintec."

• Jam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 18, 2019

For Birth Control "This pill, Tarina FE 1/20, isn’t too bad. When I lost my health insurance for a while, I started using Planned Parenthood, and they said this is the same as Blisovi, which is what I was previously using. I’ve been on this for like 8-9 months now, and I haven’t noticed any weight gain or acne or anything crazy. I think my sex drive went down a little bit, though? But aside from that, I’m having a good experience on it. My periods are light and pretty short (like 3-4 days), and it does what it is intended to do."

• 19 ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2020

For Birth Control "I've gained twenty lbs in 5 months while taking this pill. None of my friends have gained as much weight as I have, but I did notice they did gain a little bit of weight. Everyone's body is the same, but after 5 months of being on this pill, I am getting off of it because of the weight gain."

• chi...
• November 9, 2020

For Birth Control "I tried two other pills (that were higher estrogen) and the patch prior to taking this pill, and I have to say this one is much better. I used to get horrible nausea, low sex drive, uncontrollable mood swings, and weight gain on the other pills, and I have not experienced this with Tarina Fe! I have been on this pill for a month now, so I am just finishing my first pack. I am taking it for pregnancy prevention, minor acne, painful periods, and horrible PMS, as well as flare-ups from a painful bladder syndrome I have called interstitial cystitis. So far it has made a significant difference in helping all these things, and the only bad symptoms I experienced that I can deal with are tender breasts, water retention, minor headaches, worsened anxiety, and low moods tend to feel lower. I also noticed a decrease in appetite, but it was only at the very beginning. Again, it is only the first month, so I expect these symptoms to just lessen as I continue taking the pill."

• 717...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 27, 2018

For Birth Control "Tarina Fe 1/20 is the first brand of birth control I've tried. I didn't have any of the common side effects-no nausea, no weight gain, no headaches. However, my period has been out of control. Before getting on Tarina, my period would last 3-4 days, with some severe cramping and bleeding the first day, then leveling off. Now, I get a period the week BEFORE the sugar pills, lasting the whole week. Bleeding stops for the first day or two of the sugar pill, then I get to deal with another 4 or 5 days of bleeding from the sugar pill. All in all, it's about a 2-week long period. I'm on my 4th pack, and this happens like clockwork every month. The doctor switched me to a pill with higher estrogen, but I may wait out my last 2 packs of Tarina to see if, by some miracle, it regulates. Really liked the experience of having minimal side effects, but can't deal with the nonstop bleeding."

• Cal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I'm in my late 20s, and this past year I got switched to Tarina Fe 1/20. I noticed changes right away. My prior pill for 6 years was Junel. I believe my body was reacting through a change in active ingredients differences. I got 2 yeast infections 3 months after taking Tarina. It was a long time since I had to buy vaginal creams to stop the itch and medications. I also feel like when I take it, it just sits at the top of my stomach and I get bloated. With Junel, my metabolism would actually start up and it would increase my appetite. I believe Tarina is just not working out for my body. I also gained 20 pounds since the switch. My body just feels lost, but I ordered Junel again. I hope it solves all my changes. Prayers."

• Ano...
• February 3, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been on birth control for 3 years now. I switched to Tarina because I was experiencing bad anxiety and mild depression, and my doc recommended this lower dosage pill. Luckily, I didn't experience any significant weight gain. But my anxiety and depression got worse. I have even more terrible mood swings and am so sensitive and emotional. On the bright side, my periods are light and only last 3-4 days, and the cramps are tolerable. However, I noticed that my 'periods' were getting more inconsistent, and I wouldn't start on the same day like I was used to, but I always bled every month until this one. This month, I had absolutely no 'period.' I'm very good at taking the pill (if I'm late, it's only by an hour or 2), and I understand that it's completely normal to not have withdrawal bleeding while on the pill, but this had never happened to me in the 3 years I have been on birth control. I ended up not being pregnant, but this made me go insane. I'm definitely going to change to another brand."

• Cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2021

For Birth Control "Got this pill at Planned Parenthood after I had my IUD removed. While on this pill, I had no sex drive. I didn’t care about anything anymore. I didn’t want to hug or kiss my daughter or husband. I was always irritated. I also had the worst abdominal pain, and it messed with my bowels. I gained about 5 lbs in 2 weeks. I was super bloated. My breasts were super tender. I don’t usually have acne, and this caused me to break out really badly. All this in only 2 weeks. I stopped the pill, and 2 days later, I felt more like myself. Definitely don’t recommend."

• Zzz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 8, 2022

For Birth Control "So far, I’m a week in on this birth control. My last birth control I had been on made me nauseous, and I would throw up every night around 2 am. So far on this, because I have had super light nausea, here and there headaches, my mental health is ehh, so-so. I get angry and sad very fast, which I don't like. :( I don’t really have much of a sex drive, and I usually do have a high sex drive, like a lot, lol. I'm eating quite often and have gained some weight-not a lot, though. I don’t mind, though, because I’ve been wanting to gain some weight. I'm still sticking to it because I am only just a week in so far."

• Not...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 25, 2021

For Birth Control "An update from March's review. I stopped taking Tarina on April 3rd. Since then, I have dropped 10 pounds, my mood and outlook on life have improved. My body shape! I didn't even realize how different my body shape was while taking the pill. My body shape has returned to how it used to be. My body shape on the pill was extremely 'hormonal,' a lot of stomach bumps and flabs I chalked up to weight gain. But I could not understand why I went from an hourglass not taking the pill and then on the pill an apple, now I'm back to an hourglass...just more 'sand' from when I was last an hourglass shape. However, we are working on that. I am dropping weight more consistently now. I am glad I made the decision to stop taking this pill. I am now using Paragard, and so far I am happy. I do NOT believe that taking the pill has no effect on weight gain and body type change. I will never go back to using hormonal birth control. I just believe they are trying to push an agenda."

• MCa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 15, 2021

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill since late May and now it is mid-January. It has been great until last month when I started experiencing mild depression. I am switching birth control, but for someone who is just starting to use birth control, I will highly recommend it. This is my first birth control, and I loved it. Don't be scared to try it since you can easily switch to a different one if this doesn't work out. I did gain a little weight, but my skin is clear, and I have very light periods."

• Tre...
• September 30, 2020

For Birth Control "So unlike everyone else’s comments here, I love Tarina. The last birth control made me so actually sick 24/7, I couldn’t get out of bed. With Tarina, I’ve had a small amount of breakouts (masks add onto that) and a bit of weight gain (quarantine too). My breasts have been a tad sore every couple of weeks, but it isn’t terrible. My periods are shorter, my cramps aren’t as bad until I'm on my period, but they still aren’t nearly as bad, I can take 1 pill of Pamprin and be fine. I have noticed I’m a bit moodier before my periods but, again, Pamprin or any PMS pill can help with that. Everyone’s body is different! Just try it, after a couple of months, if it’s not working for you, go see your doctor or whomever. Also, starting Tarina, I wasn’t nauseated, but I was a bit moody and had mild cramps off and on for a few weeks with a few zits here and there, but that’s just from a huge rush of estrogen our bodies will be accepting!"

• Not...
• March 31, 2021

For Birth Control "Started May of 2020, didn't really notice the weight gain until October. I'm heavier now than I was 9 months pregnant and heavier after giving birth. Clothes do not fit right, and I cry a lot more. My appetite is through the roof. I decided on November 30th to try and lose weight. I did not stop the birth control. I have consistently exercised 6 days a week for an hour (HIIT, cycling, running, weight training, etc.) and have tortured myself by restricting caloric intake to 1200 calories. Yes, only 1200...more recently 1100 calories. I have not missed ONE day. I have been extremely dedicated. I finally gave in at the beginning of March and bought a scale. I last weighed in November at 230 pounds. I am 227. It's extremely frustrating. The only thing I can think of is this birth control. I have lost weight in the past as much as 50 pounds. I know what to do."