Ethinyl estradiol / norgestimate for Acne User Reviews (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2013

"I am 18 years old, and my dermatologist prescribed TriNessa for acne. I have taken it for 3 months. I have experienced pretty much every side effect on the list. I feel nauseous for every day on the first week of the pack and on most other days too! I have only gained a few pounds because of the extreme increase in appetite, but I've lost the weight since. My breasts have grown a whole cup size, even though I was already a D. And my breasts are always sore to the touch. I have occasional mood swings that make me very sad at times. On the bright side, my acne has gotten significantly better, and my hair is shiny and grows really fast! Also, my insurance completely covers it, it is literally $0! That's a plus as well!"

• Nic...
• October 16, 2016

"Originally, I was prescribed Ortho Tri-Cyclen, but due to insurance issues, I was given Tri-Sprintec. I know you're supposed to give things usually 2-3 months to work, but let me tell you, this pill has worked miracles! The first 3 weeks were terrible. I was breaking out even worse than I already was. I mean, I was getting acne right above my eyelids, underneath my eye, and just about everywhere else on my face. I was so nauseous for a couple of days that I almost had to skip a wedding. But I am so glad I stuck to this. My face has been the clearest it's been in a year. I'm still battling 1-2 zits, but that's nothing compared to what it was. I am left with a lot of dark spots, but a few hydrafacial treatments should help with that."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 13, 2019

"I switched from the IUD to Tri-Sprintec 4 months ago in the hopes of clearing my moderate acne and helping my lower mood. Now I wish I would have stayed on the IUD. I have never in my life had such painful, swollen cystic acne until now. It’s all over my jaw and neck, and that has never happened to me before. At first, I thought it was a reaction from switching methods, but I’ve gone through 4 packs and it keeps getting worse. I plan to stop this today after reading other acne horror stories. I’d rather use condoms than refuse to leave the house because I’m so self-conscious about my skin. I hate this pill."

• Anonymous
• February 12, 2012

"I used to take the Depo shot but wanted something to clear my skin. These reviews scared me! My first week on the pack, I broke out a little bit more than usual and was very moody. I kept telling myself that it's my body getting used to the hormones. And sure enough, after my first week, my skin is clear (a few blemishes from sleeping with makeup on), my mood is great, just like it's always been, and intimacy with my boyfriend isn't a problem. I'm not experiencing vaginal dryness. I'm starting my second pack, and I'm glad I gave this a try. Ladies, take Vitamin A daily, 10,000 IU, this should help with the skin clearing! Best of luck!"

• ---...
• April 16, 2015

"I've been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen 21 for a month and a week. It does not make me moody or depressed, and nor did I gain weight. Those were my two biggest concerns before going on birth control. I am taking it for acne, and so far it just tamed my big pimples, but I still get small little bumps here and there. I spoke to my doctor, and I was told I need to wait at least two months to see results in acne. It helped me incredibly in terms of period cramps, I used to faint often on the first day of my period, throwing up and diarrhea. But now none of that, thanks to Tri-Cyclen. :) Strongly recommend! Beware, makes boobs a little sore, not too much."

• Kay...
• May 13, 2016

"I started taking this pill about a year ago, and I LOVE it. I originally went on it for severe acne, and it completely cleared up. I read all this stuff about people gaining weight, but I've maintained the same weight I've had for 3 years now. Also, I haven't gotten pregnant, which is the most important thing!"

• Anonymous
• July 14, 2011

"I have been using TriNessa for 2 months, and I love it. My acne has gotten considerably clearer, and I have seen my acne scars begin to fade. Finally, my periods aren't unbearable, and they're on time. I'm very happy with TriNessa."

• ABa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 7, 2019

"This has been the worst birth control pill I have ever been on! Cystic acne all over my cheeks, and my acne wasn’t terrible before starting this medication. Do NOT use this BC pill, it will make your acne worse."

• NTL...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 15, 2013

"I started taking Tri-Sprintec when I was 17. I am now 24. This was originally recommended to me by my OBGYN for acne and migraines, and it has made my skin great and migraines disappear. Occasional breakouts, but nothing major. In the beginning, I had no major emotional, weight, or period issues. My periods are still very light and last about 5 days. After a few years, my weight spiraled out of control, and I ended up gaining about 45 pounds (from 122 to 160!) and also dealt with depression, anxiety, low energy/lethargy, and increased appetite. Every body is different, which is why it is important to monitor your symptoms over YEARS. Things can change. I am now switching to a lower dose of hormones and seeing if there is a change."

• Flo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2020

"I have been on 4 different types of birth control pills, and Mono-Linyah was the only one that worked for me. It cleared up my skin and caused fewer breakouts. It didn’t change my sex drive or cause mood swings. When Mono-Linyah ran out of supply in my pharmacy and I got switched over to a generic, I changed back to Mono-Linyah just after a month because the side effects were so bad. Definitely staying with this. Also, it works great as birth control."

• AJa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2020

"Estarylla cleared up my skin. I’ve been on it for about 7 months, and I didn’t notice a difference until about 3 or 4 months in. My breakouts are at a minimal now. I tried about 5 other birth control pills before finding this one that finally gave me minimal side effects. I had severe hormonal acne and giant cysts on my chin and neck until taking this."

• Lc1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2016

"I'm finishing my first pack of Ortho currently. I'm pretty disappointed so far. I'm breaking out worse, my acne is more inflamed, and my skin is looking more rough overall. Before starting this medication, my acne was mainly inflamed pustules with a pus-filled head covering my cheeks. Now I'm getting minor 'cysts' that are completely under the skin and very red and really hurt. My acne has never hurt before, and now it is, so that's a change. Also, I have more general whiteheads than before. I've also noticed my acne is increasing in my chin/jawline area, and beforehand, my acne was mainly concentrated in my cheeks. I'm disappointed so far and wondering if I should even continue."

• Ath...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 22, 2019

"I decided to try Tri-Sprintec after a friend recommended it to me, she said it cleared her acne up miraculously. I started this pill a month ago, and I have always had moderate-severe acne (it used to be worse but gradually got better, never fully went away). This pill made me have acne as bad as I had freshman year. It was so bad back then, and I have been absolutely miserable the entire time on this pill. Not only have my emotions been on overdrive, but I never want to leave my house. The pimples are large and everywhere on my face, even in places I rarely break out. Please do not try this pill, there are so many others you could take."

• Anonymous
• November 18, 2011

"I didn't care for this at all. It didn't control my periods at all, I still had my 7-day-long periods when other birth controls I have taken controlled it by the most 5 days, and I feel like my mood swings were severe where I was scared of myself, not normal. My acne seemed to be worse than usual. I stuck with it for a year to see if any changes would happen, and nothing changed, so I swapped birth control."

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2013

"I've been taking Tri-Sprintec for two months now. I have had persistent mild acne (plus scarring :/) since middle school. (I'm in my twenties now). I must say -- this pill has improved my skin. It's not perfect, but I've noticed that my normally breakout-prone skin has cleared up a bit, so that's nice to see. And now the negative: my appetite has increased immensely. I feel like I'm starving all the time. It's like constant PMS. I'm hoping this will go away as my body acclimates to the pill... I've consequently gained about 10 pounds... BUT -- my boobs have gotten bigger as a result, and my bum as well, so perhaps it's not all bad..."

• Anonymous
• September 18, 2012

"I've been using this birth control for 3 months now, and I'm starting my 4th month now. I started taking the pill to hopefully help with my acne, and it seems to be working somewhat well until recently. When I started taking it, the acne I had improved a bit, but a few weeks ago my face basically blew up. I developed tons of it from just below my cheekbones, across my chin, and along my jawline, but my forehead stays clear. I initially thought that it was just a breakout to signal that my period was starting (I normally get a little more just before, even on the pill), but it didn't go away. It's terrible, and it's never been this bad before, even off the pill."

• bes...
• January 8, 2016

"First month on TriNessa, and I can say I have no complaints whatsoever. It makes my skin glow. I may get like up to 3 pimples max during the time of the month. I have struggled with acne for 5 years, and this is the best I've seen my skin in years."

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

"I was forced to switch over to Tri-Sprintec because they discontinued Tri-Nessa Lo. I have never had worse acne in my entire life. If I had read these reviews previously, I would not have taken it. The pharmacy said it was 'pretty much the same.' It is not, I should have been put on the Tri-LO-Sprintec. There are two different strengths of the Tri-pills, the low and the higher one. They changed me to the higher one. This medication has caused my depression and anxiety to spike in extremes. I have never experienced cystic acne until now. Full coverage makeup cannot hide the embarrassment I've been feeling in public for months. I've taken it for 3 months, and it's been 3 days since I officially stopped."

• Ano...
• May 4, 2015

"I have been using Ortho Tri-Cyclen for about six months, and there has been a noticeable decrease in the amount of acne, particularly on my forehead and cheeks. There are still small, mostly unnoticeable bumps around my mouth and chin, but these are gradually decreasing as well (just taking a little longer). The one negative thing that I noticed was that previously, my acne would heal quickly without leaving a scar. Now it heals at the same rate but does leave red/pink scarring on my cheeks. I believe it will go away because it has been fading, but it will likely take a while. As far as my cycle is concerned, my periods have been very regular (something that is unusual for me) and light. I have not had any issues with mood swings."

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

"I was prescribed this Tri-Sprintec birth control for my acne. The first month was wonderful, it got rid of all my acne and evened out my skin tone, and for the first time in years, I had clear skin. I thought it would be like this for the next month, but I was wrong. I’m currently on the second round of pills, and my skin broke out horribly with extremely painful cystic acne around my chin, jaw, and nose area. It has been like this the entire month. I am about to finish this pack in a couple of days and hoping my skin calms down with the third round of pills. I spoke to my doctor, and she recommended finishing the third round of pills to see if my acne calms down to see whether or not to prescribe me to another brand."

• Jaz...
• April 29, 2015

"I really like Ortho Tri-Cyclen. I experienced minimal side effects, and it has helped keep my skin clear! After the first pack, I had hardly any acne. In terms of my sex drive, it has stayed the same. I've always had a really high sex drive, so I'm glad it didn't affect it! I really like this birth control pill and would recommend it to anyone who suffers from mild/moderate acne."

• acn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2019

"I have been on this birth control for 2 months. I just started my third month and have painful and itchy pimples. My skin was acne-prone, but I have never itched nor hurt. But this birth control makes it so much worse!!! On the plus side, I haven’t gotten pregnant. But maybe my pizza face is also helping as birth control. I was told to wait three months. I will update soon."

• SGa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2020

"Oh my goodness. I am in tears reading these reviews, finally finding out what’s wrong with me. I stopped breastfeeding about 3 months ago, and my skin started to break out from the hormone change, as expected. I called my OB to get back on what I assumed would be my regular BC, Trinessa, but I got this Tri-Sprintec. My face has never been this bad in my entire life. Painful, cystic acne. I’ve gained weight. My mood swings were terrible. I had anxiety through the ROOF. Whatever you do, DO NOT GET ON THIS PILL."

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2012

"My gyno initially wrote a prescription refill for Ortho Tri-Cyclen (which I had been taking for years), but when I went to have the prescription refilled, the pharmacy did not have Ortho in stock. Therefore, they suggested the Tri-Sprintec. Just days after starting the pack, I experienced the WORST breakouts I have had as an adult, along with nausea, heart palpitations, and migraines. This is simply my experience with this pill - I know every female's body is different."

• Cal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2013

"I started Tri-Sprintec 3 months ago for my 15-year struggle with acne. I am 35 years old and haven't been able to battle acne until now... sort of. It has cleared my acne by like 90%! It probably would have been 100% if it wouldn't make me stay on my period for 3 weeks at a time. I have ALWAYS been regular with no cramps or period problems until now. I still have no cramps, but my period comes on whenever it feels like it! So annoying. I also have had tender breasts. I'm already a DDD, so I don't need any growing there, please! Other than that... I love the fact that my face is clearing up... I can deal with the other problems as long as my acne is GONE!!"