Mononessa and Bloating: What Users Say

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2014

For Birth Control "It's almost been 1 month of taking this birth control. At first, I was experiencing nausea for 5 days, then it went away. I have noticed weight gain, and I am constantly bloated! I've taken anti-bloat meds, but nothing seems to help. I work out and eat super healthy, and the bloat sticks, and the weight can stick also! I am thinking of dropping this birth control."

• elk...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 26, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Mononessa for the past 2 years and have only stuck with it this long because it was the best I had yet to try (was extremely sick on Aviane and had heavy, long, unbearable periods with Ortho Tri-Cyclen), and it was free on my insurance. After 2 years, my periods are still irregular, I experience recurring headaches, and I'm constantly bloated and have gained 10 pounds. Not to mention moodiness, feeling foggy, and decreased libido."

• Abo...
• October 30, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "First month went well. Second month I started bleeding, spotting really the second week of active pills. I have now been bleeding for the last month, and I'm tired. I've had all the symptoms of a period: bloated, headache, tired, back pain, restless at night. I didn't have any of these problems when I was not on birth control. I really hate how this pill has made me feel, as well as the all-month bleeding."

• Jaz...
• June 12, 2013

For Birth Control "Within a few days of taking the pill, my acne cleared up. On the other hand, I have gained 4 pounds out of nowhere. Feel bloated, nauseated. It's a shame that side effects are so undesirable since it does work for my acne."

• Yee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 17, 2016

For Birth Control "While I haven't been on it long, I can say I have been worlds different. I originally was on Sprintec for a good 10 years. Got a new job where I just got my RXs filled there (insurance requirement) and was given Estrace as a substitute. Can we say all hell broke loose on it? Moody (which I'm not at all), gained 15 lbs, always bloated, foods I should want and love made me sick, no sex drive, horrible periods, lethargic, etc., etc. Well, then the pharmacy got Mononessa in. No joke, within a week the bloating subsided, I dropped 5 lbs, my mood was way better, and my drive is back. Honestly, I feel better on it than even Sprintec. Watch your inactive ingredients, those are what cause the side effects more than the hormones."

• cen...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 22, 2015

For Birth Control "Mononessa has prevented me from getting pregnant (even when I missed a pill), but not without side effects. I have been taking it for 2 years and have gained 15 pounds and constantly look bloated. I have vaginal discharge from it and experience vaginal dryness constantly. I don't have cravings from it, but sometimes I have depressive mood swings. On the upside, my period went from being so painful I couldn't function to pretty light and barely any cramps."

• Lil...
• March 22, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control for 6 years now (I am 19). It has definitely decreased my cramps and pain as that was the original reason I was put on birth control. I work out often, so I don't have to stop running anymore from pain. Now that I've become sexually active, my periods are always on time, so I never worry. My mood is crazy, but at the same time, I have anxiety problems, which I take a low dose of medication for, and I went through middle school-currently college-on this stuff, so I think overall it's not the medication, it's me haha. I have always been very slender. I notice I always bloat and have a little belly that never seems to go away, but it's not a big deal. It can make you nauseous...but the trick is to eat a lot with it."

• S04...
• July 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I went on this birth control because my period was so irregular, and it was getting out of control. When I first went on this birth control, I threw up for the first 3 days, and then after that, I was fine. Two weeks after I began, my mood swings increased a lot, it was really unpredictable what my mood would be like. I've also been throwing up ever since I went on this birth control. My appetite has decreased, I've gained weight, I always feel bloated, my mood is terrible, and everything makes my stomach feel sick. I hate throwing up, so this pill has been the worst for me. Definitely a waste of my time."

• Cas...
• August 16, 2016

For Birth Control "I was prescribed Mononessa to attempt to get my hormones back in check. As if I wasn't already feeling bad before... boy, did this birth control make me feel even worse! Constant nausea, stomach pains, hot flashes, headaches, insomnia, weight gain, bloated, the only positive it gave me was a lighter period, but it wasn't worth it with all the side effects. Stopped it today, and I can't wait to start feeling better again."

• tay...
• February 3, 2015

For Birth Control "It has worked incredibly well for me, and I rarely ever get pimples. I have never gotten sick, either, and my periods have been manageable. I've been on this for about 5 months now, but one thing is I did gain a ton of weight. It wasn't really a bad thing because I already was incredibly skinny. I started out at 100 lb, and I'm now at 115. But the problem is that all the weight went straight to my stomach. I look incredibly bloated all the time and have to suck in to try and look normal. I have a feeling strenuous workout is necessary to make the pill worth it."

• kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 19, 2015

For Birth Control "The pro of this pill is it did regulate my period, but that's the only pro. I was on it for 6 months and stopped. It made me sick all the time, I gained 15 lbs, if not more, and stayed bloated. My mood swings were out of control, and I'm a pretty chill person. It may have worked great for some, but just not for me."

• Cur...
• January 9, 2018

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I’ve used this pill for 7 days, and I’ve been on my deathbed ever since. This is my first time taking any form of birth control. This pill made me so nauseous and dizzy that I couldn’t get out of bed. I have a very regular system, if you catch my drift, and this pill LOCKED ME UP. I’ve been having painful bloating and gas pockets, and nothing I’ve tried yet had been able to relieve it. I’ve been scared to eat because my stomach is already so full, and nothing’s moving. It’s also caused some substantial cramping. It makes me SO exhausted. I've been taking 4+ naps a day. This pill has been ravaging my system, and I don’t really see an upside to it. I’ve been trying to give my body a chance to adjust, but I will probably discontinue use."

• Wha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 24, 2017

For Birth Control "This is my first time on any birth control. My doctor originally prescribed Yaz, but after reading the reviews, I decided I didn't want to try it and asked for Ortho Tri-Cyclen. The pharmacy gave me Mononessa. The reviews were a bit better, so I decided to give it a try. The first day I took it, I was nauseous and had chest tightness and a rush of adrenaline for some reason! I don't know what happened, but I felt on top of the world! The second day was a bit better, and I felt normal. I'm on the third day now and I'm feeling a little nauseous but mostly bloated."

• Rac...
• May 24, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control since I was 16. I am 20 now and starting to wonder about other forms of birth control. It's not a bad pill, but it's not great either. It makes my period slightly lighter, and I haven't had any pregnancy scares with it, but I really don't like the way it makes me feel. Terrible cravings, bloating, headaches, etc."

• Hor...
• February 8, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on Mononessa for 2 months, and I realize that everyone is different, but I think I have suffered almost every side effect in the book while being on this pill. First, it started with bloating; I have been extremely tired, to the point where it's hard for me to get off the couch midday. I've had a lot less energy and an outbreak of acne on my back, which is strange because hormonal BC is supposed to help with that. Dropped my sex drive significantly, but the hardest thing to manage is obsession with food; the amount I'm eating, binge eating, and craving high fats, carbs, and sugars. I'm feeling depressed; I don't know if it's because of all the symptoms or if it's a chemical imbalance. Needless to say, I'm going to the doctor's and switching."

• Kyr...
• November 5, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on many different birth controls, and this has to be the worst. I started about 2 months ago, and I've been bleeding ever since. I've been bloated, my appetite has increased, however, I've managed to keep it down, and I've been moody. I hate it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 15, 2019

For Birth Control "Mononessa pill was a colossal waste of my time. I was prescribed this because I have low estrogen, have a really irregular period, and my doctor was concerned that it would affect my bones and put me at risk for osteoporosis. The first day of taking the pill, my stomach cramped, and I felt nauseous and bloated. Totally unlike me. This lasted each day around the time I took the pill. My skin started to break out around day 4 on my forehead, somewhere I haven’t gotten a pimple in 4 months. I knew something was off. I got small whiteheads around my mouth too. My body is completely rejecting this pill, so I stopped. Looking into ways to raise my estrogen naturally."

• Ehe...
• September 13, 2016

For Birth Control "Thank you girls for sharing your experiences about this drug. I feel so much better now knowing I'm not the only one with 'the side effects.' I was on this pill for 3 months. I used to get the Depo shot and I gained almost 30 lbs from that (I know). While I was on the pill: PROS: no breakouts, mild cramps, no heavy periods, just spotting, bloating disappeared. CONS: my boobs hurt, no sex drive, emotionally wrecked, very moody, I thought I was going crazy. It's been a month since I got off this pill: PROS: sex drive gone wild lol and slowly getting my energy back. CONS: bloating is back, painful cramps every now and then, moody AF (still), paranoia (still), I'm one of those people who still feel 'empty' inside, breakouts."

• kdu...
• November 7, 2017

For Birth Control "I only took this pill for a full month. Caused a heavy increase in appetite around 5 days after I started taking it along with very bad nausea, super painful breast tenderness, extreme bloating, and made me feel depressed."

• asm...
• July 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been on it for 2 years... recently got switched to something else that I'm afraid to try. My acne cleared up and was super clear up until last month. My acne and mood swings have gone absolutely insane, but it may be because I've been lazier about taking it on time. I was bloated for about 6 months upon starting the pill, but since then I do not bloat at any point in my cycle, and my boobs never get tender. I get no symptoms except mood swings and the occasional pimple or two at the end of my cycle. I'm debating whether I should switch or stay on the pill. Can't tell if it's increased my appetite, but I did gain a few pounds in the beginning."

• atx...
• June 7, 2016

For Birth Control "Mononessa. I was nauseated for the first two weeks of being on it. I've had on-and-off headaches since I've started and have been bloated for the past two months. My boyfriend says that I've been extra sensitive and my sex drive is gone. The only time I felt normal is when I was on my period and not taking the active pills. It did make my period shorter (3 days). Unfortunately, Mononessa is not for me. I gained 8 lbs since I've been on it and am an emotional wreck. I can't wait to see my gyno next week and switch it up."

• poc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2013

For Birth Control "Weight gain within days of starting with this birth control and bloated."