Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for Birth Control User Reviews (Page 2)

• Amy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2015

"I've been taking this brand for about four months now and haven't had any problems. Not sure why other women are experiencing such negative results from this brand. I got this for free at Planned Parenthood and she said it was one of the most popular brands. I haven't gained any weight, haven't had any mood swings, and my sex drive hasn't been diminished. Oh, and most importantly, I haven't gotten pregnant. So far, so good!"

• LAP...
• December 14, 2014

"I started taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo when I was 16 because I had horrible, horrible cramps and heavy bleeding. I've been on it for 13 years now, and I absolutely love it! I'm 5'5" and weigh 115-120, my weight sometimes fluctuates 5 pounds or so, but I never had any major weight gain taking this medicine. I went off of it a year ago for a few months... my skin got soooo mad at me!! I had awful acne on my jawline - my doctor told me it was hormonally related. Once I went back on it, my skin cleared up, my cramps were gone, and my period was light and lasted about 3-4 days. It's been a wonderful solution for issues encountered during my period."

• Mic...
• May 13, 2014

"I'm on my second month, and I'd say it's doing what it's intended to do. My periods are slightly less heavy, and I don't have the normal monthly cramping like I used to. I have not lost my sex drive, and if anything, it's been increased. However, I did notice a change in appetite and a feeling of never feeling full. I seem to want to eat everything in my path. My acne seems unchanged, but maybe it's too early to notice."

• eng...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2014

"I switched from Levora/Portia. It's my second month on this pill, and I am really loving it! Aside from some migraines, which I'm hoping they'll go away soon, no side effects. No acne, my mood has improved, no weight gain (that I've noticed), and it works perfectly to prevent pregnancy. Highly recommended!"

• aki...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 2, 2019

"I have been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for the past one year, and it cleared my acne, regularized my cycle, and was great overall without much side effects. Just found out from my pharmacy that Janssen has discontinued this. I am scared to go to generics by seeing all their reviews. Which generic has been good after switching from Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo?"

• hon...
• July 5, 2009

"I have been using Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for about 2 and a half years. Have experienced racing heart, panic attacks, constant mood swings. I get upset and cry over something little, gained about 4 pounds, boobs did get bigger though, and I haven't become pregnant, so that's a plus."

• Pre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2015

"I've tried Ortho-Cyclen and Microgestin 1/20 and Diane 35 before. OC made me gain weight like crazy, and I couldn't deal with the bloating; I also lost a ton of muscle mass. I've been on OTC-Lo for about a week, but I feel such a big difference in the degree of my side effects. I'm Asian, 5'2" and 118 lbs for reference. I don't feel nauseous at all, very minimal bloating, my skin's a bit clearer, and my sex drive's the same! I'm nervous about the tri-phasic style of the pill as I'm very sensitive to hormone shifts, so I may update my review after a month. I think people just really need to find a pill that most closely mimics their natural hormone levels and go up or down in estrogen and progestin as they observe the changes in their body."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2013

"Right now, I am currently on my second pack. My nurse recommended this. I'm a beginner, I'm still nervous about this, though. A little bit of history: I had TERRIBLE irregular periods, and I'm sexually active. After the first pack, my period came and went exactly when it should be (which is the last 7 days). My mild acne seems to be SLOWLY clearing up. The plus side is it helps my partner and me save money from buying boxes of condoms. I saw quite a few reviews about breast growth, that hasn't happened to me, but I'm hoping maybe later on. Side effects are just cramps, and I noticed that I get drunk a lot easier and faster than I normally would. I would give it a 10, but I'm only on my 2nd pack, so I'm not so sure yet. However, ladies, EVERYONE is DIFFERENT. But it doesn't hurt to try out."

• Lan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 18, 2019

"This BC is great! I had previously taken Alesse and only took it for two months, as I got crazy anxiety from it. A few years later, I decided to try Tricira Lo (generic of Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo). I had pretty bad acne before starting it, and this pill cleared it up almost completely! I love it, and for this reason, I'm planning to stay on it for a looooooooong time. The only side effects were that my boobs grew a little bit, and I gained about 5-10 pounds the first three months, but after 5-6 months, both stabilized. I've been on it for about two years now, and my acne hasn't returned. If you want a low-dose BC and have moderate/severe acne, this pill is worth a try!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 3, 2012

"After my BC pill that I had been taking for about 18 years was discontinued, I have been searching for one that I like. My doctor suggested Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. It's been almost 1 year, and I want to change pills. Every month I experience a migraine along with my period that lasts 2-3 days. I have also had nausea, mood swings, bloating, and trouble losing weight. Recently, I have had breakthrough bleeding lasting several days. All of these symptoms are a first for me."

• Jul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 15, 2014

"To help with a bad case of PMS (acne, depression, anxiety), decided to start something that will help regulate my periods and balance my hormones. Just started this, and now on day 5, and my only complaint is I feel like I have 'morning sickness.' I'm so sick to my stomach not long after taking it. And prescription nausea meds don't help. I'm not expecting the acne to clear up immediately, but on the plus side, no depression and anxiety, which is a huge win. So far, if the nausea leaves within the next couple months, I will continue this medication."

• Lau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 11, 2012

"I have been on Tri-Cyclen Lo for nearly three months, and I am VERY pleased with it. This is the first time I have even taken a birth control pill, and I was very wary to begin the pill after reading many horror stories online. I am very glad that I did not let my fears prevent me from taking the pill. PROS: -No weight gain -No extreme mood swings -No decrease in sex drive -Easy to use -Effective -Less premenstrual cramps, shorter periods CONS: -For the first few days of the pill, I felt extremely nauseous. It was so bad that I considered giving it up, but I am glad I didn't, as the nausea went away after the first week. -I now experience headaches before my expected period."

• Pri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 25, 2020

"I have been on birth control for two years. I started Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo before switching over to the generic brand. When I started taking the birth control, I was nauseous. I had loss of appetite and began to lose weight. I lost overall 40 lbs in two years. I still don’t have a big appetite. I do eat, but my portions are smaller. My periods are normal and light. I like this birth control. It works well for me."

• Anonymous
• July 21, 2011

"I am a serious worrywart when it comes to periods and pregnancy, so last year I asked my doctor for a birth control pill that would give me regular periods. She recommended Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, and I could not be happier. I have a period every 28 days on the dot, and it's only heavy for a few days, with two days of light bleeding that I hardly notice with a liner. I've been on it for a year now and have had zero side effects. No change in appetite, no change in acne - actually, some of my cystic acne has cleared up! No mood swings, and my cramps are much better; I used to get cramps so bad I'd vomit from the pain, but now I only have slight discomfort for a few hours. And best of all: no pregnancy! If you want a combined oral contraceptive pill, this is the best!"

• btl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 5, 2015

"I am on my third month of this birth control, and I am satisfied with it. The first week I took it, I would take the pill at night and then wake up in the morning with vomiting or nausea. The morning after I took the very first pill was the worst. This occurred the first few white pills of the second pack as well, however, it subsided after a few days. I noticed I was moodier than usual the first few weeks, but that went away. I'm glad I didn't stop taking it because now I don't even notice anything negative. I haven't gained weight, it hasn't helped my acne, but it hasn't hurt it either, so that's fine with me. My periods became lighter for fewer days and MUCH less painful. My cramps are so much better now. Most importantly, I'm not pregnant."

• scc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 2, 2014

"I have tried Yaz, Nuvaring, Paraguard IUD, and other pills. This is the only pill that I have little to no side effects. Normally I become emotional and gain weight on birth control. I have been on this for 9 months and have lost 15 lbs (because of a healthier lifestyle). My skin hasn't broken out, though I am not sure this pill will help if you have acne (I took Accutane before going on this pill). My period is fairly regular. That's my only complaint. I had one month where I got my period 3 times. Overall, I would definitely recommend this pill. Also, even if you're a big woman, this pill with a lower dose of hormones can work for you. I'm 5'11" and 165 lbs! TRY IT!"

• Bos...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2015

"I feel it is my duty to write a review since I read so many before taking the medication. I'll first say I'm crazy about weight! I was so scared of potential weight gain. The first week I put on like 4 pounds. Increased water intake, and it was off by the next week. Also, before taking the medication, my acne was bad. I'm three weeks in, and my face is looking great. I LOVE this medication. The breakthrough bleeding was pretty bad at first, and sometimes I feel crazy and hormonal, but it is very minimal. Love, love, love."

• tcp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2015

"I love this birth control. After reading all of the reviews, I was really scared to go on it, but ever since, I have nothing but good things to say. No weight gain, haven't gotten pregnant, plus my sex drive is through the roof now. The only downside is that I'm way more emotional than I usually am; like crying a lot and getting mad more often at little things. But I've been told that that will improve as time goes on. Plus I get this birth control for free. I would definitely recommend this to people!"

• for...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 23, 2015

"I have loved this birth control for some time, but it has made me gain weight and enlarged my boobs, which I hate. The last couple of weeks, it has made me super depressed and have major mood changes, which is why I am coming off this BC."

• Mel...
• July 18, 2016

"Let me start by saying that I love this birth control. I started taking it at the age of 14, I'm 24 now and have never had any pregnancies! I have taken it at 8 pm every night, and that has worked wonders. I notice that if I do not eat something with the pill at night, I am WAY more likely to wake up and feel sick. Now that I know what to do, it's not really an issue anymore. I never gained any weight and didn't notice any out-of-the-ordinary mood swings. Breasts did get bigger, though! I tried a generic version of this about 5 years ago and had TERRIBLE results. I'm so scared to try it again, but I can barely afford the $150 it costs every month for this pill. Please lower the price! It's a wonderful product!"

• bec...
• January 14, 2015

"Overall, as a birth control, it did its job. My husband and I never used a backup birth control, and in the year and a half I was on it, I didn't get pregnant. The reason I'm only giving it an 8 is that around the time I was getting my period, I would go insane. Crying a lot... yelling, getting really angry for no reason. I had a low sex drive while I was taking it, but other than that, it got rid of my terrible cramps, and my acne cleared up a lot also. I just switched to Apri, so we will see how that goes."

• Nat...
• October 28, 2016

"I was so scared to go on this pill or any pill for that matter! Read terrible reviews. Did so much research, and they all seemed like a bad choice. Decided this seemed like the best bet. Been on it 17 days, and I love it. No weight gain, no acne, no hormonal mood swings. My only complaint is I am on day 8 of my period (when I wasn't on the pill, my period was 8 days long too). I thought this would make it shorter. I am hoping today is the last day, if it continues for longer, I will update my review. But so far, so good! I actually lost some weight taking this pill! Happy girl here."

• jan...
• June 25, 2009

"I have been taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for some time now, and the only problem I had is during the first month of using this pill, I had 'spotting.' It was annoying but went away after the first month. The length of my period remained the same, but I no longer have severe cramps like I did before taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. I recommend this birth control pill to all my friends and family, and they too are satisfied."

• Jas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 17, 2015

"The great thing about the pill is that my breast went up a full cup size, which is wonderful. The bad part is that I got severe migraines about 2.5 weeks into the pack, and I have never gotten one before. My cramps were so bad I felt like my insides were going to fall out, and I never had serious problems like this. Lately, I have been more emotional than usual, I don't act like myself at all. I'm always angry, sad, or depressed. My sex life with my boyfriend is completely trash now, so I guess that makes my increased cup size a waste. No positive or negative changes in acne. Since I'm only just finishing the first pack, I'm going to try and keep going and see if the side effects subside."

• Lau...
• August 5, 2013

"This pill did not go well with me. I took it for a week and felt bloated, got acne, headaches every day, nausea! I would take the pill at 7 pm so my stomach wouldn't be empty, but I would wake up around 3 am wanting to vomit. I started it on a Day 1 start, and my period was so long and heavy, it didn't stop until I stopped taking the pill that week. But I tried taking it again since I've read that symptoms will usually go away after a few months. The second time around, I felt bloated and got a headache again the first day. The first night I woke up at 2 am to throw up with a cold sweat, I felt I would pass out. I'm going to look into something else. I can't function with this nausea and moodiness."