Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and Cramps: What Users Say

• AGB...
• June 5, 2014

For Birth Control "Long story short, I had been on Necon for 8 years with no problems (clear skin, regular period, no mood swings). Recently, there was some big shortage on Necon, so my pharmacy replaced it with Nortrel, which gave me really bad chin acne. I went to my Dr., and she recommended Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and said it was good for clearing skin. The first 2 pill packs, my face went NUTS. I had acne all over the place. I was so upset and wanted to go off it immediately. But I read reviews online, and people said to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. My skin is now better than it's ever been after 4 months. I rarely ever get cramps and do not have PMS at all. All I can say is give your body time to get adjusted if you are starting off on this pill and not liking it."

• Arm...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 9, 2013

For Birth Control "I began taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo when I was 13. I am now 22. I was not sexually active at the time, but my periods were extremely irregular. This specific oral contraceptive helped to regulate my period, and it has been perfect for the past 9 years. When reading these reviews, ladies must keep in mind that everyone is different. Genetics plays a huge role in whether you get/have bad acne, cramping, low sex drive, etc. It may not be because of the pill, necessarily. In my 9-year experience with this particular product, I have never had a scare when I took the pill as directed. You will have a few of those symptoms, it's just life."

• lil...
• August 25, 2010

For Birth Control "I have PCOS, and I had gone without a period for 10 months. My doctor put me on Loestrin. I was extremely moody and emotional, crying over everything and very depressed, plus I was spotting and bleeding almost constantly. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo is the second pill my doctor prescribed, and I am beyond happy with it. I don't even notice that I'm taking it. There are no mood changes, I have lost a little bit of weight, and it has even helped with my rosacea. My periods are coming around the same time every month, which is wonderful because I am finally able to know when to expect it, something that I have never been able to do. The only complaint I have is bad cramps, but they only happen in the first couple of days."

• Anonymous
• August 19, 2010

For Ovarian Cysts "I got on this pill to stop from getting ovarian cysts; while I don't think it completely solved this problem, I found this pill very helpful overall. I had very few side effects: no spotting, no nausea, no loss of hair, but I do still get cramping before my period. It shortened my period to about 5 days, and it always comes when expected. I have tried two other types of pills, one being Yaz, and I came back to Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo because of the fewer side effects. It's a great pill, and I haven't had any problems with it. I've been on it for about 2 years."

• LAP...
• December 14, 2014

For Birth Control "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."

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

For Birth Control "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."

• bec...
• January 14, 2015

For Birth Control "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."

• Anonymous
• December 14, 2012

"I was very worried to start birth control for the first time. I've heard so many bad symptoms about it, especially about this birth control pill. However, to my surprise, I never had any symptoms whatsoever. I have been on the pill for about six months, and I don't feel a thing. My face cleared up (I have moderate acne), and my breasts grew (GOOD thing). No vaginal dryness, no mood swings, my sex drive is the same. I get cramps, but nothing Advil can't fix."

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

For Birth Control "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."

• epp...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 13, 2015

For Birth Control "I started on this birth control when I was 18, and 9 years later, I sadly need to switch due to a change in my insurance. It is SO expensive on a high deductible plan. But when I was on it, it really helped keep my cycle super regular, skin clear, and no weight gain. But with most pills, you can't miss a day or more, otherwise, the nausea/cramps are out of control!"

• cje...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 4, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on this birth control for about 3 years. It was my first birth control I had tried. I have had absolutely no problems. I had horrible acne before I got on this birth control, and after starting it, it cleared my acne tremendously. My periods are very regular. I know pretty much what day I will get it, and it usually lasted 4-5 days. I have no cramps, and it’s not heavy bleeding. I also haven’t gained any weight from it. I recommend this to anyone!"

• Hsh...
• February 5, 2017

For Birth Control "I had tried so many birth controls when I was a teenager, and they would make me bleed nonstop. If I was on the pill, I threw up like I was pregnant. My body couldn't handle it. I am now 23, and I'm on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, and I absolutely love it. I haven't had a problem whatsoever! My periods are right on time, VERY light bleeding (I used to have a heavy period), no cramping, just a wonderful experience. I recommend this medication to anyone looking for birth control. I am about to get married, and after I finish college we are going to try for a baby, so I hope it does for me just like it did for one of these ladies, she got pregnant right after she came off. I would recommend it to anyone. If you're having problems, try this birth control."

• don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2019

For Birth Control "OTCL messed me up. Before starting it, I was breaking out a lot. I was suggested OTCL, not only as BC, but also good for acne. I took this pill for a month and had to stop. I see reviews saying the first few months are brutal, but once you’re past it, it’s fine. But honestly, I couldn’t even handle all the side effects anymore. My acne seemed to get worse. I started a full-on period after week one - heaviest flow I have ever had in my life, 9 days long, horrible cramps (I normally don’t get cramps). The mood swings - they were terrible. I would randomly just burst into tears over literally nothing. I felt anxious all the time, and whenever I was alone, I felt very depressed. This is totally out of character for me! So I tried to tough it out, and it only got worse. I finally decided to stop taking it, and wow. The difference is insane. Since the day I stopped, I haven’t had any of those symptoms. I truly do not recommend this birth control. It was insanely brutal on my body."

• Don...
• October 5, 2016

For Birth Control "I loved this pill! Was on it for 14 years. I never gained weight from it or had mood swings, my period was always light and predictable. I went off the pill completely 9 months ago because I am married and 30... but I have decided that I want to enjoy some years with my husband and don't want to use condoms or worry about becoming pregnant. Dr. apt booked later this month to get back on this pill. While I was off the pill, I have been having headaches, insane PMS, cramps, my skin has become oily, and my boobs have decreased in size :-(. Hoping when I'm back on the pill this will subside again."

• Mcc...
• October 26, 2015

For Birth Control "I started Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo 4 months ago. The first month wasn't that great, I got my period twice and had severe cramping. The second month I only got my period once during the placebo pills. Since I was 14, I started to break out, and all the way to high school and college it still continued. Even after multiple dermatologist visits, laser treatments, antibiotics, nothing ever helped. I decided to give this a try, and to be honest, my acne has vanished about 100% of it. The first 2 months I still would break out, but I noticed month 3 my skin was clearing drastically, and by month 4 (in which I am now going into month 5) my skin seems flawless. I will get a breakout every once in a while, but overall it has helped!!!"

• Rac...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 20, 2012

For Birth Control "This is my 2nd time on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. First time was great. No side effects. I took it for around a year then decided to switch to Depo. Here I am again taking it, only this time is bad! I get a daily headache, really bad nausea followed by occasional vomiting, cramps, spotting, vaginal dryness, my sex drive has gone out the window, leg cramps in my calf, bloating, yeast infections, and frequent urinary tract infections. I'm not sure where or when my body changed to completely dislike this birth control. It has kept me unpregnant, which is the only good thing."

• Rac...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 20, 2012

For Birth Control "This is my 2nd time on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. First time was great. No side effects. I took it for around a year then decided to switch to Depo. Here I am again taking it, only this time is bad! I get a daily headache, really bad nausea followed by occasional vomiting, cramps, spotting, vaginal dryness, my sex drive has gone out the window, leg cramps in my calf, bloating, yeast infections, and frequent urinary tract infections. I'm not sure where or when my body changed to completely dislike this birth control. It has kept me unpregnant, which is the only good thing."

• Jad...
• March 14, 2014

For Birth Control "I've only been on it for a month, but I'm really liking it so far. I haven't experienced any noticeable side effects. I have trouble with irregular and painful periods, acne, depression, mood swings, insomnia, etc. So far, I've noticed that I haven't broken out since I started this birth control. I also have felt less depressed. I've had one period while on this birth control, and it was just as painful as usual, but the bleeding was much slower and much lighter. (I go through two tampons every eight hours as opposed to two every one hour.) I haven't noticed any mood swings, and my insomnia has definitely improved. Overall, I really like this birth control. The only thing that could make it better is if it made my periods completely pain-free."

• she...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 15, 2018

For Birth Control "Been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo 28 days for 1.5 years, and it’s been great! Not a single pregnancy scare, decreased cramps, no nausea, barely any mood swings, overall excellent! HOWEVER, just recently got switched to the GENERIC version, Tricira Lo, which was fine for the first 3 months, but as of a month ago, I’ve been recently having terrible brand-new symptoms! Never missed a pill and take it at generally the same time every night like I always have! A month ago, I started having terrible cramps and got my period a week early (during the active pills), which lasted for two weeks! I have had various panic attacks and find my anxiety to be 10 times worse than it was before, not to mention I’ve been feeling nothing like myself lately! Extremely sensitive, crying all the time, very short-tempered. A month later, I get my period today, once again during my ACTIVE pills, already accompanied by terrible cramps! Terrible! 7 stars because the real brand generic version is good! BUT THE GENERIC IS rubbish!"

• Anonymous
• December 5, 2011

For Birth Control "I have just finished my first month of Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. Before starting this pill, my Dr. put me on Lo Loestrin Fe. I had the WORST time with that pill. I bled the entire month, heavy for the most part. I was extremely moody and tired all the time, and to top it off, I got the yeast infection from hell. I couldn't stay on it anymore. When I found out about Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, I read a lot of reviews and was scared to death to start taking this. There were TONS of negative things said about this pill. I honestly have to say that this pill is great. It feels like you're not taking anything. I just started my period, and it's light. I do have some cramps, but it's nothing extreme. I would suggest this pill to anyone. The only bad thing about it is that it is expensive."

• Anonymous
• August 17, 2010

For Birth Control "I have been using this pill since May of this year. It is also the first pill I've tried. It is a great pill, my monthly cycle is on time and the same week every month. Only downside, it's 6-7 days instead of 5-6 like I had before. It has prevented pregnancy for me. I did realize my boobs got a little bigger, my sex drive is the same as it was, no weight gain, and there's bad cramping in the beginning of my cycle, but then it goes away. Overall, it's a great pill, and it does do its job. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about starting birth control."

• Anonymous
• January 21, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on this BC for over a year, and I have no complaints. No acne, weight gain, or pregnancies. My breasts grew a cup. Periods are lighter. I cramp worse, but it's nothing I can't handle. I love it."

• Bad...
• February 21, 2016

For Birth Control "I was on this pill for about a year and noticed weight gain, irritability, and horrible periods. I would have breakthrough bleeding almost every month, and my period would last at least 10 days. My breasts were extremely tender as well. After about a month of being off of this pill and switching to another, I have lost weight and not had the bad side effects."

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

For Birth Control "I was beyond being in a dark place on this Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo pill, my face broke out like crazy. I’ve had nice skin forever, and taking this pill, I thought would be nice because I’ve heard reviews of it being good for your skin. It didn’t really help with my cramps either, they still hurt (my pain is as bad as having to book off a week off of work, fainting, throwing up, etc.). I failed 4 classes because I was so depressed every day. This pill might work for you, but I wanted to leave my review to warn other girls that may experience this super dark, depressing, dark hole that this pill put me in so you can have an understanding of where it’s coming from."

• Anonymous
• March 9, 2010

For Birth Control "Taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo made me moody, depressed, and anxious. I had cramps a week before and a week after my period. I was like a different person. I have returned to Ortho Tri regular, and I am back to my normal self."