Sprintec and Mood Swings: What Users Say

• Rit...
• June 1, 2020

For Birth Control "I’m 21 years old. I gained 15 pounds in 3 months while on Sprintec. My sex drive went way down to the point where I just wouldn’t enjoy sex anymore. I couldn’t naturally get wet anymore, so it was painful when we would have sex, so we had to start using lube. The worst thing was that it messed with me mentally. I would have the worst mood swings, and I was very depressed, irrational, and frustrated. My boyfriend is the one who talked to me and asked what was going on with me, and I just completely broke down crying trying to explain that I had no idea what was wrong with me and that I just didn’t feel like myself. He told me it could be my birth control, and just then it clicked in my head, like duh, of course it is. So, I immediately stopped taking it. This is 2 months later that I’m writing this, and I feel 100% better! I’ve lost 10 pounds, and I finally feel like myself again!"

• Anonymous
• April 11, 2021

For Birth Control "First, I’m not writing this to scare people who haven’t taken Sprintec yet, because clearly it does work for some people. I do want to warn those who start taking it and notice emotional changes to stop taking this pill. I felt like I was going crazy on this birth control. I experienced intense sadness, I felt like I didn’t know who I was, and was on the verge of tears all the time. It was awful. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize my birth control was causing this at first. I got a therapist and was mildly depressed for months. One month, I was feeling so unmotivated I just stopped taking my birth control for 3 weeks. Eventually, I started a new pack and within a few days I noticed that I felt just as horrible as I did when I first started Sprintec. The reviews here helped me realize I wasn’t alone. I contacted my provider immediately and switched to Yaz with side effects so far :) Please, if you relate to this, don’t make the mistake I did and switch to another birth control!!!"

• Emi...
• December 5, 2010

For Ovarian Cysts "So I've been reading other reviews for this, and I really think that people should wait until after the first month to decide if this is a horrible birth control because OF COURSE we're going to have the bad side effects the first few weeks! Our bodies are adapting to a new drug so just be patient! The first three weeks I had nausea, mild mood swings, loss of appetite, and EXTREMELY sore and swollen breasts. Since then I've been side effect-free. I've been on it for three months now, and I have to say it's amazing! I take it for PCOS, and because of my PCOS, I would be having periods every 6 months, and they would be KILLER! I would literally be in bed for days, but with this birth control, I have mild, short periods. It's fantastic. I definitely recommend it."

• Kay...
• August 12, 2010

For Birth Control "It hasn't made me sick or caused acne. I went to the doctor's twice from a urinary tract infection since I've been on it. I've been taking it for a month now, and my mood has changed severely. I have no interest in sex at all, I get dry, and I have no intention of wanting to do it. I feel stressed and depressed, and I've never been like that. I feel bad for my boyfriend, and it's been ruining our love life. I'm calling my doctor to switch as soon as she is available. When they say birth control doesn't affect your mood, they are wrong! Read the other reviews."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2013

For Birth Control "I love this birth control. I've been on it for almost five months. I've been on two other pills before. They made me have severe mood swings and horrible depression, so my doctor put me on this one. I love it. My breasts have gotten bigger as well, which is a HUGE plus for me. Also, the only thing I use is these pills, no condoms or anything else, and I have a very active sex life, and I haven't gotten pregnant, so it is doing a great job. It has given me a higher sex drive too. I have two problems with it, but the pros outweigh the negatives. Firstly, I get nausea when I start a new pack. It usually lasts 3-4 days. It also gives me heavy periods. Though, they only last 3-4 days."

• Leo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 9, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on Sprintec for about 3-4 years. Overall, there's definitely pros and cons for me personally. I was young when I started taking it, and it helped so much with cystic acne. It's done what it's supposed to as far as preventing pregnancy. But as I've gotten older and the longer I've taken it, I feel like I'm dealing with PMS or even PMDD (a more severe form of PMS) for more than half the month. It's terrible... The mood swings are terrible, weight change, fluid retention, acne (not cystic, but acne and dryness of skin), prone to yeast infections after periods, terrible fatigue, and I feel depressed and angry. All this with caring well for my health and my skin. Keep in mind this is my personal experience up to date!"

• tli...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 7, 2013

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "My doc prescribed Sprintec and said to use with the 'skip method,' where I skip inactive pills for a few months and only get 4 periods a year. Sprintec gave me horrible mood swings and anxiety attacks during the first few months. I was a nervous wreck, and my husband hated me. I hated myself. After that, it was good for a while. But now I've been spotting on and off for 3 weeks, with cramping and times of heavier bleeding. My sex life also is non-existent."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2014

For Birth Control "This is a great birth control and also has a couple of bad side effects. I possibly have arthritis in my knee, I only noticed shortly after starting this pill. I'm going to the doctor in a couple of days to find out what is actually wrong, so this pill might not have anything to do with it. The worst side effect is I cry and get upset almost every day. I have extreme mood swings, however, my body and face are beautiful and better than ever. My sex drive is pretty high and great for me. My breasts look fantastic, they have grown at least 1 cup size. I don't think I've had weight gain. I have a small flat belly and have only gained weight in the parts a girl would want. My boyfriend loves my body more than ever!"

• Ung...
• February 23, 2014

For Birth Control "I am 19, in a relationship and have been on Sprintec for 3 months now, and this has been the only birth control pill I've tried. This pill has been extremely effective when it comes to preventing pregnancies. Unfortunately, I have had several side effects. At first, it started off as frequent headaches, then dizzy spells, and then an increase in mood swings. The dizziness and headaches. Everything else is good, the acne and the weight and stuff are normal for me, but the mood swings are killer. I have irrational anger and crying outbursts. I have started attacking my boyfriend when I'm angry."

• Jul...
• August 5, 2014

For Birth Control "I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome 2 months ago by my OBGYN. Earlier this year, I began to experience a number of odd symptoms, such as: 1. Severe mood swings 2. Skipped periods 3. Extreme bloating 4. Mild acne 5. Diminished libido. I was put on Sprintec, and the first 2 weeks were HELL. I experienced nausea (lost 5 lbs). I couldn't keep anything down, it was out of control! Mood became worse. I was ready to call my doctor and ask her to put me on something else, but after the nausea subsided (around week 3), I decided to complete the 3-month trial period. Currently on Month 2, and after my first period, I felt better than ever! Mood, energy, and sex drive are at an all-time high. I will definitely stay on Sprintec."

• Bro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 8, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on Sprintec for five months, and it was awful. Experienced horrible acne and mood changes. I was a completely different person on this. I was constantly crying over everything and having mental breakdowns almost every day. It was so bad that nobody wanted to be around me. It really put me in a bad place, I had really bad depression while on it and constant dark and negative thoughts. Everyone’s body reacts differently, though, I just wanted to post this so if you are experiencing negative thoughts, please reach out to your doctor so they can help you."

• Kke...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 11, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Sprintec for about a year and a half after being on Mirena for 6 years. I didn’t have a period on Mirena, so naturally, I started getting mine on Sprintec. But it definitely was very light through the whole time I was on Sprintec. My acne cleared up (less cystic), but boy, did my moods change, and I gained about 15 lbs. I didn’t change my workout routine or eating habits and still put on weight. The pharmacy switched me to Mono Lynyah, which has horrible reviews. So let’s see how that goes."

• Kj1...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I decided to write this review because I read through reviews for Sprintec before going on it and was immediately nervous about taking it, as they were mostly negative. I started Sprintec because it’s cheap, and my doctor said it could help my skin. The first couple of months taking it, I definitely noticed that I was nauseous here and there, usually in the morning, but it was completely bearable. I also felt like it caused a lot of mood swings. I stuck with it, and by month 3, I wasn’t noticing any bad side effects anymore. My skin is clear, besides a few breakouts around my period. The only reason I decided to switch pills today is because recently I feel like the pill has been lowering my sex drive gradually. Other than that, Sprintec has worked awesome for me. Sticking it out for a while does make a difference. Many of the negative reviews I read were from people that have only been on it 1-3 months. Everyone’s different, give it a shot!"

• Spr...
• August 22, 2011

For Birth Control "I'm on my third week of Sprintec 28 and haven't had a single negative side effect. I started using it on the first day of my period, which also happened to be a Sunday (lucky me). I love it! As long as there are no side effects and nothing changes, then I'm staying on this pill forever. The only thing I noticed is that there was still light bleeding even after my period ended, but nothing big. No headaches, nausea, vomiting, mood swings, cramps, stomach pain, breast tenderness/pain, or anything! It depends on the person, you can't just judge it based on the reviews because I was scared to try it. I read so many horrible reviews, but I gave it a shot, and I am pain-free."

• Pew...
• December 12, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Sprintec for 5 years now. Overall, pretty good. No pregnancies, keeps acne at bay, periods only last ~4 days when it used to be heavy flow for 7 days without birth control (plus, can predict what time it will come; mine starts between 3-7 pm every first day of period). My breasts also went up 1.5 cup sizes. The only downside for me would be extreme mood swings (mad, sad, crying for no reason... but only towards my husband lol!) during period, breast tenderness (near and during period time), occasional nausea. After 5 months of use, I tried to skip the series of white pills and went straight into the next pack in hopes of not getting my period for that month... went terribly. Bled/spotted for the next 30 days."

• Amc...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 5, 2019

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I’ve been on Sprintec for about 6 years now, and I would never choose anything different. I’ve been on 4 different types of the pill previously, and this one works wonderfully for me. My breasts did grow a whole cup, my periods are short and regular, and I haven’t had acne my whole adult life because of Sprintec. No more mood swings either! Kinda sad when I’m going to have to go off of it eventually!"

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2013

For Birth Control "I've been on Sprintec for about 2 months. I recently noticed weight gain and really bad mood swings. I cry for no reason, so I decided to check online. Turns out a lot of people taking Sprintec had similar problems, which is a relief because I thought I had depression for a bit. But my breast got bigger, that's good, I guess. My period is shorter and lighter, no acne either. So overall it's okay. I just hope I stop being so emotional soon."

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2013

For Birth Control "I've been on Sprintec for about 2 months. I recently noticed weight gain and really bad mood swings. I cry for no reason, so I decided to check online. Turns out a lot of people taking Sprintec had similar problems, which is a relief because I thought I had depression for a bit. But my breast got bigger, that's good, I guess. My period is shorter and lighter, no acne either. So overall it's okay. I just hope I stop being so emotional soon."

• man...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 10, 2020

For Birth Control "Pros of this pill were that my skin cleared up completely within four months, and I didn't get pregnant! Had some nausea and mood swings in the first few months, but nothing crazy. Unfortunately, this birth control caused one more serious side effect for me called vaginal atrophy. I saw three gynos before seeing a specialist who determined that Sprintec made my estrogen drop and the vaginal tissue was atrophying. Yikes. Had lots of infections, pain, itching... super not fun and now I'm off it. If you start having these symptoms after being on it for a month or two, then just stop taking it and save yourself the trouble."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 27, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been taking this birth control for 5 years and love it. I never had any side effects. I took Loestrin first and hated it, bad mood swings and increased appetite, so I immediately switched to Sprintec and was completely happy. I recently had to switch to a new pill due to spotting between periods."

• Anonymous
• December 12, 2010

For Birth Control "I've been taking Sprintec for a month now. The first week and a half I started taking it, I had the worst mood swings (crying profusely, suicidal thoughts, depression), but that was it really. Those feelings only lasted that long. The only times I felt nauseous was if I didn't eat a meal at all before or after taking the pill. (I believe if you eat a good-sized meal right before or right after taking it, you'll be fine). My breasts feel slightly sore and are a bit more rounded and full now (which I'm curious to see if they get to another cup size, me being a 32A right now). I feel like this pill is effective and the side effects are mild and not too bad."

• Fdo...
• December 1, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been using this birth control for over a year, and it has proven to be perfect. The first 3 weeks I was taking it, I had pretty bad mood swings, but this is expected, and they quit happening around the time I started my second cycle of pills. I had irregular periods and bad cramping; both of those problems were fixed once again by the second month of pills. My flow was much lighter for a shorter amount of days (and you still have a period every month, which allows your body to still clean itself out). As a contraceptive, it is my only method of birth control, and I'm not pregnant yet, so it's doing its job there. Never had acne, but I break out less often. Basically, this is a great pill."

• Lad...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 13, 2013

For Birth Control "In the beginning, my acne immediately cleared up. I've never had clear skin in my life! My breasts are larger, and I've had a little weight gain, but I'm SO emotional, and I have little to no sex drive, which has its effects on my husband and me. It's cheap, and insurance covers it. I'd keep taking it if I didn't have issues with my lack of desire for sex."

• Jes...
• December 15, 2014

For Birth Control "Before I had another birth control, and my hormones were through the roof and made me depressed really bad. I switched to this brand because of a lower dose of hormones. So far, this brand is working for me! (NO baby yet.) I have been using this for about half a year, if not a year already. I had missed periods, very late periods, and mild mood swings (nothing major) though. Acne is pretty bad, which I don't like about it. My appetite decreased majorly. I lost so much weight because of it. (Even if I eat regularly.) I'm 21 years old and was 123 lbs, now I'm 116.5 lbs exact. My sex drive increased a little bit that I noticed, but pretty much the same, I think. Other than that, this brand works for me."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2014

For Birth Control "I'm getting married and was prescribed Sprintec as a form of birth control. The side effects seem to run the gamut from 'it gave me terrific mood swings!' to 'I was so sick!' I seem to be fortunate in that I experienced absolutely no negative side effects. My sex drive has increased slightly, but otherwise, my body tolerates it extremely well."