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Sprintec and Sore Breasts: What Users Say

Sore breasts: mentioned by 133 users (10.2%)

Based on user experiences from 1,298 Sprintec reviews, the following table shows the most commonly mentioned side effects.

All user comments are moderated by Drugs.com. Each review is verified for relevance and screened for inappropriate content. Side effects are user-reported and not clinically verified.

nausea 23.6%
mood swings 20.0%
acne 19.2%
cramps 18.0%
weight gain 17.0%
depression 16.8%
bleeding 13.0%
sexual dysfunction 10.2%
sore breasts 10.2%
headaches 9.3%

Reviews for Sprintec

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • Lyn...
  • September 6, 2020

For Birth Control "Okay, so I had to put a review for this pill just to offer some relief for other girls. In my experience, I had taken this pill before my period and read that you could only be protected if you started EXACTLY on your first day of your period. Yeah, it sounded stupid at the time, but basically, if you take it 5 days in a row, you're protected. It was my first time taking birth control and using it to have sex with my partner. I've had a lot of unprotected sex with my boyfriend, so the pill really works, but it's very easy to get sloppy or lazy taking the pill, which has resulted in 2 pregnancy scares. Now I'm more careful because I'm a uni student and still want my freedom. It's very important to really consider having unprotected sex because it can change your life in an instant. The best time to take this pill is in the evening because you'll avoid the nausea while sleeping in my experience. The bloating can get really bad sometimes, so that's annoying. As far as boob pain, it's mild."

8 / 10
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  • fir...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • September 9, 2014

For Birth Control "So I just finished my first month and was TERRIFIED of this birth control after reading the reviews before I started. And honestly I have had zero side effects other than clearer skin, and I've actually lost weight rather than gained weight (not sure if it's totally related to the pill or not). My breasts have been a little sore but not unbearable. So don't think too much about the reviews, and try it before you assume you'll be overly emotional and gain weight. It'll just vary. But for me, this has been awesome so far!"

9 / 10
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  • Aut...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • February 5, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had a great experience with Sprintec, actually. I have been using this for about a year and have not felt the side effects I used to feel with other birth control pills. My mood is pretty regulated, I never got sore breasts, my appetite was normal throughout, and I have not felt nauseous once. I haven't gotten pregnant either, so I will continue use for as long as it's available and working in harmony with my body. 10/10."

10 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Ale...
  • January 27, 2020

For Birth Control "Got on Sprintec in 2018, and it was great for 6 months. My breast got bigger, I am a C cup, and I went into double D’s. But I got tired of the periods once a month, so I went and got an IUD (Liletta). My cup size went back to normal, had the IUD for 6 months, and got it removed because it felt weird not having a period. I just felt off without it. Now I’m back on Sprintec, and I’m having the same thing occur with my breasts. I enjoy having the bigger boobs, it’s just the soreness on the sides that comes with it. I did feel nausea every single day. Sprintec is a really good birth control, you don’t get pregnant, and you’re basically in control of it. Everyone’s body is completely different, so just because you read one review that gives a negative saying shows how it reacted to their bodies. Go talk to your doctor or nurse about it before choosing. It took me about 4 months to decide and do my research before I decided on getting something long-term until I’m ready to have kids."

10 / 10
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  • Aub...
  • April 5, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been on Sprintec for almost 6 months now. I am 20 years old and had been on the NuvaRing since I was 16 and loved it until I had an injury that required I take the ring out. The first 2 months of the pill, I had absolutely no side effects whatsoever. I felt exactly the same as I did on the NuvaRing. At 3 months, however, my breasts have increased an entire cup size and are very sore all of the time. This is the only side effect I am experiencing. I take my pill at 9 pm each night. I have not experienced any weight gain."

8 / 10
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  • Hol...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 16, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "This pill has been a godsend for me. I am 42 and have a six-year-old and a 3-year-old and have had hormonal issues since having them both: extremely heavy periods, horrible cramps, menstrual migraines, severe bloating and breast tenderness, heavy mid-cycle spotting, and cyclical insomnia. After one pack of these pills, I am sold. Lighter period, no cramps. No nausea, spotting, moodiness, and I am finally sleeping better. These have been the best pills I have taken during my reproductive years so far. I hope this helps some patients, as many of these reviews can be negative."

9 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • November 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I've just completed my first month on Sprintec, which is supposed to be the hardest supposedly, but my body adjusted fine. I haven’t gotten pregnant and use it as my only form of protection. My skin has gotten a lot better, and I haven’t gained weight. It’s also very affordable. The only cons are my breasts have been sore every single day since I’ve started taking it, and it makes my periods longer because the flow is lighter than what I’m used to. I recommend 100% and will continue to use it. It affects everyone differently, so don’t be scared to try it because of all the bad reviews it has."

8 / 10
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  • Hip...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • October 31, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Sprintec for 2 years, and I love it. At first, I was on Beyaz, and that was awful, so my gyno switched me to this, and I'm glad she did. I have virtually no acne. Beyaz made me gain at least 15 pounds, and I've slimmed down since taking this, but not by much. My breasts only become sore around the time of my period. My period always comes the same day of the week, and I haven't had any pregnancy scares. One of the best things about it is that with my health insurance, there's no copay (Beyaz had a copay of $40). I used to have a lot of vaginal discharge, and Sprintec has substantially minimized it. My sex drive is through the roof, but my appetite hasn't been affected as far as I can tell. No complaints!"

10 / 10
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29 Report
  • Ala...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • January 12, 2014

For Birth Control "I have no children. I've been switched between Orthotricyclen and Sprintec, and I really see no difference, besides one thing. The same issue everyone is having: breast tenderness. This medication makes my breasts extremely sensitive. The plus side is your breasts do swell; not a huge, visible difference, but you can feel it with your hands if you're used to your breasts not being swollen. They stay swollen 3/4 of the time, so be careful during sex because I find mine to be SUPER sensitive that at times it hurts."

7 / 10
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27 Report
  • 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."

8 / 10
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  • Bro...
  • July 30, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Sprintec for almost 3 years now (I'm 19), and I love it! I've never tried anything else, but this seems to work perfectly. I started taking it for acne, which it does help with, but no one's skin will ever be perfect. I still have small breakouts. I've never been pregnant, so it definitely works for its intended purposes! I've never gained weight on Sprintec. My breasts have never been really swollen or painful from my pills like some people experience (although I'd be alright with them growing a size) haha. I do think they impact your sex drive, though. I find it difficult to become 'naturally' ready for sex. I always have to use lubricants. Other than that, I recommend Sprintec!!"

9 / 10
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  • 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."

9 / 10
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28 Report
  • Rae...
  • June 18, 2013

For Birth Control "This is my first birth control I have ever taken. I am 28. I am on it due to severe endometriosis. I am on my 4th pack in the first week in. My periods went from having severe bleeding with large clots and mucus for 8 days to now having a lighter period with few clots for 5-6 days. I noticed the first packet I was nauseous. I don't have much of an appetite, and I haven't gained weight, in fact, it helped the severe bloating I had. My hormones before were horrible, I was severely depressed and cried every night. Now I don't cry and am happier. I noticed my breasts are tender every day though more so when I have my period. I still get a little moody on my period, but it is manageable. It also helped my pelvic pain a bit from the endometriosis."

10 / 10
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21 Report
  • Not...
  • July 16, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been on Sprintec for almost 3 months now. It's the only pill I've ever taken. My periods are much less painful (no cramps) and shorter (a few days). I have noticed that I cry a lot more over the silliest things, which I think is because of this pill. I have also noticed breast tenderness most days, and they seem to be growing a little. I have not gained any weight, but then again, I am relatively thin and have never been prone to weight gain."

9 / 10
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21 Report
  • Dni...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • July 19, 2014

For Birth Control "This is my third month, and honestly, I love it. It's perfect for me, but you know what they always say: 'birth control does work differently on different women,' mainly because we all have different reactions to Sprintec. BUT! The 'Cons' about this pill. Yes, ladies, your breasts will be sore most of the time! Well, that's for me basically, but other than that, I haven't been feeling nauseous as much though, but that's only when it's close to my period. I don't get headaches, no swelling, no gain in weight, it's just perfect for me. Oh, and the most important thing I love, love, love about this pill: ladies, if you have bad cramps, let's say, 1-10, an 8-10, I highly recommend this pill because by the first month, my cramps weren't bad at all, it went to a 5."

8 / 10
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  • Mka...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 3, 2014

For Birth Control "I'm almost onto my 3rd week of this medication, and so far I'm completely almost satisfied with it. It does leave tons of breast soreness I NEVER had before. But it did relieve my cramps and heavy bleeding, which is the reason I started taking it. No weight gain or breast growth, though!"

8 / 10
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20 Report
  • Ash...
  • September 10, 2013

For Birth Control "I LOVE Sprintec! This is my 5th month being on it now. At first, I was a bit moody and went back and forth from having a large to nearly no appetite. My breasts were also more tender, but that has passed. My sex drive also had its 'mood swings' as well, and that went away as well. The only thing that has continued is mild acne. I haven't gained any weight since on this (which was my main concern), but everyone will be different. My best friend is also on Sprintec, and she gained 20 pounds, so it really is a case-by-case thing. Also, I have had migraines my whole life, and they are GONE. I have tried everything, and this has truly saved my life! So if this is an issue, consider it!"

9 / 10
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19 Report
  • Ban...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 18, 2018

For Birth Control "I was put on this birth control for polycystic ovarian syndrome. I am 27, 5'4", and 115 lbs. My entire life has been mostly period free. No pregnancy either. I am only on my second week of the pills, but side effects I've experienced so far include: blurred vision, very swollen breasts (32 naturally... My cleavage is spilling out of my cups now), sore nipples, mild nausea with hunger, strange dreams, blah attitude the first few days, and indigestion. I have never been on BC before, so this is gonna be interesting. Will update after a while."

5 / 10
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12 Report
  • Bai...
  • April 4, 2015

For Birth Control "I had a bad experience with Trinessa, so I was scared to try another, but this has been great. No side effects except breast tenderness the first month, but it went away. After the first pack, periods were on track. My moods have been great, and no PMS mood swings. Also, no weight gain or nausea, and acne has finally stopped after years of struggle. That was the main reason for this pill."

10 / 10
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16 Report
  • Gan...
  • January 25, 2020

For Birth Control "Started my 3rd pack a week ago. It’s not perfect, but I’m fine with it so far. I was worried about the depression/anxiety/mood swings side effect because I’ve had depression before and still have anxiety. Luckily, my mood has not changed at all. I have experienced 3-4 days of spotting, it mostly happened within the 1st month. The worst thing is it made my boobs really sore. I think it lasted for at least half the time I was taking the first pack, and a few less days with the 2nd pack. So far, nothing for this 3rd month. I’m hoping my periods will get shorter, but that hasn't happened yet. My last period (2nd one I’ve had on the pill so far) seemed to be a little lighter, which was nice. I get bad back pain on my period for the first 4 days, and this time I only had back pain for 1 day! I also got the pill to help with my acne, but it's not helping. I’m gonna keep waiting to see if it helps, but I’m starting to lose hope. So there are pros and cons, but worth a try!"

7 / 10
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10 Report
  • Bri...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • July 6, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on this for about a month now. I'm 25, and my sex drive is almost completely gone. I started it before my period, so my doctor said that my period would be late. I was fine with that. It wasn't late, I started out with spotting and then what was like a normal flow. I'm now going on almost 2 weeks of bleeding. I hardly ever get cramps, and on this, it's pretty much cramps so often that I want to double over in pain. I get lightheaded and dizzy, nausea, my mood swings are crazy. I go from happy to crying or angry for no reason. I noticed my breasts have been tender. My feet and hands have swelling issues to the point where it hurts to walk or grab anything. I'm on the placebo part of my first pack, so I'm hoping the side effects go away."

9 / 10
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  • Sar...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 26, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm on my third month of taking Sprintec, and it has its pros and cons; however, the cons are bearable and not something I would stop taking the pill for since the pros are wonderful. I initially started this pill because my last OC was out of control, causing me depression unlike no other. Not only has Sprintec reduced my feelings of depression, it has enlarged my breasts by a cup size and has cleared my skin. I don't have much acne to begin with, but clearer skin was just an added bonus. The cons are tender breasts and recurring headaches, but they're nothing a little Tylenol can't fix. I really enjoy this pill. Although there are more bad reviews than good, I would recommend at least trying this pill out."

8 / 10
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  • MHC...
  • November 17, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been taking this birth control for about three weeks. It has given me a bit more acne than I normally have, but the biggest thing that has been a problem for me is the nauseous feeling that comes with it. I take my pill every night at 9 pm. Within an hour of doing so, I always feel like I could throw up. I haven't done that so far, but the feeling is so bad it makes me gag. I still feel nauseous the next day well into 4 or 5 pm. It seems to die off around then and then shows back up after I've taken the next pill. I have also experienced breast soreness, not too bad, but definitely enough to take notice of. Rather than the nausea feeling, it seems to be an okay birth control, so far, I'm not pregnant."

6 / 10
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19 Report
  • CMa...
  • January 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I was so afraid to go on birth control because I always heard about weight gain and acne. I recently got on it just because I'm intimate with my boyfriend and wanted to be extremely safe, and I must say Sprintec is amazing. The only issue I had that really got to me was I was on my period the first month for two weeks. It made me really sick because of the amount of blood I lost, but I took it easy. I get the occasional breakout before my period, which is completely normal. Other than that, my skin is seriously so clear! I get the same symptoms before my period: sore breasts, acne, and occasional cravings. But surprisingly, this makes me not want to eat, and I've actually lost weight. Lastly, there's been no pregnancy scares or babies on the way."

10 / 10
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12 Report
  • Mas...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 9, 2014

For Birth Control "After my doctor diagnosed me with CAH three weeks ago, he put me on this birth control to help regulate my periods. I have been experiencing cramps on and off (like period cramps), extreme breast tenderness and swelling, diarrhea, nausea (without vomiting), mood swings, sex drive is the same but have a very hard time reaching satisfaction, and my skin is very clear. Going to continue on this pill to see if, in time, side effects will decrease."

6 / 10
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14 Report

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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.