Ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Bet...
• November 10, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Low-Ogestrel-28 for about 9 months before my family basically had an intervention with me and told me I had to switch to something else. It wasn't until about month #6 that I really started experiencing the bad symptoms like depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and anger/mood swings. I also saw increased appetite, bloating, water retention, and 10 lb weight gain. I was crying, lashing out, and overly emotional. I finally called my ob-gyn, and I got switched to the mini pill, and I feel 100% myself again. I feel like I'm on nothing. I came to the conclusion that estrogen and my body just don't do well, no matter what brand of combination pill. This pill has big-time side effects on me and messed with me psychologically. I noticed a drastic change 1 month off of them already, like I'm mellowed out and relaxed. This pill landed me in therapy because I couldn't control my anger. As a side note, it 100% did its job, which was to prevent pregnancy."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 27, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been on Cryselle for 5 years now. At first, it did its exact job, prevented pregnancy, and regulated my period. I became an emotional roller coaster once I got on the pill, but my mom and I always chalked it up to teenager issues (I got on it when I was 16). Once I got older and grew to realize that I was severely struggling with anxiety and depression, I felt it was best that I got off. I only got off a week ago, so I can’t say what side effects come yet, but I will say that this pill makes anxiety and depression so much worse than I could have ever expected! I also struggled with severe acne in high school. Never any weight gain though, but with the depression, I had severe body dysmorphia, and anorexia could have just kept my weight down."

• AJT...
• June 7, 2016

For Birth Control "I swear this pill made me so anxious. I would have so many panic attacks and always feel like the worst was about to happen. It always got better on the period week... the week not on the pill (obvi). I don't know... I don't recommend this pill to someone who may struggle with anxiety or depression. I did perfectly fine on Ortho Tri-Cyclen other than I had switched due to the irritability I felt. I then realized I'd rather be a grump than always go into panic mode."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I had my period for a month straight after taking this for a couple of weeks. Then, when that was finally done and I got my period again the week before, I was extremely bloated and constipated. I have had no sex drive, when my boyfriend tries to be physical with me, I get disgusted, and my anxiety and depression have been horrible. Along with that, I have nausea almost every time I eat. I've been miserable. Worst birth control I have ever taken."

• Cry...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I am currently on the hunt for a birth control (BC) that doesn't impact my libido as much. My OBGYN recommended this one after a year of being off BC. I have been trying other BCs. She gave me a three-month supply and told me that it takes a month for my body to get used to it. Boy, let me tell you! If you are even remotely depressed or struggle with anxiety, steer clear of this BC. After taking this for a month, I was 10x more depressed, and really dark thoughts were emerging, and my anxiety was high. I can say I stopped taking it four days ago, and I feel so much better! I already made my appointment for next week."

• Hol...
• June 1, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been using this pill now for about a month. My mood has changed drastically. I'm always depressed, most of the time I wanna cry, it makes me feel really nervous, and I can't stand most people, feeling stressed. I lost a few lbs, which is a good thing, and it controls my weight since I have a hormonal imbalance. But I hope to get off this pill ASAP."

• Hol...
• June 1, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been using this pill now for about a month. My mood has changed drastically. I'm always depressed, most of the time I wanna cry, it makes me feel really nervous, and I can't stand most people, feeling stressed. I lost a few lbs, which is a good thing, and it controls my weight since I have a hormonal imbalance. But I hope to get off this pill ASAP."

• Jac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 22, 2020

For Birth Control "Began taking this, and for the first week, I was fine. The second week brought terrible morning sickness and sometimes even vomiting. I even took it along with food, it didn't seem to help. Does not interact well with alcohol either. My anxiety worsened as well while on this, totally not worth it. Don't recommend."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 5, 2019

For Birth Control "Comments from people with positive reviews assuming things like, “Women who rated this pill poorly just didn’t give their bodies time to adjust,” are so disheartening to see. This pill gave me crazy back acne, headaches so bad I couldn’t get up, and awful anxiety for months on end. I assure you that I gave it plenty of time to see if I would “adjust” to this pill, and I had had enough of feeling like I was going insane waiting for that to happen. If this pill worked for you, that’s great. But there’s a large number of us it didn’t work for, and that’s okay. Birth control is completely dependent on body chemistry, and while some people have done great on this pill, people who have gone through horrible things because of it are completely valid in their reviews as well. Be careful and watch your emotions and mental health when being on Cryselle."

• Geo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 30, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on Cryselle for a year and one month. I had noticed some random anxiety here and there (never have had anxiety), but it always went away quickly, and I didn’t think anything of it. However, my parents noted how I was more apathetic, withdrawn, and disinterested as time passed. I was put on an equivalent (generic) of this drug at my annual, and things quickly went off a cliff. Weight gain, acne, irrational anxiety and depression, no sex drive at all with my fiancé, and mental fog all the time. I would say that it all depends on individual body chemistry, but this pill was awful for me, maybe due to being higher in estrogen than my previous pill. I am now off this and doing so much better. Do not recommend."

• Des...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 13, 2020

For Birth Control "Overall, this pill did what it was supposed to do for me. I never had a pregnancy scare, my acne virtually went away, my periods were lighter, shorter, and less painful. I did not experience any weight gain at all that can be contributed to taking the pill. The cons are that I could count on having a mild to moderate headache almost every day that I was taking the placebo pills, my sex drive randomly decreased dramatically, and I do think that it increased my anxiety. Personally, the pros always outweighed the cons for me."

• Ari...
• August 4, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been taking Cryselle for just over two years and have been fighting depression, weight gain, terrible headaches, and anxiety attacks for the entire duration. I live a very stressful life, but I was always optimistic and could fight through it until I started taking this pill. After about 3 months, I tried to commit suicide, my depression has become debilitating, and I have anxiety attacks at the most random moments without any triggers. I've been off the pill for about a week, and my mood is already improving. This pill changed who I am completely. I lost my friends and became distant, all because of the depression. I'm not sure how to be me again or who I even am anymore. Be careful and watch out for any side effects."

• Anonymous
• August 17, 2012

For Birth Control "My gynecologist put me on this medication because I have ovarian cysts on both ovaries and also take anticonvulsants, which can make birth control less effective. Since this is the highest dose of BC, we were hopeful to avoid surgery. The first month I was on Ogestrel, I went from being emotionally well-balanced to crying every day, becoming angry very easily, and feeling very anxious. I did not have any further side effects, but could not take this medication any longer. The Ogestrel had no effect on the ovarian cysts."

• Ril...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 23, 2022

For Birth Control "Started this medication during my first year of high school. I was so grateful for my newly found solution to heavy periods. I continued on this medication for about 6 years and praised it to everyone. After constant spotting and other issues, I decided to finally stop it. WOW!! This medication increased my anxiety, brought on paranoia, and even mood swings, and I never felt in control of myself. I didn’t realize how bad I felt until I stopped it. Not only did it take my mild anxiety to severe, it left me feeling increasingly depressed at times. Heavily consider the pros and cons before starting this medication. I had felt off for years, my partner even noticed that after a couple of months, I mellowed out and stabilized A LOT from just that one change of stopping. Unfortunately, our society has not valued putting resources into finding better birth control methods for women. I was never informed about the possible side effects, etc., at age 15."

• blb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 4, 2022

For Birth Control "I was on Low-Ogestrel for about a year and a half after getting married. I experienced about 30 lbs of weight gain, moodiness, anxiousness, and overall felt depressed. I stopped birth control in May of 2021 after my husband and I decided we wanted to start trying for a baby. I have always had regular periods. It took 2 months for my period to come back, and now I believe I have pill-induced PCOS. I get a period every other month, and we have been trying for about 5 months now, and no luck. We have started seeing a fertility doctor and are getting bloodwork done to see what next steps we can take. I definitely do not recommend any form of hormonal birth control if you plan to start a family down the road. Looking back, we both seriously regret the pill and wish we had gone with natural family planning instead."

• Anonymous
• October 27, 2021

For Birth Control "This is the first birth control my doctor put me on, and honestly it’s been a relatively good experience. I’m a pretty anxious person in general, and in the first few months it did heighten that, but it’s gone away. My appetite definitely increased with birth control, but I monitored my eating. My periods are light and last about 3-4 days, so that’s good. The only downside to Cryselle is it incrementally increased my cholesterol. My cholesterol got so much higher due to this birth control (it is a side effect), so if you already have high cholesterol, consult about this one with your doctor. Other than that, no issues."

• DD1...
• October 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I first took Cryselle when I was 15, and I had the worst side effects: breakthrough bleeding, headaches, anxiety attacks, weight gain, and my periods lasted 2 weeks. I got on it again when I was 18 and had little side effects! My periods are a little heavier and hurt a bit more, and I have very sore boobs. Other than that, it's a charm. No pregnancy."

• Ame...
• December 10, 2009

For Birth Control "I took Ortho Tri-Cyclen for birth control for 2 years with no issues. After 2 weeks, my migraine headaches worsened, a nervous/ill feeling hit me, and my heart was always pounding. I stopped taking it immediately (I'm married and we are stable enough to have a baby) and have since decided to start trying to have a baby. I recommend lots of caution with this one (especially if you take something for ADHD)."

• Lil...
• October 7, 2020

For Birth Control "I was originally prescribed Low-Ogestrel-28 once I got off the depo injection, which literally turned me into a different person. I only had two depo provera injections, and I was miserable. Side effects ranged from weight gain, anxiety/depression, hair loss, no sex drive, and constant bleeding. The best way I could describe it is as having a literal dark cloud over my head. Anyway, I was prescribed the Low-Ogestrel pill, and I’ve never been happier. I have absolutely no side effects, it’s amazing. My acne is significantly better. I mainly use the pill as a prevention of pregnancy and for my acne. So far, it’s been doing a superb job. I definitely recommend this pill, without a doubt."

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2019

For Birth Control "Awful. Noticed after a month an increase of painful acne only on my chin, the most hormonal spot. Made me depressed, and I questioned my self-worth every day, which made me feel awful. My anxiety wasn’t bad before the BC but is terrible now. I would not recommend this to anyone."

• Taf...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 17, 2018

For Birth Control "I was on this pill for a little more than a year and was never pleased with it. I was on it for my acne, and it did not help, in fact, it only made it worse. I did experience negative side effects, including anxiety and mood swings. I should have gotten off that pill sooner, but I wanted to give it a fair chance. Needless to say, this medicine was not for me."

• Run...
• December 18, 2020

For Birth Control "Do not take Cryselle. I was on it for 3 months, and in that 3 months, I developed extreme anxiety and panic attacks. Could not drive or do anything without getting a panic attack. Ask for a new pill ASAP."

• Kba...
• January 22, 2016

For Birth Control "I started taking this birth control almost 2 years ago. I was very nauseous for the first few weeks, but it subsided and seemed to be going great! A few months ago, I missed one pill and took 2 within a few hours of each other and ended up throwing up (my own fault). Lately, I have been struggling with horrible anxiety (18 years old, about to leave for college) and I have had awful nausea and low sex drive with my boyfriend. I am not sure if these are symptoms of my birth control or just anxiety. Around the time my period tracker says I'm ovulating, my discharge seems to be very thick and mucus-like. I'm not sure this is normal. Otherwise, absolutely affordable and seems to be reliable!"

• Rlt...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 2, 2017

For Birth Control "My pharmacy used this brand and Crycelle interchangeably, but both were generally the same thing for me. I gained a lot of weight on Depo before this, and though I haven't gained more on this pill, I haven't been able to lose much weight on it either. My face isn't necessarily breaking out, but my cheeks have been red with little bumps almost like rosacea since starting this brand. It isn't constant but does flare up sometimes. The only really bad side effect I've noticed is I've gotten really bad anxiety and mood swings. It is still way better than how I felt on Depo, and the birth control is really cheap ($15 per pack), so I will stick with it until I have money to try other brands."

• hto...
• August 1, 2015

For Birth Control "I began this birth control 2 months ago. I've always had a difficult time with birth control, but this was by far the worst. I have been so depressed to the point of having suicidal thoughts. I haven't had any energy or motivation. My skin is more oily than it's ever been but drier than it's ever been in a few areas. My hair started thinning. My anxiety was off the wall, and my skin itched without a rash. Everybody annoyed me for no reason. I have yet to find a birth control that works for me."