Ethinyl estradiol / segesterone for Birth Control User Reviews (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 25, 2022

"I started using Annovera in October 2020 and used it for 1 complete year. In the beginning, there was some nausea and headaches. After a couple of months, I had no symptoms, except eczema! All over my ears and inner thighs. Yes, who would have thought that birth control causes eczema? I have never had eczema in my 34 years of living, so initially I chalked this up to stress and being a teacher in the middle of a global pandemic. Finally, once my relationship ended, I decided not to renew the prescription for another ring. I took the ring out, and almost immediately the eczema went away and has not returned. I have been 3 months eczema-free. I did like the ease of use and not getting pregnant, no weight gain, no acne. But itchy eczema patches were ultimately my decision to end usage."

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2021

"Initially, I really liked Annovera. It is fairly easy to insert and remove. I used it for 4 months. It didn't interfere with intercourse or feel uncomfortable. I was doing well on it until recently when I started having yeast infections and vaginal irritation. I take a 50 billion women's probiotic and never had issues with yeast infections, etc., so I attribute these changes to Annovera. My OBGYN also just confirmed I have PMDD, so we are going a different route for birth control. Annovera seemed to heighten the PMDD symptoms for me. Overall, I think it's a great option and less 'maintenance,' and I would have continued to use it if it weren't for the problems I started having."

• Meg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 8, 2021

"I started using Annovera in November of 2020. Prior to switching, I was on the NuvaRing for the last 5 years. I only switched because my doctor told me about a new vaginal ring that lasts a year. I figured one piece of plastic to throw out is better than 12 per year. I have experienced side effects every time I get my period. The first few days on my period, I am so fatigued I can barely walk without feeling faint. Luckily, that only lasts a few days. I also have very heavy bleeding, which I did not have on the NuvaRing. I brought this up to my doctor, and she suggested I leave it in during this cycle. I have left it in and still had the fatigue. Instead of the heavy bleeding, I have been spotting for almost 3 weeks. So far, not a fan, may be switching to a different method here soon!"

• Sha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 22, 2021

"I switched to Annovera for BC because NuvaRing stopped being covered by insurance, and its generic version has terrible reviews. Annovera was great for a few months, but I tried to skip my periods, and I ended up getting a two-month light period. Then I used it properly, and it was good for a while, but now I'm getting two-week periods. They are not painful, and my PMS has been better on Annovera, but I can't accept two-week periods."

• Bc2...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 24, 2022

"I started the ring about a month ago, and it is nice because it’s a yearly thing. I don’t have to go monthly to the pharmacy to pick up the once-a-month ring. However, my boobs have been sore/tender the whole time, and it’s uncomfortable. I’ve been on birth control for six years now, and I like that I don’t have to remember a daily pill or when my month is up on the NuvaRing. I like that it stays in during sex as well. My only issue is that it keeps sliding down, and it’s an uncomfortable feeling. I have to push it up multiple times a day because I can feel it."

• Sar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 19, 2022

"I absolutely love it. Completed 2 full years with 2 rings and am about to start my third. I’m so grateful that I now have a birth control I can insert once and forget about (I do take it out to get my periods, but you can leave it in if you want to skip them or delay a period a couple of days). My partner and I don’t notice it during sex, and I never feel it throughout the day. Before Annovera, my gyno was pushing me to get an IUD since I had issues with the pill, but I was really dreading having an invasive procedure done… Annovera came just in time and saved me. Love that it’s a long-term birth control option that I’m totally in control of. This ring is a great win for women's health, in my opinion."

• Sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2021

"This was my choice of birth control since I loved the NuvaRing, and with 3 kids now, I hated going to the pharmacy for a new one every month. However, I started the second day of my period. It’s been two weeks, and I’m still bleeding. I am supposed to take it out on the 5th, which is in a week. This sucks! I hope it stops soon. Other than that, I’ve had no other side effects."

• Vic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 27, 2022

"Tried it 3 times, 2 months, then a month, and last time after a 3 month break got it in, gave it another chance, but had to discontinue due to severe depression. All 3 times, the day after I took it out, I was back to being a normal person. I only had a history of depression when I was a teenager. Now 35, and it was just as bad. So if you have a similar history, be aware of it."

• Ros...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 26, 2022

"I'd give it a 6 out of 10. It was way too expensive, and my insurance refused to cover it. I paid five hundred USD out of pocket. The only birth control that didn't seem to make me feel horrific, although my libido tanked (I'm assuming because of the action of SHBG generally making testosterone unavailable for use by the body, to be scientific about it). I used this to skip my periods for months, and as a result, have incurred endless spotting for the last six months of the life of the ring. I am generally intolerant of most birth control. Left it out overnight on accident because it does cause an uncomfortable sensation during sex. Not sure if using it continuously made it more effective, no pregnancy scares. I didn't want to be pierced with a tenaculum again for an IUD, so I chose this ring. It may have affected my moods for the worse, but I am not certain. This silicone ring is definitely way better for me than PEVA Nuvaring (the chemical in that left a mark on my partner, ouch)."

• Joe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2021

"I was so excited to find this birth control after researching different birth control options. Five days in, I had to take it out. Very intense migraines almost all day long for four days straight, and I typically never even get headaches. I was nauseous and had bad body aches. The concept and idea of this birth control is genius, but I just cannot handle the migraines. Otherwise, it’s very easy to put in and take out, and I didn’t feel it at all."

• liv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2023

"I started taking Annovera and was really nervous about weight gain. I’ve now been on it for about a month and a half and absolutely love it. The first 3 days of having it in, I was nauseous, but that passed pretty quickly. I get really moody and depressed before my periods, and this seemed to do the same thing. I haven’t gained any weight, and I feel like myself still, so I’m very happy about it."

• Unh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2022

"I was excited about trying Annovera since the IUD was awful and I had a lot of breakthrough bleeding with the pill. After 2 months, I’m taking it out for good. Pros: it stopped my breakthrough bleeding, and you don’t have to think about it. Cons: horrible, horrible cramps all the time, thick, constant mucus discharge, I’m crying at the drop of a hat, but the worst thing is that I’ve been having heart palpitations. Overall, it’s not worth it."

• Loc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 11, 2021

"I was on Annovera for 6 months. The only negative side effect I had was a decreased sex drive. The ring was great. Easy to insert. A few times I had trouble removing it and had to get my partner to help, but otherwise, it wasn’t troublesome. No interference during sex. I wish I could continue to use it, but the effect on my drive was enough to make me take it out for good."

• Bad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 26, 2022

"I wanted to really like this option, and I still think it's a great one lifestyle-wise. This was my first time trying hormonal birth control. Insertion was easy, and neither my partner nor I felt the ring (it also worked well in terms of the birth control indication). The first cycle went fine with very minimal mood swings. The second cycle, I started to notice that my skin was very dry (which I didn't note as too abnormal), but then my neck started to get this horrid rash - not scaly but red and intensely itchy. I had to sleep with an ice pack on my neck, and my eyelids also became intensely dry, sensitive/itchy, and red. I had about three incidences of this rash in the same places over the course of my second cycle on Annovera before I decided to quit it. In the following month without Annovera, my skin barrier slowly began to recover, and the rash on my neck cleared immediately, while my eyelids took a while to adjust. I would not go on this again."

• Hap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 7, 2022

"For me, Annovera has been life-changing! While taking the pill, I struggled with frequent nausea, weight loss (due to the nausea), hair loss, and loss of libido. I was not comfortable with getting an implant or IUD; I wanted something I could remove on my own. I was at the end of my rope until my own research led me to Annovera. Studies on the progestin used in Annovera have shown it is less likely to negatively impact sexual function in women because it is not androgenic. Fortunately, I've found Annovera to have no negative impact on my sex life. A major win! You can download the Annovera app, and your insertion/removal schedule for the year is all mapped out for you. I have had some nausea during the first 24 hours after inserting the ring, but now that I'm in my third year using this product, it is rare. Zero other side effects, and zero pregnancies! I don't know what I would have done without Annovera. It has had such a positive impact on my quality of life."

• Aur...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 2, 2021

"I have digestive issues, and when I was on the pill, I would get many episodes of spotting and, after a while, having to have a withdrawal week - which I was avoiding due to bad migraines on the placebo week. I’ve been using Annovera for almost 6 months. I feel mixed still and not sure if I will continue. The hormone levels seem great for me, less moodiness compared to the pill, no other side effects. At first, I did have nausea and increased discharge, but that went away pretty quickly. My real issue is the size. It doesn’t seem to work that well with my anatomy. They say to keep pushing it in until you can’t feel it, but I can feel that it’s past my cervix and yet almost sticking out still... When it gets really annoying, I switch to pills for a week (take the pill one day, take the ring out when I take the second day’s pill). Still has been the best hormone experience, but wish there was a size choice."

• GGG...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2022

"I just got Annovera around a month ago, and the most notable side effects that I’ve noticed are increased anxiety, genital itching, and (a lot of) acne. I’ve never been a person to get acne, not even in my teens, and since I inserted it, I’ve been getting huge pimples. Also, the genital itching is very bothersome to me. Aside from that, it’s doing its job. I don’t feel it inside me like some have said."

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 12, 2023

"Annovera is great most of the time. However, after using it for 3 months, at exactly 16-18 hours after insertion, I vomited continuously for over 5 hours. I tried it for another month and had the same result. Despite that, it is easy to use, doesn't shift/fall out, doesn't interfere with sex, doesn't require me to remember a pill daily, and I can take it out if I need to, unlike the IUD. I have had mild weight gain and sadness, and some decreased libido, but all of this could be from the seasonal depression I get, so it's hard to separate out. I might continue using it if I can control the vomiting."

• pvs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 13, 2023

"I tend to be very sensitive to medications in general. Prior to using Annovera, I was off birth control for 2.5 years because I couldn’t find one that I could tolerate. I started having short cycles that were painful, so my OBGYN suggested trying Annovera. I took Annovera for one cycle - I had it inserted for three weeks and then out for one to get my period. At first, I didn’t notice any side effects, which I was thrilled about given my generally bad experiences with medication. I had a day or two of nausea and was a bit tired, but that was it. Around week 3, I started to have significant mood changes. I found myself being incredibly irritable and feeling more negative/depressed. By the time I removed the ring, I had spent 3 days in a row crying at work and after work, having two anxiety attacks at work, and feeling very depressed. After I took out the ring, I felt normal within a week. Please beware of any sudden changes in your mood!"

• Hon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2022

"I've only been on it a week. My side effects so far: 1. My weight, I started at 115, it bounced up to 117, perhaps due to breasts. My waist has not changed, and I'm not bloated or retaining water. 2. My face does look a little puffy, but for me, not a bad thing because I have very shallow cheeks and nasolabial folds that are deep. This helps make me look younger, I feel. A couple of bumps, but I know it's from not keeping my sunglasses clean. 3. Emotion-wise, I've been a little teary, but in a good way. I was previously on Effexor, and it dulled all my emotions except the need for sex."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 8, 2022

"I have had a great experience with this birth control. It is very low effort, which allows me to focus on school, work, and myself, not taking a pill every day. The ONLY side effects I have experienced were nausea in months 1 and 2 of use. I am on my second ring, and it’s going great. I have very slight nausea in month one of the second ring. I have had no weight gain, no mood swings, and no negative changes in skin. It just works, and all the reminders sync automatically to your phone's calendar. Also, no pregnancies, which is the whole point!"

• TRo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 24, 2023

"It's an easy method of contraception. It is a flexible ring, and I can’t feel it. It's clearing up my skin, like my old birth control pill, but is better able to control periods. It also doesn’t require daily remembering."

• ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2021

"Love it, cannot feel it, and the manufacturer's helpline had it delivered to my door. Luckily, it didn't burn my partner like the NuvaRing did (PEVA), since this one is silicone, it is more body-safe, in my opinion. No slipping issues whatsoever. Sits comfortably above my pubic bone. I don't necessarily like that it presses on the urethra inside, but I don't think I've had any issues with infection. This should be the first LARC everyone tries, in my opinion, it's that convenient, no tenaculum required for insertion like with IUDs. The synthetic hormones don't seem to affect me whatsoever compared to the implant and the various pills I've tried. My insurance didn't want to cover it, and I didn't want to try anything else, so I paid almost five benjamins for this."

• Sto...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 1, 2022

"The Annovera ring was so squishy, I simply could not get it in. It had no form at all, was way too squishy, and I tried so many times and there’s no way it would have actually worked. It just kept flopping around and smushing. It was also huge. It’s nothing like the NuvaRing because I’m actually able to insert a NuvaRing because the NuvaRing actually has form and doesn’t just squish and flop around. Since the NuvaRing was the only birth control I’d ever tried that didn’t make me want to die, I asked my doctor to prescribe it as well just in case. So I ended up going back to my pharmacy and getting the NuvaRing again."

• Emm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2020

"I just started Annovera less than a week ago, and the side effects have been terrible. The first couple of days, I had a headache and nausea so bad I had to leave work. Today, day 4, I felt so depressed I could barely get out of bed. I've had depression in the past, but it's been very manageable lately. Today felt like a particularly low point, which usually comes after days of warning signs, not out of nowhere. It was so bad I took the ring out, but I plan to put it back within the 2-hour window. If the side effects don't go away soon, I'm going to switch because I can't handle a 2-3 month adjustment period like this. If the Annovera did me one favor, it was convincing me to switch to non-hormonal birth control soon. (This doesn't mean it's not for anyone, but my experience so far hasn't been good.)"