Skyla and Depression: What Users Say

• Kld...
• September 25, 2018

For Birth Control "Horrible. The only thing that was great was it didn’t get me pregnant. I’m thankfully getting it out tomorrow. I’m praying and hoping that my mood, depression, anxiousness, and sadness go away after it is removed. IUDs work differently for everyone. However, I have never ever experienced something like this. Has anyone else had major issues like this?!"

• Kld...
• September 25, 2018

For Birth Control "Horrible. The only thing that was great was it didn’t get me pregnant. I’m thankfully getting it out tomorrow. I’m praying and hoping that my mood, depression, anxiousness, and sadness go away after it is removed. IUDs work differently for everyone. However, I have never ever experienced something like this. Has anyone else had major issues like this?!"

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

For Birth Control "I’ve had Skyla inserted for a year now, and for the last couple of months, I’ve debated getting it taken out. I love how convenient and effective it is, but I feel like it’s slowly making me crazy. I already suffer with depression, but the mood swings I’ve had with Skyla are insane. I haven’t had any issues with spotting or cramps. I barely have a period at this point. My skin isn’t terrible, but I already have super oily skin, and this definitely hasn’t made it any better. But mood swings and the depression are definitely a major con, and I’d rather have my sanity back than leave it in. Anyone else suffer with crazy mood swings?"

• Moo...
• March 5, 2019

For Birth Control "My experience with Skyla was very short-lived. My gyno told me that the hormone in Skyla worked locally and really wouldn’t affect my emotions. Just a warning for women who have dealt with anxiety and/or depression: do not get Skyla. From day 2 of having Skyla, I experienced side effects such as anxiety, panic, bloating, and depression. I have just gotten it removed. Please do additional research before getting this. I know it may work for some, but my body hated it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I got the Skyla almost 2 years ago. So far, everything has gone great with the IUD. I get my period maybe every 3-4 months (light spotting for about 2 days tops). I do get cramps every month for about one entire day. It's not anything crazy or out of the ordinary (beats having periods and having kids!). I definitely recommend it. The insertion process was a bit painful, and I had cramps for about 3 hours, but with some ibuprofen and a heating pad, it can surely be tolerable. I used to be on the pill and shot for a while, but both of those made me really depressed, and I gained a ton of weight. Which is why I switched to the IUD. Skyla releases a smaller dose of hormones so that really helps to 'feel normal.' Good luck, ladies!"

• Jes...
• November 14, 2019

For Birth Control "I've currently been on Skyla since 8/2019. So far, it has done its job, no pregnancy scares. My main concern is my mental health. I have progressively gotten more depressed and more anxious without having any reason to, which leads me to believe it is a side effect of the Skyla IUD. Skyla is the first contraceptive, aside from condoms, that I’ve used. WARNING TMI: Before I got the Skyla IUD inserted, I did not have ANY problems with my sex life. But after, it slowly started to fade. I am 26 years old, so I don’t think it’s my age. I hardly ever want to be intimate with my boyfriend now, but when I do, I don’t get “wet,” which kills the mood even more. I can orgasm, but I am almost completely dry. He agrees that it started to occur since I got my IUD. After reading some people's experiences on here, I have further confirmed my suspicions and will make an appointment to remove it. It affects people differently, and unfortunately, I’m in the small percentage of people that it affects negatively."

• pco...
• April 26, 2015

For Birth Control "I've had Skyla for about 4 months now, and it's GREAT. I can't lie... insertion KILLED. I was not on my period, and I was unable to take the medication that my Dr. prescribed to soften my cervix in time, as there were some scheduling issues. So for me, it was very painful. The cramps lasted only a day or two more, and then they only came periodically after that. The reason I initially got Skyla was because the mini-pills I was on previously were making me absolutely crazy, with severe anxiety and basically depression every single day. My Dr. suggested Skyla because the hormones tend to remain localized, and I cannot tell you how much better I feel with it. Furthermore, I'm not pregnant even with lots of unprotected sex."

• Bfu...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 14, 2019

For Birth Control "Used Skyla for three years, and in that time, my anxiety got so bad that I started having panic attacks, but I related it to being a senior in college and graduating and moving on to the next step of my life and just being stressed. Then I started to get depressed for no reason, didn’t want to be around people, and thought I was going to end up having a psychotic breakdown. I also have thyroid issues and assumed maybe my mood was related to my thyroid. After I got Skyla removed, I felt instant relief. I haven’t had a panic attack or anxiety even close, it did take a few weeks to start feeling much better, but after that, I will never go on birth control again. Skyla is something that will make you so depressed, and it isn’t worth it to me. I feel much better without it mentally, and all my symptoms have subsided. 12/10 don’t recommend because of the mental issues and hormone imbalance it can cause. It gave me such dark thoughts and made me miserable."

• reg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I read these reviews before my insertion. With all of the other experiences before mine, I expressed nervousness to my doctor, who assured me that Skyla was safe. Two weeks later, I was in the hospital with pelvic inflammatory disease, worried about a potential hysterectomy-at 20 years old. I had come in with a burst cyst, which left me on my bathroom floor screaming in pain. For those two weeks prior, I was a weeping mess. I had suddenly become incredibly depressed and drained of all of my energy. After the IUD removal, I slowly became myself again. I spent a week in the hospital fighting the infection. Ladies, think twice, think three, four, ten times about using Skyla. I am convinced that doctors are being heavily paid by drug reps to prescribe this, as my sister was prescribed it from a different one who said he'd never seen a case of PID in his career. Please save your uterus and your mental health by skipping this IUD."

• Yes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 5, 2021

For Birth Control "Someone else mentioned this, and it’s what pushed me to share my experience using SKYLA IUD. I had my son in 2019. Got the SKYLA implanted right away after giving birth. It’s been great at preventing pregnancies. My partner and I don’t use any protection (condoms), and till today I’m not pregnant. NOW, the cons... ladies. My periods last 12 days. Lately, I get two periods within a month. Randomly spotting in between periods + cramps. Depression and anxiety have never been a thing for me prior to my baby and the IUD, but when I am on my period, everything just comes over me. My moods are 10x worse. Like someone else here said, there was this strong odor after my period I’d get, and every time my partner and I would have sex. This is really bad if we are in the mood every time, and it just sucks. I might get it removed, but now I have no idea what other birth control to try - Skyla has been everything I’ve ever used."

• ari...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 16, 2016

For Birth Control "Absolutely horrid. Had this for over 2 years and could not take it anymore. Hair loss, weight gain, acne, depression, mood swings, dry skin, bloating, no sex drive. The list goes on. After going on Skyla, I got horrible stretch marks all over my butt, thighs, boobs, and hips. I am 20 years old, 5'10" and weigh 136 pounds. WTF! I want to cry just thinking about birth control. I will never take birth control again. Look into charting and temperature reading. Been off Skyla for a little over a month now and I already feel better, have lost some weight/bloating, hair stopped falling out. Maybe it works for some women, but it's not even worth the risk in my opinion."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 13, 2023

For Birth Control "3 mo. since I got my Skyla. I was terrified from negative reviews, but knew it was worth the risk for me. I have had a VERY GOOD experience. Insertion was not fun & hurt bad I’ll admit, but I didn’t cry!! Just cussed lol. That was 15 sec. of sharp pain and then the rest of the day just felt like period cramps. I would have occasional random cramps for the first month. And my first periods were weird and long, with a lot of spotting. I am now on my 4th period since insertion, and I bled lightly for ONE day. I have had no hormonal side effects like weight gain, acne, or depression. I have one issue & that is my cervix has been kinda sore. My partner is well endowed, and certain positions when he goes too deep my cervix will cramp. My doc says there’s probably a bit of inflammation still & that should go away with time. Other than that, I would recommend to anyone, and it’s so nice with no pill or baby worries!"

• Lac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2018

For Birth Control "Don’t do it. I can’t believe I let the doctor talk me into getting Skyla; I originally went in for the copper, but she talked me out of it because I’m 17 and I haven’t had any kids. It has the same hormones as the Nexplanon, basically: progestin. When I had the arm implant a year ago, I had it for 7 months and attempted suicide, had hair loss, and my acne returned (even after being on Accutane for 6 months), and I gained 15 pounds. I took a break from birth control and switched to Skyla, and it is the dumbest decision I have ever made. It’s only been a month, and I’m always crying as I can feel the depression already sneaking its way back. Whenever I comb my hair or run my fingers through, I get about a dozen strands coming out, and my acne is once again horrific. If you are already on Skyla and going through this, you are not alone."

• nia...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Skyla for slightly under a year. Insertion was painful, and the cramps afterwards were pretty intense. Within the first couple of months, my roommate (sister) as well as my boyfriend noticed my extreme mood swings. I was on either side of the extreme, super happy or super upset/mad/sad, and never in between. I’ve always been an emotional person, so I never looked too much into it. Well, almost a year later, I’ve watched my anxiety get worse. I’ve started having anxiety attacks and mental breakdowns on a weekly basis, sometimes for no reason at all. Although Skyla does help me prevent an unwanted pregnancy, I believe it has impacted my mental health substantially and should be taken into consideration if you’ve dealt or are dealing with anxiety and depression. I am scheduled to have mine removed."

• iss...
• August 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I had Skyla, but the anxiety and depression that I experienced are common symptoms with any hormonal birth control option. The issue with the IUD is that it is designed to be out of sight. So, if you have other stressors in your life, you will look to those before you think about the IUD you put in a year ago. Many of the studies I searched said there wasn't a correlation to depression, but the results from those studies have been invalidated by peer reviews because of the methods they used to track their subjects (mostly just self-reported or reported uses of antidepressants). So, if you couldn't muster up the energy to contact the clinic where you got your IUD 6 months prior or didn't get to the point of being put on antidepressants, they would count that as asymptomatic. If you are getting an implanted form of birth control that is designed to be 'out of sight, out of mind,' remember to check in and think about how birth control has changed your mental or physical health over that time."

• Eri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 29, 2020

For Birth Control "I started out with the Skyla IUD in 2018 for endometriosis, and it worked fine except pain during sex. My period disappeared a month after insertion. Then I got it out because I started to get reoccurring bacterial vaginosis, which I found out was from the strings being too long and rubbing. My doc recommended I try the Liletta, which I had for a few months and then had removed because I could feel it poking my uterus when walking. I decided to give Skyla one more try, but this go-round I have gained 40 lbs in a year with the same diet and exercise I was doing before. The anxiety, depression, food cravings, bloating, gas, and mood swings are horrible, and sex hurts. I’m getting this one out next week, and I’ll just deal with the heavy periods and track my basal temp to avoid pregnancy."

• Tin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2015

For Birth Control "I am 24 and have no kids. I have had Skyla in for 4 months now. I took an Aleve an hour before the IUD was inserted and had some pain right after the insertion for 5 seconds. Afterwards, I had two days of cramps and spotting, but nothing unbearable. Since that day, I have had no issues. I have more intense cramps around the time of my period, but my period lasts less than 3 days. The second month, I missed my period altogether, which made me nervous, but my doctor said it was normal, and I had my period the following month. I have no spotting between periods. I also do not have any mood swings, depression, or weight gain, which were side effects for me with oral birth control pills and the NuvaRing. I would definitely recommend Skyla."

• GiG...
• September 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been on BC since I was 15, I'm now 27 years old. I've been on the pill, patch, ring, you name it. I've tried them all. I had the Mirena, and I LOVED it. It was the best BC I ever had. I got a new one inserted again because it was about to expire, and it all went downhill from there. I've been diagnosed with severe depression and GAD (general anxiety disorder), and I felt like I was going crazy. After having the second Mirena removed, I got the SKYLA IUD. The first year was WONDERFUL - I'd recommend it to anyone. After the second year, my anxiety and depression increased to the point I needed to be on meds. HORRIBLE PELVIC and ABDOMINAL pain. And migraines? I've never been a headache type person, but man... these migraines are KILLER. I am scheduled to have the IUD removed in a few days - I had my checkup, and I guess the string is all intertwined with the IUD... I am so nervous it's going to hurt like hell when it comes out."

• dig...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 21, 2022

For Birth Control "I am 36 years old and got the Skyla IUD in March 2021 (now June 2022). The insertion process was about what I had anticipated, shocking but not more painful than an abortion. I bled almost daily for 6 months. I wanted to stick with it, and from month 6-11 I loved the secure feeling. I had lost some of the weight gained from Nuva (fat as plus emotional disaster), but I couldn't enjoy sex due to bleeding/cramping/pain (the doctor says the IUD is fine). Now in month 15, I am really seeing the emotional disaster is increasingly worse. I wake up crying daily, the brain fog is crazy. I am a PhD in psychology with ADHD, and my Adderall literally does nothing even when I double it. I can barely get any real mental work completed. I'm a huge psychodissociative anxious, depressed, sleepy person, not even having sex. I haven't decided yet if I will stick with it, but your reviews have helped me realize the low hormone does still impact me. It's not my imagination, it's still hormonal birth control despite localized."

• ams...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 6, 2021

For Birth Control "Worst decision of my life. After a year, Skyla dislodged, but it caused me to have stroke-like headaches that caused temporary blindness, acne, depression, and so many other symptoms. I had to have it removed after a year, and the headaches stopped, but all of the other symptoms remained for 3 years after removal. I also now deal with fibroids, which I attribute to this birth control. I was always extremely predictable, with easy periods, and never struggled with acne and these symptoms before this. I would never recommend this."

• 18n...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been off Skyla for almost 6 months, and my periods are just starting to regulate again, so I know this is a sign of my body starting to regulate again also from not being on this birth control anymore. I am also losing weight since gaining almost 15 lbs in the 3 months I was on Skyla, and my acne is under control again, and I am no longer depressed. I am birth control free and feeling 100%. This birth control did not work for me, but it doesn't mean it can't work for you. Everyone is different!"

• cbk...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 5, 2018

For Birth Control "August 2018 marks 1 year of having the Skyla IUD. I have an appointment later this month to have a check. 4 out of 7 days of the week I have pain. Sometimes it feels as if I had inserted a tampon sideways, and my body is trying to push it out, but it is stuck, causing stabbing pain. Other days I have pain towards my ovaries, which I have a feeling might be cysts (common side effect of IUD). I frequently find myself holding my lady bits because they just hurt. I have moderate depression since insertion. I have had acne still well into my 24-year life and have not noticed any change, good or bad."

• Rub...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 30, 2023

For Birth Control "Had Skyla inserted 7/31/2022 and just had it removed 5/25/2023. I spotted either light pink or brown throughout the entire time it was in. My periods were about the same (heavy and long), but having regular periods in addition to the spotting for 10+ months was a nightmare. I also noticed that my libido began to gradually diminish, I was feeling sad (for no reason, life is fantastic right now), tired all the time, and I was constantly bloated no matter what changes I made to my diet, exercise, etc. The same night it was removed, I had the most intense sexual dream (welcome back, libido!!). Everybody reacts differently, and for some, hormonal IUDs work great, and for others, they suck! Make your decision based on what you feel is best for YOU."

• Kar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 28, 2023

For Birth Control "I have had the Skyla IUD for almost 5 years. The pain after getting it placed was quite severe. The first year wasn’t bad. I was told I wouldn’t have a period, but I spot multiple times a month, and my period symptoms are worse than ever. Severe cramping and back pain. I have also gained almost 120 lbs since switching from the pill to the IUD. I will be getting this out as it will expire soon, and I will not get it again. Remember, this is just my experience and may not be the same for everyone. I did not get pregnant, so that is a plus, but the weight gain alone has made me more depressed than ever."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2020

For Birth Control "The insertion and afterwards was extremely painful, but pain meds and not moving from bed made it manageable. After 2 days, the pain got a little better, but it took a month for the insertion pain to go away. My first period was SO BAD. I thought it was going to be the end of me. It was 3 weeks of intense bleeding and cramping. The periods do get better, however, after 4 periods, they are still long and painful. I feel as though I always have random terrible cramping, but I’m going to give my body the full 6 months to adjust before I remove it. The positive side is it is very effective, and besides cramping and bleeding, I have had ZERO side effects. On the pill, I had terrible weight gain, migraines, depression, anxiety, and more. I haven’t had any problems with my IUD in that regard, thank God. I’ll be writing back after 6 months to see if the random cramps all the time stopped."