Camila and Bloating: What Users Say

• ju1...
• May 9, 2015

For Birth Control "Started taking this pill in December 2014 and been on it since. I am not happy with it at all. I used to have regular periods, but Camila made it very irregular. I hate not knowing if I will have a period or not. My mentality changed as well; usually, I'm a very happy girl, but the pill made me into a raging mean lunatic. It gave me extreme mood swings, frequent migraines, problems with my vision, depression, hair loss, extreme bloating, no sex drive at all, vaginal dryness, increased acne on my chin, numbness in my feet, and lack of sleep. I am stopping this immediately. I do not recommend this. This pill is evil."

• poo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 31, 2020

For Birth Control "If you enjoy having your period daily for a month and a half straight, and feeling bloated and pregnant - without actually being pregnant, then this is the pill for you. You get all the wonderful symptoms of early pregnancy, bloating, tender swelling breasts, weight gain, hunger, plus the added bonus of having your period every day as well. It is a win-win!! In case you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic. This pill is not worth the hassle. It would be more convenient had I actually been pregnant, than dealing with all that. Pretty sure I ended up being anemic before I finally said no more and stopped taking them. I was only on them for a month and a half, in which I had my period almost every day. Stopped taking the pills and period finally stopped a day or two later. This pill is garbage."

• Bye...
• August 24, 2017

For Birth Control "Imagine being pregnant and on your period at the same time -- without bleeding -- for months. That's what this pill is like. Countless pregnancy tests bought -- because surely all of this bloating, cramping, weight gain, fatigue, EXTREMELY sore and swollen boobs means I'm pregnant! Except no. This is just life now, courtesy of Camila. I ignored the negative reviews. I gave it 6 months. It's awful. And less effective than combo pills. Needless to say, I'm stopping immediately."

• Liz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2018

For Birth Control "After being on Lo Loestrin off and on for years and having bad symptoms, my doctor decided to switch me to Camila 0.35 mg. Previously, when I was on Lo Loestrin, I almost immediately had side effects: extreme bloating (5 lb weight gain), no motivation to do anything, tired all the time, no sex drive, and spotting. With Camila, I have none of those symptoms. Feels like I’m not taking anything. After my bad experience with Lo Loestrin, I did research and found Lo Loestrin is made up of 10 micrograms of synthetic estrogen and 1 milligram of synthetic progesterone. Camila has no estrogen and 1/3 the amount of progesterone. This was a lifesaver for me."

• ver...
• September 29, 2015

For Birth Control "I began taking this form of birth control due to continuous high blood pressure. I took it for roughly 3-4 years, I'd say, and did not realize how bad it made me feel until I stopped taking it! My blood pressure has been regular the last 1 1/2-2 years, so my doctor decided to switch me to Ortho Tri-Cyc Lo Dose. I've been off Camila for about a month now. I noticed that within weeks of ceasing to use it, I had more energy, felt less bloated/lost a few pounds, and my moods have improved. I also feel as if a weight has been lifted off of my body. I was always so tired, I never wanted to go anywhere or do anything. My energy level has improved so much over these last few weeks! I am so glad I stopped taking this! Never again!!"

• SPQ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I just stopped taking the Camila birth control pill after 5 months. Initially, I did not have a period at all—this lasted approximately 3 months. Once I did get my period, I broke out in cystic acne all over my chin. There would be (on average) 5 large and deep pimples around my chin. No matter what I tried, these pimples would not go away. In addition, I gained 12 pounds in about 6 weeks. I run, bike, go to yoga, and eat the same foods consistently. I finally decided to stop taking the pill two weeks ago and switch to NuvaRing. My skin has already cleared up (I have one small zit now, and it’s almost gone), and my bloating is decreasing. Although this pill did prevent pregnancies, it was not worth the side effects."

• Jen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 18, 2016

For Birth Control "I was put on this med back in 2013 as a trial and error. (I have a kidney disease and high blood pressure) - I was also suffering from heavy periods/ovulation pain. So I went on it and then stopped because it caused my BP to raise after 3 months. I then tried again in 2016 because I was already on a beta blocker. I have bad breakouts, low sex drive, bloating, periods are spotty, and went from every 28 days to 22 days. I'm very moody and emotional."

• tee...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 14, 2018

For Birth Control "I have high blood pressure, migraines, and my insurance wouldn't cover an IUD, so I was put on this. I do notice my boobs are much more heavy, swollen, and sore when PMSing, and the irregular periods are inconvenient and nerve-wracking. However, now that I've been on this pill for over a year, they have become a lot more regular (will still randomly show up when it's not supposed to, but maybe only once every few months now rather than all the time - the periods I get are no lighter or heavier than what I'm used to). I had way worse issues with my weight, acne, bloating, sex drive, cramps, etc. on other hormonal BC than I do on these. These reviews make it sound like this is the worst BC in the world, but personally, I'm not that bothered by it. It's worth it to not have migraines and a stroke risk anymore. It's not a bad option if it's your only option."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve been on this pill since January (4 months) and still haven’t had a period. I am not sexually active, which not having a period is kinda great for me at the moment, but not for later on. I’m 18 and in college, and I have bad migraines all the time, so I had to switch from Sprintec to Camila so I did not have estrogen so I could have injections for my migraines. I’ve been bloated and gained 10 lbs, which I’m not happy about. I broke out on my face, mostly forehead, a lot when I used to have clear skin. I have mood swings, usually sad."

• Lap...
• December 2, 2016

For Birth Control "Started this medication due to breastfeeding. Worst birth control ever. My periods are EXTREMELY heavy and last forever, bloating out of this world and minor weight gain. After this pack, I'm done. Will never take this again."

• Man...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 13, 2019

For Birth Control "Was on Camila for about 3 years because I have debilitating migraines. I love it, however, I'm bloated some days and crampy. I definitely had breakthrough bleeding. You will have bleeding if you miss the pill sometimes. I didn't get a period for a whole month, and while it's great, my body just felt heavy. I had a baby (I stopped taking it) and went back on it again after."

• Cou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2019

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I'm 40 years old and was getting migraines every two weeks, which we attributed to hormonal surges and heavy bleeding. The doctor suggested I try this to “suppress” my ovaries and help calm down the surges. I gave this a shot, even with the warnings of increased appetite, bloating, and skin changes. I lasted 1.5 months and had to stop. I originally stopped because of the increased appetite and the fact that it did nothing for my bleeding. The headaches were consistent with frequency but didn’t last as long - I’m sure with time maybe this could have changed. My period came a week early and has lingered 4 days longer than normal. The cramping is horrendous. Daily, nonstop cramps that are now even worse after I’ve stopped the pill - plus spotting. And I’ve only been off it for 2 days now. I think any medication is worth trying out, but just be aware of what to possibly expect and decide if the cons are worth it."

• MkM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 23, 2022

For Birth Control "I am 19 years old. Got on this prior to having kidney surgery because I was worried about blood pressure and clots from the combo pill. I was told that I would experience fewer side effects. I bled for weeks and stopped taking it after about a month and a half. After kidney surgery, I felt bloated and a lot more pain that was getting worse. Went to the ER and I have a massive ovarian cyst. It wasn't on my ultrasounds from March (it is now May). I truly believe that this birth control caused this! And I was not informed of this risk at all. I would have never taken it if I knew this could happen, and I'm kicking myself for trusting the nurse who prescribed it. Now I am trying to recover from surgery with this cyst on the same side. Do not take."

• Rae...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2016

For Birth Control "This was the worst birth control I have been on since I started 10 years ago. I have taken Crystelle, the depo shot, and this. I changed doctors, and my previous doctor prescribed Camila when I was breastfeeding, but after I stopped, the side effects came out of nowhere, hard. That's when I had constant bloating, breakthrough bleeding, and mood swings. My new doctor said it wasn't a period like I thought because I would bleed on and off for days, then weeks. She said it was breakthrough bleeding. It stopped pregnancy by making you feel unattractive with all the random bleeding and bloating. Switching doctors was the best decision because she gave me Crystelle again, and now I am back to normal and lost some weight. Only use if breastfeeding."

• SEG...
• October 19, 2017

For Birth Control "I’ve been on this pill for about 2 months. I wanted to try a low hormonal pill to hope for no or less weight gain. Camila, by far, is the worst birth control I have been on. My period is light, but the duration is about 9-11 days. SMH! I’d rather bleed heavy for 3-4! The cramps are deadly. I’ve always had bad cramps, but this is different now. Oh, if you miss a pill by a few hours, you start to cramp and bleed. I haven’t experienced any major breakouts. My mood is pretty normal, except for when I’m cramping and bloating. NOW the weight gain is no joke. I’m sure it’s all water weight and bloat, but who wants that? I’ve gained 6 lbs in one month! My appetite has definitely increased for the worst. I’m a normal healthy eater, but all I want to do is snack."

• GG3...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 26, 2017

For Birth Control "Can I give this pill a zero rating?! I started this pill back in July because I was having migraines with auras, and my doctor thought this would help. NO. This pill is awful. I had no migraines, but what I experienced was worse: acne breakouts all over my body, which I have never experienced before this pill, frequent spotting but no actual period, bloating and cramping all of the time, drastic weight gain, zero sex drive, foggy brain, and worst of all, it made me so moody. I'm an extremely bubbly person, and this pill made me mean and grumpy. I had zero tolerance and frequently snapped at people. I was tired all the time and depressed. I quit this pill a week ago, and I feel so much better already. I am my old self again."

• Anonymous
• December 23, 2017

For Birth Control "First day on the new pill and already experiencing horrible bloating, not to mention the massive amount of mood swings. I cried at least 3 times for no reason at all and snapped at my boyfriend, which I’ve never done, and we’ve been dating for almost 2 years. Not to mention the super depressive thoughts. I refuse to take it a day longer. Give me my old pack back, please!"

• Kim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 26, 2018

For Birth Control "Biggest issue is my breasts hurt so bad. I wish I could take them off. Never had this issue before. And I either gained weight or am extremely bloated."