Jencycla for Birth Control User Reviews

• Spr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 3, 2021

"I'd been taking the combo pill for about 16 years, and a doctor finally told me they won't give me them anymore because of the migraines I was getting. She recommended I try this one. The first 2 months were rough - breast pain, random bleeding, MAJOR BRAIN FOG. I see that confusion is a symptom on the side effects list. That's fine, but I feel like a different person. I can't focus, have a hard time remembering, can't find the words, and struggle to explain things. Has anyone else had these brain fog symptoms?"

• Emi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2024

"I started on Jencycla around 6 months ago due to my birth control options being limited because of a blood clotting disorder and migraine with aura. After checking reviews, I was terrified of spotting every day, but that honestly wasn’t the case for me. In the 6 months I was on Jencycla, I had spotting for maybe 5 or 6 days, and my period was prolonged by 2 or 3 days each month. However, my anxiety has become unbearable since I started taking it. I’ve had very manageable anxiety for as long as I can remember, but since starting this medication, I’ve had nearly constant panic attacks out of nowhere, and I constantly feel like I’m going insane. However, everyone has a different experience, so what didn’t work for me may work for you!"

• Man...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 20, 2022

"I was very wary of starting these pills based on the negative reviews, but so far have had a great experience with them. I have actually had clearer skin, less cramps, and no other side effects to note. I was tired the first few days until I got used to them. I take them at exactly the same time every day and have had no issues with spotting, irregular, or long periods as other users have. I have also been sexually active without condoms and no pregnancy, so they appear to work well. I am over 30 with PCOS, so progestin-only pills were my only option, and so far very pleased."

• Hal...
• November 25, 2020

"I've started taking this Jencycla BC because estrogen-based pills give me high blood pressure. I've been on it for about 2 years and haven't had any problems. Sometimes I get my period, sometimes I just spot, and other times not at all. No side effects for me, really. I take it at the exact same time every day as prescribed, and I have never gotten pregnant. You have to take it at the same time every day, or it won't work. Overall, 8/10."

• Dor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2021

"I literally just started taking this pill about a month and a half ago, and so far my anxiety has been much worse. I missed my period, I've had bad bloating, I felt sick to my stomach for a week, and to top everything off, I’ve gotten some sort of infection in my private area! I have NEVER in my life gotten an infection! I’m extremely unsatisfied with this pill, but my doctor refuses to put me on another one!"

• CCa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2020

"I am on my second pack of Jencycla and highly considering calling it quits. My periods were always 3-4 days prior to taking this pill, and the past month, my period lasted for 9 days and was heavy the entire time. My period stopped for 5 days, and now I'm bleeding again. In a little over a month, I've gained close to 5 lbs, my skin feels different, I have on/off depression and moodiness, and seriously, the random and constant cramping. Also, I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but I swear I can smell chemicals from my skin, and it only started once I started taking this birth control. It's a very noticeable and strong chemical smell that's especially strong on my hands. No amount of washing with soap gets rid of it. I'm giving this one more month, and if the side effects don't stop/slow down, I'm going to try a different pill."

• mac...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 7, 2022

"I've been on Jencycla for probably close to 2 years now. I was taken off of regular BC because I was prone to migraines. My old pills were perfect, did everything they needed to do; lessened cramps, regulated my period, and helped with acne. Since being on these pills, I feel like a different person. I have major mood swings, become super moody, my anxiety is at an all-time high, I have bloating, 0 sex drive, and my periods are all over the place (missing a period one month, then having three the next). I experience period symptoms all of the time (cramping, spotting, nausea), my hair is thinning, and I am always tired. I've talked to my doctor about other progestin-only options, and none of them sound any better. Honestly debating going off them altogether because the only benefit this pill has had is preventing pregnancy and only because I take it at the exact same time every day."

• Jah...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 12, 2018

"I've been in all different kinds of birth control since I was 14. They have all had horrible side effects. I started this BC after having my first daughter because I was breastfeeding. I have never experienced a single side effect. Due to insurance issues, I wasn't able to get this specific one, and they switched me to 'the same formula just a different brand.' It was a no-go!! I had mood swings and severe depression instantly. I only took it for like a month. Anyways, got insurance all sorted out and was able to get Jencycla again. No joke, guys, my depression has actually IMPROVED since being back on this mini pill. And still no side effects. I've been taking it for about 1.5 years total, with a small 3-month break. 10/10 would recommend."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 11, 2023

"This is awful. I am 25 years old, and this pill has made me gain over 20 pounds in half a year. I bleed every other week heavily, and it's never red anymore, it's always dark brown. I have terrible and extreme cramps, worse than I've ever had too! My acne is next-level bad, and a rash started appearing on my shoulders, chest, neck, and back. My skin is super dry and weird too. I had to go on this birth control because of my migraines, but I absolutely hate it. I have never had issues like I've had on this pill before. I will be trying to get on something else soon."

• ABC...
• January 12, 2016

"I decided to post a review to hopefully help anyone out there who's looking for info. Me: I'm 39, no kids, no other medications, alcohol only a few times per year. My results: The first two months I had irregular spotting and two periods a month lasting 4 to 5 days each (the periods were 2 weeks apart, so 4 in 2 months). After that, the next 6 months I have been very consistent, one period per month starting on the same day each month and only lasting about 5 days and no spotting in between. Breakouts have been more common in these 6 months just before my period starts, frustrating but controllable with sleep, a multivitamin, and an acne cream to help. I have not gained weight, but struggle losing it. No harsh or scary side effects so far."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 22, 2022

"I started this pill at my six-week postpartum mark after my second child. I’m 29 and never really had issues with my cycle. This is my first time using birth control since I was 17. I also take Bupropion, an SSRI, for PPD. I was feeling okay the first month. I got a normal cycle, with minimal cramping, but serious mood swings. The second cycle came, and the gates of hell emerged from my uterus. I honestly thought I had a miscarriage because I passed plum-sized clots for three days and felt like my uterus was put into a blender. I went to the hospital and had all the tests done, and they told me it was a heavy period. Well, I’m two months from that date, and I’ve not bled for maybe a week in three months. The cramps are bad, the mood swings are affecting my personal life, and I can’t seem to keep the bloating off. I have an appointment in a week to get it changed. I would absolutely not recommend this to anyone."

• Dog...
• October 6, 2020

"I’m 19 and was put on this birth control due to migraines I was experiencing with previous birth controls. This birth control threw off my pH balance, which caused me to have a lot of discharge and many yeast infections, which I never had before this. I also do not get my period on this birth control, which I didn’t like."

• Bel...
• October 28, 2016

"I have been on Jencycla for 3 weeks now, and I really like it so far. I have used the pull-out method since I got married 14 years ago, and it always worked... until it didn't. I have always been scared of birth control pills due to the side effects. I tried several, and they all made me very emotional and depressed, so I stopped. I was worried this mini pill would do the same, and it actually did the opposite. I am a very needy emotional person, and within a week of taking them, my mood did change, but I am now not emotional, I am happy. I am a little bit more bitchy, but that doesn't bother me. I did feel nauseous the first week, but that subsided. I haven't yet gained weight, since I was expecting weight gain, I started dieting, and that helped."

• Pea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2021

"Well, I ended up starting this birth control, Jencycla, on November 6th, 2020, because I found out my old birth control pills (Alysena) were affecting my liver more as it contains estrogen (I have NAFLD), and I was taking it for 5 years. Starting Jencycla, everything was going okay, I felt a little better, but after a month, I started getting confused a lot, and of course thought it was normal as I was starting a new pill, right? Wrong. Curiosity got the best of me, 1 1/2 months into the pill, come to find out this is a severe side effect of this pill. Since finding out, I have stopped taking it, and I haven't gotten a period the 2 1/2 months I've been on it either. I am hoping everything will go back to normal within the next few weeks, until then, I am 100% done with any form of birth control! My overall experience: 0/10."

• Ani...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 22, 2020

"I've been taking Jencycla for 6 weeks, and oh my, it is the worst thing ever. I have broken out in these little bumps all over my body, especially on my neck, and they itch really bad. I haven't had a period, but according to the test I took, I'm not pregnant. It makes me kind of nauseous and made my skin break out. I read online that this is just when you first start taking it. I can't do this anymore, I am not going to wait around for it to stop doing this. I'm too itchy and miserable, and I'm just going to stop taking it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2023

"I have been taking this birth control for about 2 and a half months now, and it’s been very hard to not call it quits. Before being on this birth control, my periods were very normal and perfect timing every month. As soon as I started this birth control, I have been what feels like constantly bleeding or spotting. I have gotten 2 periods each month that have lasted over a week long, and then only have had a week in between where I’m not bleeding. Then I start bleeding again. It is so inconvenient to be constantly bleeding. I am hoping it sorts itself out within the next month or two, but if it doesn’t, I am calling it quits. I’ve started taking this for the awful cramps I used to get with my periods, which have been better since being on it, but it has given me more migraines and more bleeding, so I don’t know if there is a win there."

• Mix...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 20, 2024

"I have had both a positive and negative experience with Jencycla. I was prescribed this BC to prevent the onset of migraines. The first two days were pretty bad but bearable. I woke up numerous times throughout the night and felt pretty dizzy. But my body quickly adjusted after that. The worst side effect is that I can’t feel a thing during sex. It’s like my senses are numbed. And climaxing is extremely painful. The upside to this pill is that it's helped my mood tremendously throughout the day. I feel way less anxious oddly enough and I feel like my mood has been stabilized. I still don’t think it’s worth continuing unfortunately. I say give it a try because everyone has a different experience. I’m just thankful it didn’t make me sick."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 26, 2020

"Jencycla has been the worst birth control I've ever been on. My hair is so freaking thin near the front of my head since I started taking it, getting yeast infections, periods come sooner than expected, cramps, mood swings, weight gain. I'm switching pills now and hope my hair grows back and can feel confident again."

• Oct...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2023

"I've been on the pill for 9 months now, and there are upsides and downsides. For me, the pill is very effective. This may be TMI, but I just want to get straight to the point: I've had unprotected sex many times on the pill with the other person finishing inside me, and so far I have not gotten pregnant. With that being said, I am very good at taking the pill at the exact same time each day, and even with perfect use of the medication, there is still a risk of pregnancy, so I would recommend using condoms as well for your peace of mind. But basically, my main point is that if you take this pill as instructed, it should be very effective. On the downside, I have light bleeding at least half the time since I've been on the pill, yet I don't get an actual period like I used to. This is very annoying, and has also caused some anxiety as I don't have an actual period to confirm I'm not pregnant (but I have gotten tests done at my doctor's so that's how I know I'm babyless). Effective yet annoying side effect."

• Mot...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 18, 2020

"I’ve been on this Jencycla pill for a year now. Chose this one because I wanted to breastfeed my newborn. This is the first time I use birth control, so I don't know how to compare it to other pills, but I honestly feel like this caused me postpartum depression. I feel on edge most days and really overall depression. I didn’t think it was the pill, but upon doing more research, I found that maybe it has been the pill messing with my overall mental health. I’ve gained a tremendous amount of weight. I eat like I normally would over the years, but I feel like after starting the pill, weight just packed on easier. And yeah, I also don’t feel motivation to do much around the house, I think that comes from the depression. I was waiting for a full year of using it to pass to really be able to see if I liked it. I haven’t gotten pregnant since being on it. So that works fine, but at the cost of my mental health and physical health, lol."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2023

"I have been on Jencycla for 4 months, and I'm about to throw it away. My periods have been all over the place. The first month was a normal period, the second month was very light, then I have had some sort of period (bleeding or spotting) about every 2 weeks. It's so unpredictable. My sex drive is ZERO!!!! I have always lost a lot of hair, but I lose so much hair since being on this. My skin has always been normal, but now it's so oily. I feel like I've had a huge zit somewhere on my face for four months. I feel like I've gained weight, but the scale has stayed the same. I always feel bloated. It did help with cramps and breast tenderness, though. I think I’m just going to go back to the pull-out method."

• MsK...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2019

"This birth control is garbage, and I don’t recommend anyone take it unless you don’t care about getting pregnant. I used this pill, Jencycla, exactly on time every day for 4 months, and now I’m pregnant again. I’m beyond mad, thankfully, I’m married and not single. Please stay away from generic candy."

• OAP...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 17, 2020

"I've been using this Jencycla birth control for two and a half years, and my experience has been relatively positive. I am prone to migraines, so the doctor gave me a progesterone-only pill, and it's been very effective at stopping pregnancy (which is my main reason for using it), but it doesn't offer many other benefits. My skin hasn't really improved, but it hasn't gotten any worse either, weight stayed the same, and mood wasn't affected. The first two or so months on it, I was definitely tired and sluggish, but my body got used to it. One side effect I don't really like is that every three or four months, my period will be about two weeks late. At first, this definitely scared me, but it's happened a few times now, so I anticipate it."

• Mrs...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 11, 2015

"I was on this for 10-11 months. Worked great at preventing pregnancy, but caused acne, severe anxiety, chest pain, tiredness, bloating, and just an overall blah feeling. The chest pain and anxiety were enough for me. I couldn't take it anymore. My doctor switched me to this pill because of high blood pressure, but I think this pill made it worse than the combined pill. I am done with birth control and it taking over my body!"

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2021

"I got a boyfriend and wanted to start taking birth control, so my gyno put me on this one due to the fact I get migraines and being close to 35 y/o. This pill has been the absolute worst. I had a period that was the worst period of my life. I bled so heavily for 6 days. Went 6 days and then started bleeding again. Currently bleeding now, 5th day of bleeding. My mood has been horrible. I can't stand myself. Bloating is terrible. I just threw my pills in the trash. No more."