Jencycla and Bleeding: What Users Say

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

For Birth Control "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?"

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

For Birth Control "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."

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

For Birth Control "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."

• Shi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2023

"This pill had changed my life! After suffering for nearly three years with unbelievable childbirth-level pain with each cycle and taking a ridiculous amount of Advil each month, I decided to try this pill. The first month had some unpredictable light bleeding, and I would have a light headache each evening (not too bad at all). After that, the headaches went away, and when I get my period, it's very, very light with very, very mild cramping, and sometimes I don't get a period at all. For me, this is a major life change. No more crazy pain, no more destroying my body with pain meds. I've been on it for over 4 months now. I take this pill in the evening at EXACTLY the same time. I can't tell you how happy I am to have found it. I no longer spend hours online trying to find something that will help with my adeno and endo pain. I hope it works for you too!"

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

For Birth Control "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."

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

For Birth Control "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."

• Ker...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 2, 2022

For Birth Control "I started taking Tricyclen-Lo at 17 years old due to heavy, irregular bleeding. That pill worked perfectly for me for ten years. I had zero issues, and my period was like clockwork while on it. However, I noticed the last couple of years while on it that I would randomly get migraines with aura a few times a year, so I told my doctor. She said my options were the mini pill or the IUD. I absolutely am not okay with the idea of a device being stuck in me for years, so I opted for the mini pill (Jencycla). The first 1.5 years on this pill were horrible. I bled for almost the entire month straight when I first switched. I developed cystic acne (never had acne in my life before), and I was constantly paranoid about my period because it would come multiple times a month as it pleased. It's almost been 4 years now since I started Jencycla, and the last two years roughly have been pretty good. My body finally regulated my cycle, give or take a few days, but I no longer worry about getting my period randomly."

• XxQ...
• May 31, 2021

For Birth Control "I decided in 2021 to get back on birth control, and I ended up having high blood pressure when I went to the doctor to get on it (I’m sure that was from nerves because I’ve checked it 100+ times since, and it’s been fine). But they gave me Jencycla due to me having high blood pressure. I have been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo in the past for 6+ years, and it was perfect. I started Jencycla, and the first month was fine. I even ovulated on it (I have severe pains when I ovulate, completely normal for me). Anyway, the first month on it was okay. The period I had after taking it the first month was pretty rough, I had clots, lots of them. Well, my period finally ended. I was blood-free for about 4 days, then BOOM, out of nowhere I started bleeding. HEAVY. On cycle day 11, I should NOT be bleeding at all. I’m on CD 14 and still bleeding. When I should be ovulating, I’m bleeding. I have had severe stomach cramps after taking the pill the past few days. I have not felt like myself at all. I’m calling it quits on Jencycla."

• Rec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2022

For Birth Control "I had a terrible reaction to this drug. Due to the discontinuation of Micronor, I was given a prescription for Jencycla. While I had hoped to experience the same level of comfort that Micronor provided (no pain, minimal bleeding), I ended up with 7-8 days of bleeding instead of 5. While on Jencycla, I was passing blood clots for the first five days of my period. I had to change my overnight pads every hour, especially during the day. The severe bleeding caused me to stain my clothes, my office chairs, my bed sheets, and even my mattress. I stopped taking the drug after 4.5 months on the advice of my pharmacist, despite the skepticism of my GP, a man who was so doubtful that I almost asked him if he had a uterus to trivialize certain things. I am better now: less tired because no more blood clots and heavy flows, less pain because of fewer uterine contractions to let clots pass."

• Rec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2022

"I had a terrible reaction to this drug. Due to the discontinuation of Micronor, I was given a prescription for Jencycla. While I had hoped to experience the same level of comfort that Micronor provided (no pain, minimal bleeding), I ended up with 7-8 days of bleeding instead of 5. While on Jencycla, I was passing blood clots for the first five days of my period. I had to change my overnight pads every hour, especially during the day. The severe bleeding caused me to stain my clothes, my office chairs, my bed sheets, and even my mattress. I stopped taking the drug after 4.5 months on the advice of my pharmacist (a woman), despite the skepticism of my GP, a man. I am better now: less tired because no more blood clots and heavy flows, less pain because less uterine contractions to let clots pass. Only plus: the drug lessens the psychological symptoms of my PMDD."

• Tin...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 2, 2022

For Birth Control "I’ve been on this birth control for over a year now, and here’s my experience. I had switched over from my old birth control, which was a combination pill, but got off that because of major headaches. The first 6 months on this pill were not bad at all. No headaches, I felt normal, but the only downside was that I felt very emotionless, I still do at times. I find I became very nonchalant towards a lot of things, and I do believe it is from the birth control. The first 6 months, I had a very irregular cycle and still do. My period would come for about 7 days, then it would be gone for 2 months, and so on. After being on it for a bit over 6 months, my cycle started to become more irregular. I had no period for about 3 months, and then suddenly I got my period, and that period lasted a total of 15 days. The last few days were spotting, but still, the bleeding didn’t completely stop after day 15. Since then, I get very irregular bleeding and spotting out of nowhere. I do bleed sometimes after sex."

• Rox...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2020

For Birth Control "Abnormal and continuous bleeding, even with a regular on-time intake."

• Orl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 5, 2022

For Birth Control "For the first 6 months on this, I didn't see my period. Eventually, my period came, I bled for 4 days. Then the next month, I'm bleeding for a whole month. Calling my Dr tomorrow, it's scaring me."