Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, page 11

About Ortho Tri-cyclen®

If you’ve used Ortho Tri-cyclen®, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history. You can use the form below to add your comments, feedback or Ortho Tri-cyclen® review.

Subj: Acne and birth control
Date: 11/24/2004
I am curious about yasmin and acne. I do not break out. when I was on depo for 6 months…I broke out. I switched to ortho evra for 2 weeks and my skin got worse. I am now going to try yamin. I thought yasmin is supposed to have the lowest angrogenic activity…leading to the lowest acne. If this does not work, I am going to try otho-tri-cyclen. Have any advice?

Lai

Subj: 6 months of mood swings
Date: 11/27/2004
I have been on ortho- tricyclen -lo for about 6 months now and I am experiencing strange mood swings. One minute I am fine the next I’m very anxious. I have a very hard time wearing my contacts, they bother me through the day and really dry my eyes out. I feel I am at my wits end. Should I stop taking the pills and go to the doctor or should I wait it out?

Tammi

AskDocWeb: Most women report that their body adjusts and things stabilize by the end of the third month. Please talk to your doctor about this.

Subj: Had it with Ortho Lo
Date: 11/29/2004
I have been on Ortho Lo for about 7 weeks and I am going to quit taking them. I have absolutely no desire for sex, I am irritable and emotional. I also have had depression. I will find something else to use for BC besides this hormone stuff. I took regular ortho in the past and it was OK but I have had it. Not recommended.

Michelle

Subj: Long-term effects of the pill
Date: 12/1/2004
I took ortho tri-cyclen for one year. A month into taking it, I experienced great mood swings, put on weight, had strange painful cramps in my abdomen, slept poorly, had to urinate constantly, had extreme thirst and developed eczema on my hands. After a year on the pill, the eczema covered my hands entirely and then spread to other parts of my body. Two months after deciding to stop taking the pill, I developed a yeast infection and peri-anal itching, and continued flare-ups of eczema which have remained with me for the past 5 years! I have taken every over and under the counter drug for yeast infections, had HIV/AIDS test-which is negative, seen a variety of natural health care doctors, all trying to treat this intense candida overgrowth in my body which I cannot seem to surmount (not to mention the eczema). I get plenty of exercise, have an incredible diet full of live and organic foods, and am happy. All the doctors I have seen point to the pill as the cause of all this. Has anyone else experienced such longterm residual effects of the pill?

H

Subj: Bad experience with Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo
Date: 12/2/2004
I switched 4 months ago from Ortho Cyclen to Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo in hopes of lighting my period. Since the switch, I had about 2 days of depression and mood swings ( not like me! ) before my period, but it was lightened quite a bit, so to my husband’s dismay I decided to continue use. About 4 weeks ago, I started having severe and constant headaches which I am not prone to get. Went to Dr.’s, they gave me pain meds and chalked it up to allergies. The next day pain was so severe Dr. told me to go to the ER. I was given an IV of 2mg of dilauded (sp?), valium and a steroid which after 3 hours brought down the pain but not take it away. Percocet was prescribed…still didn’t do it. Next night, back at the ER given an IV of pain meds again and this time, after a CTI and MRI came up clear we started with the notion that it could possibly be the pill. Spent the next week being pulled off of Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and all doctors (Neuro, OBGYN, and Internist) believe now that the pill has been the cause of this 3 going on 4 week migraine. I have never had a pain or experience like this before and I have been of the pill for 10 days now and the head pain is finally starting to decrease. I had never had a problem with a birth control pill before (6 years), but after this experience with OTCL, I have decided to never go back onto any type of birth control pill again. This kills me to do so, but I NEVER want to go though something like this again!

Jennifer

Subj: Am I pregnant?
Date: 12/2/2004
I was just wondering what effect ortho tri cyclen has when you stop taking it because I have taken it for about 2 years and have missed a month on it before and got my period the month that I didn’t take it and now I haven’t had my period since October 25. Am I pregnant or what is going on?

Amber

AskDocWeb: Yes, you could be pregnant, get a pregnancy test to find out.

Subj: Not recommended
Date: 12/6/2004
I was on Orth Tri Cylen for about 5 years and then switched to Lo. I always take my pills at the same time every day. My period was 2 weeks late. When that period ended it returned a nine days later and I have been on my period for 12 days now. I would not recommend it, It has completely messed up my cycle.

Shannon

Subj: 11 years on Ortho
Date: 12/7/2004
I always liked Ortho – it was great for my skin. I took Ortho for years and the only side effects I had were tender breasts and large clot like chunks in my menstrual flow and this was after I had been on it for about 3 years. I went off it for about a year but found that my skin went to hell, so I went back on it and haven’t had any side effects in the last 3 years. I am currently off it for 5 weeks, but I have yet to get my period (despite 2 negative pregnancy tests)so I guess after being on the Pill for 11 years, my body has gone into shock or something…

TM

Subj: Changed from Ortho-Tricyclen to Ortho Tricyclen Lo
Date: 12/7/2004
I took Ortho-Tricyclen for 13 months. I hated it at first: I was moody, always hungry and generally crazy. After 4 months, my emotions stabilized some and my weight stopped increasing.

I switched to Ortho-Tricyclen Lo 2 months ago because I wanted to be on fewer hormones just out of principal. The first month I had a daily headache behind my eye that made me sensitive to light. These only lasted for 30 min. but they were awful. I quit caffeine a year ago and the pain was similar to the withdrawals I had.

Anyway, the headaches have disappeared- Phew! My skin breaks out little more however, and my weight has gone up again slightly. I am not as emotional as I was before. My main gripe about Ortho Tricyclen Lo is that it is SO EXPENSIVE and I wish the cost would go down. My insurance doesn’t cover more than a couple bucks of my birth control (I’m sure it covers Viagra). Is there a generic Ortho Tricyclen Lo? Thanks to all of you for posting, it’s very hard to find input about these drugs besides that given by the multi billion dollar drug companies.

Sara

AskDocWeb: There is no generic for Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo, at least not yet.

Subj: Weight loss
Date: 12/8/2004
I was on ortho tri-cyclen for two years. Within those two years, I noticed a little weight gain. I have been off the pill since the beginning of September, and I have notice that I have lost about five to seven pounds. Is that normal? On the pill I weighed between 124lbs – 129lbs. Now I’m between 118lbs – 123lbs.

Mary

AskDocWeb: It sound like you just lost the pounds that ortho put on you. Congratulations.

Subj: Problem with cramping
Date: 12/8/2004
I had a baby 9 weeks ago, got my first period on dec.1st and it lasted 3 days and I was told to start the ortho trcyclen lo on Sunday if I had my period or not, so I did and my period is over but I am having cramping like I am getting it again or something, no bleeding yet but I am wondering if it is a side effect of the pill? Anyone have any probs with this?

Amanda

Subj: Not the only one having problems with Ortho Lo
Date: 12/8/2004
I thought I was just going crazy but I feel so much better knowing I’m not the only one having problems with Ortho Lo. I’ve been on it for eight months now and my periods are more irregular than when I first started my period 11 years ago! Before I started on Lo, I never really suffered mood swings. Now they’re rampant. And the mid-cycle spotting is driving me crazy. I feel like I have to wear a liner every day now “just in case”. I was on the regular ortho for over a year before this and never had a single complaint. I’m going to ask my doctor to switch me back because the Lo is just not working for me…

Janelle

Subj: Switched to Ortho Tricyclen LO
Date: 12/9/2004
I was using a generic form of ortho tricyclen for three months. I had no problems except the major mood swings and was switched to ortho tricyclen LO. I haven’t had the mood problems but my first period was very short and light. This month I’m on my 5th day of the placebo and haven’t had a period yet. Is this normal?

Jenni

AskDocWeb: If you read some of the other feedback about Ortho Lo you will find that irregular periods seem to be common with Lo.

Subj: Affects of Depo
Date: 12/9/2004
I was on depo shot for 5 1/2years, I went off and had my third child. I then went back on depo shot at 6 week check. That was 5 years ago. I have to have a bone mass test done, severe body and bone pain depression, anxiety you name it. My doctor just put me on lexapro to counter act some of the side affects that depo can cause. Once my bone mass test is done they will decide if I should stay on depo. I’ve had cervical cancer and some pills I can not take. I haven’t been able to sleep and when I do you need a cattle prod to get me up. Hoping lexapro will help. We all must remember putting anything into our bodies will affect us all differently and different at different times in our lives. Hang in there everyone.

Pansy

Subj: Can’t take any more
Date: 12/10/2004
I’ve was on ortho lo for 3 1/2 months. The doctors kept saying give it more time before you stop taking it – here’s 3 more months worth. Problem was I couldn’t stop crying and I was having insanely high mood swings. Yes, the way bigger boobs and the ability not to worry were great and I didn’t even mind the fact that I had breast tenderness (had to I jumped like 1 1/2 cup sizes almost reaching 2) but I don’t think my sanity can take anymore.

S

Subj: More from S
Date: 12/14/2004
I have been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for one year. I have now realized that the symptoms I have been having may have been from the pill, and I just stopped taking it last night to find out. I get very nauseous from this pill (ESPECIALLY after the first one), headaches, HUGE boobs (and no, this is not a fun thing to carry around! Also, anxiety-type feelings and depression.

SS

Subj: Late taking the pill
Date: 12/17/2004
I am scared that I may have gotten pregnant. My BF and I were fooling around and next thing you know we both had our clothes off and he was rubbing his penis over my vagina. I know that there was pre-cum and I am wondering if I could possible be pregnant. Granted we never actually had intercourse, I am still scared since he rubbed me with his penis. I am on the pill and have been on it for about 4mo. Last month I kept missing the pill at the normal time but have begun to get back on it normally this month. I usually take the pill @ 1pm but I forgot this day and took it @ 4pm. Will this increase my chances of possibly being pregnant?

Kate

AskDocWeb: You can relax, taking your pill at 4 PM instead of 1 PM will not change the effectiveness of your birth control. You should be just fine.

Subj: Switching to lo?
Date: 12/19/2004
I was on ortho tri for 7 years, and I loved it. I was having minor occasional breakthrough bleeding, so my doc switched me to lo. Out of nowhere, I became moody, snappy, and I cry at the drop of a hat. I have always been such a fun happy person, and I am nothing close to that right now. I have almost ruined my relationship with my boyfriend, and I am so happy to hear that other women have been going through similar things on the lo. I am going back to regular ortho tri, and I can’t wait to be myself again. To anyone thinking about switching to lo, save yourself the pain and stick with the original.

Becky

Subj: Breakthrough bleeding
Date: 12/21/2004
I’ve been on tri-cyclen for about 8 months now and have enjoyed the regular, shorter periods and well as clearer skin. But have also noticed mood swings and bouts of depression. I recently switched from the 21 to the 28 packs and started spotting a week before my period should be. I’m not sure what the cause of this is, or maybe I do and just don’t want to know.

K

AskDocWeb: Breakthrough bleeding is normal for the first three months of starting a new birth control. Read more feedback


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