Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, page 144

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.

Subj: Afraid of gaining weight
Date: 10/27/2009
I havent yet taken the Ortho Tri Cyclen lo yet, and I will be taking it the following Sunday of my period, but everyone has different side-effects from the lo. I’m afraid that I will gain weight, and have bad acne, which I’ve been hearing that it might, but everyone is different so should I not worry as much or should I see where it goes when I start taking it.

Maria

AskDocWeb: Some women report losing weight while on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. It is possible that you could be one of them but you won’t know untill you try it.

Subj: Shortness of breath
Date: 10/27/2009
I have been on otro tri cyclen lo for about 3 years now. I smoke marijuana regularly but rolled in blunt wraps. Just about 3 weeks ago I started having shortness of breath, like my lungs can’t expand as much as they should when I’m going for a deep breath. My chest hurts and my back when I take a deep breath. I was wondering if this is happening because of the pill. I don’t know if I should switch. This is the only pill that I’ve tried since HS.

Yali

AskDocWeb: We would classify that as “difficulty breathing” and it is one of the warning signs that should be reported to your doctor. Please do that.

Subj: Should I be worried
Date: 10/27/2009
I’ve been on TriNessa for about a month now and I started having unprotected sex 6 days after starting it. I’m on the second day of the green reminder pills and haven’t had my period. Should I be worried about pregnancy? I’ve been taking the pills everyday at the same time.

Artemis

AskDocWeb: The instructions say to use a backup form of birth control during the first seven (7) days. Not following the instruction is a cause for concern. Although the chance of being pregnant is small, it is still a real possibility.

Subj: Proceed with extreme caution
Date: 10/27/2009
In 2000 in my early 30s, I was switching from Depo Provera to Ortho Tricyclen under the care of my doctor after having my two children when I was stricken with DVT that I shouldn’t have survived except for the care of my internist and a vascular surgeon who simply would not give up on me despite all the initial bad decisions of the emergency care team. On the Depo, I had weight gain and was having to drive monthly to another town to have my heart checked as a recommended precaution while on the Depo, though I had no prior history. All users of either of these meds should proceed with extreme caution. I believe the medical field needs to begin more rigorous routine testing for blood clotting factors in BC takers. That incident created lots of long term complications, a lifetime on blood thinners, and I was no longer able to have children in the prime of my life. I had always hoped for one, maybe two more.

K

Subj: Different type of packaging?
Date: 10/28/2009
I started taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo as prescribed by my gynecologist and took it for 5 months without any problems. It cleared my skin, I felt great and my periods were on time to the day! I even slept normally. I lost my insurance and continued care with Planned Parenthood who gave me Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo in a white packaging which was different than the yellow packaging that I received from my gyno. I’ve read the information on both packets and they are identical (as far as the amount of which hormone is in each type of pill measured in milligrams). Since I’ve been on the white packaged pill, I’ve experienced breakthrough bleeding, headaches, acute nausea, and I am more lethargic than normal. Could this be a result of the different type of packaging? Or is it merely my body reacting differently than normal. I am 19 so my body should be fairly done with wacky hormonal episodes…. or am I completely wrong?! Please help, I would greatly appreciate it.

Beth

AskDocWeb: What you describe sounds like what may happen when changing to a new birth control pill. Since the pills are supposed to be the same, there may be something else going on. We would check back with Planned Parenthood to find out.

Subj: Ortho Lo
Date: 10/28/2009
I have been on ortho lo for almost 2 year’s. I have gained 23lbs my breast are huge now and hurt alot. The head aches I get happen in two diffrent part’s of my pill pack. They were barable at first but just kept getting worse. I have NEVER been this heavy exept 8 months pregnate. I have stayed on ortho lo for so long cause I didnt get moody but 1 day a pack. It’s just not worth it though I get sick easy I always have a head ache, my sex drive is still good but I dont have the energy I did have. Plus I just cant stand the weight and extra breast. My skin and hair are in worse shape by far since I started taking it. I was on depo and then mercett 28 both made me really moody and depo gained weight as well I lost when I stopped depo and was 112LBS again. Then with this I’m 132LBS. I’m going to try and get on something else and hope for the best. I dont want to be all moody emotional but I’m tired of feeling sick or having a head ache. Oh, and the muscle cramp’s with this are crazy plus the price of it has increased and increased just in the almost 2 year’s I have been on it. Wish me luck

Stephanie

AskDocWeb: Good luck Stephanie. The price of many drugs seems to have increased in the past year.

Subj: Ortho Tri-cyclen recall?
Date: 10/30/2009
I just got the pill but haven’t taken it yet, I’m trying to find out if Ortho Tri-cyclen has had a recall on it?

Sapphira

AskDocWeb: The last recall, that we are aware of, occurred in 2005. That was for one of the generic equivalents of Ortho Tri-cyclen, Tri-Nessa.

Subj: All the pills?
Date: 10/30/2009
Do you have to finish all of the pills so it can work.

Monica

AskDocWeb: Yes, if you follow the instruction, you have to take one pill each day every day.

Subj: Hair loss from stopping Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo
Date: 11/1/2009
I recently stopped taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo after only one month and am experiencing hair loss. Every time I wash and comb my hair I get about a fist full. I read from your website that when you stop it you can experience hair loss because of a hormone imbalance. My boyfriend is oversees for a year and I didn’t feel the need to take it. Has anyone that has experienced hair loss after stopping it, started it again and ended the hair loss. I was not having any side effects on it, but wondered if I should start it again to stop the hair loss?

Kendra

AskDocWeb: You aren’t the only one who is upset about losing hair after discontinuing that birth control pill. There may be women who stopped their hair loss when they restarted using Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo but none have posted here about it. The excessive hair loss is likely to stop within three months as your hormones level out.

Subj: Could I be pregnant?
Date: 11/2/2009
I am on deop about to get me second shot. But I went to the dentist and they put me and antib called amoxil. and I stared spottin and it last for to weeks but it was just spotting then I had nausea and my breast are sore and nausea and vomiting. Could I be pregnant? I took a hpt and it said negative but it still may be too early to tell.

Kayla

AskDocWeb: With those home pregnancy tests, sometimes you have to do two tests a week apart in order to get an accurate result.

Subj: Topamax and birth control pills
Date: 11/2/2009
I was on depo for four years, caused me terrible migrains but I dealt my mom wouldn’t let me off the shot and I wasn’t 18. When I turned 18 I got the Inplanon it was great except I gained a TON of weight…and am over the BMI for it and it wasn’t effective after a year and a half. I then tried to get the Copper IUD (even though I haven’t had kids) my body pushed it out…my dr put me on Ortho Tri-cyclen lo. I had pretty strange but severe pain in my hip upper leg area, and was almost blind. I couldn’t even drive during the day. I took it for 18 days and stopped. Now she told me diaphram…I am not fond. I want something that I dont have to say hey stop let me shove this thing up there… What else is there…I feel like she has kind of given up and I don’t know what to do? Oh and I am on Topomax for Migraines..which I see every website say it affects the effectiveness of birth control but she tells me it doesn’t and my pharmacy also tells me it doesn’t. Is that weird?

Justine

AskDocWeb: We have read that Topamax reduces the effectiveness of birth control pills only when the dosage is above 200mgs a day. You may want to talk to your neurologist about other alternatives if you take more than that.

Subj: Velivet and hair loss
Date: 11/2/2009
I’ve been taking Velivet for about 2-3 months. One of the side effects is listed as “loss of scalp hair” and my hair seems to be quickly leaving my head every time I wash my hair (or touch it…) The problem seemed to go away for a while, but now it’s back. Will this issue go away as my body adjusts to the pill? Or should I get a different one? I was on Ortho Lo w/ no problems, but my insurance wouldn’t cover a non-generic anymore. Is there something comparable I can try? I can’t take regular Ortho.

Sara

AskDocWeb: There are no reports of hair loss going away after the body adjusts to Velivet. Your doctor will be able to suggest comparable pills but you may also want to explore alternative birth control methods and combination methods such as the Fertility Awareness Method. This is actually a way to get more in touch with your body and take control of your fertility.

Subj: Could I be pregnant?
Date: 11/2/2009
I am on othro cyclen and I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend about 5 days ago and he got off inside me. I already had my period nine days ago. I woke up and I am bleeding a little bit could I be pregnant?

Raven

AskDocWeb: If you have been using the Ortho Cyclen correctly for more than seven days on the day you had sex then the chance of being pregnant is very small.

Subj: Really moody
Date: 11/2/2009
I have been on BC for a few years for my periods. I was just wondering if BC makes you really moody, because I have mood swings more often than not.

Tiffany

AskDocWeb: Both depression and mood swings are widely reported with most birth control pills.

Subj: Twice pregnant while on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo
Date: 11/3/2009
I have been on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo for about 5 years now. I have never had a problem with it. It actually gave me lighter shorter periods, no bloating, headaches, no weight gain etc. The only problem is that in the 5 years I’ve been on it I’ve been pregnant TWICE!!! I’m not one of the girls that forgets to take their pill, I take it faithfully at the same time everyday and I always have. I am now 12 weeks pregnant. When I asked my new doctor about it she informed me that Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo tends to have a lower effective rate than the regular Ortho Tri Cyclen, for some reason. She told me that she doesn’t even recommend that type of pill. I wish I would have know that 5 years and two pregnancies ago. I will not be going back on this pill once I have the baby.

Sam

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