Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, page 146

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: Breast enlargement
Date: 11/16/2009
Is there any birth control pills that will cause more breast enlargement than the others?

Mary

AskDocWeb: Most birth control pills contain estrogen, a naturally occurring hormone and one of the side effects of estrogen is breast growth. The breasts also grow in preparation for milk production during pregnancy. In this case the body is flooded with natural progesterone. Progestins mimic this hormone, but birth control pills don’t induce lactation. They also cannot cause permanent breast enlargement. The increase in breast size from birth control pills differs for every woman. Some report barely noticeable swelling while others experience growth of more than a cup size. You should note that the breasts remain larger only as long as drugs containing estrogen and progestin are taken.

Subj: Could I be pregnant?
Date: 11/17/2009
I just started Ortho low about 2.5 weeks ago. My doctor advised me to start taking the pills the day I got them and after 7 days they would become effective. However when I was on Yasmin years ago I always was informed to start the pills on the Sunday after my period. I informed by doc of the previous Sunday starts I was used to. But she once again said just to start them the day I got them and 7 days later I would be protected. Obviously the pill packet says otherwise. I did as my doc told me, and started having sex without a condom on day 8 or so. (I was told I was protected by my doc) Now about halfway through the pill pack I’m having slight brownish and light bleeding and cramping. Is this normal? Could I be pregnant? What should I do?

Melissa

AskDocWeb: This was just covered, please see the answer for Shayla previous page.

Subj: Bad reaction?
Date: 11/18/2009
I’m on ortho tri cyclen one day my spec was slur and I was sweating and very nauseous and my arms and legs were numb. Is that a bad reaction I had to it? And is there another birth control I can get on?

Sharon

AskDocWeb: That reaction sounds bad enough that it should be reported to your doctor as soon as possible. And yes, there are other birth controls.

Subj: Anybody else made this switch?
Date: 11/19/2009
Switching from depo because of horrible side effects to ortho tri cyclen lo. Has anybody else made this switch & what changes, good or bad, have you noticed?

Latrese

Subj: Ortho Tri Cyclen lo and acne
Date: 11/21/2009
I was on Alesse for about four months which made me break out horribly in weird cyst like pimples on the cheeks. I switched to Ortho Tri Cyclen lo on the gyno’s advise that it would stop the breakouts because of the androgen levels. I have one week left of active pills on my second cycle and my face is still breaking out pretty badly. After the first month, my face was clearing so I though there was hope with this new pill but I have spend the entire month since my period breaking out badly. Before going on the pill I had a pimple or 2 here or there when I got my period but nothing like this. How long does it usually take for your body to get used to the pill and stop breaking out? I don’t know if to go in for another pill, stop taking this one all together or wait it out?

Ms.

AskDocWeb: The Physician’s Desk Reference has a list of the non-contraceptive benefits of Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo but no acne benefit is listed.

Subj: Horrible symptoms with the Ortho Lo plus pregnancy
Date: 11/21/2009
Hi. I’m 23. I have a 2 year old daughter and just found out that I am 10 weeks pregnant (didnt miss any periods, I just didnt feel right and took a test.) Here’s the thing, I have been on ortho-tricyclen Lo for well over a year. I took them on time (10 am everyday) and didnt take any antibiotics. I am not married. The father of my daughter left me long ago and I been with my longterm boyfriend since my daughter was born. (we also dated for about 3 years before we split and I got pregnant the first time.) Now am I faced with explaining this to my family. Can anyone give me the statistics regarding the pregnancy rate associated with Ortho Lo? Also, I had all those horrible symptoms with the Ortho Lo (depression, mood swings, zero sex drive, irritability, anxiety) I attributed most of them to the anxiety disorder I have, but obviously, it was related to the pill.

Melody

AskDocWeb: According to the PDR one tenth of one percent of those using combination pills like Ortho Lo experience a pregnancy in the first year of use.

Subj: Pain on my right side right
Date: 11/22/2009
Hi, I’ve been taking Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo for about a month now and the first 4 day after I started the pill I had unprotected sex. I read that there’s a possibility that I might get pregnant, but it’s been a month and my period is here. I haven’t taken a pregnancy test yet, but my breast are very sore, my stomach hurt off and on so does my back. I have little appetite and now I’m getting a pain on my right side right below my rib cage and it only hurts when I touch a certain area. I know it’s not gas pain because the pain feels like if I was hit by something. I had that pain there for about 2 weeks and I will like to know is it possible that I might be pregnant.

Nicha-Marie

AskDocWeb: A pain that doesn’t go away should be checked by your health care professional. It could indicate an infection or condition that could require medical care.

Subj: Ortho-Tri-Lo
Date: 11/23/2009
I’m 21 and I’ve been on Ortho-Tri-Lo for 5 years now (28 days, Wednesday starter). And I’ve taken it religiously for the most part. There’s been a few times a year here and there I miss a pill, but it’s no biggy. Before I got on the pill, I had extremely irregular periods and the worst cramps ever. There were days I couldn’t even go to school because I was curled up into a ball, holding my abdomen for hours. Absolutely nothing would help but time. After getting on the pill, my cramps lightened up and my periods became very regular. Though for the first few years they still lasted Thursday through Wednesday.

In the last year, my periods have actually become a lot lighter now even, (where when I first started, the flow would be light or heavy every other time or so) not to mention they only last Saturday through Tues or Wednesday now. I have not gained any weight. I’m about 5’3″ and I’ve weighed between 112 and 118 since I was 13 years old. I recently got married and though we don’t plan on trying for children for a few years, I’m already getting nervous about going off Ortho-Tri-Lo. I can’t imagine what will happen when I do. Anyway, I feel like one of the lucky ones because, I’ve heard a lot of bad things about this pill, but it’s done amazing things for me!

Jess

Subj: Spotting the last week of pills
Date: 11/23/2009
Hi I have been taking Tri Cyclen for over two years and have noticed that on the last week of the pill (the green pills) I would have some spotting. Is this normal? This pill works best for me except for that issue.

S

AskDocWeb: Spotting during the last week of pills seems to be common. Although spotting may be unpleasant it is usually not a dangerous condition. Any kind of breakthrough bleeding that does not resolve on its own is a common reason for women to switch to a different pill formulation or even to a non-hormonal method of birth control.

Subj: New to Ortho Tri-Cyclen
Date: 11/25/2009
I’ve only been on ortho Tri-cyclen for about three weeks but so far I haven’t noticed any side effects, does that mean I’m not going to have any or could they come later? Also I’m a bit freaked out about the idea of possible hair loss. If you start losing your because of birth control, will going off it allow hair to grow back?

Whitney

AskDocWeb: It can take from three weeks to three full months for the body to adjust to a change in hormone levels. Side effects are more likely to show up in the first few weeks but can develop anytime, even a year or more later. The more time that passes without any problems, the less likely you are to have them.

Subj: Started taking tri cyclen lo
Date: 11/25/2009
Hi, started taking tri cyclen lo from the 3rd day of my periods…it was the first time I started birth control pills…so I’m only at day 23 of my first pack. I’m taking the sugar pills now it’s been 2 days and I still haven’t gotten my periods. I did have unprotected sex with my boyfriend during the time I was taking the pill. Could I be pregnant…?

Sonia

AskDocWeb: That depends on how many days you had taken the pill before you had sex. The book (PDR) says you should use a backup method of birth control if you have sex during the first seven days of taking the pill. After that you should still keep a backup method available in case you miss any pills. Sometimes accidents happen and having a backup method available is good insurance.

Subj: Bad headaches
Date: 11/25/2009
I have had a horrible time with insomnia lately (since August it’s now November). It doesn’t happen every night or every week, it’s random. I have beginning to wonder if it’s the Ortho tri Lo. I started taking it in March. Could it take that long for a side effect to pop up? I’ve gotten so frustrated about not being able to fall asleep it leads to mood swings. I also get bad headaches too. I think it all has to do with the pill!

Teela

AskDocWeb: Bad headaches are listed as one of the possible side effects that should be reported to your doctor. It is also one of the reasons for switching to a different birth control pill. And yes, the potential exists for side effects to pop up even after years of use.

Subj: Missed 4 pills
Date: 11/26/2009
I have been taking Ortho Tri-Cyl Lo for the past 5 years but while in the middle of my white pills I miss four. I realized this after intercourse so I doubled up on pills as I normally do when a pill is missed. I usually have my period on the third to the last of the sugar pills, but I have not had it yet. I have also taken 2 pregnancy test and they both say negative? What should I do?

Shaday

AskDocWeb: If you miss 2 or more consecutive pills you could get pregnant if you have sex in the 7 days following the missed pills. When you suspect a pregnancy, remember, you get more accurate results if you wait a week between the first and second pregnancy tests.

Subj: Chances of me being pregnant
Date: 12/1/2009
I have a question I’ve been on othro- lo for 8 days & I was wondering what’s the chances of me being pregnant when I had unprotected sex on the 8th days?

Tay

AskDocWeb: According to the patient information the drug provides maximum protection after the 7th day. The percentage of women who became pregnant in the first year of using Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo is 0.1%, that is a 1 in 1000 chance over whole the first year.

Subj: How will I know if I am pregnant?
Date: 12/1/2009
I have been on the pill for about 9 months now. My boyfriend and I had unprotected sex a few weeks ago and I am worried about being pregnant. I take the pill religiously but he did go inside me a little. What is the chance that I am pregnant? How will I know?

Judy

AskDocWeb: Please see the quiz, Am I pregnant. Read more feedback


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