Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, page 147

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: New to birth control
Date: 12/2/2009
Hi I read all of your comments, and now I’m not sure I want to take tal ortho tricyclen. I never took any kind of birth control, it will be my first time. I’m 19. I’m just scared to gain weight or have mood swings and no sex drive! Most of the women that takes that pill wrote they are depressed. I dont want it to happen to me. So, help me please!

Jennifer

AskDocWeb: This is a subject on which you will benefit from doing your own research. Talk to your doctor about what choices are available and what they recommend. We try to keep the focus here on reporting side effects.

Subj: I gained 30 LBS!
Date: 12/4/2009
Just recently got off of Depo about a month ago. I was on the shot from March of 2009 to November 2009 and in those short 9 months I gained 30 LBS! I went from 125 lbs, and a size 4 to 155 lbs to a size 10. Not to mention loss of sexual interest, depression, and being extremely emotional. Please do not even test the depo. I promise you that you will be just as miserable a me. I am thinking of trying Ortho-tri….but are there ANY weight gain side effects?

AlyRoc

AskDocWeb: Weight gain is listed as one of the possible side effects that may go away with continued use.

Subj: Tri-Sprintec diarrhea
Date: 12/4/2009
I was on Tri Sprintec for about 5 years(since 15) I went on the pill to help with very sever cramping. I never noticed any side effects from the pill, however I recently switched to implanon which is a rod inserted into your arm. The entire time I was on Tri-Sprintec I went through many many tests on my digestive track. I had diarrhea almost constantly and yet no tests ever came back abnormal. Since switching to this new BC about 4 months ago I have had NO stomach issues and have felt so much better than I have in years! I can not be 100% certain that the diarrhea was from the BC but I have not changed my eating habits or anything. I would never go back on Trisprintec and would not recommend it.

Sam

Subj: After you stop
Date: 12/5/2009
I’ve been on OTL for 4 years now. I’ve stuck it through despite the weight gain (thought it was my normal weight gain because I wasn’t a very active person) but have been able to shed them. I’ve also experienced queasiness upon taking the pill but found a solution by eating prior and it works. So overall I’m happy with the pill. My question is if there are others who’ve experienced effects from taking it long term and how easily you can get pregnant once you stop?

Jessica

AskDocWeb: According to the PDR, “there may be some delay in becoming pregnant after you stop using oral contraceptives, especially if you had irregular menstrual cycles before you used oral contraceptives.” Overall, about 50% of women who intend to get pregnant after stopping birth control pills become pregnant within the first three cycles and 90% get pregnant within the first year.

Subj: Trying to have kids
Date: 12/10/2009
Hi, I’m 22 and me and my husband are wanting to start trying to have kids. I have been on birth control since I was 14 and its been ortho tri cyclen. Well, This past January (09) I was on birth control until March. I stopped takin it and I HAD a period until May came around and I didn’t have one. I also didn’t have another period until September. I found a pack of pills so I took them and had a period in August… I was out of pills .. sad to say I couldn’t find time to see a doctor for 20 minutes but.. that’s my mistake. anyways. I got back on the pill at the begining of this December and I have 3 more packs to last me 3 more months. But my question is my doctors told me if I wanted to ovulate I had to get back on the pill…and that didn’t make since to me.. seein as how I stopped takin it so we could get pregnant but they swore the only way for me to have a period was to get back on the pill. They didn’t run any test on me or anything. And everytime I go in for my yearly exam everything is always normal except for some bacteria but nothing major. I’m scared to get off of it again because I don’t want to ruin my body. I’m askin for help. I live in a small town and I don’t trust my doctor. My insurance runs out in January so if I could have advice on what to say or ask for at my doctor’s office that’d be great. Or if you could tell me if I should just stop cold turkey and wait on my period to come. I’m just not sure what to do.

Shawna

AskDocWeb: We try to keep the focus of this website on side effects. For advice ask these professionals.

Subj: Miss a period?
Date: 12/10/2009
I switched from yasmin to tri sprintec a month ago. Is it normal to miss a period and still have the symptoms that my period is coming? What will cause me to miss my period?

Nicky

AskDocWeb: Yes, missing a period or having a late period does not always indicate pregnancy. There are a variety of things that can cause this. Some of the possible causes include:

A high stress level can greatly impact the balance of hormones in your body. When this happens, your period may come late or not at all. This includes major life changes such as starting a new job, a new relationship or ending of one, death of a loved one, and moving.
A significant increase in exercise also can affect your cycle because exercise impacts your metabolism and hormones.
Changes in your diet, especially if you have had a stable diet for years cause a missed period or start a period late.
Stopping or changing birth control pills can also disrupt the menstrual cycle.
Some medical conditions are that have been known to cause a missed or late period are thyroid problems such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), turner’s syndrome, mumps, Kallman’s syndrome, pituitary disorders, and seasonal flu.
Losing or gaining a significant amount of weight can also cause a missed or late period.

If you have missed a period and your pregnancy test is negative it is generally not a cause for concern. However, if you miss more than 1 period or don’t have a period for several months, this may be a symptom of another problem so check with your health care provider.

Subj: Anyway I could become pregnant?
Date: 12/12/2009
I have been on ortho tri cyclen lo for about nine months now.. and a few months ago I thought I was pregnant because I started spotting a week before my period was due. And this month I have started spotting a week before my period is due. I take the pill everyday generally at the same time except for a couple days like an hour late. I am sexually active and did not use a condom once this month… Is there a way I could become pregnant?

Gwen

AskDocWeb: The failure rate for combination pills such as Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo is 0.1% in the first year. That is one chance in a thousand, which is remote but possible.

Subj: Never trade acne for hair loss
Date: 12/13/2009
I’ve been on orto lo for like seven months. I must say while it did help my acne. I have loss of scalp hair. I would never trade acne for hair loss. I am currently off of it. I’ve been to the doctor to get some blood work done. My question is, is this hair loss temporary? Or even worse permanent?

Morissa

AskDocWeb: Most likely you hair loss is temporary, unless it is being caused by something else. None of the birth control pills that we have checked out have caused permanent hair loss.

Subj: Got pregnant while on Ortho Tri-Cyclen
Date: 12/14/2009
Hi I was on Orthotricyclen for many years. I first got pregnant with my daughter while on it and taking it everyday like ordered. I went back on it after having her and ended up pregnant with identical twins. I am not sure why I would get pregnant every time I have been on it. I tried other forms of birth control but had really bad side effects. I since then had my tubes tied and then a tubal reversal and have been trying to get pregnant with fertility treatments for 2 years. I have not got pregnant so my ob/gyn has started me on the Orthotricyclen again to see what happens.

Jennifer

Subj: My acne has gotten worse
Date: 12/15/2009
i have been on ortho lo for almost 2 months now…my acne has gotten worse. No mood swings or whatever, but I have also had 2 periods a month, one every other week which really sucks. I have gained about 3 pounds and my boobs have gotten slightly bigger, but not big enough to make up for the soreness…hopefully it gets better by the 3rd month…

Leah

Subj: I’m a lil’ scared
Date: 12/16/2009
I’m a lil’ scared. Only because I need to be on birth control and all I hear is heat attack this blood clot that. But so many girls take them. I don’t have any history or surgeries or strokes or anything but I just need to know, should I really worry about the potential stroke, blood clot, or heart attack???

Briauna

AskDocWeb: According to many sources the risk of a bad reaction is minimal. The number of those who have problems with birth control pills are too few to have an impact on sales but for those who have bad reactions, there can be serious complications. Please discuss this with your doctor.

Subj: Breast become heavy?
Date: 12/16/2009
I’m 22 years old and have been taking ortho tri-cyclen lo for 2 months now. Is it normal for my breast to become really heavy? Is this something I should be really concerned about?

Cherish

AskDocWeb: It doesn’t sound like something that you should ignore. Please check with your doctor.

Subj: No side effects at all
Date: 12/24/2009
I love Ortho TriCyclen Lo so far. There’s no side effect happened to me at all. In fact, I have even lost weight. However, there’s one thing that concerned me. I have been on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo for more than a week now. According to the package, I can start having sex right after 7 days. I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend yesterday but he didn’t come inside me. Today I took the pills 30 mins later than I always do, but I’ve been constantly on time. Can I be pregnant or what is my chance? Thank you very much.

Michelle

AskDocWeb: As long as you waited until after the 7th day to have sex you had the maximum protection provided by the pills.

Subj: No period
Date: 12/28/2009
I am 28 and have one child after having my daughter my perode just total went away. Its been about 5 years too every test and my health was fine. My husband wants another child but can’t seem to concieve so my doctor put me on ortho tri cyclenlo to help me. But it makes me very sick it only been 2 two days.

KK

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