Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, page 22

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: 7 months of ortho-lo
Date: 4/15/2005
I have been on ortho-lo for about seven months now, and have been experiencing negative side effects such as night sweats, red spots in my eyes, breakouts, leg pain, no sex drive, dizziness/faintness, and weight gain. At first I began to attribute these side effects to other things, and then it came to me that maybe the pill was causing all of these problems. I have now stopped taking ortho-lo and don’t plan on taking the pill of any kind again!

Vivian

Subj: TriNessa
Date: 4/15/2005
My doctor prescribed Ortho Tri Cyclen for me but I recieved TriNessa instead. How effective is TriNessa at preventing pregnancy and how long after I start taking it will it be effective? Thank you for your time.

~Crissy

AskDocWeb TriNessa is about 97% effective in preventing pregnancy. The pill will be effective about 14 days after the date you start.

Subj: Pregnancy question – Boo boo
Date: 4/17/2005
I started taking ortho tri-cyclen lo three weeks ago right after giving birth and I know your suppose to wait the 6 weeks after giving birth before sex but my husband and I didn’t wait and now we had a boo boo, could I be pregnant, and do I still take the pills.

Revoire

AskDocWeb Yes, you continue taking the pills. Since you have already been on them for three weeks, you should be okay. That 6-week period is intended to allow your body time to heal after delivery but some women don’t need that much time.

Subj: Hair loss and birth control
Date: 4/17/2005
I started using Ortho-Lo after having a child and off pill Orth-Tri for 5 years, which I was on for 7 years and 15lbs heavier. I’ve noticed that my hair looks thinner in front and I also feel bloated all of the time. The first month I bled everyday and it has amplified my acne. What risks are involved with me stopping the pill now? Will it reverse the side effects and how long will it take?

Jen

AskDocWeb Thinning hair is a problem, but after you stop use of birth control you hair should improve, but it will take several months.

Subj: Missed several days
Date: 4/17/2005
I have been using Ortho Tri-cyclen for 4 years and have switched on and off it to try Trinessa and Tri sprintec and have always gone back to Ortho. This past month I forgot to take the pill a few days in a row and read the directions to see what I should do and it said to continue taking until the next Sunday (start day of pack) then start a new pack on that day–well I did and I have had my period for about 3 weeks now and have one week left of the pill before I am supposed to get my period?? What is going on?

Nin

AskDocWeb Your period is off because you missed too many pills. It should be regular once you take a pill everyday in the next pack, if not see your physician about this.

Subj: Delayed symptoms
Date: 4/18/2005
I’ve been on Ortho TriCyclen for several years. My doctor was concerned about my fluctuating blood pressure, so she decided to switch me to Ortho TriCyclen Lo almost a year ago. I didn’t notice any changes in my mood, period flow, cramping, etc. until about 6 months after I started taking Lo. All of a sudden, I am experiencing lower abdominal pain on my right side (like cramping– not severe but annoying). Also, my periods have gotten REALLY light, and I’m experiencing light spotting (mostly brownish clumpy type) about a week before my period. The latest thing, is that I’m starting to get dizzy and light-headed now. Do you know if symptoms like mine can be side effects that are delayed for 6 months? Is dizziness a common side-effect of changing BC pills? Should I be worried?

Wendy

AskDocWeb The lower right side pain could be due to a cyst on your ovary, appendicitis or your gallbladder, please check these things out with your physician. And have your blood pressure checked due to the dizziness and light headedness.

Subj: Long-term use of birth control
Date: 4/18/2005
I used a generic brand of ortho-tricyclen for approximately a year straight. It made me gain weight and made my breasts a cup larger. I was wondering if the ortho-evra patch produced the same side-effects? Also, I have heard that it is bad to stay on “the pill” or “patch” for a long period of time. Is this true? I have also heard that it increases the risk of cervical cancer, are these figures correct or insignificant? Thank you for your time.

Ashley

AskDocWeb There are figures in medical journals that indicate what you read was correct but the numbers are not significant enough to be concerned about. It is one of the reasons why doctors switch you from one birth control to another. The patch is pretty new and we haven’t seen a long-term study on it yet.

Subj: Experiencing almost every side effect
Date: 4/18/2005
I’m 21 and I’ve only been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for a little over two weeks (This is also my first oral contraceptive)… so I know it is probably early to make a definitive statement about it. However, I feel like I am experiencing almost every side effect that they (the Ortho website) listed as “normal” to have at first, as well as having all of the side effects they declared were “myths” and occurred very infrequently. I’ve always had a high metabolism rate and though it’s been slowing down gradually throughout my college years, gaining five and a half pounds in two and a half weeks is extremely unusual for me. I am also getting cramps off and on throughout the day as if I were about to start my period… but I’m not. Painkillers like ibuprofen aren’t really effective against them either like they normally would be. My breasts have gotten larger (not that I’m complaining about that one) and they have just recently gotten tender and sore. In addition, I’ve started to break out more… I used to have an acne problem but it pretty much cleared up as I got older and I didn’t have much of a problem anymore… but now it’s back and I’m not happy at all about that one because that’s something against which I spent years battling. Again, I know I have not been on the pill for very long but I hope these (or most of them at least) side effects will eventually go away as my body adjusts to it. It just worries me to be experiencing more side effects than is considered “normal.”

Jen

AskDocWeb If you don’t see any changes within three months, please discuss this your physician.

Subj: Hives
Date: 4/18/2005
Is it possible to break out in itchy hives after 5 days of taking Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo?

Layne

AskDocWeb Yes it is. As with any medication, it is usually an indication of an allergic reaction.

Subj: Acne problem
Date: 4/20/2005
I have been on Orthro-Tri Cyclene for about 7 years. To regulate and alleviate my cramps. It worked great. The first year I gained about 10 pounds, but they came off, it also helped me with my acne. About 3 months ago I started to break out really bad. Bad enough to see a dermatologist (I’ve never had to go to one before.) Could it be possible that my hormones are changing? Should I change my pill? I get married in 6 weeks and I just want to target the problem so I can fix it. Also is it dangerous to stay on the pill for so long? I don’t plan on having kids for another 3 years. Any suggestions would help.

Helen

AskDocWeb Maybe a change would work, maybe not. Everyone is affected by different birth control pills differently. Do what the dermatologist suggests to make sure your wedding day is acne free.

Subj: Concerned about missing a pill
Date: 4/20/2005
I have been on orth for six months. I have had great results but I have a worry. Last week I was on the third week of taking the pills, but I forgot to take the last active pill on Sat. so I took it on Sun. at about 8am when I remembered. It is Wednesday today and I haven’t gotten my period. I am worried that I might be pregnant because I normally get my period on Tuesday all the time.

Jessica

AskDocWeb No, your period may just be a little late, as long as that one pill is the only one you forgot.

Subj: My experience
Date: 4/20/2005
I would like to share my experience! I was 14 when I went on Depo, and I am almost 20 today. I just stopped taking Depo, and I am at the end of my first Ortho-Tricyclen pack. I am surprised to find that there is absolutely no information out there for people who have made this switch.

I was on Depo for a long time before I realized that it was the cause of nearly every health problem I had: an astounding 40 pound weight gain, severe depression, a complete loss of sex drive and hair growth and loss among other things.

My first round of pills is going well with the exception of horrendous breast pain. Not tenderness like I expected, but severe almost paralyzing pain. In fact, I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since switching. Also, I’m on my fourth day of placebo pills and still no sign of my period. I’m assuming that this is because the Depo messed up my cycle. But my logical mind wants to think that, since I’ve re-introduced a cyclical hormone, that a cycle would return.

I am really interested in hearing the experiences of others who made this switch, as there is no information that I can find, and my doctor seems to be as clueless as I am.

Sabrina

Subj: Unfortunate period timing
Date: 4/20/2005
Hi, I am currently taking ortho tricyclen lo as a form of birth control. I unexpectedly found out that my boyfriend in the Army is receiving leave in a week and a half, which unfortunately is when my period is scheduled to start. If I stop taking my pill today (I’m at the beginning of the third week) will it cause me to start my period early and get it over with before I see him? Thanks,

Brooke

AskDocWeb Trying to avoid having your period by skipping the placebo pills is not advisable. It will of course throw off your scheduled but can also cause breakthrough bleeding or spotting the following month along with a much heavier mensis.

Subj: Chance of being pregnant
Date: 4/21/2005
If I take birth control and I ended my pills but 3 days between me getting on my pills again cause I couldn’t get them, I had sex and I also take an antibiotic acne medicine is there a chance that I am pregnant.

Anya

AskDocWeb Yes, best to use a home pregnancy test. Read more feedback


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