Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, page 3

Ortho Tri-cyclen Feedback

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: Ortho-tri cyclen alternative?
Date: 9/5/2003
I have been on and off ortho-tri cyclen for six years and it was only this last time that I noticed how unhappy I was. I completely lost my sex drive, I was insecure, irritable, anxious and unhappy. After two months, I realized that I missed my sense of humor and orgasms all too much. I am contemplating the nuva ring now, does anyone have any tips? I am very reluctant to stick to hormones these days.

Pst

Subj: Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo
Date: 9/9/2003
I have been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for years. I have recently started taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and it’s been about 2 months. I like the fact that it has lower estrogen levels then Ortho Tri-Cyclen. Since this is a new drug, do you have any feedback from other women who have made the same switch? I’d like to know if they have experienced any minor side effects. Thanks.

Stephanie

Subj: Spotting
Date: 9/13/2003
I have been on the pill for 4 years now and just recently stopped taking it at the end of my pack… my period started, and I am still spotting a little, two weeks after my period started, will I have normal menstrual periods like I did before I started the pill?

AskDocWeb: From the feedback we’ve read, it seems that it takes about 3 months for your body to return to normal cycles.

Subj: Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo
Date: 9/14/2003
I just started taking the pill 6 day’s after my last period; and I’ve been on the pill for about 20 day’s now. I had sex with my partner on the 19th day, so is it safe to assume that I am not pregnant?

Asuka

AskDocWeb: The manufacturer recommends using a backup birthcontrol for the first two weeks so at 19 days you are probably safe.

Subj: Ortho Tri-cyclen
Date: 9/14/2003
I have been on Ortho Tri-cyclen for about four months now. Within the past 2 months my period has been unusually long (2 weeks) and haven’t read anything about this. I also seem to have become very moody and experience frequent depression, are these side effects of the pill, and if so, what is my best alternative?

Haley

AskDocWeb: Hopefully someone with experience with unusually long periods will post some help. As for the depression, check the reply to the next post.

Subj: Ortho Tri-cyclen
Date: 9/14/2003
I was taking Yasmin for about 5 months but found it made me very mean, especially to my boyfriend so I have now switched to Ortho. I’m in the third week and I find myself crying all the time and I feel like a different person and that I am going crazy. PLEASE help, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life switching pills! Is it not possible to be on the pill and be yourself at the same time?

Rachel

AskDocWeb:That depends on your physiology and how your body responds to the Pill. Of course, everyone is different and some do better with Ortho lo which has less impact on your hormones.

Something that may help you cope is to understand why it’s happening. If you understand that it is a hormonal thing and not something “wrong” with you, you can blame it on the Pill. Reminding yourself that it is just the Pill acting up may help you cope better.

Subj: Ortho Tri-cyclen
Date: 9/15/2003
I’m trying to decide if I should try the generic to ortho tri-cyclen … do you have any thoughts? Is it just as effective? Does it still help with keeping your complexion clean?

AskDocWeb: According to the manufacturer, yes, it is just as effective and it does help with your complexion just like the name brand product.

Subj: Ortho tricyclen
Date: 9/20/2003
If anyone ever tells you to get on depo. Ignore them!! I gained 30 pounds on the shot and wished I never started it!!

Brandi

Subj: Ortho tricyclen
Date: 9/21/2003
I’ve been taking Ortho for several months now, and the most noticeable change has been moodiness, agitation, quick-temperedness.

Jayce

Subj: Pill use and weight loss
Date: 9/24/2003
Regarding pill use and weight loss, I actually lost weight when I started taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen. Eight months ago I switched to Ortho-Lo, and have gained about 8 pounds; I’m switching back to regular Ortho because I think the weight gain was definitely related to the switch in doses. I haven’t been able to find any information to confirm my suspicion…

Tracy

Subj: Ortho tri cyclen
Date: 9/29/2003
I was on ortho tri cyclen for about 4 years prior to deciding to go off to conceive my daughter. I am back on it my daughter is 3 1/2 months old and this time around I’ve had some nausea and light headedness, but I think it’s because I didn’t have anything in my stomach. I don’t remember having these side effects before. Could it be a change in my body’s hormones since giving birth?

Subj: A few notes about Ortho-tricyclen and Depo
Date: 10/10/2003
When I was 17 I went on Ortho and never had any problems (except forgetting to take them every day at the same time, especially when I went away to college). So, my now-husband then-boyfriend and I looked into Depo-provera to reduce the risk of pregnancy b/c of my absent-mindedness. I decided to go on it and I remained on it for 2 years. At the time, I absolutely loved it because it was quick, cheap and easy! I also stopped getting my periods entirely for the 2 years, which was great (and saved me a bunch in tampons, ha ha). However, I too had serious problems with a lack of desire for sex and with vaginal dryness.

The lack of a desire for sex definitely caused a few problems in our relationship. The vaginal dryness worried me because I thought something was wrong with me, which was strange because I was young enough where it shouldn’t have been a factor. In fact, it was so bad that my gyno actually once thought that I had an STD because of abrasions from sex (which was funny considering that I was engaged at the time). Of course the results for a disease came back negative and we figured out that it was due to the Depo. So, I switched back to Ortho tri-cyclen.

I had no problems with irregular periods because I immediately went on to the pill. I have never had any problems with Ortho (except that my breasts swelled the first couple of months both times I started, which my husband loved!) and I would recommend it to anyone. I just recently went off the pill though but only because we are going to try and have a baby.

While I found depo extremely convenient when I was younger, especially in college, I would not recommend it for any length of time if you desire to have sex. Anyway, hope this helps anybody that is contemplating the different forms of birth control. Wish us luck on getting pregnant!

Jenel

AskDocWeb: Thanks for sharing Jenel and yes, by all means, good luck getting pregnant.

Subject: ortho tri-cyclen lo
Date: 10/20/2003
I have been on ortho tri-cyclen lo for four months, and I hate it. My skin gets less blemishes, but that’s because my face is so freakin dry that it flakes. I also have experienced some pretty annoying side effects. Such as: Depression/Mood swings, decreased lubrication and sex drive, difficulty in thinking, appetite changes (I will not be hungry until late at night, and then eat a lot), extreme fatigue, and really dry skin/scalp. I am seriously thinking of getting off of it, but I’m left with the decision of what I would take in place of it that won’t cause these freakish side effects. Has anyone else experienced any of the things I have?

Anon

Subj: stomach pain
I have been on orth-tri in the past and didn’t have any side effects at all. I started taking it last week as I was just finishing the antibiotic Doxycyclen. I took both of them at the same time last Sunday.

On Monday, I was very nauseous all day. From Tuesday until now (7 days), I have had some strange stomach problems. As soon as food or drink hits my stomach, I feel pain in my stomach for 1 second. This continues every time I take a drink or swallow any food. Is this something that is normal and will go away as time passes?

Christi

AskDocWeb: Because it happens every time you swallow, it sounds like something you should get checked out. The list of things that can cause stomach pain is long (ulcers, gastritis, bulimia, bacteria, Salicylate sensitivity, etc.), but most of these don’t produce pain when water is consumed. Please let us know what you find out.

Subj: yeast infections
Date: 10/24/2003
I have had repeated yeast infections and went to a gyno and she said that she didn’t know why. I have read several places that it could be the birth control pill, but she disagrees. We checked for diabetes and it came out negative. My of partner has no symptoms and we lost our virginity to each other so I don’t think it would be any STDs. Could it be the pill?

Chrystal

AskDocWeb: Since we are getting so much mail about yeast infections, we are putting together a fact sheet for causes and cures. It should be up sometime in November.

Subj: Ortho
Date: 10/29/2003
I was on Ortho Tri for almost 7 years and loved it from the first day. As time passed, I started experiencing major anxiety and depression. It was only after I quit taking it that I realized it was the bc that was causing my severe mood swings. I also lost about 10lbs and my breasts decreased by a full cup size. I am about to try Ortho Tri Lo and have my fingers crossed that I won’t experience the same lows.

Subj: Ortho
Date: 10/29/2003
I went off ortho for about 3 months due to surgery that I had to have and recently started taking them again. I have gained at least 5lbs and my breasts are huge and hurt really bad from around mid-cycle up until the time that I start my period. Is this something I should be concerned about?

Heather

AskDocWeb: Any time something hurts “really bad” you should talk to your doctor. Your prescription may need adjusting or changed.

Subj: Ortho tricyclen LO
Date: 10/31/2003
Does anyone have any fed back on the new ortho tricyclen LO…I’ve been takening Loestin FE for two cycles and having terrible breakouts. Since I’m dark skinned and tend to scar this is an issue. I’ve been on the regular ortho triclyen in the past and this did keep my skin clear. I will appreciate any insight. Thanks!

Kathryn

Subj: Ortho-Trycyclen
Date: 11/5/2003
I have been on Ortho-Try cyclen for about 11 months. I have just gone off of it, due to the depression its been causing. For an entire month I’ve cried at everything, felt unable to make choices, became mean and dramatic for no reason, and have felt like I’ve been going crazy. Just recently, I’ve found that other women who have been on this Pill have had similar experiences. Just knowing this makes me feel so much better! I’m scared to take anything else for awhile, until I’m SURE that I won’t have the same terrible results…

Carly

Subj: Going off the pill
Date: 11/12/2003
I took Ortho Tricyclen-Lo for 4 months and I just went off. I haven’t gotten a period yet and it’s almost two weeks late. I’d like to know if going off the pill causes missed periods. I’ve had regular menstrual cycles since I was 13 and first started my period. I’m pretty sure there’s no chance I could have gotten pregnant in the time since I stopped taking my pill, so I’m a little concerned. If anyone has gone off the pill and has experienced missed or late periods, please let me know. Thanks.

Abbie

Subj: Affect of being overweight while on pill
Date: 11/25/2003
I am only going on my second week of Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. I had a couple of questions that I hoped someone could answer for me. First, can being overweight affect the ability of the pill to prevent pregnancy? And second, when is it considered missing a pill? I take mine at 11:00 each night. If I don’t get home until 12:00 or so, does this mean I have missed a pill? I’m not sure on the time frames here. As for the ladies with nausea, my doctor told me taking the pill before I went to bed helps to alleviate this. I took my second light blue pill last night though, and today I can definately tell. I feel somewhat jittery and moody.

Amber

Subj: Switching from Ortho-Nova to Tri-Cyclen
Date: 11/25/2003
Switched from Ortho-Nova to Tri-Cyclen about 6 months ago. No side effects but found that with Ortho-Nova my monthly began faithfully on a Tuesday, now my monthly doesn’t begin until a Friday and stops 2 days after re-starting Tri-Cyclen on Sunday. A little frustrating but not something I can’t handle.

T.B. Read more feedback


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