Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Page 4

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: Antibiotics
Date: 12/29/2003
What antibiotics will effect the effectiveness of Tri-cyclen? I am currently taking Biaxin XL and Clarithromycin and I was wondering if the pill will be effective still? Thanks!

Shauna

AskDocWeb: Several medical sources state that antibiotics don’t affect birth control pills like people once believed. There is an abstract covering this at NCBI (government site).

Subj: Sick
Date: 1/10/2004
I’ve been taking Ortho for just under three months and cannot figure out why ANYONE would want to be on it! I am sick ALL the time, diarrhea is a daily thing along with feeling miserable and having the urge to throw up all the time…I thought after this long this stuff would stop. Also, I’ve got two large lumps (one in each breast) and body aches-including very painful headaches. To make it even more interesting, I went to the doctor and she said all of this is NORMAL!?! I’ve been really bad the last week-I don’t wanna even stand up because I feel faint. One day I didn’t take the pill and I actually got a little bit around the house done and was able to get myself to the doctor-where of course they said this was normal and encouraged me to stay on them. I am looking into different options-I just got married and this is not what I thought my first few months of marriage was supposed to be like-SICK!

Tresia

Subj: Does wonders
Date: 1/12/2004
I went off the pill for awhile but was having bad acne, went back on the pill, my skin is wondrous just like it used to be 🙂 This stuff does do wonders for the skin, really, really does.

Jessica

Subj: Missed pills
Date: 2/15/2004
About 2 weeks ago I missed too days of pills, but then took them as soon as I got home for the 3rd day. So on Friday and Saturday I didn’t have them and then Sunday I took them. I ended up spotting for that week, then the following week got my real period. I just had sex 2 weeks after that. am I at risk of getting pregant? I hope that all makes sense. Thank you

Sarah

AskDocWeb: You can only miss one day of pills, then take the two the next day. There is a chance you could be pregnant since you possibly didn’t use other means of contraception protection. Take a home pregnancy test, they are the same as they use in a clinic to make sure. A woman can still have her period the first month she is pregnant.

Subj: Antibiotics
Date: 2/22/2004
I have heard from a few different people that if you are taking any kind of antibiotics, your birth control stops working correctly and you are at a higher risk to get pregnant. Is this true or not? Thanks for your help.

Samantha

AskDocWeb: This was just answered (see post 12/29/03), but we are taking this opportunity to let you know about a
new study about antibiotics.
If you tried this link before, give it another try. We had to change it 4 times because someone keep removing the pages.

Subj: Adjusting your period
Date: 2/22/2004
I have been taking the pill for about 8 days now for the first time. I’m still having my period now which has never happened to me before.. is this normal? Also, next month I’m going on a trip and my period should occur the week before… will it start on the day I start taking the “sugar pills” or just further in the week? I really don’t want to have my period on vacation. thank you

Rachel

AskDocWeb: Talk to your doctor about adjusting when you have your period. This is a fairly common practice.

Subj: Discontinuing ortho tri-cyclen
Date: 3/18/2004
I had been on ortho tri-cyclen for 7yrs. and was very happy with the results. My husband and I want to get pregnant so I discontinued use about 3wks ago. I have noticed an increase in irritability and a sudden change in my body. I have also been overly sensitive and extremely moody. Is this a common change after the pill?

Adriana

AskDocWeb: Yes, it is. Your body goes through an adjustment period when go on, and again when going off the pill. And when you get pregnant, there will likely be more adjustments.

Subject: Weight gain
Date: 3/23/2004
What are the difference’s in regards to weight gain and any other side effects between Yasmin and Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo? Which one is better? Thanks!

Angela

AskDocWeb: Doctors recommend Yasmin to gain weight and Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo to avoid gaining weight but, according to the feedback we receive most women gain while on Lo.

Subj: No orgasm
Date: 3/25/2004
Hi, I had to start taking ortho-tri-cyclen when I first got my period in 7th grade because of my irregular periods. I am now 20 and still taking it. I am sexually active and have never got an orgasm. I heard that this is because of the pill. Is there anything I should do?

Sarah

AskDocWeb: We haven’t come across anything to indicate that this would be caused by the pill. Have you considered increasing your sex education?

Subj: Brown discharge
Date: 3/26/2004
I have been on ortho tri cyclen lo for almost a month now, but within the past 2 days I have expierenced brown discharge. I can’t tell if this is spotting or not, or if it really is discharge. I’m a little worried about it and I wonder if anyone could tell me what is happening?

Cheryl

AskDocWeb: Ninty percent of women take two to three months for their body to become accustomed to taking the pill. On the other hand, did your doctor test to find out if you were pregnant before prescribing the birth control?

Subj: Does Advil decrease effectiveness of the pill?
Date: 3/26/2004
I have been on the pill for about 3 years now, and my boyfriend just started ejaculating in me. I am currently taking an Advil cold and sinus medicine though, will that cause a decrease in the effectiveness of the pill?

Danielle

AskDocWeb: No, not that we have read anywhere.

Subj: Switching
Date: 3/26/2004
Hi. I found your website while looking for other women’s experiences/side effects for Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo, which I’ve been taking for about six months now. While I’m relieved to discover that a lot of unpleasantness I’ve been experiencing in the last few months seems to mirror what I’m reading here (as I am hoping it’s simply the pill to blame), I did want to add my experiences here so that other women could possibly be as relieved as I am.

First off, I have always been on the small side and I exercise regularly (3-4 mornings a week) and I maintain a healthy diet. Before beginning Ortho TriCyclen Lo, I weighed 112 pounds and was well-toned (I’m 5’3″). I now weigh 127 pounds (more than I’ve EVER weighed in my life). My clothes no longer fit and the exercising seems useless, not only because I’ve gained (& continue to gain) weight and seem to have lost some of my tone (my mid-section seems to be just as bloated all the time, regardless of whether or not I’m menstruating). In addition to all of this, I’m experiencing CONSTANT mood swings (I honestly don’t know how/why my boyfriend puts up with me!). I’m tired ALL THE TIME (regardless of exercising or whether I sleep for 7 hours or 12 hours – I’m always yawning and ready to go back to sleep within 4-5 hours of waking up each day!).

Anyway, I’m considering switching to an IUD and was wondering if anyone could provide feedback as far as switching from the Pill (especially the Ortho TriCyclen) to an IUD (or another method.)

Jhen

Subj: Improvements in skin
Date: 4/5/2004
I have just started taking Ortho Try-Cyclen and was wondering when I can start to see improvements in my skin. I’ve never been one to breakout on my cheeks, only the occasional chin pimple. I’m anxious to see improvements.

Renee

AskDocWeb: This is probably not what you wanted to hear but, improvements are usually gradual, developing over the first three months of use.

Subj: Yeast infections
Date: 4/6/2004
I noticed someone had asked about a link between Ortho Tri Cyclen and yeast infections… has anyone done any research on that?

Mary

Subj: Ortho was awesome
Date: 4/7/2004
After trying various method of birth control, Depo-Provera, other BCPs, I went on Ortho Tricyclen. Ortho was awesome. I had clear skin, full breasts, and was always properly lubricated for intercourse. My periods were a little heavier than I expected, and the cramps were still there, but in much less force than I had them before the Ortho.

My provider stopped prescribing Ortho (Planned Parenthood) in order to reduce costs with BCPs. I went on one pill that made me break out, my breast size decreased and I lost lubrication and a little decreased sex drive. I went back to the Dr. and was prescribed Ortho-Lo. OrthoLo is making my skin break out, I am nauseaus, I also have late night hunger (I take my pill approximately 9pm every night) and my breasts are very sensitive. I have only had one period on the orth-lo so far, and my PMS was pretty bad. I had a lot of cravings for food, but emotionally I was alright. I really dislike the side-effects that I am experiencing with Ortho-Lo. I was under the impression that Ortho-Lo had a reduced risk of side-effects. I know everyone is different, but already I was thinking that I was pregnant because of my nauseau and food cravings, and sensitive breasts. If anyone has the chance, I would recommend regular Ortho-Tricyclen over Ortho-Lo every day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

Monica

Subj: Improvements in skin
Date: 4/8/2004
Please, someone post about freakishly long periods. I have been on Ortho Try Cyclen for 3 months now. I have gone through some pretty severe depression, 3 yeast infections and 3, 2 week long periods. I have been on pills before and never had this many problems. I was off for about 6 months and decided to go w/ these. I have to wait 2 weeks to see my doc again and I don’t even want to take these things anymore. I cry over the dumbest crap and didn’t leave my bedroom for a full day. My main concern is the long periods. Anyone have suggestions on a different pill?

Ann

Subj: Trying Ortho Tri-cyclen
Date: 4/10/2004
I have never been on the pill and I’m considering trying out Ortho Tri-cyclen. I would like to know how quickly does it take for it to work in preventing pregnancy and will it cause me to gain weight? Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Julie

AskDocWeb: The manufacturers recommends using a backup birth control method for the first two weeks. To date, all the birth control pills we have looked at have the tendency to increase weight in users. We hear weight gains of 10-20 pounds over a 1 to 2 year period.

Subj: Problems with ortho lo
Date: 4/19/2004
I started off taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen about 5 years ago and then switched to Ortho Lo 7 months ago. Recently I’ve noticed terrible mood swings, crying for no reason, anxiety, my periods start a week before they should, and there is no sex drive what-so-ever. I’ve read through everyone elses side effects and some of the responses and realized that the pill is not for everyone. I never felt this depressed on the regular Ortho dose…it’s just been recent with Ortho-Lo.

Kristen

Subj: Using Lo
Date: 4/20/2004
I’ve been on the Ortho Tri-Cyclen® Lo for 1 and half month and currently, I am having large red acnes all over the face. esp jaw area. Is it kind of side effect? I believed that Ortho Tri-Cyclen® Lo improves the skin condition. I haven’t had acnes since teenager ;

Jee

AskDocWeb: Several women have reported skin and facial problems when using Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo. Many others were very pleased with their skin and facial condition when using Ortho Tri-cyclen.

Subj: Crazies
Date: 4/20/2004
I have been on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen for at least 8 years. I switched to the generic version in Jan. After 2 months of crazy moods, I told my OBGYN I needed a switch. Now after 15 days, I think some the crazies are coming back again. I’m 32 yrs of age and not sure why it effects me the way it does??? The depressing qualities are not my strong suits!!! Any advice is much appreciated….

Christy

Subj: Are these signs?
Date: 4/21/2004
I have been on ortho tri cyclin lo since last year. I took alot of advil for cramps and now am on antibiotic, zithromax, is there any possible way I can be pregnant? I am sick with a sore throat and threw up today and felt dizzy, are these signs or is it becuase I am sick?

Ash

AskDocWeb: Your local drugstore sells a pregnancy test kit that you can use at home. These are inexpensive and easey to use. We suggest you see your doctor to find out what’s going on. Read more feedback


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