Feedback on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, page 83

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: Stopped taking birth control pills
Date: 3/9/2007
I started taking Birth control pills. After around two weeks I started feeling as if I am half-asleep. This is not the perfect way to put it but it was something close to that. I also started crying more frequently. I did not realize that it could be because of the pill and became really worried about why all this was happening. Apart from that everything was normal. I am an engineer and I would go to work and be very normal and my work also didn’t suffer at all (Thankfully). I completed my pack somehow and then didn’t take it again. Now it has been around a month that I stopped taking birth control pills. I also got my period in time and everything normal. I have considerably improved since the time I left the pill but I am not 100% fine. Some days I am perfectly fine but on other occasions I still feel a little bit half-awake. I just want to know is it only because of the pill or should I do something about it.

Grace

AskDocWeb: It is quite likely because of the pill but you should speak with your physician. He may want to do some testing to rule out other causes.

Subj: Gained 15 pounds
Date: 3/10/2007
I recently stopped taking ortho tri-cyclen lo. In less than a month’s time I have gained 15 pounds. Is this a side effect of coming off the pill?

Gena

AskDocWeb: No, typically the weight goes down after discontinuing.

Subj: Breakthrough bleeding
Date: 3/10/2007
I have been on ortho tri cyclen for about 5 years all together about 2 1/2 years straight. I never had any side effects until recently when I started bleeding between periods. My doctor told me that it was normal. But I am planning to stop my pills so that I can get pregnant. Should I be concerned about the abnormal bleeding? Also, I have heard that once a women stops taking her pills after taking them for a long time that she has multiples? Is this true? Thanks,

Jaime

AskDocWeb: No, it is not true that a woman has twins or triplets due to being on the pill for a long time. The breakthrough bleeding should stop after you discontinuing the pills.

Subj: Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo
Date: 3/11/2007
My daughter is 19 and since she has been on Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo she has very high cholesterol, high blood pressure and has gained 15 pounds. Could these be side effects of Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo?

Mary

AskDocWeb: Yes, oral contraceptives have been shown to increase blood pressure among users. The weight gain is a common complaint with birth control pills. And where some progestogens are known to decrease HDL cholesterol, estrogens increase HDL cholesterol. High cholesterol is called hypercholesterolemia.

Subj: Thought I was crazy
Date: 3/12/2007
OMG. I started Ortho Lo last month after being on Yaz. What a disaster. I have been moody, tired, and gained 3 pounds. I thought I was crazy until I found this website! I think I will call my doctor and go back to Yaz…

Jenn

Subj: Chronic bouts of nausea
Date: 3/13/2007
My daughter has been on ortho tri cyclen lo for about 6 months. She has chronic bouts of nausea and vomits occasionally. She is missing so much school…she is only 16 and a junior. She was put on the pill due to the fact that she was having a period every 2 weeks. Heavy. she has also gained about 20 pounds. This is so hard on her at this age. She was diagnosed with IBS too. Am I dealing with IBS or this pill or depression or what…I am at my wits end and don’t know where to turn or how to help her.

Liz

AskDocWeb: She should consult with a GYN about this. At 16 she should absolutely NOT be suffering with this situation. The weight gain is likely due to the pill. The IBS shouldn’t make her vomit, but may cause nausea.

Subj: Weekly adjustments in estrogen versus progesterone
Date: 3/14/2007
I was on single dose low estrogen birth control for 7 years, with few problems, then switched to ortho-lo about 4 years ago. I was wondering if the weekly adjustments in estrogen versus progesterone in ortho-tricyclen are the cause of mood changes that occur, whereas mood swings would be less in a single dose pill?

Beth

AskDocWeb: According to what I’ve read from other users, the answer is yes.

Subj: Breast enlargement?
Date: 3/16/2007
I have just recently switched from Ortho TriCyclean Lo to Trinessa. I have been using trinessa for 6 days now and my breasts are already feeling tender… will Trinessa cause them to grow?

Taylor

AskDocWeb: It has caused breast enlargement in a small number of users. It is important to note that it has caused breast enlargement in infants who nurse from mothers who take Trinessa. If you are breastfeeding, you should wait until you have weaned your child before using this pill.

Subj: Missed pills and taking pills late
Date: 3/17/2007
I am 18 and have been taking spritec for about a month now. I waited a week and even two or three days of taking my pills before having sex. During my third week of pills, I was late taking at least three and I followed the directions correctly that I had received, which were to throw away my remaining pills (when I was late taking a third pill) and start a new pack. Because of this, I did not take any placebo pills. I am two weeks into my second pack and have not had my period. What do you think I should do, is this normal? I know some side effects are missed/irregular periods, and my periods have never really been exactly every 28 days. I did not have sex during the week I was late taking my pills.

Tara

AskDocWeb: Starting a new pack without taking the placebo pills can make you skip that period but it confuses your body and changes the timing of your cycle.

Subj: Not sexually active
Date: 3/18/2007
I have been on ortho tri cyclin for 3-4 years and then switched to ortho tri cyclin lo for 3 years and I was wondering if it is safe to continue to using birth control pills or if I have been on it for too long and should go off of it because I am not sexually active?

Lisa

AskDocWeb: If you aren’t sexually active and there is no medical reason to be on it then why be on it at all?

Subj: Tri Previfem for acne?
Date: 3/20/2007
I’m 17 years old and I have been struggling with my acne for about 4 years now. I was taking a prescription drug called Adoxa for my acne and it worked wonders and then recently it has just kind of stopped helping. So I decided to Ortho tricyclen and I was given the genderic Tri previfem. I was just wondering Tri Previfem would be just as good for acne as Ortho tricyclen? And how long should it take to begin seeing result? I have been on it for about 2 weeks now.

Lynn

AskDocWeb: If it helps with your acne, you should begin to see results in the fourth or fifth week. And since there have been no comments on that generic yet, it would be helpful if you would let us know your results.

Subj: Want bigger breasts
Date: 3/22/2007
I’m 16 and would like to start birth control, but am pretty scared! I want to take ortho tri-cyclen lo, its okay for teens to take birth control right? And I’m only bra size A and I really, really want bigger breasts…is there a good chance that could happen with tri cyclen lo?

Alice

AskDocWeb: You can take birth control pills at age 16 if your doctor says it is okay, although your parents will likely get the office visit bill. Make sure they know about it. Sorry, it’s unlikely that your breasts will enlarge because of Ortho-Lo. Just let mother nature take its course and there is a good chance your breasts will grow larger on their own.

Subj: Metabolism and weight
Date: 3/22/2007
I have quite a fast metabolism so my weight is usually low and if I gain any at all it’s gone within hours. Will I gain a lot of weight with tri cyclen?

Alice

AskDocWeb: You are likely to gain 15 to 20 pounds no matter how fast your metabolism.

Subj: Had unprotected sex
Date: 3/22/2007
I took Ortho-Tri-Cyclen-Lo for two months. At the end of my last period I did not refill my prescription because the cost was too much. After I ended my period my boyfriend and I had unprotected sex. I am now almost a week late for my next period and I have had two negative pregnancy test. Could my period being late a side effect from stopping the pill or could I possibly be getting false-negative test!

Tiffany

AskDocWeb: Going off the pill can alter your mensis cycle. Please use precautions if you don’t want to be a mom.

Subj: Risk of getting pregnant
Date: 3/22/2007
Ok so I have been on ortho tri-cyclen lo for about a year and one of my friends told me that since it is a low dosage then you have more risk of getting pregnant. Is that true?

Kim

AskDocWeb: Yes, there have been reports of pregnancies with Ortho Tri-cyclen lo. The pregnancy rate per 100 women-years of use of Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo is 2.36 compared to only 1.21 for Ortho Tri-cyclen.

Subj: Breast tenderness
Date: 3/23/2007
I’m 27, ortho lo is the first birth control I’ve ever used. I have had no side effects except for breast tenderness, which doesn’t seem to go away. My doctor told me to give it another cycle. Has anybody else experienced the same side effect?

Sarah

AskDocWeb: Yes, breast tenderness is a common symptom. Read more feedback


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