I began this bc after switching from Yasmin. My husband left for afghanistan for a year, during that year I was on this pill. At first I had mood swings and headaches but eventually that evened out. No weight gain but I did have a lot of breakouts. No break through bleeding or heavy periods. HOWEVER, after a year of taking this correctlly, on time, no drug interactions such as antibiotics or anything herbal-the first night my husband came back from afghanistan I got pregnant. Yasmin may have those lawsuits but that bc worked, this one did not.

rnstudent87

USA

I have been on Ortho for the last year and I am not that pleased with it. I will say that it has proven to do it's job but the side effects cancelled out the good in the product. I had headaches regularly when I was on this birth control and I noticed that the days that I would go a little longer than the regular time I take it, I would feel weak and would get a really bad headache. I had no problems taking this with or without food as I have taken it without food plenty of times and have never noticed a difference. Unlike many of other birth controls I have been on, I did not gain weight on Ortho which was definitly a plus. I also liked that the pills were colored coded according to hormone levels and once I hit the green colored pills, I knew that my period would be here on the third green pill which happened to be on a Tuesday all the time. My doctor started me off with the "Sunday start" and this route worked best for me. The pill case was very discrete and lady like and could be mistaken for a mirror, so that was not a problem at all. Lastly, I would say that my periods were NOT lighter and I could tell when they were coming because I had horrible cramps in my lower pelvic. I expected the birth control to lighten up my periods and ease the cramping and that DID NOT happen.Overall, this just was not the right product for me but it may work well for others.

DeniseLogan

Palm Bay, FL

When I think of Ortho Tri-Cylcen, I don't think of a contraceptive, as most people do-I think of something that has prevented some serious health risks.  I have some serious health problems-one of them endometriosis, which requires very strict hormonal balance in my body.  I will literally be in surgery within weeks if something goes wrong with this condition.  I have used this exact pill for about twenty years-most of that time only medicinally, and it has prevented and prolonged the need for surgery for a long time.  Someday I will most likely need a hysterectomy, but thanks to Ortho Tri-Cyclen, it has been greatly prolonged.  I know the pill has some long-term health risks, but I don't smoke and I am very active, so I think it has been well worth the risks associated with it.  My need for it is very tangible-if I miss even one pill, the symptoms of my endometriosis come back with a vengeance.  So thank you, Ortho.

jayes

Fairfield, VA

I've used Ortho-tricyclen for awhile and like that it doesnt give me any problems. I've used a generic brand at one time and was not happy with that. So I was given samples of this by my doctor and have been taking this ever since. I generally use this to control my periods and it does its job for sure. I havent had any side effects which is a plus for me. With this I can stop taking this whenever I want if i ever decide to get pregnant compared to having a shot or an implant in my arm. The dial pack that you use is pretty simple to figure out too. I generally take this before bed time just so that I take it at a time I know I'll be able to take it regularly and at about the same time. Another good this is that this is pretty well known and has been around for awhile so you pretty much know its something that can be taken pretty safely and hasnt really had alot of hoopla surrounding it.

foxxxy

Kalamazoo, MI

I have been using this birth control for many years (almost 5) and it has always treated me well. Pills have been getting bad raps nowadays it seems, but this pill hasn't given me any side effects. Other pills make you gain weight, or make you break out or get moody. This hasn't happened to me! Orthotricyclen lo has lower hormones but still is very effective, I am living proof that for almost 6 years, it has been effective and I don't take the pill at the exact same minute everyday, that is impossible when us women have such busy lives. I definitely recommend it. And it is cheap too ! Very cost-effective, especially during these hard times who has extra money for expensive prescriptions?! Not I. Not anyone. It could be hard if you are bad at taking pills, but if you just set an alarm on your cell phone like my friends do, it is a piece of cake! I haven't tried those other forms of bc, call me old fashioned, but I prefer the pill. 

renisurphael

Boulder, CO

I have been on orthotricyclen for over 9 years now.  It is very reliable and easy to take.  I have not had any major side effects from the medication and I also easily switch between the regular and low doses with a problem.

cledis1981

Washington, NC

This is a mixed bag for me. While it is the lesser of two evils so to speak for me I still had problems with it. I have always had problems using birth control. They make my cycle crazy and I have continued spotting even after the initial getting use to it period. They also must be messing with my hormones because I gain weight and have other side effects that include constant breast tenderness. So for me this form of birth control did not cause me to gain as much weight as some have but let's face it I am a woman, I don't want to gain any weight :) However this birth control caused me SEVERE breast tenderness for months on end until I finally just had to quit taking it. And about a month after quitting it what do you know, the extra 10 pounds came off without any other changes to my lifestyle. I probably could have over looked the 10 pounds and managed that through my calories and exercise but the constant tenderness was becoming ridiculous. So for me it is back to square one.

tootsiepop1983

Clarksville, TN

I took Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for about nine months. I took it for the first time one night and the next morning, I suddenly threw up. It was kind of weird, one moment I was feeling totally fine, then I looked at the calendar and felt lke throwing up. But that was it, after that I had no more nausea problems. A while after I started taking it, I noticed a big improvement in my skin. I rarely had acne while I was on the pill. That was a huge thing for me since I've always had bad acne since I was a teen and even some prescription acne medications didn't work for me. It also regulated my cycles very well and predictably. The side effects I experienced were moodiness and possibly weight gain (I say possibly because I don't know if I could fairly blame my weight gain on the pill!) Once I was ready to go off the pill and start trying to concive, it took me about 6 months to get pregnant. So in all, not bad.

ILoveAya

Staten Island, NY

When I was 17-years-old, my gynecologist prescribed Ortho Tricyclen Lo to regulate my menstrual cycle and to decrease the mood swings, cramps, etc that many of us on Viewpoints deal with on a monthly basis. After 6 years of taking Ortho Tricyclen Lo, I can honestly say that I have experienced no side effects while on the Pill. No weight gain, headaches, or any other symptoms associated with Ortho Lo.  Although I had problems remembering to take the prescription at the same time everyday, I eventually got used to it. I also believe that it has made "that time of the month" less painful and much easier to deal with. While there are several new birth control options available, I don't plan on trying another birth control pill because of my experiences with Ortho Lo. As a result, I would recommend it to all the ladies out there who want a birth control pill that has very few side effects, and is 99.9% effective. However, those are only my experiences. Even though I hate prescription drug commercials, I do agree that talking with your doctor first before taking Ortho Lo or any other birth control is more important than my review.   

kt047

The City of Champions, PA

 know a lot of women that have trouble taking birth control pills. I've never really been one of those. It doesn't give me  any physical problems, and I've just never really had a problem with it. The only problem I have had with the pill as a whole was after awhile of using the regular strength of Ortho Tri-Cyclen. I began to feel like I was pregnant once a month. I don't mean as far as feeling fat, but as far as all the other changes. Breast tenderness, moodiness, extra eating, etc. My PMS got so bad using the Ortho Tri-Cyclen that both my husband and best friend could always tell when I was a few days away.Aside from the obvious benefit, the other benefit I really like about being on the pill is staying regular. I didn't want to give that up. I've always had a heavier shorter cycle, so I like it being lighter, more days in between, and the fact I know what day it'll happen on. My midwife had put me on the Ortho Tri-Cyclen to control my acne, and because my cycle was all out of whack after the birth of my second child. It was lasting far too long and coming far too quickly.Complaining that I felt like I was pregnant every month, my midwife listened and told me I really didn't need all those hormones. She assured me that the Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo would still have all the benefits of keeping me regular and pregnancy-free, yet it wouldn't have the heavy dose of hormones that whacked me out every month.I've been using the Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo now for a at least a few years, and I haven't had any problems at all. I still feel very protected and regular, yet I don't feel out of whack emotionally. Sure, I still get PMS, but it's a normal PMS, not like I'm going to rip someone's head off. I'm sure my family appreciates this even more than I do.

LauraBelle

South Elgin, IL