Drospirenone / estetrol for Birth Control User Reviews

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 24, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I have been struggling with endometriosis since the age of 16. Every time I had my period, I had immense pain and bleeding. The pain and bleeding have been less since I've been on Nextstellis. My skin has also become incredibly clear, and I lost 2 kg after the first 2 cycles. I had some spotting while starting, but nothing since the middle of my 3rd cycle, and what did come (anything after the end of the 1st cycle) was SO LIGHT! Barely even spotting, I wore a white dress one day and had nothing! My partner has also reported my mood/irritability has improved, saying I’m a lot calmer and less irritable. I also feel as though my libido has improved too. I was previously on Levlen for 5 years."

• ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 24, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and was prescribed this pill by my OBGYN to help manage my symptoms. I was very against re-trying birth control after so many bad experiences on other pills and how crazy my body went after stopping them (didn't use them for 4 years), but my emotional and physical health was suffering so badly from my imbalanced hormones due to PCOS that I wanted to give this a go. Please note that I also take inositol and fish oil as well, which I think has really helped me. I have been taking Nexstellis for about one month now, and I have had zero complaints. I am actually shocked at how normal I feel on this pill. I feel emotionally stable, my skin is better, my PCOS hair growth is calming down, and I've experienced virtually no bad side effects. My breasts definitely are a bit enlarged, but nothing unmanageable. Weight is the same. I am extremely impressed and relieved at how well this pill has been working for me, and I would urge anyone with PCOS to research this one."

• hel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 12, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I have both good and bad things to say about this birth control. On the positive side, it has made my periods lighter, shorter, and regular. They are also much less painful, and those are all of the things I was trying to achieve, so I’m happy about that. But, on the contrary, I almost feel numb on this pill, bordering on depressed at times. My sex drive is also incredibly low after being on this birth control for a few months. I wasn’t like this before being on it, and it is incredibly frustrating for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 14, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "For the first few months of taking Nextstellis, I was very depressed, had low motivation and appetite. It got better after the first 3 months, but I still find that I am more emotional than before. After the first few months I also had extremely low libido. My boobs got bigger, and I got more irregular periods, some of which lasted a month. However, I did not experience weight gain and I did not get pregnant, but I am switching off of this birth control due to the irregular periods and other unpleasant side effects. It's also extremely expensive even if covered by insurance."

• ros...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2022

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I got switched to Nextstellis when my previous birth control pill started causing breakthrough bleeding after years of use with no problems. I had such high hopes for it because of the natural estrogen and reports of it improving users' mental states. Unfortunately for me, it had the opposite effect. I noticed that during the second and third week, I became severely depressed each month. The main issue for me was that it caused me to have 2 to 3 full periods per month. Sometimes they were so heavy I would be dizzy and have to take iron supplements. I soaked 3 pads in 2 hours routinely. In addition to the multiple periods per month, I often spotted too. I really wanted this medicine to be the solution, but it just was not for me. I did, however, avoid getting pregnant as best I can tell. I would still recommend trying this pill out because I seem to be in the extreme minority with these side effects. Most users have given it good reviews."

• ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 8, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "Best birth control I have tried. I had endless bleeding on and off four other birth controls before Nextstellis. I still have irregular periods lasting 8-14 days at a time, but the reality before was 60-day-long periods before I ever got one day of not bleeding. Most birth controls have also greatly affected my mental health to the point of daily breakdowns. Switching to Nextstellis stopped these breakdowns."

• maj...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 14, 2023

"I love this medication. It's helped tremendously with migraines and Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and I've had very few side effects. Withdrawal pills are only 4 days, so my period does creep into the next pack. For the first 1-2 months I had consistent breakthrough bleeding but I kept going and was happy that I did. I've tried other low-dose birth control pills and did not have great experiences, so I'm happy I found this one."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 23, 2021

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I am a really odd case so I can’t comment on the effectiveness of the birth control in terms of spotting/ breakthrough bleeding but here’s what I can say. I have always had horrible acne as well as a migraine disorder. This medication does wonderful with both of those. I did however find that I have terrible uterine cramps seemingly randomly though the month. The very first month on this medication was terrible the pain from cramping was 7/10 everyday! Second month in and cramping only happens about once a week now. The other side effect I notice is definite breast swelling and tenderness, they are almost always sore to the point I don’t wear a bra anymore."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "This is the best birth control I've used so far! No cramps, no tender breasts. My anxiety has been much better on this versus other pills. I picked this because it contains natural estrogen, and when I took other birth control pills, I experienced anxiety attacks, constant depression, and low energy. This is so much better."

• Nex...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 21, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I have very mixed reviews on this. I have taken it for a year and a half and am switching to Nikki now. At the beginning, I noticed eyelash fall out, still unsure if this was the pill but it was the only thing that I changed about my routine. I ended up using a bunch of different lash serums to combat this problem and managed to fix it. Has helped with acne and periods are much lighter. My main issue with this is the irregular on and off bleeding/spotting even if I am still taking the hormonal pills."

• Man...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 6, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I have struggled with combination birth control for years. Usually causing me depression, anxiety, and a lot of water weight. I have PMDD, so I have to be careful. My doc called this in for me, and reading all these reviews, I’m very hopeful. Hoping this E4 is going to be the answer to my prayers."

• lal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 21, 2022

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "Started this because I have painful, long periods off of birth control. On every birth control that I've tried I bleed at least twice a month for around 10 days. The first month was great. I was hopeful because my bleeding held off until about 3 days before the inactive pills. Period lasted long but I was fine with it. Second month started and I began bleeding again. On the positive side, I have noticed way less mood swings/PMS compared to what I experienced on other OCP. No major increase in acne or weight gain so far either. Only main complaint is the constant breakthru bleeding and irregular periods."

• Cma...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 6, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I was on Junel Fe for years, but recently switched to Nextstellis because of the vaginal dryness the Junel caused. That was the only downside of the Junel but it was making intercourse uncomfortable. The Nextstellis works wonders for the vaginal dryness, but it caused many unwanted side effects for me. I have a history of bad acne, and the Junel kept it under control for years, but when I started the Nextstellis, I began to have breakouts. They were mild at first, but by month 5 it was all over my face, back, chest, and shoulders. I haven't had breakouts like that since middle school. It also caused breakthrough bleeding, terrible cramps, sore/painful axillary lymph nodes, and hair loss during my placebo pills/period. These symptoms seem to have worsened month to month, never getting better. So, I will be trying a different pill, it just sadly wasn't for me."

• goo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I've been taking Nextstellis for the past 4 months. I lost weight (around 5 lbs) and feel less hungry. My mood is stable, and I don’t feel depressed as compared to other birth control pills. At the beginning, I had tender breasts but only for the first month. My periods last around 3-4 days and are very light. They start the day before I start a new pack."

• Joc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I started Nextstellis in November 2023, and my life has been absolutely changed. I struggled with really heavy periods and very bad cramps. After starting the pill, my periods have not only been significantly lighter, but my cramps have vanished almost completely. My period length is now around 3 days, with a light flow (I wear panty liners instead of pads because of how light it has become). I haven't experienced any side effects. My mood hasn't been any worse than it usually is lol. My weight has stayed the same as well. I highly recommend this pill if you struggle with heavy periods."

• Uns...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2023

"Was switched to this as a 'low hormone' birth control. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. I took it for 5 months and was consistent in taking it daily at the same time (a few days, was 30 minutes late, but did not miss any pills). I had a lot of unscheduled bleeding. The first month - my period was a week early (week 3). In the second and third months - bleeding occurred again on week 3 and then during the placebo week (week 4). The fourth month - bleeding occurred in week 2 and then again during placebo week (when scheduled). Pack 5 - bleeding again at week 3 and then again during placebo week. Cons - increased cramping with placebo/withdrawal period and also with all the unscheduled bleeding. Acne started around months 3-4. A massive increase in fatigue! Guessing likely due to all the unscheduled bleeding. No pregnancy. Pros - no breast pain, weight gain, or nausea. Mood seemed stable. Overall - prevented pregnancy but did not help with any menstrual relief at all, made it worse because I was bleeding more."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "This is the first birth control that I have tried, but I struggled with such horrible pain from my period. I have to say that since I've started it, my cramps have almost disappeared completely. I've also noticed that my mood and personality have completely changed but in a fantastic way! I'm less moody all the time, and I feel like I have become such a better person overall. If you're looking for something that's a low dose, I highly recommend this."

• Som...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "*** Reminder that everyone’s bodies are different! Honestly, this period was super light and different from really any I’ve had and noticeably quicker. I’m on Nextstellis, and it’s probably 4/5ths through the pill pack now, so I feel as though it might be settling in. Honestly, I’m less emotional for sure than before. In my previous experience with feeling depressed and anxious and never getting sleep/sleeping well (Blissovi Fe), I feel as though sleep has been better, but I still have those rough nights like everyone. I also feel the natural estrogen has been a good thing for me - I get stressed and tired here and there, but I definitely am happier to do things. The sex drive the first 2 months was off, and reading some reviews, I see people say that… However, I think I’ve been fine, and the initial jump of it is done. Personally, I love it! :)"

• Tay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2023

"My doctor recommended this medication for my PCOS and all I have noticed is a complete change in my mood since taking it. I have been in an awful depressive state ever since I started it, which is not normal for me. I am usually the opposite. On the bright side, it has helped my acne, but I have also noticed an increase in my appetite since starting the medication. It has been two months now and so far, it has not been a good experience."

• sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I was really hoping that this birth control would work, but unfortunately my last two periods have been 14 days long and super heavy. I am trying to see if over some time it will regulate, but it’s becoming super irritating to be bleeding so heavily and for so long. I will most likely be switching birth controls. A positive note is that I have not gained any weight, but I have noticed some swelling in my breasts."

• Tri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 3, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I've used many different pill BC, Mirena IUD, implant, and BC ring. This is my favorite so far. My periods are manageable and light. Without BC, I've fainted from the blood loss before, very heavy cramps, etc., etc. I've been using Nextstellis for 8 months. 4 months in, I completely lost my sex drive. Like 0 drive, I live with my partner, and we have had sex 3 times over the past 4+ months.... But so far this is my only side effect. I would recommend this for sure."

• Ale...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 21, 2024

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "I have taken Nextstellis for the past 2 years now, and I've officially decided to come off of it. In the first year, it was fine. I had the spotting and breakthrough bleeding that others mentioned, but it eventually stopped, and I have had super light, painless periods. In the last year, however, I think how I have been feeling emotionally and mentally is related to Nextstellis. I first noticed major dips in my mood, especially during the few times I was late taking the pill. I've either been feeling super flat or depressed. Also, I became socially withdrawn and not interested in things I used to like - a recent red flag for me. I've had 0% libido since being on the pill. I haven't felt like me for a while, but I'm feeling a lot more normal now since coming off it. I felt validated reading a few of the other existing reviews here and thought I'd give mine. Maybe this review will help others make a choice in their decision to continue taking it."

• Hi1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "It is the best birth control I’ve ever taken. NO water weight (which was the big thing I use to experience), no sore breasts either."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2023

Nextstellis (drospirenone / estetrol) "Very nice oral contraceptives. I think need more marketing due to 60 to 70 percent doctors and patients don't know in North America."