Portia for Birth Control User Reviews (Page 2)

• Hea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 26, 2012

"This pill by far cleared up my acne! I've been trying different face washes for years, and the thing that worked the most was THIS PILL, which isn't even a face wash! I experienced no weight gain at all, I was actually hoping for weight gain. Also, everyone was talking about how birth control pills helped your breasts grow, and with Portia, it just didn't happen for me. Maybe because it was a low dose. It prevented pregnancy, and I had NO CRAMPS! Wooohoo! My periods were a lot lighter. I actually felt healthy on it!"

• the...
• September 21, 2017

"I was switched from Levora to this. I never had issues with Levora, but I hate Portia. I get cramps and pain randomly throughout the whole month. My right breast has gotten nearly a half cup bigger, despite my weight being stable. I feel bloated a lot and have cut carbs to try to fix it. This is my third pack, so I was hoping the side effects would have subsided by now, but they haven't. I am not impressed and hope Levora comes back on the market or whatever is going on with it because Portia sucks. Also, they have red dye in them, something I try to avoid. I waited to review until I had been on it a while to see if I was biased because of the dye, but there's definitely an unwelcome change going on in my body that is really frustrating."

• dak...
• January 12, 2012

"I've been on birth control for over a decade and Levora for over five years with no issues. The past three months, the pharmacist has substituted Portia for my normal medication, insisting it was the same. In the first month, I noticed severe pain and bloating with my period; the following two months brought bouts of depression, rage, and hysteria. If you are prone to depression, avoid this medication. Additionally, I lost my appetite almost completely and probably ate less than 1,500 calories a day, and gained weight! Four days ago, I switched to Syeda (a Yasmin generic) and already I feel better - and my libido has improved."

• Mis...
• May 9, 2016

"I have tried taking many different brands of birth control for the last 4 years. When I first started birth control pills, I got really fat. So I changed my brand. The next one caused me bleeding as soon as I took it. So I quit that one also, and I gave up on birth control, thinking it's not for me. Early this year, after a year of staying away from contraceptives, I wanted to give it a try again. My doctor prescribed me Portia once I reminded her of my whole ordeal with birth control over the years. She told me, let's give this one a try and see what happens. If not, then I would have to go to an IUD. Thank God for Portia, I did not have to go to an IUD. Portia is subtle and comes without any side effects for me."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2020

"I wish I researched this birth control before taking it because it has sucked the entire life out of me. I have been taking Portia for 5 months, and after the first month, I noticed I gained 15 pounds, but I exercised 4 to 5 times a week and ate a calorie deficit as I was just trying to lose a few pounds from Thanksgiving/Holiday eating. Before this BC, my skin was dry/normal, and I luckily never battled with acne. After a month on Portia, my skin became so oily, I got cystic acne on my chin, and my skin started peeling around my mouth. I will be changing BC next month. NEVER LET YOUR DOCTOR PRESCRIBE THIS BC TO YOU."

• Ren...
• January 3, 2020

"I’ve been taking this pill for around 8 months now, and it has turned my world upside down. I now have random, crazy migraines. I am extremely irritable and depressed all the time. I am gradually gaining weight despite lowering my calorie intake. My acne has gone from mild to severe. Don’t think these comments are a joke, I wish I listened to them 8 months ago. I’m quitting this pill tonight."

• Emz...
• March 13, 2017

"Absolutely terrible! I've been on many oral birth control pills, and this is one of the worst. My mood swings are so intense, zero sex drive, and I am snapping over little things. I am switching back to Gildess FE ASAP! 10,000% better."

• Anonymous
• December 29, 2015

"I've been taking Portia now for 8 months, and it is doing me very well. I first started taking birth control because I would go months on months without a period (7 months the longest). Since taking Portia, my acne has gotten so much better. In the first 3 months, I lost 20 lbs, there has been no negative effect for me."

• Hap...
• September 3, 2012

"Portia is amazing! It has made me lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks, and I have bipolar disorder, and it has not affected my moods at all, it's actually improved my PMS. I'm so happy with this, and I would recommend it to everyone, it's just great."

• Eva...
• October 23, 2019

"I have never been so happy to read reviews where women are going through the same things as me. This has been the worst 4 months of my life. Like everyone else, I was on Levora, and I loved it, I even lost weight. Then Kaiser switched me to Portia. I'm in grad school, so I thought all these side effects were just stress until recently. I've gone up 2 bra sizes. It feels like there are two weights on my chest at all times. My upper back has been killing me due to how large and swollen my breasts are. I've cried every day for the past 3 months for no reason. I'm super irritated and annoyed all the time, and I feel insane. I'm normally happy and outgoing, always excited, but I am sad as hell. And not to mention, I'm bloated every day. I had to start taking water pills to reduce my water retention. The only opposite effect I have experienced is I have a very high sex drive, higher than normal. If your doctor suggests this pill, DO NOT TAKE IT. I would rather just have a baby."

• Anonymous
• August 23, 2011

"I switched to this from the NuvaRing about three to four years ago. It originally worked great; timed my periods perfectly (always Sunday at noon after the last active pill), would stop my period with no breakthrough bleeding when starting another pack and made my periods light and pain-free. It was also an effective birth control method as I've never been pregnant. This year, however, my boyfriend and I noticed I would have severe mood swings in my third week of active pills. I would literally not want to be in a relationship. I've also noticed breakouts on my face and body and get mild cramping every few months."

• DoU...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 1, 2019

"One of the worst BC pills I have ever been on. Took it for 8 months. The only pro - I didn't get pregnant. Everything else was a con, here is the following: severe - migraines, PMS (PMS would be almost a month long), mood swings (to a point of psychosis & paranoia), depression & anxiety, cystic body acne (vile). Complete loss of libido, made my current partner seem repulsive. Weight gain (I gained 15 pounds!) greasy skin & hair, constant dermatitis and dry patches of skin. Would make me bloat before and during my periods immensely. Did not matter if the periods were 'lighter' considering the PMS, and bloating was so bad to a point of needing to take time off work. I started getting horrible gingivitis on this pill, bad breath & garnered over 6 tooth cavities after 6 months of being on this pill. I never get cavities. Once I went off this pill, all of these disgusting and unfortunate side effects went away. If a GP prescribes you this pill, say no."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 14, 2019

"If I knew how I would react to this, I would have opted to not be on anything. It took me almost a year to figure out all of my strange new ailments are from Portia. I’ve only gotten yeast infections from antibiotics in the past, but I have had them almost constantly for the year that I have been on this. Depression is bad anyway, but now it is horrible, weird hair growth, discharge from everywhere the warning label says, and I think it is even doing something horrible to my fingernails. I am put on a new brand of pill every year because they always quit making the ones I like or because my insurance is my doctor now. Don’t let a nurse prescribe birth control to you."

• Gyp...
• March 18, 2013

"As soon as I started taking Portia, everyone around me started noticing a huge change in my attitude. In the tiniest minor fights my boyfriend and I would get into after 2 months of taking Portia, and we had been together fight-free for 5 months, I would start crying out of nowhere. I have been on Portia for 7 months now, and I'm depressed all day, I just think of negative things all the time. If something goes wrong, whether or not it has something to do with me, I immediately start thinking it's my fault. As far as acne and weight gain, I haven't noticed much of a difference."

• NoP...
• May 30, 2019

"Last year, I was switched to Portia. I had changed my BC because of my insurance. I felt like my insides wanted to fall out. My hair started thinning. I was always tired. I was so depressed. I could not hold back my tears. I did not think my BC was the problem. I also had an abnormal PAP for years. Now all of a sudden, I am abnormal? I continued to take Portia for a year. After a year of major depression, I then started spotting ALL the time. I spotted after sex. I had such heavy periods I would have to leave work after only wearing a tampon for an hour. Since I have stopped, my periods are short. I don't have weird brown spotting. I don't get emotional as much! Portia sucks! I dislike what you have done to my life in just a year. I gained 40 pounds in less than 4 months. I cried myself to sleep for nights. Now I might have cervical cancer? Every year I get checked? And after less than a year with Portia? I might have cervical cancer?"

• Iha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 26, 2018

"Please beware, do not take this like everyone here has said. Levora was discontinued and was given Portia. I’ve been taking it and it has recently affected my daily life. They should really take this off the market permanently! It has made me depressed and bipolar. I don’t want to do anything for myself or my family. I get massive headaches, and I’ve gained so much weight, it sucks. I'm going to get off of it permanently. I hate it so much... please stay away from this birth control!"

• Anonymous
• September 1, 2010

"I've been on Portia for over a year and can't complain. I have always had terrible cramps, on the verge of endometriosis, and this is the first birth control of several I've been on that has actually reduced the cramps - and quite significantly. I don't really have problems with PMS at all, but have noticed a lower sex drive. But my periods last 2 days now and are pretty light, so it's treated me well."

• Nik...
• October 12, 2016

"I have been on 3 different types of birth control since I was 15. I am now 21, and I wanted to be able to skip my periods, so my doctor put me on Marlissa, and then they discontinued it, so I got switched to Portia. I was only on Portia for just a month, and I hated it!! I was very moody and felt sad. I was hungry, and it made me very, very bloated. I was getting bad migraines as well. The worst was when I got my period, it started off not normal than what it usually is for me, and it was the worst cramps I have EVER experienced! I suggest trying a different birth control like Tri-Sprintec or Tri-Linyah (which I am now on)."

• Sup...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2020

"I came here to say-OMG-the weird brown discharge?? Yeast infection even while taking probiotics? The massive bloating! The insatiable cravings! Moodiness and depression out of nowhere?? No thanks. I will deal with my PCOS."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2019

"This is the worst birth control I’ve been on. I switched to Portia from the BC shot due to bleeding for 3 months straight. It’s been one week since I’ve been on this pill, and I have already had 3 mental breakdowns. I’m extremely emotional and am easily triggered, and once I start crying, I literally cannot stop. Other than my mental health, this birth control has stopped my bleeding, and I haven’t had any physical adverse effects."

• Ash...
• June 21, 2013

"I have been on Portia off and on for the past few years. My pharmacy kept telling me that Levora was the same, which seemed pretty true. I have no period. I thought something was wrong with me, but nope, I got all checked out by an OB, and the pill just causes me to not bleed, which is fine by me. I do, however, get sore breasts every month when it should be my period, and I have slight mood swings. Overall, I think it's a good pill."

• Mar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 17, 2021

"I'm sad to read that this pill didn't work for so many people because I genuinely thought it was amazing. I guess you have to find the right thing for you. I've been on this for 6 years and love it. Absolutely no side effects, and I love the flexibility I have to skip my cycle. I should add I am plant-based and only use clean skincare. My acne and cramps completely disappeared after making those changes. It might work for others as well, but again you have to find what works for you!"

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 13, 2019

"I have been on Portia now for 7 weeks after previously being on Depo-Provera for 3-4 years. Portia just isn’t for me. The worst symptom I’ve had is EXTREME breast tenderness/enlargement. My boobs feel like someone used them as a punching bag every day for 7 weeks. It’s been horrible. I’ve been in so much pain every day. The second worst symptom is weight gain. I’ve gained about 10 pounds on this in just a month and a half! I’m so self-conscious about my body now. I was 125 lb, now I’m 135 lb. My 3rd side effect of Portia is occasional nausea. My 4th side effect is a yeast infection I got in the first couple weeks I started Portia. Going off of this ASAP! Not worth the misery..."

• yik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2019

"PORTIA is horrible. Every year around May, I get prolonged periods. Mostly all the years, I have used Levora besides this year. My doctor prescribed Portia to me this year and said it would stop my bleeding and clear up my acne. They lied. Though I only took this pill for 5 days, I experienced the worst case of nausea, migraines, and reflecting on my previous days' mood swings. I have become very irritated with everything and everyone. This pill makes me feel so horrible, and it has done nothing for my acne. I gained 2 lbs. while taking it, and I don’t recommend it for others to take."

• Aan...
• February 19, 2019

"This pill is awful! I was switched from Levora. I have been dealing with a ton of depression and anxiety, increased blood sugar, and 10 lb weight gain within the first 2 months. Will be switching ASAP!"