Xulane and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Bre...
• September 13, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Xulane specifically for over 6 years, and I must say, it’s the best birth control I’ve taken. I’ve taken many different types of birth control pills before - combination, progestin only, about 8-12 different brand names for the pill, as well as the Depo-Provera shots. I was bleeding the whole 3 months I was on the shot, and the pills were OK but I didn’t like having to take something daily, and I felt like they were taking away my sex drive. On Xulane I’ve had either an increase or no difference in libido, I remember in the beginning my sex drive spiked! Now it’s steady and feels like it’s unaffected by the patch, as well as my weight and anxiety. I’ve been reading horror stories of the patch and the implant for some time now; what affects me in a positive way could be your worst nightmare and vice versa. So keep that in mind while reading reviews - each woman’s experience can vary so much - don’t create a confirmation bias!"

• Chy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2020

For Birth Control "I love this patch! I’ve been on the pill for about 8 years. After the first 7 years, I got off it and had my daughter. The doctor put me on the pill after birth and had the worst side effects! (Extreme acne, mood swings, weight gain). With the patch, I have the best skin, no weight gain or mood swings. The only bad thing is nausea. But I would rather have nausea from birth control rather than pregnancy!"

• ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 26, 2020

For Birth Control "I am on my third month. I’ve gained about 7 pounds, roughly. I lose my appetite one day and the next, I'm hungry no matter how much I eat. I have no idea if this has to do with my birth control, but my breasts have gotten painful knots on both of them. The doctor told me it was an infection, but on my off week, the first one went away. Now I’m on week 2 of month 3 and I have two more on the opposite breast. Has this happened to anyone else?"

• Hon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2016

For Birth Control "I started the Xulane patch two months ago. I have to say that it has been a great experience so far. I myself read through these reviews before starting the patch, and I was terrified of the experience I would have. I have not gained any weight. I have not had migraines or even mild headaches. The patch does not itch, nor does it leave a rash or any type of bump. It does leave a residue on the outer ring from where it catches your clothing and collects fuzz. I have not experienced any nausea. It has been smooth sailing. My period is drastically lighter, and I don't get ill or experience extreme cramps. I have to say I'm a huge fan of the patch. It has even increased my sex drive because I feel so comfortable now that I have it."

• So...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 23, 2021

For Birth Control "This terrible thing made me gain a ton of weight in a matter of weeks, a day in water pills, and I’m literally sizes down. It made me so irritable and moody, and my breasts hurt so bad. Passssss. The adhesive left a rash on my leg, and the patch attached to clothing and got messed up too."

• Dan...
• March 12, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on the patch for two years now and have had a pretty positive experience. I choose the patch because, unlike the pill, it was only once a week and didn't have many horrifying side effects like some other options out there. I place my patch on my stomach, near my belly button area, per the instructions. I find that on my skin it stays put, but removal can be a bit painful, hence, why I always remove it in the shower while using plenty of soap. My periods while on the patch are short and sweet and on the day. I usually have two days of light bleeding and two medium days to end my cycle. I did notice some weight gain, but nothing crazy and nothing I worried myself with. Just remember, every body reacts differently to birth control!"

• Gir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 15, 2019

For Birth Control "Love the Xulane patch! Pills make me have crazy mood swings and Depo and me gain weight! The patch has been amazing, the only side effect I have had is extreme fatigue, but it has been manageable enough I can deal with it!"

• xul...
• October 30, 2014

For Birth Control "I'm 20 years old, and I've definitely gained weight, and my breasts have gotten bigger since I started this medication, but I'm not too worried about those things. The only problem with it is having an extremely long and heavy period. At first, I was using Ortho Evra, but had to switch to Xulane because of insurance. Other than the heavy periods, everything is fine. They are regular, and even if my boyfriend and I don't use condoms, we've never even had a scare. It works perfectly."

• Can...
• August 10, 2018

For Birth Control "I was on this patch in my twenties and went on it again after my second child was born. I have been back on it for 2 months. I suffer from migraines in general, but being on this makes them last so much longer, especially around the time I’m due for my period. I also have anxiety, and this is also so much worse. I have also put on 5 pounds. I am feeling extremely depressed, and I’m probably taking the patch off and switching."

• Amy...
• December 2, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been using Xulane for around 10 months. For the first seven months, the birth control worked great! I noticed that I was much easier to get along with, periods were on a schedule, and my breasts appeared bigger! I didn't experience the weight gain or hardly any negative side effects. The most annoying thing was that the patch would sometimes fall off. Fast forward to three months, I am bloated all the time and experienced a weight gain of about 15 pounds. I literally cannot stop crying and tend to bust out in tears at even a sad thought. The worst part is the mood swings. I finally decided enough was enough and threw them away. I will be requesting the birth control pill next time I am at the doctor."

• Sar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 5, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Xulane for about two years. During that time, I’ve had almost constant nausea, extreme fatigue, weight gain, and strange chest and abdominal pain. I actually went to the doctor thinking there was something wrong with my heart, as it runs in my family. Though I am only 23. My sex drive disappeared completely, and I found my anxiety to be worse than normal. I spent every ‘new patch’ day vomiting and would sleep by the toilet. This is even AFTER two years. The symptoms have never gone away. My breasts are always swollen and tender. I’ve gone up to an uncomfortable 32G from a 32DD. I would definitely not recommend this to anyone. My body is very sensitive to medicine, but this was just too much. I’m finally saying enough and trying something new."

• JTE...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 9, 2019

For Birth Control "I have three things to recommend Xulane, and they do not outweigh the cons of this birth control. First, the positives: it did a good job preventing pregnancy, I loved not having to remember a pill every day, and I had the most beautiful skin of my life on this drug. But the negative side effects far outweighed the positive. First, I started wearing this patch on my back and it gave me terrible dry skin and rashes (this went away when I switched to my arm). Second, the mood swings are so bad. I felt everything SO STRONGLY, and it usually manifested with tears. I'd swing from sad to happy to angry all day long. Third, this medication made me very hungry all the time, and I gained weight during the four months I used it."

• mam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Xulane a couple of months ago. I immediately started to get the worst headaches, nausea, gained lots of weight, and my boobs grew significantly in size and are sore constantly. I’ve been on my period for 40 days with heavy flow and unbearable back pain and cramps. Some days I can’t even get out of bed without taking large amounts of pain medication."

• Gee...
• August 14, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been on it for 2 years. It doesn’t really bother me too much, but the patch does come off often. It helps make my period lighter and causes no weight gain. Thinking about switching due to it coming off too often."

• QUH...
• March 27, 2017

For Birth Control "Have been on the patch for over 16 years. First Ortho Evra; a few years back Zulane generic brand. I had zero side effects since the first use. I have tried the pill for a few months, not good since I forget. The ring made me gain weight in a matter of 2 months, so I immediately got off that. Tried the pill again to get lower estrogen, but again it is hard to remember to take it. So the patch it is for me. All bodies are unique; we all react differently. I am glad I was able to process this form of BC without any problems. I did try to get off BC for approximately 6 months, and my body didn't like it; I started to gain weight, get bloated, so I attribute my weight control/hormone control to the patch!!"

• Ama...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2017

For Birth Control "Before I got on the patch, I was on the birth control shot. The shot was horrible, and it made me gain 20 lbs, and I had horrible mood swings that almost cost me my relationship with my boyfriend, as well as the extreme depression issues it gave me. Changing to the patch was the best decision I could have ever made. I'm much more calm and back to my normal self. This product is the real deal."

• Meg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 1, 2019

For Birth Control "I want this to work, but it's not. I feel emotionally messed up. Back pain, tender breasts, bloating! I'm also gaining weight and am very active. I've tried different diets and am doing even more exercise. But I know it's from the patch. I'm also constantly breaking out and feeling more stressed."

• Lis...
• July 31, 2015

For Birth Control "My insurance switched me over to Xulane from Ortho Evra, and at first, it was going really well. I am now 4 months in, and it's terrible. I have the worst mood swings, low libido, I've gained 10 pounds, and I get a rash around the application area. I have an outline of the patch on my hip that has been there for 3 months... I would not recommend this to anyone. While it does its job, keeping me not pregnant, the side effects aren't worth it. Back to the pill, I guess..."

• Sky...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 25, 2018

For Birth Control "Have been on since October 2016. Started off well. Had 4-day periods. Over time, I had weight gain of about 20-30 lbs. Hot flashes and vaginal dryness/infections started to happen. I haven't gotten pregnant on it, and it didn't affect my mood much, which is impressive since I already have clinical depression. 6/10."

• TCl...
• February 23, 2015

For Birth Control "I like the patch, it really does what it was supposed to. I've been using it for 5 months now. I noticed I gained 10 lbs, and I became very 'short-tempered,' for lack of a better word. I also have no sexual interest and decreased sexual arousal."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2016

For Birth Control "After being on the depo shot for a year, I absolutely hated it! Gained 30 pounds in a year, bled for 6 months straight, mood swings, pain during sex, and no sex drive. So far I love the Xulane patch. I've only been on it for about 3 weeks, but the only side effect I've gotten was breast sensitivity. The only thing I dislike is sometimes I feel as if the patch will fall off."

• Ash...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 19, 2021

For Birth Control "This is the worst birth control ever! I never suffered from anxiety or depression until this birth control was prescribed to me. I would literally feel out of place and disconnected from the world around me. I would sit in bed and bawl my eyes out with my husband. It was affecting my sleep because it caused chills while having it on the 1st week. By the 2nd and 3rd week, I'm drenched in my sweat at night. I'm sick and tired of washing my bed sheets every day during the 2nd and 3rd week. I never suffered from acne but now I'm on long-term medications to treat severe acne. This pain caused extreme sweating that caused severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa flare-ups, which cost me so much money with a dermatologist. I have severe scarring thanks to this stuff. It should be illegal. So you think that's all it does to some people? Try chronic thyroid complications that leave you feeling like you can't breathe or swallow because the gland is severely swollen. Weight gain double time. AVOID!"

• Sir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2016

For Birth Control "Switched to this after Ortho Evra was discontinued; had just about every bad side effect there is. LOVED my Ortho Evra patch, expected this to be the same, but this Xulane mess is awful. First off, it won't stay stuck. Tried shaving the skin, swabbed with alcohol, let it dry, stuck and held in place 10 sec, etc. It just never stayed more than 3 days at best. My pharmacist even had to give me some weird tape to try to keep it on longer. So of course, with the patch not consistently in contact, there's breakthrough bleeding, irregular LONG periods, terrible mood swings. I thought my body might just need a period of adjustment; I stuck with it 3 months. I gained 14 pounds and looked so bloated and puffy. At age 30, I started having cystic acne for the first time in my life. Oh yeah, and NO sex drive. Yeah, my husband just loves that. I will never recommend this to anyone. Ever. Finding something else has been an ongoing nightmare."

• Abb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2019

For Birth Control "By far the worst birth control I've ever been on. I switched from the pill to the patch due to excessive spotting. Not only did the Xulane patch make it worse, it gave me so many more side effects. My periods were the heaviest they've ever been (going through a large tampon every hour or two) and lasted like eight days, and I got the worst cramps, which I never used to get. I was constantly moody and crying and felt awful. I gained about ten pounds, and my skin from where the patch was got extremely red and irritated. It didn't get me pregnant, and it did clear up my acne, so I guess there's that. Once I went to my doctor back home to change my BC, she was like 'Wow, I'm shocked you got prescribed this. I don't give it to anyone because it sucks.'"

• HJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve always been a super outgoing and happy person, but when I took the birth control pill, I became depressed. So I decided to try the patch. It was okay for the first few months, but I slowly started feeling less and less like myself. I became super depressed, and my sex drive basically went away, and I gained quite a bit of weight while I was on this as well, and so I decided the negatives outweighed the benefits. On the bright side, I didn’t get pregnant, and I’ve always struggled with acne (even when on the pill), but it went away when I was on the patch. I’m considering going on it again, I just don’t want to be depressed."