Lo Loestrin Fe and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on this birth control since November, and so far I have had a good experience. It doesn’t make me emotional at all, and I now have a super light period (but most of the time I don’t even get it). My problem is that I feel like it’s been really hard for me to lose weight since I’ve started on it. I don’t think the birth control has made me gain weight, but I am just a couple pounds heavier than when I started in November. Just wanted to know if anyone else has had this issue on this birth control :)"

• Tri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 26, 2020

For Birth Control "LADIES. If you have had a bad pill experience, I hear you. Comments on how even if you’re having side effects like bad periods, migraines, weight gain, anxiety, or depression that “you haven’t been on it long enough to tell” need to stop. It absolutely isn’t ok to invalidate someone’s experience because they didn’t go through the 3 months of hell that is somehow a standard. If you’re having these side effects, they aren’t ok and your body is trying to clue you in. I was on birth control for 5 years, Lo Loestrin for over half of that. I thought the “good luck on not having your life ruined!” mentality was ok. Then the anxiety, depression, and ER visits hit. Nearly a year of my life was gone. It landed me on Prozac temporarily. I’ve never had mental health issues before in my life. I’m 5 months off the pill and am now feeling more like myself. My message is this: listen to your body. If something isn’t right, whether it be after a week or a year, it isn’t. Trust yourself."

• Suz...
• October 13, 2014

For Birth Control "Into my second year on this and very pleased. The first two months adjusting were definitely a bit tough: nausea, headache, breast tenderness, bizarre acne. I stuck it out and very glad I did! After those two months, zero side effects. No period, no weight gain, nausea, cramps, or breast tenderness... Nothing! In fact, I'm 37 & I've lost 20 lbs while on it. And most importantly, it's been effective in preventing pregnancy!"

• Khz...
• October 13, 2020

For Birth Control "I wanted to get on birth control to regulate my period, but please, please, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS. I gained 30 pounds in a 3-month timespan because it caused my appetite to skyrocket. My appetite went back to normal after stopping it, thank goodness. I had my period for 20 days straight, broke my eczema out on my face really bad, acne everywhere, constant headaches, my mood was horrid, and I felt so exhausted 24/7. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone. But again, everyone’s body is different, so it might work for you! But still, be wary."

• Wei...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill since September. Love the low dose hormone vs. regular. I don’t feel moody or anxious compared to past pills, but I have had a few days where I feel nauseous and can’t figure out why. Not sure if it’s the pill. No side effects except MASSIVE weight gain. My appetite is out of control, and I am constantly bloated. I have put on 20+ pounds since I started and am freaking out about it. Not sure what to do, I don’t want to keep gaining."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2015

For Birth Control "The very first day I started on this pill, I went looking for reviews. To be completely honest, I have no idea why I did this because it just scared the crap out of me and made me believe I was going to have some crazy side effects or symptoms. I believe most of us go out of our way to write a review when a product is negative, therefore we see all the bad. From my personal experience, this pill was AH-MAZING. Firstly, I was terrified of weight gain. I already struggle to keep my weight low and suffer from a slow metabolism. I have to work out and eat healthily regularly. I have gained no weight. I've had a regular period. No breakouts and no long-lasting spotting. No sex drive issues. No mood swings. I have been completely unaffected :)"

• Anonymous
• November 12, 2011

For Birth Control "I've tried several types of birth control/contraceptives, and this is by far the best. In the past, I have had insane mood swings, random periods that last for months, serious weight gain, headaches/nausea, extremely low sex drive, etc. Since I started taking this, I feel like a normal person again. I'm not randomly mean to my boyfriend, I want to sleep with him too. I have noticed that since I've started taking this pill (I'm on my 3rd month), I've been able to lose weight a little bit easier, unlike the last pill I took. I will continue taking this."

• Jez...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 21, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on this BC for three and a half years now, and it's been amazing. I was on two other types of birth control before: NuvaRing and another oral pill that drove me crazy-nausea, crazy mood swings, cramps, heavy periods, the works. It made me never want to go on BC again, but I'm so glad I gave it a second chance. With Lo Loestrin Fe, I haven't had any period, cramps, backache, mood swings, decrease in sex drive, weight gain, or acne. The only problem I've had is that it seems to lessen my appetite, so I try to make sure I eat before taking it, otherwise, I forget. At first, I was concerned that I wasn't getting my period, but I talked to my doctor, and he said it was fine as long as I was comfortable with not having one."

• MAa...
• August 24, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had very bad experiences in the past with birth control pills (depression, weight gain, etc.). I tried Lo Loestrin Fe after the birth of my daughter and was happily surprised at how well my body reacted to it. I took it for 2 years and then stopped as I wanted to have a second child. I will get back to it soon. After stopping it, my periods came back as well as bad PMS. It seems like everyone has a different reaction to it, so I would suggest testing it and seeing with your OBGYN if this one is good for you. Because when it works, it is a true relief to be able to rely on a birth control that your body likes."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I really like this birth control. I was on Ortho Tricyclin Low for 8 or 9 years. When they discontinued it about a year ago, I was pretty bummed. I was given a few different generic versions of Ortho TriCyclin Low, but I had bad physical and emotional reactions to them. I asked my gyno for Lo Loestrin and have been really happy with it. I might have initially gained 2-3 pounds (lol, or maybe it was just winter fat!), but I quickly got the weight off. Since then, I haven’t had a single side effect besides never having my period. I miss the normalcy of it, I guess, and I end up taking a pregnancy test every few months (mostly just because I’m a little neurotic). But anyways, I really like this birth control overall. I was initially quite scared when I read the negative reviews, so I figured I’d throw a positive review in here to even it out."

• lin...
• August 13, 2013

For Birth Control "I started taking this pill last October and have not had a period since. I've noticed being extremely tired and moody. I'm not that type of person, also, I have NEVER had an issue with weight gain until I started this pill last year. I have very slowly gained 12 lbs. I eat very well and workout, and I can't get off even a pound. It's really upsetting."

• sun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2020

For Birth Control "Taking Lo Loestrin Fe was not a fun time at all. I only took it for a week and a half, and it caused me a horrible yeast infection, made me cry every day, and made my skin break out. As well, it made me hungry 24/7, and I gained weight. I don’t recommend."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 15, 2016

For Birth Control "I feel like because there aren't many positive posts on here, I should share one. I got on this pill because of recurring ovarian cysts and also to relieve some menstrual pain during periods. I'm on the third month, and I have had no negative side effects. The only thing was I had black, disgusting discharge for about a week at the beginning, but it stopped. However, I noticed that if I don't take the pill at the same time every day or relatively close to the same time, I begin having that discharge again. However, I have not experienced any mood swings, weight gain, or any other negative side effects. Every pill affects every woman differently, so please don't get freaked out by negative reviews like I did, actually, don't even read them."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 30, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on this medication for almost 6 months. This pill finally stabilized my periods. Everything was going well until the 4th or 5th month, I began experiencing a horrible increase in appetite. I noticed I gained weight on my face and that my acne got much worse, especially on my neck (which I never used to get). Being such a low dosage, I didn’t expect for this pill to have such a high impact on my body, but I was wrong. Birth control works differently on everyone, but I still would not recommend this pill."

• Ems...
• December 30, 2013

For Birth Control "I got on this birth control around 6 months ago. I had no problems. It took about three months to adjust. I don't get periods on it. Unfortunately, after 3 months, I began putting on weight rapidly (around 15 lbs in two months), which is a lot for my small frame. Despite working out 6 days a week and eating clean, I could not lose the weight. Other than the weight gain, this was a great pill. The only reason I'm changing is because of the severe weight gain."

• all...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 22, 2014

For Birth Control "I never had a bad experience with this pill. I freaked out when I first started taking it because I didn't have a period. But I fell in love with it. I don't have periods. I don't get any weight gain or mood swings. I have been on this pill for about 4 years now. It does take a bit for you both to get used to a pill. So don't hate it. It will take a month to a few. I haven't had any problems with it."

• Nik...
• March 4, 2015

For Birth Control "Best birth control I've ever taken. No weight gain, no periods (due to low hormone, doc said that was normal). However, why am I paying nearly $100 for this pill? I have insurance too! I want to continue using this pill because my body is taking it really well, but I'm going broke!"

• Ken...
• May 9, 2014

For Birth Control "I have currently been on the pill for over a year. After my daughter, I tried the Depo shot, it made my periods stop and worked for a few months. But I became emotional and gained weight. For the last year or more, I have been using the Lo Loestrin pill, which is amazing. The positive thing about the pill is I have lost weight, my face has barely any to no breakouts, and best of all, NO period. The negative thing about the pill is I do feel more tired than usual (I am also going to school for nursing, work 36 hours, take care of the lawn/house, and have a 2-year-old), it could be my activity. Only $10 is covered by my insurance, which leaves me paying $82. My sex drive is balanced, I have not seen much change. Highly recommend this birth control."

• Rac...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 17, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been taking Lo Loestrin Fe for about 2.5 years now. The first few months were pretty rough, i.e., mood swings, weight gain, low sex drive. I was even nauseous and sometimes had two periods in one month. YES, I agree it can be tough to give this one a chance, but I'm glad I did. At this point, I have not had a period in months, and all side effects have mellowed. I do get normal PMS symptoms, light cramping, and body aches, just no bleeding. No more weight gain or mood swings. I'm glad I stuck it out because it has been the best birth control I've used."

• Shl...
• July 3, 2013

For Birth Control "I started this pill 8 months ago. I got my period horribly the first month, maybe even the worst I've ever had it. It was heavy, painful, and I gained 6 pounds in water weight. Since then, I have not gotten my period once. I will get some period symptoms around the time I would get my period and some discharge, but no period, which is great for me. I have been on probably more than 5 birth control pills before this, and this by far is the best. I've lost 10 pounds, no acne, and no depression, which is the main reason I switched. The only negative about this pill is the crazy high price. Great pill!"

• Anonymous
• June 19, 2011

For Birth Control "I've been on Lo Loestrin for 4 months. This pill is one of the best I've taken so far. No periods or crazy mood swings. Sex drive is normal. Only downside is that I have gained some weight, and it's been hard to lose it while being on this pill. Second downside: it's expensive, and my insurance doesn't cover it, so it costs me $75 per month. Overall, good experience on this pill."

• Meg...
• May 4, 2015

For Birth Control "Lolo is the first birth control that's been right for me. I tried Seasonale and Marvelon and spotted nonstop, gained 10 lbs in a year, and experienced acne, which I'm lucky to rarely have. Lolo cleared my skin, I never spotted after taking it. I am very good at taking it at exactly the same time every day. My periods are 2-3 days and very light. This month, I didn't even have a period, this is normal with Lolo. I've taken the 10 lbs off, haven't had any breakouts or mood swings either. Lolo was recommended by my doctor as my periods were heavy, long, and painful. Not anymore. Highly recommended to anyone else with those issues."

• sam...
• January 3, 2015

For Birth Control "I switched to this pill after using Sprintec for years and had instant weight gain. I gained 20 pounds in the first three months. No noticeable changes in mood, sex drive, or acne. My skin stayed very clear. I also stopped having a period completely, and although it was wonderful, I could not get used to it. The pregnancy panics, along with the weight gain, forced me to stop taking these pills."

• Kat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 31, 2020

For Birth Control "I only had a period every 6 months, if at all, on Lo Loestrin Fe. I had acne, some weight gain, and my vag was dry all the time, 0 sex drive, and it wasn't normal. I took it from 16 to 18 y/o. Would rate it more than 1 for no pregnancy, but I never had sex on it. I am now in my 20s and take Femynor, and I love it so much, no issues."

• Rya...
• July 11, 2013

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for around 11 months, and for the most part, I find it good. I started off using it just to regulate my period, not knowing that it would just go away after the first few months. I'm sexually active, and I find that it does decrease my sex drive. It was very frightening when I stopped having my period, and I did gain weight, but I take pregnancy tests periodically (just as a precaution). I still have period symptoms at the end of the pack, but I haven't had one in 7 months. The worst thing I find about this pack is that it makes me more emotional and increases my headaches."