Microgestin Fe 1/20 and Cramps: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• May 13, 2009

For Birth Control "My doctor put me on this medicine for dysmenorrhea. I LOVE this birth control pill. I have NEVER had any bad side effects from it, no acne, no mood swings. I only have light bleeding/no bleeding and cramping when I do have my periods, which only last 2-4 days. But the best part, NO WEIGHT GAIN. I have actually lost 30 lbs since I have been on it. I really love this pill and would not go to any other birth control pill."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been on Microgestin FE 1/20 for a couple of months now, and it's absolutely fantastic! I switched after 6 months of Lo Loestrin, which caused me to gain 10 pounds, constant spotting, and worse acne. With Microgestin, my periods are actually regular and even lighter. I had horrible cramps that I used to have to miss school and work because of, and now, they're almost nonexistent! Zero weight gain, I've actually lost 7 pounds, and my acne is gone! Love this pill!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Microgestin for 3 weeks. I started taking it on the 1st day of my period, and it made my (normally VERY regular period) last for 8 days (it usually lasts 4-5)! For the entire time, I have been very moody, bloated, retaining water, have had cramps, nausea, acne, breakthrough bleeding, EVERYTHING. THE WHOLE TIME. I literally feel like I have been on my period for 3 weeks. I keep hoping that eventually, my body will get used to these hormones. My doctor said it will take 1-3 months to regulate, but I don't know if I want to live like I'm on my period for 3 full months."

• Syd...
• July 27, 2015

For Menstrual Disorders "Ladies, please realize you are putting synthetic chemicals into your body. It is completely normal to have side effects, your body won't regulate the pill until after about 3-4 months of consistent pill taking. I have been on Microgestin for about 2-3 years, and it lightened my period, helped my cramps, and helped my mood swings. However, the success of the pill depends on how it reacts with your body. Give these pills a chance (3-4 months), otherwise you won't find one that works. You can't expect it to work within a month."

• bre...
• December 29, 2011

For Menstrual Disorders "Wow! I LOVE this medicine! I am excited about the hope of bigger breasts, aren't we all ladies? It apparently has increased my sex drive. I am 35 years of age, married for 18 years and have 5 children. I cannot say anything bad at all about this medication, I love it! Oh yeah, it regulates my periods so I have them more often with less cramps. I also have lighter periods, which is always a plus."

• ayy...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 30, 2016

For Birth Control "I wanted to write a review because I was researching this pill for my GWS class, and I noticed a lot of people new to the pill experiencing problems. I have been on this pill for 5 years, and while I didn't experience any terrible side effects in the beginning (that I recall), this pill has helped me a lot in 5 years. I originally took it to cure my severe acne, but it also helped with my severe cramps and heavy bleeding. Now, five years later, my skin is the clearest it has ever been, I haven't had a legit cramp in probably two years, and my periods only last about 4 days with minimal bleeding. All in all, I would highly recommend this pill."

• Moo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 7, 2015

For Birth Control "This medicine is effective and does the job of 'birth control.' However, I still have cramps, and I have emotional breakdowns the few days before my period comes. I turn into either a sad or extremely angry person, and I cannot take no for an answer. I am considering switching medications if this does not change. It is beginning to ruin relationships."

• mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2014

For Menstrual Disorders "I have been on Microgestin 1/20 for about three weeks now, and the side effects were not shy. The first two days, I had bad migraines, the third and fourth, I had cramps, and the fifth to seventh day, I was extremely depressed. I cried over almost everything and anything. Starting the second week, it seemed like things were going okay until I started bleeding, and it hasn't stopped. Isn't that the whole purpose? I got over my period two and a half weeks ago, and now I'm getting it again, and there are no signs of it stopping anytime soon. The good thing is I don't have mood swings or anything anymore, but this excessive bleeding is now the problem."

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 20, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on it for a little over a year now, starting it when I was 17. I was a bit moody at first, but no weight gain, acne did clear up decently. No pregnancy scares with my boyfriend. Definitely lessened cramps and flow once a month. However, after the one week on it each month, I have mild cramps and light flow. Happens for a few days, then back to nothing. Still have a period each month, but pain and flow greatly reduced."

• cla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 24, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Microgestin for almost three months now; I switched over from Previfem. During the first month or so, my sex drive decreased a bit, and I was nauseated in the morning sometimes. I did notice some mood swings, too. Since I've been on it for a while, though, the symptoms have let up. My withdrawal bleeds only last for about 3-5 days, and they're light. I do have backaches and cramps periodically throughout my cycle, but they're manageable with a little ibuprofen. My breasts swell a bit and get sore around my placebo week, but that's not really a big deal. Overall, I'm happy with Microgestin. I haven't gotten pregnant, so that's awesome, and the side effects are minimal. Also, my skin is looking good!"

• hap...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2013

For Birth Control "Months 1-2 = no cramping, came right on time, incredibly light, period lasted 1-3 days, no weight gain, no acne. Month 3 = crazy mood swings, not myself, didn't feel motivated, hurt my family/boyfriend's feelings a lot. Months 4, 5 = felt normal again, happy in my relationships, acne normal, no weight gain still, period came a week early both months with lots of brown discharge and then bleeding the week of my period. Month 6 = period came right on time, mild cramping, no mood swings, acne normal, period not heavy but not as light as months 1-2. Overall, stick with this pill. It can be rocky, but I think I've gone through everything and am leveling out."

• wes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 29, 2016

For Menstrual Disorders "I got my tubes tied about 8 months ago, and it ruined me. Extremely painful heavy periods. I mean to the point where I could not walk. Painful ovulation, and for the first time ever--- my skin broke out like a teenager. I have never, ever had skin issues. My doctor put me on hormone therapy. Started with Junel, but that did nothing. My insurance changed it to Microgestin, and I was a little apprehensive. I started taking it to try it out, and I love it! My skin cleared up in a matter of a week, no weight gain, no mood swings, and very light periods! It did make me nauseous at first, but that went away. It also increased my breast size a bit. I read the reviews and was nervous to try it, but I must say, I love it!"

• Tal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on Microgestin Fe 1/20 for 4 months. Gained weight, mood swings, horrible cramps, and bleeding in between periods. I don't feel like myself at all. I've been bleeding for 7 days now. The only thing this has done for me is heighten my sex drive. I've decided to stop taking it. Going back to condoms."

• ray...
• December 3, 2015

For Birth Control "I just read most of the reviews, and half of them to me are ridiculous: anxiety and depression? Your period gives you mood swings, being a girl, you get mood swings! I've been on this pill since I was 15. I am 22 now. Never had a problem unless I miss a few pills. I have never been pregnant, very light blood, no cramps, very little pimples. To anyone with bad acne and bad cramps, I highly recommend this pill. I used to throw up because of my bad cramps, and now I rarely even get one."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2013

For Menstrual Disorders "I have been on the pill for about 3 weeks now, everything has been going okay. I have less mood swings, I'm more calm, and my sex drive has improved, so that's a plus. There are a few side effects I've experienced, though: my acne is breaking out again, I've been having spotting and severe cramps, but I'm going to finish my 3 months and see how it goes... Hope this helps, good luck, ladies!"

• Nat...
• June 8, 2015

For Birth Control "The medication is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy, as long as you follow the guidelines of the medication. This is my 3rd month on the pill. I have not gained weight or had any serious side effects. I do notice that I get cramps the week of my period, but very minor. My period flow is a lot lighter. The only discomfort is breast enlargement and tenderness."

• Agi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2015

For Birth Control "I switched from Safyral to Microgestin. After reading the horrible reviews of this pill, I literally cried. I wanted to share my good experience with taking Microgestin over the past ~2 months. I have noticed no spike in appetite, except around the week before my period and at times while I'm on my period, which is not unusual for me. I have not noticed any extreme bloating, and I've experienced little to no nausea. I have no cramps, no spotting, and my period is now extremely light, to the point where I forget I have it at times. I only experienced one patch of skin on my face that became almost unnoticeably darker, but it faded in a week. I exercise daily, eat reasonably, and I have not gained weight. This pill is not bad in my experience."

• Tex...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 2, 2015

For Birth Control "When I originally took Microgestin 1/20 by Watson, it was amazing (particularly after the first couple of months of taking when my body got used to it). My breasts went up a cup size, and there were little to no side effects. Lighter periods. No pregnancy. WIN! THEN, after almost two years, a dark cloud called Actavis became the new manufacturer and shattered my love for Microgestin. Something changed in the formula because I was suddenly sick during the first week of each new pack to the point that I'd throw up at times. Random cramping. Gained about a pound a week - not a deal breaker, but still sucks. HEAVY, exhausting 2-3 day periods. Two side effects worsened over time: melasma and mood swings. Needless to say, it's goodbye time. Beware!"

• SPT...
• December 27, 2013

For Birth Control "I started this pill, and all seemed fine. I had some symptoms while my body was 'adjusting' to the hormones: breakthrough bleeding, a little weight gain, feeling blue. But I guess my body never fully adjusted because 6 months later, this pill is giving me headaches. I have breakthrough bleeding in the middle of the month every month, I feel slightly nauseous all throughout the day, and I still cramp and get acne. I didn't get pregnant, though, and my periods were super light and short, but this pill just doesn't work with my body, I think."

• Bcp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 23, 2012

For Birth Control "I honestly don't like these pills at all. I mean, there are good side effects, but they're all mostly bad. The good thing about it is that I never broke out with acne, and my chest got a little bigger. But the bad side of these pills is that I get sick to my stomach whenever I start a new month, major mood swings, depression to the point where I'm thinking suicidal thoughts, and usually I'm not like that, and they don't even help with my menstrual cramps because they are still pretty severe. Every person's body is different, but if these symptoms don't stop, I'm switching to another brand."

• LRH...
• July 24, 2014

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "Not a fan of this pill. Throughout my teenage years and twenties, I took either Ortho Tri-Cyclen or Yasmin. After the birth of my second son, my doctor switched me to Microgestin as I was searching for a lower dose option. Over the past several months on this pill, I have begun to experience acne, breakthrough bleeding, mood swings, and, just recently, intense cramping and lower back pain. The pain was so out of place that I requested an ultrasound and was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. While I certainly don't believe that Microgestin caused me to develop PCOS, I do believe that it has done a very poor job in controlling the symptoms and has left me with multiple, undesirable side effects. I will be going back to Ortho Tri-Cyclen."

• kat...
• September 16, 2011

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control pill for about a year and a half... so far, no pregnancies, my skin is clear, but I've always been lucky in that department. My hair actually feels thicker! No weight gain and no headaches. My period is usually 2-3 days long and super light. Sometimes I only spot for a day and that's it. I used to have severe cramps prior to getting on this birth control to the point I was prescribed muscle relaxants (that bad!)... and now it's slight cramping for a day or two the week of my 'period.' Everyone's body is different, but I have had no side effects on this pill."

• kat...
• September 16, 2011

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control pill for about a year and a half... so far, no pregnancies, my skin is clear, but I've always been lucky in that department. My hair actually feels thicker! No weight gain and no headaches. My period is usually 2-3 days long and super light. Sometimes I only spot for a day and that's it. I used to have severe cramps prior to getting on this birth control to the point I was prescribed muscle relaxants (that bad!)... and now it's slight cramping for a day or two the week of my 'period.' Everyone's body is different, but I have had no side effects on this pill."

• Meg...
• October 3, 2016

For Birth Control "Awful, swore I was on this before and was miserable but gave it a chance because I switched doctors and we didn't have old records, but I had the horrible flashbacks instantly as soon as I switched to this birth control. I had the following symptoms: lowered sex drive; my boyfriend even noticed, it became embarrassing. Breaking out, weight gain, intense headaches, nausea all the time; felt like I was car sick 24/7. Severe cramping; never wanted to crawl in bed and cry so much as I had with this med. Heavy periods, interrupted sleep, tender boobs. Ugh, needless to say this has been a nightmare; do not do this to yourself."

• Bro...
• March 10, 2017

For Acne "I have been on Microgestin 1/20 for about 4 months now, and it has improved my acne immensely! Before this pill, I tried everything to get rid of my acne and spent so much money on different kinds of acne face wash and stuff like that. When I finally decided to take this pill, I was scared because I read all these reviews, and none of them were very positive. But for some reason, for my skin, it has highly improved my acne, and for the past 2 weeks, I have not gotten a pimple on my face, and it is also slowly healing my scars too. The first 2-3 months, it is hard to see results and takes a little bit of time to really start getting into your system. Along with clearing up my acne, it has also taken away my very bad cramps from my period."