Ethinyl estradiol / norethindrone and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say

• Emi...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 2, 2023

For Birth Control "Obviously, some of these symptoms could be related to other issues… but I firmly believe this pill is ruining my life. I’ve been on it for over a year now, and I have never in my life been more depressed, anxious, irritated, or exhausted. My skin has been so dry (and breaking out). I’ve gained a TON of weight. I have zero sex drive. I won’t get my period for 4 months, and then randomly I’ll get the worst one of my life that lasts 10 days, and I’m practically bedridden, and I am tired ALL THE TIME. My boyfriend literally calls me “sleepy bish” because I’m always so tired and moody and mean for NO REASON. I know everyone is different, but I felt I had to share in hopes it saves other ladies out there from the same miserable experience I had :("

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Blisovi Fe for a little over 4 months. The first 2 months on this pill, I felt zero side effects except for light brown spotting around the week I would normally have my period and during the placebo week. Then, beginning the next 2 months, the side effects began to reveal themselves. I experienced a significantly decreased libido, no interest in my partner or sex, painful sex (during and sometimes after), mysterious pelvic pain, random nausea, mental fog, subdued emotions, an overall feeling of sadness that couldn’t be explained, and unbearable migraines on the second day of the placebo weeks, which left me immobile for the entire day. The only benefits were that it cleared up my acne and protected me against pregnancy. This pill was not for me, and I will be switching. For reference, I’m in my early 20s and weigh 132 lbs."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2020

For Birth Control "I was on Blisovi Fe for a little over 4 months. The first 2 months on this pill, I felt zero side effects except for light brown spotting around the week I would normally have my period and during the placebo week. Then, beginning the next 2 months, the side effects began to reveal themselves. I experienced a significantly decreased libido, no interest in my partner or sex, painful sex (during and sometimes after), mysterious pelvic pain, random nausea, mental fog, subdued emotions, an overall feeling of sadness that couldn’t be explained, and unbearable migraines on the second day of the placebo weeks, which left me immobile for the entire day. The only benefits were that it cleared up my acne and protected me against pregnancy. This pill was not for me, and I will be switching. For reference, I’m in my early 20s and weigh 132 lbs."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2021

For Birth Control "Never realized until I got off of Aurovela that it had caused my severe depression (which I never had before). It also caused me to intensely dislike my boyfriend. I had no sex drive, and sex actually felt like a chore and just made me angry. Do not take Aurovela, it will change your life in the worst way possible."

• Anonymous
• December 30, 2009

For Birth Control "I am taking Microgestin FE 1/20 for a month now. I took the first pill and then decided to just read up on it. I was scared out of my mind after reading reviews. I tried to calm myself down by saying that people usually only give reviews with a bad experience. Rarely do people seek these sites out to give a positive one. Nevertheless, I was scared. I thought I was going to gain weight, be an emotional crazy person, suffer from bad eyesight, etc. I was especially scared because I would take the pill at noon and at 5 pm every day I would feel nauseous. I changed my time to 5 pm, and hey, problem solved. I am usually in bed by the time the nausea would start. Other than that, no weight gain, no headaches, no loss of sexual interest, and no breast tenderness. Everyone is different, and their bodies react differently. I would say I am very satisfied with this birth control."

• ALa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2020

For Birth Control "Horrible. Do not recommend. At all. Save yourself. Just started month 3, and it has been AWFUL. So glad I found this. I've had about every side effect but abnormal bleeding. Haven't been able to have sex for over a month because of vaginal dryness/inability to get wet/loss of interest (just ended month 2 yesterday). Sex was great until this pill! My side effects: major vaginal dryness (going on 3 months), no sex drive/interest/pleasure, breast tenderness/PAIN/enlargement, nausea, headache, bloating, fetal-position cramps, mental changes/mood swings, trouble concentrating, tired/weak ALL of the time, irritable, anxious, discouraged. I could go on. I was starting to question myself, my body, my mind, my relationship, felt like I just could NOT get better. I'm disappointed it took me so long to realize this was the only change. Good thing is I'm not pregnant, but hard to get pregnant when you can't have sex."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 31, 2021

For Birth Control "My pharmacy quit carrying Blisovi 24 FE (I was on it for three years). I switched to Hailey for a month and am stopping birth control altogether because of it. My breasts are very sore, my face broke out like crazy, no libido, skin is itchy, and I'm very emotional."

• My ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 3, 2021

For Birth Control "I've been on this birth control, I would say, for about 3-4 years, give or take possibly 2. I really liked it at first, it made my periods lighter and less symptoms of my period, like cramps and headaches. But over the last year, I've gotten so moody. I thought it was just me going through stuff. Even though I didn't want to be with my boyfriend of 5 years anymore because there are times I want to rip off his head, like I literally can't stand him. But then other days, it's normal, how I've always felt for him. I also NEVER get my period anymore. I'll have spotting for a day, and that's it. I also have lost all my sex drive, like it doesn't even interest me anymore unless I am drinking. I want to get off of this BC so bad, but I don't know what to switch to. I would NOT recommend this BC. Many other side effects I haven't included."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 10, 2021

For Birth Control "I thought I was losing my mind until I saw this! I was diagnosed as clinically depressed and referred to a suicide hotline yesterday, no lie. I’m not suicidal, but I’ve been depressed, more depressed than I have ever been in my life the past few months. I’ve become detached, emotionless, and have lost all empathy. I cry all the time and hate being in the same room as myself. I’ve been bleeding for 4 months, and I have no sex drive at all. I didn’t research Junel Fe 1/20 and depression before now because it wasn’t listed as a side effect. My boyfriend just suggested that I look into the pill as a “leave no stone unturned” thing, and voila. I’m not crazy. I’m flushing this stuff right now."

• Pau...
• December 18, 2020

For Birth Control "Everyone's body is different, but for me, Blisovi's side effect was getting too much for me to handle. I think I should start with the pros because not everything was bad. PRO: I liked how it kept me on schedule. Period change from 6 days to 4 and lighter flow. And, of course, it kept me from getting pregnant. Cons: I couldn't keep control of my weight and gained 20 pounds really fast, no matter the exercise or healthy foods I was eating. I have a family history of diabetes, so I try to make sure my weight is manageable. At first, I correlated it to COVID and being stuck indoors, so I ended up doing more cardio outside almost every day, but for the life of me, I couldn't change my weight. Went from 130 to 150 pounds, and I'm 23 with a history of consistent weight before I took the pill. If I took a break for a couple of days, I'd gain all the weight back plus more. Lastly, my sex drive was nonexistent. I've been on the Blisovi Fe 1/20 for 8 months now and decided another birth control method is best for me."

• Mer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 14, 2021

For Birth Control "DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL. This is my first ever drug review. I was on this pill for only 9 days. This pill gave me severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts that I am still dealing with almost a month after, although they’ve gotten a little better. This was the worst pill I’ve ever taken in my life. I had fatigue, heavy chest, random pains in my body, severe depression, I could not think or form a thought, anxiety, and fear. And I developed scary intrusive thoughts I never had before. My libido left, and I also experienced dryness I never had before. Only in 9 days! It was awful! Quit this pill and do not take it. Most of the side effects have left, but I’m still having the fear and OCD and I’m scared it screwed me up permanently."

• 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."

• bee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2020

For Birth Control "I absolutely hate this medication. They gave it to me because my Junel Fe was on backorder. Horrible mood swings, zero sex drive whatsoever, symptoms of depression, breakthrough bleeding, and lack of interest in things I previously loved. I didn't use this for the purpose of preventing pregnancy, but it didn't even work for the things I needed it for. Everyone is different, but I have never experienced such dark emotions in my life, and this was a horrible experience."

• sxk...
• October 13, 2011

For Birth Control "I've been on this for almost a year, and I really like it. My old pills (tried Ortho Tri, NuvaRing, etc. for around 5-10 years) lowered my sex drive and gave me other weird side effects. For the first few months, I had some of the basic side effects, but now they're mostly gone, except I never get periods anymore. I asked my doctor if that's normal, and she said it was fine."

• 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."

• Lea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 1, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been taking Junel for a little over four years now. This birth control, I didn’t gain any weight, but it did make my boobs a size bigger. My acne is minimal (but I am also prescribed other acne face washes and stuff to keep my skin clear). My periods are to a T every month, periods are light, and I haven’t had cramps since before I started. I have had absolutely no complaints until this past year. Now my sex drive is completely gone, and it's nearly impossible for me to reach orgasm. The only thing I can think of is my birth control doing this. Other than that, I think this pill is awesome, but the lack of sex drive is super concerning for me since I do have a long-term boyfriend, and it's just not there anymore."

• Npa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I had been on Lo Loestrin Fe for years with no problems, recently, my doctor switched me to Blisovi 24 Fe, and I am now on month two. They are not even the same pills. I am throwing these pills away today. I’ve never had anxiety and depression until being on this pill. Today at work, I randomly burst into tears. I DO NOT DO THIS. I have zero sex drive to the point I don’t even want to hug my husband anymore. I have heart palpitations and a constant brain fog. Please do yourself a favor and stay away from this birth control. THERE ARE BETTER OPTIONS. I don’t even recognize myself anymore, and I’ve always been a confident woman. Currently crying while writing this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 22, 2022

For Birth Control "I originally started out with Sprintec and could immediately see weight gain, swollen breasts, and severe mood changes. So I switched to Junel, and my breasts were no longer swollen, and I lost weight. My skin has been incredibly clear, very regular periods, light, and no cramps really… but this pill has affected me sexually. I am constantly having back-to-back UTIs, despite cleaning thoroughly after intercourse. And I no longer have a sex drive. The first year my bf and I were together, I was completely different, but since Junel, I have a hard time wanting to engage in ANY kind of sexual act. It has also put my emotions on blast. I am incredibly angry, I cannot control how I feel anymore. This pill seriously has damaged my mental and physical health. I know a lot of people have a great experience, so don’t let my review turn you away. But if you feel this way on this pill, know you aren’t alone. I thought I was crazy, but I am about to get off this pill."

• Anonymous
• January 21, 2010

For Birth Control "The pill itself does what it's supposed to and seems to work pretty well, but it gave me some pretty strange white discharge. I thought I kept getting infections, but I didn't. It was just from the pill. Also, one of the biggest problems I had with it was that I had a MAJOR decrease in my sex drive. I never wanted sex or to do anything sexual. It was really hard for me to even get turned on. It did its job not letting me get pregnant, but it's hard to get pregnant when you can't even get turned on enough to have sex."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 16, 2021

For Birth Control "This pill was good in the beginning, but after a few months, I no longer got my period at all. Some may like this, but I, however, prefer to feel like my body functions. My acne began to come back after 6 months, and I have 0 sex drive, which destroyed my relationship. Even with foreplay, sex was painful and disinteresting. (For reference, we'd once had a very frequent healthy sex life.) Any combination pill is likely to kill your sex drive, so if you don't have acne, I'd recommend a progesterone-only pill."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 16, 2021

For Birth Control "This pill was good in the beginning, but after a few months, I no longer got my period at all. Some may like this, but I, however, prefer to feel like my body functions. My acne began to come back after 6 months, and I have 0 sex drive, which destroyed my relationship. Even with foreplay, sex was painful and disinteresting. (For reference, we'd once had a very frequent healthy sex life.) Any combination pill is likely to kill your sex drive, so if you don't have acne, I'd recommend a progesterone-only pill."

• Han...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 13, 2018

For Birth Control "PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL, I'M BEGGING YOU!! I've been on it for a year now. I used to be this extremely happy girl 24/7 until I got on this pill. I got on it a couple of months after I got with my boyfriend. Before I was on it, my boyfriend and I had a good relationship, I was always laughing and etc. Well, I got on this pill, and all of a sudden, I was a different person. It took me this long to finally realize that it was the Blisovi, and I only did because a friend of mine mentioned it could be my birth control. So, I looked up reviews, and pretty much I was having what everyone else went through. I’m always depressed, I constantly yell at my boyfriend over the littlest things, I’m extremely emotional over the littlest things, anger got worse, anxiety is terrible, I have no sex drive anymore, I’ve only bled 4 out of 12 months while being on this pill. When I did bleed, it was blood clots or either brownish-reddish color, it wasn’t normal. PLEASE DON'T TAKE BLISOVI!!"

• Tay...
• July 20, 2014

For Birth Control "I started taking Minastrin in November after Loestrin was discontinued. I was told it was the same pill, just a different name (I disagree). Like Loestrin, I take Minastrin every morning at 8 a.m. I have been taking Minastrin now for almost a year. I find I have cramps all the time, I get mad very easily, no sex drive whatsoever. I'm not sure if this is related, but I get hot and sweat very easily now. I have gained a good bit of weight in my thighs and lower stomach, again, not sure if that is related to Minastrin. When I go for my yearly exam, I will be looking at switching."

• Rae...
• April 14, 2019

For Birth Control "Six months ago, I was switched from Glidess to this. After switching, I had absolutely no sex drive and was moody. Three months after I started this medication, I had gained 10 lbs (I work with a trainer and eat healthy) and started to become sick. I had horrible cramps, with constipation or diarrhea and nausea every day. I went to see a specialist and was advised to take tests to see what was wrong (really expensive)! I finally made the connection that it could possibly be my birth control, even though my pharmacist and doctor said there was 0 chance that was it. I stopped taking this pill, and days later, I was fine. No more cramping, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, and bloating. (I’m losing weight back to my “normal self.”) My sex drive is back to normal too. I wrote this so others who have the same issue can be warned. I thought I had celiac, a food allergy, or an intestinal issue, that’s how sick I was. This pill ruined my life for six months."

• Han...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 19, 2020

For Birth Control "Don't take this unless you want problems. Junel will make you gain a lot of weight. I gained 45 pounds in 10 months (I was 140 pounds 1-2 months postpartum, so I was only 5 pounds overweight before starting Junel), more than likely caused me to have hypothyroidism, feeling tired all the time no matter the amount of sleep, dry hair, dry skin, mood swings, severe anxiety, migraines for days, random numbness of feet, weird 1-day periods with brown clots after the first 2 months, no sex drive at all, this makes me feel like I'm dying, just too many side effects."