Sprintec and Acne: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 21, 2016

For Birth Control "I just want to start this by saying not everyone's bodies are the same and different pills can react differently. I've been on Sprintec for two and a half years now, starting when I was a teenager, and I love it. I used to have extremely painful cramps during my period and 7- to 8-day long periods. Since starting Sprintec, my periods are much lighter, much shorter, and way less painful! My overall acne has improved, I do break out around my period, but I think that is normal. I did not gain weight from this pill. You only gain weight if you give in to cravings that changes in hormones can bring. Just be aware of what you are eating and how much. I did not notice any change in my cravings, however. I love this pill, and it has worked great."

• Ash...
• September 10, 2013

For Birth Control "I LOVE Sprintec! This is my 5th month being on it now. At first, I was a bit moody and went back and forth from having a large to nearly no appetite. My breasts were also more tender, but that has passed. My sex drive also had its 'mood swings' as well, and that went away as well. The only thing that has continued is mild acne. I haven't gained any weight since on this (which was my main concern), but everyone will be different. My best friend is also on Sprintec, and she gained 20 pounds, so it really is a case-by-case thing. Also, I have had migraines my whole life, and they are GONE. I have tried everything, and this has truly saved my life! So if this is an issue, consider it!"

• Gan...
• January 25, 2020

For Birth Control "Started my 3rd pack a week ago. It’s not perfect, but I’m fine with it so far. I was worried about the depression/anxiety/mood swings side effect because I’ve had depression before and still have anxiety. Luckily, my mood has not changed at all. I have experienced 3-4 days of spotting, it mostly happened within the 1st month. The worst thing is it made my boobs really sore. I think it lasted for at least half the time I was taking the first pack, and a few less days with the 2nd pack. So far, nothing for this 3rd month. I’m hoping my periods will get shorter, but that hasn't happened yet. My last period (2nd one I’ve had on the pill so far) seemed to be a little lighter, which was nice. I get bad back pain on my period for the first 4 days, and this time I only had back pain for 1 day! I also got the pill to help with my acne, but it's not helping. I’m gonna keep waiting to see if it helps, but I’m starting to lose hope. So there are pros and cons, but worth a try!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2015

For Birth Control "I just finished my first pack. I was so afraid since this was the first birth control pill I have ever been on. I was majorly concerned with gaining weight, but from what I see, my appetite may have even decreased a little. I want to eat more often, but I cannot eat nearly as much as I used to. My breasts already have grown about half a cup size bigger, which I am okay with. Normally, right before my period, I would break out just a little, but this pill has eliminated almost all of my acne except for maybe one minor blemish here or there. I do feel a little more emotional, but nothing so drastic that it would affect my relationship with others or my mental state. Overall, I am in love with this pill, no true negative side effects for me."

• Noo...
• July 5, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "First month, I had pretty bad cramps, but that was a big reason I went on it, along with very irregular periods. After that month, though, I barely experience cramping, my periods are light and fairly short (4 days). I'm used to heavy cramps so bad I throw up and 6+ day periods. My skin is the clearest it's ever been. I did bloat very badly (7 pounds gained) around month 4, but now (month 5), all bloating is gone and I'm back to my original size. It hasn't taken away any PMS symptoms besides acne and cramps, but I'm okay with that. My breasts have grown a cup size (32 C to 32 D). So far, so good. Plus... no babies!"

• MHC...
• November 17, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been taking this birth control for about three weeks. It has given me a bit more acne than I normally have, but the biggest thing that has been a problem for me is the nauseous feeling that comes with it. I take my pill every night at 9 PM. Within an hour of doing so, I always feel like I could throw up. I haven't done that so far, but the feeling is so bad it makes me gag. I still feel nauseous the next day well into 4 or 5 PM. It seems to die off around then and then shows back up after I've taken the next pill. I have also experienced breast soreness, not too bad, but definitely enough to take notice of. Rather than the nausea feeling, it seems to be an okay birth control, so far, I'm not pregnant."

• CMa...
• January 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I was so afraid to go on birth control because I always heard about weight gain and acne. I recently got on it just because I'm intimate with my boyfriend and wanted to be extremely safe, and I must say Sprintec is amazing. The only issue I had that really got to me was I was on my period the first month for two weeks. It made me really sick because of the amount of blood I lost, but I took it easy. I get the occasional breakout before my period, which is completely normal. Other than that, my skin is seriously so clear! I get the same symptoms before my period: sore breasts, acne, and occasional cravings. But surprisingly, this makes me not want to eat, and I've actually lost weight. Lastly, there's been no pregnancy scares or babies on the way."

• CMa...
• January 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I was so afraid to go on birth control because I always heard about weight gain and acne. I recently got on it just because I'm intimate with my boyfriend and wanted to be extremely safe, and I must say Sprintec is amazing. The only issue I had that really got to me was I was on my period the first month for two weeks. It made me really sick because of the amount of blood I lost, but I took it easy. I get the occasional breakout before my period, which is completely normal. Other than that, my skin is seriously so clear! I get the same symptoms before my period: sore breasts, acne, and occasional cravings. But surprisingly, this makes me not want to eat, and I've actually lost weight. Lastly, there's been no pregnancy scares or babies on the way."

• bri...
• May 14, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on Sprintec for about 3 weeks, and it works great, and my period is regular. I have not been sick or had any negative side effects at all. But my acne has been clearing up, decreased appetite, and a little moody for the first four hours after I took the pill. I love this birth control since the ring made me really sick, gained weight, caused intense headaches, and made me bleed for two months straight at a time. I would recommend that you eat something before taking the pill to avoid headaches. Other than that, it isn't all bad for me. I think everyone needs to experience it for themselves instead of believing everything you hear or read because every experience is different. I had read over half of these reviews before I decided to take Sprintec."

• Anonymous
• November 30, 2014

For Birth Control "I took Sprintec for 4 months, and it was a fine and dandy birth control for pain with cramps, but I couldn't take the cystic acne it brought on. I never had acne before. The tenderness in the breasts was also quite bothersome. Other than that, good pill, but too much acne."

• Anonymous
• July 1, 2010

For Birth Control "I have been on Sprintec for three months now. I had minor acne before, and after the first few weeks, my skin was completely cleared up. The only issue I had was during the first month, I had problems sleeping. However, that is a common side effect of any birth control pill. I also got a yeast infection last month, and while oral contraceptives give you a higher risk of contracting a yeast infection, so do antibiotics. So I would recommend taking cranberry pills and acidophilus on a regular basis! But overall, I would recommend Sprintec. It does its job."

• Lok...
• July 4, 2016

For Birth Control "Worst pill ever. I had evasive thoughts. I would visualize how I killed people. I never had these types of thoughts before the pill. I was depressive and very angry. Gained eight pounds and acne problems became more severe. My doctor said that they are perfect pills for me, but I quit taking them because I was not myself. All my problems went away when I stopped this pill. Best decision of my life."

• KK7...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 24, 2013

For Birth Control "I am so happy with Sprintec. I had a horrible experience with Lo Loestrin Fe. I changed doctors, and he prescribed Sprintec. So far, no side effects. I've only noticed some breast tenderness and mild acne. It's working great for me!"

• hel...
• April 4, 2019

For Birth Control "I tried so hard to like this pill, but I can't stomach it anymore...literally. I have horrible acid reflux from it, which has gotten progressively worse each month. I can barely eat toast, rice, and bland/lean meals without having a severe stomach acid flare-up. Pros: it's a crazy cheap pill, and I did not gain weight. I actually was able to lose 15 pounds without trying (HUGE for me, since PCOS packed 45 pounds onto my small frame in about two years in my mid-20s, and I'm newly 30). Cons: my breasts have shrunken a full cup size; hair started falling out in clumps within the first week; nails are brittle and break easily; periods are just as painful and crampy as my pre-pill days; cystic acne has gotten much worse than not being on a pill; and my hirsutism isn't improving. I'm done with Sprintec. I can't wait to go back to Yaz or Yasmin in a week and get my stomach back to normal!"

• But...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 4, 2019

For Birth Control "I’m on my 8th month of taking Sprintec. I take it to help with my adult acne. If you’re taking it for the same reason, you need to be very patient. I didn’t get clear skin until month 7. Then I tried to skip my period, so I continued with pack 8, but spotted for 10 days, so I stopped for 4 days to get my period then started a new pack. This, however, affected my skin so I got a few pimples and my skin was oily again but not that bad, so I’m hoping to get back on track. I take it every day at 8 PM. If you’re not seeing results just yet, be patient, you will. It does work for acne, but it may take some time."

• Sop...
• January 15, 2020

For Birth Control "First month on Sprintec, and no pregnancies. Didn’t notice any weight gain other than my boobs getting bigger. I take it before bed, so I’m assuming I sleep through the nausea. There was one time I did stay up after taking it and ended up getting so nauseous I ended up vomiting. Skip to the end of the month (I’m on my period, so maybe this might be the issue), I now have extremely dry skin, and my face is breaking out. I’ve always had clear skin up until this week. My skin is now very dry, has major cracking, and a ton of breaking out. This happened on my period previously, but never this bad. I’ve changed my face routine to something more gentle and have been moisturizing frequently to try to fix the cracking. This has been helping with the dryness, but I’m waiting for the acne to clear up. I’m going to give the pill a bit more time so my body can adjust to it, and if this doesn’t stop, then I will look into a new birth control alternative."

• Eli...
• November 24, 2016

For Birth Control "I started this birth control in hopes of clearing my skin and balancing my hormones. The first 3 months were ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. And I mean HORRIBLE. I turned into a different person, which in turn caused my boyfriend of 4 years and me to break up. Also, my skin EXPLODED. Honestly, the worst acne I have ever seen. I hid in my room and cried for 3 months straight. At the 3-month mark, I started to feel amazing. My body feels better than ever, smooth digestion, completely clear skin, which seemed to have happened overnight, consistent good moods, and my boobs have gone from an A to a full C. My boyfriend and I are also back together, lol. I highly recommend this birth control, but you NEED to give it time for your body to adjust! SO worth it."

• Ama...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I had a horrible experience with Sprintec. My face became oily and broke out with painful acne. I was constantly bloated and gained a lot of weight. On top of that, I thought I had irritable bowel syndrome because I constantly had digestive issues such as constipation, gas, and diarrhea; however, I learned that a high dose of estrogen can actually cause this. I stopped taking the pill, and after a few days, my digestion and acne problems went away, and after a week or two, I lost all the weight I gained. Everyone's body is different, but I thought the digestion problems were worth noting because I've never known that being a side effect of the pill!"

• Bai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 20, 2019

For Birth Control "I haven’t been on this medication for a long time, but so far it’s been fairly okay! I made a pro and con list of symptoms. Pros: • no babies • larger but not painful breasts • improved overall mood. (I was always very irritable and snappy, but this mellowed me out) • lost a little weight. (Could be from lack of appetite) Cons: • dull headache for a few days in a row after the 2nd pill • acne slightly became worse (should clear up) • decreasing appetite extremely (not exactly a con for me, but for some maybe) • I got a mild yeast infection that was mixed with a small, small amount of breakthrough bleeding. I’ll come back once I’ve been on it longer, but overall I like it."

• Ccc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I'm on my 3rd month, and I ONLY take this for regulating my period and the symptoms of it. The first month, my breasts hurt terribly. I had to give up running for a while because I could not handle it. That's been the only major side effect I've had besides I get more breakouts. (And they were hardly noticeable) My periods are lighter, cramps are lighter. I used to cramp 4 days before and then during half the period duration. I just cramp maybe the first 1 or 2 days of the period now. Weight has only decreased, no increased appetite. I'm very happy with it so far! ☺"

• Wes...
• November 22, 2019

For Birth Control "Sprintec did its job of preventing pregnancy and had the added benefit of clearing my skin. For the 3 months I was on it, however, I experienced a 10 lb weight gain (I’ve had no issues keeping weight off in the past, but even with intense exercise every other day and calorie counting on the pill, my weight gradually rose without drastic lifestyle changes). I also experienced the worst mood swings of my life (anger, irritation) and had really dark thoughts almost every time I restarted the pills for the month and came off of them for my period week. My breasts were excruciatingly tender (even laying on my back hurt them) for the first 2 months, though this stopped during my 3rd month. My libido was non-existent within the first month of starting the pill. Since going off of the pills for good, I’ve lost 9 lbs in 2 weeks, which makes me think that most of the weight was water retention. My mood is back to normal, and my libido has come back, though so has my acne."

• Kwe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2015

For Birth Control "First month on this pill, no weight gain so far. I have noticed that my appetite increased a tad. Start my second pack tomorrow. Period came on for 4 days this month and was heavy for 3 of the days. Walmart fills it for free with my insurance. Acne is slowly clearing up."

• Tam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2019

For Birth Control "Been taking Sprintec for two months, and it’s been breaking me out like crazy. Other than that, and mild weight gain, it’s improved my mood. Did anyone else experience serious breakouts? How long did it take to see acne clearing?"

• Tin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2017

For Birth Control "I started taking birth control for the first time back in October. Since I was 23 and had never been on the pill, I was expecting the worst: weight gain, acne, mood swings, no sex drive... and for the first 2 months of Sprintec, I can say all of that was true. But I just finished month 3 on Sprintec and WOW. My face is a smooth porcelain complexion, I've lost several pounds, my sex drive has been gradually growing week by week, and my mood swings are dissipating. I still get PMS-like symptoms the week before my placebos, but I had those before the pill, so really no complaint there. My depression hasn't improved, but it hasn't gotten worse either. I was depressed before the pill, so I can't say if Sprintec has affected that any."

• ACa...
• June 10, 2019

For Birth Control "Sprintec did the job of preventing pregnancy, but the side effects are not worth it. I have experienced extreme mood swings, some of the worst depression of my life, anxiety, paranoia (“Do my friends hate me?”), and I have gained 13 pounds in 4 months. Plus, my acne has gone back to pre-teen-level bad, including on my back, shoulders, and chest. And I never actually know when my period will start. Sometimes it’s a week before the placebo week (a 14+ day period!), sometimes it’s a day or two after (pregnancy scare). I also had my first ever yeast infection after antibiotics while on this pill, which I saw mentioned in another review. My boobs did get bigger, but they are often sore. My waist got bigger too! :( The only reason I didn’t give this 1/10 is because it did prevent pregnancy. (Though I’m on the second day of the placebo right now and have not started my period, so we’ll see.) But I will be stopping Sprintec immediately and finding a different pill."