Heather for Birth Control User Reviews

• Red...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 28, 2020

"I was put on the Heather tablet for my migraines with aura and to prevent pregnancy. I was on it for well over 6 months. It did help with the migraines and ovarian cyst, but here I am.....pregnant. And before anyone asks, no, I did NOT miss or skip a pill."

• des...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 21, 2023

"After trying 10+ forms of birth control over the past 13 years, I was finally recommended by my doctor to try Heather. I've been on Heather for a year now and have zero complaints. Estrogen pills tend to mess with me both physically and emotionally, like many other women. So this progestin-only pill, the mini pill, has been extremely easy and gentle. I have been monitoring for side effects since I began taking it and I don't feel like I've experienced any. My periods have lightened up and are shorter. My PMS feels the same, however (a week-long of tender breasts and fatigue), but I'd still take the shorter and lighter periods any day. I set an alarm and take this pill at the same time daily, and I haven't become pregnant. I'm leaving this review to help other women who are researching this medication. I hope it helps!"

• Ren...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 15, 2023

"I was taking this contraceptive as a replacement for the one I was on. My CNP told me I was at high risk for a heart attack being on the other birth control with my blood pressure med. Started taking it and my period became longer, 5-7 days. I was so used to a 2-3 day period. After 4 months on Heather, I was bleeding very heavily to the point I became scared. I was going through a heavy flow tampon every hour. I would have a 7-day period, stop for a week, and then wham, another 7 days. Every other week, a damn period! One month, I bled for 18 days straight, had a four-day break, and voila, another full 11-day period. I was miserable and spent more money on feminine products in 9 months than I had ever in my previous birth control experience of 2 years. Acne, so fun at my age of 48. And, the worst side effect I noticed - arthritic aches in every joint. I could barely move in the morning. I discontinued recently and feel wonderful!"

• Not...
• January 14, 2021

"Read reviews, but thought... hey, everyone is different, so it may help. YEAH RIGHT. I’m on month 3, and my periods are horrible. I was put on Heather to regulate them, but it’s made my days longer. I was originally 6-7 days a month, now I’m 11-15 days. I’m already anemic and was hoping this would be the answer. Not to mention acne. It’s awful. I’ve never had acne. Tender breasts for 2 months, mood swings & depression. Crying for no reason. I’m discontinuing this."

• Dis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2022

"I have struggled with depression and anxiety for years. When I decided to get back on birth control at age 43, my Dr. prescribed Heather because pills with estrogen had a high risk of adverse reaction with an antidepressant I'm taking. After 3 months of extreme fatigue, super irritability, increased depression/constant crying, hair loss, acne, insane bleeding with large clots, bloating, cramps, headache, and back pain, all my Dr. (who I used to love) said was, 'I'm sorry you're having trouble adjusting to the hormones.' I feel like I've been set back several months on the progress I'd been making with my emotional issues. I stopped taking it today and can't wait to get back to 'normal.' Beware!"

• man...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 19, 2019

"I was on this birth control for about one year, April 2018 to April 2019. My gyno told me to expect changes in my skin/weight, but boy did I not know what I was in for. The only upside of using this pill was no periods, but the downside was so much of my hair fell out, I gained about 30 pounds, and I went from clear skin to the worst acne I've ever had in my life. I'm 31, and it wasn't even this bad in my teenage years. I'm officially done with this pill. I gave it time for my body to become used to it, but even after a year it only seems to be getting worse. Seems like the weight gain is not stopping and the acne is so bad. If possible, please find another BC pill."

• Kor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2020

"I've been on this birth control, Heather, for 2 months. I'm pretty sure the mechanism of action for this drug is actually just abstinence because bleeding and cramping for 3.5 weeks each month is not conducive to having sex. The depression (which I have no prior history of) doesn't help. My medical professional never warned me about any side effects and has since told me to 'stick it out', so I'll give it a full three months. I had been on estrogen-based birth control for over 20 years and loved it, but hypertension :( At this point, though, I'd almost rather have the hypertension. And can I just take a moment to rant that in all my many trips to the gyno over the years for birth control, no one has EVER brought up vasectomy, when uterine ablation (literally burning out the inside of the uterus) has been suggested though. Come on!! Vasectomy was the first thing my partner suggested (bless him), so we may end up going that route."

• Emz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 13, 2019

"I’ve been taking Heather for a couple of years now. I switched to a mini pill because I had migraines with auras and was thus told to stop taking my pills with estrogen. In the couple of years I’ve taken this pill, I’ve gotten my period once. It’s amazing! I started taking birth control because I was getting awful cramps and migraines during my period. Taking Heather has had a hugely positive impact on my quality of life. Apart from having no periods, I honestly never noticed any side effects. The only thing is that I wish it was a more effective birth control method. Regular pills with estrogen are more effective. It’s important to take Heather on time, especially if it’s your only form of contraceptive. If you’re able to take an estrogen pill, then I would suggest that."

• Ali...
• November 6, 2020

"I don't normally leave reviews, but I definitely felt obligated to share my experience with the Heather birth control pill. This is a mini pill, so of course, I was taking it after I had my son, so I could continue to breastfeed him. Not only did it make me gain all 30 lbs back that I initially lost after I had him, but it completely wrecked my normally clear skin. Aside from physical issues, the reason I really wanted to leave this review is because of the mental side effects it gave me. I am regularly a very happy person, however, this BC made me extremely depressed, which is definitely not good for a woman who just had a baby! I don't believe it should be prescribed for women, period, but most definitely not for new mothers. It did its job of allowing me to not get pregnant and still breastfeed, so I gave it a couple of stars, however, other than that, I would recommend something else."

• Sil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 23, 2015

"I started taking Heather shortly after giving birth so that it wouldn't reduce my milk supply, and I've been taking it for over a year now. I am still breast-feeding and have not had a period this entire time. I've also noticed that my moods are greatly restrained, meaning I almost never cry (even when I want to, like at funerals), but I also don't get overly happy either. I've been losing weight this whole time (still overweight), which may be related to the breast-feeding or not."

• tde...
• April 10, 2017

"I've had trouble finding a birth control that wouldn't make me gain weight, give me UTIs, or make me depressed. I have finally found the one! This birth control has given me no issues at all. At first, my period was a little irregular when adjusting to this pill, but now it comes regularly and I have no negative side effects. You do have to be a little more exact with the time you take this BC, but I have my phone alarm set every day to the same time, so it's usually not a problem. The only time it is, is when my schedule is a little out of whack. Other than that, this is the best birth control I've taken and will continue to take."

• Reb...
• August 23, 2020

"This birth control pill, Heather, riddled me with horrible acne. My skin was beautiful and clear, and now I can’t stop crying when I look at it. I’ve never had acne this bad. Not to mention, I had my period for a straight month and felt like my uterus was ripping apart. I’ve been off of it for almost two months, my face still looks awful and is clearing very slowly. Side effects were not worth it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 22, 2022

"I wish I could put a zero for the rating. Been on this horrible pill for 2 months, and the bleeding is completely random. I went from having a 4-day period to 10, just to stop bleeding for 2 days to start right back up. I am taking myself off of this pill. Horrible, and wish I had never taken it."

• chr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 25, 2015

"I, at 53, took Heather for birth control for the last 3 1/2 years. My doctor decided that I should not be on the pill anymore and I needed to stop taking them. During the time I was on the pill, I never had a period. I loved it, no weight gain, no side effects. Since I have been off of them, I still have no period. My doctor said I probably will have gone through menopause and never had the symptoms."

• Bar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 3, 2022

"I just turned 49. I was experiencing heavy, painful periods with very large clots. I had menstrual migraines with aura. Upon testing, they determined my progesterone was almost nonexistent. All other levels were normal. I just finished my second round of Heather. The first month I noticed my migraines didn't show up until my period began. I bled about the same and had a 6-day length, clots seemed a bit better. This month my period reminded me of what my periods were like when I was a teen. My libido is back! No migraines! I did bleed, but about half the heaviness and clots smaller than a dime. 6-day length. My mood is great. My skin was very dry, and I think it's helping that too. I am hopeful that the next few months will continue the same or even improve more as my body adjusts. I really recommend it if you struggle with low progesterone!"

• hai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2013

"My doctor suggested I go on this so that I could help dissolve my ovarian cysts, help my excruciating periods, and of course for pregnancy prevention. Other pills had horrible side effects with my mood and made me feel worse than ever, but since I've been on Heather (about 6 weeks), I feel great... no bad moods, my skin has always been bad, so no changes there, my breasts have grown for sure, I'm just starting to spot and cramp mildly, but if that's going to replace my normal excruciating period, then I'm perfectly fine with that. My job is very physically and mentally demanding, and it hasn't affected it, except maybe my breast tenderness. But I would definitely suggest this."

• Run...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 19, 2019

"I have been using Heather for 3 months. I was advised to switch to a no-estrogen pill since I am 38 years old and a smoker. My prior birth control pill was Ortho Tricyclen Lo, which was phenomenal! Since I began taking Heather, I am either extremely irritable and moody or completely emotionless. I have gained 8 pounds, yes 8 in 3 months, coming from someone who runs a full marathon every year and is an addictive runner. I have lost all motivation and energy to work out, due to being extremely fatigued! I’ve also experienced breast tenderness, severe bloating, painful low back pain, and muscle aches. Not to mention that I’ve had my period 6 times in 3 months! I will be stopping this medication as soon as my husband gets his vasectomy and his post-vasectomy test is clear!"

• Shi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2021

"I started not to leave a review, but then I thought to myself this may help someone. As for me, I'm taking myself off of Heather. I started Heather 3 weeks after having my son, prescribed by my doctor. I started bleeding out of nowhere and already experienced childbirth bleeding. At 3 weeks postpartum, I saw my first period. I started birth control the following week and saw my cycle after the 4th pill. That was twice in 1 month. That did it for me. I was down 30 lbs before starting birth control. Since I've started, my weight is the same, it has not changed, and I work out. Good luck!"

• Sta...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 15, 2022

"I was put on Heather as a 42-year-old with pretty easy, light, regular periods. My boyfriend is not “fixed,” and we do not want more children. Now Heather. No periods? Sign me up! Well…my periods have been SO irregular. I never know when I might have one. My anxiety/depression has gotten so much worse to the point where I’ve felt like a lab rat trying all these meds to help my mood. Let’s not forget about the weight gain. I literally do not sit down. I’m on the move constantly, I don’t eat junk, and I drink my water. I have gained…are you ready? 45 POUNDS. 45 pounds?! Seriously. I am so upset. I can NOT get rid of the weight. I feel like a slob. I really don't like how I look. I was always tiny, but this stuff made me blow up like a blimp in less than a year’s time. My muscles in my legs ache constantly, and those headaches it was supposed to help? Yeah…no. It didn’t touch the headaches. This BC is a joke. Stay FAR away from it. I just stopped taking it. Fingers crossed."

• Sam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 17, 2020

"I have factor V (an inherited disorder of blood clotting), so I couldn’t take a birth control with estrogen. This was my only choice for a pill form. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, I took it for just over a year and noticed a lot of changes with my mental health. I was constantly crying for no reason, having panic attacks, thinking irrational thoughts, and became extremely depressed. I know myself very well, and I know what I was like before I started this pill and could tell I needed to get off of it. I ended up using natural family planning temp monitoring because it’s a completely natural birth control option. I’ve been off of Heather for about 2 months now and starting to feel like myself more and more."

• Cam...
• September 4, 2018

"I started using Heather about a year ago, I am unable to use combination pills due to migraines. It started off okay but gradually worsened. About four months ago, I started becoming extremely irritable and sad. I would lose large clumps of hair in the shower. I got constant yeast infections, which made me extremely uninterested in sex. I have my period twice a month, which lasts about 8 days each time and is only a week apart, and my skin is terrible despite drinking water and exercising. I even have pain during intercourse, which has never been an issue for me. This birth control has caused so much tension in my relationship. I thought I was going crazy, but after seeing so many similar experiences, I’m going to discontinue this pill ASAP."

• Joa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2019

"I am exclusively breastfeeding and now 8 weeks postpartum, so I decided to try out the Heather birth control pills. The side effects were instant: severe headaches and cramping daily, drastic changes in mood, and a period that lasted almost a week. I've been on this pill for barely even 2 weeks, and although it takes roughly 3 months to adjust, it's not worth my mental or physical health."

• Cod...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2020

"I was on Heather for three months. I’m a 38-year-old female and 135 lbs who gets migraines periodically (2-3 per month). Heather was suggested due to migraine history. During those three months, I experienced unpleasant side effects. I gained a little weight, had great difficulty losing it even though I’m quite active and was exercising 4 times a week. I started to break out about 1 month in, I experienced some form of cystic and painful acne. The acne showed up on my jawline, face, and the back of my neck. Tiny rash-like bumps stayed on my neck and never went away for the 3 months I was on it. My experience was terrible on this pill. I switched to Viorele, a combination pill with a very low dose of estrogen, and within a week, my acne showed signs of clearing up and the rash on my neck is disappearing. I have naturally oily skin and was cleaning my face and neck 2-3 times a day, but I continued to get cystic acne when on Heather. Switching off the mini-pill was the best decision."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 9, 2020

"I've been taking Heather since June 2020, after not-so-great experiences with the combination pill and my family's history of strokes. For side effects, in general, I have a really high metabolism, so I haven't noticed any weight gain. I haven't noticed any changes in libido. I used to get periods every 30-35 days, and after 2 months of taking it, my period stopped in August 2020, and I didn't get any abnormal or mid-cycle bleeding. Birth control reacts differently to each of us, but I just wanted to share my positive experience with it."

• Lem...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 20, 2020

"After the birth of my second child, I went back to my pre-pregnancy weight within two weeks. I went for my six-week post-pregnancy follow-up, and my doctor put me on Heather. I immediately started having periods twice a month, even while breastfeeding. Then the weight gain started, and hair loss. I have gained 25# in 3.5 months! I work out daily and eat healthy. My hair also falls out in handfuls every time I touch my head. I have also started to break out with acne. I was on the mini pill with my first child, and it did not have these side effects. I will be discontinuing use of Heather immediately!"