Heather for Birth Control User Reviews (Page 2)

• Joano
• 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."

• CEM
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2022

"I have been taking Heather for about two months. I am a transgender man and I'm taking this pill to practice safer sex/not get pregnant. This pill was recommended to me by my doctor as an estrogen free BC option. I’m sharing my experience since I have seen no other reviews from trans people. I was extremely nervous about this medication “bringing my period back” as I have not menstruated since I started HRT 5 years ago. I was relieved when I noticed no side effects. The only thing I noticed was an increase in appetite for about two weeks but no subsequent weight gain as I controlled myself and didn’t alter my diet. No acne, no mood swings, it also didn’t mess with my head at all, which I was concerned about considering my history of depression. As long as you can remember to take the pill at approximately the same time each day, this is a great hormone-free BC pill option for trans men."

• Small...
• February 21, 2018

"I cannot use birth control with estrogen due to migraines. I have been on this pill just for just over a year. At first it was great. Mild or no periods at all. But about 8 months after I began taking it I started having a period every 2 weeks. It is just as heavy and painful as it was pre birth control. Not a fan of Heather any more."

• Stay...
• 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 have 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 then 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."

• Kic
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 27, 2019

"Been on Heather on of the progestin-only for birth control pills. Before taking this medication I barely had a period maybe 2 days long. And I was like a clock every 30 days. Now I get random periods every 2-3 weeks that last 8 days and are super heavy. It has really interfered with romance. And I get cramps now too which I barely had before. Would not recommend."

• kylb
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 21, 2017

"The pill is effective in the sense of I'm not pregnant, but I got a lot of adverse effects. I got switched to the Heather pill after my pharmacy didn't carry the generic version. After 2 months of use I started to get some adverse effects. It started with random spotting everyday and I couldn't lose weight. They were irritating but I continued use. It wasn't until I started getting headaches, becoming confused and couldn't concentrate where it became a problem. I broke out in a rash for a few days and I have been emotionless. I would say use at your own risk."

• Moano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2021

"Initially, it seemed like a great option for me my 30s black woman ..2 children taking the pill to prevent future pregnancy . I did rate it a 4 because it did prevent pregnancy which was the main reason I took it . I have high blood pressure so I can’t do the combo pill, but I took it for about a month and half . The first thing I didn’t realize right away was the mood swings , irritability , and extreme depression - I’m talking about extreme depression my thoughts were crazy suicidal, fatigue or not having energy to do anything. Then there was spotting for days at a time (started after week 1) once my cycle started (week 6) I discontinued the pill 3 days into my cycle once I saw how much heavier they were . I’m now on day 7 of a med-heavy cycle (my cycle is typically 3-4 days long and light to medium flow) . My hair is also thinner than usual . Do your research ladies"

• Moni
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2021

"I had been on Depo for over 3 years and loved it but had to stop due to being on it for so long. I tried a combo pill and my acne and cramps were horrible. So my doctor switched me to a progesterone only pill. I've been on it for a couple months and it seems to be working good. My body seems to only like progesterone. No acne, no depression, and sex drive is good. Usually only have cramps for 1 day periods are heavier than I would like but way better than not being on anything to control them"

• Stafu
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2018

"I was prescribed Heather after the birth of my daughter for contraception while breastfeeding. Let me just say, it’s the worst. I don’t remember which mini pill I took after my son was born but it did not affect me this way so I can pinpoint Heather as the problem. I too have been getting a period every other week for what seems like forever. It sucks! I have actually stopped taking it am still dealing with its adverse affects as it get’s out of my system. If you’re doing your own research before you see your doc to discuss mini pills, request something else!"

• fsano
• December 27, 2018

"I am at the end of my third month taking this minipill. For me the worst side effect has been irregular periods/bleeding. I have periodic (no pun intended, really) spotting that I never had before, and my last two cycles have been MAJORLY thrown off. My normal cycle length is about 24 days long, and I recently had a 14 day cycle, and then an 11 day cycle. This put me about 8 days between periods, which is no fun at all, and has put a damper on intimacy a few times. The last period was very light compared to my normal flow. Also, I was about 11 hours late taking one pill in between these two cycles. I have noticed some correlation between being late by even a couple hours, and spotting, so that one missed pill probably could have thrown me off a lot. I'm sticking with the pill for now to give my body a chance to get used to it and adjust, as I have read that this is one of the most common side effects."

• Ami
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 26, 2020

"Only had bleeding 4 days after starting Heather. Bled for about a week and haven't bleed since. Have some acne but nothing too bad. Out of every birth control I've tried this is probably one of the best. Combo pills made me gain weight and have super bad acne. Other forms like nexplanon and mirena made be bleed for weeks and weeks at a time. I love this one! This is the first progestin-only birth control that hasn't made me bleed like crazy! 9/10 because it causes slight acne on my chin..but hey, at least I'm not bleeding for 70+ days at a time!"

• cance...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 11, 2020

"I’m 20 years old, 135 lbs and 5 foot 1. I’ve been on this Heather contraceptive pill for about 7 months, and I love it. Initially I had tender breasts, but about 2 months in, I had no further symptoms. I don’t know if my experience is rare, like I literally have no side effects while taking birth control, maybe I’m lucky. My cycle still comes regularly and my cramps are WAYYYY more tolerable than they were before I started taking Heather. I use this exclusively for birth control, but I still use condoms / withdrawal method because I don’t completely trust them alone (better safe than sorry) and so far, I’m not pregnant. So I’m overall very pleased with my experience with these pills :)"

• t1d
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2018

"This birth control was awesome!! I'm a type 1 diabetic so it's very important that I chose a birth control that wouldn't aggravate my blood sugars. I was only on Heather for a few weeks, but didn't experience any adverse side effects, and my blood sugars didn't spike or anything. The only symptom I can think of is a slight loss in sex drive, but nothing too hampering. It only cost $4 a month! (without insurance but with a voucher) Think I found my preferred BC!"

• Alex
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 21, 2023

"I've been on Heather for almost 6 years now. I was recommended this because of the lack of estrogen usage in it. I have daily migraines and this is one of the only pills I can take to help both my migraines and my painful periods. Since I've taken them, my periods have been more manageable. I've had a few times I've missed a pill or taken it at a later time (do not recommend), but life does get in the way occasionally. I have not had any pregnancy scares. I did, however, find out recently that I'm among the 40% of females that do have ovarian cysts from taking this birth control. I've had one ruptured out of the 6 years of taking this. It was minimal compared to most cases. I would still recommend this birth control since it has minimal side effects compared to most birth control."

• Jade
• October 1, 2020

"I had gotten my period down to 5-6 days. Started Heather in May as a Day 1 starter. For May, June and July, my period was 7 days long. Then came August, it lasted 23 days!! It is now September and I'm on day 9 of my period and into the second week of the pack. Have decided to stop it altogether. Would not recommend due to this adverse effect. Also had a weird rash the first month as well. And I'm breaking out on the back of my neck along my hairline and a little bit on my back too. Disappointed!"

• Jojo
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 5, 2022

"I switched to Heather after finding out I had factor IV. I would not recommend this pill. I recently stopped taking the pill because it completely changed me. After 7 months I experienced hair loss at the front of my head, bad depression, bloating, bad digestion and headaches. I had so little energy and motivation that I knew I had to get off this pill immediately. I am now using natural cycles and condoms. Since the mini pill or progesterone was my only choice in birth control due to my condition. I decided to go the natural route. Feeling like myself now."

• Jean_...
• January 29, 2018

"I've been taking this pill for almost 2 years because they stopped making Camilla. On Camilla, I had no periods. With Heather, I have gotten my period back. Unfortunately, over the past 1.7 years, my period has gone from something that lasted a week, to one that trickles out for 2 weeks. And I don't even think of not taking the pill at the same time every day. Even missing it by 1/2 hour caused me to have a period for a week, then my regular period would start. I can say that my boobs hurt and I'd get a break out of pimples at some point before my period, pretty predictably. My sex drive also waned, and found that I would need to use lube when it comes to sex, whereas I did not have that problem before. I'm now considering another pill since my pimples seem to be becoming more severe (relative to not having pimples in the past) and are staying with me longer. I'm tired of periods lasting 2 weeks! I gave it a good amount of time, it just doesn't seem to be working for me."

• Tee
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 26, 2023

"I was switched to Heather because of my headaches. YES it took the headaches away but my skin is ruined. I’ve never experienced acne and since I’ve been on this pill. My skin has went downhill. Very sad and Depressing."

• Emma
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 4, 2023

"I switched to progesterone only for high blood pressure, high cortisol, low sex drive, inability to lose weight, and migraines. For the first 8 months or so of taking this, it was AMAZING, and a lot of my chronic issues improved. I was finally able to lose weight and no longer had daily migraines. BP and cortisol levels also dropped. Unfortunately, my hair started thinning, and initially I related it to stress. That was until it got significantly worse, and I realized I had like half the hair I used to. I’m pretty certain this pill is why, which is a bummer since otherwise it was going well. I also started getting periods again that were long and painful after not having one for a year on this pill. I’m switching to different progesterone only pill that supposedly has less of an effect on androgens to see if my hair loss stops. I personally would not recommend it because the hair loss thing seems to be fairly common."

• Sammy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 24, 2021

"I was trying to use this progesterone only pill to regulate my hormone levels. I was told that I have PCOS and high estrogen levels, hypothyroidism and Hirsutism. I used it for 2 months it helped slightly with my severe period pain but I was still experiencing bloating and inflammation in my body when I was ovulating and before I started my period. It stopped my period headaches as well. The problem started when I was on my third month and my period started like normal but then a week later I started spotting with brown blood. Then a week after that I started bleeding again like I had a heavy period flow again. My doctor recommended that I stopped taking it. Within 48 hours, my period stopped but my bloating and pain remained for the rest of that week. Its been 38 days after my last period, and I have not had my period since then. I am use taking Birth control pills, so I am use taking it on a regular basis. I never skipped days or tablets. Not sure what to say about this."

• Lotty
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 20, 2021

"I was switched suddenly to this cause my pharmacist was all out of the one I had usually used which was just plain norethindrone. This was a big mistake. A month after starting on this I had crazy mood swings, bad depression, horrible painful acne that I’ve never had in my life. I use to have clear skin and this ruined my skin now I have scars. In the first year I had painful heavy bleeding during periods which were irregular. I just thought it was my make up I needed to change or need better skincare products...nothing worked! I decided to stop taking it to see if everything would improve and I went off it for a month. WOW! My skin started to clear and I felt more sane. It also stopped my period for awhile. But I would say this did no good for me and I do not wish to be on this again."

• Anonymous
• May 7, 2021

"I am 22 years old, had been on a combo pill for 10 years because of dysmenorrhea/acne and have had good experiences for the most part. I have migraines with aura so I had to switch to a progestin only pill and was put on this one. Since starting this pill ~three months ago I have had my period for eight out of the eleven weeks. And it has been heavy the whole entire time. The cramps I am experiencing are the same ones that put me on the pill in the first place when I was 12. Without changing diet, workouts, medications, stress level; my acne is worse than it has ever been; it is cystic, painful, my face is scarred and inflamed. I have ballooned with water weight/am so bloated because you guessed it, I am still on my period. My hormones are out of control. I have never experienced mood swings but now I cry at everything and am so irritable. Also the fact that this birth control is only ~60% effective in preventing pregnancy...??? Pull out is 78%. I wish I could rate lower."

• Ell
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 6, 2023

"I’ve been using Heather for birth control for almost a year, periods are mostly gone I’ve only experienced a bit of spotting if I take pill an hour or 2 after the time I’m supposed to take it (you have to take it everyday at the same time to make it more effective to prevent pregnancy). I suffer from chronic migraines and I’ve noticed big difference in occurrence and duration of my migraine episodes (less migraines, they last less) also I have varicose veins and they’re less problematic to me now that I use the mini pill."

• mama-...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 15, 2023

"My 4th baby just turned 5 months old and I've been taking the mini-pill since my 6 week postpartum checkup, prescribed to me due to breastfeeding (estrogen can affect milk supply) and I have absolutely zero complaints. I actually had a period at 4 weeks and 8 weeks postpartum, and haven't had another since - and I can't say if that's solely because of the pill or if breastfeeding has played a part as well. I have no side effects whatsoever that I could attribute to this birth control. No acne, no spotting, no weight gain, no nausea... nothing. I set an alarm on my phone and take it at the exact same time every single day!"

• teenage...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 21, 2022

"I have really enjoyed being on heather. It has made my cramps less painful and my periods shorter. I think it is pretty easy to use. I still get a period every 35-40 days which is a lot nicer then my 20-25 day cycle before. I have had some weight loss and acne but other then that I haven't had much other side effects. It has also stabilized my moods during psm."