Nora-Be and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Ama...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 10, 2015

For Birth Control "I love this birth control! I have struggled since I was 16 with finding a birth control that was right for me. I have had so many issues with abnormal bleeding, mood swings, weight gain, etc., and have not liked the fact that the long-term effects of birth control can lead to heart disease, blood clots, and more. This birth control has changed my life. I have lost all of my mood swings, I feel so much better in general, I have lost weight, and most of all, ladies, my sex drive is THROUGH THE ROOF. Not that me or my husband are complaining. It's been a very nice thing. All you have to do is take it every day at the same time. And no matter how busy your schedule, you can set a simple alarm on your phone. Try this pill! You won't regret it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 7, 2013

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for about 9 months now, and while I love not having a period and no mood swings, I've had terrible acne, breast tenderness (to the point of walking being painful), and I've put on about 15 lbs. I've even increased my exercise and gone on a diet, and I'm still putting on weight."

• Anonymous
• January 15, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I've only been on this medication for 1 week, and I've gained 10 lb. I haven't gained weight in over 5 years. I'm extremely bloated, water retention, headaches, and severe cramping. I want to give it a chance, but I'm 42, and these symptoms aren't tolerable. I feel bipolar and on edge. I'm scatterbrained and very emotional. No bueno!"

• K G...
• July 16, 2014

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have been on Nora-BE for 2 full years now, prescribed post D&C for heavy bleeding and birth control. I have bad fibroids. It didn't really help with the bleeding at all. Fibroids won that battle, so I recently had the UAE procedure. Night and day! The doctor said normal periods would resume 2-4 months after UAE, and to keep taking Nora-BE. Now, 6 months post UAE, not sure when/if the period is coming. Didn't last month at all. Lots of spotting though... maybe this is my period? But spotting lasts longer than my 5-day period, more like 8-12, kind of annoying. Thought the itchiness was just me, but now that I read other users' experiences as well... I'm connecting the dots. Definitely weight gain, approximately 8-10 lbs. Breast tenderness, acne, questioning whether to continue."

• Wor...
• July 18, 2009

For Birth Control "Compared to the full pill, this is fantastic. Side effects are minimal and easy to treat. I experienced some decrease in libido and severe vaginal dryness during my first month, but Replens (available in any drug store) took care of that right away. Works like a charm. I also experienced some water weight gain during the first few weeks, but Diurex helped. My body has adjusted since then and do not need the diuretics anymore. Bottom line, I totally prefer these mild side effects than to deal with the worrying that I'm pregnant every month. But you HAVE to take it at the same time every day. I take it every morning at 7 am, I actually set my alarm. I keep a glass of water on my night table next to the pills. I love being worry-free."

• efa...
• May 21, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been taking Nora-Be for a year now and have noticed the following side effects: 1. I never knew when I would have my period. On this birth control, it seems to be every 3 months. 2. I have gained about 10 pounds even though I have maintained my normal level of physical activity and diet. Before starting BC, I had maintained the same weight for a number of years, so the weight gain is not welcome. 3. I have experienced minor vision problems. Mostly, my eyesight is blurry, and sometimes I have difficulty focusing. 4. My breasts have increased in size (probably due to the weight gain). Though I cannot really complain about the larger breasts, they are fairly tender-sometimes uncomfortably so."

• Dev...
• April 24, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I would not recommend this pill for anyone, not any progesterone-only pill. Bloating that makes me look 3 months pregnant, constipation, 50 pounds of weight gain in under 2 years that won't exercise off, skin feeling too tight all the time, headaches, fatigue, appetite is weird, constipation and diarrhea, mood swings, hot and cold flashes, and a never-ending period. Medical staff all say it's normal and can't be the pill... so it's all in my head. I stopped this pill 2 nights ago and lost a third of my stomach as the bloating is decreasing. Stay away from these pills!"

• Rac...
• July 15, 2015

For Birth Control "I've tried many, many forms of BCPs. Having given up hope that I could find a decent pill that didn't cause weight gain and depression, I made an appointment to get a Mirena IUD or the Implanon. I asked my doctor one more time if she thought there were any low-dose options I should try, and she put me on this. So far, so good. I can normally tell what the side effects are very quickly upon trying a new pill. This one seems fine so far, and it's only been a few weeks. With all pills containing estrogen, I feel very foggy, a bit depressed, my athleticism suffers, I don't sleep as well, and I gain weight. I already lost 3 pounds when switching to this pill without any dietary changes. I feel great when climbing/hiking/running."

• Mom...
• January 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I’m breastfeeding, so my doc gave me this med as birth control. I’ve been taking it for almost 2 months. During that time, I’ve been extremely gassy, gained about 20 lbs (after losing almost all the baby weight!) with no change in eating habits (generally eating healthy and balanced and exercising), and have felt “blah.” I have not experienced any bleeding-no period, no discharge, no cramping, or abdominal pain. I do have breast tenderness. No emotional side effects like mood swings. At first, I didn’t realize what was making me feel this way. Thought it was the stress and business involved in taking care of 5 kids. Then, when I was taking the pill one morning, my husband suggested maybe it was the reason. I went online to see if others also had similar issues. Needless to say, I’m making an appointment with my doc to see if she can switch to something else that is safe to take during breastfeeding. Hope this feedback helps."

• Jro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 21, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been in this 3 months now. Have gained 11 lbs!!! I exercise, eat right, and I look swollen. Have had 3 different spotting occasions that haven't lasted more than 3 days at a time. No cramps to really report, occasional night sweats, no headaches. Just really hating the weight gain!"

• Sal...
• December 18, 2016

For Endometriosis "I started Nora Be in April of 2016 because of severe cramping, vomiting, cysts that came especially burdensome with each menstrual cycle. It is now December of 2016, and I can say my pain and cramping have decreased to a much more livable situation. However, weight gain, laziness, anxiety, and depression have all increased so much. I definitely do not want to go back to the pain but am thinking of trying to go without for a bit to see what happens."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 9, 2017

For Birth Control "24 yr old female. I've been on this pill for a year, and I have been on various other pills since 17. This one is one of my more favorite pills. Hardly any acne, no weight gain, no moodiness. I pretty much feel like myself except I get no periods at all, like going on 8 months now. So I talked with my OB/GYN, and I want to get my monthly cycle back, so I'm switching back to a pill I had previously. Nothing was wrong with this pill, and I loved that it was estrogen-free, but the lack of periods was disconcerting."

• Spe...
• April 30, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been on this medication (Nora-Be) for a little over a month now, and my only complaint is that I have no idea when I'll get my period, the random spotting, and the length of the period. Each time I have spotting, I'm not sure if it's my period or spotting. Then when I finally got my period, I had no idea how long it would be (still having it 6 days later). One of the main reasons I went on birth control was to control my period, since I have migraines, however, I'm no longer allowed (per PPNE) to have estrogen in my birth control, which takes out that ability to control my period. Beyond that, no other side effects (i.e., weight gain, breast tenderness). I'll report back if that changes over the next few months."

• Dee...
• April 7, 2016

For Endometriosis "I started this pill in November 2015, and now in April of '16, I am fed up! I have horrible bloating, gas, constipation every day (worsening in the evenings). I've gained over 10 pounds, and my abdomen looks like I'm 3 months pregnant. I'm 45 and have no plans for children. I can't exercise this weight off either! My back is covered in pimples, and my chest area has them also. I've noticed a decrease in my appetite (mainly in the evenings), yet I'm gaining weight. I have fatigue and completely random periods. My doctor, for the record, told me that these symptoms I was having were not related to my pill! So, needless to say, I'm finding a new doctor. Peri-menopause stinks! You young ladies, exercise while you can and enjoy that body!"

• Hap...
• July 18, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have very light abnormal bleeding after intercourse and was prescribed Nora-Be. I was so scared of taking this due to the fact that I've taken the patch, the shot, and the combo pill, and they all sucked. They all caused weight gain, hair loss, and moodiness, and my period lasted FOREVER. So I expected no less from this pill. But to my surprise, my period stopped when it was supposed to, no bloat, weight gain, or hair loss so far. Guess my body doesn't agree with extra estrogen, so progestin it is. If you have a bad experience with all these estrogen birth controls, I suggest giving this a try. Only thing I hate about it is taking it every day at the same time, but dealing with that rather than the estrogen side effects is minor."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I started taking Nora-Be in January of 2018 for my periods (horrible cramps and heavy periods) and for birth control. Since I've been taking this, I haven't really noticed any bad side effects, except maybe my weight gain. In 16 months, I have gained 30 pounds. Other than that, I haven't had any bad mood swings, acne (other than what I normally have gotten my whole life). I can't take regular birth control with both hormones because there is a history of blood clots in my family. Overall, I like this medication, it's helped my bleeding and cramping so much."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 24, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm 25. I was put on this pill 8 months ago because I've been breastfeeding. Since starting the pill, I've gotten horrible acne. I'm bloated and gassy all day, every day. I'm extremely moody. My period is typically every 14 days, with the occasional 5-7 week break (very rare though) and very heavy with horrible cramps. I've gained 14 lbs; I was losing lots of my baby weight until I started this pill. Since I've started this pill, it doesn't matter how much diet and exercise I do, I can't lose the weight... I will never recommend this pill and will never go back on it!"

• Asa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 25, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had a pretty positive experience on this pill. I have been on Nora-Be for about 5 months, and I have had regular periods, lasting exactly my usual 26 days, except for the most recent month where my cycle lasted 40 days (period length has still been 4-5 days). My mood feels more stable on this pill than not, and I felt stabilized after the first month. I have gained 8 lbs since being on this pill, but it feels like this pill just increased my cravings for bad food, not necessarily forcing my weight gain. For the first 2 months, my acne was really bad. I’m on a prescribed acne cream, and it took my skin 4 months to clear back up, but everything is fine and adjusted. The UTIs are the biggest hassle. I had never had a UTI before this pill, and I’ve had one almost every month since."

• JTM...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 13, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on Nora for about 8 months. It has been a positive experience. Everyone is different; the way hormones affect you will be different; I felt that on combo pills with estrogen (particularly the 2 years I spent on Microgestin, yikes), I experienced consistent depression, anxiety, weight gain. I just think the way estrogen affects my body/brain is not good. So I tried a progestin-only pill. Negatives: your period is (somewhat) inconsistent. Mine has still been a normal period, 4-5 days; it's just not as easy to plan as the combo pill. I do miss being able to skip periods like on the combo pills, but not feeling emotional all the time is worth it. Have to take the pill at the same time daily within an hour or so. Set an alarm, and it's easy!"

• ADG...
• July 23, 2015

For Birth Control "I am on the third month of this pill. No pregnancy, which is the point, and no mood swings or weight gain. BUT ... I am having my period for the third time this month. First month went well, period came on time, lasted a week. Second month, same thing, but this month has been just more than obnoxious. I had my period, then nothing for two days, then slight cramps and another light period for another four days, then nothing for about five days, and yet again cramps today, and next thing I know, I'm bleeding again. Hopefully, this resolves itself soon. Outside of that, it is as if I'm not taking anything."

• Col...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 12, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm 38 years old and have been taking Nora-Be for 10 months. I have never been pregnant and do not plan to have children. I chose this pill because I was looking for a progestin-only option with low hormones. My doctor also suggested it as a safer option because I am a smoker. Overall, my experience has been pretty positive on this pill. Way less mood swings than other pills I have been on. I get a period about every 28 days for about 5-6 days that is heavy for about 3 days and lighter the last 3 days. No spotting between periods. My sex drive increased after the first month and has remained strong. Some breast tenderness and back pain about a week before my period. Worst part: weight gain of 15 lbs and some facial hair and acne."

• Scu...
• November 15, 2016

For Birth Control "Very bad side effects; my Dr. recommended this pill because I wanted to avoid weight gain and have reliable birth control. I took it for 9 days. During that time, I gained almost 10 lbs; my normal weight is 120. My chest is hugely swollen and very painful. Stopped taking it and still waiting to get back to normal."

• Can...
• August 6, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm 26, and I switched from a combination pill to Nora-Be, and I hated it. I was on it for 7 months, and at first it was okay for the first 2 months, then I started having 2 or 3 periods in one month for 7 days at a time. I have had extreme mood swings, depression, and major weight gain. I don't use scales because they are discouraging, but if I had to guess, I would say I've gained 15 to 20 pounds, if not more. I eat healthy and exercise at least 2 to 3 times a week. I have decided to try out a diaphragm. I'm done with hormones. Ladies, these hormones are no good for us. Even though they are effective for birth control, it's not worth emotional and physical distress. My advice: try a non-hormonal method."

• Coc...
• April 21, 2018

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have fibroids and was given Nora-Be to help with heavy periods. I’ve been on the pill maybe 15 years. It has made my periods at times non-existent to random, but that never bothered me. Throughout these years, I have had issues with weight gain and excessive hair shedding but never thought it was because of the pill (although living a vegetarian lifestyle with moderate exercise). I got off the pill to get pregnant and, of course, throughout my pregnancy. Interestingly, I immediately began losing a lot of weight and my hair never looked better. Now the great hair was due to the increase of blood flow due to being pregnant, but not the weight loss. At the end of my pregnancy, I weighed 30 lbs less than the start, even though the doctors had me on a high-calorie diet. I got back on Nora-Be after delivery and gained a lot of weight over the years. I never thought to look up other experiences until now. I think I will stop using Nora-Be and see how it goes."

• Pea...
• May 24, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on this birth control for years because of my migraines with aura. After two years, I had gained like thirty pounds (without ever changing my habits) and started experiencing constant spotting. Basically, I'm on my period like 70% of the month. The doctors highly suggested I switch to an IUD, but I'm just not down with it. So I stopped taking the birth control, and everything went back to normal pretty quickly. I was also able to drop fifteen pounds. I began taking the pill again after a six-month break about two months ago. Sure enough, the weight AND the constant spotting have returned. I think I better stop with this pill altogether. Lame."