Ortho Micronor and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• ACa...
• May 1, 2020

For Birth Control "I have tried every type of birth control, from implants to IUDs to rings to 5 different types of combined BCPs, but Ortho Micronor is my favorite. I take generic Micronor and it has the least amount of side effects of any hormonal birth control method I have ever used. It’s the only pill that doesn’t cause me mood swings. I have not had any notable extra acne, no facial hair, no weight gain. All other combined pills made me emotional, weepy, agitated, and irritable. I have PMDD, and Yaz actually made it worse. I will take Norethindrone for as long as I can. It’s been the best yet for me. I know every body is different, but I wish I tried this sooner. I would have saved myself a lot of painful and emotional trial and error."

• Mom...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 6, 2017

For Birth Control "I love Micronor. I have been on it for 2 years, and I'm about to get off it because I want kids. For the first 3 months, I had some side effects (tender breasts, bloating, cramping, breakthrough bleeding). But after those 3 months, it was PERFECT! No symptoms, no mood swings (unless PMS), and sometimes, I would just not have my period, which was fun in summertime. I had tried Alesse, Yaz, NuvaRing, all of them giving me the worst headaches and weight gain. On Micronor, no weight gain, I was dieting, so I managed to go from 130 to 115 pounds in two years on that pill. :)"

• ama...
• May 11, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on a combo pill for years before Micronor, and it was the worst. I had terrible mood swings, weight gain, an increase in appetite, and low sex drive, and the headaches were TERRIBLE. Once I started getting aura migraines, my doctor made me switch. I thought Micronor would be just as bad or worse. Thankfully, however, everything has been good! I've only noticed around an 8 lb weight gain, and it pretty much all went to my chest, I went from barely a B to a full C. Can't complain about that, lol. My only real complaint is that my face, which has always been clear even throughout my teenage years, now breaks out every so often. No mood swings, decreased appetite, up sex drive, bigger boobs, regular periods, and no babies. Go Micronor!"

• Bri...
• June 30, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have been on plenty of birth control methods. From the ring, patch, IUD, and pills. Nothing seemed to work, then (as a healthcare professional) I decided to research and try Norethindrone (Ortho Micronor). This was the best decision, Sharobel and Micronor are my favorites! No weight gain (like I've had on others), no anxiety issues/depression. Sex drive is the same. I will NOT go back to anything else! I'm so grateful."

• Sar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 17, 2016

For Birth Control "I started using Micronor because I heard it lacked estrogen and I heard it was a healthier method of birth control. I'm surprised by all the poor reviews because I had absolutely no problem with this pill. I'm 5'4" and 120 pounds, and I never work out. I had no weight gain, no depression/moodiness, no lowered libido, etc. So don't get scared off by the reviews, everybody's different. I combined this medication with a condom because I've heard it's common to get pregnant on this pill. For that reason, I'm ending my use this month (after 8-9 months) and switching to the combined pill Alesse because I want to try condomless sex with my partner. Give it a try :) you can always stop using it if you have issues."

• Be ...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 28, 2017

For Birth Control "You should be very attentive to your body and well-being when taking this medication. It can cause significant weight gain, it can cause overall body aches and pains (headaches, sciatica pain, ankle and knee pain, muscle pain, tingling sensations from your nerves), tiredness, dizziness, and moodiness. If you start getting these symptoms, I would recommend that you stop this medication immediately. From my experience, I can tell you that your symptoms will only get worse the longer you take it. Ortho Micronor made me feel like my life was spiraling out of control with health issues. I was unable to sleep at night due to the pain shooting down my leg, my ankles felt like they were going to break when walking, and I gained a good bit of weight. I was absolutely miserable and at my breaking point when I decided to stop this pill. Note that it was my choice, not my doctor's choice, to stop this medication. They never worried about this medication causing issues, and no questions were ever asked on what could be the cause of my problems. On the plus side, I did notice a significant difference within two days after being off of this pill. I had no more leg pain or ankle pain. I'm not gaining weight any longer. Overall, my health is improving, and I'm working on losing the weight I put on from being on the pill. I would recommend you pay very close attention to your symptoms and not let them get out of hand as I did. You are the only one that knows your body. I truly feel this medication would have continued to cause issues (if not killed me) had I stayed on it."

• Emm...
• December 5, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been taking Micronor for almost a month now. I used to take Yaz for 2 years but had to stop due to migraines. I've honestly had 0 problems with Micronor, much to my surprise after reading so many negative reviews. I do not have spotting, weight gain, etc. It doesn't help my acne, but I don't think it's making it worse. I think people may be having issues with spotting and heavy bleeding because they are not taking the pill at the exact same time every day. I take it at exactly 6 and have had no problems!"

• Cam...
• June 8, 2016

For Birth Control "Before this, I tried one mini pill and had mood swings/breakouts. Then tried the combined pill (Lucette) and gained weight rapidly- even went up a cup size in a week. As a result, I felt depressed because of my weight gain. I then tried the IUD, intercourse felt like being stabbed internally, and I had bleeding every day for four months with flesh clots. Although my GP claimed this wasn't because of the IUD, they eventually removed it due to an ovarian cyst. Within days, all side effects stopped, but my GP put me on Cerelle, which made me have insane mood swings and depression. This is the first pill with no side effects other than light breakthrough bleeding every few months."

• For...
• August 30, 2017

For Birth Control "Symptoms: Weight gain, weight gain, weight gain, overall body pain, bloating, dizziness, tiredness. After years of taking this medication, I became extremely miserable and had to backtrack to find the cause. I rated this a 10 because it is an effective birth control for many reasons. Plus side: Symptoms disappear after you stop this medication."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 30, 2017

For Birth Control "This has been one of the best birth controls for me. I don’t get any cramping, bloating, pain, weight gain, and my periods were very light and short (2-3 days). My skin was really clear. I don’t think it messed with my libido, but I do think it made me a lot drier during intercourse. I was on it for almost 2 years, stopped taking it because I was dealing with other health concerns, but thinking about starting back on it. The only inconvenience is taking it in the same time frame, but it’s the pill so..."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 5, 2020

For Birth Control "I wish I had never even heard of this pill, Ortho Micronor. I switched to it because the combination pill started giving me migraines. The first month was great. And then I gained about 15 pounds overnight and broke out in cystic acne all along my jawline and chin. I’ve been off it now for two months. The weight came off as fast as I put it on, thank God. But my skin is ruined. It won’t stop breaking out. I’ve never had acne like this in my life, not even as a teenager. I wouldn’t recommend this pill to my worst enemy."

• Lyn...
• May 9, 2011

For Birth Control "I was switched to this from Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, and it was a horrible experience. My skin is so oily now, and I have breakouts constantly. I have gained about 10 pounds on this pill, and I had bad abdominal pain. The timing was an issue also, with other pills, it's not that big a deal if you are half an hour late, but with this pill, even as little as 30 minutes caused heavy spotting. I am switching back to Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo this week."

• Anonymous
• July 4, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "The first year was fine, but now I'm constantly bleeding, have constant spots on my face, which I've never had. I have also gained a lot of weight inexplicably, which just makes me constantly think it's baby weight, which is not good at all! Better than the IUD by a long shot, though."

• Col...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 7, 2015

For Birth Control "I just started birth control again, and after a bad experience with the combo pill, my doctor recommended the mini or Micronor. While I have noticed a slight weight gain (5 lbs), my biggest concern is how tender my breasts are! Constantly tender to the touch, not just around the time I am going to start. I have no problem remembering to take the pill, my sex drive hasn't changed, and my periods are only two days long. I have experienced some acne, but besides the tender breasts and acne, I'm a happy camper. I'll most likely stay on this for a while!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 14, 2015

For Birth Control "After an episode of erythema nodosum from my last birth control pills, my doctor suggested I try a 3-month course of Micronor to see how my body would react to the progesterone. Well, I've gained 5 lbs and had my period or spotting 27 out of the 42 days I've been taking it. My doctor wants me to continue on it to prepare for an IUD, but honestly, I don't want it if the breakthrough is going to be this problematic."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2022

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have PCOS, and at times would bleed for months on end. I took Micronor to regulate my cycle and stayed on it for approximately 5-6 months. I would say I experienced minimal side effects, some weight gain, which I don't blame on the pill completely. It did regulate my cycles, but I had a period frequently. My cycles were about 18-20 days, so it became frustrating, but still better than bleeding 24/7."

• Hea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 31, 2020

For Birth Control "So, to start, I very quickly gained 80 pounds in 3 months while on Ortho Micronor birth control pill. I’m a naturally tiny 120 pounds, so this was drastic. Then I got burning headaches accompanied by severe suicidal tendencies. Lastly, I was hospitalized for speech loss from the headaches. I also started drooling and went to strict mumbling for responding to people. Oh, and my periods were severe on these, I later discovered that even with endo, I had lighter periods. Please reconsider this cancerous drug."

• blu...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 15, 2021

For Birth Control "I've been on this for almost 4 years. My opinion is this: look, it gets the job done. I have a history of migraines with aura, so this is pretty much the only birth control pill I can take in Canada. I lightly spotted for like the first 4 months I was on this, especially during sex, but once you get past that time, you don't spot anymore and your periods become very light, a bit irregular, and sometimes you don't get them at all, but again this is my only option and abortion is free here, so I don't worry too much about that and trust that the birth control is doing its job. Didn't have any weight gain, acne, or other side effects. It's just reallllllllly annoying to have to take it within the same three hours every day, as it's very difficult for me to pick a time to be able to take it every day of the week indefinitely."

• Bri...
• October 31, 2015

For Birth Control "This was not a bad birth control. I've missed it a couple times within 24 hours and no pregnancy. Didn't have much weight gain at all. Only thing is lower than normal sex drive. I would recommend this for people (me included) that cannot take combo pills. Higher risk of stroke due to excess estrogen. I will be back on it if I get my period this next month :)"

• Gig...
• December 4, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on this for 2 weeks now. My doctor put me on this bc of the no estrogen, and I was suffering from postpartum anxiety. It makes me extremely bloated, and I have gained 9 lbs. I have no sex drive and still am moody. I am planning on stopping this week. Not worth the additional weight gain after birth, and the excess bloat is crazy! My mood swings are weird as well."

• lin...
• September 15, 2021

For Birth Control "I am 43 years old and have always had very regular periods and pretty good health. I have never had a good birth control experience, though, until Micronor. I take it every day at the exact same time on an empty stomach. For the first time ever, I have not had ANY weight gain, no mood swings, no diminished sex drive, no ridiculous spotting, no swollen, painful breasts. As a matter of fact, Micronor has eliminated PMS, I don't get any cramps, my skin is absolutely glowing, and my sex drive seems to be increased. I've been on the Depo shot before (spotting continuously for months, 30-pound weight gain). I've been on countless combination pills (huge, sore boobs, zero sex drive, weight gain, moodiness). I wish I would have discovered the mini pill years ago. The only drawbacks: my period used to be about 4 days and done. Now, I bleed for maybe 2 days and then spot for 4 days, which can be a little annoying. But my cycle still comes every 28 days."

• JFR...
• May 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been off of Micronor birth control for a little over a year now, and I still do not have regular periods. I had to go off of it because it was giving me headaches, gained a lot of weight on it (even though my eating habits stayed the same), I was extremely forgetful while taking it. It's heartbreaking for my husband and me as we are TTC currently, but I only get my period maybe every 4 months since stopping Micronor."

• wen...
• February 13, 2018

For Birth Control "I have gained weight and been spotting and very bloated. Mood swings are out of this world. I have only been on this pill for 2 months. I am getting off it now. I do not recommend this pill."