I have been taking Yasmin for about 2 years and I want to try something else low dose. I've been doing a ton of research and i've decided to try Ortho Lo and see how that works. I would love to hear opinions from you girls of all the different ones you've tried and how they've worked for you.

So far for me:
Yasmin
(+) Regular Periods
(-) Moody, increase my anxiety tenfold, lower sex drive (esp during stressful times)

Yaz
(+) Nothing.
(-) It was supposed to decrease your period to 3 days and it INCREASED mine by 4 days (and i was on it for 3+ months); made me feel "not there" and totally decreased the drive (even worse than yasmin)

I'm on Yasmin and I love it. Lighter period, nice skin and I don't find myself moody on it. I've been on Ortho Tricyclen regular and Lo. I really hated them both. It seriously made me psycho. I mean, I was a crazy witch on it.

Ortho tri-Cyclen Lo

Good: regular periods that last about 5 days. Almost no pain or cramping. Clear skin-no hormonal breakouts.

Bad: no sex drive at all. It was a problem when I was in a relationship but I'm not now. It doesn't bother me. I mean, my sex drive is so low kissing or making out doesn't even appeal to me.

NuvaRing

+ No periods! Easy, no user error. Nothing to remember

- Headaches, nausea.

Seasonale (technically I'm on the generic version, Jolessa)

+ A period once every three months, it shortened my period to only 3 days

-You might have some breakthrough-I did the week before I was expecting my period. It was very light though.

Mircette (pill)
(+) this was a really great low dose pill for me...no weight gain, cramping, headaches or nausea, and regular/short periods
(-) I hesitate to even list this because I don't think the pill was to blame, it was really more just that time of my life for me, but I felt down in the dumps a lot.

Nuvaring
(+) Everything, lol...I love not having to think about it. I generally use them consecutively, so I don't get a period, but I don't have any problems with spotting.
(-) Price. My insurance doesn't cover it, but its worth it to me to spend the $.

Ortho Lo:
+ made my period regular
- my period was still 6-7 days, horrible mood swings (I was really mean and nasty while on this), bad cramps, low sex drive

Loestrin-24
+ regular period, 2 days only, less moody, sex drive is fine
- I cry more on this one, but I'm not mean like I was on the other pill

Word of advice for Ortho-Lo. If you try to skip your period one month by not taking the sugar pills and just moving on to a new pack, it won't work, you will get a period anyway.

Ortho Try-Cyclen: I agree with Malia, it made me psycho and bitchy. I took EVERYTHING out on my roommate and then-boyfriend. It was not a pretty sight!!

Now I'm on Alesse, which is very low-dose.

+Shortened my period by two days, and my "flow" is very light. My cramps are now almost non-existent. I don't seem to be moody at all with this.

- Doesn't really seem to do anything for my skin, as I still get the occasional hormonal breakout. It tends to be just a bump or two, which I can live with since the rest of my skin is clear now.

I've only been on Alesse. I was pretty happy with it overall. (Currently not taking BC)
PROS:
-My periods were only 3 days and they were very light, which was a huge change. My flow is really heavy normally.
-there was a big improvement in cramps too
-my skin was definitely better on it. I've been noticing more acne since I've been off it.

I'm not sure if it did anything in terms of making me moodier or not. I think I was still the same. I don't think it affected my weight either, since I didn't notice a huge spike in the beginning.

I'm currently taking Femcon, which was Ovcon. Now it's just in chewable form (but I swallow it anyway). I can't think of any bad side effects. I take them until I want to have a period, usually 3-4 months. No breakthrough bleeding. Doesn't give me mood swings, no weight gain.

My biggest thing is really weight gain, mood swings, and libido. I've never had bad periods, although Yasmin still gives me some nasty cramps, but nothing that a pill of advil doesn't cure.

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but are any of you that on the pill single? If so, do you take the pill to regulate your periods?

I know it's a dumb question, but I'm not on the pill--I'm not in a relationship so I don't need it for birth control, and my periods are regular, so I don't need it for that.

I was just wondering if there are any other benefits/reasons for being on it besides those two things...

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but are any of you that on the pill single? If so, do you take the pill to regulate your periods?

I know it's a dumb question, but I'm not on the pill--I'm not in a relationship so I don't need it for birth control, and my periods are regular, so I don't need it for that.

I was just wondering if there are any other benefits/reasons for being on it besides those two things...

Most BCP regulate periods, some makes them lighter or allow only a few times a year (depending on which kind you take), some helps with acne problem.

I've never taken pills. I was on the depo provera shot for 8.5 years & loved it. My period was gone within 48 hours of getting the first shot, and stayed away that whole time. I didn't have any side effects.

Went off it to have a baby. Got pregnant 8 months after being off depo.

Went back on it, and have been on it again for a year now. I had light breakthru bleeding for about a month after my first injection, but it went away & hasn't been back since.

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but are any of you that on the pill single? If so, do you take the pill to regulate your periods?


When I first started taking BCP, I was a teenager and single. I was put on it to regulate my period.

I used to take Ortho Tri-Cyclen.
(+) regular periods, lighter flow, no cramps
(-) bad mood swings, jitters, anxiety

I'm not on birth control now but I'm seeing a new ob-gyn next month and I want to get back on it to regulate my periods again and to get rid of the cramps. I really want to try a low-dose pill like Yasmin because of the skin-clearing benefits. My derm will be taking me off of Minocycline soon because I can't keep taking antibiotics forever and she recommended birth control instead.

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but are any of you that on the pill single? If so, do you take the pill to regulate your periods?

I know it's a dumb question, but I'm not on the pill--I'm not in a relationship so I don't need it for birth control, and my periods are regular, so I don't need it for that.

I was just wondering if there are any other benefits/reasons for being on it besides those two things...

I'm on the pill and single, but being single or not really isn't an issue for me when it comes to being on the pill. I went on the pill because I have periods from hell, and it helped to lighten my flow and make me not have to have a period once a month.

I should add, my sex drive is really low, but I don't know if that's just me or the BCP. I've been on it since I was 15, so it's hard to tell.

Most BCP regulate periods, some makes them lighter or allow only a few times a year (depending on which kind you take), some helps with acne problem.

When I first started taking BCP, I was a teenager and single. I was put on it to regulate my period.

I'm on the pill and single, but being single or not really isn't an issue for me when it comes to being on the pill. I went on the pill because I have periods from hell, and it helped to lighten my flow and make me not have to have a period once a month.

Oh, ok. I was just curious. :) I don't need it for actual birth control, and my periods are fine, so for me, it doesn't seem like there's any reason I should be on it.

I should add, my sex drive is really low, but I don't know if that's just me or the BCP. I've been on it since I was 15, so it's hard to tell.

I've never been on the pill, and mine is really low, too. I think that's just me. I know just from talking to friends that there's a huuuge range--anywhere from extremely high to practically non-existent. I dunno, I think it's sorta interesting in a way.

I forgot to mention, I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for awhile.

+ It did what it was supposed to, in that it was birth control

- Lengthened my period by a day, I still wasn't regular (I could be 2-3 days off every month), can't skip a period on this

I've been on ortho tri cyclen lo for about 4 years and I love it!

I'm just starting on Yasmin myself.
I also found that the Ortho Tricyclen made me a little nutty...

Loestrin 1/20 Fe:

Pros - Very light 4 day periods with minimal cramping, acne decreased, fewer mood swings, regular periods, anemia fixed

Cons - some loss of libido, potential of spotting

NuvaRing

Pros - Not having to take a pill everyday
Cons- Long heavy painful periods, bad acne, horrible mood swings.

Pills (I've tried a few different ones)
Cons: bad mood swings, didn't do anything for my skin (though admittedly, I didn't expect it to), and not as convenient as other birth contol since I had to take a pill a day
Pros: minimal cramping

The Patch

Cons: skin irritation and some anxiety
Pros: convenient (replace once per week), no mood swings

Nuvaring

Pros: very convenient (once per month) and no moodiness, anxiety, or cramping... in short, no side effects
Cons: none really, though even after using this for more than a year, the idea of inserting a vaginal ring for birth control still seems a bit weird. It's the best birth control I've used thus far though, so I can deal. ;)

How is a person to begin even guessing what's right for her??? I've been reading up on all of this, was paying particular attention to Loestrin 24 because of some recent comments from some of you guys, but then found lots of girls were having the same kind of horrible side effects I was having with that d@@@ Depo Provera shot. Where do you begin???

And I can't figure out how you'd get that Nuvaring in and out. I may have to look at that some more.

I've only tried two:

Norinyl / Necon Pill
Pros: no weight gain, light periods, helped with cramps
Cons: hard for me to remember to take everyday, higher probability of user error

Nuvaring
Pros: Tons, you put it in and forget about it,
Cons: Cost! You can't find it anywhere for less than $45. now, didn't help my cramps as much as the pill did & lowered libido.

I just recently had to switch back to the pill because the ring is way to pricey. Tthe government stopped giving tax breaks to the Nuvaring company for providing it at a lower cost to subsidized family planning clinics so they had to up the cost of the ring.

I've only tried two:

Norinyl / Necon Pill
Pros: no weight gain, light periods, helped with cramps
Cons: hard for me to remember to take everyday, higher probability of user error

Nuvaring
Pros: Tons, you put it in and forget about it,
Cons: Cost! You can't find it anywhere for less than $45. now, didn't help my cramps as much as the pill did & lowered libido.

I just recently had to switch back to the pill because the ring is way to pricey. Tthe government stopped giving tax breaks to the Nuvaring company for providing it at a lower cost to subsidized family planning clinics so they had to up the cost of the ring.

I think the price will vary with your insurance, too. The ortho-lo was $55 for me versus yasmin being $35. I was considering trying planned parenthood cuz I hear the costs are extremly lower.

I think the price will vary with your insurance, too. The ortho-lo was $55 for me versus yasmin being $35. I was considering trying planned parenthood cuz I hear the costs are extremly lower.

I was getting it at planned parenthood but they just recently raised their price from $28 to $45, I was so sad, the ring was perfect! PP told me it is like that everywhere now because the nuvaring company raised it's price, but luckily planned parenthood still charges around $20 for the pill. I just recently went off my parent's insurance so I only have catastrophic now. : ( Woe...hopefully someone will come out with a generic version of it soon!

I am currently taking Desogen.

It has regulated my period and they are definitely not as heavy as before. The first month, I got horrible mood swings and was really irritated easily. I think the pill has been keeping my skin clear and I haven't gained any weight or anything. It's perfectly fine so far.

How is a person to begin even guessing what's right for her??? I've been reading up on all of this, was paying particular attention to Loestrin 24 because of some recent comments from some of you guys, but then found lots of girls were having the same kind of horrible side effects I was having with that d@@@ Depo Provera shot. Where do you begin???

And I can't figure out how you'd get that Nuvaring in and out. I may have to look at that some more.

You insert the Nuvaring just like you'd insert a tampon...you push it up until it feels comfortable. As for getting it out, it's pretty easy (it's not like it's THAT far up).

How is a person to begin even guessing what's right for her??? I've been reading up on all of this, was paying particular attention to Loestrin 24 because of some recent comments from some of you guys, but then found lots of girls were having the same kind of horrible side effects I was having with that d@@@ Depo Provera shot. Where do you begin???

And I can't figure out how you'd get that Nuvaring in and out. I may have to look at that some more.

I am on Loestrin 1/20, not the 24 and I absolutely love it. The side effects most women report for it is a lower libido, but I think that can be overcome. I tried the over two Loestrins and didn't like them. I absolutely LOATHE the Nuvaring. I bled for a month straight and never have I had such horrible cramps as I did with that.

Thanks! Sooooooo..... how do you overcome that lower libido? Mine's already low enough like it is.

So on month 2 of Ortho-lo and i feel like i'm going to kill someone at the drop of a hat. Totally coming off of this. And i still get painful cramps so it didn't help at all. I'm thinking of going back to Yasmin or trying Loestrin 24. Thoughts?

I'm on Yasmin now, so far so good.
No crazy mood swings yet, and boy do I ever get those usually.

One thing that IS driving me crazy (and it's just because I've started on a new pill AND I'm taking iron supplements) is that I've been spotting like mad since my last period. *SIGH*
Hope that doesn't last long!

I'm on Yasmin now, so far so good.
No crazy mood swings yet, and boy do I ever get those usually.

One thing that IS driving me crazy (and it's just because I've started on a new pill AND I'm taking iron supplements) is that I've been spotting like mad since my last period. *SIGH*
Hope that doesn't last long!

I never seemed to have any problems on Yasmin except the cramps, but nothing 2 advils couldn't cure. :D