Ortho Tri-Cyclen (Birth control) Reviews

ive tried almost everything to clear up my mild to moderate acne and this seems like the only option left to me. im going to try the regular ortho and just pray that it doesnt mess me up worse then before in anyway

I've been on Tri-nessa for 2 or 3 years. im only 17, and i was cursed with really bad acne. My Doctor prescibed some acutane for my acne, so i guess i don't know if the pill did the clearing. but, all i know now is that my face is beautiful and clear. But.. One thing i don't like about the pill im on is i have no sex drive. bummer.

I think you all are missing the boat on acne and birth control pills. Most acne is caused by hormonal changes, thus when you start any birth control there are changes in hormones, which prevents pregnancy. I too had cystic acne, I had even gone to the ER one time because I couldnt get into my Dr, and was running a huge fever and they were concerned. I have since I started Ortho Tri in 2000, had major breakouts, had a baby, and have taken accutaine. Accutaine and Ortho together have cleared up my acne. I now have gorgeous skin but just remember switching products every few months will not be the answer to your problems only cause them.

I've been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for over a year now, and I can say that it definitely has improved my skin, but wasn't quite the miracle cure I hope it would be. I had mild acne throughout high school (almost always one or two visible pimples but rarely more than four, some barely perceptible ones). The summer after I graduated, I broke out like crazy for no apparent reason and had many large pimples. I looked horrible and had to start loading on the makeup and more topical treatments, but nothing worked. I tried Proactiv and it did nothing to improve my skin despite the celebrity promises. Finally, I got a prescription for OTC Lo, hoping that stabilizing my hormones would end this nonsense. It did, but I'm pretty much back to where I was in high school skin wise--mild persistent acne. My sister has had the same experience, where going on birth control (I'm not sure which kind) cleared up her worse acne but where she still gets breakouts. I've also experienced a lot more moodiness since being on the pill, but it's a side affect I'm willing to take in exchange for generally clearer skin, no pregnancy, and being able to predict my periods to the hour. I get OTC Lo for $10/month after being subsidized by insurance, so it's pretty cheap. I recommend trying birth control for several months and using topical treatments simultaneously, like Dan's Clear Skin Regimen gel. The birth control will probably take care of the major breakouts and the topical treatment will help with the rest. Birth control definitely does not work instantly, though, so be sure to remain on it for four or more cycles so that you can see what your side effects will be and if it will improve your skin at all. I saw overall improvement after the first two months, but it got even better over time.

Hi I am 25. I have been on pills, lots of different types but mostly TriCyclen since I was like 12. I had never gotten pimples, breakouts/ NEVER. Till one day I was soo tired of being nausiated, one of the side effects I decided to try something with lower dose of estrogen, doctors orders. Well big mistake, I broke out. I have been stuggling with acne now since age 21 till today. When I got pregnant in 2001, my face lit up like a light, and I had pimples so bad I looked like I had chicken pox, no joke. Let me tell you it was and still to this day has been the most emotional effect on my self-esteem. I have since then tried several pills, antibiotics, almost every creme you can imagine, pro active, NOTHING has worked. So today I decided to come on the old internet and search for answers. I found this board and thought I would give you all some insight. I found that the number one cause for this horrible condition is high testosterone levels, this is why birth control pills help, I dont know if you all even knew why they prescribe them but this is why. The levels of estrogen in the pills help to lower the high levels of testosterone. Here is the thing though. You all might be thinking ok, so what. Well this is a disease called PCOS Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and strangely as it sounds the number one treatment for it is indeed the birth control method. So considering that since I was 12 I had never had a pimple and then I stopped the pill and had a outbread beyond control, it seems that being on a good high dose estrogen pill might just be the answer after all. Please I urge you all to ask your doctors about this PCOS, and also search it on the computer, you will be surprised.
So I hope this helps, I will be trying either the Orthra Evra, TryiCyclen again, or maybe the Micrette.

By the way for all you suffering from Acne, I too know that it is a horrible condition and even though I have a gorgeous son it is hard to go outside and show him off because I am so emotionally scarred. But with God in my life I have found a new since of security, one that no pill, creme, shot can give

Good Luck
&
God Bless

I'm getting ready to start my 3rd pack of ortho tricyclen lo. I had heard all these great things about it, and some of them were true. I haven't had any weight gain yet and the cramps have decreased significantly. However, my acne has gotten out of control. I'm really upset by this, because I used to have an occasional breakout here and there, but now it's rare to wake up and not have a new pimple to add to my forehead. Not just the small ones, but the painful ones that leave scars behind! Does the regular pill help any better with acne? I was told by my doc that they were about the same, however the regular pill is used for females weighing over 180 lbs. I gave the pill a high/good rating for affordability because it is free through the university as long as you're a student.

I hate this stuff, i was on Ortho tri-cyclen and ortho tri-cyclen LO for almost a year and it did nothing for my skin. So i decided to get off it because I didnt like the risk of side effects and also it gave me other personal discomforts (including no help with acne), a week after i stopped the pill my body was destroyed. I gained at least 10pounds out of nowhere and because of that my skin ripped resulting in stretch marks, my period was all over the calender for the next 3 months, and i broke out like mad. Since then my body has never been the same. It totally ravaged me!!NOT RECoMMenDED!!!

Major Point: Ortho tri cyclen and Ortho tri cyclen lo are two completely different products.

I have been on ortho tri cyclen lo for the past few months. I hate this pill so much that I just stopped taking it today even though I'm in the middle of a pack. It's not worth the side effects at all. I have broken out like crazy. I never used to break out, ever. On top of that I've gained about 5 pounds in less than 2 months and I am so moody and bratty.

This is my first time experimenting with birth control pills and it has been so horrible that I will never take them again. If the lo will give me such bad side effects I don't even want to try the regular.

FYI: Dont' use lo for acne treatment. Even the ortho tri cyclen lo website says that there is no evidence of the pill helping acne.

I have been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for 3 months, and have just started my 4th month. I feel like my skin has only gotten worse so far. Whereas before I always had the whitehead type of pimples, now I have these hard painful cysts that last for weeks and never really form a head. I know that you are technically supposed to wait 6 months before you see improvement, but many people on this message board have said that they see improvement right away.

I've been on Depo provera for two years with only one break when I couldnt afford the $60 refill on my prescription. And sinse then I have been breaking out like crazy.. all on my cheeks and a little bit on my chin. And not the little pimples but the fricken cystic pimples that hurt like hell and take forever to go away. So ..my point is.. I'm wondering if the depo is causing my skin to go haywire... and I want to switch to OTC regular.. but am a little nervous... so I was wondering if anyone could tell me if they had the same experience... also.. how long should it take me to get my period agian after being on depo?