Hormonal IUD vs Combination birth control pill

Getting it in hurt briefly, but tolerable. The first period after getting it was early and super intense, and I continued having spotting most days for the first three months or so, but bleeding dwindled over time and by a year later I was barely getting periods at all, which was great.

I have been on kyleena almost 5 years, January 2025 it will be 5 and little to no problems. But I didn't know there was a mucus discharge, had thought I always had a yeast infection. Almost time to get a new one and I've started spotting again.

I could feel it when I exercised always. Starting year 5 I had terrible cystic acne and lower back pain that travelled down my left leg to my knee. It’s been 4 days since it was removed and my back is already feeling better. A heavy period starting the night I had it removed. It’s been going on 4 days and it is still heavy. I am hoping the acne goes away over time since it is out. It was nice not having heavy periods but not at the expense of my face and back. I have had to see a Dermatologist for several years now and the treatments don’t help much. I also saw a back doc and had a shot to help with the pain along with physical therapy for a few months. The shot helped for a month or two but the pain returned. I gained weight because it was uncomfortable to exercise and feel the IUD even when I walked uphill and the back and left leg pain. Insertion was traumatizing and I was conscious sedated for the removal which was a much better experience. Women should not have to go through that without conscious sedating. We should also be provided with more info on what to expect when we get it, how it might age, what to look for side effect wise, and guidance on getting it out and the aftermath. Terrible experience

at first i experienced a lot of anxiety and mood swings but after a few years seemed to die down. Weight gain and libido have been the really only symptoms I have experienced. Have not had a period the whole time.

I have been on birth control for a year and a half now. The pharmacy switched what brand they gave me, and even though it had the “same ingredients” it’s like you’re starting a whole new pill so your body has to adjust all over again. Im on month 6 of taking this one and Im consistently having break through bleeding the week before my placebo pill week, so im bleeding for two weeks every month. Im about to go off of it the beginning of September anyway, so i’m just pushing through, but if I have to take one in the future i will 100% be asking for a different pill. Ive had no other side effect except that which is great but the bleeding extra and the dull cramps that stick around those two weeks are annoying.

I didnt really notice much of a change. I was only on .1/.02 mgs. I did notice a lot of nausea especially in the mornings and one night i was throwing up nonstop.

I never know when I'm just "overreacting" or when it's the effect of birth control. However, depending on the time of day I take my birth control, I may feel headache or nausea symptoms and it tends to be pretty obviously connected to the birth control (i.e definitely not because of anything else).

Managed my periods well (virtually nonexistent) and never caused acne or weight gain. I would get headaches/ migraines around the time of the inactive pills. I fear that 16 years of birth control pill use have been bad for my body and I am taking a break. I noticed cramping and fatigue within weeks of stopping.

This birth control was prescribed to me for our IVF treatment for suppression. Mind you, I have no history of mental illness but a few days on this pill I felt crazy, severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and just felt like I had no will to live. Felt nauseas and just didn't want to get out of bed all day. It even terrified my husband. Everyone's experience is different but upon reading up on reviews on this pill I've seen very similar experiences like mine. I notified my physician because I couldn't take the side effects anymore and he quickly took me off it and prescribed a different birth control. As soon as I stopped taking Apri all the negative side effects subsided. Thank goodness the new birth control works well with me. Based on my personal experience, I always notify any physicians that I cannot take this pill. I will never look twice. Just horrible.

This is the first birth control I have ever been on. I wanted the low dose combination pill to lower the risk of blood clots and other things. When I first started I really had no bad side effects at all. My period is way lighter than it was being off of the pill and it lasts only a few days. Sometimes I bleed a little more sometimes a little less or barely at all some months. My breasts have definitely gotten larger but I had smaller breasts to begin with so I don't mind the growth. I have a history of migraines but they were more frequent off of birth control and the only time I get migraines now is during the placebo week mainly. The one thing about the pill that has not been good is the weight gain. I am certain it is from the pill even though doctors tell you the combo pill cant make you gain weight. Before the pill I was 129 pounds and for the first couple of months I didn't notice any weight gain. Until about halfway through about 6 months in, I weighed around 144 pounds. Now I am a year in and the weight keeps going up and I am now about 167 pounds and my BMI is in the overweight category. I am so self conscious and depressed about my weight gain. I don't know if the weight gain will ever stop. I don't want to change pills because this works well for me otherwise but if you get on this pill, please be aware it may cause a ton of weight changes.

It’s a pretty average birth control. It hasn’t affected me negatively a great deal but there are some impacts that have negatively affected me.

Didn’t experience anything bad, maybe bloating the first 3 months, but it seems to work fine.

I was put on Junel Fe 1/20 in college when I was underweight and not producing estrogen (I've since recovered from my eating issues and am at a much healthier weight) and I've had no issues with Junel. I don't get a period most months, and if I do have spotting, it's rarely during the time it's supposed to come, which I don't love. Besides that, no complaints!