Desogen (generic Apri)

[kelly]

I was taking desogen for about 10 months and it was the worst 10 months ever! When I first started taking it, I felt my mood change and I was bloated everyday. I heard that it can take up to 3 months for your body to get used to the pill, so I kept taking it. I was hoping that eventually the side effects would taper off. As the months went by, my moodswings got worse, and I no longer had a sex drive. I cried all the time, for no reason at all, and eventually I fell into a horrible depression. I felt like no one liked me, and I didn't feel like I was the real "me" anymore.
I finally went to my doctor, and she switched me to alesse, and also put me on paxil. I took the antidepressents for less than a week, and decided I didn't want to be on them. I've been on alesse for 2 1/2 months now, and I can't belive the change in me. I am so much happier now. I feel like I have found the real me again. I still get emotional and cry sometimes, but I can tell that it's the real me who is crying, not some crazy pyschopath!
I feel so much more confident and so much more stable with my emotions. I am no longer bloated, and my sex drive has come back...yippie!!!

[anne]

does anyone notice nausea & gasiness, or is that just me????

[wowsa]

I was on Apri for about 5 years. I have PCOS. I went off it one month, and was pregnant the next month, right away. I miscarried, because we did not know about Metformin at the time. I will know for next time. Apri was wonderful, and I never had any problems with it. Other pills I tried previous to that made me sick and couldnt sleep at night.

[Sydne]

Hi! I am about to start taking Apri because I know it has a similar progestin as Yaz (desogen). Yaz was too expensive on my plan but I wanted the anti-bloating benefit of it so I'm hoping Apri will have the same effect. Can anyone attest to that?

[Krystal]

I just started taking Apri last last month. I am not sure what the problem is but my breasts hurt so bad it's not even funny. I actually started taking this because I have very dense tissue in my breasts and this is supposed to thin them out. Also because I am a very moody person with awful cramps.
I am aware of the fact that the white pills are "sugar" pills. They are a placebo.. When the doctor says to wait to have intercourse without protection for a month, does this include the white pills? I am worried because I didn't think that the white pills mattered so we "DID" and now it's been a few weeks and I am not sure if the systoms that I am feeling are because I am pregnant or what. It was about a week (Maybe a little more)before my period started and (not to be explicit or anything) it was 4 times of him ejaculating inside of me in one night, not too far apart from each other, and then I got my period this month. I figured it is all to close to tell. I am trying to read up on the "Early-detection" tests but I have not missed my period. I don't know if I should stop taking it now or what. What should I do? If you have any suggestions please email me @[e-mail] and put pregnancy in the subject line. Thanks

[Dominique]

I have just started taking Apri for the past month or so and I love it! I switched to Apri from Yaz because of too much breakthrough bleeding and so far I havent had any. I havent gained a pound, and my skin is flawless! When I started Yaz i broke out for the first three months, but with Apri that didnt happen.

[alissa]

I just started workin out within about 5 or 6 weeks, and have not been able to loose any weight. A couple of years ago, I joined a gym and could tell a difference within 3 or 4 weeks. I have been a bit frustrated because I haven't been able to loose any weight, and I've begun to think it might have something to do with being on Apri. In general, I'm doing the same thing I did that worked before. I switched to Apri after being on Yasmin because it was expensive, which I had started taking when I was working out before, and was able to loose weight. I'm going to switch pills in a little and see if it makes a difference.... Hopefully I'll be able to update after switching with good news of weight loss.

After just reading a comment above, I have also been more anti-social lately than other. I thought it was just because I was so busy and was facing financial difficulties, so it was my excuse for not spending money... but I now wonder if it's a side effect fromt the pills as well...

Hopefully I'll be able to update after switching with good news of weight loss.

[nicole]

I went on Apri almost a year ago and had no weight gain, no breakthrough bleeding, virtually no side effects until this summer. I started having anxiety and panic attacks during my spring semester (I'm now a senior in college) and although I usually deal with stress pretty well, I thought that it was just because of a rough semester.

But in the past two months I've had a consistent nervous stomach and I've lost almost 15lbs from not being able to eat as much (not a good thing, I'm already a little underweight for my height). I started to have mood swings and that led straight into depression, so bad that even on vacation in Aruba I cried almost everyday and night. I felt pathetic and anti-social and angry and basically scared that I'd never come out of this sudden "phase." I called a therapist but couldn't even bring myself to follow through with that. Then last week I was in the hospital for severe stomach pain and they did some bloodwork and sent me home because "nothing was wrong." I'm also breaking out which hasn't happened since 10th grade. Finally I went to a gyno who said this could all be side effects from the pill. If that's true than this all could have been prevented, and that upsets me greatly, but I also feel relieved that this might be over soon.

Everyone is different but if anyone is feeling things like this on Apri, see a doctor because it might be as simple as changing the pill or going off of it completely, which I plan on doing asap.

[Danielle]

I've been taking Desogen for almost a month now, and I totally hate it! My doctor switched me off of Levlen which I liked a lot and had no side effects. I'm kind of worried because the side effects I am having are similar to side effects of pregnancy.
I've been bloated, moody (crying all the time), nausea, and I've gained 5-10 pounds. I'm 5'5 and weigh 130. Is this normal? Please email me: [e-mail]

Thanks

[Danielle]

I have been on Apri for 3 years and I love it. I was on Orthotricyclin for a year and it was a disaster. I gained weight and broke out like you wouldn't believe. Since I have been on Apri my complexion has been great, no hormonal effects, my periods are short and painless, and I lost all the weight that I gained on Ortho. I would definitely recommend it!

[Jessica]

I have been on Yasmin for years...and due to the fact the the price has sky-rocketed to over $50 a month, I have just been given a prescription for Apri. I am very nervous about changing pills after such a long time and was wondering, had anyone else taken Yasmin and then switched Apri? Anything I should worry about, I know that blood clots are a side effect of BCP but do you think it's worse with Apri or are there any other worries? I am very active and haven't gained weight with Yasmin, am I in for a rude awakening?

[Ruey]

I was on Desogen for about six months, and I LOVE IT!!! But I was sad when I found out from my pharmacy that Desogen is no longer on formulary. Because of it, I would have to pay full price and it is too expensive. So pharmacist told me to switch to generic version which is Apri. Is there anything I should be aware of?

[ashlynb]

Hey there.
I was on another pill the first 6 months I was in college. The price of that pill skyrocketed!! My dr. recommened apri. I have not had one problem with this pill. I have gained weight and the occasional breakouts, but thats college!! I know I don't exactly eat healthy and whatnot!!!=0)
Take it!! 2 Days a month is something I can handle!!! No cramps!! It's great!!!

[Lisa]

I took Apri for nearly years.. it worked great.. I recently changed to Yaz because my doc said it would help with bloating. I actually HATE yaz. It makes me severly tired and grumpy! stay with Apri. I am going back on soon as i am done with this pack of yaz :) By the way, I am 5'6

[Lisa]

I took apri for 5 years before recently switching yo YAZ because my gynocologists thought it would help with bloating, which was my only complaint with apri. Since taking Yaz, i am ALWAYS tired, moody and hungry! I am definitely switching back to Apri. It worked great, i should have never switched in the first place.

[Carry]

I'm at the end of my second pack of apri and had some spotting the last few days of my hormone pills this month...im starting the placebos today...is the spotting normal when starting apri? I havent missed any pills not have i taken any later than usual...I'm just concerned because i was taken off yaz because of horrible breaktrhough bleeding and i would hate to have the same problem with apri too...

[Whitney]

I just started taking Apri myself about a month and a half ago. It made me really nauseous but then I started taking it at night and I feel much better. I've only had one period with it and I already love it. I've noticed my boobs are a little bit bigger also. I don't know if it will last or go away. I feel like my skin is getting worse but it may be because I'm a stressed out. I'm happy with it so far. I'm worried about gaining weight but I don't think I will because I found out I have hypothyroid so I've started taking thyroid meds and if anything because of that I should lose a little weight.

[Sara]

I am 30 years old and suffered a pulmonary embolisim this past August on my wedding day. I was on Apri for about 4 years or so. I had no health problems and have always been healthy. My 3 blood clots have been attributed to Apri as well. I agree, get off this pill!

[Anna]

I googled Apri because I've been having problems lately with weight gain and fatigue and I was wondering if it could be because of the pill I'm on. I've only been on Apri for about a month and a half, and I know it takes a while for the body to adjust to the new pill. Before that, I was on orthotricyclin-lo for only 3 months and I had the most horrible, unbearable cramps I've ever had, which is why my Dr. switched me to Apri. I'm taking it because of cramps and moodiness, but if its contributing to my weight gain and constant fatigue, I'm not sure its worth it. The posts in this thread seem to be split 50/50 for and against... doesn't help me know what I should do!

[clc]

I was on desogen for 1 year and didn't have a terrible experience. I was definitely more emotional and I noticed more frequent headaches, but that was about it. I've also gained about 10 lbs. I've now been on Apri for about 3 months. A few weeks ago I had what I think was an anxiety attack out of nowhere. It was in the middle of the night and lasted about 3 hours. It really freaked me out. Since then, I've experienced symptoms of anxiety, diziness, and just really weird feelings....i feel like i'm going crazy! My husband and I decided I should stop taking Apri for a couple of months and see if the symptoms subside. Has anyone else experienced things like this? And should I expect problems while getting the bcp out of my system?