Hey everyone!

I am on OrthoTricyclen (or the cheap version, Trinessa) and have been since about 1999. I have only switched once during that time to the Lo version, and switched back quickly because it made my boobs and butt shrink---no joke!:o

anyway, my friend has been on Desogen for a few months after years of being on the depo shot and she loves it. she says it has cleared up her skin and she has light brief periods. my periods now only last usually 4 days, but they are hell for the first two---and have horrible PMS!!!!! GRRRARRR!! my skin has always had break-outs, but they aren't bad, so that's not too much of an issue.

i'm just wondering if this is a good brand and if anyone here is on it or tried it???? i have my annual exam this month, so i'm trying to get some ideas. the main reason i want to switch is because i have been really dizzy lately and don't know if it is related to my b.c. and plus my mood swings are awful!!! i feel like i want to destroy everyone in my path the whole week before my period, and on it too!!! that is too much anger for me, lol.

anyone experience better results from some bc that aren't tri-cyclic?? and just i guess it's monophasic--all one hormone level??

any suggestions? thanks :D

Hi,
Desogen was the first birth control I took. My doctor said that its an older brand and she found it was generally well tolerated compared to some of the newer brands. I liked it when I was on it except it did not clear my skin. It has less estrogen than regular Ortho, it has 30mcg to ortho's 35mcg of estrogen. I liked it because it did not make me gain weight or give me mood swings. The reason I switched to Ortho was to control my sever painful acne and for acne Ortho has been a miracle for me, however, it gives me mood swings and weight gain. I tolerate the other stuff cuz my acne was horrible but if I didn't have acne I would go back to desogen. As for my period on ortho its 4 days on desogen it was 2 days. This is just my experiance yours could be completely different, but if your unhappy with the Ortho then Desogen(generic=Apri or Solia) may be a good pill to try, I wish you luck;)

I used to take it. But I remember that I had a lot of breakthrough bleeding, so I had to switch. I don't remember much else about it because it was several years ago.

thank you both!

i'm just really worried that since i've been on ortho for sooo long, that my body will totally freak out when i try something different...any thoughts????:confused:

A few years ago I was on this. It didn't work out for me though. I kept getting numbness in my legs and at times I would be walking down the street, to suddenly lose control of my legs. It was told that should only have lasted 3 months but after the third month and no change I got off the pill.

Desogen was great for me, no bad side effects and did wonders for my skin. I'm going back on as soon as this Yaz nightmare is over with.

My sex drive was nonexistent on this, so I stopped it after only a month, and it came right back. I didn't notice any other side effects, though.

Has anyone had a problem with it causing hair loss? I've had a lot of problems in the past with birth controls causing a lot of hair loss and I've heard that Desogen & Ortho Cept is lower on the androgen scale. I've been thinking about switching to one of these for a while now and have an appointment next week.

Thanks!