2nd month taking Ortho tri-cyclen lo and my skin looks a mess!

[glow83]

Oh my ga! I just finished my second month of ortho lo and my skin looks the worse it has ever looked.

About a year ago I stopped taking ortho tricyclen(the regular kind) because I thought it was making it difficult for me to lose weight. I had been on it for 2 years with great results. Skin really pretty although I would have an occasional clogged pore or two. I don't remember initially breaking out either. About 4-5 months after I stopped taking it my skin began to really break out and look bad. Even though I had lost about 30pds I was not happy with my skin . I started using pro-active which only helped less than moderatly. Thus, i decided the only answer was to get back on BC. Now I just completed the second month of otc lo and my skin looks horrible. Even worse than when I was in high school (I'm 28 now). I have these little tiny hard bumps along my right jawline and chin that will not go away. And larger cystic like bumps on my cheeks. I've tried not sleeping on my face, drinking lots of water, Prayer. I cleanse with Purpose liquid and I've been using Queen Helene's Mint Julep. I also use Retin-a.

Does anyone have advice. I feel like a prisoner because I'm too embarressed to go out with my skin like this. I don't know if the BC or my skin is making me depressed. I also don't want to stop taking them because that is where my initial problem started. Please help. Has anyone experienced this?? Will I clear up eventually?? Pray for me

[skimom]

glow - since your new here I wanted to suggest that you do a search on this board on orthotricyclen. Just type that in the search box and you'll find lots of posts on it. I've written a lot lately on it because my daughter is not having a good experience on it. She's very broken out and got mood swings on the reg. OTC which is not like her at all. Do you have a dermatologist that you see? Others have had tremendous results with this pill and we were hopeful at first that it would help us. The problem is that its a wait and see game. Some clear at after 2 months, some 3, some 4 or more. I tend to think that if you don't see any improvement after 3 months and it's even worse after 4, then it's time to rethink whether it's worth it or not to take it for acne control.

[ladybr]

Glow,

The exact same thing happened to me 3 years ago. I went off the pill, and 4 months later I had terrible, terrible acne. I tried Proactive, and it made my skin a living, peeling nightmare. I went on Ortho (not Lo), and things got worst at first. Then the doctor put me on Differin cream, which helped a little, but not tremendously. I only really started clearing up when she put me on 75 mg of spiro along with the ortho. You might want to think about doing this; I was completely clear for 2 1/2 years. I started breaking out recently because the pharmacy switched my ortho to generic (tri-sprintec), which gave me a bad reaction. Grrr. Now, I've just started taking Ortho again (as well as differin cream) and upped my spiro to 100mg., and I hope that things will get better.

Good luck!

[Beams222]

I have had the same thing to happen to me. I used Ortho Tri Cyclen for 5 years and stopped using it in December. Then by February my face had started to break out, but I just throught it was from stress. So, In may I went to get another prescription. I just completed my second month and my face has cleared up. It just now cleared up. A few days ago, I was still broken out. Of course, I have a lot of red marks. UGH! And I gained a lot of wait. I can't fit into some of my clothes. I started on the Atkins diet and I have lost a lot of the water, which is the reason I have been gaining wait I think. I have also been eating a lot more because I have a huge appetite from the pills. You can always lose wait, even on the pills. I have. And don't worry, your skin will get better soon. Mine finally did. Good luck!

[glow83]

Thanks guys it's nice to know I'm not alone. I will keep everyone posted as I'm going to stick it out. Skimom let me know how it goes with your daughter. Tell her to hang in there.