I have a prescription for Ortho Tri-Cycen-Lo, which I will begin taking when my period begins on Saturday. However, I am getting really nervous about taking it because I keep reading about all of the side effects. It was prescribed to me by a nurse practitioner, who didn't really give me any information or talk to me about which pill would be best for me. I am 28 and will be taking the pill for birth control reasons- my periods are almost always regular, though once in awhile I do get pretty bad cramps and bloating. I am acne prone, and especially worried about otc-lo causing me to break out (I tend to get hormonal breakouts anyway) and about weight gain.

Has anyone had any good experiences with this pill? Or any advice? I am wondering if I should just go to another doctor and get more information before going on any type of pill...

I had a great experience with that pill. I took it for a year and a half. My skin was great, and I even lost some weight. (was already thin to start with... so that wasn't a good thing for me). BUT, I must warn you, 4 of my friends got pregnant in the 20's while on the pill. 1 person had missed a pill, but the other 3 never missed one. So just becareful. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Good luck!

So my period actually started early this month (on Monday) and I started otc-lo on Tuesday morning. So far no side effects at all (but of course it has only been two days) But, usually my period lasts 5-6 days, and Monday and Tuesday it was pretty heavy, but today (day 3) it has been really light. I know birth control can shorten/lighten your period, but is it common for this to happen right away? I would think it would take a couple of months for this to happen...

It happens once the pill is in your system. I had really bad periods, and then the first time I started taking the pill on Sunday, by Tuesday it was light and I had no cramps.. I loved it