"i am 18 &amp; kariva was the first birth control i was prescribed. definitely does it&#039;s job birth-control wise, there was some prolonged spotting after my first period on the pill but my flow was steady after that. no weight changes, however i noticed it did nothing to help my acne, which was a factor in starting birth control. my first week on the pill, i experienced heavy nausea &amp; diarrhea, so first timers keep that in mind. the worst part about the experience in general was the mood swings. i have always been an anxious person by nature but kariva increased my level of self-conciousness, stress, &amp; feeling of uneasiness. i also experienced some bouts of depression. all in all it could work well for some, but i have just switched my b.c. brand"