"i started loestrin 24 about 5 months ago and i love it! my boyfriend and i regularly have unprotected sex and it has done it&#039;s job so far. the first month of taking loestrin, i admit, was hell. i was not myself at all. however, i haven&#039;t gained any weight and my periods are super light and last only about 2-3 days. after the first month, i was right back to normal. if a birth control pill or patch or whatever doesn&#039;t feel great the first month, my suggestion is to stick it out until at least the third month because your body will eventually adjust. also, because loestrin is such a low dose of hormones, you must take it around the same time everyday. if not, you will bleed a bit within like 8 hours of a missed pill and it&#039;s annoying."