"i took nortrel 1/35 for five years and generally liked it - i will consider getting on it again when the need arises. my skin was clear, i didn&#039;t get pregnant, i didn&#039;t have mood swings, and my period was light. i would take 6 weeks worth of pills, and then have a period, as recommended by my doctor. my main issue with it was that by day four of my period i would get a withdrawal headache that would last until i took the first pill of my next pack. this bothered me enough to stop taking it when i&#039;m not in need of a birth control method. i did lose a few pounds almost overnight when i stopped taking it also."