"for the first few months everything was fine. my periods were short and light and i didn&#039;t experience any cramps. after about a year or so i started gaining so much weight and experiencing mood swings, increased sex drive and tender breasts. i believe the birth control does its job, but the side effects aren&#039;t worth it. i got off of them for awhile and my body felt so much better/ balanced but i got back on to regulate my period again because it came on every 2 weeks. i&#039;m switching as soon as i can."