"started when i was 22, now almost 25. when i first started, i would bleed lightly for about a month. after a while, cramps weren&#039;t so bad. i&#039;d have a few lighter ones the week before my period and during and after. not like the extreme ones i had before where i wanted to die. definitely worked in preventing pregnancy, even without using condoms unless it&#039;s the week of placebo pills. i used to be very small, a size 0 (24inch) pants, i was probably a size 1 or 3 when i started the pill. now i&#039;m size 10 (30inch) pants, or bigger. i can&#039;t fit into any jeans. i&#039;ve questioned whether i&#039;m pregnant multiple times because of the weight, but i&#039;ve taken tests that came out negative. 3 months in a row i didn&#039;t get my period. emotional, bad mood swings."