RateItAll: The Opinion Network

I was on the patch for 2 years and i loved it.

Just curiously, I keep getting e-mails about the 400 and some cases against ortho evra that are being brought to court due to patients having health problems, such as blood clots. Do they have a chance to win because I was notified by my doctor and even on the commercials that state it may cause blood clots. I am just confused by that. Are they liable even though they have it noted on the instructions (side effects) and the doctors are suppose to inform us? Is the doctor's fault too?

My old Gyno moved away and my new one doesn't prescribe the patch. I am bummed! I am now trying the Nuvaring, but it seems like it will be awkward and get in the way. I work as a firefighter and can't possibly imagine having a life structured enough to take a pill at the same time every day! I can't even get my vitamins straight! And when traveling? Forget the pill, I need something that lasts longer and is LOW maintenance. I planned a patch change one morning a week and put an extra one in my away bag just in case. The routine was easy and simple.

The patch cause me NO SIDE EFFECTS AT ALL, unless you count more regular periods and fewer cramps as "side effects". I had no problem placing the patch low enough on my buttock to be invisible even in lowriser jeans. It took a little practice, but I eventually found the "sweet spot." When I placed the patch, I would make sure the patch adhered well right when I put it on, I never had any sliding issues, but the edges did tend to collect a little lint as they were sometimes sticky. At removal, I cleaned off the residue in the shower with a washcloth and switched sides every week to let one side dry. No problems whatsoever. with losing patches or having them fall off.

I also experimented with my shoulder/back in the wintertime, but in California I like wearing sleeveless shirts too much to allow that, so back to the backside! I was a little self conscious around my boyfriend because my butt is one of the attributes of me he enjoys looking at, but he said it didn't bother him at all. (I think the physical verification of safety actually relaxed him a bit.)

The patch is a good idea, but i live in Florida, and i thought it looked tacky when people could see half of it on the top line of my bathing suit. Also it slide around and the corners would come off. When you eventually took it off, the skin underneath would stick because you havent bathed that spot for a week.

Women have died because they can cause blood clots. There was a huge settlement. I use it for a week and had trouble keeping it on.

I don't recommend the patch for anyone sensitive to hormonal birth control; when I first went on it I had severe nausea and cramping for 2 days, so much so that my boyfriend was going to take me to the hospital for fear of dehydration and because I was in so much pain. Once I got through the inital period, it was a little better, but I still experienced mood swings, increased cramping during my period, and migraines whenever I would remove the patch to have my period. Also, the patch would tend to slide around during travel and sometimes after exercising, which made me worry about its efficacy. Overall I think it's a good idea, but they need to cut back on the hormone levels in the patch.

i completely agree with you! The first time i got on it, i got sooo sick, i was mostly nauseated, so i took it off, then about 3 weeks later, i tried it again, and i've been on it for a week, but its been HELL, i was extremely dizzy, weak, body went numb, major headachs, sweating, and trouble breathing, and could Not sleep at all!!, and oddly, all of these symptoms only happened at night! I thought these symptoms would go away within a couple of days, but it seems like its just getting worse and worse, so today i took it off for good, and even tho i just took it off a couple of hours ago, im still going through some of these symptoms, but they are not as Bad as they were when the patch was on.

Im completely DONE with the patch, its Not worth it!

UGGHHH hooooorrriiibllleee!

Tried it for a few days...landed in the hospital with uncontrollable vomiting....NEVER AGAIN!

I got SO SICK only a couple days after putting on the patch. I got extremely dizzy, nauseous, and weak. I was sweating and having trouble breathing. As soon as I took it off, my symptoms started clearing up within hours. I would never recommend it to anyone!

i have used the patch for years now. last time i was waiting on my period the entire week before hand i was crampy and blood tinged mucous. when my perion did come it only lasted for 3 days. NEVER before....usually 6 days full blown....is this normal??

I have been on the patch for a little over 4 years now. At first I loved it, it has been the only hormonal birth control I have tried. Yeah at first I got sick and such but that went away. My periods are alot lighter and regular, I have lost about 20 lbs but that could also be from eating better and exercising more. In the last year I have noticed I get emotional and cry over the dumbest things, I have also had break-through bleeding around the time of putting on my 3rd patch three times in the past 7 months. Not to mention ZERO sex drive to the point that the thought of sex grosses me out, Thank Goodness my fiancee completly understands and it has not cause a whole lot of relationship problems. Everything except the break through bleeding has been an issue the past 2 or 3 years and I never really put it all together that it could be the patch. I love convienence but Im SICK of the side effects, I am going in for my yearly exam next week and I am switching!! Im just so scared I will gain weight..

I'm only on my 2nd week of the patch and I'm so over it! I thought the patch was the perfect answer - I only was supposed to think about birth control once a week. Hmmm, not so much. Instead, I'm thinking about birth control almost hourly as a scratch away at the "itchy spot" all week long. After reading all the other reviews it's no wonder I've been feeling fat the past couple of weeks. I know I'm a sucker for Halloween candy, but common, 5 lbs in two weeks??? I'll set an alarm in every room of my house to help me remember to take "the pill." 1 kid down, 2 to go, there has to be an easier way!!!

ok for starters I used the patch for3 day and I start having morning sickness it made me think I was pregant I will be coming back in 6 months to see how this is going and I will make sure I tell yal my results then

I've been on the Patch now for about 5 months now, and my only complaint is the ridiculous weight gain. I have now gained about 10 pounds, fluctuating a little, but overall steadily gaining weight, and I've also had an increased appetite too. It didn't occur to me that it was because of the patch until I had to leave it off for 2 weeks. In those 2 weeks I lost a little over 5 pounds and had a drastic decrease in my appetite. The week that the patch went back on I regained the appetite and the weight! Other than that, none of the horrible side effects at all! Of course you'll get the black ring around the patch from the adhesive, but it's not the end of the world because no one will see it. The other good thing about the patch is that I've had shorter and lighter periods with almost no cramps when I start my period, where as before the patch I would be in the fetal position and popping Ibuprofen constantly the day I was to start my period, followed by a pretty heavy period. I did all this to regulate my period for my wedding next year, but because of the steady weight gain I'm worried my dress won't fit!! So now I'm debating on whether or not to ditch the patch and deal with a period on my wedding day!!

I have been on Ortho Evra for about 4.5 years now. At this point, I am experiencing break-thru bleeding during Patch 2. My OB/GYN recommended that I make the switch to Nuvaring as many young women in their 20's have been loving it. I'm about 80% sure I'll make the switch, but I realize that once I go off of the patch, if I ever want to go back on - I'll have to deal with the beginning side effects (horrible nausea/morning sickness for about a month). I honestly love the patch, however, it has been the only method of birth control that I've tried.

If you're weight conscious - don't go on it. I've put on about half a stone and I swear taking it has made me depressed and easily agitated! I've only been on it a month but I'm looking to come off it, use different contraception and get back into feeling good about my body. It's made me feel so unsexy and I've lost my libido! And I had a high sex drive before! I am cautious about taking it off... Can you take it off mid-week? Or do you have to wait for the patch-free-week-4? Would really appreciate a response!
(However, if you don't easily gain weight, it's probably good. I've found it sticks really well, I've only had to quickly change it mid-week once when I was on holiday and got sand in it, etc. It's definitely efficient in that sense.)

I love the patch. It's very convienent. You just stick it on and forget about it for the week. I usually place the patch on my bottom. It does leave a little outline after you take it off. I wash the site really good with soap and what to get the excess glue off. Then I rub a little baby oil over it, and it's gone in a day or two. FYI: My male cousins say the really like when ladies where the patch because they can actually see that she's on birth control. Anyone can say they're on the pill, but you don't really know if you don't watch them take it.

Definitely have to agree with Lilybuguk on the whole 'sticky mark' subject. I mean, if you have it on your lower abdomen, the only real person that will see it would be your partner, so why should that matter? I've been on the patch for about a year an a half now, and it really does work. I have noticed that many women on here complained about it causing them horrible cramps and heavy bleeding, but my doctor told me that it can affect you in that way due to your body adjusting to it. I experienced some massive bleeding in the first few months myself, but that is because the lining of your uterus is thinning out as to help prevent an egg from implanting itself. Over time, it all evens out and the pain and whatnot slows down. I do however, have to agree with how it affects your mood in a negative way. I did in fact get depressed a lot and got upset over such little things, but I realized that I have the ability to control myself. To me, working a little bit harder at realizing the positives in my life is definitely worth the effort if it means me being protected from pregnancy. Now, I am enjoying this medication and it seems to be working fine! :)

Ok for starters will you all stop complaining about the sticky mark..! who care's you put it where its only going to show if your naked and then you and your partner will be the only one's that see it! I have been on it only a few weeks I admit but for me it seemed the logicial choice, I hate swallowing tablets and I would forget anyway if I had to do it every day, I have had no side affects what so ever (ok like i said early days but still....) I have been swimming, running, having showers and baths and it is yet to fall off, one time it did seem to catch on my knickers but just the very edge and it stuck back on! And about the health scare that was back in 2004! Its 2007 now, loads of tests were done after the problems in 2004 and its still on the market and has been declared safe... therefore i'm happy to use it!

If I could rate the Ortho Evra patch a ZERO, I would. I have been on Ortho Evra since the birth of my daughter in 2003. That is 4 years ago. At first I thought it was the best thing. I had never tried birth control before and figured since I can never remeber anything (even taking a daily allergy pill is hard for me) that this would be my best bet. I never associated any of my ailments to the patch until now. I have terrible migranes! I never had these prior to the patch. I gained weight, lost my sex drive, I am terribly moody now and I am frequently dizzy or nausiated.
The patch never stays on! It has constantly come loose in the shower. And when they tell you that you may get a small irritation on the patch site .. they weren't kidding, sometimes mine are so bad that I have to take the patch off becauase it starts to hurt. I've had red patches on my skin for a couple wekks and then it completely dries out and becomes itchy.
Certain birth controls affect certain women differently, but this is one to seriously reconsider if you already have some health issues!!!!!!!!!

First off I'm 33. I was only on the patch for a month and wow! I've never had side effects like this with any other birth control. I have had bad headaches (and I never, ever, have headaches), extreme moodiness (like major rage for no reason. My poor friends!)and I gained about five lbs. Oh yeah and not to mention that I felt a bit embarrassed by the lint catcher of a patch stuck to my body. Yeah, sexy! Now this is only the first month, and after researching it more thoroughly and seeing the lawsuit commercials, I've decided to stop using it. Not to mention that these suits have to do with women dying or becoming seriously ill from clots, strokes, whatever. Sheesh! I went off of Depo because of the health risks associated with it. I'm now thinking of trying this ring out. What fun will that have in store for me? I was birth control free for two years before this patch incident and had never felt better but don't want to get pregnant. Should I try this ring? hmmmm....can't wait. huh. right.

i have been on ortho evra patch for almost 4 yrs. and started on my 2nd week patch i shouldnt start me period yet but i did what the heck is up with that i have never had this problem since getting on the patch please help me with this i dont like it.

Well I used the patch for only 2 months. I was kinda weary of it and didn't really trust that it would protect me from getting pregnant. The bonus of it, was that I didn't feel ANY side effects unlike the pill. I felt normal. The only thing that bugged and made me stop taking it was the fact that is shows, lint gets on it, and the stupid thing gets loose once your in the shower. SO annoying! And then once I started hearing the law firm commercials, I was glad I got off of it. That shits scary.

This method has one major advantage--you reduce your risk of forgetting your birth control and having an unplanned preganancy because you only have to deal with it once a week. This reduced my stress level significantly. However, the patch also had several disadvantages, in my case. #1 It upset my stomach a lot at first #2 Minor weight gain #3 More moodiness than with the pill #4 Significantly reduced libido. All of these symptoms might have been a result of the high estrogen level compared to the pill and the ring. Other small problems included mild skin irritation (it left a red, tender square on my butt for days), a lint border around the patch's border(where the adhesive came out from under the edge) which made it look like I had a dirty square on my behind, a tendency to detach after long term exposure to water (hot tub, beach, etc). I didn't get pregnant; I never spotted; I had no ill health effects; however, the minor problems convinced me to switch to the ring.

I am 25 years old, do not drink, do drugs, or smoke, and have used Ortho Evra since 2004. I recently suffered a pulimnary embolism as a result, with blood clots in both lungs which almost killed me. had it not been for the extreme pain in trying to breathe or move, I wouldn't have gone to the ER and would have died. PLEASE GET OFF THIS DRUG TO SAVE YOUR LIFE! I had no hisoty of blood clots, nor in my family, and I'm young and active. Now I can no longer be on any form of BC and may need to be on blood thinners my whole life. Please, PLEASE, for your health and life, get off Ortho evra! Take ANYTHING else but!

I've been on the patch for 2 years and have had no problems at all. I got my libido back (after feeling numb from the pills for years) and I don't feel moody or anything. The only problem I've noticed is since I started training for a marathon and running up to 15-16 miles at a time, the skin under the patch becomes extremely itchy and painful. I tore the patch off to relieve myself and it looked like red puffy paint! I now have scabbs there from a week and a half ago. I asked the doctor who told me that running that much increases the circulation in my legs which makes the dosage from the patch increase. Scary... I'm not contemplating changing to the Nuva ring, but I'm not sure about that either. Overall though, until this new development with running, I had no problems at all. The patch stays put and I feel fine!

ok...if i could give something no stars...i totally would give this no stars...maybe even take a few stars away from it... but i cant...all i can do is share my experience... so i have been using the patch for about 4 months...right from the get-go it irritated my skin and wouldnt stick with me... but i stuck with it. I hated the dirty look it got after a couple days...and i have red patches from applications a month ago. I have excema and it has worsened the condition all over my entire body and as i sit here typing the darn thing is stuck to my pelvis with a peice of duct tape which has been more effective at sticking to me than the patch could dream of being...sad yes...but very very true.So.... why am i so bitter? It cant all be due to a few problems with stickiness and minor skin irritation??? right? RIGHT... first a week ago i started experiencing "break-thru" bleeding" not bad...just spotting mostly... then 4 days ago it turned into a full blown period...the flow has been heavier than i have ever experienced and it has not slowed down,4 days and nites of bleeding so heavy i need to wear a huge pad and a super plus tampon and change both every 2 hours. I took 3 showers in the middle of last night. Not to mention the clots are so big I became concerned i might be losing organs. and to top it all off I have been working very hard to lose weight and been very successful for four months and my appetite was so voracious today I just ate and ate and ate and ate... and I am still hungry. First thing tommorow I am calling my DR and getting changed to the insertable ring. I would not recomend this method of Birth Control to anyone!! I would not recomend it for someone to use on an animal... ok..i might reccomend it for my worst enemy... cause it is just THAT bad!!!

Hi there well I thought I'd at my 2 cents about the Ortho-Evra patch. I am 21 years old and have been using it now for 9 months now and think I'm ready to find a new BC. The warnings from the FDA, medical doctors, and the media have scared me about using it not to mention some bad effects it's had on my body. I have tried birth control pills then low-dose bc pills, and now the patch. I'm very surprised that a high estrogen birth control did not affect my mood swings more however, I started having chest tightness and pains about 4 months ago, had about 5-7 lbs. weight gain but luckily some of that in my breasts, but lastly, odd little red spots that my dermatologist is concerned about in the locations where I place the patch. It's also very hard to come up with a new place to put the patch - it's a joke that they recommend the upper arm because how are you supposed to wear sleeveless tops without having strangers and friends alike asking what it is especially because it has blue and black fuzzies surrounding it. I am a smoker and this has increased my worries about the patch because it has such a high dose of estrogen apparently that increases your chances of blood clots. The perks to the patch are the once a week application, the fact that it's stayed on me and I can see it whenever I want (to make sure it's on), very very light periods (like 2-3 days of light bleeding and that's it) and the price through my insurance. However, I have a lot more complaints about this product than I do perks so I am going to switch to the Nuva Ring I think. It seems just as easy but with a lot less serious health risks. Still the risks of blood clots, stroke, etc. but A LOT less estrogen. I wouldn't recommend the patch to you or my family or friends.

NOT FOR EVERYONE. I am a 29 year old AA woman who has been on the patch for over a year. For the first 3 months, I experienced lower leg pains, headaches, nausea, dizziness, breathing trouble, etc. But, with all of that, it was still more convenient than “the Pill”. My Dr. said the side effects would go away after 3 months, once my body got used to it. They did. I am concerned, however, with all of the media concern about the blood clots and strokes. That’s serious. If I would have rated this last week, I would have given it a 4, but, considering I am having another menstrual cycle on day 15 (breakthrough bleeding), I must change it. Here are my pros and cons: Pros: easy to remember, stays on (mine only ever slipped off once), regularly scheduled periods. Yeah, I’m a little heavier up top, not like augmentation or anything, but, it’s something! Cons: Serious concerns about clots and stokes (If you smoke, don’t even think about using the patch), lower leg pain, breakthrough bleeding, clotted bleeding, migraines, mood swings, I have no idea if it’s really working, Oh, and it’s beige, I’m not! I’m really considering Nuva Ring, but it doesn’t have as many reviews for me to check. I tried quitting the patch once, but the withdrawal sympts are as bad as the side effects!

I've been on the patch for a year and a half. In the beginning I loved it. Only having to worry about it once a week. It has only fallen off once in all this time; that was the result of going into the hot tub (not a good idea with the patch). Around the 9-month mark I started to notice dark spots on the inside of my thighs. I asked my doc and she said it was a result of the patch, but that it wasn't medically harmful, just a physical reaction to the hormones. So I stayed on it. But lately I've been realizing how moody I am, and looking back over the past year and a half, how emotional I've been. I've had several bouts of depression, not necessarily on a weekly or monthly basis, but steady enough. My sex drive is gone, which is hurting my marriage (we've only been married 10 months) and, in turn, worsening my moods. Also, after reading so many of these reviews, I'm beginning to wonder if my random pelvic pains throughout the month are a result of cysts or something caused by the patch. I'm going to get checked out next week. Yeah, the patch is incredibly convenient, but in the end not worth it. I'm planning on going off it soon, and I'm considering going back on the pill. I am curious about this NuvaRing method, but I just don't know.

Recently found out to be more dangerous than it was thought to be when it came out.Many people also have sensitive skin,and the adhesive alone causes skin problems.

Just read about a new study stating that the side effects of the pill are now found to be higher with the patch...hormones being absorbed through the skin put women at higher risk of blood clots and strokes than by the oral pill. However the convenience is there and they are still on the market so probably fairly safe still.

I am a 45 year old woman and have been using the patch for 2 - 3 years. I admit, that it does get linty looking and isn't always beautiful at the end of the week, but it works well and I only need to think about it once a week instead of every day or in the heat of the moment. It's easier than any other method I've tried and it works!

I have been on the patch for three months. Let me start by saying that I have had the most HORRIBLE periods of my life. Aweful cramps and heavy flow. I have just begun to realize, also, that because of the patch I would just become miserable for no reason. I tried sticking the patch to my abdomen and it was constantly sticking to my underwear,and when i tried my upper butt that wasn't any better. Every week it would stick to the top of my underwear leaving adhesive permanently. It would be itchy and become totally furry around the square. Once it fell off in the shower and luckily I had a prescription for 3 months or I wouldn't have been able to get another easily, because I go to school 6 hours away from my home, and doctor. I don't even think I have to mention that Ortho Evra failed some sort of testing due to women getting blood clots. That alone should stop people from using it. I am about to start the ring, hopefully that will work out better. I just wish I would have read some reviews before I started it. I hope anyone who considers this knows the dangers of ortho evra.

I think I am done wit this thing. It pretty much ruined my Christmas. I have been on this for 2 years. I liked it because I lost weight, had very regular periods and haven't gotten pregnant :-) I didn't like it because it made me turn into Mrs. Jekel....I go nuts and bug out over nothing. I got in a huge fight on Christmas eve with my fiancee over nothing in front of his whole family....ridiculous. I need somthing that works and doesn't make me insane....I also cry at the drop of a hat and have become a nasty person.....VERY negative and mean...this is not me at all....I have to regain my life back!!!! I don't recommend this if you want to be a normal functioning person in society.

I had also got a cyst.(never had one before the patch and have not had one after) I had to have over 11,000.00 worth of test done thanks to that patch. They found I had a cyst and it had burst. They told me the fluid would go back into my system but the pain would be there for a few weeks...I also want to add that I had side pain for over six months before the cyst burst. I didn't use the patch after that day and I will never tell anyone to use it. Back idea ...it helped me none...I lost a few patches and I only had one back up patch so this cost me more money and insurance didn't cover this for me...I used this back when it first came out cause my OB/GYN said for a woman my age I should use it cause it was "safe and easier" and I say that is a bunch of bull. I wish there was something I could do to get the company to pay for my hospital bills from all the trouble I had from this. I suffered for over four or five months from this before it burst and I think they should take it off the market.

This is NOT the convenience I expected it to be. The biggest problem I have with it is that it looks so gross. The edges are sticky and so lint from clothing sticks to it. No matter what, the edges will come up and lint gets underneath. It will peel up and stick to my clothing then rips off. It is not an attractive looking thing to have on your body. There isn't a good hidden place to put it because of the only areas you can use it on. So I feel so unsexy when my boyfriend sees it. You aren't supposed to keep it on if it has come loose or has lint on it, I've even tried taping it back on, which the directions also say not to do. So it becomes pricy when a months supply is used in only two weeks. In fact today alone I had two patches come off! The other problem I've had is weight gain.

The patch was very convenient. However, that is one of the few good things I can say about it. I experienced minor nausea (usually when I started a new patch), mood swings & depression (I am currently on medication for depression & have had depression for some time now and I attribute my recent bouts of depression, sensitivity, mood swings, and crying spells to the patch). Part of the reason I chose this method, other than convenience, was that I hoped it would increase my bust size. It barely did, maybe 1/4 of an ounce! Maybe it would have increased more since I was only on it for a month but, the emotional effects are not worth it. Having out of control emotions can ruin your life! I would love to stay on the patch because it is so convenient. Perhaps there will be a new patch with less side effects someday!

I HATE when labs want to make a profit over human's health. I had the worst headaches and mood swings ever. The patch become nasty looking after a couple of days, irritate your skin and demages you body with headaches, depression and other things that make woman "proud" to be a woman. People that work on this lab should apply the patches on themselves to feel the side effects and then they could change the label to "this product has been tested in animals". Thanks for ruining women's health Ortho Evra!!!

I'm 18 years old and have been on the patch for about 3 months. I noticed a slight change in my mood in the beginning, but I never associated it with my patch. Lately I've noticed my depression and anxiety increasing with every week. I have now realized after reading all of these comments that it is 100% caused by Ortho Evra. I feel paranoid all the time and I'm nervous that I am ruining my relationship with my boyfriend. Honestly I suggest sticking to condoms. They are just as effective and don't make us crazy!!!! I'm never using hormonal birth control again!

I've been on the patch for almost 3 years. I'm 19 years old right now and I haven't really dealt with any serious side effects, exept some minor irritations where the patch is located. Oh yeah, and I get so emotional, sometimes I feel like crying for really dumb reasons. Like I'm watching a commercial where a mom is proud of her son for changing his grades in school and I get watery eyes. It's ridiculous sometimes. Overall, it's been wonderful to me. Before I used ortho- evra, I had really iregular periods and when I started, it made it perfect. It always comes at the same time. However, I'm deciding to take it off because I'm so freaked out about the recent media attention it's been getting. They're saying that girls are dying because of the patch. I'm reading your other comments about the patch and it just seems to work for the good for some girls and bad for others. Therfore, I'm not recomending it for everyone. Who ever is interested in using the patch should talk to their docs first cause I know for a fact that it's not suitable for everyone.

I've been using the patch for over a year. Previously I was on the pill and I couldn't remember to take it, so I was constantly gambling with pregnancy. I haven't forgotten the patch once. For me, it has never really come off (only once, but I put it too high on my arm). By the way, I have tried putting it in all the recommended places and the upper arm is working the best for me. It sticks better, as long as you can commit to short sleeves instead of sleeveless. I haven't experienced weight gain. However, I think I regularly experience problems of nausea and dizziness the first day or two after having it off for seven days. It's pretty disruptive. I have some other minor side effects, but this is the biggest for me. I feel a little stuck because the pill was an absolute disaster with my dislike of swallowing them and I don't think I'll do the shot.

I hate this stupid patch! I started it because I have a terrible memory and was worried I would forget to take a pill. Here are some things I have to say about it. 1. It came of TWICE on my honeymoon. Twice in one week. We were at the beach and in the water often, but it is not supposed to come off in water. 2. Since I've been on it (10 months) I have ripped it off 4 or 5 times by pulling my pants down. The adhesive shifts ands sticks to my pants and/or underwear and comes down with them. 3. It looks gross after the second day it's on. All the fibers and lint from whatever you put on stick in a ring around the patch. 4. It peels up on the edges. 5. It creases from wear. These creases can let in water, which I assume wears down the drug and makes it less effective. 6. It makes me more irritable than I already was. I would strongly caution not using this particular form of birth control.

I was on the patch for less than week: Here's the conclusions I've come too: It comes off easily, I mean real easily, I was taking a bath and there it was floating next to me Second, within hours of putting on my first patch, I was nautious, and had really bad migraines. It put me in a foul mood and because of the patch, I have been on my period for more than a week and it's been heavy heavy every day. It's horrible, go w/ the pill, it's so much better!

I went off the patch last month after being on it for 2 years. I loved how convenient and easy it was to us. However, I had to stop taking it because it gave me horrible mood swings. I could mark the 2 or 3 days on the calendar exactly when I was going to become a crazy woman - angry, needy, weepy, etc.. Every month it would get worse and worse. In the end, it started having major affects on my relationship with my boyfriend so I stopped taking the patch. I felt such a huge improvement in how I felt. A huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. I waited a couple months and am now trying Ortho Tri-Cyclen. So far, so good. Another side effect the patch gave me was hypoglycemia. I had never had it prior to the patch. Since I've been off of it, my sugar levels have been back to normal.

I love the patch! I've tried several other brands of oral contraceptive pills and always ended up switching because they would either give me horrible mood swings, acne, and/or heavy bloating. I never had a problem taking my pills...except for maybe 2 or 3 times. The patch is so much more convenient and I haven't experienced any side effects at all. My skin has also stayed clear. The outline left on your skin after removing the patch can be easily removed in the shower or a cotton ball w/baby oil. It even stays on well even after swimming for a few hours.

I was on the patch for one month. Prior to this I did not use BC. In the middle of the second week I started spotting or more like heavy dark mucousy clots about 2-3 times a day with no other bleeding in between. I had this bleeding for the rest of the month while on the patch. My doctor made me start Yasmin on the first day of what should have been the patch free week. Its been 4 days now and I think the bleeding is finally coming to an end. The patch was horrible becasue of the clots and cramps. It did make my face look great though. Too bad this didn't work for me. :(

It's only been 5 days on the patch but it is rubbing off on one side. Haven't noticed SOB, pain, or mood swings. I am however concerned about any side effects. Hopefully it will regulate my cycle. I just can't remember the pill every day and hear that the shot is worse. Noticed the increase in bust size. *PLUS*

Ortho Evra/patch is my first birth control method that I ever used, I took it off last night (08/11/05) after few years of using it, I had had it, it made my life horrible and drove my relationship to the tube. Before using Ortho Evra I did not use anything and it was ok but my period wasn't regular, Ortho Evra did help me with my period and my menstrual pain everymonth but a week before my period I felt sad and always trying to pick up a fight with my partner, not to mention I got so sensitive about anything and everything. My last relationship before my current relationship was completly destroyed because of this birth control method, my ex fiance even told me that I had changed a lot after I am on the patch, my friends also noticed the different on my mood. Last night I cried for no reason and the whole day tried to pick an argument with my current boyfriend and now he had had it, off course he doesn't believe that the patch drove my mood on and off....I didn't know what to do so I decided to take it off as i spoke to a friend last night that she was on the patch and had the same problem, she took the pacth off and got her normal life back with her husband. I don't know what will happen to me after I took my patch off as it only been 12 hours ago, all I want is just to have a normal thinking again and not to be crazy woman once a month, I did take the patch off also because I want to safe my relationship with my current partner. If anyone of you ladies out there just recently took off your patch please share with me, what should I expect in few days as I supposed to have my period in few days. To be honest I don't think I want to be on any other birth control method anymore. Thank you. T.

The Doctor put me on the patch Oct 03 due to having cysts on my ovaries. He said this would help shrink them. I was sick throwing up the first week I was on it and then felt a little better. Dec 03 I was having shortness of breath and dizziness with pain in my chest. My husband took me over to the hospital only to find I had a blood clot in my lung! The hospital told me to get the patch off me right away. I have had all kinds of blood tests to make sure I didn't have any health problems that could have lead to the clot and everything came out normal. They even tested me for the V-Leiden factor to be sure I didn't have a clotting factor. That was normal too. It was from the patch so I DO not recommend it!

I think this is better than the pill, in that you only need to remember once a week. It still has that hormonal side effect, but as far as birth control, I would have to say this is the number 1 method.

The patch - a method i tried because it would not be processed by my digestive system and hopefully not trigger the nasty side effects i experienced with pills . It was supposed to be convenient, and unnoticable...as long as you don't wear a swimsuit! the first patch i applied got caught on my underwear and came off. So i had to replace it of course, paying for an extra patch. In addition to leaving a big red bare and sensitive square on my tush (from the adhesive), the patch also caused me random breakthrough bleeding. Not just a little - A ton! I was sitting at a lovely family mother's day luncheon in a beautiful dress when i felt the blood dripping down my legs (my apologies to the squeemish who may be reading) and noticed i had stained the chair i was sitting in! And i thought my 2 1/2 week period was surely over! thanks to the Patch.

I was on the patch for a short time, but it made my life miserable! I had terrible headaches, terrible mood swings, and it effected my contact lenses. I discontinued the patch because the headaches were unbearable, and three weeks later I was admitted to the hospital for four day