So I've been on this since August of 2014. It helped at first but after a year it started making me want to cut the stupid thing out of my arm. I thought it was supposed to improve after a year but that it did not do. I have lower back pains for like a week after starting, severe cramping that lasts a few minutes but makes me wish I was dead, heavy flow for a couple of weeks then regular until it finally decides to stop. Close to the one year mark I was on it for like 3 months then I got a two week break and it started back up October 26th and I've been on it ever since. Before this birth control the day of my period severe back pain and needing pain meds heavy flow for two days at the most and then it would stop a few days later. Not sure which I prefer at this point.