Yaz and acne

I just started my third cycle of Yaz. I have never had really bad cramps, but started this for the birth control aspect and to help with mild acne. The first month I did not notice any change. After taking the 2nd month and starting my period I was so bloated and had the worst cramps of my life. It is now three days after my period and I am still bloated with a constant stomach ache. I am hoping this is just from my hormones changing, and will continue to take Yaz until my next period.

I just started my second month of Yaz, and this last week or so I have been experiencing side effects, such as; mood swings, irritability, loss of patience, sudden crying fits, and headaches. I think it is too soon to notice any weight change, but I am just not happy with myself. I have read through the posts, and I am happy that all of you have posted, but I haven't seen anyone talk about other options. I am wondering if anyone else has been given any recommendations. I have been on Yasmin in the past (high school, I am now 24), but never experienced these side effects before. The pill does clear up my mild acne, but only until I hit the last four pills. Not a concern of mine, I would rather not be so moody and irritated all of the time. Can these side effects happen so soon? I thought that it took longer for birth control to be in your system. Any comments back would be great. As of today, I am off Yaz, and have scheduled an appointment with my gynecologist to discuss further options.

i started taking it in January, for mild acne. Initially it worked wonders on my face, but eventually like three months ago I started feeling extremely depressed. I was not happy with myself and appearance, which ultimately lead to having a problem with eating. Every time I get near food my stomach cringes and I get nausea. I just got off the pill but was wondering if anyone has ever experienced this feeling. Beside my loss of appetite, I have secluded myself and have become more and more depressed. I thought it would get better but it hasn't. It has just made everything worse and more complicated. It has affected relationships with friends and family. Has anyone else felt the same way?

I was on Yaz for about 2 years or so. I decided to take a break from it and then decided to look up the side effects. I found this site and another one like it. I can't believe I didn't know all the problems I was having could be from this pill.
After reading about all the side effects I decided to get off it completely.
At first when I was on it, I was great. My major adult acne FINALLY went away. No other B.C. pill worked for that. My moods right before my period were so much better.
I had been depressed a lot and this pill seemed to help a great deal.

Then about a year into the pill, I developed major food allergies. I figured out I can't eat anything with soy (or only very small amounts). I had always been lactose intolerant, but now I can hardly eat any milk products at all. Dairy and soy products completely dry me all up. I can't breathe anymore. My eyes are always dry now, especially when I wake up in the morning. I sleep with a humidifier and the Breathe Right nose strip every night now. My chest is a lot tighter and my upper back hurts a lot now. Not sure if that is related to Yaz or not.
I also have asthma, which was well controlled for years, but now it seems this pill has made me a lot worse.
I also had heart palpitations, dizziness, and severe fatigue. The fatigue seemed to come on in the last year. I could still go to work, but got so tired easily. When I got home I just wanted to do nothing. If I slept all night, it still felt like I didn't sleep at all when I woke up in the morning.
My sex drive in the last year was piratically nothing as well. That among other things ended my long term relationship.
I thought all these things were due to getting older. I'm only in my late 30's.
I also had severe headaches all the time. I thought my head was going to explode.

I've only been off the pill for just over a month, so I hope things improve.
I feel my energy is slowly coming back and the headaches are getting less frequent.
Thanks for all of you on this site and others I have read.
I think it has saved my life.

I'm 39 years old and in 2006 i suffered a heart attack while taking Yasmin birth control. In 2007 I had my gallbladder removed. The events happened one year after the other. The heart attack in July of 2006 and the removal of my gallbladder in July of 2007. I never new that this could be from taking Yasmin. I was shocked when the doctor told me i had a heart attack. I'm thinking no way, I'm to young. The only reason why I took the Yasmin was because I have suffered from acne all my life and since I didn't want anymore kids why not use the Yasmin for both. Never in a million years would i think this would have given me all these problems. I now have high blood pressure and I'm still suffering from depression.

I am normally a happy person. I first started taking Yaz to help with mild acne I was experiencing. At the beginning, I had no issues whatsoever, but now at the end of the 2nd month, I have literally been going insane. I seriously thought I was going crazy. I snap at my husband for the silliest things, I can't control my crying to the point I am screaming at the top of my lungs, and I constantly feel like I am a horrible person. I have even had suicidal thoughts recently. This is totally NOT me. I am stopping the Yaz and probably NEVER taking oral contraceptives again. It is not worth it. This drug needs to be recalled.

I have been on Yaz for 3 years. I am now 39- I took it to help with Pre menstrual tension and moodiness, and mild acne. I have done nothing but shed like a DOG since I have been on it, I have no sex drive, I have gained 5 pounds, which is a lot since I am only 5ft.4 in. I just found out the real kicker... I have signs of kidney disease now, high creatinine levels, and can only link it to the use of YAZ. There is a class action law suit forming against Bayer Co., and anyone using this should check it out. They are talking about the possible RECALL of this medicine, and I would hate to think of any young girls out there ending up with kidney damage like me. Please be informed before you continue to take it.

I've been on a lot of different birth control pills, and Yaz is by far the worst. The doctor that prescribed it to me told me that it would help me with my PMS, but it gave me PMS x10! I turned into the Incredible Hulk. I was a basket case. I punched things, slammed doors, threw tantrums and sobbed like a baby. I got the worst acne of my life. It was AWFUL. It turned me into a train wreck. I immediately got off of it, and these CRAZY symptoms went away. NEVER TRY YAZ. IT SUCKS!

I am 27 years old and have been on YAZ for about 1 year now. I never struggled with acne, long periods, cramps, etc and was simply trying a new form of BC. From my understanding YAZ was suppose to control mood swings but instead gave me horrible MOOD SWINGS. I would be good for a few days, then the next mad, and the next wanting to cry. I started thinking maybe I was depressed or maybe reacting to being stressed but this has gone on for far too long. I don't have the desire for sex as I did before I started taking YAZ and my boyfriend thinks I am crazy. It took me to see a commercial for a law firm in regards to yaz side effects to look up more information concerning the medication when I came across tons of responses from others that have experienced these same effects as I have if not worse. I done as of NOW. This has done nothing but made me a complete train wreck for the past year. I also read that the pill can cause upper respiratory infections/cough and I have had two bouts of Respiratory infections coming out of no where. No cold or allergies at all....Just hoarse and coughing. Please do your research on these pills

I have been on Yaz for over 2 years. I am 20 years old. At first, I was extremely happy. I had tried multiple birth controls before Yaz, but all of them had made me depressed and angry. Now, however, my periods are heavy, my acne is back, my sex drive is completely gone, which is the worst part, I'm extremely tired all the time, I'm angry and often get frustrated, I'm gassy, my limbs often fall asleep and I get cramps in my feet and legs, and I feel sick all the time.

I'm quitting Yaz. I've looked in to IUDs, but the negative side affects scare me. I just want to feel normal again.

I am 30 yrs old, have been taking YAZ for a little less than one year. Loved it at first, my PMDD seemed a lot better, my skin cleared up. (I had adult acne) The decreased sex drive was immediate and after a couple of months I noticed the stomach pains, headaches, and extreme hunger in the mornings as well as shortness of breath and occasional dizziness. I even went to my regular doctor for an inhaler due to the shortness of breath. Since I started this pill to now I've gained a lot of "solid" weight that seems very hard to lose. I've gone from a size 4 to an 8. The only benefit has been that my skin is a lot clearer but as soon as I take the last pink pill in the pack my face breaks out again. This past month I've had horrible mood swings. My anxiety is worse than ever and I overreact to the smallest things. I can't stand myself and feel like a crazy person. While the thought of having acne again makes me very sad, I will no longer take YAZ.

I was diagnosed with PCOS after having its symptoms for 10 years.. For a couple of years those symptoms gradually started to get worse - hirsutism (hair around the mouth, on the chin, around the nipples), and the adult acne that wasn't going away despite any medication. And i started becoming really depressed because of that.
The ultrasound and blood tests confirmed the PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and the extremely high levels of testosterone in the blood (result of pcos). I also had abnormal period - sometimes missing a month, sometimes having it 2-3 times a month. The physician told me that it was bleeding and that I'm not ovulating. She prescribed me Yaz - said it's the lowest-dosage bc pill, said it will lower my testosterone, raise estrogen, get me rid of excess hair and acne.
After a week of Yaz, i started feeling even more depressed than usual - started having nightmares, feeling very tired most of the time. Today was the end of the second week, and I am stopping taking Yaz, for good. Yesterday, I could hardly walk a mile - so extremely tired I felt. This morning - could hardly walk to the second floor. And, all day, felt extremely vulnerable, weak, and very very depressed: I started crying just looking at the gray sky, and couldn't stop. I barely got home, because I felt extreme fatigue, and burst into tears, blaming everyone around on how unhappy I am. Now I know, it's the Yaz talking... I am 26, and I am stopping this pill NOW. For my PCOS, I'm hoping to get better results with alternative herbal treatment and acupuncture.

First 3 months of my 6 month stint with this pill were great. Like some of you, I bragged about the pill. I'm 29 with a 4yr old and have had my cycle since I was 10. Have been on every imaginable pill since age 14. Never and I repeat never have I ever felt hopeless, depressed, pathetic. I have picked fights with my hubby over anything and apologize seconds later. I have lost patience with my child which is the worst. I don't want to do anything. I lose track of thoughts and motivation is non existent. This pills kicks in slowly around month 4 and then will gradually pull you further down. This was to help with water weight gain and to help with migraines, and to help cramping. I have gained 27.5 lbs in the 6 months I was on this crap. my blood pressure is low which is not common for people who have recently gained excessive weight.My migraines are worse and a daily occurrence. Periods are even harder, longer and painful. Acne has never been an issue, my periods are even more horrendous from day 1 thru 5 which is 2 days longer than I have ever gone. I am now into month 3 of being off ALL bc and the weight is almost harder to get off. I work out everyday and have cut calories down to 1200.. and have amazing water weight to boot. My obgyn who prescribed this has canceled my last 3 appts. She believes I have no side effects and that cramping can be eased by midol and exercise. My childhood family doctor has put me on lasix and potassium and is awaiting my arsenal of blood tests results he ordered Friday. I suggest any other option besides this pill. I am not on anything as I stated before and my sex drive is still quite non existent as well.

im 14,and my acne is just depressing.my parents even point it out and it just quite awful.i did a lot of creams and they just made me break out more and after a couple weeks i would stop taking them. i have even been called a pizza face before and i don't want be judged just because i have crap on my face. i would talk to mom about just popping a pill to get this off my face. but she knew that if i was on birth control that i might be thinking about actually having sex. but trust me i don't. so i went o the doctor and my parents finally gave in and let me take yaz. i am just about 5 days away from the white pills and i pick at my pimple and pop them just something i cant control. my dad has noticed a change.but im not sure i have. and i have read post and about having no sex drive but i don't if it is just my hormones or what but i have a sex drive and i am only 14. i am always tired during the day but wide awake at night so my sleep schedule is just messed up. i have a urge for chocolate and nothing else. i only 103 and my weight hasn't changed. my nipples are sooo sore. i might not be to far a long to know if this is a good pill for acne or not. but i am going to keep using it bc i have faith in it. i haven't had one headache but i do see stars when i get up. not sure what it is. thanks for reading;] wish me luck!

I can't believe that I finally found the solution to my problem! I didn't know what was happening to me its like I am a whole different person.
My side effects:
mood swings
weight gain
decreased sex drive dramatically
depression
not caring about anyone
feeling like i am the biggest loser in the world
i cry at everything
I take the pill at night and it seems like night time is the worst time. I cry to my boyfriend about how I want more attention from him when he gives me the most attention ever lately. I cry about the stupidest things and he even said somethings wrong with you emotionally.
It's effecting our relationship because I been on Yaz for years and up until the last 2 months i been a complete nut case. I am a freaking psycho and hate everyone. I am so glad I found out what it was and I am stopping this and changing my birth control or just stopping it completely for a little while because I want my life back before I ruin it all.

i've been on yaz for almost 6 months now, and i absolutely love it.
i was diagnosed with severe PMDD, and would get horribly depressed to the point of thinking of suicide for a week/week and a half before each period. i had cramps so bad i could hardly move, couldn't sleep, would have no sex drive, and could barely get myself out of bed. then, right after my period was gone, i'd be back to normal again. it took quite awhile for me to realize what was going on after i had seen some commercials for yaz talking about PMDD and how much it can affect your every day life. since taking yaz, i have had NO depression bouts and absolutely no cramps. my sex drive has actually increased, and my skin has cleared up completely.
after reading most of these reviews, i'm thinking that if you do not have a form of PMDD yaz will have the opposite effect on you that it is supposed to have as is the case for some depression medications. they clearly state on the commercials that it is for the use of treating PMDD and moderate acne, and do not encourage you to take yaz if you do not have those current symptoms.
not trying to start anything, just don't want people to have a horrible view on this pill as it has changed my life in so many ways for the better. :)

I was on Yaz for about 5 months...first 4 months seemed great...In fact I didn't have a period at all and my acne disappeared! But, I was feeling fancy...irrabtible..but, didn't think too much about it until the 5th month on the pill..all of a sudden I had extreme panic attacks, went to the ER and everything...and my blood pressure was very high. I felt so crazy and scared like there was something really wrong with me..I thought i was going crazy! i have been off of the Yaz (stopped in the middle of the pack) for 3 days now and feel so much better...it was very scary.

Now I am on week 2 of Yaz...
Still no weight gain & my mood swings have actually stopped. I think the only reason I had them was because I was on my period during the first week I took Yaz. I've never had acne, just a few pimples here & there & I have already noticed that the few I did have started to disappear a few days ago.
However, after having a lighter period for the normal 7 days, I continued to bleed lightly (spotting) for about 4-5 days after my period, which was extremely annoying. AND I noticed a decreased sex drive. My boyfriend and I used to have sex 2-3 times a day, & over the past week we have only had sex twice =[
I will keep you posted as more time goes on, right now I feel so-so about this pill- I don't love it, but don't hate it either. Definitely has its ups and downs.

I am 21 years old and have had acne since I was 13. Not normal acne, it was like cystic and none could make it go away. I was also acting nuts when my period came around. I've tried SO many birth control pills and Yaz is the only one that has worked on my acne AND my moods. I was on Yasmin prior and the doctor said it was making me crazy so to try to sister Yaz. I know people that are on it and they hate it, but I think if you have SEVERE PMS and SEVERE acne, it will work to your advantage. The only thing I have had trouble with is awful migraines, but I got new glasses that are anti-reflectant and that seems to help tremendously. I'm taking Zoloft as well and I notice that if I take them at the same time, I get horrible nausea, so by taking them 12 hours apart, all is well!

IM ONLY 19 MY SEX DRIVE IS AT 0. THIS IS DEF NOT NORMAL FOR ME. MY BOYFRIEND OF 2 YEARS AND I NEVER HAVE SEX AND ITS BECAUSE I NEVER FEEL LIKE IT I JUST DON'T HAVE THE DRIVE WHEN WE USE TO HAVE SEX AT LEAST 5 TIMES A WEEK NOW ITS ONCE EVERY 2 WEEKS AND ITS BECAUSE I FEEL HORRIBLE FOR NOT GETTING TURNED ON. MY BOYFRIEND THINKS IM NO LONGER INTO HIM AND IT DOESN'T HELP THAT HE HAS AN INCREASED SEX DRIVE FROM WORKING OUT AND BEING A FIREFIGHTER. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE BEFORE YAZ I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP WITH CRAMPS AND ACNE BUT ID RATHER HAVE THOSE SYMPTOMS THEN NOT HAVE SEX WITH THE PERSON I LOVE.NOT ONLY HAS IT EFFECTED OUR SEX BUT NOW OUR EMOTIONAL RELATIONSHIP SINCE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS IM A REALLY BUSY INDEPENDENT PERSON WORK FULL TIME AT A HOSPITAL AND GO TO SCHOOL PART TIME I JUST NEVER HAD THE TIME TO BE TOO CONCERNED HONESTLY I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A PHASE BUT MY BOYFRIEND THE OTHER DAY SAT ME DOWN AND SAID IT HAS EFFECTED HIM JUST AS MUCH ME IF NOT MORE BECAUSE EVERY TIME I TURN HIM DOWN IT HURTS HIM ESPECIALLY SINCE HE KEEPS TRYING AND IS NOW EXPECTING ME TO SAY NO AND I FINALLY REALIZED THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND IS EFFECTING ME MORE THEN I REALIZED. IV MADE AN APT TO SEE MY DOCTOR I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ME UNTIL I READ THIS AND NOW IT GIVES ME HOPE TO MAYBE ITS JUST YAZ. THANKS TO ALL WHO SHARED

I am quitting Yaz tomorrow. All totaled, I've been on it for about 3 years (I quit a year and a half ago because I was getting terrible yeast infections and gross brown discharge every month, but then after I quit I didn't have a period for three months, and that drove me nuts, so I got back on). I've recently realized that I have EVERY symptom. I have zero sex drive (actually, less than zero--the thought of sex makes me sick to my stomach) and I used to be way more "excitable" than my boyfriends. Now my bf thinks I don't find him to be attractive, which couldn't be more false! When we do have sex, I do not get wet (ever) and do not have an orgasm about 90% of the time (I used to have multiple EVERY time). I get foot cramps every night (no joke), sometimes multiple times per night. I've gained 20 lbs since I started. I get migraines every month with my period, and sometimes as many as one per week. Though it cleared up my acne, I still get really big cystic acne around my period, so that small benefit isn't enough to outweigh all of the horrible side effects.

Like someone else said, it also has taken away my feelings. I don't feel much of anything anymore...no happiness, no sadness...nothing. I'm always exhausted, no matter how much I sleep, and even with regular exercise and an extremely healthy diet. I get sore nipples and cramps...something I never got pre-Yaz. I just can't take it anymore (literally). I'd rather be zitty than be a fat, sad lady with ZERO sex drive.

I started with YAZ to regulate my horrible periods. Before YAZ, I had horrible cramps, heavy bleeding throughout my full period, and severe cramps, extreme bloating, and it was very irregular. When I started the pill, it helped with all of these problems, and even helped my acne. However, lately I've been suffering from extreme bloating, even when I'm not on my period. My family has a history of bloating about 8-10 pounds while on a period. I just feel HUGE! It kinda makes me depressed. I tell my mother that I am bloating way to often. Thats the only problem I have. Sooo I started to freak out. I've been researching. I even tried numerous pregnancy test, that came out negative, because I feel soooo huge. Well I used birth control, a condom, and Plan B when I had sex. I have been having periods every month at my normal period time as well. So I doubt I would be pregnant. However, I just can't get over the extreme bloating. I am wondering if the pill can cause this issue? I read on YAZ's website that bloating is a cause at the beginning, however I have been on the pill for about 2 and a half years! The bloating has just been a recent issuse. Also, I have been having and extreme amount of discharge, ewww. I looked on YAZ's website and saw it's normal. I'm super confused on what to do. I plan to go to a Dr. I just want to know if anyone else has the same problem as me...?

I am 14 and had severe cramping and mild acne. My doctor prescribed Yaz for me to take and so far the only side effect I have gotten is some increased discharge. I have been on it for three weeks. Reading the reviews for this pill though... it makes me nervous. I am sorry for all of those that have had bad side affects from it and am starting to feel it would be best to talk to my doctor about stopping... anyone think I am over reacting? I hope I am.

I am 44 have been on yaz for two years at first it was great all my symptoms went away acne, mood swing and lost 10 pounds in two months great, then last year i started different tired and gaining weight i had my blood work done and my thyroid was off the chart and my triglycerides were 267 my doctors said to eat better i have always worked out and ate right then about 5 months ago i started getting belly fat, and a month ago i got my blood work done again and my triglycerides were 300 and my thyroid is still high i went off the yaz after reading all the comments i figured it has to be the yaz i have been off of it for a week i feel really funny light headed jittery.

I posted my experience with YAZ on March 1st. I'm a 45 year old woman who began taking YAZ about 2 years ago. Please note I've been on a form of the pill for 14 years, but changed to YAZ for the last 2. The first year I was fine. However the second year I started having some issues,that until I went to this website,didn't connect with the pill. Hair thinning, diarrhea, abdominal pain, joint pain, and mood swings. After losing 15lbs very suddenly I went to the doctor, I've had had blood work done, urine and stool samples analyzed, a colonscopy, endoscopy and CT scan with no real diagnosis! I stopped taking the pill on March 1st after seeing a follow up commercial for YAZ stating what it is to be used for. I don't have PPMD or acne.

It has been 22 days and I finally feel better. The first week was VERY bad. I was a mess, physically and mentally, headaches and hot flashes! But once I got through it I began to feel better. Not everything has gone away completely and I realize it will take time. My main issue was the excessive abdominal pain and diarrhea. I have had a few bouts, but not nearly what I had before. Slowly I am feeling better.

This drug needs to be taken off the market!! I'm angry that my doctor just handed it to me like it was nothing, I feel like a guinea pig!

I have called my former gyn and let him know what has happened to me. I also plan to call the FDA and file a complaint.

If you're on YAZ get off it!

Ive been on Yaz for one week and by the third day, I started noticing I was tired more than usual. The days that followed got worse and worse! My symptoms include: Fatigue, Irritability, Chest Pains, No Sex Drive, Dryness, Nervousness, Acne, Insomnia, Increase in Appetite, Loss of Focus, Pulsating Headaches, Short Temper. I worry about quitting mid-cycle but these symptoms are unbearable and thats a risk I don't mind taking. I mean after all, who wants to live like this? NO ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im quitting TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started taking YAZ about about 5 months. The biggest side effect I notice is SEVERE migraines 2 days before my period starts. I am a speech therapist and found it almost debilitating to try to work with my clients today because my head was pounding out of my head. I was also experiencing some blurry vision while driving (not good). On the bright side my adult acne has cleared up and periods have shortened by about 5 days. Regardless, I've decided that if something inflicts head pounding migraines then it is not worth it. I'm going to drop birth control for good as I haven't found any that I like at the age of 37.

It's only been a month, and I am done with this product. I give props to those who could stick it out...i just cannot. I have enjoyed the increase in my breast size, but the pain is not worth it. Also, I have never been so tired all of the time and my acne got WORSE. I also gained 8 lbs. in the first two weeks and am hungry all of the time. YAZ SUCKS.

YAZ changed my life. And not in a good way. I'm now 40 yrs old. I've been on BC since age 16 and only OFF BC to have two children. I had NEVER had any problems with BC, and it helped me with my Endometriosis. I was switched to yaz about 1 1/2 years ago to help with some depression/acne. I was told it had the same side effects as my OrthoLo. So I took it. My skin looked great. I felt better emotionally in the beginning, but physically I started having trouble. It started with little things. I had no sex drive, I was tired all the time. Slowly I started getting infections that would take FOREVER to go away. (mostly sinus) I felt like I had the flu all the time, I had fevers for no reason and was achy and irritable. I then started to become anxious for no reason, I wasn't sleeping well and was becoming more and more exhausted. I saw my doctor and they tested my thyroid...no problem. Then after a few months, I saw my doctor after having bad pain in my side/neck/back and she gave me pain pills and muscle relaxers. I got better slowly...but never felt the same after that. I never had energy. Nobody knew they were BLOOD CLOTS in my lungs. It was a YEAR later when I went back with the exact same pain/symptoms and was sent home with the same meds. I knew it was something more. I saw another doctor that did more tests, then went to the ER and was sent home with pneumonia and pleurisy. 4 Days later I went to the ER and was admitted with MASSIVE PE's. I spent 1 week in the hospital and after a week at home I had a mini-stroke and my 3rd visit to the ER. Since the stroke I have had 2 seizures. I can't drive, my life has changed so much. I can't do everything I used to, can't function the way I used to and all of it is from YAZ!! I may have to be on Warfarin for LIFE. It all depends on how much scar tissue I have from the blood clots. I tell everyone I talk to NOT to take YAZ for any reason. It's NASTY, NASTY stuff...posing as a BC pill like the others. Of course...NOW they have changed thier commercials to be more descriptive. But I'll join any class action suit!! Just contact me.

I'm on my third month of Yaz. I got on Yaz to clear my moderate acne and so my cramps weren't as severe. I have noticed a slight weight gain and increase in appetite. My sex drive has almost completely diminished. For about two weeks of the month I find that I'm spotting and get severe menstrual cramps (which I have to treat with ibuprofen several times per day). I get extremely moody out of nowhere and I find myself getting tired more than I ever used to. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this product unless you are specifically treating moderate acne. My complexion hasn't been so clear in years.

I'm 14, and was prescribed Yaz for my moderate acne.
I was on it for almost three whole months. In those three months i gained about 12 pounds. I constantly felt crappy and down, like their was a cloud over me. I think this may have contributed to the weight gain as sometimes i can be an emotional eater. The day before i threw away my yaz was when i realized how much weight i had gained. Yaz was a complete waste of time and my body weight! Screw that crap

Let me just say THANK GOD for this website...i began taking yaz last may because i saw so many commercials for it and thought it would be great... all summer long i LOVED it and raved about it to anyone who would listen, probably because of the rapid breast growth it caused ( i went from a small b to a double d in a period of six months), but ive been feeling extremely melancholy and moody as of late, and i have ZERO patience; ill snap at the smallest thing. but what inspired me to finally get off of yaz is the weight gain; i used to have a wonderfully toned body, very nice abs and muscular slender legs; since taking yaz, i have gained 17 POUNDS and working out incessantly and watching my diet is doing absolutely NOTHING to help this weight gain...it didn't cause acne, but ive never had acne so im not sure if that side effect really applies to me...but im constantly tired, bitchy, and craving junk food, even when im not hungry. all i want to do is nap all day long and im just extremely depressed all the time. im throwing my pack out as we speak and i suggest anyone who is having similar side effects do the same because they always get worse.

i was taking yaz for about 1-2 years. it was great - my moodiness subsided, lighter periods, no cramps, and it made my acne go away. i noticed that the longer i was on yaz, the more frequent my migraines became (4-5 per month). i didn't realize it at first because i have always gotten migraines (3 per month) since i was a child and i would always attribute the migraines to either stress or stormy weather. with the increase in migraines, i started trying various migraine medications, including zomig and maxalt combined with an alleve. however, i recently switched to nuvaring because my doctor said my blood pressure increased and i was placed on a low dosage of a beta blocker. nuvaring has a lower dosage of hormones and was recommended to me. i used nuvaring for 2 months and then stopped because i had problems with it slipping out. tired of trying differed birth control methods, i simply asked to go back on the yaz. this is when it dawned on me. the entire time i was using the nuvaring, i barely had any migraines (maybe 1 or 2 over 2 months compared to the usual 3-4 per month). i've been back on the yaz for 2 months now and i am having a migraine EVERY week and they last about 2-3 days long. i'm seeing my doc ASAP and getting of this pill immediately. i'm tired of the migraines interrupting my life. they completely immobilize me. i also noticed it completely got rid of any sex drive i have.

I am on my third month of Yaz, and I honestly don't know what to make of it. I has cleared up my acne for the most part, however, I still get new breakouts (which is obviously frustrating). It has helped with my cramps and backaches when I'm on my period, although I don't start until my 3rd placebo and I finally finish my period around halfway through my next week. Something that does trouble me though is that I have been feeling emotionally drained, constantly cranky, and just plain sad. A couple of days ago, I was in a really good mood, woke up the next morning, and felt like crying the entire day. Ever since, I've been in this low-down mood that I would do anything to snap out of. I hate it! I want to be back to my easy-going self...but I don't want to risk getting off of the pill and having my acne come back (which was the reason I started Yaz). I've tried everything else for my acne, and Yaz has worked the best. If I have to go off of it though, I'm afraid of the last resort: Accutane (not because of the birth defect risk, since I am not sexually active at this time, but because I have heard that it can give you chronic joint pain...something I honestly don't want). Anyways, I guess for now I'll just continue Yaz and see if I start feeling any happier...I can't be in a bad mood forever (right?).

I am SO glad I found this website. I have been taking YAZ (or should I say SPAZ??) for 3 months. I am 27 and I had been off any kind of birth control for the last 3 years. My OBGYN convinced me to get on YAZ thinking it would control the ovarian cysts I often get and control the acne. These last few months I have felt like complete crap. I am not myself and there are more times than not that I want to rip someone's head off. Every little thing is making me irate to the point of insanity and my poor boyfriend who just proposed to me is probably having second thoughts, now that he is having to deal with jekyl and hyde (sp?) And if it's not the uncontrollable severe mood swings it's the complete opposite where I'm crying my eyes out for no reason at all!! Seriously, commercials, a sappy song, anything really just sends me into a boo hoo fest. And the tiredness is unbelievable. It's exactly how everyone else is describing it. No energy and could sleep literally all day. I started thinking that maybe this YAZ could be the cause of my sudden craziness and after reading all of these postings that sound exactly like mine I am convinced that I'm really not a bitch and it's the meds making me kookoo!! Thanks guys for your postings! Hopefully my fiance hasn't gone running for the hills and I'll still be getting married this March! :)

Yaz was not what I'd hoped for...Instead, of relieving pre-menstrual symptoms, it only extended and exaggerated them. I had feelings of extreme apathy, exhaustion (i could sleep at any time), severe mood swings, headaches, weight gain, bloating, increased appetite, blood pressure increase from 90/60 to 120/75, cramping(both intestinal and uterine w/spotting), and dyspenea. I felt like my whole life and body were sliding down a hill. .. BAD feeling ....depression! This was only after taking it10 days. Immediately, I knew it was the Yaz. The first pill I took for almost 2 years 20 years ago...I was miserable. Since then, I've tried different pills all with the same results. Ironically, I had to take pergonal to ovulate and get pregnant. (My quadruplets are 12yrs.old and wonderful!) After a year of convincing, my long-time Dr., a female close to my age, thought Yaz would be great for me. I was supposed to take it for 3 mts. The symptoms were like a train. I'd be insane, dead or both in three months. I stopped and it was like stopping a train...severe headache, and more of the same symptoms, but each day is better. I can and you can read your body and listen to it. Do not let self -doubt slide in...Medical professionals want to help you and they should listen; if they don't, they are missing half of the picture, your picture. This time, quite honestly and even b/f I read this board, it made me wonder how many lives are affected
by such...I mean depression, clots, blood pressure, headaches, weight issues and many others...even the divorce rate. We have to have birth control. For me I'll just stick to a little bit of acne, and predictable PMSuntil I go into menopause. I know that others need something very different, and I encourage you to keep searching and communicating.

Hello, I am 22 and have taken Yaz since June. After one more tear-filled, completely irrational, I'm-just-tired, argument with my boyfriend and after reading other posts that exactly reflect my situation, I've decided to talk to my boyfriend about going off this pill. I started taking it to make my periods regular and help clear up my acne. I hadn't had very much luck with bcp in the past and I was really hoping this one would be different. It seems like every month, at least a week before I start my white placebos, my mood changes and my understanding boyfriend says he notices that I act more distant and not like myself. To be honest I personally haven’t felt like myself since May! I feel like I'm taking some kind of mood stabilizer that I don't need, like its making me numb one day and uncontrollably emotional the next. Thank you for all the helpful posts that finally made me realize I'm not completely ridiculous.

I am 41 and have been taking Yaz for about 6 months. My skin is much clearer and that is nice, but on the other hand I have had a continuous headache for two weeks now. Just in case, I took meds for a sinus infection but the headache has stayed... so now I am being treated for migraines. The problem is: the meds for migraines don't work. I am wondering now if it is the Yaz. When I first started taking it I got headaches at the beginning of each new packet, but now it's non-stop. After reading some of these posts, I am worried that coming off it will also have side effects, but it can't be anything (I hope) like the pain and fatigue associated with a long, drawn out headache. I am deeply scared that this headache will turn into a stroke or a tumor or something.

i'm 35 years old and started taking yaz one month ago. i have felt as if i have had PMS for one month straight! i have spotted or bled the entire month, have been extremely moody with my husband and children, my breasts have grown by a full cup size (and no, i'm not happy with this development), i've gained about 5 pounds (all i want to eat is Christmas cookies all the time!), and headaches. i have never been on the pill before and thought i might try yaz for pms and acne. my skin does look better, but it's not worth my sanity!

I am 25 years old and have been on Yaz for 3 weeks now, taking my first white pill today. So far I have experienced nausea everyday like it was morning sickness, I even threw up at least four times. I have experienced headaches, dizziness, back and shoulder pain, fatigue ... but the nausea is the worst. I couldn't even look or smell my boyfriends dinner the other night because I thought I would get sick. Also, for three weeks straight, everyday I have had bleeding ... EVERYDAY! I've also been overly emotional ... even watching Survivor last night had me crying ... a lot. Lastly, I have had no sex drive, don't even want to be bothered. POSITIVES: My boobs grew out of all my old bras, and my acne has disappeared (which is the reason I began Yaz). Honestly, because I am having relief from acne, mind you I'm 25 and have only had this problem for the past couple years, I am going to continue Yaz for another month and see if things get better. But I fear the visit of my period! Good luck to you, and thanks for sharing!

i started taking yaz in June because ive tried almost every other birth control pill, and patch and my mood and depression seemed to be only when i was on one of these. I wanted to go on that mirana IUD however my doctor told me i shouldn't because i have not had kids, im not married and im only 19 however it seemed anything i tried gave me the same side effects. So they put me on YAZ instead, at first it was great shorter periods, little to no cramps, but now 5 months and i hate it. I live with my boyfriend now and when before my sex drive was high I have ABSOLUTELY NO SEX DRIVE LEFT AND IM ONLY 19, WHAT HAPPENED TO IT. And whats worse my moodiness has come back for example at the store today i lost it and started crying when they didn't have the coat i wanted to buy. I couldn't control myself i completely lost it. i don't know what to do with myself anymore. My emotions are worse then ever before i want them to put me on something that has no hormones my body cant take it. can anyone give me any suggestions.

I started taking yaz last summer about 3 months before i got married. sex drive went down the toilet. absolutely none whatsoever. it also caused depression. and even caused me to get a syndrome that is terrible and marriage threatening! my periods were shorter which was nice. but i got more acne than before. weight gain was probably 5-10lbs in the 4 mos i took it. i would not recommend for anyone to take this pill!
it was absolutely terrible.

I have been on Yaz for over a year now and it has been wonderful! I began taking Yaz because I was having extremely heavy periods with unusually heavy bleeding and debilitating cramps. My periods would last for over a week! Now that I am taking Yaz, my periods last 4-5 days, are "normal" flow, and my cramping is much more manageable. It has also cleared up my (admittedly light) acne, and I have even lost some weight. My energy levels have been normal, and I have not experienced any of the depression or headaches that others on this board have had. I would recommend this pill to women in situations like mine. I am now able to have a normal week during my period without having to worry about missing days of work or classes because of my cramps.

I am 33 years old and have tried numerous forms of birth control. I have been taking yaz for 9 months and just decided to stop taking it after my last cycle. I have tried birth control pills before, but I really think the side effects were worse with this pill. I had absolutely NO sex drive and felt very apathetic and listliss all the time. I described to my husband that I felt "empty" inside. I was mildly depressed and experienced a great amount of anxiety. The only good thing was the light periods and I had great skin! I have since decided to try the nuvaring, but I am having some of the same problems with that one too. My doctor suggested it since it doesn't have to go through the liver like pills do, but it still sends these hormones into your blood stream. If you have problems with hormonal birth control methods, I highly suggest trying the copper iud or other non hormonal forms of control. The only bad thing about the copper iud was the heavy periods. I have also tried the mirena iud and didn't seem to experience as severe of emotional symptoms with that one, since it only contains progesterone. But for the first several months after you have it inserted you have a constant light bleeding. Plus it caused acne problems, which I never had to worry about before. But I would take those side effects over the emotional roller coaster I was on when taking the pill.

I have been taking Yaz for almost 2 months now. Before Yaz I took Ortho-tricyclen for several years without any symptoms until recently. I felt very moody and emotional so I decided to give Yaz a try. All emotional symptoms have gone away, however, ACNE everywhere! On my face, neck and chest! Also, i'm getting cramps in every part of my body, along with headaches. Any ideas what other pill to switch to????

I am 16 years old, and I am on my second week of YAZ. I do not recommend this product to ANYONE. I am aware of the fact peoples bodies react differently to different doses of hormone, I am also aware you should give it some time for your body to acclimate to new drugs, but what i have been experiencing is close to unbearable. I went on the pill to end my terrible periods. They would be extremely irregular, i would have cramps so bad i would have to miss school, and i would have severe clotting (most likely due to laying down during my menstrual cycle.), and to clear up my acne. As promised, my skin is clearing up nicely. Although on the worse end,I have never had a migraine in my life and i have had one for almost 3 days now! Since i have started YAZ i have been on my period for the past two weeks, and it shows no signs of stopping soon. Also, I have had zero sexual drive since i have began YAZ, and as a sixteen year old girl I know for a fact that it is NOT normal by any means. I have always been a naturally thin girl, now i cant eat enough, and i am gaining weight on my stomach and thighs, which is making me extremely self conscious. Anyone who has taken the time to read this, thank you.I am just trying to warn girls my age about what might be in store for them if they begin this pill, and seriously consider if it is worth these side effects.

I have taken my 15th tablet this morning.

I already knew i was sensitive to new products, and if a small percentage of people have side effects, I'm likely to be one of them.

I browsed through the potential side effects on a my fact sheet and then put the paper away and focused on the positive effects i was looking forward to. I was keen for improvements of any sort!

Well here i am on day 15 and had to start googling to see if it is my imagination or something else.

I commend those women who stick it out for 3 months, but i just can't risk waiting around for an improvement or for it to settle.
I can handle the mid nausea that comes and goes, even the breast swelling, which has been quite extreme. I got a rash -acne like - on my face, initially my face became abnormally greasy too- like i had olive oil on my face! But the following is just not on. i can cope with physical issues, but not mental ones.

1. Moods- Depression and irritability - what a change- I am angry, nasty -want to leave my husband, say mean things to my young children. Don't care about my kids. No warmth. Feel overwhelmed by usual tasks like housework. Feel really negative about everything in my life. Feel sorry for myself for anything that is not positive or terrific. Don't feel motivated, don't care. Resent things that normally i would just go ahead and do.

Foggy brain- can't think clearly

My husband has clinical depression so this is not helpful- two of us being self centred can't work.

Anxiety- unbelievable. I'm like another person- I allow irrational negative thoughts take over. Each day is different, some worse than others.
I've been tempted even a week ago to ask for anti-depressants for anxiety and depression when i saw my doctor for something else. i thought I was going mad.

Fatigue,- some days i just don't want to do anything.

Sleep- a couple of unexplained nights of insomnia and really negative stressful dreams.

Probably other symptoms.

Everything described is an extreme and unbearable change in me, and this effect took place probably with 24 or 48 hours (I didn't keep a diary unfortunately, but the symptoms began almost immediately.

I wish it was a good experience but i am not willing to wait and see what my mental health will be like in a month or two. Not with young kids who need a mum. I just took a herbal laxative to hopefully flush out the Yaz I took this morning. No more for me.

Agree with the earlier post -- read the drug insert that comes with your Rx! Majority of these side effects are well-known. Blood clots are a very well-known potential side effect of hormonal birth control -- non common but certainly devastating if it happens. Chances are good that these individuals have a genetic tendency toward abnormal clotting. The only good news for these gals is that they've had a warning (it's likely to happen again).
Re sexual dysfunction, it is a VERY common side effect of all hormonal BC. But especially with Yasmin and Yaz -- the form of progestin in these BC pills has anti-testosterone action which is great for acne but lousy for your sex life. Unfortunately, you might not be able to have clear skin AND libido.
For those with serious mood disorders on the pill, consider non hormonal forms of BC -- copper IUD inserted by an experienced clinician is worth considering.
And gals in your 40s, guess what? PMS often gets worse with age and then slides right into perimenopausal symptoms (did u know 10% of women never stop having hot flashes?!). Normalizing with BC pills is an option, but the sexual side effects are even worse for us older gals.

I have been taking Yaz for one month to give it a shot... Yaz isn't making me as horrible as far as moody like depo was, but definitely feeling a little crazy. I started having hallucinations! I checked out other posts and I am not alone...weird how it effects everyone differently...These weren't scary hallucinations, but seeing things that aren't there is scary enough. Also feeling extremely weepy and tired, back pain but thought my body was just adjusting. Always hungry, bloated but then a couple weeks and it seems I am 5lbs thinner. I am just not doing well with the Yaz and will have to think of something else. I never had acne, always regular periods but was starting to have longer PMS symptoms so wanted to get on a low hormone BC to help that. If anyone knows of something that worked for them, please let me know!!

I took YAZ for 9 months. Within those 9 months I have noticed that my mood was completely different from my mood when I was on Loestro 24. By the end of 9 months I was depressed, worried about everything (especially right before my period) crying all the time, and down right crazy! I don't have PMDD, and I don't think it is good to take this pill unless you know that you have it. This pill emotionally made me crazy and caused me a lot of depression which is something that I am not used to. I switched back to Loestro24.. and felt 1000 times better the next month, my only issues with that pill is that after a long period of time of taking this pill, I get acne all over my legs, which is weird. I recently tried to switch to Femcon FE... and that was terrible, I was really sick from that pill. I don't know that birth control pills are the answer, they all have some kind of weird side effects, but I do know that I would not recommend YAZ to anyone who doesn't want to cry every month. This pill made me crazy!