Yaz and sex drive

I am 22 and was on ortho tri cyclen off and on for 5 years. I really had no issues with that, and only started taking yaz because my doctor gave me some free sample packs. I was interested in shorter periods. Now after taking yaz I am desperate to start taking my old pills again. My symptoms include:
weight gain
extreme mood swings (to my husband, I'm sorry)
extreme depression
feelings of worthlessness
extremely strange cravings (I will eat maple syrup right from the bottle or eat half a pizza)
tiredness
headaches
absolutely no sex drive

The good news is that my face is very clear. But personally clear skin is not worth being so mean to everyone in my life. I really do not forsee myself continuing use of yaz.

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 just began doing research on Yaz because I just got married and my sex drive is completely, totally, unequivocally GONE. I'm 25, and I've been on it for about six months. How depressing! My body will not lubricate at ALL or respond to ANY kind of touch. My husband has developed a complex, thinking it's him. :(
After a while I began to think it was the Yaz. I've developed urinary tract infections out of nowhere; I never used to get them.
I'm getting off this pill ASAP because what's the point of birth control if you don't have sex anyway??
I feel really terrible for all of you women with mental side effects, because I know exactly how you feel. However, I've had an opposite experience. Positively, it increased my breast size and cleared up my skin. However, I was already suffering from mental illness previous to starting Yaz. I have Bipolar disorder with added anxiety issues. I was on a regimen of daily Lamictal with occasional use of Xanax for anxiety. My attacks had gotten so bad that I had to go to the emergency room. After a time, I leveled out and decided to stop taking medication because it made me feel flat. I began feeling anxious again, and it was around that time that I started taking Yaz. For me, someone who was ALREADY suffering, Yaz completely turned me around. I have never felt happier, more secure, and more normal mentally in my entire life. My moods are fantastic, I have a huge amount of energy, and I feel like nothing can stop me. It's not mania, though, as I have none of the pathological side effects. I'm just really really happy. I will miss the mental benefits of not taking Yaz, but to me, losing the intimacy with my new husband has just not been worth it.

This can be a great benefit to someone who is perhaps bipolar, but I think if you're healthy mentally to begin with, it can have the opposite effect.

Glad to find that I'm not the only one!

I was on Yaz for a year and a half, but I just stopped taking it two and half weeks ago. I'm already starting to feel better. I had quite a few symptoms creep up while I was on it and I guess I just attributed them to other things until recently. The first couple months I was on Yaz, it seemed great. I didn't gain any weight, my periods were lighter, my moods seemed relatively stable. But then about nine months ago I started getting frequent heart palpitations and anxiety. My doctor saw me three or four times about it and couldn't pinpoint what was wrong. (It didn't even occur to me to ask if Yaz could possibly do that.) Around the same time, I started to get bad muscle fatigue and muscle cramps. My muscles felt sore and tired during the day for no reason. And sometimes at night I would wake up yelling because of sharp cramps in my calves. And over the last year, my moods became horrible. I lost my patience completely and became really weepy and depressed at other times. And my sex drive was totally gone. Then very recently, I started getting horrible completely debilitating headaches like I'd never had before.

But the thing that finally made me realize that Yaz might be effecting me this way, was that I actually felt BETTER right before my period, during the four days of the inactive pill. During these days - the days when most women feel moody and fatigued - I actually felt like my old self. I did a bit of research and quickly realized that Yaz is likely responsible for quite a few of the negative feelings I've had the last year and half.

I'll report back after I've been off of it for a couple months and I know it is completely out of my system.

I'm 41 and have been on BCPs since I was 17. Been on Yaz about 2 years, the best thing I can say about it is nothing. I'm dropping it immediately. My attitude is crappy, No memory, Joint pain,especially in fingers, zero sex drive. Now mostly I've just thought this was my age, but 3 months ago I had to have my gall bladder removed! I've never been unhealthy in my life, so what gives? The more I read on-line the more I see a connection to Yaz and these symptoms. There lots of lawsuits being gathered about yaz. Be careful ladies, the juries still out on this one, literally.

I have been on Yaz for over a year now and it's been less than pleasant. First the mood swings which I attributed in the beginning to lots of stress (I started taking Yaz about a month before my wedding). The mood swings continued. My anger has been uncontrollable at times and I get upset for nothing. I have always been a reasonable person but Yaz has taken all that from me. After giving it more than enough time for my body to adjust to this pill I have finally decided to get off Yaz next week and talk to my doctor about an alternative option. Apart from mood swing I've experienced severe fatigue no matter how many hours of sleep I get. I can't stop eating, have severe problems with heartburn and constipation. My sex drive is pretty much gone and I am negative about pretty much everything. I really hope that I will get back to my old self once I get off this pill. To everyone out there with similar experiences, I feel for you.

I'm 30 I've been on Yaz for 1 month. While I'm a trooper and willing to give things a chance, I cannot let myself do that in this case. I went off Loestrin 24 bc of spotting, switched to Yaz. The first week was fine (my skin cleared up) then the side effects set in. Nausea upon awakening. No appetite. While some people would like the low appetite side effect, I find it unhealthy. In some instances, I have made myself eat. I love food, and not wanting to smell it, cook it, or ingest it is a problem. Then other problems set in. Chills for no reason, hot flashes, rapid heart rate upon standing, and daily dull headaches (did not have cold/flu/infection). Reduced sex drive, painful sex, and a yeast infection that doesn't seem to be going away. Continued the pill for the rest of the pack where symptoms waned. No psycho PMS symptoms, but was over emotional during my period. Symptoms came back and got worse week of period. Great trade off! I also had bad cramping during my period, still feel the fatigue, and mental fuzziness. I feel as if I am just floating around in space. I'd rather spot everyday and breakout on my face then feel like someone kicked the s*it out of me everyday. I am 2 pills into a new Yaz pack, but throwing it out and going back on Loestrin for the remainder of the month until I get a doctor's appointment.

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 am so glad to have found this website. Similarly to others, I thought that I was going crazy. I have been taking Yaz for 3 months, but I am stopping today! I have had many side effects including MOOD SWINGS, anxiety, snapping at people for no reason, spotting, decrease in sex drive, difficulty staying asleep, tightness/tingling in upper left arm, warmth in groin area, breast tenderness and nausea. If this pill causes such severe side effects for so many people, why doesn't the FDA remove it from the market? Argggggg

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 started taking YAZ in March. By July I had lost 3/4 of my hair. I had a two inch ponytale and now it is a half inch. I stopped the BC at the end of July but I don't know how long it will take to get the YAZ out of my system. I am exhausted all the time and have no sex drive. I thought my depression was from stress but I am reconsidering that after reading this site. I don't know if it is related but I have been bruising easily. I also have headaches that meds don't seem to touch.

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 came to the conclusion myself, luckily, that Yaz was causing my weight gain. After having back surgery in April and gaining not a pound while not working out, I have been on Yaz for four months and I literally have gained 10 pounds in the past three weeks, my boobs hurt like when I was pregnant and I have even been lactating a little! Ugh! Sex drive...gone. Headaches, lack of motivation, could sleep ALL day. I took Yasmin for years and years with no problem at all. I recommend against this method of BC if you aren't taking it for a specific condition. It's just not worth the hassle OR a new wardrobe! I'm almost 40 years old, have been working out since I was in my teens and have not weighed this much since I was pregnant. I know that the trainers in my gym think i'm some kind of closet eater or something! I'm working and working and getting fatter!
The symptoms all are things I experienced while pregnant with my son - 18 years ago! If I wanted to feel preggers, I'd get preggers! My new husband probably thinks I'm letting myself go now that I'm married. Luckily he's very sweet and understanding. It was his idea to change my BC back. Call you doctor. Now!

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'm 21 and I've taken Yaz for 7weeks. During the first 2weeks I took it at lunch time - within hours I'd feel nauseous. I changed when I took it to before I went to sleep - this seemed to work with the nausea which eventually completely subsided.

I had spotting for the first packet but after my first period on YAZ the spotting stopped.

By the time I started the second packet I became aware that my sex drive had plummeted and I no longer was initiating sex with my boyfriend. I also noticed that I was thirsty a lot more & craved sugary drinks like soda/pop which I never shopped for until YAZ.

I've also gained 6pounds.

The strangest side effect I experienced was a heightened sense of smell, for example - I cannot tolerate the smell of steak cooking - it makes me ill.

On the positive side- My skin has improved.

When my period is approaching I am no longer angry or overly emotional.

Prior to taking YAZ I would have severe menstrual cramping the day before the period began and three days following (at least). I had to take pain killers like panadine fort but for the first time I needed no medication and I only had cramping for day one. A huge improvement!

The biggest plus for me with YAZ was the decrease in the length of my period - it went from 7-9Day to 4days max.

If I gain more weight & it if it gets to the point where I reject my boyfriend when he wants to be intimate then I'll stop YAZ but at the moment the positives I’ve experienced are just too valuable to consider stopping.

I understand there is a lot of negativity surrounding this drug, and although I read a lot of similar stories before filling my prescription, I started taking Yaz. Since I have started my period, I have suffered extreme back pain, moodiness, cramping, bloating and a flow so heavy I would go through a super tampon almost every hour. So when I was 14 I started on Alesse. It helped a little with the bleeding and did nothing for my pain. I am now 20 years old and just switched to Yaz. My life has changed. For the first time in 8 years I feel no cramping, bloating, nausea, back pain or diarrhea that was associated with my period. My flow is much lighter. My moods are completely stable and my sex drive has improved. Not to mention my skin is in perfect condition. I have the energy I have always wanted at this time of the month and finally I can get myself out of bed (I have missed school because of my pain). For some, this drug may not help. But for others, like me, it can change your life. I am so happy...maybe it has something to do with actually having PMDD symptoms. If you do not have PMDD maybe this drug will backfire. I don't know. But for now, I am so grateful for Yaz.

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 the depo shot, and LOVED it! for the first few months i spotted All throughout the month which got really annoying, but after a few months my periods stopped completely!! it was AMAZING!!!! i didn't gain any weight on the shot, but i was Always hungry and Never felt full. after going off of the shot i still didn't have a period at all for like 3 or 4 months! :D .... but then.... i started bleeding ALL the time. off one week, on for a whole week, off one week, on for a whole week...etc. this happened for 2 to 3 months. finally i went a gyn and she recommended that i go on yaz to regulate my period. ... it worked for a little while, but for the passed 3 or 4 months i bleed at least twice a month! both for about a week at a time. this sucks!! and sadly any hormone makes me a little moody :/ i was at a really steady weight of 111 and sky rocketed to 120 when i went on the pill. i go to the gym at least 2 to 3 times a week (as i did before i started the pill)... and im down to 115. but it seems to want to stay at 115 :/ so still a little weight gain involved. sometimes my sex drive is super amazing to where i almost climax at the snap of a finger. but lately... a lot lately, its almost impossible to climax! :( which is super disappointing and frustrating!. (any advice for the climaxing part? :( lol seriously. ) ... i don't want to go off of birth control, because sadly i Hate rubbers! my mom wanted me to try microgestin cause i bleed a lot on yaz, but those pills don't look or sound appealing to me. any suggestions?? lol... overall i would recommend either yaz or the depo shot. both have ups and downs. :)

I am so glad I decided to look at side effects of Yaz tonight. I have been on it for 4 months and have gone through hell the last 4 months. I attributed my depression and mood swings to losing my job, which I loved very much, and having to go back to waiting tables, which I don't love. But in the back of my head I knew that I would normally be able to weather this kind of thing with poise. Instead I've been crying myself to sleep almost every night, been short tempered with my daughter and husband, and had zero sex drive. When breakthrough bleeding happened again (I've had it every month), I called my doctor. She is switching my pill in 10 days, but after reading all this, I wish it were tomorrow. Anybody on this pill who has experienced any kind of life change (emotional, mental, physical) since taking it should request to be switched. As patients on a voluntary prescription like birth control, we have the right to switch whenever we choose. You don't have to wait 3 months!

I am sitting here reading these posts shaking my head in disbelief! I have been taking yaz for 8 months & have the following side effects: don't care about ANYTHING, snappy & extremely irritable all the time, absolutely HATE sex & I have never ever had that problem, weight gain my stomach has never been this big before, my boobs are HUGE they have increased a bra size at least, all I do is eat, hot flashes for no reason, & just don't like anybody anymore. My memory is gone, & I can't pay attention at all nor do I care enough about anything to pay attention. I took my last yaz yesterday I am all done with this horrible pill & I pray I get back to normal soon!

OMG! Thought it was due to my age. Thought I was going crazy! Everyone of these issues I have.
Headaches, fatigue, fuzzy head, incredible appetite, quick weight gain. I also have lost a lot of hair and have hair damage (very dry and breaking off).
My doctor actually suggested this product to help with my PMDD. Did not help me just created another set of issues. I do not need birth control I need the hormones but not that bad.

Has anyone else had problems with their hair?

I'm just in shock.
I can't believe that this sort of thing can go on.
My experience is all over this page. And the seven after it.

I graduated high school with a 99 GPA and was at the top of my class.
I was accepted to medical school along with my admission to college.
I started Yasmin at the same time.

All of a sudden I was getting classic migraines multiple times every month.
Soon, Yasmin became Yaz. Okay, fair enough, nurse says to switch, I'll switch. Yaz is said to be safer.

Time goes by... I'm irritable, I've lost my sex drive, I'm dragging myself out of bed in the morning if I get to classes at all, but I miss lots of them.
My GPA falls from a 4.0 to a 3.6.

I had to come home last semester because of how sick I was. Nurse says that the doctor wants me off Yaz because of the risk of classic migraines.

Liver enzymes were screwed up - fatty liver at 20?? - and cholesterol is backwards. My heart races a lot, too.
My anxiety is out of control and I'm depressed for the first time in my life.

I've been off Yaz since November of 2008 and still haven't had a period.
Additionally, I still haven't MET my gynecologist, despite asking repeatedly if I can see her.

Now she's ruled out PCOS and all other causes and wants me to "jump start" my period with more synthetic hormones.
This feels so wrong.

I have IBS, nausea, back pain, and abdomen pain. This is all just too much. I'm disillusioned with the medical field now and am having a hard time accepting that I wanted to put myself in a position in which I'd have to either perpetuate the problem or fight it. It doesn't make sense.

There needs to be a lawsuit, and now.

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 think most of this is all in your heads. It does state clearly in the booklet though that you will have less of a sex drive. But being depressed and all is all own thing. Maybe if you start thinking that its making you happy you will feel happy....

I'm 15 and take Yaz but I feel the opposite of most of all. I have an increased sexual drive even though I shouldn't and I'm not depressed at all. As for emotional... Well I feel very emotional with many mood swings... hmm.

Perfectly healthy 22 year old. Started YAZ and took it fo r about 7 months. Quit because it gave me scary thoughts. Not necessarily SUICIDAL tendencies, but sick thoughts about once a month that I would get scared and cry. Was very tired and sad a lot. I quit a few weeks ago and my nipples are sore! NEVER had that happen in my life! I think my sex drive went down a bit too.

I am so relieved to read all of these posts on this website and others. I have been on Yaz for about 7 months now. I couldn't figure out what was going on with me. I have not been myself. I kept blaming this all on my stressful job. I have terrible headaches, body aches, depression and a serious lack sex drive. It is starting to affect my relationship with my husband. I am stopping tonight and know I will be back to myself soon!!

Ive been using YAZ for almost a year now and before reading all these side effects from other women I thought i was falling apart at the age of 24.

Since ive been on YAZ these symptoms have occurred:

Some weight gain, Eyesight from great to HORRIBLY nearsighted, discharge, periods sometimes are twice a month and is a brown gross color, migraines, terrible skin problems: like blisters on my face & neck that crust over and last for weeks, GI problems right before my period, Severe Fatigue, pussy blisters under my armpits, numbing in my fingers and toes, very itchy skin, random sex drives (for months there will be no sex drive then one month ill have a very high sex drive), very mild mood swings (but noticeable), and ive become allergic to deodorant & sulfa drugs.

Before using this BCP : i had great skin, perfect eyesight, athletic & energetic, normal periods, and was never allergic to anything.

Ive had so many doctors visits to try to figure out what was wrong.... i got allergy injections, antibiotics, surgery options...........but no doctor could really tell me what was causing it and its very frustrating to have so many things go wrong and no one can tell know why or how to fix it!. Anyways, im going to call my OB/GYN TOMORROW......

After not being on birth control for about 13 years due to previous complications, I decided to go on YAZ since theyre were SO many rave reviews. it was to clear up my skin, lessen my periods and make my chest a bit bigger... also to not get pregnant ;) after being on it for 7 months i FINALLY realized all the harm it was doin to my body. the reason why i started to look for answers was because i had ZERO sex drive which has *never* been the case for any reason. i found that it can be a side effect of the pill but when i started looking at other side effects of YAZ i just kept nodding my head and saying "so THATS why i my vision is getting worse... so THATS why im completely depressed all the time and don't want to go out like i use to... so THATS why im having horrible leg cramps at night and awful joint pain... so THATS why my period is heavier, longer and more painful... so THATS why i started getting horrendous MIGRAINES out of no where!!!" i would lie in bed all day, instead of doing my every day routines, i stopped talking to my friends, didn't want my bf near me and couldn't go to work when i had my period because the bleeding was uncontrollable. after being off of it for three days, my sex drive was back, i wanted to go out with my friends again and most of the joint pain stopped. i made the foolish choice to "wait it out and see what happens" but my doctor told me to stop taking them immediately when i told him of my symptoms. It took me far too long to come to this conclusion and if you are suffering from multiple side effects, just stop taking it as soon as possible and go from there. There is NO reason to have to live like this from a birth control pill. i made that mistake and hope others wont in the future.

After not being on birth control for about 13 years due to previous complications, I decided to go on YAZ since they're were SO many rave reviews. it was to clear up my skin, lessen my periods and make my chest a bit bigger... also to not get pregnant ;)

after being on it for 7 months i FINALLY realized all the harm it was doing to my body. the reason why i started to look for answers was because i had ZERO sex drive which has *never* been the case for any reason. i found that it can be a side effect of the pill but when i started looking at other side effects of YAZ i just kept nodding my head and saying "so THATS why i my vision is getting worse... so THATS why im completely depressed all the time and don't want to go out like i use to... so THATS why im having horrible leg cramps at night and awful joint pain... so THATS why my period is heavier, longer and more painful..."

i would lie in bed all day, instead of doing my every day routines, i stopped talking to my friends, didn't want my bf near me and couldn't go to work when i had my period because the bleeding was uncontrollable.

after being off of it for three days, my sex drive was back, i wanted to go out with my friends again and most of the joint pain stopped. i made the foolish choice to "wait it out and see what happens" but my doctor told me to stop taking them immediately when i told him of my symptoms. It took me far too long to come to this conclusion and if you are suffering from multiple side effects, just stop taking it as soon as possible and go from there.

There is NO reason to have to live like this from a birth control pill. i made that mistake and hope others wont in the future.

I was on YAZ for only six months and decided to stop taking it because I had absolutely NO sex drive!!! I have been off YAZ for about a year and I still have ZERO interest in sex. This is horrible!!! I don't know what to do.

I have been on Yaz a little over a year. Around the same time I started taking Yaz, I began dating this amazing guy, who I was incredibly attracted to. But I had no sex drive. We are still dating and my lack of wanting a sexual relationship is driving a wedge in our relationship. I'm so glad I found this and no that I am not alone. Another symptom I noticed was that I was always so tired. I thought it was because I wasn't exercising enough, but even now (after exercising 4-5 days a week), I am still tired. I made an appointment today with my gyno to talk to her about it. I am done taking Yaz!

Wow! I can't believe what I'm reading. I started YAZ three years ago at the age of 21. My gyn prescribed it for me for mild acne and pretty bad cramps. I was super excited about having clear skin. This is my only positive experience I have with YAZ and almost to no periods. In the beginning, I was a healthy 21 year old female who was active, was in a stable relationship and loved life. All of that changed. I turned into a miserable person, someone I couldn't even stand. I would yell at anyone; it didn't matter if I didn't even know you. If you looked at me wrong I made a comment, so my doctor put me on Prozac for depression and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). One of the side effects of Prozac and Yaz is fatigue, headaches and decreased sex drive. I began experiencing horrible migraines to the point where I would throw up, have unbearable pain behind my right eye and photophobia. So, my doctor put my on Topamax as well. One of the side effects of this is tingling in the extremities. So now on a daily basis I have: nausea (I throw up every morning from YAZ), I sleep all the time ( I go to bed around 6 pm), zero sex drive (my fiancee thinks I'm not attracted to him anymore. I tell him that the hottest man in the world could walk in and I wouldn't care), mood swings, tingling in my arms and feet (like they're asleep). I was HEALTHY UNTIL I STARTED YAZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I was also rushed to the ER 2 summers ago to rule out a PE in my lungs (severe chest pain with a heart rate in the 130's). The doctors diagnosed me with low potassium (another side effect of Yaz).

I haven't really had severe side effects yet. I have only been on yaz for 3 months. But so far i have the fallowing side effects: Head aches i have been taking advil like its candy. Mood swings, pain while intercourse, abdominal pain, and decreased/zero sex drive. I am already a hypocondriac (sp) so i figured i am making it up. But who would make up not wanting to have sex. lol i will give it a few more months to level my hormones and maybe i will be ok.

OMG!! This is insane, I thought I was going crazy, I started YAZ about 2 weeks ago, I usually try to maintain healthy and workout a lot, but in 2 weeks i gained like 10 lbs out of nowhere!!! I am freaking out! I completely lost sex drive and as well as other said completely dry, nothing can make me wet, I also notice that I started getting a really heavy discharge everyday, Oh and depression (mood swings, snap at everything I feel like I don't want to live anymore, I don't care for my job as I used to or school...I feel helpless) I stopped YAZ 2 days ago and so far i haven't notice any change...I am still very moody and SSSOOOO tired, I can sleep all day and all night with no problem and when I do try to get up is like a magnet that's keeping me in bed, its awful!!! When does it get better???? Anybody knows??? I am falling apart!!! HELP PLEASE!!!

I WAS ON YAZ, WELL THE GENERIC BRAND OCELLA, FOR THREE MONTHS AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED MY SEX DRIVE WAS GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS BEEN ABOUT ONE MONTH AND IM STILL TRYING TO REGAIN IT...IM BUYING TOYS..LUBRICANTS,,,FANTASIZING WHATEVER I CAN DO AND ITS STILL NOT FULL THERE...IM ONLY FREAKING 24! THIS IS CRAZY. NEVER TAKING BC AGAIN...ANYTHING THATS UNNATURAL IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR BODY, MY OLD-FASHIONED MOTHER WAS RIGHT!

Within my first 4 weeks of Yaz I had extreme thoughts of killing myself. I even came close to stepping out in front of a large bus on an avenue in my city. I called my gyno and she took me right off of it. It was my fourth birth control I've taken. I've tried Mircette since and had ZERO sex drive. Literally none (where as when I was on Lutera I actually became obsessed with sex and couldn't go a day without it). So now I'm on Femcon Fe. Hope it works well.

I can't believe I found this. I am a 34 year old female who went on Yaz about 1 year ago.I have had zero sex drive, nothing. The hottest man in the world could wink at me in traffic and I would role up my window. Nothing and there isn't enough ky on earth to fix this problem.Needless to say my husband is feeling rejected and annoyed. Everyone has told me it because of the baby, who is now three. Through the rest of the pack out. Now I want t o know how long it takes to clear my system. Anyone else with the chest pains?

I have been on YAZ for over 2 years now. The previous bc that I have used in the past were Ortho tri cyclin which was awful, I was close to severe, obvious depression and Yasmin in which I was fine with. For the first couple of months on YAZ I was extremely emotional. However, I felt as though my hormones regulated and was fine with the drug I'd say until the past year. This entire time I have been wondering why I have been...
1.) Hot flashes in my sleep (I'm 26).
2.) Always tired. ALWAYS.
3.) Lost my sex drive.
4.) Experiencing horrible headaches.
5.) Most upsetting to me, lack of interest in life,nothing makes me happy or excited.
6.) Knee and neck joint pain.
Normally I am easily excited and love life with no lack of energy.
I am happy to see that I am not the only one experiencing all of these symptoms. I have been wondering if this is linked to my bc and if I would be better off stopping.
My doctor on the other hand has told me, the past two times I've questioned her, I don't think you should stop your bc just keep on and see if it changes. Thanks for nothing doc.
Thanks to all of you I know I'm not falling apart.

Before I had my son I had been on Orth-TriCyclen off and on for about 4 years. My periods were always normal and when I went off the Pill it was so easy to become pregnant. After my son was born in Dec. 2007, my doctor recommended Yaz. I've had all the symptoms everybody here has talked about: anxiety, depression, weight gain, very high blood pressure, no sex drive, and just overall not feeling like myself. I just attributed it to post-partum and my body trying to readjust to not being pregnant. But the biggest fear, but secret relief, was the fact that I NEVER HAD A PERIOD!!! not once!!! I think I spotted twice in the course of a year. I would like to get pregnant again in June so I went off Yaz in January. It is March and still don't have a period - don't get me wrong it is kind of nice, but I am also very worried. My doc says its normal, and to just give it time, but I still feel worried that Yaz may have messed up my fertility and I may have a hard time getting pregnant again if I don't get my period back. I haven't received any good info about this - maybe someone else is in this situation -

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 am so thankful to have found this site! I notices the commercial on TV several times and began wondering what the deal was with my BCP. I now realize that I am not crazy! Other women are experiencing this too. I have been on YAZ for about 3 yrs and at first di not notice any difference. The past year and a half have been a different story. I have gained about 15-20 lbs. and can not get it off. I am more hungry than usual but I am tired ALL the time. I began getting severe cramps before my period, which I never had before and more recently have been getting migraines before my period as well. I have NO sex drive what so ever and I am as dry as a desert also! I have had terrible mood swings to the point where I can not control my anger. I know that i should not get so upset, but I can't help but get irritated over such insignificant things. I also experience some depression and catch myself crying at nothing. None of this is typical for me and I have thought I was falling apart. I am tired of feeling fat, swollen, angry, sad, having headaches, cramps and not being attracted to my fiance anymore! I am not taking this horrible pill anymore starting today!!! I have taken myself off in the past and my face became very oily and my hair would even get oily before the day was even up. That side effect caused me to start taking it again. I'm going to just deal with it now!

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 have something that Yaz does..its kinda embarrassing but I know it has to be the Yaz. In November I noticed this funny discharge. It didn't smell. but I was wondering if it was a yeast but then I figured it might be the Yaz so I quit taking it and it went away. Well this month I decided to start taking the yaz again and sure enough my discharge is back. What is that? also I have chest pains, leg cramps, overwhelming nausea, brain fog, and breast tenderness. But unlike most the others it did help my sex drive which was very little, helped my PMDD, and periods became lighter. I also don't think I gained weight on that but I don't know. I have been craving a lot of sweets and am afraid to check my weight..lol.

Today is my LAST Yaz pill ever.... I may not even take the one today. I have been on Yaz for 3 years now because of my PMDD and horrible ovulation pains. Since I have been on this pill I have experieinced.....

1. NO SEX DRIVE
2. I am as dry as a desert...... nothing makes me wet
3. Constipation
4. Weight Gain
5. Horrible mood swings
6. Constant feeling of aches and pains
7. Too many to list :(

Please do not take this drug..... It has changed my health and sex life.... I never think about sex.... It does help PMDD but the side effects do not make it worth anything!

I have been on Yaz for a while now, at least 2 years. I was fine at first, but about a year ago I developed a gastrointestinal issue that is off the charts! My doctor has been trying to diagnose it for a year now. Everything is normal, which take my word for it, is impossible. NO ONE goes to the bathroom this way and so often, not to mention the abdominal pain!! Looking back, my headaches increased and my irritability went way up as well. I have NO energy, I sleep all the time and I have NO sex drive either. I also have lower back pain,that no one can explain.

I am going off Yaz today.

I cannot tell you that all of my issues were caused by YAZ but I can tell you that I am 34 years old and just released from the hospital. I am 5'9" 135lbs and have perfect blood pressure and cholesterol. I quit smoking last year. I was just released from the hospital with many little pulmonary embolisms and 3 large pulminary embolisms. I now have a filter in my vena cava and will never be able to have another child since I am so high risk per my doctors(both OBGYN and Internist).

I have been on YAZ since my last child was born 3 years ago. I noticed that the longer I was on it the more depressed I felt. The first year I wrote it off as just after baby blues since I was nursing but it did not get better. I was on other birth control pills in the past and also Nuvaring and I never experienced the depression that I had in the past 3 years. My sex drive was also not what it used to be which I attributed to age and stress. I would have migraine headaches frequently which my doctor said most likely was caused by stress. After reading the other posts maybe I was wrong. I can tell you, if anyone is smoking either stop or find another form of birth control. If you have family history of blood clotting you may want to explore other options also. I am lucky to be here today to care for my 3 kids.