Gianvi for Birth Control User Reviews

• Nin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2013

"I've been on many birth controls trying to find the right one for me. I was on Apri a couple of years ago, which gave me very bad anxiety, so after that I switched to Tri-Sprintec. This pill didn't cause any anxiety, but my skin broke out so terribly on it! My third and final switch was to 'Yaz', at the pharmacy, I was handed the generic Gianvi. I spent hours reading reviews and was a little nervous to start taking these pills, but they have been great. My skin has completely cleared up, I never break out at all anymore. I had no mood changes or anxiety, nor weight gain. This pill is sensitive with regards to breakthrough bleeding, if just one pill is missed, you can expect spotting the next day. Otherwise, an AWESOME pill! Highly recommend!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 7, 2018

"I hate writing bad reviews, but please do not use this birth control! I have been on it over a month and bleeding nonstop, having anxiety attacks all day long while at work, intrusive awful thoughts, vision feels different and blurry, feeling depressed and moody one minute, the next I'm fine. Will not be taking any more pills on this brand. I was on Loryna (which they say is comparable), and it is not. I felt perfectly fine on Loryna and figured it would be the same on Gianvi. It’s not, I don’t want this to happen to anyone else, so please girls watch out."

• Bib...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 10, 2013

"I LOVE GIANVI! No mood swings, no weight gain, it's helped my acne, it controls my appetite, and my breasts have actually gotten bigger. I have been on and off Gianvi for three years now (I tried different birth controls here and there, but I always come back to Gianvi because it has always been the best for me), and it's absolutely free! I definitely recommend it, but like always, everyone is different."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2011

"I first want to say that I read a bunch of reviews before starting Gianvi and became extremely nervous because of all the negativity. However, my experience has been absolutely wonderful, with only one complaint. I am on my third pack and am having the best periods of my life. Little cramps, no bloating, no mood swings, light flow, AMAZING! My mood overall has also been very positive. I'm much less stressed and don't feel as anxious. As for my skin, like my doctor said, it did break out very badly at first, but it is clearing up. Also, my breasts have gotten noticeably bigger, which I love. My one and only complaint is I tend to be dry during sex, which has never been a problem before. But hey, there are things to help with that."

• Kat...
• December 7, 2013

"I have been taking Gianvi for 9 months now. This is the first birth control I tried and was highly recommended by my gynecologist. After the first few months of taking it, I didn't seem to have any problems, my period always came on the third day of the placebo pills and lasted about five days. One thing I will say is I have only missed one pill, and if you miss one, you will break through bleed for a little bit. Last month, I did get random spotting before my period, then my period started and stopped for a day, then came back very light. I think this is just my periods lessening, I know some on this medication don't receive a period at all. I would greatly recommend this birth control, I LOVE IT! And it has prevented pregnancy!"

• Anonymous
• September 30, 2011

"I switched to Gianvi from Yaz because of the price after Yaz stopped that cool $25 program. I wasn't interested in paying over $50 for birth control. I must admit, I was freaking out after I read the reviews on this site. My doctor calmed me down after I called her, and she was right. There is one positive review on this site that I read that gave me courage to try. Therefore, ladies, I have to echo the wise girl that said you have to try it in order to know if it works for you or not. I am on my third pack of Gianvi, and I am okay. I may be a bit more emotional at times, but I was a wreck when I started Yaz, so that's no different. I am not breaking out any different from the past. My libido has not changed, and my weight is not affected."

• Sop...
• April 23, 2019

"This was one of the worst experiences of my life. Women who have a history of anxiety and depression should be warned not to take the Gianvi contraceptive pill. It made me have horrifying panic attacks and an episode of depression. I felt very drowsy, constantly nauseous, and fatigued. I am not on any other type of medication and have a very active, healthy lifestyle. This pill was like poison for the whole body. I am so angry I wasn’t warned about all these very serious side effects."

• ZFa...
• November 12, 2010

"I was on Yaz since I was 16 (now I'm 25). I got switched to Gianvi 3 months ago. The first month was okay, I didn't notice much change, but the last 2 months were horrible. My mood swings are horrible, I go from extra happy to sad in a second. I have no energy whatsoever. I used to not be able to sit in one place for 10 minutes, now I can't drag myself from the couch. I'm extra sleepy and tired, my appetite is off the chart. I feel like I haven't eaten in days after eating a meal. I started having horrible migraines, it gets to the point that I feel like if I open my eyes, my head will explode. I snap at every little thing. The things that never bugged me before drive me up the wall now."

• KCa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 9, 2013

"I switched to this after taking Yaz for years due to cost. Under the Affordable Health Care Act, BCBS offered me Gianvi for free, whereas I had to pay $50 for Yaz. After 6 months, I'd pay anything to switch back. Since going on Gianvi, I've seen considerable weight gain (some attributable to lifetime changes), but I now experience uncontrollable bouts of anger that near the level of rage. My sex drive is virtually non-existent, and my skin isn't nearly as clear as it was on Yaz. I switched back as of today. The only upside... after dealing with my increasingly awful personality for the past few months, my boyfriend is still around. Guess the Gianvi was confirmation that man really does love me!"

• Bea...
• November 11, 2013

"I was on Yasmin for over a year, and I switched to Gianvi. I've been taking it now for 2 weeks, and my appetite has increased like no other, but my weight hasn't changed. I eat, and 20 minutes later, I'm starving again. This will go on all day. My sex drive has increased, and no changes in my complexion yet. Anyone else experience this?"

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2012

"I recently switched from Yasmin to Gianvi by accident (I thought I was on Yaz instead of Yasmin and asked my doctor for the wrong pill). After reading reviews of Gianvi, I was really scared to start taking it. Many reviews mentioned increased acne, weight gain, mood swings, and heavy periods. I have been taking Gianvi for 4 months now and have had no negative side effects. I have no acne, I lost 5 pounds, my periods last only 3 days and are very light, and I have had no problems with my mood. I actually feel better than I did on Yasmin. Each pill works differently for each person, and there are people with positive experiences with Gianvi."

• Bri...
• June 4, 2015

"Confident with relying on it as the only form of birth control. Breasts got bigger but gained no weight in the stomach/thigh area. Loss of sex drive in the first month, but after that, it went back to normal. I love this pill, no mood changes at all. Cleared my face and works amazing."

• TEA...
• February 29, 2020

"I’ve been on Gianvi for about 3 months now, and honestly, at first, I was very worried about side effects and very nervous as to what would happen to my body, but it’s the best decision I ever made! Within the first week of starting the pill, I was nauseous almost every day (I take my pill at 9:00 pm). Every now and then, I’ll get a bit nauseous, but it is tolerable. I did not gain/lose any weight and do not bleed (nor haven’t bled) any other time than when I menstruate within the first three days of starting the placebo pills. The only significant complaint I have is frequent headaches. I have a headache at some point throughout the day almost every day, some last hours and others, minutes. Again, they are uncomfortable but tolerable, and if they are very bad, I’ll take some OTC pain relief drugs. I am happy having peace of mind and no more pregnancy scares! Also, my periods have shortened, lightened, and are much less painful ever since I started taking Gianvi, which is great."

• Anonymous
• September 1, 2010

"In my third month of taking Gianvi, I have had major mood swings, depression, anxiety, and changes in appetite varying from nausea to overeating. I have not felt like this before with any other birth control. A little with Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, but I don't think it is as bad as this. I feel like I'm at constant war with myself to keep my emotions and my feelings in line. I'm not usually an emotional person, so all these feelings are very overwhelming and frustrating. I have an appointment in a week to go to Planned Parenthood and ask for a different kind of birth control. I've decided to stop taking it today. It does work, however, I have not gotten pregnant."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 1, 2018

"I have only been on Gianvi for a month and a half and absolutely do not like it. Started spotting while on active pills, then started bleeding heavily for over a week and still am. It’s a never-ending period!"

• eh2...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 14, 2021

"I was on Gianvi for about 2 years and have recently gotten off of it. The first 5 to 7 months, I felt quite emotional/anxious, I also went up about 1 cup size, and my skin was perfect. However, it did prevent pregnancy, so I'm thankful for that. It also decreased the heaviness of my cycle. And it was free with BCBS! About 1.5 years in, I began noticing that I had vaginal dryness and my libido was super low as well. Since I was so dry, sex started becoming very painful, and it seemed like no amount of lube could help. It has been just over 2 years, and I have decided to get off Gianvi for a few months to see if my problems disappear. So far, it has been about 1 week, and I feel really good. To anyone reading this post, I suggest you always listen to your body and find an understanding provider who can help you create a plan that you both agree on. Good luck!"

• Anonymous
• July 3, 2011

"Okay, I'll do pros and cons here because there is plenty to say for both: Pros: Cleared up my acne tremendously! I only broke out slightly around my period, but other than that, I was the clearest I had been since puberty! Also, my breasts went up about half a cup size, which is always fun. In terms of weight, I didn't notice much of a difference, neither loss nor gain. CON: It made me horribly depressed. It was a gradual slump, but after about 5 months on it, I went from being bubbly, social, and a dedicated student-athlete to someone who didn't want to do much but sit in bed and sleep all day. I was still sociable, but it took effort. I finally stopped Gianvi and was back to normal in a month. Everyone's different, but be careful on this medicine."

• dod...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2013

"I took Gianvi for 3 months, and I loved it. I lost weight (about 10 lbs) even though I was eating a lot of fast food and crap. My mood improved, I felt more motivated, and despite having some spotting a couple of days before starting my period, it did make my periods lighter and shorter with virtually no cramps. After three months, my insurance switched me to Loryna, which has been a nightmare. I've been on that for a month and had such horrible nausea constantly and was sick to the point of throwing up on several occasions and even threw my pill up once and had to take Plan B! It was a dreadful experience, and I'm going back on Gianvi today. Couldn't be happier! Give Gianvi a try, it's been awesome for me."

• Mon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2018

"I’ve just started to take this pill, I believe, 5 days ago, and I would say it’s working great. I haven’t had any problems other than fatigue and moodiness. I was skeptical about taking this pill since there were mixed reviews, but one of my good friends said that birth control pills work differently for everyone, so don’t be afraid to try it. My doctor prescribed me this one. This is the first birth control I took, and I don’t have anything bad to say about it. Don’t rely on reviews because it may work for you unlike others!!"

• Anonymous
• September 3, 2020

"I was really worried about starting on Gianvi after reading all of these negative reviews. It started out fine, with no major mood shifts. But then I started on my second pack and was in the depths of despair. I have a history of depression and anxiety, so I was not sure whether it was the birth control, but it got to the point where I was in such a dark place. I decided to stop Gianvi and instantly felt better. It was like a cloud lifted off my head. People react differently to this, so I’m not dissuading someone from trying it. But just be vigilant for the side effects."

• Aan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 2, 2020

"Does anyone experience stomach pain and discomfort from their birth control? I keep having to switch generic versions because after a few months, my stomach will just generally ache all the time. Nikki seems to be bad, as well as Loryna. I’m back to Gianvi, which was fine for the longest amount of time."

• sar...
• January 2, 2011

"I began taking Yaz about a year ago, and I love it. While on Yaz, I never noticed any changes in my mood or my body. However, within the last few months, I switched to the generic version, Gianvi, hoping to save some money. At first, I didn't notice any difference, but slowly, I have been getting more and more emotional and anxious... something that I have never had a problem with before. And now, I have been having a breakthrough period for the past 15 days straight while on my active pills. I am not sure if this is because of Gianvi, but I can't think of what else it could be. I will be switching back to Yaz ASAP. It is worth the extra money. I do not recommend Gianvi to anyone."

• pol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2019

"If you have or had anxiety, DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL. From someone who suffers from anxiety day to day, this pill made me experience anxiety attacks like I've never felt before. Terrible depression followed, I never had a history of depression, and this pill gave it to me."

• Anonymous
• December 21, 2010

"I have been on YAZ for years and haven't had any issues switching over to Gianvi. I have been told by my doctor I may have PMDD. Gianvi hasn't made my symptoms worse, but I haven't felt any difference since switching over. I asked my doctor about her other patients switching to Gianvi, and so far none of them have had any issues either."

• Ann...
• March 29, 2021

"I was on this for 10 years and LOVED it! I suffered from anxiety prior, and this was given to me to help, and it took it away completely! I had zero side effects on this BC pill. My pharmacy had a hard time ordering it, and I missed taking it for a week, and my husband and I wound up pregnant, haha. Now that I’ve delivered my daughter, I've specifically requested that brand (all other similar brands are NOTHING like Gianvi. Beware, I tried 5 of them)! I swear by Gianvi."