Gianvi and Acne: What Users Say

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

For Birth Control "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."

• Van...
• October 19, 2019

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "After trying an IUD and two other pills, I was turned off by the idea of birth control because of how horribly depressed and moody the others made me feel. Gianvi has been totally different. I suffer from anxiety, acne, and PMDD. I have been taking Gianvi for about 4 months now. Emotionally, I feel the same as I did before, except my PMDD has improved drastically. It is not completely gone, but instead of feeling suicidally depressed for two weeks before my period, I just get a little down for only a few days, which is huge for me. I have always struggled with acne, and my skin has cleared up significantly since being on this pill. I still get pimples here and there, but nothing like before. Weight gain was a big concern of mine, but I am happy to report that I have not gained weight from this pill. And a bonus is that my boobs have gotten a bit bigger too! While Gianvi has not completely eradicated my acne or PMDD, I am so happy to have found a birth control pill that works well for me."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2011

For Birth Control "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."

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2019

For Acne "I was on Zarah, which is a generic for Yasmin, and it was working for me all this time for years. Then, all of a sudden, in December 2018, my mail order pharmacy started sending me Syeda (a generic for Yasmin). Immediately after I took that, I started breaking out on my chin. Ladies, there's a face map on acne, and if your chin is breaking out, that means it's related to hormones - research acne-face-mapping. Anyway, I called my doctor right away, and she prescribed me Gianvi, which is another generic for Yaz (same hormones as Yasmin but one of the ingredients is a lower dose). Immediately after a day, my skin was getting better and the bumps were going away. I am on my second day, and my skin is getting better and better. I am very happy with the results, and I thought I'd write this review as I have never written a review on BC before."

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2012

For Birth Control "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."

• Mic...
• May 1, 2013

For Acne "I have never been on any pill. My acne was getting really severe, so my doctor suggested Tri-Cyclen Lo. The first two months on Tri-Cyclen Lo made me get cystic breakouts, and I was miserable. I finally switched my birth control to Gianvi, this has been the best alternative to cleaning my skin. I haven't had any negative side effects, and my skin is finally clear! The only downside is the increase in appetite. I haven't gained any weight, I live a healthy lifestyle-eat clean and work out regularly. But I'm constantly hungry! Besides that, my skin looks its best that it has in years! Now I only need to get rid of my blemishes. I would highly recommend Gianvi, your period is light, and you don't experience nausea or mood swings."

• you...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 3, 2013

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I took Gianvi for about a year for my PMDD. Since doing it, I noticed a very uplifting change in my mood and irritability. I was no longer aggressive, and I didn't burst into tears at least once a day before my period, so that is a definite improvement. I went off of it, changed to Loryna, and then changed back to Gianvi. Right now, I have horrible cystic acne from switching around my medicine, but it works wonders on my hormones, which to me is the important part."

• Hao...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 4, 2013

For Acne "I stopped taking Gianvi two months ago, and wow, was that a mistake. The first period I had was absolutely horrible. It was super heavy, lasted a long time, and my cramps were really bad. It has really messed up my hormones as well. I get so mad very easily, and I feel like a crazy person with emotions that I'm feeling that I never felt before. My breasts shrank a lot, and my acne has come back. So, I started taking Gianvi again a few days ago so I can get back on track to normalness! I don't want to wait for my body to adjust without it."

• Hol...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 21, 2012

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I loved Gianvi. I took it for about 5 years and noticed minimal side effects. I feel like birth control pills really help stabilize people who have hormonal mood problems to begin with; but if they are fine to begin with, they throw it off balance and cause side effects. I was not fine to begin with. Very irregular, heavy, painful periods, hormonal acne, and PMDD. Gianvi stabilized me. One thing I did notice was my hair growth pretty much stopped for some reason, which was weird. But that was the only side effect. Cleared my skin."

• geo...
• January 7, 2013

For Acne "I just started on this birth control. I switched from Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. Unfortunately, I have horrible acne on my back and some on my face, especially during that time of the month. Since I started taking this birth control, I have noticed the acne on my back is starting to clear up. My face is getting better also. I noticed I'm not as hungry either. I haven't experienced crazy mood swings or depression, even if I did, I'd probably stick it out because I've had back acne since I was 16 years old, and I'm 21 now. I'm ready for my back to look normal again. I recommend this pill."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 22, 2019

For Acne "Okay, so first off, I LOVE Gianvi. It’s helped me so much with my acne. I’m currently 18 and have been dealing with hormonal acne since 6th grade. I don’t have complaints about it at all. It did make my skin worse at first, but now I’m acne-free! After so long of dealing with hormonal acne, it’s done me so good, and now I’m more than confident with myself and my face, mostly! As for the pill itself with preventing pregnancy, I’d also give that a good 10/10. My boyfriend and I both love it. We’re very active in sexual activities, and no pregnancy scares at all or any of that. I’m very happy with my experience now, and I will continue taking Gianvi for a real long time. I do recommend it!"

• San...
• May 19, 2016

For Menstrual Disorders "The pill worked wonders for me, after being diagnosed with PCOS when I was 17. I was overweight, pimply, and struggled with chronic depression. I was originally prescribed Yaz but then began taking the generic, Gianvi, because of insurance reasons. I personally couldn't tell any difference between the two. This pill cleared up my acne, improved my depression, gave me light, short bleeds every month on the clock (as opposed to heavy periods every 4-6 months lasting 10 days to two weeks!), and it helped me lose a lot of weight over the course of a year. Unfortunately, I haven't been taking it for the past couple of years, and it's been rough. I greatly look forward to going back on it soon."

• Hap...
• July 14, 2013

For Birth Control "Regardless of all the negative reviews, I tried this birth control, and I do like it a lot. After about 3-4 packs, it cleared up my acne (I'm on the inert pills of my 5th pack now), it has relieved my menstrual cramps, helped to regulate my hormones, and is very effective as a birth control. I like pills that force me to bleed if I miss too many days, which helps to ward off sexual activity that could grant me an unwanted pregnancy. This does just that. After about two missed pills, you receive your period, and during the inert pills, you actually get a period and don't just spot. My insurance usually covers it, and it was $36 for three months, but recently it has become free of charge after my insurance coverage switched and covered contraception."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2012

For Birth Control "I have been on Gianvi for 8 months now. At first, I was an emotional wreck, like almost all the reviews on here, but after your body gets used to the added hormone, it does go away. It took about 3 months for the acne to go away also. After about the 3-month mark, Gianvi was perfect for me. I have no bloating when my period starts, my period is perfectly on schedule, less cramping and bleeding than before, no more migraines, and no mood swings. It's almost like I'm not even on my period anymore. But, as someone said before, you have to try it to know if it'll work for you."

• joj...
• July 29, 2015

For Birth Control "I started taking Gianvi about one month ago. Prior to that, I was on Heather for 2 years. I was prescribed Heather because I was a nursing mother. I had bad breakouts with Heather and inconsistent long periods. After nursing, I wanted to switch to a more effective birth control. I was prescribed Apri and went through an emotional roller coaster. I was only on Apri for 2 weeks, and my breakouts were worse than they have ever been. After Apri, I was switched to Gianvi. Wow, what a difference. I have been on it for just shy of 1 month, and my breakouts have stopped. I have some scarring from my previous breakouts, but they are fading. I have noticed that my mood seems to be 'normal.'"

• Tas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2019

For Birth Control "Have been taking this a full month now. I started because I developed hormonal acne during my period, but now I’m actually regretting starting the Gianvi!!! My skin is so bad. Actually terrible. Little tiny bumps all over my face and pus-filled pimples, cysts. You name it. Eating away at my face. It’s only been a month, so I’ll wait 2 more because I heard that can happen. If no changes, I’m off this ASAP. Otherwise, I haven’t experienced any of the mentally altering side effects, my mood is the same. No depression or panic attacks. Oh, also unsure if I’m spotting or if I got my period and it’s very light?"

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 31, 2019

For Acne "I started taking this because I would get one or two cystic pimples near the time of my period that would lead to bad scarring. I figured I would give Gianvi a try since it is known for treating hormonal acne. I have only been on it for two months. Although I have read that it can take at least three months or longer to fully adjust, I am going to stop taking it. I’ve tried a few different birth control pills before, but this one has been the worst for me. I have experienced irregular bleeding, bad headaches that can last days at a time, weight gain, and the worst acne I’ve ever had in my life. All of these symptoms have made me depressed. Maybe I should’ve waited another month to see, but it wasn’t worth it to me. Everyone reacts differently, so you have to try it out for yourself. I’ve read that some girls had their skin clear up in two weeks. Sadly, I did not have a positive experience on this birth control."

• Ind...
• August 18, 2017

For Acne "I am not one to write reviews, but I'm compelled to warn others about the serious side effects I've experienced. I took Gianvi after I took Yaz, and because both pills contain the same amount of hormones, I thought that I would have the same fine experience with Gianvi as I did with Yaz. Upon my first week into the pill, I became depressed and dealt with some serious anxiety. These mental symptoms only worsened as the days progressed, and as I approached the end of the pack, I suffered constant suicidal thoughts. Once I realized that this pill was the cause of my madness, I immediately stopped. It's been 2 days since I last took the pill, and I feel better already. Also, the pill did nothing for my moderately to severe acne."

• TSa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2019

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I was on Nikki for about 4 months for PMDD. According to my doc, it should've been working by the 3-4 month range. And while it took my period away (yet added spotting) and lowered some symptoms, it really only took away any predictability of my cycle. Instead of knowing exactly when to expect my downturn, I would wake up each day wondering if it would be a good day or a bad day filled with thoughts of suicide, nausea, and panic attacks. When my 4 packs of Nikki were done, I requested Gianvi. I've only been on it a week, but I've noticed significant improvement. My breasts are still VERY tender/swollen, and my acne's still flaring, but I've actually been able to play with my daughter and enjoy it. I've been able to handle my high-anxiety dog without losing my mind. It's not perfect, but to not have the Jekyll/Hyde complex that is PMDD, even for just a week, has been amazing. I definitely intend on continuing with Gianvi for a while. Hopefully it continues improving my quality of life."

• Anonymous
• December 2, 2010

For Birth Control "I had been taking YAZ for the past two years, and my doctor decided to put me on Gianvi. I have been taking it for the past two months, and so far, everything is fine except the fact that I now have horrible acne. I never really had acne problems before taking Gianvi. I decided to wait out this next month to see if there will be any change, if not, then I will stop using it and try something else. I will write back at the end of the month for an update."

• cb1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2012

For Birth Control "I've been on Gianvi for about three months now. It's been amazing for my period, which was heavy, long, and always a miserable experience. I bled for a whole month when I first started taking it, but my doctor said that was normal... so I loved what it did for my period. What I did not love is that I am so hungry all the time on this pill, and although I haven't gone too overboard with eating, I've gained 10 pounds since starting the pill. It has done nothing to help my acne, it has made me lazy, and my mood swings are out of control... I'll become a sobbing mess out of nowhere."

• Naa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 27, 2018

For Birth Control "I am so glad there are other reviews here. I thought I was losing my mental health. This pill has made me an absolute crazy person. I can't tell you the effects this has had on my life and my relationships (friends, work, boyfriend). I've been extremely depressed and have had bursts of rage and/or tears. I started to realize (in the midst of an emotional breakdown) that the way I was reacting to things was not normal. I finally connected the dots and realized it was because my pill changed to Gianvi 3 weeks ago. I've been on BC for 10 years, so I don't think it was just an adjustment. Also had really bad acne, but that was the least of my worries."

• hol...
• January 4, 2016

For Acne "Throughout puberty, I had always had mild blemishes. Usually, nothing too serious, occasionally cysts around the time of my menstrual cycle. However, I've always been very self-conscious about my skin, and I wanted a fix once and for all. I visited the dermatologist and was prescribed topical medications, but they didn't really do anything for the hormonal cysts. So finally, I went on Gianvi, and I am so glad I did. There was an initial breakout, and it was terrible, but after 4 or 5 months, there was evidently a drastic change. I no longer get any blemishes or cysts of any sort. I am a bit more emotional than I previously was, but the clarity and overall radiance of my skin is definitely worth it."

• Kim...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 9, 2018

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I started Gianvi in March of last year and requested this brand specifically because a friend had told me how well it worked for them, and it is the generic for Yasmin, which is often used to treat PMDD. I was seriously suffering mentally and emotionally every month before starting Gianvi. Granted, I have battled depression/bipolar disorder for quite some time, but everything was so much darker right before my period. I was extremely irritable to the point where everything set me off and I'd get violent, I was crying uncontrollably, completely hopeless, suicidal, etc. In addition to this, I also suffered from pretty bad acne (I'd get large, painful, cystic-like pimples every month that would then often take months to go away). While I still do get acne (I've had it since my early teen years), I no longer get the kind of acne I had been, and it is much more manageable. I'm so glad I gave Gianvi a shot."

• Fox...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 13, 2021

For Acne "I started this birth control for acne around my chin and jawline. It was mainly whiteheads and clogged pores. I would get about 2-3 breakouts a week. I’m on week 2 of this medication, and I’m definitely experiencing the WORST breakouts. Lots of cystic acne on my jaw and chin (like 8-10 spots). Legit embarrassing to go in public type of breakouts. I’m praying it’ll clear up in the next couple of weeks, but I’m absolutely one of those who is experiencing a worse before better (hopefully)."