Gianvi and Weight Gain: What Users Say

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

For Birth Control "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!"

• 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."

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

For Birth Control "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!"

• 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."

• sad...
• February 24, 2020

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "This pill was great for the first couple of months. My acne cleared, which was a problem due to my PCOS, and my periods were finally regular. I could feel these mood swings coming on, but I felt like a demon. This all hit me full force after I passed the third month. I was irritated at the smallest things, zero libido, it was an out-of-body experience. My self-esteem plummeted to where I never wanted to even look at myself, severely depressed and anxious, which I have not struggled with in the past, and gained 15 pounds out of nowhere. I couldn’t go an hour without crying. One day I almost had to pull over while driving because I couldn’t breathe. The way these hormones hit me was a nightmare, I am never ever going back to the pill. I’ve done too much trial and error for this, it’s not worth my mental health/state of mind. One week off of it and I feel like myself again, thank goodness. Avoid Gianvi if you want to keep your brain the same!!!!"

• 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."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• January 20, 2012

For Acne "I've only been on Gianvi for a month, which I know is a short period of time, so my experience could totally change. So far, I'm loving it. My side effects from Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo are finally going away (awful acne, mood swings, weight gain), and I feel amazing. My moods have never been better. I've been having breakouts, but it's right before my period, so that's expected. Just hope it goes away after that and stays this way."

• xKa...
• May 14, 2014

For Birth Control "I've been taking Gianvi for about 4 months now, and at first, I really enjoyed it. Now I'm feeling nauseous, my breasts are swollen and painful, and I've had a headache every other day for a month. I've also noticed a slight weight gain, and I'm moody as hell, not to mention my sex drive is gone. I'm so frustrated, I want off this pill and back on my old one, Ocella. I'm calling my doctor and demanding to switch back so I can stop being a monster and enjoy my sex life with my fiancé again."

• Anonymous
• April 30, 2013

For Birth Control "I used to have been on birth control for four years now - 2 years on Yaz and 2 years on Gianvi. Both pills work really well for me. My sex drive wasn't affected, I haven't had a zit in years, and my periods are light and regular. However, my breasts got a lot bigger over the 4 years (great for my boyfriend, not so much for me), and I have gained weight. It also has made it harder to lose weight. I went off the pill for about three months in the first year of using the pill to see if I wanted to stay on it, and I lost a lot of weight right away, but everything else was irregular. However, I haven't been pregnant once, and that is the main reason I take the pill, so it's been a good and reliable method for me."

• SW1...
• April 5, 2012

For Birth Control "I started Gianvi because my Yaz switched to the generic. I did notice a larger growth in my breasts (nice) with an overall weight gain in 3 months of about 6 lbs (not so nice). I had nausea in the morning-I have never had that before and now dread what morning sickness must feel like. I also broke out like a teenager with cyst-type acne along my jawline, which after 3 months is just about clearing up with leftover spot marks. I did notice that I got yeast infections and an increased pH level within days after I had sex (which I never had on Yaz or Yasmin). I did not notice any bad mood."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 24, 2020

For Birth Control "This is the worst birth control choice ever! I was originally on a generic form of Yazmin and decided to try a lighter dose because of weight gain/decreased sex drive. I also started to break out around my period and knew this was supposed to help with acne. Well, it didn’t. My forehead now has little bumps under the skin that go away and come back in a week! I’ve been super emotional, and I cry almost every day since starting my second pack, and my migraines are so much worse! I don’t have a history of depression. It takes a lot for me to cry! Now I can’t control it! And to top it all off, I’ve been spotting for a week and a half. I’m done with this pill and not taking the last 2 of my 2nd pack."

• Ali...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 26, 2013

For Birth Control "Gianvi works great to control my periods. I used to only get a period sporadically, once every four months or so. Gianvi regulates my period so I don't have to worry about it. My breasts grew tremendously on this pill. My boyfriend obviously sees this as a pro, but some of my clothes don't look as nice with these obnoxiously large breasts. I did gain some weight, but only because this pill increased my appetite. I still work out six days a week and do not feel sluggish. Gianvi totally cleared my skin except for the occasional pimple. My sex drive is the same. Overall, I would definitely recommend Gianvi as a birth control method."

• 454...
• April 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I just finished my second month of Gianvi, and it will be my last. CONS: Constant bleeding, gained weight, horrible headaches, and mood swings that make me feel crazy. PRO: No pregnancy, on-time period, went from a B to a C cup, no change in skin."

• fla...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 23, 2015

"I was on Yaz for a while. I had horrible mood swings, lots of crying around my period, and was very angry one hour after I took the pill. I was switched to Gianvi and was a little scared because it was generic. Best switch ever!! I was on this for 2 years. No more mood swings. I didn't gain weight. This pill was really tried for birth prevention, and it passed. I stopped taking it just because my doctor really freaked when I told her I started smoking. But I have stopped now, and I am back on this pill. I have tried others like Ocella and a few more, but I don't remember their names. They wrecked havoc on my body. So Gianvi works best with my body, and I love it! Highly recommend."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 11, 2019

For Birth Control "So I started on Gianvi, and it wasn't bad. It worked for a long time, no issues, then BAM! I gained almost 30 lbs within 3 months of being on this pill. I'm an active person, and I hadn't been able to lose the weight. Not only that, but I started to develop a rash on my forehead. Wondering why it wouldn't go away, I stopped taking the pills for a month, and the rash had gone away. Then when I went back on the pills, it came back, and it was so bad. I couldn't sweat, or it would burn, no makeup, and not even a hat could touch my forehead. Guess no more pills, because this one was the absolute worst and last."

• Jil...
• March 11, 2015

For Menstrual Disorders "I never got pregnant on this stuff, so it works well for that. I started taking this for my debilitating cramps and heavy periods, and it really didn't do much. Plus, I gained 15 lbs after starting this and had absolutely ZERO sex drive. I didn't even want my fiancé to touch me. I found myself being completely moody. It helped with acne, except when I was about to start my period, I broke out like crazy. Now that I am off, my sex drive is back to normal and my periods haven't really changed."

• Anonymous
• May 30, 2012

For Birth Control "I tried Gianvi last summer for about 4 months. I gained 20 lbs, and it's awful. I was at 110 before, and then towards the end of it, I was 130 lbs. Once I got off Gianvi, I lost most of the weight I gained. It did, however, help with my acne. I had pretty bad acne before, and Gianvi helped control it."

• 27y...
• December 19, 2011

For Birth Control "I'm so glad I tried this birth control. After reading all the negative reviews, I was honestly scared. I have been on it for 3 months now, and I have had a really good experience. No weight gain (may have even lost a few lbs), my skin looks the same (never had a problem with acne in the first place), and I can honestly say my mood swings are more stabilized the week before my period. I used to feel depressed for about a week and a half prior to getting my period, and now I only feel down during the four days where I'm taking the placebo pills. I had been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo in the past, and that made me gain approximately 10-15 lbs and made me have crazy mood swings, so I'm really glad I tried Gianvi despite the reviews."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2018

For Birth Control "The absolute worst birth control that I have EVER taken! I had to stop taking this pill halfway through the pack because of the side effects. One day I found myself crying totally out of nowhere, I was also becoming depressed, which is very uncommon for me, being that I'm a pretty jovial person. Another terrible factor for me was the heavy bleeding even after my period had ended. I already have extremely heavy and painful menstrual cycles as it is, so the fact that I was bleeding even more was a no-go for me. My appetite fluctuated from day to day, but I still gained a few pounds. I'll be switching to a different one ASAP."

• btl...
• June 19, 2017

For Birth Control "The good news: my boobs are bigger, and the acne around my chin area has subsided. Bad news: I've gained weight, and I'm always bloated. I've always had a flat stomach, but ever since I started taking the pill, I'm 24/7 bloated. All hell broke loose this weekend when I literally thought I was being possessed by the devil. I started bleeding heavily, and the cramping was relentless and unbearable. After a night out, I came home and was overwhelmed with depression and anxiety. I was hypersensitive to every sound, and I cried for 3 hours for God knows what reason. I'm hesitant to start this new pack after that hellish episode."

• Jax...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on it for 3 months, and it's pretty good. Your acne does get semi worse for the first couple of months, but at month 3, I can see that my skin is clearing up. I would say 8/10 in terms of how much it's helped my skin. I don't think I've gained much weight, but my boobs have definitely gotten bigger. No loss of sex drive for me, but it has not helped my period cramps/aches at all. I think it's only made my period marginally lighter. It does what it does fairly well, and it's completely covered by my insurance. There have been no negative side effects as of now."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2015

For Birth Control "I started this birth control to clear up my acne, prescribed by my doctor. My acne has gotten way worse, and I have gained 10 pounds, with the same diet and exercise daily. (I eat clean.) My breasts went from a B to a D, so thanks. But overall, this medication was a bad experience."

• Plo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 16, 2016

For Birth Control "For birth control purposes, never gotten pregnant. For acne purposes, my face used to be extremely broken out, and this definitely helped. However, I gained about 10-15 pounds with the year I was on it (my boobs grew, so that was a plus), and I started going into a depression and feeling like I was going insane. Needless to say, I switched."