Drospirenone / ethinyl estradiol and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 18, 2023

For Birth Control "*Disclaimer* this may not be the pill causing me to feel like this, however, it’s very convenient timing. I started the Yasmin pill 2 weeks ago, and I have already had to stop it. About a week in, I started experiencing insanely low mood. I was angry, depressed, and questioning everything about myself. I do already suffer with anxiety, however, it seemed to worsen significantly. I would wake up every two hours at night. I just all around felt awful. I could not stop overthinking, and I felt as though I was going crazy. Seeing the negative reviews on here is both scary and relieving, as a lot of people seem to have felt the same. I would not recommend, from my point of view, however, everyone is different. I have only had two days off, so I have not yet given myself enough time to see if my mood improves."

• Ano...
• December 10, 2019

For Birth Control "Went on Yaz twice for short term to skip period for travel. However, both times had side effects of headaches and difficulty breathing every day, severe anxiety (social anxiety + became paranoid of blood clots), extreme exhaustion (to the point where I had to sit down every few steps) and low motivation. Consulted doctor while overseas and he mentioned my pulse was very slow. We shook it off as me being inactive on holidays, but after some research I found that Yaz increases blood potassium, decreasing heart rate which increases chances of clots forming. Also had frequent urination and extended bleeding after period. Did not get nauseous per se but did feel that type of indigestion burning feeling in chest few hours after taking pill. The first time before I took Yaz, I was selectively reading the positive reviews but after this second round, I can't deny the side effects of Yaz and the possible dangers. I will be stopping Yaz tomorrow."

• Anonymous
• May 14, 2008

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "Taking Yaz was great. However, I did not know this until I stopped taking it only a month after being on it. My doctor recommended Yaz to help regulate my periods and premenstrual tension syndrome (PMS). It worked with the PMS, but my periods continued to be very light for an entire week and heavy for several days following. This is the reason I stopped taking them. Now I wonder if I made a mistake. The irritability and stress are back, I'm tired, eating uncontrollably, and overall I don't feel well."

• Anonymous
• September 1, 2010

For Birth Control "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."

• Gre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2021

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I've had a very positive experience with Yaz (Eloine in the UK), which has completely cleared up my previously debilitating PMDD. All of my symptoms have gone: the fatigue, nausea, difficulty concentrating, depression, anxiety, foggy-headedness, bloating, water retention, cravings, muscle aches, and insomnia. I've been taking it continuously for four months, and although for the first few weeks I noticed some of the side effects mentioned on the leaflet, such as tearfulness and breast swelling (also, I was hornier than usual!), these went and left me feeling really good. I don't notice a single side effect now, and I have more consistent energy and happiness. Also, no weight gain to speak of: I just had some fluctuations in water retention during the first month, and my shape has slightly changed (a little less fat on my stomach/more on my hips), but it's not extreme, and I feel good. I definitely recommend trying Yaz for PMDD, and I hope your experience is as good as mine!"

• Har...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 26, 2019

For Birth Control "While Yaz did increase my sex drive and increase my vaginal dryness, it made me extremely anxious and lose interest in things I once used to enjoy. Minor issues I would usually have no sweat about, Yaz would amplify my emotions tenfold. Will not use again."

• Gwe...
• September 30, 2019

For Birth Control "I do not recommend this pill. I was doing okay in life (regular period, no menstrual cramps, manageable mood swings, etc.), except I have acne, so I took this pill, replacing another pill that I thought was worse. It did not clear up my acne, but worse of all, in three weeks of taking this, I became from a super positive person to a crazy, angry all the time and so negative, and gets irritated by anything every 10 minutes, like literally every day. I had bouts of sudden depression, not just the ordinary sad/blues kind of thing, like literally crying for no reason in the middle of the night. It took me 3 weeks to figure out what has been causing me, and yes, it's the pill! When I decided to stop, I felt better. After stopping the pills, the anxiety and depression stopped. Try to read all the negative reviews on how this pill messed up their head and eventually their life."

• Cle...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 25, 2024

For Birth Control "I have been taking Yasmin/Ocella for more than 20 years. Ocella is the only Yasmin generic that doesn’t cause me any side effects. I have had such a positive experience taking this drug and terrible side effects when I’ve tried to change methods-weight gain, anxiety, unbearable cystic acne, all almost immediately on stopping. My only complaint is that it seems to be increasingly difficult for my pharmacy to keep this in stock and fill my orders in time."

• Anonymous
• July 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I was given Yasmin by my pharmacist because the pill I usually take was out of stock. The three weeks I was on it, I became incredibly depressed. I already have a history of mental illness and depression, but before recently had been doing well. Taking Yasmin affected my mental health incredibly. By the third week, my anxiety was at an all-time high, I was suffering horrible mood swings, I was crying on and off daily, and I was beginning to suffer suicidal thoughts. I stopped taking the pill a couple of days ago and already feel an improvement. I am never taking this again. The last three weeks have been awful. I am also disappointed in my pharmacist for not warning against this and just providing it as an alternative to the pill I was previously taking, which never resulted in these side effects. If you have a history of depression or mental illness, DO NOT TAKE THIS!!!!"

• Sto...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 1, 2021

For Birth Control "I started taking this pill when I was 14 to help regulate my periods and to be prepared when becoming sexually active. Fast forward to now, I’m 24, and have quit taking it altogether due to severe depression and anxiety. Reflecting back, I didn’t have any depression or anxiety symptoms prior to starting this medication. I read recently (within the past few years) that this birth control in particular can make depression and anxiety worse or start it up - so I quit taking it for a while as a trial run and felt TREMENDOUSLY better. I was happy again and didn’t have mood swings like I’ve had for years (I’m also on antidepressants and anxiolytics if that tells you anything). After a few months, I restarted it, and the same depressive and anxious episodes returned. I’m not sure if every birth control does this, but I do not recommend this one for the sole fact of maintaining mental sanity (depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts)."

• JO3...
• December 1, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on this birth control when I was a teenager and felt great. I had since been diagnosed with endometriosis and had to stop birth control for treatment. When I finished the 6-month treatment, I had to start birth control again. I tried a bunch of different birth control pills to try to minimize bleeding and pain. I had issues with acne, depression and anxiety, weight loss, breakthrough bleeding, severe cramping, painful sex, and a million other things. I asked to be put back on Zarah and should have done it years ago. My skin is completely clear, I have no depression and anxiety, it did not change my weight, there is no breakthrough bleeding, severe cramping, or painful sex. I feel 10 times better than being on no birth control. The best!!!"

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

For Birth Control "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!"

• QTa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 1, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve been using Yasmin for over a year now, and it’s cleared my skin and lightened my heavy periods, as that was the reason I had to go on it. But I cannot stop crying?!? Like I never would’ve been like that before, and now I never want to go anywhere or go out. I feel like I’ve pushed all my friends away. I just feel irritated that I’m so emotional and that I can’t do anything to help the situation, it’s so frustrating. Honestly, it’s a hit or miss for everyone, but there are more good days than bad days, which is a plus. I just feel a bit depressed and stressed out about every small thing and get worked up over nothing. But I don’t think I’d be able to stop taking it because it has done what it was supposed to as my periods have decreased a lot in cramps and duration. It would last a week, but with the pill, it lasts 4 days at the most!"

• Tes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2019

For Birth Control "My experience with this drug has been terrible. I was prescribed it to treat my endometriosis, and although it began to help that, it had other crazy side effects. I began to get severely depressed (not wanting to do ANYTHING, not even shower or brush my teeth), my anxiety has been through the roof, began having heart palpitations which then made my anxiety worse, headaches, difficulty sleeping, and tingling in my arms/legs. My doctor took me off of it over a week ago and I’m still struggling with these side effects. If given the option, DO NOT take this pill."

• Rik...
• March 8, 2017

For Birth Control "I'm 26 years old and have been using Yaz as a contraceptive for 1 year now (2016-2017). I had been taking it previously from 2013-2014 (prescribed to me 1st for menstrual cramps and oily/hormonal breakout skin). I was completely off Yaz in 2015 after noticing extreme side effects and am sharing this to let women know they're not alone in this whirlwind of emotion this pill brings along. I must say that it indeed cleared my skin and turned my menstrual flow into hardly anything and for 2 days only. Cramps still come... It started off with a noticeable shift in controlling anger/getting irritated really quickly. Then emotions heightening, most turning into major emotional breakdowns and then severe anxiety."

• Anonymous
• January 5, 2016

For Acne "When I was 13, I had horrible acne and a little overweight. After I took Yasmin for a complete month, my acne was just about completely gone, and after a couple more months, I even lost a few pounds! I did experience anxiety, but from reading some reviews about Yasmin, if you take a multivitamin, your symptoms will go away, including your sex drive problem caused by the pill. I haven't taken Yasmin for about a few weeks so that I could give my body a rest, but I want my Yasmin back!"

• Yas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 1, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on Yasmin for about two weeks, and it has caused me so much bad. I started experiencing severe anxiety, panic attacks, lightheadedness, and even problems with my vision. I’ve been off for about a week now, and things are slowly, very slowly leveling out. My eyes are still a bit messed up, and my panic attacks happen probably every other day or so, along with the dizziness. At first, doctors had no idea what was going on with me, which led me to a hospital visit because the panic attacks were so severe, as well as three appointments with my family doctor in just a week! And a CT scan to make sure I didn’t develop a blood clot in my brain from the pill! Unfortunately, I experienced some of the worst side effects of this drug! I’m extremely scared to even consider taking any form of birth control again! Please, if you care for health, don’t take this pill!"

• 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!!!!"

• cha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 10, 2020

For Birth Control "I have tried many contraception (pills and implants) but was happy with Yasmin. Boobs grew and I felt good while taking the pill. I did have increased anxiety and depression on the 7-day break due to hormones, but I enjoyed taking this. I've had to stop due to migraines and migraines with aura."

• Rav...
• December 6, 2019

For Birth Control "I started using Yaz, as I thought I was doing the right thing by my body, was actually 'happy' and was on it for many years. I had health issues on the side, which I worked to diagnose for many years. Oddly, doctors never made the correlation. I did stop taking Yaz so I could conceive, and within 3 months, all of my mystery medical issues disappeared. It was only then I made the correlation. It is from this experience I believe that over time, I developed IBS and malabsorption issues. This led to health issues such as anxiety, low iron, and low energy. These issues bring on a host of other issues as they have a follow-on effect. It is for this reason I would highly caution against Yaz."

• Lay...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 10, 2017

For Birth Control "I hated being on Yaz. It caused me to gain a lot of weight, so much so and so quickly it actually scared me. I was incredibly depressed and sad all the time, finding myself crying nearly every day, whereas I am normally a person who almost never cries or gets overly emotional. I had difficulty breathing and felt like my chest was weighed down. Anxiety and panic attacks became my daily norm. Another strange thing was it gave me little red bumps all over my face that weren't acne but just texture. I have been off Yaz for a year now, and I still have the red bumpy texture all over my face."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2019

For Birth Control "Only positive is my boobs looked amazing. I turned into a short-fused, depressed cow. Usually such a happy, placid, and understanding person. Was such a shock for my partner and caused massive arguments. I experienced brain fog, severe depressive moods, severe anxiety, and my pimples didn't budge. In the end, my relationship meant too much to me to stick it out on Yasmin. My sister also had the same experience."

• BCA...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 15, 2020

"YAZ was honestly a terror for me. It gave me the worst yeast infections of my life, made sex dry, painful, and unpleasant. It made me so emotionally high-strung and anxious. I felt bloated and insecure the entire time I was on it. I would not recommend YAZ to anyone, the only positives were that it cleared up my skin and I didn’t get pregnant while on YAZ. But considering all the other birth control options, I would never take YAZ again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 20, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been taking Yaz for 18 months now, and it’s been the worst experience of my life. I’ve become a completely different person. It’s made me anxious, depressed, and I feel completely numb. I just stopped taking it, so I’m hoping it gets better soon. It cleared up my acne, which is the only upside to it, but it’s not worth taking it."

• Can...
• April 28, 2018

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I started taking Yaz about 6 months ago. I suffer from very severe and painful PMDD and periods (I bloat for like 10 days before my period), have had a fibroid removed, ovarian cyst ruptures, etc., etc. (just bad luck overall with my reproductive system). Docs have put me on a lot of pills in the past. I have to say Yaz is the only pill that has ever helped with my physical symptoms. But it has also had the most crippling effect on my mental health. I've experienced sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, and worthlessness like never before. I cry at the drop of a hat (not normal for me), I can't focus (and I'm in grad school). If my boyfriend doesn't text me back for a couple of hours, I'm basically on my deathbed. It's crazy. I really thought I was going super crazy, but I'm pretty sure it's this pill. I'm going to see a doc about it to see what they have to say. It sucks what we have to go through - choosing between pain and discomfort or damaged emotional health!"