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

• SDi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2014

For Acne "I mainly got on Yaz for acne, and I've been taking it for four months and have only seen a slight difference. I still break out really bad on my period, and it just seems like an ongoing cycle. The good thing about this is my period is very regular and SUPER light, which I love! I also don't experience cramping anymore. I am hoping that my acne starts to go away soon, though."

• Meg...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2021

For Birth Control "I did not like this birth control at all. For me, it helped me not get pregnant, but that was the only positive. It made me very hormonal, depressed, cramping 3/4 weeks of the month, and I experienced my first migraine I’ve ever had in my life, and it was insanely painful and agonizing. I stopped taking it after having that migraine, and I had only been taking it for 2 months. I finally decided all the negative side effects were outweighing the pros, and it wasn’t worth it anymore. I’m 28 and have taken birth control since I was 17 on and off. This was, by far, the one with the worst side effects for me, personally."

• Lan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 10, 2021

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "So I am ending my 3rd month of Nikki, and unfortunately I have gained about 10 pounds in the last 2 months. I’m very sensitive to hormone shifts, having PMDD for years, but really, since taking Nikki, I don’t feel any better. I know it can take months for the body to adjust, but I don’t know if I can stick this out any longer. The first 2 months I was nauseous almost every day, now my bloating is out of control, my stomach is always distended and worse right before my period starts. For the past two days I’ve had 2 people ask me if I was pregnant :(( I’m really over it. The only positive is my period went from 6-7 days to 3/4 with moderate bleeding. I still cramp 1-2 weeks before my period starts. It could work for you, but it just isn’t worth it for me at this point. I’m sad about it."

• bb8...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 13, 2013

For Birth Control "No significant weight gain, no cramping during period, period lasts for a shorter amount of time, no heavy bleeding (no spotting, either). Overall, I'm very happy with Ocella. I'm 24 and have been taking it for 5 years. At this point, I'm not even sure how my body would react to not being on birth control since it has been so long."

• Jen...
• June 3, 2017

For Birth Control "Yaz gave me horrible mood swings, depression, headache, sickness, leg cramps, hair loss, slow foggy brain, etc. I lost 1/4 of my hair. I'd feel so much headache to the point my brain became foggy when I tried to work. I couldn't read and think as fast as I could before I took the pill. It hurt my work performance and gave me horrible headaches and body cramps. My leg hurt really badly, possibly due to a blood clot. I quit it but got 5 big endometrial polyps while using Yaz although something else might have caused them. I had surgery to remove them a few months ago, and I have been sick and weak ever since, became anemic, and couldn't work for months. I get super dizzy from anemia at work now. My body isn't like it used to be."

• Jen...
• June 3, 2017

For Birth Control "Yaz gave me horrible mood swings, depression, headache, sickness, leg cramps, hair loss, slow foggy brain, etc. I lost 1/4 of my hair. I'd feel so much headache to the point my brain became foggy when I tried to work. I couldn't read and think as fast as I could before I took the pill. It hurt my work performance and gave me horrible headaches and body cramps. My leg hurt really badly, possibly due to a blood clot. I quit it but got 5 big endometrial polyps while using Yaz although something else might have caused them. I had surgery to remove them a few months ago, and I have been sick and weak ever since, became anemic, and couldn't work for months. I get super dizzy from anemia at work now. My body isn't like it used to be."

• Yaz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 27, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve used this medication for about a year and a half, and lately, over the course of the last 6 months, I noticed I am insanely depressed. I have never been depressed and have no reason to be depressed. The depression, irritability, cramps, headaches, and aches come rushing in a day or two before my period is coming, then different symptoms subside. Usually, the cramps and headache go away, but I’m stuck with everything else the duration of my period, which is about 5-7 days. I thought this was just a part of life, but after a while, I don’t want to believe this has to be my life just because of a period every month for the next 10+ years. So I’m going to try something different. Everybody is different, but this was my experience. I didn’t have hair loss or weight gain/loss, nothing else was affected, just the things I mentioned above. I’d say try it, but if you start feeling depressed and moody, blame it on the Yaz."

• Anonymous
• August 3, 2013

For Acne "I was on Yaz for 4 years for acne and pretty much had no problems. I did not experience any weight gain at all. It may have made me moody on the angry side at times, but I didn't find myself crying over nothing (I might have a short temper anyway). My acne did clear up but never completely, I have always still had a few pimples while on Yaz, but I was happy with the level it was, so I am not sure if it was Yaz or whether I only broke out due to stress in my final year of high school. Other than that, it lightened my period and eliminated any cramps that sometimes were so bad I would vomit. I only stopped taking it because I was sick of taking it every day, and it may have decreased my libido. But everyone's different."

• Emo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2014

For Birth Control "Made me very emotional and anxious. I felt like I was going crazy. It also made my periods irregular and gave me awful cramps. Only took for 4 months, and it caused me to have 3 very painful ovarian cysts. Was not the right birth control for me!"

• Emo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2014

For Birth Control "Made me very emotional and anxious. I felt like I was going crazy. It also made my periods irregular and gave me awful cramps. Only took for 4 months, and it caused me to have 3 very painful ovarian cysts. Was not the right birth control for me!"

• BWa...
• September 5, 2016

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I started Loryna for PMDD. Started on a Sunday. By Tuesday, I had 3 enormous, painful zits. By Thursday, I was in severe abdominal cramping pain. Similar to period/early labor pains. By Saturday, they landed me in the ER. Every lab test and ultrasound/X-ray was normal, so the only diagnosis that made sense was the pill. I'm currently on day 9 of my period, which would normally only last 5-6 days. Needless to say, it's in the trash now."

• Anonymous
• May 7, 2008

"I took birth control about 2 years ago (another pill and the patch), and neither worked very well. They both lowered my libido significantly. I've been taking Yaz for the past 2 months now, and although it doesn't treat EVERYTHING that I expect it to, I can't expect something like this to be perfect. I still have slight PMS, and there are the undeniable cramps, but it has a short period of time, and it keeps me from getting pregnant. I think it's actually raised my libido! Yaz = good!"

• 123...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2020

For Birth Control "This pill was absolutely awful! It was prescribed to stop my bloating, shorten my heavy periods, and make them less painful. The first month I had all of the secondary side effects listed. I was moody, irritable, exhausted no matter how much sleep I got, had debilitating cramps, was super bloated, my skin got worse, I had to pee at least once an hour if not more times, I had breast tenderness, my breasts got larger (even though I have worked out the entire time on the pill), and I had awful headaches (I never used to get headaches and I have one almost every day)! Since the sugar pills are only 4 days, my period didn’t even start until Sunday and lasted just as long as my normal period. It was awful! I am switching pills at the end of next week, and I do not recommend this to anyone!"

• Gra...
• August 8, 2016

For Birth Control "I've been on this medication for about three years now. The first few months were terrible. I broke out, had severe mood swings, I'd cry for no reason. After month four, I felt completely fine. No more mood swings or acne outbreaks. My period got lighter, I stopped cramping as much. The only problem I have now is that I don't get as wet as I used to. But that's what lube is for. And hey, I'm not pregnant, so it's doing its job."

• Kel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 9, 2016

For Acne "I've been on a few different kinds of birth control pills. Nothing really worked the way I wanted. One brand lowered my sex drive, another brand made my acne worse instead of better. Finally, I ended up trying Ocella even though I was nervous because of all the talk I hear about girls getting blood clots. But I must say, this works. I have mild cramps for a day or so, and it's only off and on. My periods are lighter and usually last about 4 days. My face is the clearest it's ever been. I should have been on this brand in high school. Once in a while, I'll get a pimple. And it hasn't affected my sex drive. It's an A in my book."

• Str...
• April 21, 2015

For Birth Control "I started taking this when I was 17 years old (now almost 22), and ordinary antibiotics weren't helping my acne problems. Before, I had unpredictable periods (often skipping once every several months for no reason), painful cramps, and a period lasting up to 7 whole days. Now I have a 99% clear face, a regular light medium period lasting 4-5 days, and NO cramps! I am not sexually active (never have been), so I'm not sure how effective it is for me actual birth control-wise, but my sex drive is much lower. I may end up finding a new brand once I get married later this year because of this side effect alone."

• KCa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2018

For Birth Control "My pharmacy switched me over from Gianvi to Nikki. Since taking Nikki, which has been for about 4 months now, my once clear skin has become a playground for acne. Not only is my skin a problem, but my periods, my horrible cramps have come back, and I never know when it's coming. One of the main reasons for being on birth control is to regulate my cycle and also help with my PMDD. I plan things around when my cycle will be, and with this I have had to miss wax appointments because my period just shows up randomly. Can't forget to add the headaches, nausea, weight gain, blurred vision, and the biggest problem being mood swings and aggression it has caused me. I have found myself becoming increasingly aggressive, and that's not me. Thank goodness I went and saw my doctor last week, and I have now been switched back to Gianvi. I can't wait to feel back to normal again."

• ESm...
• December 3, 2017

For Acne "This pill has cleared up my acne and regulated my period! I used to never get my period, and now I get it every single month. I did go up a few bra sizes, but I remain the same weight overall. It did make my period very heavy and very painful, along with bad emotional breakdowns on the sugar pills. Other than that, I really like this pill!"

• Jen...
• June 7, 2011

For Menstrual Disorders "Before I started using Yaz, I was very scared because of all the bad things people had said. After finishing my first pack of Yaz, I noticed a lot of spotting and some odd bleeding now and then. I am 16 years old and had been switching pills for a while now because none of them seemed to suit me. I use Yaz for period pains ONLY and have noticed a huge improvement in my cramps, there still are some mild cramps, but not near as bad as they were before. Already my breasts have gotten bigger, which I don't really mind because I was near the smallest bra size you can get. My mood is completely fine. My skin has never been acne-prone, but it hasn't broken out at all. I haven't noticed any side effects. I love this pill."

• Kan...
• October 10, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been taking the Gianvi birth control pill for the past 3-4 months and have experienced more good than bad. The first couple of things I've noticed that's different are my skin and period cycle. For one thing, it did what it was supposed to do and regulated my period. I used to get my period every other month during random days. It was irritating because I never knew when it would come. For my skin, it's improved a good amount, but I'm not someone who had bad skin to begin with. I noticed I stopped getting pimples altogether, and when I do, it's rare (I promise I have a bad skin routine too, so I was surprised.) I haven't gained weight and I didn't experience any decline in my mental health. The only thing that it didn't help with was my period cramps. My OBGYN told me this was supposed to help, but my cramps are just as sore. I also noticed that my periods are longer than when I wasn't on birth control. I used to only have my period for 5 days, but now it's the full 7 days."

• dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2023

"I wish I had taken this earlier! Don't be discouraged by negative reviews, as everyone's bodies react differently. Over the past two years, I've been struggling with depressive episodes, excessive facial hair growth, hair loss on my head, and difficulty losing weight. Additionally, I have a history of a recurring cyst on my left ovary that can impact my hormones. Realizing that I needed to take action, I consulted with a doctor who suggested the 'mini-pill,' which turned out to be a terrible decision. The extra progestin caused breakthrough bleeding and made me feel mentally unstable. After abandoning that doctor, I sought out a women's health specialist who promptly prescribed Yasmin, primarily for my hair issues but also with the theory that it could boost my mood. To my delight, she was right! I haven't experienced any weight gain, and in fact, I'm slowly shedding some pounds. My hair has been falling out less, but I have noticed some cramping and a bit more fatigue. Overall, though, Yasmin has been fantastic!"

• jpa...
• April 8, 2016

For Birth Control "As far as birth control... never got pregnant. That is the only plus. Horrible cramps, heavy bleeding, soaking through tampons in an hour or less, passing of large clots, headaches. Looking forward to switching off to a different BCP."

• bir...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 24, 2023

For Birth Control "I had a great experience with Yaz. I have been on it for about two and a half years now. I originally got on it for cystic hormonal acne, and I can tell you that my face has never been clearer! It took a couple of months for me to get accustomed to Yaz, but after that, my acne went away and my mood was so much better. I used to suffer from bad PMS that would make me very anxious and depressed. My periods used to be very heavy and painful and ten days long, and Yaz has made them lighter, shorter, and minimum pain/discomfort. My breasts also grew about one to two cup sizes. I feel my hair is growing faster and thicker. It also reduced some of my body hair! Overall, I love Yaz. Don’t let the bad reviews scare you, Yaz is different for everyone, and it has worked wonders for me."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2018

For Acne "I'm almost done with my 2nd pack now, and my acne got worse! This is the worst since the day I was born! It is all cystic acne and very painful! The only good side effect that I can see right now is I don't get cramps. But I will still give it 2 more packs before I give up on it completely. I'll be back to give a review again."

• Cla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2018

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I suffered PMT in my youth, and after years of being free, at the age of 42, the condition came back with even more severity. I was prescribed Yasmin by my gynecologist, and the first month was fantastic. I am now in my second month, and my symptoms are worse than ever. I have constant headaches, severe bloating, cramps, breakthrough bleeding, and chronic fatigue. I am hoping the third month will regulate my cycle and settle the symptoms."