Drospirenone / ethinyl estradiol and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Bes...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I had very bad PMDD, and Loryna cleared all my symptoms, including awful headaches, acne, severe mood swings, literally the whole package. I've been on it for three years, and it has been great. I am also sexually active and have had no scares. I start my pill pack on a Tuesday, and I never have my period on a weekend. It's amazing!"

• Anonymous
• January 30, 2021

For Birth Control "Yaz was fine at the start for the first 3-4 months, but after that, I’ve been having the worst headaches. I feel constantly low, which has never been an issue before in my life. My eczema began to flare up extremely badly, and I’ve had tonsillitis 3 times, an ear infection, styes in my eye due to a weakened immune system, all within the time period of 6 months. The only positive is my skin, which has been completely cleared."

• 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."

• PTa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 27, 2018

For Birth Control "I have been taking this birth control for years now. About a year ago, I had to come off of it for a month or so. During that month, my moods drastically changed. I felt happier, had tons of energy, and I was less hungry. I thought for a second that this could be attributed to me stopping Nikki, but I convinced myself it was all in my head. Recently, I inadvertently skipped a week of my Nikki because I left my pills at home while I was traveling. Again. My mood was amazing, and I didn't feel the need to nap during the day. I thought nothing of it until now. I started taking Nikki again after returning home. It’s been 2 days. I’ve been in the worst mood all day. Crying, angry, and depressed for absolutely no reason and a horrible headache. This cannot be a coincidence."

• Cha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 10, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been using Yasmin now for about 6 months and absolutely love it. It has cleared my skin so much, giving me much more confidence. I don’t experience any headaches, mood swings, or anything bad at all really. Also, my boobs have gotten bigger since taking it, which is a bonus. I know it’s a 21-day pill and you are meant to have a period on it, however, as I have quite heavy periods, I asked the doctor if I could just take it back to back without having a break for a period. I was told this was fine by 2 doctors and that it would not affect me whatsoever in the future of family planning!"

• Sma...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 28, 2020

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "This medication is awful! First three months I broke out terribly in my chest and had severe headaches. Figured I needed time to adjust. Then last month, I started getting bad pain in my ovaries-Yaz had caused a huge cyst-never had it before. Required surgical intervention. Not to mention, my periods came whenever, wasn't even a period though, just bloody discharge and horrible cramps that sent me to the ER once because they made me vomit for four days straight. OBGYN pulled me off of it ASAP!"

• ANA...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 1, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been taking Nikki for a couple of months now, and it helped my acne so well. I have taken Sprintec and Ortho Tri-Cyclen before, and none helped. Also, it has only 4 days of sugar pills, thus shorter, lighter, and painless periods. I love it! I sometimes skip those days to keep my skin clear because I tend to break out during period days. I also had very bad side effects with other pills, such as headaches, weight gain, etc. I haven't had any of these with Nikki."

• Use...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2019

For Birth Control "About to finish my first month of this Ocella birth control. I was prescribed it by my gynecologist for my acne because my Tri-Sprintec wasn’t helping anymore. So far, this has been one of the worst months - horrible headaches, chest pains, and the worst would be the anxiety I’ve experienced. I’ve always had anxiety, but this past month it has been completely out of control and crippling. I’m not sure what I’m going to do because I’ve read it takes three months for my body to get used to the BC, but I don’t know if I can take this much longer."

• RR1...
• June 1, 2019

For Birth Control "I was on Yasmin about 4 years ago and seemed to be doing okay. Then when I went to get my prescription, my doctor said Yasmin was too dangerous due to blood clots, etc., so I had to go on Rigvidon (UK contraceptive pill generic of Nordette or Levora 0.15/30). Rigvidon turned my life upside down for 18 months - horrendous anxiety for no reason, the start of depression, major brain fog, socially withdrawn, and crying nearly every day. I was pill-free for around 3 years after that awful experience. I decided to go back on Yasmin recently as the pill makes my spot-prone skin (at nearly 30) so clear, improves painful and heavy periods, and obviously as contraception. However, after just two months on it, I am absolutely exhausted, constant fatigue even though sleeping well, feeling lazy, down, distant, and not interested in anything, intense headaches the day before and of my period starting, and generally feeling like I could sleep 24/7 and don't want to work or speak to anyone. I will be coming off again now as it's just not worth it!"

• Anonymous
• August 20, 2019

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "So I was put on this pill about 4 months ago because I had lost my period for over 9-10 months due to rapid weight loss, and I had done everything to try and get it back, so the gynecologist put me on Yaz to force me to get my period. I think the pill is great, I don’t really experience a lot of the side effects except for a little weight gain, which I don’t know is from not going to the gym consistently like I used to or from water retention. But I have noticed that my boobs have grown like 2 sizes bigger. I also get headaches once in a while, but that’s not a big deal."

• Arr...
• March 3, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm currently still on Yaz because my mother won't let me off of it. I'm 18 and not using Yaz for contraception but for depression and anxiety, which I find horrendous that my doctor has kinda just gone, 'you're a female, it must be your period!' Idiot. However, Yaz was kind of working at the start, everything has gone downhill, and now in my fourth month of using it, I'm thinking of stopping taking them against my doctor and mother because my periods are irregular. I drink a lot of water, but I'm constipated daily. I have funny discharge, I've put on weight, I have headaches and feel dizzy. Closer to my period, I get sick and feel like vomiting, and I'm not happy. These pills don't help me how they're supposed to, they just hurt me."

• kay...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 7, 2023

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "Yaz literally saved my life. I'd been suffering from PMDD for several years without knowing, and after a lot of digging later, I discovered I might have it. I genuinely could not live the way I was anymore and was about to end my life. I was desperate for anything to make it so I could breathe again (I was so incredibly depressed and anxious I'd have panic attacks for hours every day, multiple times a day, and couldn't get out of bed to go to the bathroom. I couldn't stand in the shower without sobbing, etc., for 3 weeks straight each month. It was impossible to function. I tried this. It took about 2 months for me to start feeling alive. I have to be very rigid about taking this at the same time every day, if I am an hour or two off for 2 days in a row, all my symptoms come back in full swing and usually stay for at least a month straight, and there is nonstop bleeding/spotting. The only side effect I have experienced so far (it has been about 13 months) are minor headaches every once in a while. It saved me."

• DDa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 13, 2019

For Acne "Prior to the Gianvi birth control pill, I was taking Zarah, and it was a godsend. No issues at all with Zarah birth control until Walgreens pharmacy stopped carrying it. I've tried a bunch of other generics, but I feel like Gianvi is my best bet. I don't get headaches or extremely dry during intimacy. My skin is pretty flawless except for these tiny bumps on my chin- a lot of them too. I never had this issue before, and they're not closed comedones or cysts. If I try to pop them, they come out like hard seeds. Even with a chemical exfoliant like BHA, it's hard for these to leave my chin."

• Jil...
• March 12, 2021

For Acne "I took Yaz for a month, and it messed me up. I was getting headaches all the time, I cried at every little thing, my acne didn't improve at all, and my period never fully went away after my cycle should have been over. (Meaning I had my period and then spotted for the rest of the month.) Now that I'm off Yaz, I have horrible anxiety and panic attacks. I didn't have anxiety or panic attacks before taking the pill. I don't recommend this tiny pill, it is awful and will screw you up. I've had to have so much blood work and EKGs (testing my heart's rhythm) to see if it's a thyroid disorder or my body just adjusting after the pill. Don't do it, it's not worth all of the trouble."

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 27, 2018

For Acne "I’m 32 and I started taking Yaz 3 months ago for birth control and also for helping with pimples and PMS. I have just thrown the packet in the bin as these last three months have been the worst. Headaches, no help with pimples, it has actually made it 10 times worse. I went from a few pimples here and there to full acne around my chin and cheeks. I have felt a very dark cloud above me, and it was just getting worse. I had no passion for life, everything was a struggle. I hated who I was, and as a whole, I was broken and very lost! My periods were regular, though my vagina was so dry all the time, and I had no libido. My husband saw massive changes in me and became extremely concerned for my well-being. I was not motivated and wanted to sleep all the time. I’m only 2 days off it currently and just want to feel like me again. Please, if you are considering this pill, it’s just not worth trying it because if it doesn’t suit you, then you will be going through the worst few months of your life. Not a good idea."

• Mis...
• April 3, 2011

For Acne "Took Yaz for 3 years and loved it. Have been using Gianvi for 6 months and have not noticed any difference at all. I skip all inert pills and start a new pack and did the same thing with Yaz. Without doing so, I get bad headaches. No breakthrough bleeding. No increased acne issues."

• Anonymous
• August 30, 2010

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I was given this generic by my pharmacy, who did not inform me that it was a generic that my insurance company told them to give me even though the doctor has specifically prescribed Yaz to treat my PMDD symptoms. My main PMDD symptom was menstrual migraines. After about 2 weeks of being on Gianvi, I was suffering from constant headaches that got progressively worse until my doctor told me to stop taking it. In addition to this side effect, I suffered from persistent muscle spasms and extreme changes in appetite."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been on this pill for 3 months, and so far, it has been fairly good. Pros: - regular periods - low cramping - PMDD not as bad - doesn't cause acne - no crazy mood swings - prevents pregnancy, as it should! Cons: - weight gain/ difficulty losing weight - massive breast size increase (good for some people, but not me) - headaches during placebo week - mild stomach upset on the first day of resuming medicated pills. I am guessing that the lack of real effectiveness on my acne is due more to my weight rather than the pill itself. Hopefully, after a few more months, it will be better!"

• liz...
• July 26, 2009

For Birth Control "I took Yaz prior to my second pregnancy and absolutely loved it. No side effects, so I decided to go ahead and start back on it after I was done breastfeeding my second child. I have some other health conditions, so it has taken me 6 months to link the side effects to the pill. I have had horrible headaches that would grow into migraines, which is not good, especially with a 3-year-old and 1-year-old. I am beyond tired, I can sleep 20 hours a day if I didn't have children. I am beyond moody and irritable, which has had a huge impact on my relationship with my husband, children, family, and friends. I have not had a major decrease in sex drive but have had a dramatic change in vaginal dryness that would make times unbearable."

• Idk...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2020

For Birth Control "It's been 4 months on this pill, and the 2nd month was probably the worst. I had nonstop spotting for a week. After that month, however, I had much lighter, shorter periods. Appetite: noticeably increased, not sure if BC or cold weather or holiday season. Weight: no noticeable change. Energy: no noticeable change. Mood: no noticeable change. Negative symptoms: headaches/migraines, temporary spotting one month. Positive symptoms: shorter period, significantly less acne."

• Gis...
• December 23, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on Yasmin for about 5 years because I experienced horrible cramps due to cysts. At first, I gained weight, but then after, I lost it. My cramp pain decreased, and it regulated my period. I didn't experience acne, but I did have constant breast tenderness. After so many years of taking it, I stopped because I was experiencing bad headaches. Now I'm currently looking for different birth control."

• Anonymous
• December 1, 2009

For Birth Control "I've been using Yaz for about 6 months now. Here's what I have experienced. I do have headaches. My sex drive has increased, believe it or not. My skin is clear. Also, before taking Yaz, I wouldn't have my period for 3 months. Then, when I did have it, it was unbearable. Now, my monthly cycles are very light, but the cramping is still the same. I believe Yaz has helped me tremendously."

• Ash...
• May 10, 2010

For Birth Control "Yaz gave me immediate bloating, gas from the day I started taking it. In addition, I had severe headaches and fatigue. My breasts grew a cup size, which was bad to me because they hurt all the time, and my boobs aren't small to begin with. I wanted to sleep all the time and was ready to be in bed by 7 pm every night. It made me lose my desire to exercise. On a positive note, it made me feel a lot less anxious than Loestrin 24 FE did. However, the cons outweighed the pros for me, and I started Loestrin 24 FE after and like it much better."

• Kim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 1, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ll just start by saying if I could rate this drug -10, I would. I was on this pill for 2 months, and in that time, I developed severe depression, didn’t want to leave the house, had the worst anxiety and self-worth issues. I felt so low and even had such dark thoughts. My first period after starting the pill was the worst experience of my life, the pains were excruciating. The pain woke me up in the middle of the night, and it was so bad that I was contemplating going to A&E. I couldn’t even stand up straight, and I’ll also mention that I have a high pain tolerance, and periods never usually affect me. I initially went on the pill to clear my acne, and it did clear a little, but I’m not sure if it was Yasmin or other medication that helped. Since coming off the pill, I’ve had such bad headaches and unbelievably dry eyes, which sting, cause blurry vision, and are very annoying. I also had a lot of hair loss on my temples. I was only on this for a short time, and all of this happened."

• gol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2020

For Birth Control "Nurx switched me from Nikki to Loryna with no warning, due to a lack of availability of Nikki. Ok, I decided I would try Loryna. What a mistake. I have never experienced such bad anxiety and headaches in my life. I do not recommend switching!"