Drospirenone / ethinyl estradiol and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say

• Ryr...
• May 5, 2020

For Birth Control "I actually sought out user reviews to see if anyone else was benefiting as much as I am from this medication. I have bounced between Yaz and Lo Loestrin since I was 14 or 15. I am 22 now. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Yaz besides the spotting. The spotting can be annoying and as a teenager, I became anemic because of it. However, at 22 years old and with a much healthier diet, Yaz has been absolutely amazing. Lo Loestrin made me quite angry/have mood swings and would make me lose my breast tissue if I lost weight. On Yaz, my boobs have stayed despite dropping 15 lbs while taking it. I don't have angry mood swings when I take Yaz. My skin gets insanely clear when I take Yaz. My hair grows faster and thicker when I take Yaz (compared to Lo Loestrin). My sex drive is extremely high when I am on Yaz. I actually experience a lower sex drive when taking Lo Loestrin."

• Han...
• December 14, 2019

For Birth Control "2 years on Yasmin pills. 1. Beautiful, glowing, moist skin. 2. Proper period. 3. No pregnancy. Disadvantages: 1. Severe anxiety. 2. Depression. 3. Low sex drive. 4. Lost my sense of humor. 5. Nothing makes me happy and alive. 6. Morning sickness. 7. Dry mouth when I wake up from fear! 8. Lost my hair. 9. Foggy mind. 10. Lost my self-esteem. I came off the pills around a month and a half. I started doing my blood tests and started taking: - vitamin B - vitamin D - omega. Helped me a lot in recovering! I started drinking a lot of water to flush the hormones from my system. You're not alone! We all suffered from this pill. Believe me, you'll be the best version of yourself after focusing on your health. You'll be fine, give some time for your body to recover and be patient with yourself! Love yourself and don't think of people's opinion about you! You're in a temporary phase, and this shall pass with love. Stay strong! With love, H from Dubai."

• Ell...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 20, 2020

For Birth Control "I'm on Yasmin for 3 years. 3 very long years. I started on Yaz and had it for a year and had breakthrough bleeding, so I was told to go onto Yasmin. Well, I've gained two stone. Skin is spotty around the time of the month, which never used to happen. I cry if I'm tired or angry. I cry if something happens that wasn't supposed to. I'm very emotional. I've had enough of it now and am changing the pill after my break. My sex drive? Nonexistent. My mood swings? Dangerous. My body? Fat and tired."

• Ell...
• April 7, 2018

For Birth Control "Trying Yasmin for the first time and honestly, I was freaked out by all the bad reviews on the web! But a review from someone (a nurse) said everyone's body is different so you can't rely on others, and besides, people usually feel the need to write reviews when things are bad, and don't bother when it's good. So, I'm gonna give it justice. I've tried it for 2 weeks, expecting all these depression, mood swings, nausea, weight gain, loss of sexual desire, and all other things people say happen to them... to happen, but NO, nothing changed at all! All those did not happen at all! I know I only tried it for 2 weeks, but this review is to tell you all ladies out there, just try it; if your body 'matches' with the pill (like mine I guess, I hope it will continue like this), it feels amazing because you have the safety without any side effects!"

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

For Birth Control "I found this forum because I googled 'can Yasmin cause depression.' I was an extremely sporty and energetic person, my house was always clean, and I had loads of time for my children. I have been on this pill for, I would say, 8 months now, and I am a shell of myself. I have been for blood tests to see why I feel exhausted, weak, and sick constantly. I have no control over my emotions, have lost interest in life in general, and have zero sex drive. I am off it after reading this thread and cannot believe a pill may have done this to me. If you feel any of these side effects, stop immediately!!!"

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

For Birth Control "Highly do not recommend Yasmin. Advantages - no pregnancy, lighter periods. Disadvantages - weight gain, bigger breasts, no sex drive, decrease in hair quality. Within the first three months, I already had a UTI and a yeast infection, which I’ve never had before in the past. Overall bad for me, I started being way more anxious and stressed out, felt like it was way more difficult to be happy at all. Do not recommend at all! Feel so stupid as I didn’t link any of my symptoms till now, even though I only started having these issues after the pill."

• Lol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 16, 2014

For Birth Control "Mood improved dramatically, PMT gone! Completely, and this was becoming a problem as I'm 40, it seemed to be getting worse. I've lost a few pounds and find it easier to keep my weight down, it must be the diuretic and no fluid retention. Bigger breasts, a bit tender but better with time, I've been on it nearly 3 months now. Libido maybe even better, as I feel happier. This is by far the best pill I've been on, and I didn't take the pill for years because of the effects of weight gain and libido. I've tried Mirena twice, awful, mini pill, mini pill injection, cap, and coil. Finally found one that suits, now my GP won't prescribe it! I will try family planning."

• Vic...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 19, 2019

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "Best thing ever. Lifesaver. Game changer. I tried other BC but had the worst PMS (PMDD) - heavy, painful periods, depression, anxiety, and acne, which would lead to skin infections/inflamed skin for 2-3 weeks; I was miserable all month. Once I began taking Yaz, it felt like a veil lifted. Horrible PMS became a thing of the past. Physically, my boobs maybe went up a cup, and my skin cleared up. My periods weren’t as heavy or painful. I didn’t have as much of a sex drive, but for me, being sane was worth the trade-off. For me, the brand name worked best. Hands down."

• JOK...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 20, 2019

For Birth Control "This birth control pill Yaz has made me not recognize who I am. I was such a fun, outgoing, lovable person. I've been taking it for two months now, and it has almost ruined my relationship with my boyfriend. These past two months, I have cried, been annoyed (at anything), and lashed out at everyone around me. It has made me feel like I have no control over my body or my personality, I was once so proud of. I started taking it just to regulate my period, and all it has done is make me feel like garbage about my (usually confident) self, deleted my sex drive, made me aggressive, given me two UTIs, and dampened my mood completely."

• sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2016

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I just started Yaz almost 4 weeks ago. I am 42 years old, I have my tubes tied, so I don't need this for birth control, but I started having perimenopause issues and I needed something to fix my hormones ASAP. I actually asked for Yaz. The first three days I was extremely tired, but I was also extremely chill. After day 2, things started looking better, and each day after that it gets better and better. This has helped the moods quite a bit, right now, the only con is that my sex drive is lower, but I am going to give my body some more time to adjust to the hormones before I make any changes. I plan on taking this pill back to back to eliminate my periods. I'll check back in another month."

• Raw...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 16, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on this pill for the past ten years, and I love it. I've never had a menstrual cramp in my life, I never feel PMS symptoms (bloating, cravings, moodiness, etc.). It has been helpful with acne. One downside is my sex drive has diminished, but it's hard to tell if the pill is the culprit, as I've been on it for ten years. No weight gain from this either!"

• Cai...
• September 11, 2019

For Birth Control "It's been 3 weeks now, and I have decided to stop taking it. I was on Blisovi before. The Yaz pill made me EXTREMELY emotional. I have already been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and this pill made it that much worse. I began having really negative thoughts, along with emotional tantrums and horrible mood swings. My sex drive is at an all-time low. Please do not take this pill if you are prone to anxiety or depression."

• Anonymous
• August 3, 2009

For Birth Control "I have been taking Yaz for 1 month. My doctor asked me to try it for a couple more, so my body can get used to it, but I would rather just stop right now. I'm tired all the time, depressed, no sex drive. I had horrible cramps, worse than when I was in high school, and bad migraines the week prior to my period. I cry at the drop of a hat, and I'm really anxious. I do not like it, but I will give it one more month. We'll see."

• Cel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 20, 2021

For Birth Control "I began Nikki after my Paragard IUD had to be removed because it shifted positions. I wasn't comfortable going back to an IUD after that. I also wanted something to help my moderate acne. Once I started Nikki, my acne cleared up within the first pack. I took the pill religiously at the same time, and my doctor thinks that this helped with the benefits. I noticed my body hair grew less thick. My periods last a day and a half with moderate bleeding at worst. I've also had minimal cramping. I did gain ~7 lbs around my butt and lower tummy, which hasn't gone away. I also noticed that my sex drive is decreased. The reason that I'm changing is because my IBS symptoms became severe. I looked into it, and research suggests that Drospirenone can cause/worsen IBS. I think overall Nikki was great but wasn't the perfect fit 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."

• Anonymous
• October 6, 2008

For Birth Control "I'm just finishing my 1st pack of Yaz and couldn't be happier. A few years ago, I tried the shot, only once. It took a full year for my period to get back to normal. About a year ago, I tried a generic birth control pill. It was an effective form of birth control, which was the major reason I used it for, but similar to the shot, I had almost no libido, was very emotional, and had bad acne. My fiancé kept bringing up Yaz. I decided to give it a shot since he put up with me so long. I've been happy, acne is going away, no bad side effects, and libido is up. The only way to make it better is if it was cheaper. My insurance only takes off $10, so $50/month for BCP is the only downfall."

• Ano...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 11, 2019

For Acne "The Gianvi pill is the best of the best for acne! I had painful cysts for almost 20 years, and absolutely nothing worked. They wanted to put me on spironolactone, but my blood pressure is too low to take it. Gianvi was basically my last hope. It cleared the cysts themselves quickly, and then I had to go on a prescription cream to get rid of the scarring. My skin is now completely clear, and I even get comments about it. However, a huge downside to the pill: I have no sex drive at all. All I feel when I have sex is friction. It's awful. Now that I'm almost 40, I'm talking with my doctor about alternatives."

• Lin...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 11, 2021

For Birth Control "I went on Nikki for bad PMS symptoms, acne, and birth control in general. My moods were very stable, my skin was clear, and ultimately I had a great experience on it. No PMS either! Only symptom was that my libido was somewhat lower, and I switched to Lo Loestrin for that for a few months, but I’m about to switch back because I liked this pill a lot better!"

• Pri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 4, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve been taking Yaz for about 6 months now, and it’s done wonders for my acne. I have struggled with hormonal acne since I was 14 and had really struggled to find a good way to treat it, but ever since I started Yaz, I hardly ever break out. It has also made my ovarian cysts go away completely (they were each about 4 in and caused me really bad cramps). The few bad things I would mention about this pill are that it’s caused pretty bad brain fog and memory loss. It has also made me pretty dry down there, and my sex drive is almost nonexistent."

• Mac...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 16, 2020

For Birth Control "I used Yaz for 10 years. I am in my 30s now, no serious health issues. I had no physical side effects besides sometimes my periods were shorter and only old period blood flowing (dark brown, which my gyn said was fine). The only serious side effect I had was a significant decrease in my libido/sex drive. I didn't notice it at first, but after years of being on it, I realized I didn't think about sex for months. I also was a bit moody or depressed, but I never realized it was the Yaz until I decided to stop taking BC for 3 months, and it was like night and day! I had more energy, and my sex drive skyrocketed! Worth a try though, as everyone's reactions will differ."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 7, 2012

For Birth Control "I've been on Yaz for 18 months. Since starting Yaz, I've noticed no major weight changes (maybe lost a few pounds, but I attribute that to stress) and some minor acne breakouts. The biggest three changes were mood swings, change in menstrual flow, and a huge decrease in libido. My husband noticed my mood swings and said I seem to be overall less enthusiastic about life. My flow changed to some very strange bleeding (heavy in the morning, nonexistent at night, sometimes lasting 10 days). Overall, my period flow was lighter, I just couldn't seem to get a normal flow. The lack of libido has been a huge deal in my marriage. I went from wanting sex a few times a week to not wanting it at all."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 31, 2013

For Birth Control "I have been taking Yaz for 4 years. I haven't gained any weight and no acne. But my sex drive has been completely gone. I just got my blood drawn and my estrogen level is the lowest of the low. My doctor said it's from Yaz. Also, I just noticed this now, but I have lost so much hair since taking this pill."

• Mat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 19, 2022

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I'm on day 5 of Loryna, and I am so suicidal I considered going to the hospital. I was trying it for PMDD, I did have success before on Lo Loestrin FE, but I was having side effects of melasma and low libido, so I wanted to try something else. This is awful. I've also had nightmares and nausea since starting it."

• Br3...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2016

For Birth Control "I have only been on this for a month. I am one of the several of you ladies who are going through the agonizing trial and error for the 'perfect' birth control. Zarah seemed perfectly fine when it came to controlling my mood swings and not getting me pregnant! BUT, I have gained weight, and on my period week, my flow was very heavy and crampy, plus it lasted the whole 7 days... eww, I am not used to that. I also did take note of how it affected my sex life. I still wanted sex, but noticed I had a very hard time trying to orgasm. Sorry if that's too much info, but I personally like knowing how the birth control affects my sex life. I hope some of this info helps. Don't give up, ladies!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2016

For Birth Control "Worst pill. Went on it for around 5 months, and it made my life a living hell. Almost immediately, I experienced an annoying, impossible-to-get-rid-of weight gain. Went from a B cup to a D/DD cup, depending on the time of the month. I also experienced some serious bloating around my stomach and could not get rid of it. Around the same time, I also became incredibly moody. As the months went on, this only got worse. Along with my moodiness, I became anxious, depressed, and found that my libido had disappeared completely. Ultimately, I felt as if I had become a different person completely and decided to toss my remaining packs. While my weight and mood went back to normal, my libido took forever to reappear, and I still feel it's not the same."