Yaz and Depression: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• September 12, 2009

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "I was placed on Yaz in May and taken off of Sprintec because of extreme joint swelling. At first, Yaz was great. I had no complaints the first month, then the weight gain started. I have been 120 lbs my whole adult life and went to 130 lbs within days into the second pack. By August (just months), I slipped into a depression with extreme hopelessness and could not stop crying. I also noticed that my skin was getting oily. I called my doctor, and they placed me back on my old pills. Within a week, my mood has improved, I'm not crying uncontrollably, and my skin is normal again. The pharmacist stated that women either love Yaz or they hate it. Too bad it didn't work for me, I am very glad to be off of it."

• Anonymous
• September 12, 2009

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "I was placed on Yaz in May and taken off of Sprintec because of extreme joint swelling. At first, Yaz was great. I had no complaints the first month, then the weight gain started. I have been 120 lbs my whole adult life and went to 130 lbs within days into the second pack. By August (just months), I slipped into a depression with extreme hopelessness and could not stop crying. I also noticed that my skin was getting oily. I called my doctor, and they placed me back on my old pills. Within a week, my mood has improved, I'm not crying uncontrollably, and my skin is normal again. The pharmacist stated that women either love Yaz or they hate it. Too bad it didn't work for me, I am very glad to be off of it."

• Meg...
• January 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Yaz about 7 months ago because I had found out that I had developed ovarian cysts. I had been on Yaz for two years as a teenager and had side effects, but I didn’t notice them as much as this time. Over the time I had taken Yaz, I had developed low mood, temperament, and a bad attitude towards everything. The change was so slow that it wasn’t obvious that it wasn’t me and not the pill. On my last month, I took this pill, I had just started a new job and had to quit after one day because of extreme nausea and anxiety I was experiencing. Other side effects I experienced on Yaz were depression, suicidal thoughts, withdrawn, violent (kicking in a wall), angry, argumentative, irritable, extreme nausea, dizziness, hypoglycemia (if I don’t eat every 3 hours I would get nauseous), and no motivation to do anything, random pain in the legs, jealous of others, tired all the time, foggy head, crying all the time, and distrust of people. Please be aware."

• Meg...
• January 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Yaz about 7 months ago because I had found out that I had developed ovarian cysts. I had been on Yaz for two years as a teenager and had side effects, but I didn’t notice them as much as this time. Over the time I had taken Yaz, I had developed low mood, temperament, and a bad attitude towards everything. The change was so slow that it wasn’t obvious that it wasn’t me and not the pill. On my last month, I took this pill, I had just started a new job and had to quit after one day because of extreme nausea and anxiety I was experiencing. Other side effects I experienced on Yaz were depression, suicidal thoughts, withdrawn, violent (kicking in a wall), angry, argumentative, irritable, extreme nausea, dizziness, hypoglycemia (if I don’t eat every 3 hours I would get nauseous), and no motivation to do anything, random pain in the legs, jealous of others, tired all the time, foggy head, crying all the time, and distrust of people. Please be aware."

• Meg...
• January 15, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Yaz about 7 months ago because I had found out that I had developed ovarian cysts. I had been on Yaz for two years as a teenager and had side effects, but I didn’t notice them as much as this time. Over the time I had taken Yaz, I had developed low mood, temperament, and a bad attitude towards everything. The change was so slow that it wasn’t obvious that it wasn’t me and not the pill. On my last month, I took this pill, I had just started a new job and had to quit after one day because of extreme nausea and anxiety I was experiencing. Other side effects I experienced on Yaz were depression, suicidal thoughts, withdrawn, violent (kicking in a wall), angry, argumentative, irritable, extreme nausea, dizziness, hypoglycemia (if I don’t eat every 3 hours I would get nauseous), and no motivation to do anything, random pain in the legs, jealous of others, tired all the time, foggy head, crying all the time, and distrust of people. Please be aware."

• she...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I started this birth control right when I started becoming sexually active at 16. Now, I'm almost 20 and just got off of it a couple of months ago. I didn't know how much this negatively affected my body until now. I had intense migraines 3-4 days out of the month that the pill caused. I developed depression and anxiety, and had got prescribed 2 different meds, but they didn't work because they gave me anxiety attacks. I had dry vaginal issues. All of this changed when I stopped this pill. It had super high estrogen, way too much for me. Some positives are how amazing it made my skin look, and it cutting my hunger in half (didn't gain weight on this one). I didn't have much cramping, but I did have back pain. It took me almost 4 years to realize, but I’d rather just use condoms than alter my body like this again."

• Bia...
• December 28, 2016

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I was prescribed this pill to treat PMS, however, taking this medication was the worst experience of my life. It alleviated anxiety, but it made me severely depressed and paranoid. I am a fairly active person, and I would go running every day. As soon as I began to take the pill, I lost motivation to do the things I enjoyed, and it got to the point where I did not even want to leave the house. I also almost lost my job over it. I tried to quit three times in one week, and luckily my employer would not let me end my career and encouraged me to stay. Taking this medication also damaged my relationships with my friends and my partner and almost cost me my relationship. Please do not take this medication."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 11, 2021

For Acne "I’m 23 and been on Yaz for 4 months. I went on it for acne, and my face is clearing up, but I am also on other acne medication. Other birth controls have caused me weight gain, depression, and mood swings. I have lost weight on Yaz, and my mood seems stable, which is good. My boobs have grown a ton, even with the weight loss, they’ve grown at least a cup size. (Disclaimer: I dieted and exercised to lose the weight, the medicine didn’t make me lose it.) The only negative side effect is that once I started my period, I have been bleeding/spotting for almost two months now. Hopefully, that will regulate with time. So far, it’s the best BC I’ve ever taken."

• 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."

• Bre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 19, 2019

For Birth Control "Before taking Yaz, I did have the tendency to overthink, however, I would never consider myself depressed or anxious. Ever since being on this pill, my mental health has never been this low in my life. I think obsessively about mistakes I've made in the past, in a way where I feel worthless. I began suffering panic attacks and hot flashes. During my period, I became so depressed that I would spend my days crying and not wanting to get out of bed. I'd go to work late because I just stopped caring. I highly suggest staying away from this pill. It is NOT okay for your mental health, and it is NOT a risk worth taking."

• 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!"

• 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."

• Em1...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 16, 2022

For Birth Control "I never thought I’d leave a review for a drug, but Yaz was a lifesaver for me. I began taking it at 19 years old after several miserable experiences with other hormonal birth controls (HBCs) that left me seriously emotional and depressed. Immediately after starting Yaz, I felt normal again and enjoyed clear skin, even hormones, steady weight, and light/no periods for a decade. At 29, I was ready to start a family, so I stopped taking Yaz - my cycle immediately went back to normal, and I became pregnant right away, giving birth 9 months later to a healthy baby girl. Birth control pills are so different for every person, and there’s no one-size-fits-all, but I highly recommend giving Yaz a try if you’re in the process of searching for your perfect fit - it worked for me!"

• Anonymous
• April 28, 2010

For Birth Control "I've tried just about every birth control in the book. Depo was by far the worst with over 15 lbs weight gain in a year, horrible acne, and leg cramps. Loestrin24 wasn't far behind with chronic exhaustion, zero sex drive, and depression. Ortho wasn't bad, but I did experience weight gain (about 5 lbs in a year). Yaz is by far my favorite, and I can say that both before having my first child and after. Yaz stabilized my pre-menstrual mood swings. I think it actually increased my sex drive post-pregnancy. I've had no weight issues and no acne problems. I think all the commercials about Yaz's side effects are bogus - every birth control is going to show correlations with some disease or another. I'd recommend Yaz in a heartbeat."

• 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)."

• pem...
• December 18, 2009

For Birth Control "This is the worst medication I have ever tried to take. It made me severely depressed, almost to the point of being suicidal. I am normally very happy, so the reaction was alarming. Also, I cried incessantly and had terrible vaginal dryness, loss of appetite, and insomnia. I didn't eat or sleep for about 3 days, and I was all swollen from crying. (Keep in mind that these symptoms happened on my honeymoon.) My new husband (who wanted me to be on some form of birth control) begged me to stop taking it. I stopped taking it, and within 3 months was back to normal."

• Lil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 10, 2020

For Birth Control "Been using Yaz for the past 3 years, I think. My periods became lighter, shorter, and my face cleared. But, every month before my period, I get really emotional and depressed. Will be looking for a replacement."

• 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."

• Liv...
• March 25, 2011

For Acne "I have been on Yaz for 6 weeks. I know that isn't very long to make a judgment about its effects on acne, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Though it really has not helped my acne at all, I cannot conclude that in the next month or two it wouldn't help then either. My issue is that the side effects are really discouraging. I have been so tired almost every day and my energy is low. I'm a fitness fanatic, but my workouts haven't been as good because I'm so tired. I've also been more depressed and my appetite has most definitely increased. I have had some mild nausea. I noticed an increase in gas and bloating. My breasts have also been extremely tender and swollen."

• 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."

• 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!"

• 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!"

• 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!"

• Sav...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 9, 2023

For Birth Control "I was on Yaz for about 3 years after discovering I had PCOS and had a horrible experience with it. I’ve recently switched back to Ortho Tri-Cyclen, which I was on for about 10 years and never had a problem. From the beginning of my time taking Yaz, I had breakthrough bleeding, multiple chemical pregnancies, worsening depression and anxiety, and my migraines got progressively worse. I would bleed for 8 weeks or so, receive little to no help or direction from my gynecologist, and was told my body was just adjusting - even after the initial 3-month time that your body takes to regulate. Recently, I had another issue with bleeding for 8 weeks or so, and I was fed up, so I stopped taking it, and the bleeding immediately stopped. I don’t know why I had such an adverse reaction or why my doctor didn’t suggest something different all this time, but be careful and listen to your body if you plan to take this medication."