Yaz 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 14, 2013

For Birth Control "At first, I really loved Yaz. There was little to no weight gain, it didn't make me have any mood swings. I've been taking it for 7 months, and for the last 4 months, I've noticed a decrease in sex drive, very, very little lubrication, and I haven't gotten my period for the last 3 months... which is a scary thing. On top of that, I started bleeding during intercourse. Each month, I went to the gyno to see what was wrong, I took a pregnancy test there each month, and every test came out negative. I got looked at and got other tests done, and everything came out negative and normal. I've now been very tired and irritable lately, and the doctors still don't seem to know exactly what's wrong, which is very stressful. I'm now switching to NuvaRing."

• Lan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 15, 2020

For Birth Control "I live in Korea, and had to switch from my Ortho Tri-Cyclen in the US to Yaz here in Korea. I went to a doctor to talk about it, and she suggested Yaz as it was fairly close to what I had been taking in the States. I got it for 6 months, and now that I'm nearing the end, I am thinking more seriously about finding something else. The biggest side effect for me is the decrease in my libido. I went from desiring intimacy with my fiancé almost every day to never, within a month of starting Yaz. It was an extreme loss of sexual desire that I am 100% sure was due to Yaz. I also gained a few pounds and have not been able to lose it. I did start to notice more extreme mood shifts towards the end of each cycle as well. Feeling depressed, fatigue, and anxiety every 4 weeks is tough on me. I am nervous about switching to something else because I have only ever taken Ortho Tri-Cyclen pills, but Yaz is just not for me in the long run."

• Fra...
• May 11, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been using Yaz for almost two months, and I won't be continuing with this pill. Almost immediately after I changed from Qlaira to Yaz, I noticed my anxiety levels rising. I'm not one to constantly worry and have always had this joy for life, but not since taking Yaz. I don't even feel like waking up and doing what I love. My sex drive is very, very, very low, and I'm very dry down there. I'm very moody and fight with my fiancé on a daily basis. My breasts have gone up an entire cup size, and they are really tender. I have severe abdominal pains and nausea. I cannot wait to start a different pill."

• AMA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2022

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I don’t ever write reviews, but I need to help some girl who is potentially going through the same situation as I was 4 months ago! I was very on and off about whether or not I wanted to try Yaz, as I had heard good reviews but then very horrific ones about blood clots that scared me so bad. I went to the doctor's twice in one week as I was having the worst panic attacks due to me thinking I would get a clot. However, I tried again, and the first 2 months I was quite short-tempered and very tired, and my skin also got worse. However, I persisted, and the only negatives now, 4 months in, are that I do tend to get tired more often and sensitive to sad things, along with a lower libido. But the pill has completely gotten rid of my PMS, and I feel so much more level-headed and calm. I also don’t get severe sugar cravings like I used to and have actually lost some weight. My skin is clear, and my periods are pretty much gone in 3 days! (Also no pregnancy.)"

• Kik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 5, 2021

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I thought it would be useful to update you about my life on Yaz (see September 25). I decided to quit Yaz after my mood being greatly affected. I've always been an anxious person, but I believe this medication made me paranoid and extremely emotional. I would literally cry watching my toaster do its thing. My libido dropped off completely as well. This, for me, was a shame, since once the 3-month mark had arrived, I felt like everything had fallen into place: no acne, no mood swings, stability, weight was going down, etc. However, after month 5, everything shifted, and my body just seemed to not like it anymore. I was SO paranoid. I was even sure someone had installed cameras in my apartment, lol. Anyway, it’s a shame I couldn't continue in it because it did help a lot with the acne and the hair, but those really are minor when you compare it to not being able to leave your place."

• 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."

• Myy...
• March 16, 2017

For Birth Control "I've been on Yaz for about 3 weeks now, and I am an emotional wreck, but all birth controls that I have been on have had me like this. My face is clearing up, I think, and my hair is growing, but my emotions get the best of me. I feel like a crazy person, crying one minute and fine the next. I get upset over the smallest things, and I hate it. Also, my sex drive is super low. This sucks, honestly."

• 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."

• emm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 2, 2021

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "It’s been 2 to 3 years since I have had PMDD. I had terrible anxiety, crying spells, I felt rejected, and I had insomnia every month and never really realized it was PMDD. About 6 months ago, I talked to my mom about it, and she told me it was probably PMDD because she had the same thing. Yaz was the solution for her. So, I tried it with hope it would work for me. Unfortunately, it didn’t help me. I believe it even made it worse, I had anxiety panics during the night, which I rarely had before. Also, it really affected my libido, and I never wanted to have sex with my boyfriend. I was really feeling desperate and feeling that nothing would work for me until I tried the antidepressant Citalopram. For me, it was life-changing, I take 10 mg every day, and I have almost no more symptoms of PMDD. It has worked really great for me. So, I would say try Yaz first, because it worked for my mom and it worked for a lot of women, and if it doesn’t work, try Citalopram! It is really life-changing for me :)"

• Boo...
• May 9, 2012

For Birth Control "I was on Yasmin for some 9 years and just moved onto Yaz 4 months ago. I loved Yaz for the first month, however, I am now finding that I have TERRIBLE mood swings... VERY emotional... cry for no apparent reason and get very angry! I've also found that I have zero sex drive. The only time I have one is when I am on the sugar pills... for the rest of the month I just feel numb! Hasn't anyone else had a similar experience? I'm thinking of trying the Merina Coil... any ideas? Thanks :)"

• Mag...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 24, 2013

For Birth Control "I was on Yaz for a long time, about five years. It helped with my horrible mood swings. After a while, I got no period while on Yaz, not even spotting or cramping, which was a huge plus. The only negative for me was my sex drive became non-existent. My poor husband thought there was something wrong with him, so I just switched to the patch."

• Anonymous
• December 2, 2011

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I have been taking Yaz for roughly around 7 years, it was a miracle pill for my PMDD when I first started taking it. Over the past 3-4 years, I have not been feeling up to par. Severe allergies, fatigue, mouth ulcers, no interest in sex, moodiness, and stomach pain are just a few of the things I had been experiencing. After a bout of moodiness and having to be talked to twice at work (this never happens, I pride myself on my work ethic), I finally decided to check into the background and rare side effects of Yaz. I have been experiencing all of them! I'm not suggesting this will happen to everyone, but if you start to not quite feel yourself, it never hurts to check into your medication's background. I will stop taking Yaz!"

• 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."

• Sda...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 5, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been taking Yaz now for a little over a year, and I have noticed a few effects of it. Some good and some bad. It cleared up my acne a lot, made my periods WAY lighter and less painful. The bad side effects are that I almost completely have lost my sex drive, also it makes my eyes super sensitive, I always have to wear sunglasses and can barely wear contacts for about 3 hours. When I first started taking it, I got really bad nausea, but now I don't."