Yaz and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 10, 2019

For Birth Control "I am on month 5 of Yaz, and it has been pretty awful. My periods have been super irregular and unpredictable when I used to have a period every 4 weeks for 4 days like clockwork. My first period on the pill lasted 3 weeks, the next two came early and lasted 2 weeks, the next month I didn't have one, and this month I have had two. My sex drive has diminished to almost zero, and I have had crazy mood swings. I have never struggled with depression or anxiety until I started Yaz. Positives: my skin cleared up within weeks of starting Yaz, and I have had minimal breakouts. My period symptoms have lightened up, my cramps aren't as bad, and insomnia has gone away. Also, not pregnant. I am looking into switching, but I don't know what to switch to :/"

• Bro...
• August 25, 2016

For Birth Control "I was on Yaz from the time I was 16 to 22. I never really had any acne except the occasional pimple before my period. I had no breakthrough bleeding even if I skipped my period and took my pills back to back. I had no depression or mood swings outside the normal period mood swings. I did notice a decreased libido, and this wasn't until after I went off the pill for a month. I didn't realize how much better I felt coming off the pill (until about the third week of coming off of it). This was the first and only birth control I tried, and it worked for me. I decided to switch because I had been on it so long and thought maybe that was the reason for the decreased sex drive. That is really the only negative thing I have to say about Yaz."

• xoy...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 2, 2017

For Birth Control "I take this medicine for endometriosis and to prevent ovarian cysts. Since taking it, I have had far less pain and no cysts. As a bonus, it cleared up my bad skin. I experienced fewer side effects than other pills I have taken. The main side effect I have experienced is decreased sex drive, which is unfortunate, but it beats the pain from endometriosis or cysts."

• Cla...
• February 11, 2021

For Birth Control "I started Yaz for my PMDD. First, it was pretty normal: nausea, headache, and sore boobs. Then the second week hit, and I completely lost my appetite, lost all sex drive, and felt awful mentally and emotionally. I would feel depressed and anxious right when I woke up and would have breakdowns every day in the middle of the day. Once nighttime came, I felt numb and lazy. My PMDD wasn’t good before getting on Yaz, but it was at least manageable. I felt like my reality changed, I didn’t feel normal. I didn’t get my period while on it. I called my doctor to see if these symptoms would persist, and she suggested I wait a couple of months because my symptoms were normal...but later that day, I had a panic attack and decided to get off ASAP. It’s been 3 days since I stopped (was on it for exactly two weeks), and I feel slight relief knowing it was the Yaz that made me feel so awful, but I still have the bad thoughts and anxiety, and my appetite isn’t back. Hoping I feel normal again soon."

• Anonymous
• December 28, 2009

For Birth Control "I used Yaz on and off for several years, and the first month was always the hardest: fatigue and extreme irritability. Your energy reserves should not be spent trying to keep rage in check. Nevertheless, after that adjustment period, I leveled out somewhat and experienced some pros: clearer skin, fuller breasts, no noticeable weight gain (though I diet like a jockey), and of course, no babies. The period was mercifully light (2-3 days), and PMS was slightly minimized (but still acknowledged by my boyfriend). My libido slowly started to ebb. By the 2nd or 3rd month, moderate depression. By the 4th, severe. By the time I started having suicidal thoughts, I decided to switch to a less psychologically harmful method of birth control: abstinence."

• 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."

• Liz...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 4, 2016

For Birth Control "Caused major depression. Was on many strong medications for years before reading how Yaz could be the problem. Went off Yaz and depression disappeared. No more strong medication. No sex drive while on the pill. Very dry during sex. Also had a terrible scarring breakout after coming off of it. Only gave it two stars because I did not get pregnant, so it 'did its job.'"

• Liz...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 4, 2016

For Birth Control "Caused major depression. Was on many strong medications for years before reading how Yaz could be the problem. Went off Yaz and depression disappeared. No more strong medication. No sex drive while on the pill. Very dry during sex. Also had a terrible scarring breakout after coming off of it. Only gave it two stars because I did not get pregnant, so it 'did its job.'"

• 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!"

• gga...
• August 6, 2021

For Acne "I am currently on my second pack of Yaz, only a few days left. I have had a few horrible side effects. Firstly, since starting Yaz, I have had 3 extreme yeast infections due to the pill. To add, my vagina is not lubricated anymore, it's very dry and I struggle to have sex, it is painful. The pill has weakened my immune system, giving me tonsillitis and a cold sore (which I haven't had in 4 years now). I am bleeding in between when the fake period is supposed to occur. I have a constant sore lump in my left boob. It has made me depressed and irritated. As for my skin - it has stayed the same. I am thinking of stopping the pill after this second pack because clearly my body does not like it. It has made sex unenjoyable, and I can barely do it due to yeast infections and no lubrication! Just want my normal body back - I don't think it is worth going through all this for clear skin. I am worried that my vagina will not go back to its normal state if I continue on this pill."

• CsG...
• May 12, 2009

For Birth Control "I started using Yaz about a year ago - it has a good side and a bad side. Good: less severe cramps, lighter periods, lighter facial hair (my little peach fuzz mustache disappeared). Bad: emotional mood swings every month on the first day taking the placebo pill, dramatically decreased sex drive. Overall, I liked it, and if I was not in a physical relationship, then it would be great! But the decreased sex drive put a strain on my relationship, so I am trying something different now."

• Anonymous
• October 24, 2011

For Birth Control "I love Yaz. I have been on Yaz for about 3 years now. I was originally on the off-brand of Ortho Tri-Cyclen and hated it! I became someone I didn't know, I was moody, I would cry for no reason, no matter what part of my cycle I was in. I had absolutely no sex drive! Now I am on Yaz, and I feel like myself, I have a normal sex drive, and I haven't gained any weight. I haven't had any issues with Yaz. My periods are short and light and easy. Best birth control pill I have ever been on!"

• Anonymous
• November 29, 2009

For Acne "I'm 19 years old, and I've been taking Yaz for about 2 years or so. At first, it helped clear my acne but made my PMDD worse, but eventually, my moods evened out into a constant apathy, and my acne began to come back (possibly because of stress). I've lost weight and noticed an increase in breast size, but my sex drive has completely died out within the past year or so. I feel stressed when I don't take the pill on time or whenever I stop taking it for the four days allotted for my period (during which my period doesn't arrive until at least the third day and lasts a couple of days into the new month of pills). But my period is light and relatively pain-free."

• and...
• January 9, 2015

For Acne "I wish this was around back when I was in high school! I have struggled with acne for my whole teen/adult life. I have taken Yaz on and off for 8 years now, and my skin never looks better than when I'm on Yaz. The doc took me off last year because I was getting headaches, and she was concerned the estrogen in the pill was causing it, but after a year on the mini pill with the same frequency of headaches and the added terribleness of deep cystic acne, I am happily back on Yaz and already seeing an improvement in my skin. Only complaint (mainly from my husband) is a slightly lowered sex drive."

• Anonymous
• October 7, 2009

For Acne "I started using Yaz 3 months ago. Yes, it has helped my horrific acne, but along with that come other side effects. My breasts have gotten larger, and I have lost weight (gained from quitting smoking). But I'm extremely tired in the morning, nauseated, feel like vomiting, headaches that turn into migraines, and lack of sex drive. I'm waiting till the end of this cycle to decide which side of the fence I want to be."

• pea...
• June 25, 2019

For Acne "Been on Nikki-generic of Yaz for about 9 months. I used to have periodic breakouts before starting to take birth control and then fewer breakouts with other pills. With Nikki, I have a rare pimple pop up every month but clear skin otherwise. My periods used to be heavy and painful, the flow has decreased, and I only get light cramping on Nikki. The only downside is the decreased or very low libido. Overall, a good pill with little side effects."

• oof...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 6, 2018

For Birth Control "Yaz did what birth control is supposed to do in the sense that it regulated my periods and lessened my severe cramps while preventing pregnancy, but the downsides were enough to get me to go off of it. My breasts grew very quickly, almost 2 cup sizes, and were very painful. Previously, they were so small they didn’t even fit in a 32A. After Yaz, I was looking at a B or even a C cup, and it was very uncomfortable because I have a very, very petite frame. Unfortunately, that was not the worst of it. My libido decreased, my anxiety and depression worsened to the point of missing college and work for days or even weeks at a time, and I was extremely depressed and irritable."

• Zar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 8, 2020

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I started Yaz a month and a half ago, and the first month was great. I almost thought this would be it, but suddenly my head started to fog, and I would be unfocused and tired every day for no reason. Other than that, the constant cramps, back pain, and decrease in my libido made me realize this was not good for me. I had high expectations that weren't fulfilled. I wish for new users to find this helpful."

• Nan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 13, 2019

For Birth Control "I've been using Yaz for the last 4 or 5 years, it has helped a lot in terms of unwanted pregnancy, acne, and regular periods. However, I have experienced occasional spotting, which does last for some time (1-2 weeks). It also reduces my sex drive dramatically and causes vaginal dryness. Otherwise, I don't think it is good to use for an extensive period of time, but I would recommend it."

• Sam...
• November 30, 2019

For Birth Control "I took Yaz from age 16 to 27, 11 years. It made me gain a little weight. For the past couple of years, I experienced brain fog and memory loss, and my sex drive was nonexistent. But other than that, Yaz worked fine for me; no cramps, no acne, super regular period, no PMS, no migraines. However, after 11 years of pumping pretty high doses of estrogen and progesterone (in this case, drospirenone) into my body, I started to ask myself if it is dangerous in the long run... especially because of the memory issues, the brain fog, etc. So I switched to a hormonal IUD recently (containing progesterone only and no estrogen), and so far I like it... I don't have to remember to take the pill, and the dose of hormones is 100 times lower on my IUD than with Yaz. I think it is fine for a limited time span, but you should definitely look into other contraceptive methods; there are more than you think :) also, Yaz is expensive (10€/month)."

• unw...
• November 4, 2009

For Birth Control "I was on Yaz for about three months. I became moody, emotional, it gave me headaches, lowered my sex drive, and gave me anxiety. I just did not feel like myself on this pill. I have since switched to LOESTRIN, and so far, it's been good. No side effects yet. I'm feeling like myself again. My sex drive is still not what it used to be, but I understand that most birth control pills cause a decrease in libido. I personally do not recommend Yaz, but I know that each pill works differently for different people. My friends that were on Yaz said the same things that I am saying."

• lii...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 21, 2017

For Birth Control "I was on the Yaz contraceptive pill for only around 6-8 months, but it was the worst experience. I complained about acne to my doctor, and she recommended it, but I did not notice a drastic difference in my breakouts while on the pill. I had been on Alesse for 2 years before switching to Yaz, so I was well aware of some of the side effects of birth control pill use. When I switched to Yaz, I honestly felt miserable and immediately noticed my sex drive decreased drastically, and I had low energy all the time. I had never felt that way while on Alesse, and I thought perhaps it was only a side effect of just starting the new pill. However, in the entire time I was taking Yaz, my mood did not change, and I felt it best to switch back to Alesse."

• Anonymous
• August 11, 2010

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "I have been on Yaz for a little over a year now. My doctor put me on this pill because it is apparently a good one for PCOS. This pill did keep me from getting pregnant and helped somewhat with cramping. However, while on this pill, I gained about 12 pounds, and my sex drive was non-existent, and I'm 21, so that's not normal. Also, while I was on Yaz, my periods never came the day they were supposed to but rather the day they were supposed to end. My periods were often heavy and irregular. Before I was put on Yaz, I was on Seasonique, and today I am going back on that pill. I was on Seasonique for 4 years before Yaz, and I never had any problems."

• Hea...
• October 12, 2009

For Birth Control "I'm so glad I came across these reviews! I have been taking Yaz for 4 months now and am severely depressed, gained 5 pounds, and have no sex drive. My poor husband. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow! I do have to say it made my period so light and was very regular!"

• luc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 18, 2012

For Birth Control "I was on Lutera before it was suggested that I switch to the generic form of Yaz in order to help clear up my skin. So I did. For the first weeks or so, I was very tired and had excruciating headaches, both of which were very out of character for me. This resolved after about a week. As for my skin, it took probably about four months to clear up, but after it cleared up, it stayed that way, thanks to Yaz. On the negative side, this pill brought my libido into the negative. Also, dryness became an issue, which of course further affected my libido in a negative way, besides just being embarrassing in general. Now my insurance has decided to no longer cover it, so I am switching. I am worried about my skin, but excited to have my sex life back."