Yaz and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 3)

• coc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 25, 2022

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I think it's important to share my experience on this birth control since I was initially so, so scared to take it. I LOVED Yaz! I took it to ease my PMDD, which gave me terrible mood swings two weeks before my period to the point where I felt like I was ruining my relationships. I noticed a difference like halfway into my first pack. My mood was in the normal range during my PMS days, and for the first time, I actually felt sane and clear-headed. It was absolutely amazing. Plus, I lost about eight pounds (I think related to bloating from PMDD), and my boobs looked great. I did notice a decrease in sex drive, but the positives of this birth control were just too much to care, and it didn't strain my relationship at all. Unfortunately, I have to stop taking Yaz because of migraines with aura and a risk for stroke, I technically wasn't supposed to take this birth control at all for that reason."

• Man...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 10, 2018

For Acne "If you're wanting to get rid of your acne, Yaz is the birth control for you. I had very bad cystic acne for about 5 years that cleared after taking Yaz for several months (probably about 7-8 months for my skin to become completely clear). However, this medicine completely diminished my sex drive and made me quite depressed! The no sex drive thing really frustrates me because what's the point of taking birth control if it stops me from wanting sex?! I took it for about two years and recently switched. Unfortunately, the new pill I'm on (Trivoria) has caused my acne to come back, so I'm going to go back on Yaz. I'm not sure if the pros outweigh the cons, but getting my clear skin back is my top priority right now. If your main concern is acne, I recommend this pill, but be aware of the side effects. Also, it is very expensive, but talk to your insurance, I managed to get them to cover it completely."

• Hwi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2017

For Birth Control "Do not take this BC. The hormone in this pill has a bad habit of lowering testosterone in women. That may sound like a good thing, but if you are a woman with normal to low levels already, further lowering will cause low energy, low motivation, low sex drive, and feeling generally crappy. I took this for four days and slept 24 hours on the last day. I'm done with it. I hope I stopped soon enough, these effects can be permanent in some women. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone without having your testosterone levels checked first, if you even find a doctor that will."

• Ean...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 26, 2021

For Birth Control "So I went on this as a form of birth control. I had been on Depo-Provera injection and decided to try something new due to the weight gain. I have been on Yaz for a total of 9 days, and I hate it. It has made me so emotional, depressed, anxious, and antisocial. I absolutely adore hanging out with my boyfriend, and ever since starting the second week of this medication, I have not been wanting to due to my mood and anxiety. I’ve been worried about anything and everything, and my sex drive is non-existent, as well as it made me super dry. I do not recommend this to anyone who is just using this medication as a birth control, it’s just not worth it. I stopped taking this pill last night and am hoping to have improvements like others experience after stopping Yaz."

• Nat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 9, 2021

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I've been taking Yaz for 7 months already. It saved my life as for the past 2-3 years, I have had really bad mood swings. It started when I was 28. I've never had menstrual pain that intense as well. Yaz helped me a lot - no more mood swings, I don't cry anymore, and I don't have any menstrual pain or breast pain. It also helped me to recover from depression I've experienced for the past 2 years (I started feeling better after therapy and thanks to tranquilizers, but Yaz helped me to adjust after I canceled my meds). I don't need painkillers anymore during my period. I haven't gained weight, and my skin is the same as it was before, but I have 2 side effects as well. First, I almost lost my libido. I don't have any sex drive. Second, the rare times when I do, I have problems with lubrication."

• Can...
• June 14, 2016

For Birth Control "I started Yaz about a year ago. First, it wasn't too bad seeing as my previous pills made my legs swell some kind of crazy. But now, into a year and 20 pounds heavier, I've decided to come off of them. Between the weight gain, now swelling legs, being tired all the time, no sex drive, mood swings like no one's business, and random spotting, the only thing good that has come out of these pills is the fact I haven't gotten pregnant."

• lil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 27, 2021

For Acne "I switched to Yaz from Ortho-Cyclen and have been on it for almost two years. After six months, I noticed that I had significantly less acne. It has also kept me from getting pregnant. I haven't gained any weight and had fewer cramps during my period. For mild side effects, I did get worse headaches during my period and spotting. I have a lowered libido too. But the worst side effect for me is anxiety and depression. I started having panic attacks and bouts of depression only months after starting the pill. I also became very paranoid and jealous in my relationship, which was likely unfounded. I've realized that my sanity is more important than the positives this pill has brought. If you have underlying or undiagnosed anxiety or depression, it's possible that the Yaz pill can exacerbate this. I will be stopping Yaz next month and exploring other options to take care of my mental health."

• Anonymous
• December 11, 2009

For Birth Control "I'm 27 years old and have been on Yaz for a year. Overall, my periods were lighter and shorter, but Yaz has severely decreased my sex drive. It also makes me feel emotionally flat. I'm switching to another pill."

• Liv...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 18, 2019

For Birth Control "My last BC was giving me horrible migraines, so my doctor gave me this Yaz birth control pill. At first, I was fine, no problems with my skin and no migraines. I had a bit of spotting at first, but by the 4th month, it was gone. I would get really sweaty a lot and super tired all the time, and also my sex drive was down. Now here comes the fun part...so sex hurt. Like no matter how much lube I used, I would dry up and start bleeding from tears, or so I thought. I went to urgent care thinking I may have caught something, but no. This pill was making me premenopausal at the age of 24. I was dry because the pill was making my body think I was already 50. As soon as I got off that pill and onto another pill, I was back to my young self again. Unless you want to ruin your body, stay away."

• Mar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 30, 2019

For Birth Control "In less than a year, I gained 8 kg without changing my diet or the amount of exercise I do. I lost my libido completely, and I'm totally dry from head to toe. Still, I had no horrible mood changes as I had with Qlaira, my period is still regular but way less heavy, and the cramps reduced a lot."

• yel...
• June 18, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on Yaz for 5 weeks. I have put on 7 kilos, wake up to swollen fingers, have sore, hard breasts, completely no sex drive, and the worst, a week after taking Yaz, I got a chest infection. Thought it was viral, had antibiotics. It's now 4 weeks of chest infection. Googled Yaz symptoms and saw it can cause upper respiratory infections. OMG! Couldn't believe a month of hardly being able to breathe, time off work, and doctor's visits to discover it's Yaz causing it. I stopped it today and have had a bad headache tonight. Hope it's out of my system quickly."

• Jes...
• December 24, 2018

For Acne "Age: 22. Weight: 145 pounds. Height: 5'8”. Yaz for 3 months. Severe acne. Yaz gave me mood swings, which for me is very unusual. I remember being so sad and not knowing why I was sad. I would randomly start crying my eyes out at least twice a day while using this drug. Then I started getting migraines that never went away. I was not even able to fall asleep at night because I was having extreme anxiety (I've never suffered with anxiety before either). Also, I was losing so much hair, chunks were falling out. I was having trouble doing any physical activity because I would feel lightheaded and I almost passed out. Along with these symptoms, I never had an appetite. And I lost my sex drive. I have never had these experiences prior to using Yaz. Plus side: after using Yaz for three months, my severe acne cleared up fully. I have been off Yaz for a month now, and I no longer experience these crazy side effects."

• Anonymous
• June 3, 2011

"This was the first birth control I was ever on, and I loved that it cleared up my skin. I've been off of it for a year now, and all of my acne has returned, and my mood swings are back in full force. I am going to start it again soon. My only complaint is I never had cramps before this pill, and it gave me minor cramps, nothing completely unbearable. I also had a major loss in sex drive, but overall, a good experience that I would recommend to others."

• Anonymous
• October 29, 2011

For Birth Control "I've been on Yaz for about 3 years now. I was initially worried about it due to the bad media, but I was assured those issues had been resolved and were rare. I was put on Yaz due to my bad acne. Ever since taking it, my periods have been lighter, shorter, my acne has lessened (not disappeared), and I've gained no weight (at least due to the pill). I do have major migraines, but it's due to an eye condition. At first, I had emotional issues I believe were caused by the pill and a low sex drive. But after 3 months of use, everything leveled out and was eventually better than when I started. The only problem I've ever had was when I was taken off Yaz for about 2 months due to insurance issues."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 27, 2022

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I had my fallopian tubes fully removed after Mirena for 11 years and deciding I didn't want more kids. My period was non-existent for the time on Mirena, so I only had my teenage years of periods to compare and suddenly, as a 32-year-old, I was experiencing similar emotional/mental troubles as I had when I was a kid: irrational thoughts, depression, anxiety, mood swings, crying constantly for no reason, hopelessness. I'd come out of this period fog and feel fine and be confused about why everything felt so dire just days before. My Dr. started me on Yaz 2 months ago, and my H cup breasts have gotten so big that none of my bras fit anymore (as if I needed them to be bigger?!). I have acne that won't clear, I've been bleeding in between periods along with uterine and vaginal pain, my sex drive is dead, hasn't made a difference in my PMDD. I called my Dr. this morning and told her everything that's going on, and she agreed this clearly isn't the right option for me and is switching me to Prozac."

• CJ1...
• July 25, 2015

For Menstrual Disorders "I've been on Yaz for three months. I started taking it because I told my doctor that I had really bad moodiness during PMS. Ha, it's gotten worse! I don't start my period till the last day of inactive pills. My cramps feel like I'm 15 again (I'm 36), and my mood swings have worsened. Barely any sex drive. I'm going back to Ortho-Tricyclen (Trinessa)."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 16, 2021

For Acne "I am 39 years old, and I have been on Yaz for 16 months to treat acne. My skin is looking a lot better, but my libido is totally gone, and I feel down most days. I have also gained weight that I can't shed off. I also have cysts in my breasts. I really want to try something else, I am hoping that I can just stay off hormones for at least a year, but I know the acne might come back harder."

• Day...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 8, 2022

For Birth Control "I was put on Yaz at 16. I went off of it 2 months ago at age 23 because I finally heard that it could be the root of my low libido. Sure enough, a month after stopping, I went from never having orgasmed with my partner and never craving sex to orgasming every time and having a libido through the roof. I am also way more wet. A positive sex life has been so good for my mental health. I just feel normal again, like I have been missing something. I am way more in touch with my body. Appetite is also lower, less stress eating."

• Anonymous
• February 23, 2022

For Birth Control "Everyone has different experiences, Yaz was not the pill for me. I was on it for 3 months, and while I was diligent about taking it and it did prevent pregnancy, the side effects made me switch pills. My mood swings were awful. One minute I’d be fine, and then I’d be biting someone’s head off for no reason, and then I’d be sobbing for no reason. It also made my period symptoms worse. The cramping was bad! I had zero sex drive, and my bleeding was heavier than I had experienced since middle school. It also did nothing to help with my acne, which I was really hoping it would. I am almost 26, and I’ve been on birth control since I was 14, but I stopped for a year or two before I got into a serious relationship. This pill does not work for everyone."

• Anonymous
• March 5, 2010

For Birth Control "I'm 23 and have been on YAZ for 3 years. I switched to YAZ from Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo because Ortho was causing me major mood swings. YAZ took care of the mood swings, I have virtually none on YAZ, but it came with other side effects. The worst of them is debilitating intense headaches 2-3 days before my period. When I start taking the placebo pills, I get blinding headaches! Also, decreased sex drive and tiredness. YAZ did, however, give me very regular periods... they are like clockwork... I know down to the hour when I'm going to get my period, and it only lasts 4 days and is light. Because of the headaches, I am switching to Loestrin 24 Fe. I hope it gets rid of the headaches and some of the other side effects. GOOD LUCK!"

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 16, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been on Yaz for a little over 4 months and have been surprisingly happy with it. I had mood swings and was pretty emotional for the first 2 months, but it really has gone away. I was also bleeding a little irregularly at first, but that also went away. The only complaint I have is that it has killed my sex drive and is causing problems in my relationship. I can't really ever get wet anymore, which never used to be an issue. For that reason, I am switching to Paragard, which is non-hormonal. I really wish it didn't cause me that problem because otherwise, I love it!"

• Nic...
• July 23, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on Yaz for one and a half months, and I had to get off it mid-pack. There are some good points. It made my period really light, and I had no cramps at all. Unlike other BCs that I have taken in the past, Yaz gave me the least breakthrough bleeding. There was little spotting the first few days, and after it was gone, which I thought was pretty great. However, it made me incredibly sad. I was soaking in this great despair and had no idea what was going on with me. I am usually a positive lady and never felt like this in my entire life. My sex drive was lower than usual, and I also got a yeast infection for the first time ever. I have a head full of hair, and I started to lose so much within a month that I am completely shocked. My OBGYN advised I should be on the pill for at least three months so that my body gets used to it. I tried, but the depression and hair fall are too much to bear in the middle of a global pandemic!"

• Anonymous
• February 3, 2012

For Birth Control "YAZ is wonderful! I was on it a year ago but lost my insurance, so I stopped using it, but I'm back on it now. I went to a new doctor, and she first gave me a different pill, which made me moody and have little to no sex drive, which for a 22-year-old is a bit ridiculous, but YAZ once again made everything better. My breasts grew a bit, my appetite is back to normal rather than eating all the time, and my sex drive is very much up to par. I've always gotten headaches before I start my period, so that was nothing new. My one negative is the cramping when I forget to take it, but even that isn't bad."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 29, 2012

For Menstrual Disorders "I started taking Yaz in 2007 due to extremely long periods. I was not sexually active when I first started taking Yaz. After about a year, I was switched to Ocella, but it was still basically the same thing. I took Ocella for just under 5 years. I stopped taking it one month ago. I had ZERO sex drive, very poor natural lubrication, and cramps that had me doubled over every few months. I never really got pimples, so that's a plus. But I still had longer periods than I would have liked."

• Bir...
• July 14, 2017

For Birth Control "I switched from Mononessa to Yaz. After the horrible experience I had with Mononessa, Yaz was amazing! It was all good until the beginning of my 4th year of being on it. My body got used to Yaz. I noticed a drastic change in my sex drive (like no sex drive at all, my poor BF), insane mood swings, and starting to feel sadness. I went to the doctor today, actually, and asked her to switch, and now I am trying Microgestin in one month after I get my period again. I am nervous since I am reading a lot about the weight gain, mood swings, and low sex drive involved with Microgestin, which is what I'm trying to get away from. But the good thing is, I can always go back and keep trying since there are thousands of birth controls out there. Good luck!"