Drospirenone and Acne: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 27, 2020

For Birth Control "I’m on my 8th month of Slynd and can’t stand it anymore. I bleed literally CONSTANTLY! When I’m not bleeding, I’m spotting, and I’ve given it way more than enough time for my body to adjust. I wanted to love this pill because it cleared up the bloating and acne I got from norethindrone, but the bleeding is outrageous!"

• che...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2020

For Birth Control "So far, I have loved Slynd. I was on and off combination pills for three months, which really messed with my body. With the combo pills, I would get severe chest and back pains and knew I needed a new solution. My doctor recommended the progesterone-only pill, Slynd, and I could not be happier. While I get my period every second week of the pack (for 7 days) and for 4 days during the sugar pills, I have no other side effects. I have not gained weight and do not suffer from acne due to this pill. I am hoping that with more use of this pill, my breakthrough bleeding will decrease. In comparison to the awful side effects I had with the combo pill, I could not be happier. If you are having issues with the combination pill and don't mind irregular bleeding a little a month, I would recommend this pill!"

• haz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 3, 2022

For Birth Control "I’ve been on Slynd for about a year and a half. My personal experience has been very positive. I’ll start with access to the drug; my insurance covers 50%, and the rest is brought down to $25 a month using the manufacturer coupon. It used to be $10 a month, so I am sad it went up. Without Slynd, I have regular but very painful periods. When I take Slynd, I don’t get a period at all (and no breakthrough bleeding—haven’t gotten my period since August 2021, and I’m writing this in June 2022). It’s amazing because it has relieved me of so much pain. Also, before Slynd I got very bad hormonal acne, and now my skin is completely clear. I take an additional 25 mg of spironolactone with it to help with the acne, but the Slynd alone did make a huge difference. I didn’t gain any weight from the pill or anything like that. Slynd is my only form of birth control, and it’s done its job well! I take a pregnancy test approximately once a month to be sure. I highly recommend Slynd."

• gga...
• February 1, 2021

For Birth Control "Started this pill at the end of July and am now ending my 5th month with no period whatsoever. Have had a few breakthrough bleeding/spotting over the course of these 5 months, but nothing major. As far as mental symptoms go, I have noticed that I have developed severe depression episodes, and mood swings have been on a rollercoaster. Physical symptoms I have noticed are an increase in acne, specifically around the chin area, which I did not have before taking Slynd. I noticed weight gain in the beginning, which I am currently trying to work off... Personally, I do not recommend this birth control."

• all...
• March 11, 2021

For Birth Control "I'm 21 and had my IUD removed after 3 years in February 2021 due to having 2-week-long periods after having no period with it for 1.5 years. I dealt with the long periods until I got fed up. My gyno prescribed me Slynd due to being unable to take estrogen because I get migraines with aura. I took it for a month with terrible side effects. My acne got so bad, depression, I did not stop bleeding the entire month I was on it. I experienced depression and low self-esteem because of the acne. I called my doctor and told them it was causing me all the issues above. She switched me to Incassia, and after just 3 days of taking it, it has stopped my period, my emotions are back to normal, and the acne Slynd caused is going away. I don't recommend this birth control. My boyfriend said he could tell I was really struggling when I was taking Slynd. We did not have sex the whole month I was on it because I bled the entire time. Save your time and money, this pill gave me the worst experience I’ve ever had on birth control."

• KSs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2021

For Birth Control "My experience, unfortunately, wasn't positive. I ended up only lasting 5 days on it because the side effects were too much for me. My face, which very rarely breaks out, broke out terribly immediately. I've read reviews from people saying it causes cystic acne, which for me is definitely not an acceptable side effect. The main reason I got off of it was that it affected my mood and emotions SO much. I have depression and anxiety disorders, which are totally managed with medication, but this birth control made me so incredibly anxious and depressed that I would lay in my bed crying for days until I decided that it was not worth being on this BC. I literally felt like I was spiraling out of control and losing my mind when I was on it. I've also read about other people having this side effect as well. For now, I've decided that I won't be on any BC to stop my period and will keep pushing through the endo since this pill wasn't worth my mental health at all."

• Bes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 16, 2022

For Birth Control "I’m only allowed to take POPs due to having migraines with aura. I took Slynd for a year, and it’s the best. I didn’t get my period on it, I lost weight, my PCOS was entirely managed, and I didn’t get one noticeable cyst while on it! It helped my acne as well. I had breakthrough bleeding for two months, then it was completely gone. I went off of it due to my migraines increasing and wanted to see if it was from Slynd. I gave my body 10 months to adjust to being off of BC, and it was miserable. I gained 40 pounds, cysts were back, raging acne and cramps, super irregular periods. And my migraines were just as bad, if not worse, so I knew it wasn’t Slynd. I went back on, and only two months in, and I’ve lost 15 pounds, and cysts are already better. Got new migraine medicine too, so they’re better as well! I love Slynd, it’s the best POP you can take by far."

• Ban...
• January 12, 2021

For Birth Control "It’s effective against pregnancy because spotting, cramping, bloating, and discomfort happen for several weeks. Also, my anxiety and depression have increased since starting Slynd. I’m not sure if it’s because I haven’t been on it for as long as many other people (I started using Slynd November 19th) - but I don’t want this to keep going throughout months to the point where I throw out the pill and just use another form of contraceptive. My doctor recommended this to me because he thought I was very sexually active - even though this pill stopped me from being sexually active completely because of the amount of periods I got for a long amount of time. Not to mention I kept getting cystic acne and acne in general - and I’ve been gaining weight as well."

• Ban...
• January 12, 2021

For Birth Control "It’s effective against pregnancy because spotting, cramping, bloating, and discomfort happen for several weeks. Also, my anxiety and depression have increased since starting Slynd. I’m not sure if it’s because I haven’t been on it for as long as many other people (I started using Slynd November 19th) - but I don’t want this to keep going throughout months to the point where I throw out the pill and just use another form of contraceptive. My doctor recommended this to me because he thought I was very sexually active - even though this pill stopped me from being sexually active completely because of the amount of periods I got for a long amount of time. Not to mention I kept getting cystic acne and acne in general - and I’ve been gaining weight as well."

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2021

For Birth Control "I started taking Slynd for 6 weeks and 6 weeks ONLY. I had the worst headaches that have only just stopped, but were lasting all day, every day, like a premenstrual migraine. I've broken out in terrible acne all over my face. I never had one spot before and have never suffered from acne, thankfully, until now. I am starting to see acne on my chest and my arms too, so bad now that I'm going to see a dermatologist because it's making me self-conscious. I'm sure it takes time to get in your system, etc., but I didn't expect to have acne like this so soon. In all my years of birth control, this hasn't happened before."

• Sun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 19, 2021

For Birth Control "So I’ve waited quite a while since starting Slynd to actually make a review because I wanted to make sure I had the full experience. The first 5 months, I had light bleeding on my sugar pill week, with occasional breakthrough bleeding. For me, this was great because I had just come off Nexplanon, which made me bleed constantly for 30+ days. By my sixth month on Slynd, I only had 2 days of very light bleeding on my sugar pill week, and now I have no bleeding or only very light spotting one day. Also, my acne has cleared up significantly, my suicidal ideation has decreased so much, and the weight I gained while on the implant has gone away. Also noted, I have lupus, which was one of the main reasons it was recommended I try this. No birth control is for everyone, but if you’ve had issues with estrogen-based birth control, I highly recommend trying this. Oh, and I don’t have insurance, and it is still very affordable."

• Mol...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 26, 2023

For Birth Control "I found out about a year ago that I had high blood pressure from my OB. I am now in my 30s and have been on birth control since I was 20. My doctor had mentioned that a lot of women can develop high blood pressure from the synthetic estrogen component in the combo pill. I quickly switched. I was put on the mini pill (which is progestin-only). I had tried a couple, actually... but sadly, with the drop in estrogen (and the fact that most progestin-only birth control pills have high androgen activity) - I started to lose a LOT of hair. On top of the hair loss, my beautiful skin was breaking out something horrible. We then tried Slynd. I was told it has low androgen activity and could be helpful for the acne and hair loss situations. Within 6 months, my skin is better than ever and my hair barely sheds, and I haven't gained weight. Slynd has been wonderful. I definitely recommend it. The only downfall for me has been irregular periods. I've had two periods in a month a couple of times."

• Mir...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 1, 2022

For Birth Control "I wish I would have never, ever tried Slynd in my life. My period disappeared almost 100%, I never knew when I'd get my period or not. I could have it either for weeks or not have it at all. But the main problem was the acne. My face was all covered by severe acne, which doesn't seem to disappear any time soon. It's really depressing as my face was clear. I'm not the same anymore, and this is affecting my life so much."

• Don...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 8, 2022

For Birth Control "I was on a combination pill since 2014. I was switched to a progestin-only pill in 2018 due to having Factor V Leiden. That pill didn’t agree with my body due to horrible mood swings and heavy periods. I was switched back to the combination pill because it had been working. My doctor switched me to Slynd in 2020 because the combination had stopped working for me (heavy periods, cramping, acne). I liked Slynd at first, but I came off of it due to having no period at all, constant bloating, weight gain, acne, and cramping. I switched to another progestin-only pill in 2021, and my period has still yet to come back. I overall feel like the pill truly wrecked my body, and I haven’t felt right since taking it. I definitely do NOT recommend! My insurance also stopped covering this medicine, and it was $30 a month."

• Lis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 19, 2021

For Birth Control "I'm on day 8 of my second Slynd box, and so far these are the side effects that I experienced: - headache the very first days (when I started taking the pill) - bloating, constipation - dizziness, weakness - lack of energy and motivation - need to urinate frequently - dehydration - amenorrhea (had no period) - acne at its worst (never had a breakthrough acne like this. On the contrary, when I took other pills containing Drospirenone like Yasmín, Yasminelle, and Yaz, my skin improved a lot). Had to buy lotions and creams to fight it, but every single day a new pimple appears, which is so annoying. Taking into account all these adverse effects, I'll switch to another pill as soon as possible."

• End...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2023

"I am a chaste, unmarried, childless woman taking SLYND for endometriosis. So far, it has reduced my pains, reduced my bleeding, cramps and migraines barely happen, and they are not as severe. No hair loss, no acne, no facial hair growth. I was on the mini pill for close to two years, on and off, prior to this pill. It was awful: two UTI infections, hair loss, acne, heavy bleeding, and sometimes two periods a month. While I did have irregular spotting in the second month of SLYND, after three months of use, my periods are mostly non-existent. You have to take it at the exact time every day and avoid alcohol & smoking/drugs because this medicine does raise potassium levels and does go through the liver. You need to take extra care of your body & health while on it. But the benefits outweigh the side effects. One surgery for endometriosis is enough: no more surgery, no more Advil/mefenamic acid and other heavy anti-inflammatory drugs. My IBS symptoms are mostly non-existent as well."

• Sly...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 29, 2023

For Birth Control "The Slynd pill has been life-changing for me. I suffered from PCOS, acne, and heavy mood swings and had been taking several birth control pills that made me feel even worse. After taking Slynd for a few months, my symptoms almost completely disappeared. No more acne and mood swings - I feel so much better! I am taking Slynd now for almost a year, in combination with inositol, a natural supplement that also helps with my PCOS symptoms. I would recommend this pill to everyone suffering from this hormonal disorder. It's worth a try :)"

• Sag...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 21, 2022

For Birth Control "Omg. This birth control is amazing. I use the Slynd savings program and pay $55 every 3 months. I have been taking it for about a year and a half. I have no period and have not gotten pregnant. No side effects whatsoever. No bleeding or weight gain. If anything, I have lost weight since starting this pill. Hormonal acne is slightly worse on my chin sometimes, but other than that, this BC is perfect!"

• Mos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 12, 2021

For Birth Control "On this, I had breakthrough bleeding at least two weeks every month. If not, I bled the entire month. I had bad acne, migraines, loss of emotion, and loss of libido. To fully understand the physical symptoms, you must understand how POPs work: they increase the mucus on your cervix to prevent sperm from entering the uterus. They also thin the uterine lining to prevent your eggs from being able to implant in your uterus, allowing you to get pregnant. This thinning of the uterine lining is what causes you to constantly bleed. Sometimes it was just spotting, other times it was full-on heavy periods. That is going to be the case for lots of girls on the Slynd due to the nature of the pill. I was on it for 3.5 months, I took it every day at the same time. After realizing I would never stop bleeding, I decided to end my cycle. I was taking it to treat severe PMDD. Hope this helps!"

• Cja...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 9, 2021

For Birth Control "I was given Slynd by my doctor at my 6-week postpartum visit. Supposedly, it's okay to breastfeed while taking it. I wish I hadn't taken it at all. Within a week of taking it, starting on the last day of my first period since becoming pregnant, I started another period. Heavier than any menstruation I have ever had. So I looked at the side effects - this tiny pill was also causing chest pains, body aches, acne, and mood swings. All in a week and 3 days. If it messed with my body that badly, I can't imagine the harmful effects it could be having on my baby. I'm extremely unhappy with my doctor for pushing this on me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 14, 2021

For Birth Control "I started taking this after being on a combination pill for years that I had to stop taking due to high blood pressure. I am 18 and have been taking Slynd for 2 months. It has definitely decreased my appetite, and my main concern is it makes me break out worse than I ever have in my life. The first month I tried to make excuses for it and say it was because I wasn't eating as healthy, but on my 4 placebo pills, my face cleared up completely, but on day 2 of the next pack I broke out everywhere again. It's not worth the serious and painful acne for me, so I am going to stop taking it. After 2 and a half months, it should have adjusted already, so I am out of hope."

• Vik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 24, 2024

For Birth Control "43, on Slynd for 3 years: Switched due to migraines. Initial side effects (oily skin, breakouts, irregular bleeding) resolved in 3-6 months. Periods stopped completely (>1 year) with no cramps or breast pain. Skipping placebo weeks prevented bleeding (which usually came a week after the placebo pills). Recently, after over a year, I took a 4-day break, which triggered spotting, bleeding, and a disrupted cycle that has been ongoing for a month now. I recommend skipping breaks to avoid disruptions. No weight gain, no mood swings."

• Den...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2022

For Birth Control "I have tried probably 5 or 6 birth control pills in the last few years. I was getting crippling migraines, heavy periods, awful hormonal acne, or a combination of all of those things. I was most recently taking Lo-Loestrin Fe, and my skin was terrible, and I was getting migraines that would last for days at a time. My skin has completely cleared, I haven't gotten my period at all yet, and I am not experiencing migraine headaches anymore. I know there are mixed reviews, but it can be worth trying, it has been a lifesaver for me!"

• Sam...
• November 17, 2021

For Birth Control "When I tell you this was the worst birth control ever, I really mean it. It did help with my cramps, which went from painful to nonexistent, but it was not worth the price of new daily cystic acne. I am not one to have acne, and my face is generally clear. When I started this birth control, I had on the left side of my face at least 10 cystic zits that never went away, even with the Curology that I use. I have been off the birth control for two weeks, and my face is now completely clear. My libido also went to zero. Don’t recommend this product."

• Sat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 31, 2021

For Birth Control "It was a total roller coaster for me. I went on this birth control to try to diminish my painful heavy periods because doctors don’t want to operate on me. At first, I had six months of normal periods with pain as before. Then I had six months of increased bloating to the point where I had to buy a completely new wardrobe because none of my clothes fit me (this has not gone down). However, during this time, I did not get a period until randomly in month 13, I got the most horrendous period pain of my life, extreme nausea, but no actual bleeding, of course. I stopped it for a month, and the withdrawal period was so horrendous I had to take a week off work. I went back on it again because I was so terrified of the pain, but now I’m having cramps, but it’s the first week of the new pack. Positive points: I had no mood swings, but instead a low mood every day, and I haven’t got any acne."