Comparing Spironolactone vs Yaz

For Acne: I was on spiro for several years. It helped but didn't completely clear my skin. I still had cystic nodules that were painful and scarred. A new dermatologist upped my dose to 200mg/day. I'm 5'5" and 115lbs. The side effects were bad before, I always had to pee in the middle of the night, but they were significantly worse with the higher dose. I couldn't remember anything. The brain fog was unbelievable. I wasn't on any other medications, so I knew it was the spiro. I decided to stop taking the medication in order to return to graduate school (needed a sharp brain for that). My acne is 100% back but at least I can sleep through the night and remember what I've read.

For Acne: I was put on it for “hormonal acne” which is what my derm referred to it as. I only had big bumps around my mouth/chin, around my hair line, and my temples. It was nothing severe but definitely noticeable. She put me on 50 mg spironolactone a day and after 3 months there was only slight difference. She then decided to put me a dose of 100 mg a day and it worked like a charm. My skin purged SO bad for about 6 weeks and then it started clearing up. It made me extremely thirsty and made me lose my appetite because it sort of made me nauseous. But over all, it works great in my opinion

For Birth Control: I have been taking Yaz for about a year now. My skin has cleared and my periods often skip for months at a time and when they do come they are just spotting (I wanted to take Yaz to regulate my period). Over the past 6 months near the end of my packet has been something I dread, I become very emotional and depressed. I often have a hard time getting out of bed, feeling unmotivated, and have many self-deprecating thoughts. It honestly scares me. When I am not nearing the end of my pack I am myself, bubbly and energetic, and constantly moving. I will be looking for a replacement and want anyone thinking about taking Yaz to be aware of any mood changes. While there are some positive replies here, there are many negative ones and make sure you are using something that is truly benefitting you more than hurting you. Wishing everyone the best!

For Birth Control: I've been on Yaz for four months and am about to get off of it. It hasn't made a difference in my acne (which was slight) and I've noticed some weight gain. I work really hard to maintain my weight with regular workouts and eating well. I hadn't changed anything in my lifestyle yet have been gaining weight, so I can definitively attribute my weight gain to this pill! And no, it is not water weight; I literally do not fit into my slacks for work. I've also had a lot of breast tenderness along with my breast size increasing - which I do not like at all. But I will say that this pill drastically decreased my period in length and bleeding. This pill has not been terrible for me. If it weren't for the weight gain, I would stay on it.