Side effects of YAZ birth control pills

Billy · Site Admin Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 303

This post is an extension of the Yaz side effects? thread.

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Guest · Guest

This pill made me have upset stomach, nervousness, anxiousness and about made me think I was losing it. I was tired all the time. I never felt like this before. I went to the doc they wanted to give me nerve pills, which just made me feel worse. I then went to another doc who took me off of everything, and I feel better, not 100% yet but on the right track. Some docs just want to throw pills at you. Find one that wants to help. He is going to test my hormones and see what I need, and then prescribe something to help with my cycle. Which is why I was taking them in the first place

Guest · Guest

Originally, my doctor put me on Yasmine because of PCOS symptoms and issues. After a year on that medication, he switched me to Yaz because it was supposed to be the same but a lower dosage. I have been on Yaz for about a year now, and I am going to be switching back to Yasmine because the side-effects of Yaz were too much for me.

At first, I had spotting/bleeding throughout the entire month. I figured that perhaps this was just my body getting used to a new medication, but I found that I had the same spotting/bleeding on-and-off throughout the year, not just within the first few months of using the medication.

The worst side effect is certainly the mood swings. Again, I tried to dismiss this in the first few months, but it remained in the long-term. Sometimes I would feel down or depressed for no reason whatsoever, and other times small things... would get me irritated, angry, sad, etc. with no real rationale behind it. I -knew- that there was no good reason for me to be upset to the point of crying over stupid little things. I really felt like I was losing control, or losing my mind, because I never knew how I might react to little unexpected things in my life.

This medication has effected my relationship as well, because my husband has had to put up with all the moodiness. However, Yaz has also killed my sex-drive more than any other birth control I've been on. I generally don't feel aroused more than twice a month.

All-in-all, while I understand that some people may have positive results with Yaz, I don't suggest anyone who is experiencing negative side-effects to stay on it longer than four-months. I stuck through it an entire year, and I regret it.

Guest · Guest

I have been on yaz for about a year and i haven't noticed anything bad about it, i didn't have any breast pain, my periods start like clockwork on the last white pill day, they last for 3-4 days of very light flow... the only thing is this period I'm on day five and it is much heavier, i'm not sure if it has to do with the pill not working or my starting exercising on a more regular basis and stress levels have gone up at work. My mood swings before taking the pill were insane and terrible and so were the cramps (like falling on the floor screaming my head off painful!!) now it's sooooo much better.

lessm · Newbie Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3

I am currently on Yaz and am in my second month. I took my second white inactive pill today. I'm suffering from backaches and a bit of nausea. I was wondering if anyone has experienced side effects while taking the inactive pills, perhaps from a change in estrogen as such? I am also convinced I am pregnant, just as I was last month, but this may be normal as I have not been on birth control for very long. I've considered changing my prescription since Yaz, while it helps with some things, has quite a few negative side effects, just as most birth controls do. Any information is appreciated!

lessm · Newbie Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3

I am currently on Yaz and am in my second month. I took my second white inactive pill today. I'm suffering from backaches and a bit of nausea. I was wondering if anyone has experienced side effects while taking the inactive pills, perhaps from a change in estrogen as such? I am also convinced I am pregnant, just as I was last month, but this may be normal as I have not been on birth control for very long. I've considered changing my prescription since Yaz, while it helps with some things, has quite a few negative side effects, just as most birth controls do. Any information is appreciated!

Guest · Guest

I went off birth control years ago because I wasn't having sex and couldn't afford it at the time. Before, I had been forced to change bc every year because my body would adjust to it and then proceed to have two periods each month. I was first on ortho-tricyclin (which helped me gain about 15 pounds!) then switched to Lo-Estrin then went to Seasonal which lasted about a year and a half. Before I started any birth control, my periods used to be horribly heavy and anywhere from 5-8 days. Cycle was at least regular on about a 5 week schedule. After I went off birth control, my hormones seemed to have adjusted so that I had regular periods of about 4-5 days of varying strength.

My nurse practitioner (at the OB/GYN) wanted me to go on Yaz because I suffer from bad anxiety in about a 10 day build-up to my period. During that same time frame, I also having increasingly worse night sweats where I wake up because of rivulets of sweat are running down my body. I frequently had to change my pyjamas, put a towel on the bed and occasionally even take a shower. After about 4 days of this, I would get sick from being so dehydrated. (I couldn't drink enough during the day to replenish that much liquid!) When I spoke to my primary care doctor about it, she also wanted me to try Yaz, so with two recommendations in hand, I gave it a go. I've now been on Yaz for somewhere between 3 and 4 months.

I had an adjustment period the first month - a lot of headaches especially, but I expected to have something while my body got used to it. However, I am planning on talking to my doctor because I have felt blue to almost depressed now for a month. I have ZERO libido when I used to have a pretty healthy sex drive. I also find it a little disconcerting that I only have my period for one day, and even then it's pretty light.

The Yaz did reduce the night sweats to about 2-3 nights about a week before my period and has mostly done away with the anxiety. However, the absolute lack of a sex drive really bothers me and while my boyfriend is trying not to take it personally, it can't help but cause a little bit of trouble. I don't even really care for kissing now. My friend had shared Xanax with me before I went on Yaz for the worst days and that had really worked for the anxiety, but the doctor didn't want to give me a prescription for it. The lessening of the night sweats is a godsend, but the constant sadness and frequent fighting off of tears plus no sex drive is not a good trade off.

Guest · Guest

When I first started taking Yaz, it was great. I lost a few lbs, my boobs filled out a little more, and best of all, no moodiness! Even my boyfriend would comment about me not crying as much. However, Yaz completely messed up my concentration. I could not focus for more than a minute, which is very unlike me. I started college in august last year, and when i started back in january, i started taking Yaz. My first semester I did very well, and ended with a GPA I was extremely satisfied with. However, by the end of this semester, I risked having to retake 2 classes. I never put the two together until my boyfriend suggested it. I felt like an ADD 12-yr old and it was terrible. I am a very studious girl and very determined to do well. For me to be completely apathetic about pretty much everything is very unlike me.
To top that off, over the past few weeks, I have cried almost everyday, I am extremely irritable, and I cannot sleep because of extreme anxiety. I take my last pill of my pack tomorrow and it will be the last of Yaz I ever take. I can't imagine how crazy I would be if I continued taking Yaz.

maddie01 · Newbie Joined: 22 May 2008 Posts: 1

Hi, I just ran across this thread while looking for Yaz side effects. I am surprised to read about soo many, especially the strokes associated with this pill! I have been on Yaz for almost two weeks and I am having some side effects that are driving me crazy; HUGE appetite, no sex drive, nausea, extreme fatigue (I am talking I can't get up), general anxiety, acne, skin darkening, and I am probably leaving out something! I know that it can take around three months for the body to regulate on any pill, but I'm not sure I can be like this for that long! I take a great vitamin that was suggested to me by my gyno, it's called Optivite PMT. It is an otc, and helps to flush excess estrogen with vites and minerals. I did't realize that Yaz is a testosterone blocker, interesting. Good luck to all!

Guest · Guest

Hello Everyone:

I've been on Yaz for 2 months. The first month I began Yaz in the middle of my cycle and I believed that the pill would began to regulate my hormones and give me a new cycle...I was wrong. I got this horrible headache for two days and than 4 days later I started my period on like day 14. I stopped taking the rest of that pack and started again on the Sunday following the start of my cycle. I am nearing the end of my 2nd pack (5 more active pills). I have experienced an uncontrollable headache for the past 2 days. I now assume that the headaches will preceed my period. I don't have a problem with this because even when I was not on the pill I would get a headache the week before my cycle. I am not complaining about yaz because I know it could be worse. The plus side is that I use to have horrible skin and now my skin is wonderful. I have mood swings but who don't. I cry sometimes and become angry at times but what women don't. I am now writing this post with a horrible headache but I know that it will end soon and life will go on. I will say that I have been extremely tired for the past week and have fell asleep at work for the past 3 days. Good thing I have a door on my office...... I am satisfied with YAZ and have realized that regardless of any pill, when your messing with hormones you should be prepared for anything.

Side effects of YAZ birth control pills

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