Yaz - depression, anxiety, loss of libido

I thought I was going crazy until I read these posts... I so wanted Yaz to be "my pill"... It has done the exact opposite of what I had hoped... I have experienced the same symptoms as all of the above posts... Most importantly, the destruction of my very precious reltationship with boyfriend... Deciding to change to yaz from my previous birth control pill, which was Orthocept, may have been one of the worst decisions I have made. The anxiety, EXTREME mood swings, horrific highs and lows, lack of libido, lack of overall clarity, cramping, which I never had before and just overall feeling of lack of lust for life have left me feeling crippled. I have been on Yaz for 3 months now as recommended and I felt like giving up on month 2, but held strong because I thought that just maybe it would get better... It didn't. In fact it got worse. I have also called both my gynocologist (who's out for 3 days, which can seem like an eternity when you feel so "out of sorts") to get off the pill and back to orthocept, as well as my general practicioner (who I cannot see for 2 weeks, EVEN worse) to see the side effects, if any from coming off a pill with "mood enhancers". Not sure what to do, but stay positive. I plan to talk to my Dr. about the following questions, but just wonder if anyone knows if there are side effects from stopping yaz with regard to mental issues, depression, anxiety, etc. With most anti-depressants, it is unsafe to just stop all together and I am concerned if this will have the same effect. Also, if there are side effects from stopping yaz and going back to my other pill....Any info is is helpful... Man, what we woman have to go through...

I was on a normal birth control pill about 5 years ago and stopped taking it because I was experiencing mood instability and constant heavy bleeding. I visitied my doctor this year for my routine pap and did not once mention any problems regarding moodiness. I told her that I've been experiencing extreme pain shortly before and during menstruation and asked if there was some way to help with this problem. She took it upon herself to declare that I must also have anxiety problems related to PMDD and prescribed YAZ for me. I told her that I didn't much like oral contraceptives and preferred to use condoms, etc, but she warned that condoms aren't highly effective and said she didn't want to see me get pregnant.

I began the pills a week and a half ago, and it's been hard for me to even get out of bed. Everyone in my life has been asking me what is wrong. I've found myself crying at work for no reason, and on my days off I just lie in bed. I haven't wanted to have sex; I can't stand to be in the presence of another person. My thoughts are racing, and I've been bleeding since beginning the pack. I've also developed a severe yeast infection, and I've only ever had one before in my life. I called the doctor, who fortunately was out of town, and the nurse told me that my best bet is to continue the pills until my followup appt in a month. I honestly don't think I can take it any longer. Good luck to anyone else experiencing these problems. I believe this is what happens when we sell pharmaceuticals like they're candy.

I am taking myself off YAZ because I too have been experiencing horrible side effects. I can't make myself get out of bed because I'm so depressed and tired. I have panic attacks, leg cramps, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, nausea. I thought it was just that I am in a stressful situation but this is not my personality. It makes me so angry to have wasted this time. I wish my doctor had been more careful and listened to me!

I started taking YAZ 3 months ago and have had depression so bad that I started to experience suicidal thoughts. I thought that I was going nuts, but it sound like I am not alone. I will stop taking this YAZ c**p immediately!!!!!!!

I was on Yaz for a week and four days and I had the same issues as you did, and I did what you are going to do I threw them in the garbage, I know that it was the pills because before I started taking them I was a happy, turned on :-D lady now all I want to do is cry :'( myself to sleep and the thought of sex makes me sick (what in the world! o.O ). Good luck in getting this JUNK out of your system.

Take Care

I was so grateful to find these posts about Yaz. I've never struggled with depression like this. I've lost my libido completely and have been cold and distant from my husband and two small sons. I'm a fitness instructor and love to teach and have started to dread exercise and teaching which is completely against my grain. It is so comforting to know that I'm not suddenly getting depression and becoming this unloving wife and mother. I'm going to stop Yaz immediately and I pray that it leaves my system quickly. Thanks for sharing everyone.

Like many have said I welcomed Yaz into my life when my previous BC left me snapping at people the day before I got my period. My doctor backed it up by saying that every so often you need to change BCs as you get older (i.e. you outgrow it).

When you change BC you will have various feelings, sadness, depression, happiness, etc, because you're hormones are changing from the previous BC. That's why the instructions tell you to wait out 3 months.

In anycase though, I've been on Yaz for 4 months and am ready to call my doctor for a new Rx...maybe even go back on my last BC. During my period I will cry for no reason the ENTIRE TIME...that's 4 days of crying for me...I've even had to work hard controlling not crying at work. Yaz has affect my work relationships, any possibility of friendships, probably contributed to almost losing my family. My fiance is even sick of hearing me cry. Since going on this pill, I really feel like I could be a candidate for bi-polar as I exercise hi moods for a week, then extremely low moods the next.

I was on Mircette/Desogen Generic: Apri when I met my boyfriend over a year ago. 6 months later he broke up with me because he couldn't take my mood swings. I stopped taking the pill and he noticed a big change in me. He took me back and 3 months later I got pregnant. I waited 6 months and I was sold on the Yaz commercials. I went to the website and found that it was supposed to be a good pill for me. I went to the doctor and she prescribed me Yaz telling me that my 1st month might be difficult similiar to the told pill.

I have adult acne, depression and long periods. I was hoping that this pill would stop the acne and periods and would not be bad for my depression. My doctor knows that I have it and I am on medication for it. So this is my 2nd month on Yaz and according to my boyfriend I am an embarressment to him, he does not want to take me out in public and he retells stories from the days I was on the old pill. He even kicked me out of his house at 11PM at night. We were in an arguement basically about the side effects, but he thinks I'm just a "psycho b***h" as he puts it.

I don't know what to do. I need to be on BC, but I have only had bad experiences. And each time it ruins my relationships.

Yep- I was on Yaz for about three months and after two I started to feel sad, highly anxious and would cry randomly and uncontrollably for no reason. Nothing made me happy. Even though depression isn't really one of the published side effects of Yaz, it was the only thing I could think of causing my altered mood. After deciding on my own to stop the pill I called my dr and he put me on another BC right away. Hopefully this one (TriNessa) won't have the same effect!

Wow, reading these articles makes me feel so much better. I thought I was going crazy. I started taking Yaz to control acne and hair growth, but after 3-4 months on it, I'm realizing it was a bad mistake. I feel awful. I continually tell my partner that I don't feel good, and that is because I don't. She tells me that I have had awful mood swings, and it is so true. I feel like I don't want this relationship anymore, I have hardly any sex drive like I used to. I don't feel like myself. I threw away the pack of pills after reading this blog. These pills are awful, they make me feel awful. I can't wait till I start feeling like myself again...happy. ;-)

I completely agree!! I've been taking yaz for almost a year and a half and I thought I was losing my mind and kept trying to come up for explanations to my boyfriend about my mood swings, emotionally "numb" feeling, and loss of sex drive. I even began to question my love for him even though I KNOW that I love him! I just felt emotionless. I've become desperate trying to figure out what was causing all my symptoms...I tried to blame it on stress, but then I graduated, etc, etc. Tonight, when I was feeling particularly perplexed and pissed about my emotional state, it dawned on me that my BC (yaz) was advertised as a way to deal with severe PMS and I thought well it might be a stretch but maybe Yaz has more emotional negative side effects than positive. All it took was a google search and my prayers were answered. I felt this huge weight lifted off my shoulders as I read entry after entry of women experiencing the exact same symptoms as me!!! I'm stopping these pills immediately and contacting my doctor about better alternatives!! Thank y'all so much!!

I have been on the Yaz for about 4 months now and I have had increasingly frequesnt anxiety/panic attacks. I feel hungry all the time and I feel ugly, uselfess and worthless. I am a model and have usually been quite happy with how I look and really enjoy my job-addicted even. But on this pill I feel that I don't even want to show my face-let alone my whole body to anyone and I am afraid to leave my house. I sweat and I panic and I lie around and wonder where the time has gone. I have an opportunity to make up to on average a good $2,000 a day and I have ZERO motivation because the anxiety and panic starts to sink in. I freak out and FREEZE and then get upset because nothing changes. I have never felt like this-I know inside that I am a happy, pretty confident sexy woman-not someone who is afraid to leave a locked computer room because someone might see me not looking or feeling perfect and it makes me want to CRY, CRY, CR. I even have moments where I feel as if I might be going crazy, or I feel like I really want to act out violently. I even have experienced crazy ideas that I might just feel better if I do something drastic-like paint my toes and fingernails dark and get pin hair, or a tattoo-I have crazy thoughts that I am scared will lead to actions-this sh*t has got to stop. Unfortunate thing is when I went into my appointment to complain about this YAZ my DR was three hours behind and I never got in-he l;ater offered me a few minutes of his time to do my full exam-but after everything I typed here-I have soooo much more to discuss than could possibly be done in a 3 minute appointment! And what makes me so mad about all of this to begin with is the only reason I got stuck having to even take a pill is because I had the ten year copper hormone free iud for five years-it gave me a very large, painful, discreet until arrival ovarian cyst. It ruptured and sent me to the ER for morphine and unable to walk straight for three weeks. This sh*t is f*****g wonderful. The only god damned reason I am taking any birth control anyways is for the one damned day a month I might actually want sex!!! For the love of God, please someone get me on something that returns me to a normal person who like to f**k again-Thanks for listening...it's been a hard YAZ day...

I am so thankful of all these posts. I was considering starting yaz but now I'm definately not. I have just come off of seasonale, and that was horrible. I had no sex drive, and I felt horrible; not to mention my period would start a good four weeks before it was suppose to. But from reading all of your posts I know not to try yaz either.

I'm wondering though, is there any type of pill that doesn't lower or abolish your sex drive?? I just got married and it's been horrible! I've felt like the worst wife for not wanting to have sex. My husband goes off to basic in three weeks, so that means I have three months to try and find something that really works for me. Because I really don't want to have to go through this while he's home with me.

I'm thinking about trying the patch. Anyone have any comments on that?? They'd be greatly appreciated!

I dont kno who this is gonna help but i took yasmin for three months and after the first i didnt feel right.. at the end of it all .. last month of taking the pill i was depressed my mom was confused and sorta angry my boyfriend had to watch what he said because if snap .. i was tired all the time.. sad.. happy one moment and miserable the next .. i knew there was something wrong.. i switched to tricyclen lo .. and its way better .. no modd swings.. the occasional pms but not as bad.. oh and ive had low libbido .. or low sex drive since i was on the pill and it almost ended my relationship with my boyfriend too .. no pill will not lower ur sex drive.. it doesnt always .. theres some girls that it doesnt affect there mood at all .. and there just as turned on as before.. but for alot it changes.. theres exercises to do in order to get urself arouse more frequently.. u can just lay by urself and think about things that might make u excited.. (this might take a while) and slowly bring urself to the point of being turned on .. any thing that u might have experienced before that got u aroused .. like tv shows or books.. anything and just work on it.. the only way to get back to ur old self. (more excited) is to go off the pill or use some other sort of non oral birht control method... ( herd the exercise on oprah by a dr that was on it) .. yaz is good for some people.. but others.. do the worse.. so far tricyclen lo is good for me.. less hormones so im normal again

I am also soooooooooo thankful for the feedback in these posts and can so relate. I started taking Yaz a week ago and have been on a roller coaster ever since. I originally took the pill to help regulate my period and help with my PMS. Now, within only a week, my depression is out of control. It takes everything in me to get out of bed, see my friends, or be around anybody. I cried last week for no reason and felt like the life was sucked out of me. So last night I stopped taking the pill of death. In fact when my doctor first prescribed it, I got this weird feeling in my stomach and found it a bit bizarre that she mentioned for me to call her if the pill was too expensive or it wasn't the right one for me. I am a social worker for adults with mental illness and have seen how drug companies push meds (thank God we don't allow that c**p in our clinic). Anyway, I really wonder if the drug companies pushing this pill had anything to do with her prescribing it. Not to mention I have a hx of depression which is a warning sign on the label. Thanks for all your feedback, at least now I know I’m not crazy XD