Yaz side effects

I was taking Orthotricyclen-Lo and wasn't having a problem with it, maybe a little cranky around the time of my period. My best friend was on the same thing and switched to Yaz and said it made all the difference, that she noticed a change (for the good) within the first couple of weeks and says she hardly gets cranky at all. So I switched. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow, actually, because this apparently is NOT the pill for me. I want to switch back. I have terrible mood swings, been VERY emotional. I will cry out of no where and can't get myself to stop. I have been taking it for 2 months, and have even cried for no reason at work and have to go to the bathroom to collect myself-embarrassing! Especially when someone asks what is wrong and I don't even know! Not only that, but I get TERRIBLE headaches. Not migraines, but a terrible headache that doesn't go away no matter what I take, and I get terribly dizzy, almost a feeling of vertigo. It happens every single week, at least once, but sometimes the headache lasts a day or two. Not used to this at all and it is without a doubt affecting my job performance. I know everyone is different, but this has been awful for me.

:'( Thank you all for sharing your experiences, good and bad. I've been watching my daughter after two weeks on YAZ. The last two days I've been close to calling 911 because of the crying and depression. She just switched to YAZ after otho-tricyclen for three months, which caused daily headaches and nausea. I'll be calling the Dr. tomorrow, throwing these out, and asking for hormone level testing.

I have been on the Yaz for about three weeks and so far love it. I have a history of mood swings, anxiety and depression nearing that time. My boyfriend tells me that I have pms about three weeks out of the month. That leaves me with about one good week where I am not overly stressed or freaking out. So far, this pill has worked wonders for my severe pms. I have been in a great mood, my sex drive has not changed and I have not gained weight. Yesterday I noticed however, that my nipples are really tender and sore they also feel a bit swollen. I am not sure if it is related to YAZ or not, if anyone can offer any insight that would be great.

I was on Ortho Tricyclin Lo for about 4 and half years, but after the extreme depression and crying episodes, a week before my period and the severe cramps I decided I needed to change. my doctor put me on Lo Estrin 24, everything was great but I never got my period, which really scared me. I took pregnancy tests even though I knew they were going to be negative because I take my pills at the same time everyday and use condoms with my boyfriend. I went back to Ortho for one month, then my doctor put me on Yaz for this month. I have only been taking it for 5 days but i have an unusual loss of appitite. a few days ago I got really sick, vomiting and diarrehea. I am not sure if it was something I ate or yaz. I'm hoping for th best, even though these posts are making me really nervous about Yaz.

Good Luck everyone!

I've been on yaz for about 4 months not and as a bc it has worked great. Im not having a baby . . BUT my mood swings are HELL !!! the other day i cried when a traffic light turned red. I cry when i run out of shampoo i want to break-up with my boyfriend almost everyother day and my sex drive has gone from through the roof to dont touch me, im miserable. Its a tough situation though bc ive been batteling acne for over 6 years now and this pill REALLY worked for that my face has NEVER been more clear. BUT is it worth it is the decision im trying to make right now.

About 2 weeks before my period I would go into fits of anger and depression. The emotional problems were affecting my life and the people around me. I was so aggressive I had thoughts of killing people if they upset me. If I wasn't thinking horrible thoughts like that, I was under the covers crying. But the aggression was awful.

I went to my family doctor and told him what was going on he didn't clue into the cycle part. He just put me on Prozac and then I was a zombie. I stopped taking it because I wanted to hurt someone but was too tired to move. I then went to my woman doctor and told her what was going on. After I convinced her I was not a danger to myself or her (I scarred her pretty badly) I told her that it was before I started that this was going on. She diagnosed me with PMDD and started me on Yazmine. My moods started changing for the better and no one was scarred of me any longer! You think I'm joking, but I'm not. After a year of being on Yazmine I told my doctor that after my period I was still cramping really badly. She suggested Yaz as a way to slow down my ovaries.

I started that about 6 months ago. I never had any break through bleeding and my periods last a whole 4 days! I have about 1 day of very mild cramping (whereas when I was younger a day was spent in bed because of the pain) and my mood swings are much much much better. My sex drive is a bit lower than it used to be before ever being on any b/c but that's good for me.

This month I experienced the thick stretchy discharge around the time I should have ovulated had I not been on b/c. My breasts are even more tender than before and I'm really sick to my stomach. I'm supposed to start in about 5 days and I'm really hoping I do. After reading all these posts I'm either pregnant or starting to have the same side effects everyone else has had.

My first thought, without any research to back it up, is that Yaz is for PMDD as well as birth control. I'm wondering if it should not be given to women that do not experience severe symptoms just like an anti depressant pill should not be given to someone that is not depressed. I have not seen this possibility addressed. Did any of you out there that are now really having bad side effects ever have them this bad before this birth control?

I barely made it 4 pages into this thread before I decided I HAD to post.

Alot of you people are just uneducated in general. You ask stupid questions like "Am I pregnant"...here's an idea, take a pregnancy test and schedule an appointment with your GYN.

Alot of you say this is a BAD birth control. It is BAD for you as an individual. That does not make it bad for EVERYONE.

Everyone reacts to medication differently. All medications. There is no set response for everyone. People will have different reactions physically, mentaly, psychologicaly...there is just so many possible outcomes for each individual.

Before you ever statrt taking any medication you should educate yourself about it. Do not just take your docotrs or friends or familys advice. Read through books and surf the web and gather info that can be unbaised. Do not take any one persons opinion and assume thats all there is.

If you are having problems with testosterone and hair growth and mood swings and abdominal pain request your doctor to do blood work up to make sure there isn't larger problems that could be complicated by a new medication such as birth control. If you do not have the financial means to do this there are many free clinics that are available for people in your situation.

Now, my own personal experience with Yaz thus far. It is the first birth control I have been on in about 5 years. Previously I was on Depo Provera and hated it. It did not agree with me for so many reasons and i feel it is what contributed to my now horrible periods and "pmdd". Once again though, I have known people that were on Depo and had none of the side effects I had so i will not discredit the drug entirely.

I have just finished my second week of Yaz. The first 4 days I was having to double dose to catch up to my normal cycle. I have been having alot of problems with nausea and an upset stomach, burping alot. If anything this has cut down on my eating habits simply because of the upset stomach. But if you read the literature it tells you that you may experience this side effects for up to the 3rd month. So I'm waiting it out. The possiblity of having a less severe period keeps me going. I did notice some breast tenderness in the last couple days but nothing unbarable at all. I have had a few moody days but these were days where I was experiencing other stressing factors as well, the new medication may have just made my reaction to the situation a little more....dramatic. I did have a few pimples pop up when starting but they didn't multiple and it seems to have subsided. I honestly expected break through bleeding and cramping when first begining this medication but I have not yet had this. I am thankful for that. Other then what I have mentioned above I am feeling normal. I have been having alot of stressful things happen in my regular life that would normaly put me into a tail spin of borderline depression but I have remained upbeat and not overwhelmed. I think the birth control is having a positive effect on my coping abilitys. My hormones used to have me laid up sometimes with irritibility and a bunch of other horrible feelings.

I know it is still early on. There is still plenty of time for other side effects to pop up and other problems in general. but for now I am good and i look forward to continuing this and hopfully eliminating my horrible periods. My GYN did say if my symptoms weren't lessened by this birth control he would be running tests on me and would anyway if i would like them done. So I'll just have to see where this goes but I am excited at taking a step in the direction of bettering my body.

Just educate yourselves people. Get the backing of a good GYN. Don't believe everything you read. And come to the final decissions on your own with your newly learned info ok? And remember, people often come to the internet to reasearch problems and complain. Not many people come on to just post a "everything great" response. More people take the time to complain then compliment and just know for every bad story theres probably at least 2 good ones.

Best of luck to all of you.

(BTW I am a certified Pharmacy Tech and do have some background in all medications obviously. If anyone wants to contact me with there ongoing experiences with Yaz off of the board feel free as I'm not to sure how often I'll pop on here. )

**edited by moderator**

i have been on YAZ for 15 months. the first 6 months were fine...shorter periods, occasional headaches. but then everything changed. i get terrible headaches at least once a week, terrible bloating, terrible cramps, periods lasting 7 days and longer.
i thought about switching to loestrin 24 but i think im going off the pill for good.

Let me start by saying I have used Ortho-Cyclen and Ortho-tri-cyclen as my birth control pills for 8 years, prior to a 2 1/2 year break during pregnancy and nursing.

I just decided to get back on the pill, and wanted one which was low dose and could help clear moderate acne, so my Dr. prescribed Yaz. In the previous pills, I had NEVER experienced such adverse reactions, as I have from just being on Yaz for 10 days. I am stopping my pills today, and now seriously considering whether I really want hormones in my body ever again.

I have had sudden bouts of crying, a short temper towards my husband, increased appetite, headaches, anxiety, depression, and to top it off, I thought perhaps I had come down with the flu (nausea, chills, cramps, upset stomach, body rash) but was surprised that no one else in my family got sick, or relatives who visited on Christmas fell ill, considering I was around everyone. Could it be an allergic reaction?

Anyway, I am done with it, would not recommend this pill.

After reading about so many horrible experiences with Yaz, I just wanted to share my positive experience! I have suffered from acne since I was 12. I had tried other BCPs, including Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo, which helped, but I eventually stopped them due to side effects--recurring yeast infections and low libido. Yaz, however, has cleared my skin like nothing else! It took a good 8 or 9 months before I saw major improvement, but I am so glad I gave it time. My skin hasn't looked this good in decades! The side effects have been minor, and I've actually even lost a few pounds. Don't count Yaz out!!!

After feeling nauseous for about almost a week, now, I thought I'd put in my two cents.

I have been taking Yaz for three months, and just started my fourth pack. The first week, I felt GREAT - strong libido, happy, fuller breasts, etc, no unwanted side effects at all. However, when my period came, I had it for two weeks. Also, after a couple of weeks, I began to have regular nausea.

The second month, my period lasted two weeks, and was much heavier than normal. More nausea, my skin worsened.

The third month was pretty much the same, although my period was lighter, but still lasted about two weeks.

Now, I've been feeling nauseous all the time, and it's getting old.

I was on Loestrin very briefly, and had nothing but the absolute worst side effects. Yaz is only the second bcp I've tried, and I still haven't decided if it's as terrible as it seems. I am frequently nauseous, but find that drinking soda water improves how I feel. My sex drive has really decreased, but no more than before I started taking Yaz. My skin is so-so - not really any better or worse, now. My period is MUCH longer than it EVER was before I started taking bc - before, it lasted only 4 days (heavy for two, light for the last two); I go about two weeks without bleeding, and then two weeks on - it's terrible. I'm extremely emotional up to two weeks before my period, but I suffered from PMDD, before - although it was previously only a week on either side of my bleeding.

I'm going to stick it out just a little longer. If my period lasts for two weeks again this month, I am going to the doctor. I just don't know what to do. I don't have time to fiddle around with pills, and am terrified of gaining excessive amounts of weight. But, as it is, I'm not exactly thrilled with Yaz.

I am finishing up my first month on Yaz which my doctor has put me on to help with my polycystic ovarian syndrome. I have been on at least 10 other birth control pills through the years and have been unable to tolerate any of them because of the swelling and headaches. This time around has been the best experience ever and other than being a little more tired than usual I have had nothing but wonderful results. I have lost 20 lbs this month with very little effort with most of the weight coming off of my waist. My normal swelling has gone way down and my mood swings are better. For anyone with my disorder I would definitely tell them to talk to their doctor about this.

I certainly hope I have the same effects. I have been through I don't know how many BC brands. I'm get pms terribly, moodiness, sadness, anger, want to eat everything in the house, migraines. No pill seems to help.

I asked my doctor if I can try Yaz. I also asked for a hormonal blood count first before I start.

I'm hoping I will be reporting back how wonderful Yaz is..

I've been on Yaz for three months now, and for a while everything was pretty great. I felt better, and was a lot more chilled out than I had been. Then about two weeks after starting it I started to become increasingly tired, sleeping oftentimes from 2 in the morning until 4 or 5 pm the next day, wanting to do nothing more than sleep. I hadn't attributed the problem to Yaz, but then my first period on the pill lasted for over 2 weeks. Over the next two months I became increasingly listless, tired, angry, and overly emotional. My muscles have become quite sore, and I've become more prone to colds. My sex drive hadn't changed, and my acne was almost entirely gone, so I didn't think too much of it. But now I fight with my boyfriend over nothing, and often get extremely paranoid. Lately I've also been experiencing some hypersensitivity to my skin when a face mask I'd been using forever burned my face, and when alcoholic wipes caused the edges of my face to burn and raise up in hideous, irritating hives. I also missed taking my pill two days ago and wound up taking two pills in the same day as directions told me to do, and that night I had a severe panic attack, which ended up with me sobbing on the floor thinking I was going to die.

I'd never experienced anything like this, and these pills are starting to freak me out a little. Maybe I'll find something else a little less extreme.

I just read a post from someone who is on their third week using Yaz and the symptoms they're experiencing are identical to mine. I felt fine during the first two weeks but for some reason I've been feeling like c**p ever since yesterday which was the first day of my third week on Yaz. I feel like I'm on drugs. I'm lightheaded, lethargic, nauseous, and I have this annoying headache that won't go away.