Yaz is a combination birth control pill. It contains two types of hormones: an estrogen and a progestrin. You’ll find that most combination birth control pills are low-dose, meaning they contain .035 miligrams or less of estrogen. Low doses of estrogen are just as effective as high doses when preventing pregnancy and have the added benefit of reducing those pesty side effects.
Yaz is the only pill that has a 24/4 dosing schedule and contains the hormone drosperinone. You take the active (hormone) pills for 24 days then follow with the four inactive (reminder) pills. Taking the active pills for three extra days helps your hormone levels stay balanced.
Most combination birth control pills contain the synthetic hormone progestin made from the male hormone testosterone. However, the drospirenone in Yaz is a synthetic progestin that is an analogue to spironolactone. With drospirenones activities similar to spironolactone it may lead to less water retention and breast tenderness and improved skin appearance (less acne).
What are the advantages to using Yaz?
Like other birth control pills Yaz can help give you a shorter, lighter period, a more regular cycle and less cramping. Lighter periods can mean less blood loss leading to a decrease in the risk of iron deficiency anemia.
Yaz may also reduce the risk of:
- Ovarian cysts
- Noncancerous breast cysts or lumps
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Endometrial cancer
- Ovarian cancer
What to consider before you take Yaz.
The pill does not suit all women. If any of the following apply to you, you may not be able to use hormonal methods of birth control.
- You are, or suspect that you are pregnant
- Are breastfeeding and / or are less than 6 weeks postpartum
- Are over the age of 35
- Smoke
- Have unexplained vaginal bleeding
- Have active liver disease or a history of liver tumors
- Have a history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure or some other condition that puts you at risk of a heart attack
- Have diabetes
- Have breast cancer, history of breast cancer or an abnormal growth in the breast
- Have a history of blood clotting problems
- Have cancer or history of cancer of the reproductive organs
- Have migraines or focal neurologic symptoms
Are there any side effects?
Common side effects for Yaz can be:
- Weight gain
- Nausea and vomiting (felt for the first few cycles)
- Dizziness
- Increase or decrease in acne
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
- Loss of libido
- Depression
- Vaginal infections
Serious, but less common, health risks can be:
- Blood clots in legs, lungs, heart or brain
- Stroke
- Heart attacks
- Possibly cervical cancer
Yaz does not protect against HIV or sexually transmitted diseases.
BirthControlBuzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, birth control types (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase birth control on-line.
For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
I recently switched from the nuvaring to yaz. The nuvaring gave me no noticable problems but I wanted to get a pill which would help with acne as I have severe breakouts at times. I'm on the 11th day and after the 7th day developed a severe bladder infection. This has not happened with any other birth control I've tried and I have never had an infection this severe in my life. I would love to stay on it as I have noticed a remarkable improvement in my skin, but if I have to live with this discomfort I don't know if a nice complexion is really worth it. I'm wondering if the infection is due to the switch and it will go away or it's just a coincidence? Is this is a problem other women have experienced? Has anyone experienced allergic reactions to this pill? and if so what were their symptoms?
Comment by Anonymous — October 7, 2009 @ 6:44 am
I am a 19 year old girl and ive been taking yaz for about 2 years. i started feeling depressed, crying over everything. i was paranoid i felt short of breath and extremely tired and achy..im so glad i read all of your posts because after months of going to new doctors i finally realized that this must be because of my birth control..i'm calling my doctor now to switch asap
Comment by Anonymous — October 7, 2009 @ 9:10 am
reading through peoples comments, some have been really crude. The way I look at it every pill is different and it takes time to find the right one for you. I tryed 6 different types and my doctor finally recommended Yaz and I love it.. Yes i have gained like 3 pounds and my boobs are bigger, but for my Hormonal part its awsome. What im trying to say just give it a try and it just all takes time
Comment by Anonymous — October 8, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
I am now 36 years old. I started taking Yaz 3.5 years ago. I didn't know at the time what to call it now PMDD is the general name for what I experienced before taking Yaz. I had to go to several gyno's and tell everyone of them that I had horrible thoughts of hurting myself for about 2 weeks a month. Stabbing my uterus was usually the crazy thought that would come into my head. The cramps were so bad I would find myself doubled up in bed rocking. Sometimes I would chew the pillow trying to relieve the pain and axiety that would come with every period. Since taking Yaz continously (periods only 2 or 3 times a year) now for 3.5 years I no longer experience any of the craziness and discomfort that came with not taking it. I am only bummed that I will need to stop taking Yaz since older woman should not continue to take BC. I am concerned however to see that there is now a class action lawsuit against Yaz. That is actually what I am doing on here trying to decide what the deal is with that. If any of you know if the Yaz pill is causing higher rates of clots or high blood pressure please post what you have heard and I will be calling my gyno soon.
Comment by Anonymous — October 8, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
Im 18 years old, and I was taking YAZ for about 5 years. Through out those 5 years i didnt experiance any problems, until about 4 months ago. I started experiancing really bad cramps, headaches, and body aches. I never really gained too much weight on YAZ just fluxuated between 2-3 pounds. My acne was never bad, so it didnt affect that at all. Of course i still broke out with a little acme around the time of my period. YAZ deffinatly caused me to be more hormonal and deppressed. But remember all of my side affects werent until about 4 months ago. I have quit taking YAZ, and im currently not on anything. I wouldnt recommmend YAZ to ANYONE! And recently ive seen commercials on t.v. about YAZ and how its caused promblems with all of these women. If you want children in the future DONT TAKE IT
Comment by Anonymous — October 9, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
ive been abnormally tiredunhealthy not wanted to work out.i ended my pack waiting for my period but it didn't come the next sunday but the one after that,ive never been on birthcontrolive been consuming for 3-5 monthsam i taking it wrong?and what happens when i accidentally take not knowing my period will start the next day
Comment by thunduhchunkay — October 12, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
I started researching YAZ after seeing the lawsuit commercials. Scared me and in doing research I am even more scared. I have stopped taking YAZ on my own as of 4 days ago. I can't believe how many symptoms I have that everyone else seems to be reporting on. I suffered depression before in my life so I thought what I was having now was just what I'd gone through years ago. Sleepy, gloomy, tired all the time, crying for no reason, snappy, bloated, weight gain, headaches. My body feels sore. I've been on this pill for about 3 years. I thought it was great at first. Lighter periods and now it has gotten to where I don't have a period at all. Just in stopping this pill for 4 days I feel lighter. I still haven't started my period and have taken a pregnancy test to show I am not pregnant. We'll see how long it takes me to get regulated again. I just pray I don't have other more serious issues they others have reported. Heart problems and all of that. I think it is scary. I should have known better. Newer medications can't give you an idea of what the real side effects will be. Long ago I took an anti-depressant and would report all the time a decrease in sex drive, etc. They would claim it wasn't from the medication but now it isn't even prescribed because of what it does to the sex drive. Go with your gut, if you have strange symptoms don't ignore them. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories.
Comment by Anonymous — October 13, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
Dear thunduhchunkay,When you finished your pack you are supposed to continue on your next pack even if you did not have your period the first month. You are not supposed to stop taking birth control until your period comes back. The birth control is supposed to regulate your period and that on the first few months of taking birth control, your body is trying to adjust to it so you may miss your period on the first month.Take the birth control as directed by your doctor. Take one everyday until the pack is finished. Start a new pack and continue taking one every day. The last 4 pills are only sugar pills and that is when you are supposed to have your period.If you have any questions about the birth control, ask your doctor and keep him/her updated if you experience any side effects.Goodluck 🙂
Comment by Janine — October 14, 2009 @ 11:43 am
Many of these anonymous stories are likey written by sales people from competetive products. Take everything here with a grain of salt. ALL OCs have side effects. Yaz is no different here but absolutely more beneficial for pms and acne. Yaz is the number one birthcontrol pill in the world. That can not happen without the VAST majority of women liking and recommending Yaz.
Comment by Anonymous — October 14, 2009 @ 4:07 pm
I'm 17 going on 18 and I've been on Yaz for a year and a half. This was my first birth control pill I've taken. Of course the first three months I had to expect the headaches and the nausea and let the hormones do the work. Then in June (I took the pill in March of 08), I started getting unbearable headaches and the nausea was so bad that even eating made it worse. I take multivitamins because I don't want to get iron deficiency anemia again and the doctor recommended that I take them. As I'm typing, my headache is making my head feel like a hot air balloon and my nausea is so bad that I can't take it anymore. I haven't had any PMDD symptoms, my boobs grew a whole cup size, my periods are lighter, my skin is as smooth as a baby's behind, and I haven't had any serious problems like blood clots and strokes. I'm 102 lbs and 5'3", athletic, healthy young woman. My dad also smokes to the point that I can't stand to be in the same room as him. Should I switch my birth control methods? My mom isn't letting me get a IUD and I don't plan on getting one either. I was going to go with Femcon FE, but I need to ask my doctor about that because I've been reading on it and although people only gave it a couple weeks, if the symptoms last longer than that, I'm worried.
Comment by Anonymous — October 15, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
Dear Anonymous,If you are looking into getting Femcon, we also have a blog with several comments from girls who has been on it. Check it out.http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/blog/2007/03/femcon-fe-chewable-birth-control-pill.htmlHave you notified your doctor about the continued headache and nausea you get from yaz? Ask your doctor about femcon and what other birth control pill you can switch to. You should definitely talk to your doctor to see what he or she recommends for you.
Comment by Janine — October 16, 2009 @ 1:31 pm
Im 17 and I have been on Yaz for about 5 months now, and Im really thinking about getting off. I never had pmdd or bad acne, so this pill just isnt right for me. Since ive been on ive gained alomost 30lbs, I am always tired and never wanting to do anything. Also before I took Yaz I was never emotional before my period and now I will start crying over a movie that would have never made me cry before. The only thing that is good for me about this pill is extremely light periods, which is a nice change, but overall this pill is not worth the 30lbs and laziness
Comment by Anonymous — October 16, 2009 @ 11:13 pm
I have been on three different birth control pills for the past three years. At first I tried Alesse, but I found that my libido had decreased to the point where I did not want sex at all. I then tried switching to LoEstrin and I had problems with irregular bleeding as well as a moderately decreased libido. I am currently on Yaz and have been using it for 6 months. I am really happy with the results as my periods seem to be regular again and also my libido seems to be back to normal. The only minor side effects that I have noticed are increased breast tenderness and increased cravings for junk food (which has resulted in minor weight gain).
Comment by Erika — October 19, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
when i first started taking birth control the dr. put me on ortho cytriclyen lo, in 3 months i went from 115 lbs to 185! i went to the dr. to find out what the heck happened. after she laughed at me saying that girls get put on that to gain weight, i switched to yaz. i loved it! i insantly lost 30 lbs. and had no side effects, except crapping in my leg. almost a year later i had to stop taking it because my insurance wouldnt cover it. but now it does and i'm back on it again. i still love it, but i'm worried about all the fatal side effects that has been happening lately being directly from the birth control. they think that there is going to be a recall in the near future. i'm not sure what to do, but i hope you make the right choice.
Comment by Anonymous — October 19, 2009 @ 6:42 pm
Hopefully someone can relate to me… I have been off of yaz now for 2 months, and in that 2 months ive had my period every 2-3 weeks, so about 4 times in 2 months!!! i dont know if this is a side eefect, Kinda worried i may be dealing with something alot worse.
Comment by Anonymous — October 20, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
Anonymous said… Hopefully someone can relate to me… I have been off of yaz now for 2 months, and in that 2 months ive had my period every 2-3 weeks, so about 4 times in 2 months!!! i dont know if this is a side eefect, Kinda worried i may be dealing with something alot worse.Dear Anonymous,Sounds like your body is trying to go back to its normal rhythm. Keep your doctor updated about the amount of times your period comes back and how long it lasts for. Goodluck 🙂
Comment by Janine — October 26, 2009 @ 7:38 am
I am 25 years old and took Yaz for 3 years. I had NO adverse reactions or side effects. I originally got on it for the lighter, shorter periods and for the skin clearing advantages. It was a great pill and I did not experience any weight gain that I would not attribute to outside factors. In fact, the only reason that I got off of it was because it had gotten SO expensive. I am now switching to the generic of Yasmin, Ocella, in hopes that I will have the same experience that I have had with Yaz. I had pretty bad headaches around my period, but that might be genetic to me as I have always had headaches. I was so moddy in the least and never went through any stages of depression or crying spells, as I have experienced on Loestrin 24.
Comment by Anonymous — November 3, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
hi everyone, I'm a 15 almost 16 year old. I was put on Yaz about 2 months ago by my doctor to help regulate my periods, which i wouldn't see for about 4-5 months at a time. The first day i took Yaz, i felt a bit emotional, but that quickly went away by the next night. I am on my second pack, and my skin has never looked better, i also think that i've lost a little weight 🙂 i was a little skeptical about starting Yaz because of all the terrible comments, but i decided to take it anyways. My doctor only put me on it for six months, so lets see how it goes 🙂
Comment by Anonymous — November 7, 2009 @ 9:44 am
Im 16 and ive been on yaz for 9 months for extreme cramps to where id be home from for the whole week throwing up. when i started yaz my totally went away. i gained like 5 pounds and my boobs went from a D to a DD so i think thats where the weight went. Yaz is great. Though im tired alot when i get up and start doing things it all goes away. I recommend it
Comment by Anonymous — November 8, 2009 @ 8:35 am
I am 18 years old and i wanted to get on birth control and my doctor suggested Yaz.I have bean taking it for only 20 days now and i am going crazy on it, i have been heavy bleeding all 20 day, have broken out on my chest more than i ever have. My moods have been bitchy and i have been so tired like never before. Yaz has driven me to smoking again just so i could deal with the stress its putting my body through. I have stopped taking it and i do not like it. Everyone i know who has taken it has told me the same. In my opinion i would not recommend Yaz to anyone.
Comment by Anonymous — November 9, 2009 @ 9:39 am
Hey ladies. I had tried a few other birth controls before my doctor recommend Yaz. I was put on Tricyclen Lo to see if it could lessen the symptoms of my endometriosis. I became very depressed with severe mood swings on it and just couldnt fuction normally anymore. I went off birth control for a few months then I talked to my doctor and we decided it was time to try again. I've been on Yaz for about three months the mood swings havent returned (bonus) I have gained weight (to my advantage), my acne comes and goes, I still have pain with my endometriosis but the length of my period is only like three days instead of two weeks (when i was off the pill. Its working for me but it might not work for everyone. I hope you all find a proper pill for you.
Comment by Anonymous — November 21, 2009 @ 6:37 pm
I've been on YAZ for over a year and it's horrible. My period is late every month (the good thing is I'm down to having my period for only 3 days). The bad things are my loss of sex drive. I'm 21 and have been married for a year and a half. The sex isn't how it used to be. This week I'm going to the doc on base to get something new. Any suggestions?
Comment by Anonymous — December 2, 2009 @ 3:06 am
Anonymous said… I've been on YAZ for over a year and it's horrible. My period is late every month (the good thing is I'm down to having my period for only 3 days). The bad things are my loss of sex drive. I'm 21 and have been married for a year and a half. The sex isn't how it used to be. This week I'm going to the doc on base to get something new. Any suggestions?Dear Anonymous,Let your doctor know about all these symptoms you are experiencing off of Yaz and let your doctor decide which one to recommend to you.
Comment by Janine — December 2, 2009 @ 10:47 am
Hi,I'm 27 years old I have been taking Yaz for one year lost lots of weight the skin on my face got clearer my period comes just about every five months I love it ,love taking Yaz,no problems at all
Comment by Anonymous — December 6, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
I am 25 years old and I am now on my 3rd week of taking YAZ(I never been on any birth control before). My doctor thought that it would be best for me because of my acne and I started as soon as he told me. Now that I've been taking it haven't had any side affects. Hopefully it helps my acne and as for as all the comments that I've been reading I am so scared and hope that I don't suffer from what others have trouble with after taking the pill. Weight gain, PMDD, mood swings, depression, headaches, etc… I have never had a problem with before and I hope it doesn't start now. I just had my second child 9 weeks ago and I dont wanna get pregnant again so can someone please tell me should I give it the 3 months or tell my doctor I want to try something else.
Comment by Anyssa — December 8, 2009 @ 7:12 pm
Dear Anyssa,Every girl reacts to birth control pills differently. I think you should stay on Yaz because you are not experiencing the same symptoms the other girls have experienced. There are no birth control pills with no side effects. If you are uncomfortable with Yaz, you can try a different birth control pill. It is important to talk to your doctor and ask him/her about any questions you have and tell him/her about any concerns you have about the birth control pill you are on.
Comment by Janine — December 9, 2009 @ 9:55 am
I am shocked that this is still on the market! I am 31 years old. Last summer I had severe chest pains, which resulted in emergency gallbladder surgery, liver and pancreatitis damage and a lot of misery. I ended up having 3 surgical procedures, several hospital stays and a lot of hospital bills, plus stress and anxiety. I had no risk factors for gallbladder disease or for pancreatic damage other than being a mother… and now it sound possible that it can all be traced back to Yaz. Look for another Pill.
Comment by Anonymous — December 13, 2009 @ 10:53 am
I've been taking Yaz for a little over a year. I ran out of pills two months ago and haven't been able to refill them due to a recent move and scheduling conflict with my womens health clinic. I attributed my lack of sex drive and depressed mood to problems in my relationship/adjusting to the new move. It took me a while off the pill to realize the connection. I am a high energy person and I felt tired all the time. Yaz definately leveled out my PMDD and just made life seem blah. I feel so much better off it. People I know have even commented on my improved mood. I have an appointment scheduled after the holiday to discuss a new form of birth control with my provider. I'm skeptical though.. with all the side effects involved with every birth control pill on the market it makes me just want to suck it up and deal with the few days of cramps and moodiness. Marking the dates on a calander helps to at least identify the cause of why I feel so out of control when I am PMSing. So far it's working better than any pill.
Comment by Anonymous — December 22, 2009 @ 7:04 am
I've been on Yaz for around two years now, since I was 16. I had severe PMDD where I would wake up in the morning HATING everything and everyone around me. Yaz has helped me tremendously. I still get mild PMS, and it's severity differs from month-to-month. Sometimes I don't get any symptoms at all, other times I have typical PMS moodiness and anxiety. However, it's never severe enough to effect my life, and the absolute worst PMS I get now is nothing compared to the PMDD. The change has definitely been remarkable.I haven't gained any weight to speak of. I used to always get mild acne before my period, but not anymore! The few pimples I do get from time-to-time clear up very quickly. I would recommend Yaz, but clearly it doesn't work well with some people. If you have PMDD, give it a shot. Only you can judge. I haven't had any negative side effects, so I give Yaz a thumbs up! I hope everyone can find something that works well for them.
Comment by Anonymous — December 22, 2009 @ 8:18 am
I am a little bit confused after reading these comments by the number of people who said they were never experiencing the PMS type symptoms, the acne, or a few of the other symptoms that those with PMDD would have every month. You are only supposed to be prescribed Yaz if you need a birth control pill AND you want it to treat acne or PMDD, not just because you want a birth control pill, as there are many not made for PMDD that contain less hormones, and would hopefully not make you have the syptoms you are. I may be wrong as I am only a patient and not a doctor, but it seems that it is not the pill doing this to you, but that the level of hormones is not what you needed in the first place and I wonder why it was perscribed to you if all you needed was to not get pregnant.Especially for those of you that said you were over 35, since it is even riskier, it seems, than some other BC pills.
Comment by Anonymous — December 23, 2009 @ 10:11 am
all of yal got problems who are taking the yaz people are filing law suits against yaz it caused serious problems to lots of people . people died off that had heart attacts liver problems I heard it wasnt approved by the food aand drug administrattion they are not suppose to be selling yaz if you die thats on yal dumb asses thats all I got to say.
Comment by Anonymous — December 31, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
I was on FemconFe, then my Dr. decided to put me on Yaz because he and I thought that I might have PMDD… I think Yaz gave me PMDD. I do not know the person that I am right now. I am NOT myself and I cannot wait to feel the least bit NORMAL again. My Boyfriend wants to go to condoms for a month just so that I am off this pill that makes me act INSANE. Yaz turned me into a completely different (and scary) person. I have only been on Yaz for 7 days and I already feel the HORRIBLE side effects which get worse every hour of the day. My HORRIBLE Side Effects:-extremely moody-mean to people I love-very bad insomnia-exhausted during the day-the worst period of my life (this is the 7th day)-uncontrollable anxiety/worries-out of control "episodes"-feeling out of control all the time-depression-crying at least 10 times a day -anger-sadness that will not go awayI started to feel these side effects the second day that I was on Yaz and they have not gone away. I am very scared to continue on taking this pill, so me and my Dr. have decided that I am going to stop taking it until I get my next period. Then, I am going to go back on FemconFe.I used to be happy 7 days ago, and now I am insane. Yaz ruined my life for a week. I NEED to feel normal again. Yaz was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I am so happy for those that it worked for, but it DID NOT work for me and I wanted to share my experience with Yaz.
Comment by Anonymous — January 6, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
I've been on Yaz for 4 months now and I love it! The only side effects I've gotten from it is some breakthrough bleeding. As I've read on here before, don't go telling people not to take it just because you may have had a negative experience with it. Every person is different and their bodies react differently to certain things, so what may not work for you may work perfectly for someone else.
Comment by Anonymous — January 10, 2010 @ 7:24 pm
i'm 21 and about six months ago i started to become sexualy active so i when on the pill and i i just decides to pick yaz for no real season than i've seen the commercals a million time so i've been on it for five months with NO PROBLEMS i absolutly love it the only "side affect" i've have is my boobs got bigger but i don't think of it as a problem at all yes they went from C's to D's but oh well my boyfriend and i haven't thought of it as bad i haven't grained wight my achie has even cleared up too i just want to say i love love love YAZ!!!!!!
Comment by Elizabeth — January 11, 2010 @ 7:59 pm
So Ive been taking Yaz for almost a year now. It is the 1st pill I have ever tried and I love it. The 1st few pills made me super nauseous but then it went away. Also, Ive never had cramps during my periods but I get some slight cramping now, and my boobs hurt a lot more. But my skin is a lot more clear. My periods are a lot lighter and dont last long at all. And I know exactly when its coming. Idk if theres something better out there, but Im not gonna find out.
Comment by Priscilla Autumn — January 12, 2010 @ 6:13 pm
I have been on YAZ for a couple of days now. I honestly feel like it's done me some good even in the past couple of days. Usually when I am on my period, I'm very angry at everything and everybody. I do feel tired, though and experience a slight discomfort in my belly. Other than that, I feel great. My mood has been very bright and I feel like I have gained confidence.. I'm not sure if I experienced PMDD, but my period was HEAVY and annoyingly irregular and super long. I started YAZ the Sunday of my period and it has shortened all ready.. For me,and for some reason,it's been a miracle pill.
Comment by Anonymous — February 9, 2010 @ 12:22 pm
Hi,Today is beginning of my second week of taking Yaz, can't say I was depressed or moody. Although at one point I did burst in tears for silly reason and started laughing a second later. I then reasoned that this is my mind work,and lo and behold,no more mood swings.I started my first pill on the first active day of my period and I still have some spotting, but its tolerable.I did lose about 5lbs of water weight,but I attribute that to regular work-outs and eating healthy (avoiding carbs and sugar),although sometimes I "give in" and have a piece of dark chocolate or half a piece of chocolate cake. My partner has noticed that Im more alert and I pay more attention to details to which he doesnt complain but rather happy.So in short story,so far Im happy with Yaz,this is my first birth control pill (im 21) and the only reason why I started taking the pill is because of my painful periods and ovarian cyst.
Comment by Mags — February 10, 2010 @ 5:18 am
I starting taking yaz a couple of years ago (at the age of 15) because I had painful periods. Before taking Yaz, I had horrible cramps during my period that would make me sweat, vomit, and about pass out. I truly wanted to die when I was on my period! When I started taking Yaz in 2008, my period was much lighter (only lasted 2 days instead of 5) and I no longer had those horrible cramps! Praise God! Well, I decided to quit taking Yaz in June last year because I suddenly had acid reflux. I tried everything to get rid of it…tums, rolaids, you name it, but could not get rid of the reflux and wondered whether it could be the yaz that was causing it. I began reading and hearing about the lawsuits against Yaz and started getting worried about my health. So in September 09' I quit taking Yaz and have had absolutely no problems with reflux since being off Yaz. I have only read about one other complaint of someone having reflux while being on Yaz, but I ask you to really consider whether or not you should take BC. I DO NOT believe it is healthy and DO NOT recommend anyone take this pill!
Comment by Anonymous — February 17, 2010 @ 9:04 pm
I'm 20 years old. I've been on Yaz for at least 3 years. I loved it for the first year and a half, but increasingly I find I work on a clock. The beginning of the third week I get mood swings, the end of the third week I have severe depression, and I get my period during the third placebo pill. I really like that it's all clock work, but I find the mood swings and depression have become worse over the years for me and I get a yeast infection just about every month now. I'd definitely recommend it, but if you are open to alternative ways of birth control, I would suggest them first. Goodluck to those who try it… give it atleast 3 months to work. It needs the time to put you on a schedule.
Comment by Anonymous — February 19, 2010 @ 2:23 pm
I read some of theses commments and everyone has a different experience from YAZ, I was on Yasmin for a year then switched to YAZ and I love it way more, Yasim I felt kinda yucky sometimes, but now with Yaz I feel no side effects at all, I feel healthy and full of energy. I would recomend anyone to give it a try. 🙂
Comment by Anonymous — February 21, 2010 @ 2:12 pm
I am a 23 year old who has been taking Yaz for 7 (almost 8) months as part of my treatment for PCOS. I've never suspected any issues with PMDD, but the PCOS made my peroid very heavy and painful (well, I mean, the once every 6 months that I actually got my period…) I had been on Yasmin briefly before my diagnosis and absolutely HATED it, so I was skeptical of trying BC again. It made my periods regular, but I experienced horrible bloating, fatigue, and maybe some depression. However, the doctor stressed how important it was for me to regulate my period, and assured me that this pill would help with some of my other PCOS symptoms, so I tried it.Oh my God, I love it.I had gained about 20-30 lbs in the two years before I started Yaz, and I've all but lost it since July. Diet and exercise has played a huge part in that, but because of the PCOS neither had been very effective for me in the past. I'm certain the pill has helped with my hormonal imbalances (especially my abundance of male hormone) and aided in my weight loss. For some reason, Yasmin just didn't do that for me. In fact, it seemed to make it worse.My periods are also nearly imperceptible. If I wasn't bleeding from my uterus, I wouldn't even notice it. Seriously. I'd had painful periods in the past with fatigue and some emotional symptoms–though nothing serious enough to be diagnosed with PMDD. However, I now have no fatigue, no cramps, and no mood swings. Also, I went from bleeding every 6 months or so for 7-10 days to bleeding regularly for 3-4 days. It's simply beautiful.I know there are a lot of reviews on here, and many are negative. I just felt the need to balance the viewpoint a little bit. My experience has been too good not to share. I'm sure that everyone needs a different form of birth control, as different as women are from one to the other. You should know, though, that this could be the right one for you.
Comment by Kaley — March 3, 2010 @ 4:02 pm
I am 21 y/o college student and have been taking Yaz for a little over 2 months. Looking on all the blogs, I had a lot of the common side effects. I have had week-long headaches, nausea, felt exhausted, bled for 2 weeks but as I started my second pack a lot of my side effects started to go away. I used to have horrible cramps, like I would throw up from the pain as long as I have had my period. My regular doctor would write prescriptions for 800mg ibprofen and vicodin which I would take for the first two days of my period. Now I only have to take 400mg ibprofen (2 advil) about twice a day when I first get my period. I had acne before and I still have acne now. I have really bad cravings but I had those prior to the pill (from trying to keep my 5'1" no longer 110 lb figure). I have gained 3-5 lbs but I'm trying to be good about getting to the gym twice a week so hopefully I do not gain to much more weight. The only thing that has not gotten better is my mood. I feel as if I am a lot more irritable. I just get really angry, really easily and my family and boyfriend of 2 years have noticed. Before the pill I was a stressed/depressed/angered person but I feel like its my anger that sometimes gets out of control. I am afraid that if I switch to another birth control that I will suffer even worse side effects. Other than my irritability, the other side effects have started to subside. I am going back to my doctor in a month and in the meantime I was going to continue to take Yaz. Anyone have any tips to try to help control anger? As I mentioned I am nervous to try another pill but should I consider alternatives?
Comment by Liz — March 10, 2010 @ 10:25 pm
Dear Liz, You should definitely wait past the 3 month period to see if any more side effects have disappeared and if your mood gets better. Since you have already stayed on for 2 months, whats 1 more month right? Of course stay with the pill if you notice anymore improvements but if nothing improves, definitely talk to your doctor about other birth control options for you.
Comment by Janine — March 11, 2010 @ 7:50 am
I have been taking Yaz for a year now and its the first time I've used birth control. I was nervous about any crazy side effects but Yaz worked great for me. The only thing I noticed was that it gave me a little acne the first month but after that my skin went back to normal. My moods didnt change, I didnt gain any weight, didnt lose my sex drive or feel depressed, I felt completely normal, almost as if I wasnt on birth control at all. I also want to point out something I learned in my consulting class which is the 10:3 rule which states that if an individual has a bad experience, they will tell it 10 times, whereas if they have a good experience, they will tell it 3 times. For those who have not used Yaz, do not let the negative comments scare you. There are also others who have had positive results such as myself but if someone is satisfied with something, they move on because there are no problems. If someone is unhappy with their results, they want the world to know. Also, birth control effects everyone in many different ways so if doesnt work for someone, it could work for someone else. Just give it a try and if it doesnt work, switch it up 🙂
Comment by Anonymous — March 15, 2010 @ 2:26 pm
I have been on YAZ for three months now and am completely losing my mind. It is making me tired but unable to sleep, I am having chronic headaches and my mood swings are unbearable. I cry for no reason, feel depressed randomly and have lost interest in my usual day-to-day responsibilities and obligations. I have not read one good review about YAZ and cannot understand why doctors are continuing to prescribe a drug that is severely altering the minds of and depressing women.
Comment by Anonymous — April 8, 2010 @ 10:47 am
i thinking of takeing yaz but after reading some of the good comments and the bad im not sure if i should or not, but if it will help me with my pms i think that i will take it and i will hope for the best.
Comment by Anonymous — April 8, 2010 @ 8:46 pm
I am 20 years old and have been taking Yaz for three years now. I've not had a single problem over this time once by body became used to the hormones. For the first three months I had mood swings, bloating, my boobs hurt, and I had more acne than normal. But after three months everything was fine. I never really gained any weight during this time period because I have an extremely active life style. I've heard a lot of comments and concerns about the blood clots that people are getting. I thought that because I'm so active I didn't really have much to worry about, but then I read an article that said a marathon runner got really bad embolisms; so now I'm beginning to question staying on Yaz. So far I love it and will be really hard pressed to change to another pill because Yaz works so well with my body right now.
Comment by cassandra — April 14, 2010 @ 9:27 pm
testadfadfad an article that said a marathon runner got really bad embolisms; so now I’m beginning to question staying on Yaz. So far I love it and will be really hard pressed to change to another pill because Yaz works so well with my body right now.
Comment by test — April 29, 2010 @ 10:51 pm