Ladies who are taking/have taken Yaz or Gianvi...

Lyadeia

I have an appointment to see a dermatologist in a couple of weeks because I have these darkened areas on my face including across my upper lip...it's horrifying and embarrassing, but it looks like a freakin' mustache! Only it's discolored skin, not hair... After making my appointment, I looked online "just to see" and I saw several women complaining of the exact same thing after starting Yaz or the generic Gianvi. So I looked in the paperwork that came with my latest Rx, and it says NOTHING about this being a possible side effect...

Now I have never believed that my weight gain was caused by the BC pill because I know gosh darn well that it was because I stopped working out so much back in the middle of 2008 and I started eating like crap. It just so happened to coincide with me starting the pill. But, now that I think of it, even though I haven't gained anything, I also have had the darndest time trying to lose anything!!! I would do the same workouts eating the same foods that I ate while I was losing so quickly between 07-08, but instead of losing 10 pounds I would lose like 2 in the same amount of time and the inches were not coming off either. Since I started taking it, my waist has NEVER been under 30 inches. Before I started gaining, it was 26 inches.

And I started to take note of my moods. I thought that there was real reason for some of my mood swings. You should see me on Facebook, I'm like a manic depressive person at times. And, yeah, that's another thing that other people on the internet are complaining about in reference to this particular BC pill.

So...have any other women who have taken or are taking this particular pill ever had these kinds of reactions, and did they go away after you stopped taking them? I don't want to take a different pill. I want to do something else...something with less crappy side effects that won't effect how my face looks, how my moods are, or prevents weight loss. Suggestions?

ShapeUpSidney

I took Yaz and did not have weight gain or any other symptoms. I was only on it for 6 months before getting an IUD

bachooka

Yeah I took Yaz and it made me a psychopath... especially when I was on the sugar pill week. And I got pregnant on it...

Alaranio

I'm on YAZ, have been for the last 6 years. I seem to hold the weight a bit more and get headaches on the sugar pill week.

Lyadeia

I've gotten some HORRIBLE headaches during that week as well! I've had to go home from work on occasion because of it and was "counseled" because they noticed that I was going home sick, ahem, once every 28 days. I had to politely explain to my male supervisor what the deal was and to leave it alone...

I got a little tired of keeping Goody's powders in business, so I changed when I took the pill to right before going to bed. It has helped some, but I still get headaches.

I'll just take myself off this crap, let my husband know so we don't end up with a baby real soon, and try to get these issues fixed. I shouldn't have to go to one doctor to fix what another doctor's medicine caused. :noway:

I bet I'll start shedding the body fat faster after today...

kpopa

I am currently on this too. I notice that mid-cycle and sugar pill weeks are the worst as far as symptoms. I get crampy, hungry, emotional, etc. I find it super irritating since that's 2x per month that this happens for 5-6 days at a time!

I haven't had any skin discoloring but do get headaches that I never associated with the pill. (hmmmm...)

Anywho, I'm sure there is something better out there for you! I would still go to the doc and let them know what you're experiencing! This way they can change you to something that suits your body and you won't have to worry about skipping a month!

Good Luck!

La_Amazona

I didn't get those side effects but my gall bladder went out after starting to take Yaz! Hate hate hate that stuff!!

ShapeUpSidney

For people prone to side effects, I'd suggest Mirena or the copper IUD. At least their effects are local (for the most part) and not systemic (systemic = all over your body)

dragonbait0126

I'm on Yaz, well the generic, and I do have trouble losing weight but i haven't noticed any disoloration on my face. I only have 4 days of sugar pills though, not a week. Because of this I don't have any TOM symptoms or my TOM. My body doesn't have time to adjust to being off the hormone before I'm back on it.

Lyadeia

Well, I took myself off it today. I think what made me start to wonder about it was the fact that I was spotting last week...which is exactly 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after that monthly TOM. My doctor said that eventually I wouldn't have anything like that at all...or at least just spotting during TOM...but this is the 3rd year and now I am spotting between TOMs and still having TOM in addition to it. :ohwell:

I know that my "issues" aren't going to go away overnight or anything, but it would be nice to see something improve over the next week or so. My husband and I will just have to go back to the ol' "wrap it up" method of birth control until I can figure something out with the doctor...:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ...

I was thinking about the copper IUD rather than Mirena since I am just not happy with what happened this last time I messed with hormones and I know that Mirena also is hormonal. Surely something like that wouldn't prevent weight loss...or cause headaches...or make me cry when I have to put foundation on to cover things on my face other than pimples. :blushing:

I'm not glad that anyone else has had issues with Yaz or Gianvi, but it is a little comforting knowing that I am not the only one. I'm just hoping the dermatologist can fix the discoloration problems.

mcmuffs

What you have is called melasma or chloasma and it is caused by an increase in estrogen. When you take birth control pills, you are introducing more estrogen into your body (pregnant women often get this) and it often becomes more apparent with skin exposure - the only thing you can do is take a progesterone only birth control or wear more sunscreen. Good luck!