YAZ combined pill and weight loss? (Ladies!)

Hey girls!

Quick question. I've just started back on birth control after being off it for six months to give my body a break...I had been on it for six years in a row!

Anyway, I've never been on YAZ before and wondering if anyone has found it to interfere with their weight loss efforts? I'll be so upset if it stops me losing weight, however, I've seen online while looking this up that many people experienced weight LOSS when taking it...can that be possible for birth control!?

Any info on personal experience greatly appreciated! Hugs from Ireland xxx

Replies

  • jamja72
    jamja72 Posts: 119 Member
  • snowangl317
    snowangl317 Posts: 9 Member
    I didn't experience any weight gain when I went on Yaz. I switched from Yasmin to Yaz a few years ago. In fact it helped clean up my skin too! You may feel more of a difference going from nothing to Yaz, but I would imagine your body will just be adjusting to the hormone levels which takes about a month or so. Every person is so different it is hard to say if you will gain weight, but just look out for feeling hungrier and cravings. My thought is most people go on a pill and aren't watching what they are eating so when they get cravings due to hormones, they give in and end result is weight gained.

    I have been on some form of birth control pill for about 6-7 years. Is there any science behind giving your body a break? Did your doctor recommend it? Just curious for myself. Thanks!
  • addmorecloud
    addmorecloud Posts: 78 Member
    I took Yasmin, the older version of Yaz and found it much better weight wise than several other pills.

    HOWEVER

    The terrible migraines I was suffering that I though were due to a new career stopped almost immediately when I came off Yasmin (I had only ever had one before in my life).

    I was tempted to try Yaz as I was worried my new pill was making me gain weight and did some research SCARY stuff.

    There is a law suit against the company for health problems that women have experienced when taking these pills, there is even a website dedicated to it:

    http://yazlawsuit-info.com/

    I for one, was was pretty p****d off that my doctor didn't mention any of this. How can we make informed decisions if they don't give us all the information?

    I do have a friend who takes Yaz and hasn't had any problems, but I was too scared after reading some of the info out there.
  • river868
    river868 Posts: 3
    I was on Yasmine, I lost so much weight that it stopped working right - you know getting your period on all sorts of the wrong day - but there is a lot of talk about that particular med. I'd do some research.
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
    I know I didn't lose when I was on Yaz and this was when I was actively trying to lose some weight by exercise and small meal changes a couple years ago. I gained maybe a little but the biggest problem I had was I started having horrendous migraines that caused me to wear sunglasses until the sun went down, unless I was watching TV or on the computer. Any bit of light was searing and part of the gain could have been I was staying in a windowless room with the lights off most of the day and not moving.

    It's my rule of thumb to look up any and every side effect for medication I'm prescribed and to read any articles that might give me more information than the doctor has because while they are a doctor and should know these things, especially a gynecologist, they often don't. And considering the number of pill BC brands out there, it doesn't surprise me.

    And to whoever asked about the break thing: when I went off my first BC pill because of violent moodswings my gyno asked me if I wanted to wait around 3 or 6 months so the pill could get out my system and we could determine whether that pill had been the culprit or not (at the time I was taking upwards of a dozen different medications not including vitamin supplements) and I said I did not want to wait. My reason was I have very irregular, painful periods and it was why I was on it to begin with, I didn't want a few months of going back to my PMDD and all else. I did, however, wait a month before my new pill, Yaz, regimen began because I was advised to take it either the first day of my cycle or the day after the last day, I forget which. Eventually I had to be put on the Depo shot, which is a lot harder to come off of.
  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
    Thanks for the feedback guys! Eeek...some scary stuff about it out there, but all forms of birth control come with the same issues...so I might only stay on it for a few months and figure out something else :)

    Snow...my doc recommended it and he told me that there have been MASSIVE complaints about Dianette world wide and a few people have died from blood clots on it :(

    I got an extreme, intense migraine on that too to the point where I genuinely thought I had a brain tumor and was going to die...spent 2 days in A&E :P
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
    I was on Yasmine, I lost so much weight that it stopped working right - you know getting your period on all sorts of the wrong day - but there is a lot of talk about that particular med. I'd do some research.

    I had that problem too, sans the weight loss. I would end up having my period a week or two after the "placebo" week pills that are there to let you have your monthly cycle on schedule. It also fluctuated in length and heaviness, couple days to almost two weeks, but I had the fluctuation problems before I was on it so I can't say if that was the pill or not. Was seriously aggravating though.
  • AmyG1982
    AmyG1982 Posts: 1,040 Member
    It hasn't affected me in any way. Actualy, I've had the least amount of side effects on this pill than others. I did gain some weight on alese, but that also made me crazy lol. I'm pretty happy on it!
  • Tori_356
    Tori_356 Posts: 510 Member
    Yaz scares me...
  • chelsealjames
    chelsealjames Posts: 92 Member
    I have been on YAZ for 4 years now, and its never interfered with my weight. I've been on it when I was 110 lbs, I've been on it when I was 124. It all depends on what works for you! Its actually my favorite birth control, and I had tried orthotricyclin low and loestrin, and I like YAZ the best. It also helps with my acne!
  • chelsealjames
    chelsealjames Posts: 92 Member
    And YES, ALL birth control has the SAME risks! Such as blood clots, and period alterations. I mean, people, its a HORMONE and we have to remember that hormones effect everyone differently, and there is NO PILL that doesn't have risks associated with it. So, do what works for YOUR body :)
  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
    I've been on the pill since 18 and I'm 32 now (so 14 years). I've been on YAZ now for 3 years and I haven't had any weight related side effects. My doctor told me that getting on and off the pill is not good. She advised that I either stay on it or get off of it for good. YAZ does help with PMS symptoms and my skins looks AMAZING! people compliment me on my skin all the time.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    I didn't notice any difference in weight when I took Yaz. I wasn't fully committed to weight loss yet though.

    I LOVED Yaz however had to switch off of it due to a change in drug plans and another pill was much cheaper for me.

    For those who are speaking about the side effects, all birth controls have the exact same side effects. No pill out there will not have side effects. I used to read reviews of medicines online however now I only read the information about the drug itself, not the reviews people decide to post.

    No one (or VERY few) is going to post "I loved the pill! It was great and I had no problems with it" ... people are going to post when there was a problem... and I hate to say it a lot of people will contribute any new issue to the pill without giving it time to see what the real cause it.
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    From my understanding, most weight gain/difficulty losing associated with birth control is mainly water retention. It should go down in a couple months though. The only birth control I've heard of a lot of women complaining about in regards to weight gain is the Depo shot.

    I'm not on Yaz, but I haven't had an issues with my birth control. Of course it differs for everyone. Our bodies will all react differently.
  • richesandwonders
    richesandwonders Posts: 15 Member
    I've been on Yaz and now it's newer folate added sister pill, Beyaz and neither have slowed down or stopped my weight loss. For me, Yaz doesn't make me feel sick like many of the other pills I've tried plus it really helps with my acne.

    Birth control choices are very personal. I hope this pill provides you with what you need without the side effects you don't want.
    Good luck!
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
    I didn't notice any difference in weight when I took Yaz. I wasn't fully committed to weight loss yet though.

    I LOVED Yaz however had to switch off of it due to a change in drug plans and another pill was much cheaper for me.

    For those who are speaking about the side effects, all birth controls have the exact same side effects. No pill out there will not have side effects. I used to read reviews of medicines online however now I only read the information about the drug itself, not the reviews people decide to post.

    No one (or VERY few) is going to post "I loved the pill! It was great and I had no problems with it" ... people are going to post when there was a problem... and I hate to say it a lot of people will contribute any new issue to the pill without giving it time to see what the real cause it.

    Not entirely. Most have several in common such as blood clots, irregular bleeding, depression, and weight gain but some have more side effects than others and a higher risk of getting them whether they're the insignificant ones or the ones you need to see your doctor about. There are some that cannot be taken by certain types of women because it will without a doubt have bad results. It's like saying every pill no matter what it's for has the same side effect risks, and they don't.

    And yes, people are generally more prone to complain about a problem with a medication than praise it. I don't see those complaints as biased information nor do I see the good ones that way, it's a way to see just how many really do have problems on the pill, provided it's the sole cause, and how many are fine with it. It's not something to solely base your own opinion on, but it's like a general poll. Same with if you, say, were looking at a skin care product to see what it was, what it did, the cost, and you see the varied comments of "this dried out my skin", "this made it worse", "this product really helped", "I'm noticing a difference", and so on. Everyone is different with different tolerance levels inside their bodies and out so it stands to reason someone who got a really bad migraine or rash would rant on it because that's what they personally experienced and it makes it a possibility for someone else to.

    What you have to keep in mind is, after you've read the medical facts and, maybe, the opinions of those who have taken it, whether you're comfortable going ahead with taking it or not yourself. Every medication is a risk, a roll of the dice. I know because I had two psychiatrists for almost 4 years who liked to constantly switch up my medication very often. I learned to do my research after a while.
  • AlayshaJ
    AlayshaJ Posts: 703 Member
    I lost weight on YAZ, but it also gave me a two week long period, messed with my hydration, and made me completely go insane.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    No? I've successfully lose 76 pounds (total, not at once) on Yaz. Hasn't effected my weight loss one bit.
  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
    I'm so thankful for everyone's input! And EXTREMELY happy to hear that it helps with acne, as mine came back after coming off Dianette...I was originally put on it for cystic acne and it did wonders, my skin was near perfect, but it also turned me into a psychopath :smile:
  • THINtense
    THINtense Posts: 42
    I've taken YAZ (right now I'm on the generic version) and it hasn't hindered my weight loss or made me gain weight at all! It DOES give me terrible, terrible hangovers though...Like we're talking massive all-day headaches from drinking two glasses of wine terrible! That's the price I pay for 1, drinking, and 2, finding a pill that doesn't make me bloated/cranky/break-outty!
  • Natalie182
    Natalie182 Posts: 61 Member
    is YAZ the same as yasmin??

    I was on Yasmin and stopped taking it a month ago and havnt lost any weight so im guessing it didnt make me put any on?
    I also had no problems, thats if its even the same thing?? x
  • natashamcn
    natashamcn Posts: 145 Member
    Yaz users are at an even more increased risk for stroke than other birth controls on the market due to the fact that they use a different chemical (drospirenone) in them. There's currently a lawsuit against the company for not only stroke/ blod clots victims but for over a thousand ppl who ended up with gallbladder surgery in their twenties (which is otherwise rare) after taking this pill. As someone else mentioned, know your risks and decide what risks you are personally comfortable taking. There were some reports that it helped with weight loss but I would not (personally) take a med with increased risks in the hopes of losing a few pounds.
  • Yaz users are at an even more increased risk for stroke than other birth controls on the market due to the fact that they use a different chemical (drospirenone) in them. There's currently a lawsuit against the company for not only stroke/ blod clots victims but for over a thousand ppl who ended up with gallbladder surgery in their twenties (which is otherwise rare) after taking this pill. As someone else mentioned, know your risks and decide what risks you are personally comfortable taking. There were some reports that it helped with weight loss but I would not (personally) take a med with increased risks in the hopes of losing a few pounds.

    You are correct about the different side effects from this. However, the gallbladder issues are due to the fact that due to the drospirenone can mess with some electrolytes and hydration, which someone else also mentioned, since it is a diuretic. This specific version of progestin helps with water weight gain during the menstrual cycle hormone changes. There are obviously risks to any medication. There are also many, many women on Yaz who have had no issues. The reason for the lawsuit is this was an unknown side effect.
    I have taken Yaz twice. The first time I went bonkers, wicked moody and periods were a mess. The second time, everything was great. Got rid of my acne, evened out my moods, 2 days periods. I love it. Best of luck to all of you!
  • natashamcn
    natashamcn Posts: 145 Member
    Yaz users are at an even more increased risk for stroke than other birth controls on the market due to the fact that they use a different chemical (drospirenone) in them. There's currently a lawsuit against the company for not only stroke/ blod clots victims but for over a thousand ppl who ended up with gallbladder surgery in their twenties (which is otherwise rare) after taking this pill. As someone else mentioned, know your risks and decide what risks you are personally comfortable taking. There were some reports that it helped with weight loss but I would not (personally) take a med with increased risks in the hopes of losing a few pounds.

    You are correct about the different side effects from this. However, the gallbladder issues are due to the fact that due to the drospirenone can mess with some electrolytes and hydration, which someone else also mentioned, since it is a diuretic. This specific version of progestin helps with water weight gain during the menstrual cycle hormone changes. There are obviously risks to any medication. There are also many, many women on Yaz who have had no issues. The reason for the lawsuit is this was an unknown side effect.
    I have taken Yaz twice. The first time I went bonkers, wicked moody and periods were a mess. The second time, everything was great. Got rid of my acne, evened out my moods, 2 days periods. I love it. Best of luck to all of you!

    You are absolutely correct. I wasn't gonna go into the details but this is a good summary :)