Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

If weight gain is your only concern, then don't even bother asking about them. Honestly, it’s not like you're looking for deep philosophical advice here. Every single pill comes with its own set of side effects.

For me, the weight gain from pills wasn't even about fat; it was more like my body started retaining water. I just felt bloated and swollen, especially in my legs. To be honest, I didn't mind the extra weight that much—I'd much rather deal with being heavy than being pregnant.

I was reading through the thread about Logest and saw that some other girls were dealing with similar side effects—if that’s really holding you back and making things tough to handle, then maybe it’s worth looking into some other options. Though, I guess that doesn't necessarily guarantee things will be any better with a different brand. It’s kind of a process, isn't it? Just trying things until you find the perfect fit—assuming such a thing even exists🙂.

Morgan Torres5, I don't take them by choice; they were prescribed to me, and using them for contraception isn't the reason why. Honestly, if I didn't have to take them, I wouldn't. I used to be terrified of any potential side effects, but after the massive struggle of dropping ten pounds, there is absolutely no way I want that weight coming back😢.

Sarah Garcia12 said:Hey guys, has anyone here actually put on some weight from taking these pills?

Yeah. I was on Diane-35. I gained like 33 pounds in about a year or two. It was brutal. And once I finally stopped, I just bloated up like a balloon and went right back to my old weight within two months. No diet, nothing... nobody's gonna convince me it wasn't those pills.

I didn't gain anything while I was on Yasmin. Hopefully, Yaz won't be the same story either...

Is there any way to actually stop this from happening?

Sarah Garcia12 said:Is there any way to actually stop this from happening?

Honestly, I think it’s just down to the individual. I was on Diane for 35 years, but now that I've switched to Triquilar for a few months, I haven't had any issues with weight gain at all.🤷

nimblehound46 said:Hey there! I have a quick question for you all... my doctor recommended I start taking Yaz pills, and I’m supposed to begin the regimen in just a few days. To be honest, I’ve never used hormonal birth control before—this is all brand new territory for me—so I’m feeling a little bit anxious about the whole thing. He mentioned that these are relatively new on the market and that they are quite effective and generally well-tolerated by most patients... but here’s the kicker: the fact that they are "new" is exactly what’s weighing on my mind. It feels a bit unsettling when you realize there isn't decades of long-term data available yet, you know? So, I wanted to check in with this community—is anyone here currently on them? Have you had any unexpected side effects, or perhaps heard any horror stories from friends or family?

I’ve been on Diane until now, but I finally decided to switch over to Yaz because of all those glowing reviews everywhere... except, I’ve only been on them for a couple of days and my partner is already complaining that I’m acting like I’m constantly in PMS mode. Plus, the bloating is absolutely catastrophic, and since they contain lactose which I can’t handle at all, I’m thinking once I finish this pack, I’m officially calling it quits.👎

Ugh, this is honestly so awful... besides just lying around feeling like it’s some rainy season mood—which, yeah, it kind of feels like now... nothing specific, just wanting to eat... but if I actually tried to go out for food, I couldn't because I'm not even hungry, I just don't know what I'd want...
I'm probably gonna start thinking I might be pregnant again...
but whatever, it's probably just all from the pills...

What’s the actual legal age for drinking anyway? I read somewhere that you're only supposed to drink until you hit 35, and that anything after that isn't really recommended.

So, I started on birth control about a year ago, but then I decided to take a break about a month and a half back, went in for some testing, and everything came back totally fine.
Now I’m thinking about getting back on them, but since I’m a bit underweight, I know my period isn't just going to show up naturally on its own.
And, okay, here’s the thing—I realize I can technically start taking the pills again right away, but I won't actually be protected from pregnancy during that first month. So, I was wondering if anyone knows if my OB-GYN could maybe prescribe something to jumpstart my cycle? That way, I could start the contraception and actually be protected at the same time, you know?

Actually, I had this exact same situation three years ago with a private doctor—same deal, plus PCOS—but those specific pills were super expensive$67, and I just don't have that kind of money lying around right now...

Is anyone else here maybe taking Yasmin? I just started on it about a month ago... and honestly, everything feels pretty great so far in almost every way... the only thing is I’ve started absolutely crushing 😬 lately, though I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world to put on a few pounds 😁 if it happened, but I'm really curious how much that actually has to do with this specific medication? From what I've gathered through my own little deep dives, these "new generation pills" aren't supposed to have any impact on weight at all...

I've been on birth control since I was 18, and now I'm 24. I started with Diane-35 because of irregular, incredibly painful periods and acne, but for the last two years, I've been taking Yasmin. I take breaks every year and a half, lasting about three months. I never had any issues before, and my gynecologist never even sent me for blood work or anything like that.
Now, for the first time, I'm experiencing side effects—terrible vaginal dryness—so I’m planning to either take a break or stop Yasmin entirely. My skin always seems to flare up during these breaks, which worries me; first, my hair gets much oilier, and after two months, painful breakouts appear around my jawline and neck. I want to know if there is any way to prevent this. It feels like I'm far too old to be struggling with acne, and I have no intention of taking Yasmin for the rest of my life just to manage my skin. Is there anything I can do to keep the acne from coming back?

Charles Thomas70 said:What’s the actual legal age for drinking anyway? I read somewhere that you're only supposed to drink until you hit 35, and that anything after that isn't really recommended.

I saw a segment on TV recently where a gynecologist mentioned that healthy women—non-smokers and such—can take them continuously until menopause.

Brenda Fisher86 said:Is anyone else here maybe taking Yasmin? I just started on it about a month ago... and honestly, everything feels pretty great so far in almost every way... the only thing is I’ve started absolutely crushing 😬 lately, though I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world to put on a few pounds 😁 if it happened, but I'm really curious how much that actually has to do with this specific medication? From what I've gathered through my own little deep dives, these "new generation pills" aren't supposed to have any impact on weight at all...

I took Yasmin and it absolutely wrecked my system. My OBGYN kept insisting it couldn't be the pills because they're supposedly the "mildest" and "best" out there—yeah, right. It started with visible veins popping up on my legs, and then the side effects kicked in after a month or two of use. Every single day felt terrible, and it just kept getting worse. My digestive tract completely failed; I was running to the bathroom seven times a day and couldn't even grab a piece of toast without feeling faint. They still tried to tell me it wasn't the Yasmin. I ended up going through every medical test imaginable—gastroscopies, colonoscopies, spending a fortune on urgent exams just to find out the tablets were faulty. After taking them for six months, I quit. My body is still recovering, and unfortunately, I'm still dealing with gut issues to this day, though it's better than it was. I am never touching another birth control pill again!

Can anyone tell me when I should actually expect my acne to start clearing up while on Diane-35? I've only just finished my first pack, and honestly, my skin looks even worse now than it did before I started the pills.

Kyle Young3 said:I took Yasmin and it absolutely wrecked my system. My OBGYN kept insisting it couldn't be the pills because they're supposedly the "mildest" and "best" out there—yeah, right. It started with visible veins popping up on my legs, and then the side effects kicked in after a month or two of use. Every single day felt terrible, and it just kept getting worse. My digestive tract completely failed; I was running to the bathroom seven times a day and couldn't even grab a piece of toast without feeling faint. They still tried to tell me it wasn't the Yasmin. I ended up going through every medical test imaginable—gastroscopies, colonoscopies, spending a fortune on urgent exams just to find out the tablets were faulty. After taking them for six months, I quit. My body is still recovering, and unfortunately, I'm still dealing with gut issues to this day, though it's better than it was. I am never touching another birth control pill again!

Oh man... I don't even know what to say or think about that... For me, at least for now, things have actually improved compared to how they used to be. Before, I dealt with really intense pain, long-lasting PMS, and constant issues with acne and everything else, but now? Nothing. Just nothing.🤷

Keith Thomas21 said:Can anyone tell me when I should actually expect my acne to start clearing up while on Diane-35? I've only just finished my first pack, and honestly, my skin looks even worse now than it did before I started the pills.

The general consensus is usually about three months.

I I have one more question. Does anyone else experience vaginal pain after intercourse due to dryness?
I had sex today and everything felt wonderful at first. In fact, I actually felt quite lubricated down there, which is a massive change from when I was on birth control; back then, things felt as dry as a desert.
The act itself wasn't uncomfortable, but about thirty minutes afterward, I started feeling this intense stinging and aching sensation. Eventually, I applied a little bit of St. John's Wort oil, and that finally seemed to soothe the irritation.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good lubricant? Also, how should I go about asking for one at a pharmacy? To be honest, I feel pretty self-conscious about it.

Brenda Fisher86 said:Oh man... I don't even know what to say or think about that... For me, at least for now, things have actually improved compared to how they used to be. Before, I dealt with really intense pain, long-lasting PMS, and constant issues with acne and everything else, but now? Nothing. Just nothing.🤷

As for the pain, everything was fine on that front too. I didn't have any cramps, though my breasts would hurt so bad right before my period—like someone was literally slicing me with a knife, it was disgusting. Otherwise, no pain, and it only lasted four days instead of my usual seven. But yeah, all the other symptoms responded to the meds. Maybe the gynecologist is at fault for not checking my bloodwork or hormones first? She just put me on Yasmin because of my PCOS. I saw her three times before the actual exams just to ask if Yasmin was the culprit, but she kept insisting it wasn't. In the end, there was no choice but to get the tests done. I was terrified it might be something serious with my gut... then the doctor tells me: everything looks great, just stop taking the Yasmin. 🤷

Keith Thomas21 said:I I have one more question. Does anyone else experience vaginal pain after intercourse due to dryness?
I had sex today and everything felt wonderful at first. In fact, I actually felt quite lubricated down there, which is a massive change from when I was on birth control; back then, things felt as dry as a desert.
The act itself wasn't uncomfortable, but about thirty minutes afterward, I started feeling this intense stinging and aching sensation. Eventually, I applied a little bit of St. John's Wort oil, and that finally seemed to soothe the irritation.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good lubricant? Also, how should I go about asking for one at a pharmacy? To be honest, I feel pretty self-conscious about it.

That happened to me recently too... terrible pain and burning, to the point where I actually had to stop... but I found the fix with Durex FEEL lubricant. You can pick it up at a CVS or Walgreens. It comes in a small bottle, costs about $10, and it’s really good... you don't go through it too fast either 😍. The only thing is that since it's water-based, it dries out quicker and you might need to reapply 😁.

I did quite a bit of digging through various searches online before I finally decided to start on Yasmin... and honestly, I have to say, my doctor seems incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely skilled, so I’m planning to stick with it as long as things continue to go this smoothly. Actually, I just started a brand new cycle today, and I'm really holding onto the hope that the positive effects will keep rolling in just like they have been.