i recently stopped my hormonal birth control (Yaz) because it was negatively effecting my acne (even after 9 months). i've been trying to find a more natural form on BC.
i've been fitted for a diaphragm but i've been to numerous pharmacies who have told me they're discontinued and i can't get spermicide in australia. i've also been to my gyn to discuss getting a copper iud, but she was really negative about me getting one, and because i haven't had kids i'd have to go into hospital and have an anaesthetic (which I've been told will cost around $750!). i've also been practicing FAM, but i'm definitely not confident enough to use this method alone.
me and my bf tried condoms for a while but we had one break about two weeks ago (sorry, probs tmi) and i had to take plan b. obviously i don't want this to happen again.
so, i'm pretty much stuck.
i need advice about hormonal birth control. my priority is finding one that won't increase my acne. i can deal with other side effects. so, please let me know if you've been on different types of pill (Yasmin, Diane etc.), the patch, the shot, the ring, the implanon and what effect they had on your acne!
i'm really at a loss with what to do. thanks guys!
I was on Yasmin for about 9 years and it has worked wonders! While I'm on Yasmin, I don't have acne, it's as simple as that.
However, there have been some warning about Yasmin as it increases chances of bloodclots, and several women have already died from it.
I have been warned not to take Yasmin anymore. So I stopped taking it about ten days ago, and yes... I'm breaking out again 
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Don't know what to do now... I don't really need it as birth control (as we would like to have kids soon), but I need it for acnecontrol 
I was on Yasmin for about 9 years and it has worked wonders! While I'm on Yasmin, I don't have acne, it's as simple as that.
However, there have been some warning about Yasmin as it increases chances of bloodclots, and several women have already died from it.
I have been warned not to take Yasmin anymore. So I stopped taking it about ten days ago, and yes... I'm breaking out again
(
Don't know what to do now... I don't really need it as birth control (as we would like to have kids soon), but I need it for acnecontrol
Try aldactone, it cleared my acne completely and has no life-threatening side effects (as long as you keep an eye on potassium intake and do blood tests for it, not that it is frequently a problem) unless you don't want a hormonal therapy/want children really soon. There is a problem with male fetus and this drug but not untill the 6th week. If you want something not hormonal, there are many diets that help but i really don't know (and doubt) if they are suitable for pregnant women. Pregnancy is my biggest fear because you can do pretty much nothing...
I'm taking zovia right now and it works pretty well for my acne. So far it has been my favorite bcp.
Others I've tried: Yaz, yasmin, mircette, ortho tri cyclen, apri, and ortho novum
Someday I'd like to try ortho cyclen because I've heard it's less androgenic than zovia, but I get nervous about switching pills.
It's unfortunate that your doctor does not seem to have very much experience with IUDs.
I had my IUD inserted by a nurse who is an IUD specialist. All she does is insert IUDs...all day long. She said the newer revision of the copper IUD is fine for women who have not had children, and that it doesn't require an anesthetic. However, getting an IUD inserted here in the US does cost about $600-900, so I wouldn't say that cost is far off unless you're getting government health welfare or whatever (I don't really know how it works over there in Australia.)
I just finished my 4th pack of Diane 35 and so far I'm loving it! My skin's not where I want it to be exactly - I still have clogged pores which I think will take longer to go away, and I have 2 spots that I got during my "period week" this week...but other than that my skin is a lot better than it was a few months ago! I've had no real side effects other than bigger boobs and an increased appetite. I do get a bit weepy/angry when I PMS, but it's considerably better than when I wasn't on the pill. I've been on Alesse for a month but that screwed up my skin (which is the reason why I ended up switching to Diane). I used to be on Yasmin when I was 17. I had mild-moderate acne then, and I don't remember it making my skin worse. I was only on it for 3 months though, so maybe I never got to see the full results.
I'm going to stick with Diane though, because the results I've seen in the last couple of months have given me hope - I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Try Ortho-Cyclen (monophasic)!!!!!! It is the best bc pill ever! My acne has always been frustrating and I tried everything to the point where my derm put me on two courses of Accutane and it still came back. I also tried lower dose estrogen like Loestrin 24 Fe (monophasic) and FDA approved for acne Ortho-Tri-Cyclen (stupid tri-phasic) and both made my acne worse after many months (like 6 or 7) of taking them. the only one that helped my acne was Ortho-Cyclen and I never had any serious side effects ever! however, I will warn you that you must be patient with bc pills and your acne because it takes a good 6 full packs to start seeing clear skin so stay patient. around the 4th pack was when the acne started going away! I even tried spironolactone (aldactone) and yes I think it is a great medication for acne but sadly my hair started shedding so much that I lowered to 25 mg and it stopped for a bit and then started shedding again so I just quit and now went back on Ortho-Cyclen. this bc pill never caused hair loss for me or anything else really! after quitting spiro completely the hair shedding has lessened again and I imagine with time, all the hair will grow back. I think Ortho-Cyclen works the best because it has a high amount of estrogen (35 mg) and the higher the estrogen the better for acne. also, it is a very very low androgenic bc pill unlike say Loestrin which is high (explains why my acne kept getting worse). Please give it a try and I bet your acne will improve (unless its not hormonal). ive tried everything and have not had success except with this bc pill. It may sound like im selling it but I just love it so much and am going to stay on it until menopause if I can! Good luck to you!
Try Ortho-Cyclen (monophasic)!!!!!! It is the best bc pill ever! My acne has always been frustrating and I tried everything to the point where my derm put me on two courses of Accutane and it still came back. I also tried lower dose estrogen like Loestrin 24 Fe (monophasic) and FDA approved for acne Ortho-Tri-Cyclen (stupid tri-phasic) and both made my acne worse after many months (like 6 or 7) of taking them. the only one that helped my acne was Ortho-Cyclen and I never had any serious side effects ever! however, I will warn you that you must be patient with bc pills and your acne because it takes a good 6 full packs to start seeing clear skin so stay patient. around the 4th pack was when the acne started going away! I even tried spironolactone (aldactone) and yes I think it is a great medication for acne but sadly my hair started shedding so much that I lowered to 25 mg and it stopped for a bit and then started shedding again so I just quit and now went back on Ortho-Cyclen. this bc pill never caused hair loss for me or anything else really! after quitting spiro completely the hair shedding has lessened again and I imagine with time, all the hair will grow back. I think Ortho-Cyclen works the best because it has a high amount of estrogen (35 mg) and the higher the estrogen the better for acne. also, it is a very very low androgenic bc pill unlike say Loestrin which is high (explains why my acne kept getting worse). Please give it a try and I bet your acne will improve (unless its not hormonal). ive tried everything and have not had success except with this bc pill. It may sound like im selling it but I just love it so much and am going to stay on it until menopause if I can! Good luck to you!
Wow you sound just like me! I also had hair shedding from spiro and had to stop taking it. Have you noticed any difference in the oilyness of you skin or blackheads/sebaceous filaments from orthocyclen? Those are my main skin problems at the moment and my bcp zovia is doing nothing for them.
well I just started the ortho cyclen about a week ago again because I just quit spiro but I was on it last year and I remember that my skin was perfect. no oil or blackheads or cysts; no acne! just a small pimple or two the week of placebo that no one noticed with my concealer. that's why im always recommending this bc pill; I love it and am happy that im back on it even though im pumping synthetic hormones into my body its worth it because im fed up with acne! But everyone is different so the results may vary. you got to try it to see what happens really for your body/skin.
I tried researching Ortho-Cyclen but I have no idea what the Australian version is, so I decided to try Yasmin. My doctor recommended it so I'll see how I go.
Thanks everyone for your replies!
It's unfortunate that your doctor does not seem to have very much experience with IUDs.
I had my IUD inserted by a nurse who is an IUD specialist. All she does is insert IUDs...all day long. She said the newer revision of the copper IUD is fine for women who have not had children, and that it doesn't require an anesthetic. However, getting an IUD inserted here in the US does cost about $600-900, so I wouldn't say that cost is far off unless you're getting government health welfare or whatever (I don't really know how it works over there in Australia.)
I can't recommend one but I can tell you to avoid Alesse!! My acne got considerably worse on it and it is high in androgens which is terrible for acne, but it was recommended to me by my dermatologist anyway :s . What's confusing though is that it says right on the package "For the treatment of acne vulgaris"....