Diane-35 : Oral Contraceptive

My Dr prescribed Diane 35 for my hormonal acne. At first I tried the cheapo version of this pill which gave me extremely bad migraines. I went back to the Dr and she said to try actual Diane 35. This worked beautifully for the first (approx) 12 months, my pimples almost completely went. I would get maybe 1 or 2 small pimples a month instead of the 5 to 10 new pimples a day before Diane 35. For once in my life I was happy with my skin. I then started to get weird side effects after those 12 months including headaches, blurred vision (I thought I needed Glasses) and increased vaginal discharge and itching. I thought I had a STD, so I had all the STD tests, which all came back negative. My Dr could not tell me what this could be caused from, so I came to the conclusion the only thing it could be was the pill. So I went off Diane 35 and those side effects have gone completely. I also have felt my mood has been alot better since being off the pill, I feel alot happier and seem to have more energy. However my skin has gone feral since being off the pill, the pimples, blackheads and oil are back at full force. I would recommend women try Diane 35 for great skin but be aware of side effects which can be different for everyone. So now I'm back on the search for something to help my skin....again!!!

I started taking Diane 35 a couple of years ago and I was amazed at how quickly my skin cleared up - maybe a couple of months. I was taking it for a combination of acne and folliculitis, and my skin was so crazy I didn't even want to go out in public sometimes - I even called in sick at work once in a while if it was really bad. I was in my mid-thirties and had had great skin all my life and then SUDDENLY got this weird acne, and I was very self conscious about it. I tried all kinds of treatments for it - laser, antibiotics (both oral and topical, for the folliculitis as well as acne) but in the end NOTHING worked except for Diane 35. I stayed on it for 6 or 8 months, and I'd say the effects lasted for a year or so, after which my skin got slowly worse, and now I'm back on it. Right now I'm in the phase where my skin is pushing all the gunk to the surface, so I'm getting little painful whiteheads all over the place - even my back, where I don't normally get zits. Hopefully it will clear up soon! I feel very pukey, but it's worth it. I didn't get the weight gain that a lot of women do, but I work out a lot. If I start to gain weight, I'll exercise more, or I'll even put up with the extra weight. Who's prettier - a pudgy woman with great skin, or a skinny hardbody woman with bad skin? I think that whether you gain weight or lose it, whether you experience hair thickening or loss... all depends on your hormone balance you start with. Women who gain a ton of weight probably end up with estrogen levels that are much too high, whereas women who don't probably have acne caused by excess androgens, and Diane 35 balances them out nicely. (I gave this a 5 out of 5 despite the nausea - nothing is perfect, and women have to suffer to be beautiful.)

5 years ago, I decided to try Diane as suggested by my doctor for my acne. In a few months, it had cleared up almost completely, but I still had acne on my upper back and shoulders. Now, I weigh 48lbs more than I did 5 years ago, with no lifestyle or diet changes. I am always tired...always. I have migraines constantly, moreso when I am off Diane for my menstrual period. The bloating started about 4 years ago, but no doctor had a reason for it, but I persisted and the last doctor I asked sent me for an ultrasound and found two 5cm fibroids in my enlarged (10.8cm) uterus....caused by excessive estrogen. Also, I've got brown blotchy spots on my face and some hair loss. I asked numerous doctors if either of my prescriptions were causing any of these symptoms, and they all said no.....i did my own homeowrk, and found they were wrong! It's my fault for not doing my homework sooner, and not putting 2 and 2 together...so THIS IS YOUR WARNING....to be aware of ANY and ALL possible side effects. Know what to watch for, and stop before it gets this bad!! It's just not worth the havoc your body will go through.

I have been on this pill for a week, so obviously i cant give a full review, but since i started diane i have noticed both pros and cons. i am now getting cystic acne, which I hear is normal at first. my acne almost looks rash like. im hoping it all clears up. so far, i find it worth it after reading these reviews. my side affects havent been so bad for the first week, and as long as my acne clears up eventually, its worth it. im a little worried about it getting worse, i am starting to notice more new blemishes. I am also on stieva-a and minocycline. i will give a better review in a few months. if anyone has any advice, greatly appreciated!

For the first month and a half, Diane 35 gave me cystic acne on my face. But that cleared up quickly and now i havn't broken out once and I am up to my third month! I didnt gain weight like alot of the other reviews said, I actually lost alot. I would recommend this to anyone (females only obviously)

I have been taken Diane for 2 years. It was actually self prescription (I didn't visit any doctors before taking it). My acne started to disappear after 4-5 months of taking pills. But the process was really slow, you should be very patient and do not panic if acne still remains on your skin after 3 months (as a leaflet says - visible results AFTER 3 months!) My skin was almost clean (I still had few spots, but they were under control), so after 2 years I decided that it's time to give up pills. First few months my skin remained clean, but all woman's natural processes were stopped as well! And finally after 2 months I experienced the most horrible acne, it was so awful - nothing could help to prevent spots! So after 3 months of break I returned to the Diane. And now I have finished second pack, my face is still not clean (yeah, it's better but not perfect!) and I am afraid it won't be clean anymore. But I really hope that it's just the time issue, fingers crossed!

unless you plan on taking this for the rest of your days, i would strongly suggest something else. This ruined my life! I had clear skin for 6 or 7 months which was great (took this for 9 months), but the weight I was putting on forced me to stop using it. Ever since I have developped cystic acne (it was moderate before) along with bad acne on my back which i have NEVER had before taking this. I wanted to warn everyone about this. TRY ACCUTANE!

during highschool i was like every other teenager, a few zits here and there but nothing major. it cleared up for a few years after highschool was over, but returned when i was 20 and it seemed to be moderately worse, or so to the point that i felt self conscious stepping out of the house without some make-up to cover up. i mainly broke out on my cheeks and along my jawline. i am now 22 and have recently jumped off diane. i was on it for 6 months and now it's been over 1.5 months since i've stopped taking the pill. i guess i didn't want to become dependent on it. i must say my skin has completely cleared up and looks fantastic - there is no scarring. i don't want to jinx anything *knocks wood*, but the acne hasn't returned. i've had one or two spots here and there but nothing of concern. i think diane is fantastic for short-term use on moderate acne sufferers. i wouldn't recommend for long term use. i also recommend SK-II treatment essence as part of a skin care regime. this product is my holy grail! it has tightened and cleared my pores, controlled the oil on my face and keeps my skin plump and fresh (my face no longer feels too oily or too dry). and i haven't broken out since using this!

This is a great product but it drives me crazy on the nausea! Does anyone know what to do to help out in the nausea? I love how my boobs and skin looks, I really want to keep taking this, but please share some advice about the nausea! Thank you!

Seems to be doing it's job,my husband likes the big breast thing, since i'm an A cup, this is a nice alternative to plastic surgery as right now I'm pushing a C cup! I have gained about 5 lbs since being on it for 2 months which again could just be all the Chinese food i'm eating. Or the bigger breasts?? Hmmm...the extream tenderness i quite irritating. I have excellent medical coverage and usually get my prescription free, sometimes I have to pay a dollar or so. Of all the BC i've used this one is my least favorite but i need it for maintence since being on Accutane (whole other thread).