Vancouver Forum: Diane-35 birth control

the doc should have told you it can take three to six months on average.

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Honestly, biochemically speaking - Diane 35 or any other combined pill cannot make your acne worse. It surpresses the actions of testosterone and it is a sensitivity or overproduction of androgens that CAUSE acne. So pretty much its physically impossible for Diane 35 to make your pimples worse in the long term. (of course you may get an initial break out due to the change in hormone levels but this should subside)

The other scary side effects..I dont know about that...hope they are not true!!!!

Yeah I have been on diane 35 for almost a week..and it seems crazy but I seem to already have seen results. I haven't gotten any new pimples since starting, which is rare because I usually get one every day or two. I hope it keeps going like this.
Does anyone know if it is really bad to start diane 35 not on your period? i.e. just on a random day???

Hey Guys, for all you taking Diane 35, give it some time........I went on it back in 2001 for
about a year....When I first started taking it, I started breaking out more than usual but that was to be expected...Most Doctors stress this to you before you go on it.....I thought it helped a bit but didn't do what was expected....I had mild acne...Oh and just so you know, no matter if you have one pimple or more, nurses and Doctors will tell you its acne.....Its just the word that know one wants to be told......Any amount of Pimples ARE ACNE! I know it hurts to be told that but its true!!! Some of us are just cursed with more than others, but everyone gets them!!
Ok so anyways, I went on the pill and I swear I was hanging over the toilet alot!!! It made me quite sick and stupid me just kept staying on it hoping that its was just my body getting used to it because I had never been on the pill before......
I liked a couple things about it,  I lost about 25 pounds within the year that I was on it....Also it did help have regular periods and shorter ones........I didn't get cramping anymore and I used to get severe cramping.......
But it did change my appetite, I took a disliking to meat! I thought that was weird.......I love pork, beef, the works but for some reason I couldn't eat it anymore......It made me sick just looking at it......Strange!! Also "SEX Drive" That decreased dramatically!
So needless to say, I stayed on it only because I had lost weight..........But after about a year of hanging my head over the toilet and the SEX drive thing, I thought I would get the heck off it.............And then my next baby came! Yay!
Just remember, everyones different with different reactions but I thought I would let you know how it affected me
I'm actually considering going on it again, believe it or not just to lose some weight again
ha
Stupid really!!!

I began taking Diane about five years ago and came off it after a couple of years because my bf at the time read stories about it and asked me to consider changing my prescription.  A few months before I came off it, I had noticed that I was getting pimples in places I hadn't had them before (i.e. my cheeks) that were taking far longer than normal to go away (i.e. more than a couple of weeks).  I wondered at the time whether it had anything to do with Diane but my doctor said it was unlikely so I didn't really think about it again.

I've been back on Diane for about 18 months now and within the past month or so have been getting pimples that just won't go away, in places that are unusual for me.

Has anyone else experienced hard-to-get-rid-of pimples after more than a year on Diane?

i've been on diane 35 for about 8 months now and haven't seen that much of an improvment  on acne, (but mine was never very sevre just a break out around the ime of my period) but i have started to devlope spider veins on my legs and am getting wicked headachs i was wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

Ya I got pimples in places that I normally wouldn't like on my back.......Now that you sat that, I totally remember!

I'm a little scared to try anything else but Diane.......Diane never made me gain weight, it maid me lose weight......I would hate to go on a different pill and gain a ton of weight because of it? Does anyone know of a pill that won't do that?
MOst appreciated!

Okay so here is a pill that is supposed to not let you retain water........I'm going on it instead of Diane and its yasmin........Its supposed to be a lower dose and  has an added feature of not retaining water like alot of the pills do......My doctor didn't recommend Diane at all and said it really should be used strictly for severe acne and hirtulism...."mild forms"
I will let you all know how yasmin goes for me! I started Friday April 20th......

Go to www.askapatient.com and read the reviews for Yasmin. There are more than 500 posts to this site about Yasmin and they're almost all negative. (There are no posts about Diane 35 or the similar product Estelle 35 because they're not FDA-approved--askapatient.com is an American site.)

Diane 35 saved my skin. I started taking it in university when the manufacturer began its big marketing push on campuses. I'd had blackheads, cystitic zits, oily skin and disfiguring b-acne since age 12. Diane cleared up my skin within three months. However, I've found I have to take it continually. I stopped taking Diane a couple of years ago after eight years of therapy. Within six months, my acne returned. My b-acne was so bad, I still have scars. I started Diane again last year but I supplemented it with a 90-day antibiotic acne treatment. My skin cleared up in two months. (My skin will break out if I don't maintain it regularly.)

I'm 32 now so I'll probably be taking Diane until I'm 35 or 37. I hope my skin is better when I have to stop.

On another note about skin care, a couple of months ago, I started using Olay's anti-ageing, anti-blemish cleanser twice a day, and Olay's anti-wrinkle, anti-ageing, SPF 15 moisturizer daily. My skin looks dewy, youthful and I seriously look at least six years younger. Before, I'd been using Vichy's Normaderm line.

I have Yasmin and has had absolutely no problems with them. Perhaps people who aren't satisfied are more inclined to write a review than the ones that are. 

Take a good look around on the web and you will see all the thing negative about Diane 35....Also I have been on it for a year........I may have lost a lot of weight but hanging over the toilet vomiting excessivly for the entire time just wasn't for me........I gave it a chance and it didn't work for me and when my Doctor doesn't recommend it at all........I thought I better listen......
Anyways, those of you that have great experiences with Diane 35, thats good......But having to stay on a med with the thougth that if you got off it, you would break out right away means you will be relying on the drug for the rest of your like.......If acne is the problem.........Try Proactive..........It works awswome and you combine that with a pill that works for you and its great.......If its just acne you are worried about and not the birth control itself.......Just go on Proactive skin care, it would be well worth your money! Think of all the compliments you will have after just a month or so of use!!!

My doctor prescribed Diane 35 for me when I was 28. I took it on and off for about a year and a half. I noticed that my cramps dissappeared and that my skin was lovely for the first time. I also noticed that I sweat under my armpits which was a change and I got pimples on my back and shoulders now and then. I lost weight dramatically - about 30 lbs which like Rena I am considering going back on it just to see if it happens again. Since coming off it I struggled with weight loss having put on about 40lbs and not able to lose it at all. I noticed my body does not respond as it once did to vigourous excercise and dieting. I figure these things are all connected somehow. I hope its safe. Good luck girls!

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I have been on diane35 for a few years now and DO NOT reccommend it. I have decided to stop using it. Yes it has cleared up my skin 85%, and yes i am scared that my acne will re-appear if i go off it, but since being in diane, i have put on 12kgs!! (2 dress sizes), have got deep depression and have ZERO sex drive. Before going on diane i had a great sex drive, was a great weight, had never been depressed and being on diane has changed my life in a bad way.
Stay away from this pill - is my strong opinion.
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I am quite new to Diane 35, using it for almost two months now. It was prescribed to me as a birth control pill and so far it is effective. I think it does increase my appetite although it could just be psychological. My main concern, though is that my breasts have become bigger and they hurt a lot when applied pressure to them.

Is this normal????

Hope you guys could help me out.

I was on Diane-35 for 4 years.  It cleared my skin and made it soft, younger looking and beautiful.  I loved it!  I have a tendency to gain excess muscle even without working out and the Diane helped with that.  I also can loose weight a lot easier when I'm on Diane-35.

Pros: clear, gorgeous skin, weight loss, hair less oily, less facial hair, don't have to shave legs as often and when it grows in it is much softer, larger breasts

Cons: always feel cold, reduced sex drive. 

I went off of Diane for 8 months to see if my sex drive would improve. I noticed right away that my sex drive was coming back.  However, the greasy hair and weight gain also returned.  After 7 months my severe cystic acne returned and so I am back on it.  Losing your sex drive is a big price to pay but in my opinion it is worth it to not have severe acne on your face and stubble on your chin. :( I mean, who wants to have sex when you look like that?

I've been on Diane 35 for 5 years now and back in high school I had some bad acne, but Diane cleared it all up in a few months!  I stopped taking Diane 35 and the acne came back, so I've realized that I need it to maintain clear skin. I must say that it really works and honestly I haven't gained a pound from being on the pill or had any mood swings. The one side effect I think I'm going to pin point on the Diane 35 is lack of sex drive. I'm only 22 and I'm never in the mood which is a huge difference from before because it's not like I lack any self esteem and I consider myself to be attractive, so I guess I'm blaming Diane 35. I guess it's a trade off for clear skin.......

Hi! I'm 22 and I also have problems with acne. 5 years ago I was blaming the age and I was hoping it would disappear. But it got worse.
Now I use some products called Macon (anyone heard about it?) and they seem to have some effect. My doctor kinda recommends Diane 35, but I'm very reticent about these pills, precisely because of the side effects everyone's talking about. I don't even think about taking them for more than a year (in case I decide to get on them). My biggest question is: in case my skin improves, will it stay that way if I quit pills? From the posts you've made the response seems negative, unfortunately. icon/icon_smile_sad.gif

i was on yasmin for 6 months and boy it didnt work for me after awhile it cleared up the acne a little but after awhile i got really depressed and had anxiety attacks...yah no fun for my relationship so ive been recommended to try diane 5 cause its suppose to clear up acne as well as be a b/c for me, any info on diane 35?

Hey, I've been On Diane for 10 years now and am 30 years old.. and am deadset petrified about coming off it. i'm just so scared it will come back. I didn't have serious acne but enough pimples to piss me off. It worked a treat and being a bit on the vain side I have stayed on it and will continue until  wanting to have kids... not far away now... the only time I went off it was just 3 months after a and I noticed that my skin felt so rough and took on a ruddy complexion

that I totally freaked out. My pimples seemed worse than ever. I rang around drs trying to get info but nothing conclusive could be found.  So I went straight back  on it.  So now some 7 years later I am hungry for info on this topic.. if anyone has a similar position as mine i would love to know how things have gone.. and how about the ease of falling pregnant after prolonged use such as mine? Has anyone gone off diane and  their skin has stayed the same with no return of pimples? i'm praying it has. And as for the lack of sex drive, i have only noticed its decline in the last 3 years out of 10 which i associated with age. oh well, you can't win em all.  please reply enlightened ones!

OMG! 10 years?! I don't wanna scare you, but it's... very much. I hope you won't have problems in having a baby.
And could someone tell us that was on Diane, her skin got better, has quit Diane and her skin stayed clear?! Thank you.

I am also interested in finding out if anyone has come off Diane and maintained clear skin. I've been on Diane for six years since age 19. I did not gain weight but I lost muscle density and developed a few faint stretch marks and heavy leg syndrome from poor blood circulation. Did wonders for my skin, although I didn't get completely clear until about three and a half years ago. There are definitely factors besides Diane affecting our skin--which is the reason individuals experience skin ups and downs during longterm Diane use.
I'm interested in coming off now because I want to see if my skin has gotten better on its own (keeping in mind the dramatic improvement three years ago) and because these hormones predispose me to fatigue and depression in a way that has become increasingly unhealthy. I've been off the pill for four days. Skin is a teeny bit oilier than normal; my mood is already better; I'm starting to feel hornier and I'm very alert. I'll let you know how things go and whether I chicken out and go back on it.
I wonder if there are quite a few women who are able to successfully come off Diane without their acne coming back but we just don't hear from them because they have no business seeking out these kinds of forums? I mean, if they had no trouble getting off, what would be the point? On that note, anyone know if the makers of Diane have stats on women's experiences coming off? If such info exists, where do you all suppose we can find it?

Hey,

I'm 23, and I was on Diane 35 for three years, from 18 to 21.  My skin was wonderful while I was on this pill, and at the time that was so important to me that I told myself I could deal with the side effects - a gradual decline in sex drive after the first few months, and general miserableness!  Don't get me wrong, how my skin looks is still important to me, but it is no longer the most important thing to me - sex drive and happiness are much more important!  After I came off the pill, my skin did get worse again, but I became so much happier - I'd felt as though I was in a rutt for a long time, and didn't realise it was because of the pill til i came off it.  Now I only use topical treatments, which take more effort (didn't bother with cleanse, apply b/p, moisturize when on Diane!) and aren't quite as effective, but still work quite well. 
The biggest downside to Diane is the loss of sex drive.  I've read that most women experience a return in their sex drive once they come off this pill, but for me there was only a slight improvement.  A few years of nice skin is not worth this.  You need to feel happy about yourself, and having nice skin can only make you feel happy about yourself in a superficial way.  I recommend having lots of orgasms instead, and this pill could severely limit this, even after you stop taking it!

Hi! Im carla from phil, I have pimples for about 3 Yrs now. And i really lost my self confident. I am very shy and almost forgot my social life. (Very afraid to be judge!..) Did diane35 really works? and is it tru that i will gain weight if i will use it??

Hi Katie,

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm on day 5 of stopping Diane-35 and I feel happier than I've felt in YEARS. You are right; happiness and orgasms are infinitely more important than having to work harder to keep skin healthy (Like you, Diane worked so effectively for me that I didn't have to use any kind of topical creams at all while I was on it; I could even get away with washing my face once a day--and skipping days!).
My sex drive seems to be coming back, and I hope it continues to do so in the coming months and years.
I'm sorry to hear that your libido is still low even after stopping Diane. Please take a look at the following link to an article about long-term libido loss after birth control use: http://www.telegraph.../26/ixhome.html

The study doesn't look conclusive, and there's no mention about what happens after the woman has stopped taking the pill for several years rather than just three months. I'm inclined to think that this sort of thing is reversible, and I would recommend that you see a naturopath or a homeopath (if you're into that sort of thing) about herbal supplements you can take to restore your natural hormone balance/boost your sex drive. (Exercise might also help, as that is testosterone-boosting.)

Thanks again for your vote of confidence about getting off the pill. It's taken me awhile but I've learned my lesson: Happiness, not perfect skin, makes for an enjoyable life. I believe I can keep my skin healthy with a healthy diet, good exercise, a healthy skincare regimen and a SMILE on my face! :)

Other great perks since I've stopped Diane other than HAPPINESS!! and sex drive: My heart rate has slowed down (I had such a fast pulse on those hormones!); I'm losing the little bloat that I had; my legs are starting to feel LIGHT again. I'm not drowsy anymore. Sex with my boyfriend felt so much hotter than it's ever before--I was definitely wetter and that made a huge difference.

In order to keep my skin healthy, I've cut out refined sugars, wheat, gluten and dairy from my diet. I'm eating mostly vegetables and fruits, with some whole grains (rice, oats) and lean meats (fish) on the side. I'm drinking two cups of green tea per day (green tea is supposed to promote hormone balance), about a litre of mineral water with lemon, and my herbal supplement for hormone balance. I'm washing with water and occasionally SpectroGel; I'm using Apple Cider Vinegar as a toner; I'm using pure Aloe Vera as a moisturizer. I had more grease two days ago than I have today...so I think all of this is working. It's only five days, but the only "negative" side effect I've experienced is a little more grease. And furthermore the grease is decreasing with the help of my skincare regimen and diet.

Just thought I'd share for those of you thinking about coming off. Thanks again, Katie!

Indeed, you pointed a sensitive aspect of the situation. We have the impression [at least I found myself thinking like this at times] that a perfect skin will chase away all of our problems or maybe it won't, but once we've resolved this skin matter, the rest will go much easier.
But is this regained self-confidence worth it considering all the side-effects? I keep pondering. I haven't taken a decision yet and I hope you'll help me find an answer. Should I or should I not get on Diane?

Thanks for all the comments girls! I found them very helpful.

I'm 29 and I've been on diane 35 for about a year and a half. It did clear my skin up, which wasn't too bad to begin with. However, I've found over the last few months that my sex drive has been decreasing to the point that I now have no interest and I find that very depressing. I used to have a great sex drive when I was younger. Perhaps it decreases as we get older and more used to our partners, but to zero?...anyways, I've decided to stop using it and I'll keep you informed to the changes.

Hi Josiane,
It's up to you, of course, once you've talked about it with your doctor. Only you can say, having learned from others about all of the potential (and in some cases probable) side effects, whether clear skin is more important to you. I would suggest only considering it if your skin condition is moderate-severe (that is, if you have nodules or cysts), because an improvement of this kind of acne will most likely help your emotional state. If your acne is mild-moderate (no nodules or cysts), I would not recommend that you start taking Diane because there are plenty of other things you can do to help your skin that are safer and side-effect free. Check out www.acne-advice.com, an excellent resource for healing your acne naturally. I have never bought anything from the site--not even the book!--but I've long benefitted from all the free info and tips.
In sum: Only after your doctor, in light of your medical history and risk factors, has given you the green light to take Diane, should you take it; decide for yourself, but hopefully in light of others' testimonials. This pill works for most of us, but it is not a solution--just a way of suppressing the problem. You have to pay the price for this quick-fix in some way or another. Ask yourself if it's really worth it.

Hi Michelle,

Looking forward to your updates on what it's like coming off Diane. I'll do the same.

Here's my update. I stopped taking my pills after my last "pill period." Twice I chickened out and took a pill. I'm not sure if my days off Diane should be counted from the last pill I took before my pill period or from the last time I last chickened out. If it's the first, I'm guessing it's been between 2-3 weeks. In the latter case I've been off something like ten days. I've just had a period, but I'm not sure if it's another pill period from hormone withdrawal or my own period (?). I hope it's my own. Lots of people report breaking out like mad when they have their first normal period after getting off Diane. If I just had mine, my skin behaved wonderfully. If that wasn't "my" period, then I'll just have to wait and see. I'm really counting on diet, stress-maintenance and a good skincare regimen to help me prevent the breakout extravaganza that some women claim to experience after three months or so off Diane. (Again, I think this "three-month" breakout coincides with their first normal period--I think quite a few women take months before they menstruate after stopping Diane. I suppose this is another reason why it would be a good sign if I just had my own period! If anyone knows anything about stopping BC and can tell me if the period I just had, based on the info above, is another withdrawal period or MY period, I'd appreciate it)
Will keep everyone posted. I hope others of you will do the same.

I've been reading some things in my psychology class and it said that high levels of 'estradiol' which is the main thing in Diane 35, is related to increase aggressiveness and hostility. And I kinda think back and I feel I've been reacting more aggresive and having huge mood swings ever since I began Diane, which I've been on for more than a year, so I was wondering is anybody can relate to that? or is it just me? I also kinda been feeling a lower sex drive but I didn't think it'd because of Diane because I just thought that's the way it goes when your with a partner for a long time so I thought that was normal...I guess not...

Update:

I quit taking Diane on Friday. No breakouts yet and am enjoying my sex life so much more!
bye

Hello...

I came across this forum today and have been reading about the apprehension of coming off of Diane-35. I hope I can help!! I came off of Diane-35 four months ago... I took my last pill around Jan. 15 of this year and now it is May 17th.

I'll give you some background info, too. I'd been on Diane-35 for about 6 or 7 years... I can't exactly remember. I'm 29 years old, almost 30. I had, in the past, come off of this pill (about 5 years ago) to take a break. My skin was totally clear and I wasn't in a long term relationship so I decided to come off of the pill...not even thinking that it would affect my skin. Well...about 2 months into it my skin totally freaked out and within 2 months I was completely broken out worse than I had been in ages. With that, I immediately went back on the pill and stayed on it for several more years...until this Jan. I, like you ladies, had been totally petrified about coming off of the pill again because I HAD ALREADY experienced what coming off of Diane could do to your skin.

Anyway, fast forward several years to this January. I had been looking into coming off of the pill again for about a year. I am now almost thirty and even a year ago, I knew that I couldn't stay on the pill forever. I'm getting married next year and I knew that at some point in the not too far-off future, I'd probably like to try and have kids. Not to mention, I was experiencing a host of other, somewhat minor health complaints (rashes, stomach troubles, etc), even though I didn't relate them to the pill (still not sure if they were related, but they did get better). Still, coming off of the pill was something I didn't want to think about...until this one day. I seriously just had this moment of clarity while I was driving in the car...and just decided that day that I wasn't going to take this BCP any longer. So, I finished with my last pack and haven't taken a pill since.

Ok, so I was really, really worried about my skin, knowing full well how my skin would react to discontinuing Diane-35. However, I had also adjusted my diet in the past couple of years (eliminating gluten, dairy, many meats, most junky food, etc) and started taking a host of vitamins and supplements. The first month was great, and my stomach problems totally cleared up (I found out later that IBS is sometimes connected to pill use) and my weird rashes got considerably better. The second month was also fine, and now that I am into my 4th month, I have to say that things are still going well. And, this is coming from someone who has first-hand experience with breaking out horribly after coming off of the pill.

Now, I'm not totally out of the woods. It's only been four months. And, I can tell you that I did break out recently, though not ~too~ badly. I started getting a bit of a bumpy forehead (yucko), but re-adjusted my diet (I had been eating a bit of dairy here and there) and bought some Persagel (BP stuff) and my skin cleared up again. I can tell you that I REALLY do think that if you're going to try and come off of the pill, diet and supplementation are so crucial. I really attribute that to the reason why my skin has been so decent since coming off of the pill this time, and not the time before that. It is like night and day.

If you're interested in what types of vitamins and supplements I take, I'll give you an overview: Calcium/Mag/Vitamin D supplement, copper, zinc, iron (I have low iron, so i need this!), B-100 complex, vitex (herb), Evening Primrose Oil (capsules), Hemp Seed Oil (1 tablespoon a day), and Milk Thistle (caps). It seems like a lot, but it's not so bad to take. The Vitex is supposed to really help with balancing hormones after coming off of the pill. Also, I do recommend seeing a naturopath as they really specialize in natural healing and can give you some good tips for supplementation.

So...in a nutshell (ha ha), there IS hope! I hope I can still say this in another few months, but so far, so good. You can come off of this pill successfully.

good luck!