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Mood crashes and heavy periods linked to Dianette or hormonal contraception?

1 reply

Ayoli323 · 17/03/2026 23:21

Has anyone ever had similar issues with hormonal contraception?

I was prescribed Dianette from a young age for acne. I was on it for around 10 years, taking it every month with a week break.

Every time I was due my week break, I was so down, overthinking, spiralling and really struggling mentally - to the point my family was concerned.

I went to the GP about this and they advised I could take it back to back for 3 months at a time, to avoid the impact it had on my moods and the heavy periods - another thing I thought was normal.

First month I was fine but by the third, I absolutely crashed, the feeling I had usually for a week, was constant. I was crying at work, overthinking everything. It was like I couldn’t regulate my thoughts or think rationally. I felt like I was at war with my own mind.

I went back to the GP and spoke with a specialist doctor who told me Dianette should only be taken for a maximum of 3/4 cycles and stopped. It can have massive mental health side effects. They told me to research into it and I did and I didn’t realise the impact hormonal birth control can have on your nervous system.

i’ve been off it for around 5 months now and I feel completely different. I may overthink but i’m not drowning in thoughts. I’m able to regulate myself and not get upset or triggered by ridiculous things.
my heavy periods have also stopped and are very normal, similar to how my friends are. Something i’d never experienced. I used to have to wear a nighttime sanitary towel and a super plus tampon during the first few days of my period while on Dianette.

I just wanted to put this out there and see if anyone else has had any similar issues with Dianette or other hormonal contraceptives?

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 17/03/2026 23:51

I was on dianette for a while, some months after having my DD when my PCOS acne returned after being blissfully clear during pregnancy and first months of BF. It did clear my skin but it made me depressed - just grey and detatched. I felt better as soon as I went back onto microgynon which I’d been on before TTC, acne wasn’t too bad on it, but then the GP suggested Marvelon which suited me very well.
Dianette is a bit different to most other oral contraceptives I think. IME the (slightly) better acne control really isn’t worth the potential downsides.

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