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the pill-Dianette

hey, ive just changed to dianette, for contraception use and also becuse i tend to get extra facial hair and growth then the norm! And Dianette is supposed to help, so just wondering if anyone eles is on it for the same reason and also has it reduced the hair?
also heard it helps with achne? haven't really got a problem in this department but would be a bonus if worked for this!

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Reply 1

If you have an excess hair growth problems you might have polycystic ovarian syndrome. Please vist your doctor or GP to get your self diagnosed. I have the same condition as you i have been using Dianette for 3 years and it's helped alot. Dianette is the best pill out there, i am still using it to this day.

Reply 2

Dianette can cause damage to your internal organs with prolonged, so any responsible GP will not let you stay on it for longer than 2 years.

My sister was on it because of acne, and it helped her a lot. She was most annoyed when she had to stop taking it at the end of the 2 years!

Reply 3

Lib
Dianette can cause damage to your internal organs with prolonged, so any responsible GP will not let you stay on it for longer than 2 years.

My sister was on it because of acne, and it helped her a lot. She was most annoyed when she had to stop taking it at the end of the 2 years!

No it can't, my gynecologist reccomeded me Dianette, i have polycystic ovarian syndrome and it has not damaged my internal organs, thats a load of c*** i am on Dinanette for my whole life! If it could damge my internal organs then my gynecologist would have not gave me it in the first place!

Reply 4

I took Dianette for about a year and a half when I was 15, mainly for my periods but to sort my skin out too. Although I did notice an improvement to my acne, it took about 3 months of taking them before I noticed it, and it wasnt really that significant (I still have problems with my skin now so Its probably just that it wasnt strong enough for me). My doctor took me off it in the end and I had to take something else, he said something about it not being tested properly and it shouldnt be used for a long period of time. That was about 5-6 years ago though.

Reply 5

Yeah i also use it to regulate my periods.

Reply 6

Lyndzxx
No it can't, my gynecologist reccomeded me Dianette, i have polycystic ovarian syndrome and it has not damaged my internal organs, thats a load of c*** i am on Dinanette for my whole life! If it could damge my internal organs then my gynecologist would have not gave me it in the first place!


I would imagine that the risk of organ damage compared to the help it gives for PCOS is acceptable, but it's not acceptable when you're only it for cosmetic reasons.

Reply 7

Lib
I would imagine that the risk of organ damage compared to the help it gives for PCOS is acceptable, but it's not acceptable when you're only it for cosmetic reasons.

Yeah true, but you don't really now that until you talk to a gynecologist. They will tell you if thats true or not.

And women who use it just for cosmetic reasons they might expreience that thier normal cycle of periods my start to get bad, they might not even come. Then when they are off it, then they will see that thier periods get back to normal.

Let me make this clear, Dianette is not for everyone they should get checked out by a gynecologist. They will oversly say that they don't have any problems with their ovaries then they might not be allowed to have it. To the person who wanted to know if it was right of them please vist your GP and ask if they could refuer you to a gynecologist to see if you could have dianette or not.

I do believe that if your just using it for cosmetic purpose then it's not a good idea.

Reply 8

I've been on it for about 2 years, partly to sort my periods out which were a mess, but also for acne. It did help with the acne, it took a few months to get started, but then I did notice a big improvement.

I hadn't heard anything about it damaging your organs. Probably best asking your doctor if you are worried about this, I can't find anything mentioned in the leaflet about it either.

There is abit here about how it is meant to work with hair growth etc.

Reply 9

I am afraid acne is only viewed as a 'cosmetic' reason by people who it doesnt affect! I have been on dianette since I was 15 and when I take my gap (recommended by my gp) The difference is horrendous. I have discussed this with my dermatologist but she also agrees that Dianette is the only thing that works for my skin.

Reply 10

Roxie
I am afraid acne is only viewed as a 'cosmetic' reason by people who it doesnt affect! I have been on dianette since I was 15 and when I take my gap (recommended by my gp) The difference is horrendous. I have discussed this with my dermatologist but she also agrees that Dianette is the only thing that works for my skin.

Well thats an exception. But are you sure that you can't use any anti spot creams. I hear that clinque do very good spot creams. But i think if your on Dianette just for your skin problem then it's not a really good thing. You may what to see a gynecologist and they will tell you if your doing any damage to yourslef by using Dianette.

Reply 11

Lyndzxx
To the person who wanted to know if it was right of them please vist your GP and ask if they could refuer you to a gynecologist to see if you could have dianette or not.

I do believe that if your just using it for cosmetic purpose then it's not a good idea.


Surely you can only get it by being prescribed it!? I've never heard of it being over the counter?!!

Reply 12

Lyndzxx
Well thats an exception. But are you sure that you can't use any anti spot creams. I hear that clinque do very good spot creams. But i think if your on Dianette just for your skin problem then it's not a really good thing. You may what to see a gynecologist and they will tell you if your doing any damage to yourslef by using Dianette.


Well I need it for Contraception too or it would be pointless but I have been taking regular breaks from it and if my GP is fine about it then I am too. It wouldn't be out if it was that dangerous

Reply 13

Roxie
Surely you can only get it by being prescribed it!? I've never heard of it being over the counter?!!

Yeah you can only get it if it was perscribed to you. Like i said before, Dianette is not for everyone. Dianette was never an over the counter pill, and it will never be.

Reply 14

To clarify - Dianette is a fairly new pill. Because of this long term effects are unknown. Some research has suggested there could be a higher risk of strokes and blood clots with this pill than others if it is taken for an extended period of time; but some doctors disagree with this research anyway. Because of this it is not prescribed purely for contraceptive purposes, because there are other alternative pills out there that don't have an increased risk of illness later.

However it is effective for acne and excess hair so it is prescribed for that. Generally doctors go by the guidelines that because effects are unknown it's best not to stay on it for more than 2 years - but in some cases, such as PCOS, the benefits outweigh the risk. Also, some doctors don't think there is a risk anyway so won't worry about leaving you on it for longer than 2 years.

From my personal opinion, i was on it for 2 and a half years and it cleared up my skin wonderfully! Over this time i saw a variety of GPs because my surgery was in the process of replacing one and just had locums for a while. Some of the locums were shocked i'd been on it for so long, others said there was no reason for me to have changed.

If you're a healthy weight and don't smoke the risks are small, especially since you are monitored carefully while you're on it anyway :smile:

ETA: Using it to treat acne is not using it for cosmetic purposes - acne is different to teenage spots!

Reply 15

Abbie
To clarify - Dianette is a fairly new pill. Because of this long term effects are unknown. Some research has suggested there could be a higher risk of strokes and blood clots with this pill than others if it is taken for an extended period of time; but some doctors disagree with this research anyway. Because of this it is not prescribed purely for contraceptive purposes, because there are other alternative pills out there that don't have an increased risk of illness later.

However it is effective for acne and excess hair so it is prescribed for that. Generally doctors go by the guidelines that because effects are unknown it's best not to stay on it for more than 2 years - but in some cases, such as PCOS, the benefits outweigh the risk. Also, some doctors don't think there is a risk anyway so won't worry about leaving you on it for longer than 2 years.

From my personal opinion, i was on it for 2 and a half years and it cleared up my skin wonderfully! Over this time i saw a variety of GPs because my surgery was in the process of replacing one and just had locums for a while. Some of the locums were shocked i'd been on it for so long, others said there was no reason for me to have changed.

If you're a healthy weight and don't smoke the risks are small, especially since you are monitored carefully while you're on it anyway :smile:

ETA: Using it to treat acne is not using it for cosmetic purposes - acne is different to teenage spots!

I agree with most of it, but i have highlighted in red that i disagree with. I am on it for life i have a serious case of pcos i have to have it for life. I have been recommed by a gynecologist that i have to remain on it for life. But really Dianette can only be used for an amount of time from whoever perscirbed it to you. For people who have spots or other cosmetic reason. they should only use it though their teenage years, but no longer than that it has some long term damage to those who don't have problems like pcos.

Reply 16

Lyndzxx
I agree with most of it, but i have highlighted in red that i disagree with. I am on it for life i have a serious case of pcos i have to have it for life. I have been recommed by a gynecologist that i have to remain on it for life. But really Dianette can only be used for an amount of time from whoever perscirbed it to you. For people who have spots or other cosmetic reason. they should only use it though their teenage years, but no longer than that it has some long term damage to those who don't have problems like pcos.


...which is exactly what i said in the following sentence - in some cases such as PCOS the benefits outweigh the risks. And in cases of acne often after teenage years it clears up anyway. But it depends on the opinion of your doctor.

Reply 17

Abbie
To clarify - Dianette is a fairly new pill. Because of this long term effects are unknown. Some research has suggested there could be a higher risk of strokes and blood clots with this pill than others if it is taken for an extended period of time; but some doctors disagree with this research anyway. Because of this it is not prescribed purely for contraceptive purposes, because there are other alternative pills out there that don't have an increased risk of illness later.

However it is effective for acne and excess hair so it is prescribed for that. Generally doctors go by the guidelines that because effects are unknown it's best not to stay on it for more than 2 years - but in some cases, such as PCOS, the benefits outweigh the risk. Also, some doctors don't think there is a risk anyway so won't worry about leaving you on it for longer than 2 years.

From my personal opinion, i was on it for 2 and a half years and it cleared up my skin wonderfully! Over this time i saw a variety of GPs because my surgery was in the process of replacing one and just had locums for a while. Some of the locums were shocked i'd been on it for so long, others said there was no reason for me to have changed.

If you're a healthy weight and don't smoke the risks are small, especially since you are monitored carefully while you're on it anyway :smile:

ETA: Using it to treat acne is not using it for cosmetic purposes - acne is different to teenage spots!

To quot from the BNF (British National Formulary - aka bible of drugs)
"Venous thromboembolism (DVT) occurs more frequently in woman taking co-cyprindiol (Dianette) then those taking low-dose combined oral contraceptives. Doctors are reminded that co-cyprindiol is licensed for use in women with severe acne which has no responded to oral antibiotis and for moderately severe hirsutism (excess hair). IT SHOULD NOT BE USED SOLELY FOR CONTRACEPTION. It is contraindicated (not allowed) in thse with a personal or close family history of venous thromboembolism"

So - according to the prescription guidelines you should not be on dianette if you do not suffer from any of the listed symptoms as it is not licensed as a contraceptive only

Reply 18

Abbie
...which is exactly what i said in the following sentence - in some cases such as PCOS the benefits outweigh the risks. And in cases of acne often after teenage years it clears up anyway. But it depends on the opinion of your doctor.

Oh okay, i understand. I kinda got a litte carried away.

Reply 19

JackieS
To quot from the BNF (British National Formulary - aka bible of drugs)
"Venous thromboembolism (DVT) occurs more frequently in woman taking co-cyprindiol (Dianette) then those taking low-dose combined oral contraceptives. Doctors are reminded that co-cyprindiol is licensed for use in women with severe acne which has no responded to oral antibiotis and for moderately severe hirsutism (excess hair). IT SHOULD NOT BE USED SOLELY FOR CONTRACEPTION. It is contraindicated (not allowed) in thse with a personal or close family history of venous thromboembolism"

So - according to the prescription guidelines you should not be on dianette if you do not suffer from any of the listed symptoms as it is not licensed as a contraceptive only

No thats wrong, i have polycystic ovarian syndrome and i have period problems and i have excess hair. It should only be used for those problems as well.

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