By Kristin Perissinotto (she/her)
Oral contraceptive Diane-35, and its alternative brands (Brenda-35, Estelle, Juliette-35, and many others that can be found here) is frequently prescribed to young women* who visit their doctor with the goal of eradicating acne. It is also, of course, used as an oral contraceptive, and is approved for use against seborrhea, hirsutism, female pattern hair loss, and hyperandrogenism due to polycystic ovary syndrome. A considerable amount of statistical evidence suggests the side effects of Diane-35 are pretty brutal, with users reporting anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, headaches, weight gain, breast pain, increasingly painful periods, skin discolouration, and more.
Anecdotal evidence has shown that doctors are a little too casual when addressing feedback from pill users, particularly when it comes to issues of mental health. I know from personal experience what it feels like to be dismissed by a medical professional when, after a few months on the pill, I was told to just ‘wait and see’ if my emotions would return to normal. During these few months I felt totally detached from and controlled by my emotions, and I continued on the same pill for many more months before finally putting my foot down and seeing a different doctor.
28 day sheet of pills. Image via Unsplash.
Diane-35 has never been approved for use in the United States, despite the fact that the FDA has signed off on arsenic in food products, antibiotics in animal feed for growth promotion, Olestra, synthetic hormones, Diphenylamine, an artificial colouring that was banned in cosmetics, and sulfites on fresh produce. Diane-35 was also banned in France for a time, after it confirmed four deaths in 25 years were linked to the drug. It was later reintroduced and is now available for sale again. So, what does this have to do with your libido? You haven’t been clickbaited, if you are on Diane-35 or one of its alternative brands, your libido may have been affected. Diane-35 is made up of two ingredients: ethinylestradiol and cyproterone. Ethinylestradiol is an estrogen medication that is used in most birth control pills, usually alongside a progestin drug. Cyproterone, however, is not just a progestin medication, but is also an antiandrogen: a testosterone blocker.
Cyproterone is widely used to control sexual disorders, and is used in institutions like prisons and aged care homes for sex offenders and dementia patients who act out sexually in a way that endangers themselves or others. This drug can be taken orally or injected into the muscle, and decreases sex drive, sexual function, and sexual activity in males who have been diagnosed with paraphilic disorders. It has an 80-90% success rate when used in these cases. 3.1% of users of Diane-35 and its equivalents have reported a lower libido when they start on the drug.
It is important to note that cyproterone is a testosterone blocker, a medication typically required to suppress oil production which often results in the disappearance of acne. Many users will and do find that Diane-35 helps their skin enormously, which is quite significant to many. But how many people are informed about the potential side effects when starting on Diane-35? My guess is that number is not significant. When I started on the birth control pill, I was given a spiel about my options: IUD, pill, ring, implant, or Depo injections. I was asked about a family history of blood clotting, and my blood pressure was taken. There was no talk of nasty side effects, particularly not to do with non-physical symptoms. This experience seems to be typical for many people in my personal life, and, according to my research, more widely.
In March, The Sun reported that one million people could be on the wrong pill and suffering through nasty side effects in silence. The same publication, two months prior, reported on updated guidelines that were published saying there is no danger to continuously taking the pill throughout the month, without a break, saying that the seven-day breaks were initially implemented to appease the Catholic Church (did I hear a gasp?). Research into birth control methods and reproductive health is massively underfunded and left by the wayside that users have been indoctrinated into following decades-old information brought about by pressure from a religious institution and societal standards.
If you are suffering from birth control side effects that don’t seem right to you, please do your research and see a medical professional. And don’t be afraid to find a new doctor if you feel yours is not taking your concerns seriously.
*whilst many people in the medical profession don't, here at OWP we acknowledge that menstruation, reproductive rights and birth control not only impact cisgender women.