Contraceptives symptoms and conditions

Well i been on loestrin for about 5 months now, Ive tried 4 other contraceptives (that kept giving me nasty yeast infections, headaches and severe nausea! , but this is probably the only one my body tolerates..... as far as symptoms, in the beginning i would have massive migraines and nausea almost everyday it was horrible! but it got a lil better as time past....of coarse mood swings from here to there, and a low sex drive... it suxs my boyfriend thinks "im not into him" anymore, and im telling u its the pills... cuz i didnt have this problem before i got on em. but i guess i choose to be on the pills cuz i dont want any accidents....it helps my acne for the most part.....haven't had any migrans lately hopefully they wont come back.... but my next step will probably be the IUD...hopefully this wont give me no problems =/ if that dont work then i dont no what im gonna do...anything with tooo much estrogen gets me really sick.....

My name is Stephanie and I had the Mirena IUD inserted in 12/2004, about a year after I had my daughter. I had some cramping in the first few months following it's insertion. My periods slowly lightened over my first year and now I haven't had a period since. I will spot every once in a long while for about a day. I have lite acne problems but nothing that can't be handled with washing my face before I go to bed at night. I didn't not experience any weight gain while using the IUD. I think women forget to change their eating habits after the baby is born. YOUR NOT PREGNANT ANYMORE! I love this contraceptive and plan on using it again. Mood swings maybe but I'm a woman that comes with the territory. Anyway, if you are thinking about using this IUD don't listen to only the complaints, this is a good contraceptive it's just not for everyone but that's with any contraceptive on the market. Be smart research all contraceptives, find what your body can handle.

I was put on Yasmin myself sometime beginning 2007 and within a couple of days of using it I stared getting severe headaches, I was violently throwing up, I was extremely dizzy, I was also constantly tired, lethargic. My periods were constant and never stopping, just as they were on the adjective form too. I took me nearly 2 years to find a contraceptive that agreed with me. Finally I nearly gave up until one day my mother suggested why don't I try the contraceptive patch. So I went to my local doctors and queried it, he tried putting me off the idea as only 1% of women use it. But I tell you all ladies, since i have been on it, I have had NO side effects whatsoever, the patch even stays on whilst showering or bathing. My periods have never been so regular, my energy levels have risen, I have gained NO weight at all. I am truly amazed that so little women use it. I think it is THE BEST contraceptive there is. And unlike other contraceptives where if you want a baby in the future you have to stop the contraceptive and wait until it wears off, with this one as soon as the patch comes off you are well and truly free of contraception. It is amazing, I'd advised it to anyone. Only one minor tiny incy little side effect is where the patch was on, theres like little scratch marks where the corners lay. It doesn't itch and its hardly noticeable. Try it and see what you girls and women think.

I just started with Nuvaring, this is my sixth day with it. I feel HORRIBLE, MISERABLE, NO ENERGY, NO MOTIVATION,i've cried everyday since day 1. I've had nausea, palpitations and insomnia.
That's how I ended up in this forum......
This is my first time with contraceptives and I am taking them because I have some kind of hormonal unbalance. I am calling my doctor to let him know about this.
Hope he can find something milder.

I am literally in tears after reading all of this, I'm beginning to think that Mirena ruined my life and I didn't even know it.

I stumbled upon this site while searching for Mirena side effects related to periods. I had mine inserted in October 2007, at my 6 week checkup after my daughter was born. I had severe cramping and irregular periods for about 3 months, but after that, my periods have been completely regular and pretty much the same as they had always been before my pregnancy and Mirena. But, just now, I've started my period 2 weeks early and was slightly curious if it may have anything to do with the Mirena. Apparently, it may. And now I see that having an early period is the least of my worries.

I've been experiencing so many of these side effects without even realizing they were side effects! I had put everything off on stress, disliking my job, then losing my job, the fact that "pregnancy changed me," and numerous other things. Now I feel sort of stupid for not even thinking that it could be Mirena.

I had my daughter in August 2007, at 23 years old. Mirena was put in during October of the same year. I was overwhelmed with motherhood and suffered from post-partom depression and severe anxiety attacks. I thought that this was what was causing my complete lack of sex drive.

Seriously, the thought of sex physically made me ill. And on the rare occasion that I did give in and have sex with my husband, it was so painful that I would cry. For a long time I thought that it was just because my body was not finished healing after giving birth. I had been told by several people that it isn't uncommon for sex to hurt for up to a year after giving birth. A year passed, and it still hurt. Now it's been almost 2, and it still hurts. I've probably had sex a total of about 10 times since I started Mirena. It's been 21 months.

On top of this, I've also had serious rage issues. I fly off the handle over the smallest things. For the longest time, this rage was directed mainly at my husband. Everything he did was wrong, hurtful, stupid, or just plain irritating. I'm even getting angry right now, just thinking about him. I left my husband 5 months ago, because I simply could not stand him anymore. But when someone asks me why we're getting a divorce, I really can't come up with a good reason. Sure, he made some mistakes, and did some stupid things (don't all men?), but he never really did anything terrible or life altering. He was always faithful to me, was generally a good husband, and loved me unconditionally. So why can't I stand him? Why don't I love him anymore? I can't logically explain it.

So now that I don't have him around anymore to be angry at all the time, I'm starting to direct my anger at my daughter. She'll be 2 in August, and has started that "terrible 2's" phase. I'm very quick to just completely blow up and yell at her for the littlest things. I've been starting to think that I'm just not cut out to be a parent. I love her with all of my heart but I have no patience with her at all. If this rage issue is, in fact, caused by the Mirena, I have to admit that I'll be somewhat relieved.

Other than anger, I'm pretty much emotionally dead. I've cried ONE time since my husband and I split up (well two now, since reading all of your posts actually made me cry). I'm jobless, husbandless, living with my mother, and pretty much have absolutely nothing going well for me in my life right now... and I have not cried. I don't even feel very sad. There has seriously got to be something wrong there.

I'm constantly tired, and if given the chance, will sleep 14-16 hours at a time. I don't feel like doing anything. I thought this might be signs of depression... but again, I don't feel sad. I can't keep up with my daughter. She's so full of energy and I often have to get help from my Mother. I'm 25 years old and I'm so tired I have to get help from a 48 year old woman!

I get headaches almost daily. Migraines weekly. I've got severe anxiety about just about everything. I freak out about driving, being around groups of people, anything new, anything fairly difficult, or anytime my daughter is with a sitter or relative. Even when my husband has her, and he is a wonderful father, and very responsible with her. If I had insurance, I would probably already be on anxiety medication.

I've started getting acne, which I never ever had. Not even as a teen. Now I get those really deep pimples that never come up to the surface, and they ache very badly.

I haven't had a lot of the physical side effects that have been talked about here. No weight gain or loss (120 lbs pre-pregnancy, 145 lbs at 9 months, 125 lbs now). No hair loss. No bloating. No breast swelling/soreness. Normal periods until just now. No pains or flutters or anything. Really the only physical symptoms I've had are the headaches, acne, and tiredness (all of which I attributed to stress) and the pain during sex.

Do you ladies think that my symptoms are all the cause of Mirena? Does my story seem to fit the bill? It seems to all fit, to me. But maybe I'm just looking too hard for an answer. Please give me your opinions! I need to decide if I should start saving up some money to get this thing taken out of me!

Well I have looked at a lot of web site for information about birth controls and this one by far seems to be the best. I'm 22 years old and have been on and off birth control since I was 15. So far every one I have tried has caused either nausea or Sever Break through bleeding. Last November I decide to give the depo shot one more try, for the first month I had no break through bleeding. But in December it started and never stopped, here it is April 30 and I experienced maybe 5 days during my duration of the depo shot no bleeding. So I went to the doctor today because I have come to realize that my body may need a higher dosing of hormones so she prescribed Femcon. Now in the past I have had the same problems that have been posted on here but when I was not on birth control! Birth control, controlled my symptoms a little but never stopped them. So im hopping that Femcon control that awful breakthrough bleeding I experience with many other contraceptives. At the end of my pack im going to update! Todays day 1

2/21/09

I have had my Mirena in for two weeks now. I have been having abdominal pain, I thought perhaps the Mirena had bruised my ovaries. The insertion was extremely painful. I had a two week check up and now I have multiple cysts on my ovaries.
I have a 6 year old and 22 month old twins. I have always had heavy, long periods. After having the twins I began experience extreme cramping 2 weeks prior to even having my period, lower back pain, and mood swings. I have never been a fan of contraceptives but felt if the Mirena could stop me from feeling crampy all month long it could finally be the relief I have been looking for.
Now I am in more constant pain because of the cysts and after reading this site wonderf if I should have my thyroid checked again. Before the Mirena I was positive for Hashimoto's disease and have had a nodule removed (non-cancerous). I wonder if the Mirena is going to push my horomones so that I will have to begin taking medicine for my Hashimoto's.
I wonder what releif is out there since the pill is still a hormone.
When I spoke to my OBGYN she said the Mirena had nothing to do with the cysts. I don't know if it is because there are a couple on each ovary?
So far my side effects include ovarian cysts, facial hair, acne, swelling in ankles.
Thanks for having this page and I hope we can all find some relief.

this is my story... I am 41 and wombless. Was prescribed Yasmin for a cyst which they say is an ovarian cyst, but I have no ovaries. May i say I have never taken contraceptives in my life. began taking prescription 28 days ago today. from the very first day it brought on kidney pain that was dormant for months and a feeling of nausea and headaches. That checked with antibiotics in a week, with the exception of headaches which i still have on and off, it has been smooth sailing. problem is yesterday i woke up bleeding. I haven't had a period in almost 3 years so i am in a dilemma. Its weekend and i don't see my gyn until Monday. The only thing i can put this to is the tabs and i am not gonna take any more. I quit.

I was on Yaz for 4 months. I didn't notice the terrible side effects of that unitl I sat and realized that my being anxious, worried and sad all the time was due to that stupid pill. I had no sex drive and my work outs were harder and harder to go to all the time.....so, I called my doctor and asked to be switched to something with less hormones. They suggested Nuvaring as it has less hormones than the pills we hear of. Well, I put it in last night....but after reading all these posts,,...took it out this morning....soooo, 55 bucks down the drain but sounds way worth it!!!! I'm only on them to help with endometriosis....who the hell needs no sex drive, weight gain, depression, headaches, vaginal dryness, constant worry and being tired to name a few side effects to supposedly help with our cycles???? I'll go back to painful perioids and being me. Good luck to you guys out there,,,,, Cheri

***IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON STARTING FEMCON FE PLEASE READ THIS FIRST***
I am 31 years old and have been on contraceptives for 15 years. I have endometriosis and have very bad periods. In the past I have taken several different brands of the pill and have had no side effects, aside from a very occasional migrane, but they have not controlled my pain/periods...so we tried femcon fe. I stopped taking it today after three months when i realized that the horrible things i have been going through match up with what all of the other ladies are saying here. The first day i had such pain in my breasts that my bra itself almost brought me to tears, then came the nausea. I actually took three pregnancy tests because i was sick at the same time everyday. I started vomiting with painful abdominal cramping off and on and not putting two and two together i was about to go and have a GI thinking it was an ulcer or worse! then i started to notice the weight gain, skin issues - not pimples but splotches, Then came the depression, rage and mental cloudiness. I started having trouble concentrating or even listening, was experiencing horrible anxiety to the point of near rage, and even having some trouble slurring my words and having significant "blank outs" where i couldn't find my words or remember things. I was depressed enough to consider psychiatric help/meds...this is NOT me!! Insomnia, crazy vivid dreams and nightmares, trembling, irrational fears and reactions...these are serious side effects that were doing nothing but getting worse. Today i got a migrane and could not stop vomiting, that is when i sat in fear that there was something terribly wrong with me and it hit me...THAT DAMNED PILL!!! I am not kidding, i really thought that i was deathly ill. stomach cancer?, a stroke? i thought, what the hell is going on here?!? That's when i found this site and thanks to you ladies i am no longer afraid that i am crazy or going to die! immediately, i called my OB who has advised me not to take another femcon, obviously, and said that everyone reacts differently and this is not something that will "level out." If you are having these issues CALL YOUR DOCTOR!!! Please don't let yourself get to the point of total misery that I stupidly did...there are HUNDREDS of pills out there that will not do this to you!!! I wish i would have realized this sooner i thought it was all coincidental having been on so many different pills and never having even a tiny pimple of a side effect. Please do you research and please don't continue taking this pill if you are having problems with it...it is not for everyone and an irregular period is nothing compared to the sheer hell i have been going through to have 10% less cramps and a one day shorted period!!
Jacqueline B.

I am a 26 yr old newly married woman and have been using Yasmin for 7 months.

I've experienced really sharp breast pain and sore calves occasionally whilst on the pill, but also have seen benefits of using this contraceptive - lighter, more regular periods, clearer skin and less greasy hair (these use to be big problems for me). I haven't had any severe mood swings either, as some have mentioned of having.

I think with all contraceptives there will be good and bad side effects - just depends which brands you can cope better with.

Just wondering if Yasmin can cause infertility if you take it for too long??

(continuation ) very frustrating for me, to feel that ur bleeding like all the time, i thought its not gonna stop. My hair was falling so much,(that i can make noodles out of it!!!)

I also have joints pain. I only gained 7-8 kg. during my entire pregnancy. I was 58 kg. losing weight isn't problem for me, one week after my delivery i lost almost all of it, without doing any effort. Yeah of course i cant eat and sleep much, i have to feed my baby,etc.. -that's why i lost right away.

After the mirena--wow! feel like im pregnant again, craving for something..like i wanna eat something salty, something this and that.boom!!! 55 kg!!

Im mirena free for 2 days now , and i feel much better!!! Im having light bleeding after the removal, but its ok, at least i know for sure that im not gonna bleed more that 1 month.

Im back to normal, hehe normal me, happy, and stress free!! I feel great!
Huh so difficult to be a women hehehe- right now i wanna be free from any contraceptives, and let my body rest for a while. Im thinking Implanon, i have few friends using implanon and it works good on them.

But anyway, im happy for those of you who found the right one.
.

Good luck everyone!

Im glad i found this site!! I had my mirena inserted June 19, 2008. Its my first time to use contraceptives, and i choose Mirena, at first i was in doubt, but i said, im gonna give it a try, so i did. Im 31 years old, had a baby boy last March 3, 2008. The insertion was ok i don't have any problem.
Then my period came....usually my period last 4 days or so...some of the side effects of mirena is spotting ..so i thought 1 week the most..my period last almost 7 weeks and smells like a rusty metal, it wasn't heavy bleeding but light bleeding, sometimes it gets dark brown, like its going away, then become light red again, on and off, it was

I've been on the NuvaRing for 4yrs on and off. I NEVER gained any weight from it, I do get moody but then again whenever your taking B/C expect that, your messing with your hormones! My sex drive is the same I still want it every night, but I can also say it's better actually because when I do have sex and if he does hit the Ring that's a plus to me..Maybe that's just me. I tried Depo I didn't gain any weight from it, my sex drive was the same but I did get my period for a full month sometimes..wasn't too happy about that...and then I got pregnant...I have a Depo baby!!! Next I used the patch I had many problems with the patch it would dry me out down in my happy place...my doctor (who is not my doctor anymore) gave me another patch to increase my juices lol ...I had to have a patch for my patch... next was the NuvaRing I never had a problem till this last ring I put in I got this yeast infection. I haven't changed my diet or soap that I wash with so I think maybe I got a defective NuvaRing this time(this is what I'm telling myself).. I decided to take it out clear up my infection and then put another one in and go from there...but I do like the Ring. Depo gave me my daughter, the patch was a hassle, the pill I can't remember to take that darn thing everyday, and to me next in line is the NuvaRing and so far It's been good too me except this last one I put in..if it's the Ring I'm just gonna really cry...And ladies we have to remember EVERYBODY'S BODY IS DIFFERENT!! You have to do your own studies and make your own choices. With most of your b/c contraceptives your going to gain weight I've haven't gain anything from the Pill-Depo-Patch- to the NuvaRing. It's always 99.9 percent effective. That .1 is my daughter so..some people get every single side effect in the book some people like me don't.. make your own mind up!

I read your post about Nuvaring. I am only on my first ring. So far it seems okay and don't know if it is to blame for my hair that has been coming out non stop also. the hair loss started when I had the paraguard inserted into my cervix. I did some google research and a lot of women were complaining of the same thing. I immediately had it removed but the doc said it was non hormonal. I thought that perhaps my body just didn't agree with the copper that it is made from. she told me about the NuvaRing, so here I am trying it. the hair loss is still there and it has been going on for about 1 month now and I have lost a lot of it. I just gave birth to my second daughter 4 months ago, and don't know if my hair loss is postpardom or related to all these wacky methods of birth control. Has anyone else suffered hair loss from the NuvaRing or paraguard. Does anyone have recommendations on how I could improve my hair and stop it from falling out. when it is coming out the root tip is with every strand. I'm so scared over this...

I've been taking Yaz since about October or November. I rarely ever had even a headache before taking Yaz, and I noticed that I began having migranes almost every day if not every day after beginning to take Yaz. I never even would have imagined that it could have been my BCP but after reading all of these reviews and having almost all of the side effects that these other women are having, I've decided that I need to talk with my obgyn about changing contraceptives.

Since starting Yaz I've had the following:

-Migranes every day or every other day

-Violent Mood Swings

- Feelings of being overwhelmed

- Fellings of extreme anger and rage

-Joint pain in my knees and hips

- Decrease in Sex Drive

-Emotional spells ( crying for no reason, or being sad for no reason)

-Blurred Vision

-Weight Gain

-Increase in cup size

-Painful Acne

I'm 21 years old. There should be no decrease in my sex drive. Now don't get me wrong. Yaz has it's good points as well, but for the most part, my experience with it has been negative. The good part about it is that my periods are regular, whereas before they were all over the place.
I've started fights with my boyfriend, when no fight or argument should have happened, and I've become filled with rage and anger at family gatherings.
It works for some people but for myself and many others, I see, it's not been very pleasant to take.

I had my Mirena put in on the 21st January 08. I am constantly feeling nauseous! So I don't eat as much, maybe 2 meals a day and I am usually sick if I have any form or food and drink after 8pm. Despite this I have not necessarily gained weight (1lbs) but I have gained so much fat. I have never been this big. I don't fit my fat jeans I wore 3 years ago. I cant wear the jeans I wore 2 years ago. And all the pairs I lived in from last January (07) or even august do not fit. At all. Constantly bloated. I have itchy legs. Keep getting upset. (I rarely cry). Got a few spots, nothing terrible, but I never get spots. And I cannot sleep. My doctor has prescribed sleep meds for 6 days but thats it. I keep getting cramps, dull cramps... I had one hideous one once put in, then it was normal dull cramps. My body hair has got on darker... Problem is I forget pills, and depo hasn't works (also bad reaction to hormones (no implant, don't want it) I have got pains in my legs, but its not all the IUD

My experience with Yasmin was awful!!! I had been on BCPs before with no problems(both were Ortho-something). I'd had no problems with depression, I was never one to cry much and I was very active. Well, I had a little spotting so my doctor switched me over to Yasmin thinking it might help and the spotting between periods did stop. For me, everything was fine at first. The depression came on slowly, but once it did it just got worse and worse. I was always exhausted, I never wanted to do anything, I felt out of shape and my heart would race when I tried to go hiking. I was suddenly crying all of the time and getting terribly upset about nothing, instantly. I began to seriously dislike myself and I was watching what had seemed to be the perfect relationship fall apart before my eyes due to the strain that had been put on it. I FINALLY realized that something was terribly wrong when I was standing in the middle of a beautiful forest on vacation at a resort with the love of my life and I was screaming at him for a reason I could no longer remember. Then I broke down into a hysterical fit of tears. I dug out the pamphlet I got with my pills and somewhere in the back it finally listed depression as a possible side effect. I rushed down to the computer and found so many women with experiences just like mine. I called my doctor to switch my perscription back to the pill I'd been on previously; she wouldn't do it. I finished my pack and haven't gone near the stuff since. That was in April/May. After a month I was feeling better--like a fog was starting to clear from my mind. By three months the mood swings were mostly gone and I was concentrating better and smiling a lot more. Now, I'm finally me again and my boyfriend and I managed to save our relationship (thanks primarily to his patience and understanding) and I'm excited about living again. Yasmin may work for some people but in my opinion it's just not worth the risk.

Man! OKay, first I came on this website to look for the awful side effects I experience with Nuvaring birth control...after reading a hundred comments of girls who had the same problems with it as me! I am definitely dropping it! So I think, what about Yasmin?? maybe this one will be good, and I come to this comment page, and everyone has OTHER identical bad side effects!
Looks like Nuvaring makes you insanely anxious and on edge and KILLS your sex drive 100%. And now I see Yasmin...gives you horrible aching pains in your legs at night.... and ups your heart rate and gives you mummurs!

Is there no hope for us? Does anyone know a BC that is actually good?? Help!

I am so glad I found this site. I chose Mirena because the copper IUD was giving me heavy bleeding , so this appeared to be the great solution.
The bleeding decreased but at the same time other symptoms appeared.
After eight months of visiting doctors of all kinds, taking pills for deppression, and going on never-ending diets, I found a doctor whom I have never seen before, and he looked at the facts from a distance.
It was him who suggested that Mirena could possibly have something to do with my gain loss (22 pounds) , mood changes, hair loss, incredible bloating of my stomach after eating and tiredness.
Reading this experiences only made me more certain to have it removed as soon as possible , hoping to get back to my old self soon.

Has anyone had any sleep disturbances with Mirena? I have had horrible nightmares and wake up feeling really shaky and horrible, and still really tired. Maybe this isn't caused by the mrens, but I can remember when I was younger i used to get pre-menstrual insomnia, the night before I got my period...just wondered if there was a link with all the progesterone/progesterin. Also, people who have had mood swings, have you noticed if they are particularly bad at one part of your cycle? Mine I would have to say, are really bad a few days before bleed and 3 or 4 days into the bleed, when I feel suicidal.

I've still not taken it out yet. Maybe 'm being a bit stupid, but I'm so scared of getting pregnant-I'm still at uni-and I can't think of any non-hormonal contraceptives....cept maybe something I've heard of called the 'sponge'. Has anyone heard of this or used it/know where I could buy it in the UK?I'd appreciate any replies! Thank you

I guess I have been lucky, I haven't experienced any vaginal pain, excessive discharge, emotional moodswings, or lack of sex drive while on this.

Actually....aside from my boyfriend saying he can feel it at times during sex....I've had no issues with it up until now.

But last night my bf playfully grabbed one of my boobs and I almost screamed from the pain. He commented on how they seemed swollen, and a bit stiff.

Now I am due to take the ring out today, so this may be a side effect that one might experience as it gets close to period time. I'm not sure. All I know is that breast tenderness and swelling is one of the few symptoms I have NEVER experienced. It have NEVER been a PMS symptom for me, nor have I ever experienced it while using other contraceptives.

Has anyone else experienced this while on the NuvaRing?

SARAH: syberlib, #35391

HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU HAD A MINI-STROKE? WHAT WERE YOUR SYMPTOMS PRIOR, DURING AND FOLLOWING? Were you diagnosed and if so what were the tests they conducted?

I feel so sorry that you were on this pill since it came out. 2001 is when it was approved in the U.S. and now it is being sold like crazy-heavily advertised.

I started Yasmin in January 2004. I went off in September 2006 so I was on it for 2.5 years. It was originally prescribed for me for anxiety interestingly enough because so many women here reported problems with anxiety while on it and then getting off of it.

I got off following 4 months of increasing chest pain. Started on the left side and then a month later, traveled across my chest and another month later primarily on my left side. This occurred usually the week just prior to my menstrual cycle so I expect that it has something to do with the hormone level changes just prior to the menses.

While on Yasmin, it made me so exhausted, I would shower and feel ready to go right back to bed. The Doctor recommended I take it at night so I did and it made getting up in the morning that much more difficult.

I went to the bathroom excessively due to the diuretic in Yasmin. no matter how much water I consumed, I constantly felt de-hydrated.

I had incredible fatigue while on Yasmin. My ears stopped up to the point of being painful and noticed right after I would take it that my ears would "pop" like they do on an airplane. This would last for 1-2 hours following taking it. I saw a hearing doc who told me that they've known for years that Ortho-contraceptives are odo-toxic meaning that they are toxic to the fluid levels of the inner ear. The inner ear consists of potassium and sodium fluid, so due to this pill's naturally increasing potassium levels, it made sense although a pharmacist, the prescribing Doctor and RN I saw to have an EKG done did not know this.

I've been off now for 3 plus months. However, to ease symptoms, I went onto Orthocept from September through December. Although some of the symptoms got better, the chest pains still continued to come the week before my period. What I want to know is how one knows if they are suceptible to a heart attack or stroke. The RN told me the EKG was normal but confirmed a returning heart murmur I had had years prior. When I was originally told I had this murmur back in 1999, a Naturopathic doctor said it was due to having low progesterone and said that it would likely go away on something like Orthocept. It did. However, after 2.5 years on Yasmin, it came back.

FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS POSTED OR IS NOT POSTING ON THIS SITE-I HIGHLY RECOMMEND KEVIN TRUDEAU'S BOOK ON NATURAL CURES. I'VE BEEN READING SECTIONS OF THIS FOR MONTHS UNTIL MY BROTHER GAVE IT TO ME FOR MY BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH. HE BASICALLY TAKES THE POSITION THAT ALL PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AS WELL AS NON-PRESCRIPTION CAUSE ILLNESS. DEPRESSION. ANXIETY. YEAST INFECTIONS. FATIGUE. MUSCLE SOARNESS. YOU NAME IT. EVERYTHING I'VE READ TO DATE I'VE KNOWN AT AN INTUITIVE LEVEL. THAT BASICALLY, MUCH TO ALL OF SCIENTIFIC MEDICINE-THAT IS PRESCRIPTION AND NON-PRESCRIPTION TREATS SYMPTOMS AND NOT NOT CAUSE AND CREATES AN IMBALANCE IN HEALTH THAT LEADS TO OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS. I THINK THAT THIS IS BASICALLY TRUE AND I WOULD HEED WARNING TO ALL WOMEN SEEKING RELIEF FROM ANTI-DEPRESSANTS OR ANTI-ANXIETY MEDS. THEY ARE DEADLY.

IN ADDITION-EVERY WOMAN I KNOW HAS INCREASED ENERGY AND IRRITABILITY JUST PRIOR TO HER PERIOD. IT IS A NORMAL RESPONSE TO THE CHANGE IN HORMONE LEVELS IN YOUR BODY DURING THIS TIME. I USUALLY FIND THAT INCREASING ACTIVITY LEVEL, LOTS OF EXERCISE, AVOIDING CAFFEINE AND SUGAR ARE CRITICAL AND RELIEVE MOST TO ALL OF THESE SYMPTOMS.

The other thing I would like to mention is that sensations of feeling "blue" or "sad" are just as normal as feelings of bliss and happiness. We're raised to think that we are supposed to be these jolly all smile faces and if you aren't' "happy", that something is wrong. So, I'd just say, that while some diagnosis about imbalances may be very real, I'd recommend doing alot of reading and research prior to putting anything else into your body or taking any other medications. They all likely cause other problems.

I am, after all this time, quite disturbed by this and what I expect are millions of other responses by people taking an array of medications that cause such severe symptoms and sometimes death. After 6 years on the market, how its still being pushed so heavily. If you read Kevin Trudeau's book, you'll see that much of the pharmaceutical and medical industry isn't concerned with treating the cause of your symptoms, but instead recommending medication after medication to treat the symptom.

Exercise and stress relief as critical as a healthy diet which today has become more and more difficult to create and make a discipline with lifestyle but it is absolutely critical. All these pills, I believe are wreaking havoc and hell on people all over the world.

Hi Sarah (Flowerbabies, 10/02),

Thanks for your response to my question (nightowl, 10/02). I've been away from home/computer for a couple of weeks, so I haven't had a chance to read your response before today. As you suggested, I'm reading all the other site postings about Yasmin and I'm amazed at the amount of problems people are posting. It's not always clear in each case the extent to which Yasmin may be the cause of these concerns. Still--if there are so many problems, why do doctors routinely prescribe this medication? I realize that big Pharma stands to make money from Yasmin, but there are other pills.

Also, your question about why I've been prescribed Yasmin at my age is a reasonable one. I've asked as well. I'm not a good candidate for HRT (is anyone really a good candidate for that?) because my mother had (and survived) removal of an estrogen-receptive breast tumor. So, apparently, "low-dose" contraceptives are a good alternative for perimenapause and menapause symptoms when the usual HRT is not an option. I have stopped taking the Yasmin and will live with the symptoms. I've increased my calcium/magnesium intake to prevent bone loss. I'll research the alternatives you suggested. Meanwhile, my sleeping has improved a lot, despite the hot flashes (which at this point are minimal for me). Thanks again. nightowl (by day!)

I'm on my third week of using yasmin....can we say ACNE??? I know how these pills work... they have made my face so gross and broken out that no one will want to have sex with me because I'm so ugly so yeah..I definately wont get pregnant!!! I'm 23 years old and have TEEN ACNE. It's disgusting! But, this is the fourth pill I've tried (including ortho contraceptives) and they all break me out!!! YUCK!!!!