Deep vein thrombosis symptoms and conditions

Hi there... I came off of Yasmin just 2 weeks ago and thought I should share with you my story since yours is a skin issue. I took Yasmin for 3 years. This past year I would wake up some bumps on my lip.. then on my hands.. then (this is over a period of months) I would wake up and have a slightly swollen lip... this was over the last year or so. I would also get a feeling in my throat, like something was in it and swallowing felt funny.
WELL, 2 weeks ago, I took my bc like I always do, right before I go to bed and my lip starts to tingle and itch.. and in the morning my face was swollen 3x the normal size on on side, mostly at the lips... I couldn't really talk.. it was like those awful photos on google. It was angioedema and can kill you by swelling of the throat. I had also for about a year- an ear issue.. it would sound like I was talking under water and felt like swimmer's ear- related to the swelling I found out later. Turns out I'm allergic. I developed this allergy over the period of time I was exposed.

I just want to say to anyone out there that has FACIAL/LIP SWELLING, or swelling of the hands... GO TO THE ER. It can kill you. I got lucky.. my swelling started slow and after about a year if was full blown. It is not something to mess around with!I was prescribed an epi pen. I developed an allergy to a preservative in it and I'm not an allergen sensitive person. That was just the parms/doctor guess I might add.

The first year I took Yasmin I had numb and tingling toes. and the whole tie I've had on and off leg pain.. no sex drive, that's the truth..definite bloating issues about 6 lbs weight gain, sometimes more without change in diet. I haven't noticed any hair loss thankfully. Migraines. Lots of nausea in the morning, every morning like morning sickness. Car sick even when driving.. not normal! I used to work on an airplane and I never got motion sickness.

I'm now on day 4 of Mirena IUD and I'm having having severe diarrhea and trouble sleeping.. I really, really don't want to get pregnant. Our next step is a vasectomy for the hubby. I'm 25 and I weigh 140 5'10 if that helps. I wasn't an 'at risk' like the pamphlet said.

Hi all. this just an update from my last post having experienced symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pains. last week i was admitted to the hospital for deep vein thrombosis and PULMONARY EMBOLISM. the nuvaring really did a number on my health and now i will be stuck taking blood thinning pills for the next 9 months of my life. the nuvaring is very dangerous

I am a 40 year old female. I found out 3 years ago that I have factor V. I've been hospitalized for 17 PE's. I was being treated with coumadin, plavix, lovenox. My INR will not stabilize. The doctor has now put me on 30mg. of warfarin a day. and my INR still sets at 1.2. My side effects are awful. I feel tired, week, cold, weight gain, but most of all the terrible headaches. The doctor says it has nothing to do with the warfarin. I stay depressed and now losing hair. I've taken my doctors advice and I'm going back to the cancer center where they are more experienced. I feel like I'm dying everyday and its not in my head. I do believe its side effects. And if its not moving my INR than to me it seems useless to take such a high dosage. Its a catch 22.

I have been on Yasmin for two and a half months now. It was prescribed to me by my doctor as a means of treating 2 cyst that developed because of my endometriosis as a means of avoiding surgery. He put me on it for 3 months but because I forgot to start the second pack for 2 weeks I had to start the 3 month period all over. The first month I took Yasmin the side effects were minimal but since I started taking it in May I have gotten a constant vaginal itch and pain, my eye sight is blurry, stomach feels sick and I get stomach pains, neck pains, shoulder pains, leg pains and hip pains, pains in my face, little or no lubrication during intercourse, constantly have to urinate, stomach feels like its tightening and has gotten really big, gets short of breathe easily, bad headaches, I feel as though I would pass out any minute when I am standing or walking, I am disinterested in everything, I get nausea, I have lost all interest in sex, I feel bloated all the time, I have lost all taste in my mouth, feels very tired and fatigued all the time, I feel very sad for no reason. I keep feeling sick all the time and have lost interest in food. When I am sitting I feel the pains in my legs and hip even more. I am falling into a state of depression and it is beginning to show at work. I am also gaining a lot of weight, rapidly, and really don't know what to do about it because I am very careful with the things I eat, how they are cooked and the time I eat also and I do exercise. I really don't know if I should continue until I finish the 3 months to see if it works for me or if I should stop taking the Yasmin and ask my doctor to try something else. I just don't feel altogether right now.

I am a 29 year old female, who DOES NOT SMOKE!!!. I've taken birth control pills the majority of my adult life. However I took Loestrin 24 Fe a little less than a year...I was recently hospitalized for having DVT(Deep Vein Thrombosis) and Pulmonary Emboli....The doctors said the cause may be the birth control pills. Be careful with taking this oral contraceptive because DVT and Pulmonary Emboli is a serious side effect that can easily be overlooked by your doctor. For months I complained about swelling in the ankles and pains in my thighs. Until one day, my whole leg was swollen and was very painful while walking...I admitted myself into the ER the night before Valentines day!...I was then diagnosed with DVT and Pulmonary Emboli!!! The Doctors have taken me off birth control and now I'm taking blood thinners.

I started taking Yasmin March 2008. I did not know I was pregnant at the time. I only took it for 1 month. Once I found out I was pregnant I stopped taking it. Withing just a couple of months I had a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) in my right thigh. I was admitted through the emergency to the hospital where I stayed for 6 days while they overlooked me & my unborn baby. They wanted me to not move around much for chance of a pulmonary embolism. They were also afraid that if a piece of the clot moved to my uterus it might have killed my baby. I was out of work for three weeks while the swelling & the purplish color went away from my legs. I still has severe swelling in my ankles, calves & sides of my feet after walking for a very short period of time which was not linked to my pregnancy. I was 28 weeks pregnant at the time. I started out with some hip socket paid in within 3 days time my this was swollen down to my knee. I figured I would call my doctor the next morning to see if I could get checked out. Over the course of the night when I had to go to the bathroom I was just about screaming in paid as the tears soaked my face as I tried to walk. It was unbearable. My leg was now a purplish color & the swelling has extended down my calf & into the sides of my feet. I could not wear normal pants since the swelling had gotten so bad. I was on Lovenox blood thinner injections twice a day for the rest of my pregnancy.

I am brand new to this sight and have been on the generic for Yasmin-Ocella for almost 2 years and have about had it. I have chest tightness and am so moody sometimes that I start screaming at the kids for no reason and then break down in tears because of the way I have treated them. I am exhausted all of the time, I do have 2 small kids (5 & 2 1/2) but even when I do get 8-10 hours of sleep I feel drained. Like a depression. As I type this I am having the chest tightness. Only happens during the first week of a new pack. My OBGYN is having me skip the last week of the pack-which is when I feel like 100% my old self-no exhaustion, no moodiness etc &the only week that I have ANY sex drive too-because she thinks I have a torsion ovary. I will see what she says on the 29th but I want off of these pills... What is the point if you feel like crap, can't breathe and have NO drive what so ever!

Yasmin has caused me to have very itchy skin! ive been taking it 6mths now and after 4mths the side effects have kicked in.
Apart from the insane random annoying itching i keep getting severe abdominal cramps when i eat, ive been breathless on occasions and my hair is lkg limp and dull.

headache,nauseous,leg cramps, pain in my left breast, around heart...now, around each period my breasts hurt, and i have terrible stomach ache, like cramps, which i never had before..i also started having acne on my back and shoulders...but the worst thing is, my room-mate, she was using Yasmin for 9months, died a week ago. she wasn't sick at all.she actually did have a few headaches, and weird stomach ache, but we didn't seem to connect the two...

i am 17 years old and i have been on birth control for over 2 years,,
for the first 6 months i was on Yasmin && then my doctor wanted me to have a less hormonal birth control and switched me to yaz the only side affect was little weight gain...
i have depression but i never considered that it would be a cause of my birth control.
sometimes it gets bad... but my doctor said it was just an imbalance of serotonin in my body
my mom is extremely scared b.c she doesn't want me to have the dangerous side affects that she has recently been hearing about Yasmin... but are yaz and Yasmin the same?
i have been becoming increasingly worried about the birth control im on now.. i want to have children when i grow up. but after hearing that death could be a result of the birth control im on... im only 17 im just a kid...
im extremely scared now... although i haven't had any of the side affect i have read here.. im still extremely nervous especially since i have been on the drug for so long...

just found out
that the birth control im on could cause

* Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
* Pulmonary embolism (PE)
* Stroke
* Heart attack
* Death
* High blood pressure
* Heart disease
* High cholesterol
* Overweight
* Liver cancer
* Gallbladder problems
* Diabetes

is this true? could i really die?... im terrified right now

I have been on Yasmin since April of this year, 2008. My doctor put me on Yasmin because of a hormonal imbalance caused by PCOS. At first, all I noticed was my periods had become regular and my skin had cleared up. About 4-6 weeks later, I started experiencing EXTREME pain in my right breast. After the onset of the pain, just my right breast became enlarged. A few weeks later I started having chest/heart pains at random times. It started occurring when I would run and that made me really scared. I had the feeling of having a heavy rock on my chest and wasn't able to get a real breath. After an EKG my doctor confirmed that my heart was healthy. Here is a list of some of the other side effects that I noticed: no sex drive, weight gain, TIREDNESS, forgetfulness, cramps in my legs, but only while sleeping, extreme thirst.

I am so grateful that I found this website. It's just awful to hear some many other women complaining of the same symptoms.

My 15year old daughter has just stopped taking Yasmin due to severe depression, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable crying, suicidal thoughts and chest pain with erratic heartbeat. I thank God that we figured out the connection to Yasmin. She has been spiraling down so quickly, I thought I was losing her. While she does not relish the return of heavy, long periods, she is so ready to have her sanity back. Her counselor and gyn confirm the strong likelihood of these being side effects of the Yasmin. I was ready to put her on Prozac and sleeping pills because the situation was so desperate! While I was on Yasmin for years with no adverse effects, there ARE people who are desperate because of this pill! The hundreds of posts are too numerous to ignore the REAL truth. Is is worth it to "just try it out" for a boob inflation? You are taking a serious risk, sweetheart!

Is this normal??? I inserted NuvaRing for the first time August 26th. (During my exam). My NP said it would be okay to start then (although my last period was 08/11), but to use additional contraception. My husband and I have been using condoms since the birth of my daughter 2 years ago - so we continued like normal. Twenty minutes after my appointment, I became very nauseated. The following day I had a severe metallic taste in my mouth and a pounding headache. I became extremely tired (falling asleep at 8:30pm) and got very achy, especially arms and legs. I felt like I was on diet pills or drugs (jetty feeling, trouble spitting out words, racing thoughts). The symptoms would be gone in the morning, but come back as the day wore on. The problems became so bad that I took the Ring out on 08/31. (Holiday weekend, no NP on duty). I called the doctor's office on Tuesday. They said that I probably coincidentally caught a virus. It is now 09/07. My symptoms have become better day by day since removing the Ring, but the metallic taste is now a soap taste and I still have occasional nausea. Shouldn't the hormones be gone by now? How long will this last? Anybody????

I have been on Yasmin for 4 years now and I only recently started to question if some of the things that I have been experiencing are related to this pill. After reading your comments here, I'm more convinced then ever! I am a relatively healthy 31 year right now but for over a year now I have had a terrible ongoing ache in the back of my right thigh, just above my knee. I went to a vein specialist who just wanted to inject me to reduce the vein and "hoped" that it would help resolve the pain. He said that I had reticular veins and that they can be painful but as I understand it, you can get pain in your deep veins, which can result in deep vein thrombosis and even pulmonary embolisms (very life threatening). I have also had terrible ongoing headaches that last me 3 days at least once per month. I've always suffered from migraines so I didn't necessarily connect these headaches to the pill. I have absolutely ZERO sex drive. It's like I have to force myself to do it and it fills me with anxiety to even "gear up" for it. I have vaginal dryness, which can be very frustrating during foreplay and painful during sex. I had previously always been pleased that Yasmin resolved my 10 + year battle with painful cystic back acne. I have beautiful, clear skin on my back since I started taking Yasmin. I have also experienced fairly normal periods (for me). I used to have debilitating cramps and periods so heavy that I would wear a tampon and double my pads (with wings) so that I could live through the first part of the day at work without completely breaking through and bleeding through my pants. They would last for 5 - 7 days but with the pill I have more normal periods, manageable cramps, minor bloating, and still a heavy flow but not nearly as bad as before. I have always had good cholesterol levels and low triglycerides until 4 years ago when I started the pill. Since then I have had 2 blood tests where my cholesterol has skyrocketed and my triglycerides are triple the "normal" range. I eat healthier now then ever before and I regularly exercise as well so I cannot explain my cholesterol change, nor can my doctor (after showing a food diary of mostly fruits, veggies, limited whole grains, lean meat and optimal water). He told me to "go on a low carb diet" and "stay away from "sugars". I can't explain it either, I am always thirsty. I drink almost a gallon of water a day. I have this constant craving for a beverage and dryness if I'm not consistently sipping on water. My eyes are always dry, so dry in fact that it makes me feel tired or like I just want to close them to give them a break. I just started using eye drops, which has helped. Also, I'm tired, very very tired. It's summer so my energy is better only because I force myself to go workout, which always makes me feel better. I must say though, all in all, I have some concerning symptoms that seem to be prevalent throughout the blog but I've also had some positive effects from Yasmin. My concerns and your comments however are enough to take myself off the pill (Yasmin and all others) to try and live with my natural hormones instead of the synthetic in the pill. I think the potential risks outweigh the rewards. Thank you all for sharing and helping me in my decision making process.

okinawak so sorry to hear about your daughter. All I can relate to you guys is my personal experience. I was on Norimin for a couple of years from the age of 19. For the last year (up until a couple of months ago) I was on Yasmin. I experienced anxiety whilst taking these pills which I attributed to stress, but since I have been off the pills I am feeling fantastic. I stopped taking Yasmin because I was experiencing other things like pains in my calves, hair loss and getting spider veins, loss of libido (I'm only 23). :-( I decided upon reading other experiences on this page to stop taking Yasmin. I am happy to report back that I am feeling great... Fantastic in fact. I won't say that its directly related to Yasmin as I have no way of proving that. All I can say is how I felt during and after. And for the last three months I have felt greater confidence in my ability to deal with what life throws at me. I am feeling happier all the time, and I think my libido is improving. All the best to you guys, and all those out there worried about symptoms, please go see your doctor!

I had been taking Yasmin monthly for 8 months with no problems. One week I had horrible leg cramping and pains in my calf. I thought it would go away but after going to the doctor and getting an ultrasound done on my leg, it turned out to be a DVT (deep vein thrombosis). I had to go to the emergency room and be admitted for 5 days. That is also where they told me that I had 3 blood clots (Pulmonary Embolisms) in my lung. I'm only 28, healthy, nonsmoker, P.E. teacher and was diagnosed with blood clots that are from Yasmin. I have no previous health problems and no family history of blood clots. I WOULD NOT TAKE ANY HORMONES IF YOU DON"T HAVE TO!!! Yes, for some people it may not be a possibility but at least don't take Yasmin. With blood clots you can not do anything strenuous, no relaxing massages, no visits to the chiropractor, no random medication like Ibuprofen without doctors approval, no alcoholic beverages since I was on blood thinners. I was moody and miserable when this happened since I had to immediately stop taking Yasmin and was in the hospital with blood clots. Thankfully the blood clots are gone but I'm still on blood thinners and have to be very careful for the rest of my life.

WARNING be aware of H.I.T.

IF YOU ARE ON CLEXANE PLEASE MAKE SURE THE DOCTORS CHECK YOUR PLATELET LEVELS BEFORE STARTING THIS DRUG.DO NOT BE AFRAID OF ASKING AS THIS IS STATED IN GUIDELINES.

THE GUIDELINES SUGGEST IF YOUR PLATELET COUNT FALLS 50% FROM WHAT IT WAS BEFORE YOU STARTED THE TREATMENT THEN H.I.T. SHOULD BE SUSPECTED AND ALL FORMS OF HEPARIN SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED AND AN ALTERNATIVE ANTICOAGULANT BE USED.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT; PLEASE DO NOT TRUST YOUR DOCTOR TO AUTOMATICALLY DO THESE TESTS. WE TRUSTED MY GRANDMOTHERS DOCTORS, THEY DID PART OF THE TESTS BUT FAILED TO ACT ON THE RESULTS!!!!!

My grandmother died from heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
This is an adverse reaction to the drug Clexane. Guidelines suggest platelet count should be monitored, unfortunately the hospital Doctors did not monitor her blood whilst she was on this drug. A 50% fall in platelet count should have alerted Doctors to act on their findings and discontinue the drug, instead they carried on giving it to her for a further 6 days. Her symptoms were as follows;
itchy
drowsy
bruises
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
Because her reaction to Clexane had gone unnoticed she was still being given this drug her symptoms became worse they were as follows;
Black bruises (necrosis)
gastrointestinal haemorrhage
spontaneous bruising
slurred speech
confusion
falling platelet count
When the Doctors discovered the internal bleeding they stopped the Clexane but did not offer her an alternative anticoagulant and her symptoms after this were as follows;
Deep vein thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, she was still hemorrhaging, her platelets fell to 5 and her HB fell to 6.9 INR was normal.
She was transfused with platelets and red blood cells and then died. (Clexane heparin induced thrombocytopenia) is on her death certificate AFTER A FOUR YEAR BATTLE FOR AN INQUEST INTO HER DEATH! My research has led me to believe that most Doctors believe HIT is very rare and they don't bother to check for this condition, if the doctors had checked her blood test and realized a sudden 50% fall in her platelet level was more significant than the actual platelet count itself , then she would not have died.The 50% drop was a serious side effect of this drug.
PLEASE ASK YOUR DR TO CHECK AND TELL HIM/HER TO CHECK IF YOU HAVE GOT BETWEEN 30-50% DROP IN PLATELETS THEN MAKE SURE YOUR DOCTOR KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING.

Jill (Lancashre UK)

I took Yaz for 7 days. In that amount of time, I began experience the most horrific symptoms I have experienced in my life. They included: chest pains, nausea, vomiting, arm pain, and the feeling of imminent death (these caused me to go to the emergency room since they are classic heart attack symptoms for a woman); leg and arm weakness; lethargy; migrane; panic attacks; severe insomnia, diarrhea, and vision problems that caused my contact lens perscription to change and night time vision had profound halos when driving, etc. I was literally unable to stomach any normal food portions I was so nauseous. I normally run 3 miles and could not even make it to the gym for weeks. I was afraid to stay home alone with my 4 year-old and 17 month-old for fear something would happen to me while they were in my care. At the ER they found low potassium levels (which makes no sense given Yaz has a potassium sparring diuretic component). In another blood test, I had elevated iron, which I have never had previously.

I am 35 and have been on bcp's periodically for 12-15 years. I have never had any of these symptoms prior to this experience. I have never had anxiety, depression, or any other underlying health condition. I immediately stopped taking the pills once I made the connection. So far, my recovery has been slow, but at least it is improving. I resent that my ob/gyn and internist both said that the pill would be out of my system in 24 hours. The effects are clearly long lasting (I am approximately 7 weeks off of Yaz).

Finally, my eye doctor, of all people, said that he has seen and heard of people having problems similar to mine and that it was understandable that I would have anxiety when I felt like I was dying from a heart attack. No one perscribing this medication bothered to tell me of the diuretic component or any component that was going to affect depression. I am attorney and have always thrived under pressure, not turned into a panic attack ridden mess like this medication caused.

As for the previous post who stated these are common symptoms described by women, at 35, I know the difference between my normal body function and the hell that began when I started taking Yaz. Unless you have experienced this, then you clearly would not understand. I appreciate that Yaz and Yasmin have worked well for some, but that clearly has not been my personal experience. So, I write this not to discourage someone who has had a positive experience, but to provide support for anyone else who has suffered like I have.

I began taking this drug in May 2007. It lowered my BP immediately and both my Doctor and I thought it would work out. In the beginning it had few side effects that I could notice (maybe a bit more difficult to get out of bed in the morning) but I figured that came with the territory.

As the summer progressed I noticed that my skin around my Belly and Forehead were very hot to the touch, like on fire. Yet I had not fever at all. I had night sweats on and off but not consistent. 4 weeks ago I thought I came down with a bug because I was extremely fatigued and as tired as I've been in my entire life. That feeling would not go away. Then came the dizziness and hot flashes. At one point I fell to the floor to keep from passing out. I have never felt so sick, yet my temperature is normal, I have an appetite, and I can sleep at night. The other symptoms I notice are a general felling of fuzziness like I am not really taking everything in at normal speed and my eyes seem dry/buggy. It is hard to look at someone or focus on something for more than a few seconds.

I quit taking this med one week ago, and am not feeling as tired and the dizziness is gone. But the vision problem is still here and it is bugging me. How long does it take for this to wear off??

Thanks and good luck to all of you.

I still think a class action lawsuit should be filed and this product taken off of the market, i felt like i lost 3 years of my life on this medication!! Not to mention i put my husband and daughter thru hell!!

I read the stories here and just had to post. I was on Yasmin for about 5 months or so. I didn't know there was a problem due to the pill until I was hospitalized with DVT (deep vein thrombosis), in other words, a potentially lethal blood clot. I have no family history and no other reason for this but the pills, I was strongly usged by my doc to stop taking the at once. I too had many of the problems you ladies had and I don't think any of us should feel foolish for not putting 2 and 2 together. I have had sudden vision problem (floaters and blurred vision) and the muscle weakness you spoke of. This is so scary, I just hope that spreading the word can save someone else from having to go through this.

I have taken Ovcon for the past year. I do not smoke or drink. I have normal blood pressure, cholesterol. I am 27 years old. I do have a low iron count. About three to four weeks ago I woke up with a Charly horse in my calf. The pain slowly grew until I was limping. I went to ER and they said it was probally a sprain. A week later the pain was so bad I was could barely walk. I went again into the ER and they found a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis) in my thigh. Dr's said it is possible the pill is related since I had no pre-existing factors. The only birth control I will ever use again is condoms.