Eardrums symptoms and conditions

Hello-

I took Yasmin for a 1.5 years. I am now 2 years post Yasmin. In hind-sight, had I known what I would live through both while taking Yasmin as well as the 2 years following, I would never have taken it in the first place.

I am going to summarize some of those side effects below:

For the first 1.25 years, it seemed like I was living in an dream. I was that spaced out all the time. No affect, if you will. I felt like a zombie.

Exhaustion/Fatigue:
I became lethargic all the time. Previously, being very athletic, I had no energy at all. A walk made me yearn for a nap. 2 years post Yasmin, I am still trying to recover and bring back all the muscle tone I lost. Reading through alot of possible side effects, ataxia (muscle atrophy/loss) was one of them I suspect could be linked to becoming dehydrated.

Painful plugged eardrums:
Every morning after i would take Yasmin, my ears would have this "popping sensation" much like what it feels like when you are on an airplane and the pressure changes. Over time, my ears became quite painful like I had alot of pressure built up in them. I later learned from a Hearing Doctor that it could well have been the potassium sparing diuretic as the inner ears are composed of potassium/sodium and the diuretic could offset its balance. This doctor also told me that in their field they have known forever that artificial/synthetic hormones are toxic to the inner ears. No other doctor I saw coming off of Yasmin knew this...

Melasma:
I developed brown spots on my forehead, beneath my eyebrows and on both cheeks within starting Yasmin in the first month.

Constant Urination:
I urinated every 15 minutes for 1.5 years straight that I was on Yasmin. Learned later about the potassium sparing diuretic in it a little too late. My blood tests showed I was dehydrated and was deficient in Folic Acid and Vitamin B12. Both 2 common deficiencies seen with artificial/synthetic hormone use.

Chest Pain:
1.25 years into taking Yasmin, at the onset of menses, I developed this pressure in my chest and sharp stabbing pains. The next month, again at the onset of menses, the pressure occurred again, this time spreading across my chest. I went to see a Doctor at that point who discounted that Yasmin could be involved at all. (Not sure why a member of the medical community would say that given I have since read a number of articles that suggest that Yasmin and Yaz both run a higher risk for clots/pulmonary embolisms then other birth control pills). Regardless, I had a chest x-ray to ensure my heart was not enlarged and had an EKG which just showed an abnormally slow heartbeat-Sinus Bradycardia. It was recommended at that time that I have a ECG (echo-cardiogram). Tests start at $5000 each and I did not have coverage for this kind of test.

I went off of Yasmin now, almost 2 years ago. Going off I spent the last 2 years getting sick every month at the onset of menses with severe bronchitis, chest pain that still occurs at menses (I have since learned can also be brought on by low levels of oestrogen and progersterone at menses) and gained 30 lbs.

Blood tests showed I was depleted of Vitamin D, B and Folic Acid, dehydrated and also had elevated potassium (a possible risk with Yasmin's potassium sparing diuretic.

I would encourage everyone to google anti-mineralocortoid (diasperonone) and anti-androgenic effects (Spironolactone)

These are both acting ingredients in Yasmin.

This has been the toughest couple of years in my lifetime. Initially it seemed like a great pill. My skin cleared up, I lost weight and my periods were only 3 days long. On that note, it took a whole year and half for my periods to go back to 5 days from 3 days long so again, doctors telling me that Yasmin would not and could not be affecting my body after stopping, just went to show it took that long for my own body to start re-producing its own natural hormones.

Through all of this, I have met amazing women and other survivors who have offered enormous support. I would suggest to any of you that find your way here to trust yourself and your body first and foremost to what anyone else may discount or try and remedy with anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications. There are a host of amazing authors out there as well who enlightened me enormously on the role of hormones in our bodies, and ultimately, their balance to our overall health and immune function:

Dr. Lee and Dr. Hotze. They both have websites and books which are wonderful. I would also suggest googling Yasmin Survivors online, which will take you to another resource/forum of women who are sharing side effects and healing and survival techniques coming off of Yasmin. The site is: ******

I have been on a very small (2.5mg) dose of Lisinopril for nearly a year. Until this year, all was well, and I experienced no particular side effects. Then in January I contracted a flu like virus which lasted for about 10 days. About two weeks following recovery, I began to be aware of ringing, hissing and buzzing in my ears - sometimes just one ear, sometimes both. It varies in intensity, but is particularly noticeable, and irritating, at night. The GP informed me I have fluid behind the eardrums and gave me a nose spray to clear it. To date, the nose spray hasn't helped, and I'm wondering if the fluid and resulting tinnitus is in fact nothing to do with the virus, but a side-effect of the lisinopril. Has anyone out there experienced similar problems with this drug?

Hi Kim 123-

I am after being off of Yasmin for 5.5 months, and any hormone for 2 months, feeling LOADS better. Alot of the foggy head is gone as is the incredible fatigue, contstant urination, the pain in my eardrums, and the arryhthmia, palps and chest pain. I also got very sick for 5 months every month coming off-and that's gone too now. So give yourself some time.

J

To all women who have suffered from Yasmin,

I stopped taking that pill early July 06 after taking it for 4 years. Before I stopped I was suffering from:
- anxiety, irritability, irrationality (nearly split up with boyfriend)
- ear problems (damaged eardrums, constant ear blocage (none of the ephedrine medication worked)
- Severe muscle cramps (feet and calves)
- Pains in my right shoulder and arm
- Regular faintings (I found myself a few times in ER/ none of the tests they did show any abnormalities)
- Pain in my lower stomach
- Complete lack of energy
- No enthusiasm about what I used to enjoy doing
- Felt sick everytime I did some hiking (going up a hill for ex)
- Heart palpitations especially in the mornings when getting up
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen and aching gums (even the dentist thought they were strange and could not understand why as I had a perfect mouth hygiene)

At the time, I did not think at all about Yasmin as a poison, but slowly I realised I was sick because of it. Everytime I took it I felt disgusted like my body was saying: 'ENOUGH, I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS STOP IT!!'
I stopped early July 06 and since then slowly, I am becoming myself again. I suffered when I stopped especially of muscle weakness and ear problems but after 7 months off it, the muscles are becoming strong again (I have been doing light excercises since I stopped the pill) and my ears start to feel normal again.

The only new thing at the moment is that I gained 2kgs (about 4lb) in weight only around my tummy !!
Has anybody out there got the same problem? Is this normal ?
Does the weight go down once your body has completely recovered? How long does it take?

Thank you for your comments. I simply want to add :
IF YOU TAKE YASMIN AND FEEL BAD STOP IT NOW ! YOU WILL FEEL WORSE FOR A WHILE AFTER STOPPING IT BUT YOU WILL RECOVER SOONER OR LATER!! IT IS JUST A MATTER OF PATIENCE

I took Yasmin for the last 2.5 years. Over time, I came to recognize major side effects that I am still very concerned about to include: Popping of eardrums. Exhaustion. Sensation of paralysis following taking it and lying down. Constant running to the bathroom to urinate (due to droperinone which acts as a diuretic), developed heart murmur and pain across my chest (squeezing sensations). Major change in vision in the right eye within 6 months. Painful pressure in both ears due to this pills increase of potassium in your body. Ears would pop for two hours after I took the pill.

I have been off of Yasmin for 2 months, initially went onto its sister/cousin Yaz and felt just as terrible so I went off of that as well.

A Hearing Aide doctor actually told me that oral contraceptives have been known for a long time to be "odo-toxic". Which means-toxic to the inner ear. How come prescribing Gynecologists, Doctors and pharmacists don't know this?

The synthethic hormone in YASMIN AND YAZ -dirosperone increases potassium levels in the body. Inner ear is composed of a potassium and sodium fluid. An inbalance in this fluid would likely cause pressure in the ear. I had to learn the majority of this information from people other than the prescribing doctor, an RN or the pharmacist.