Ferritin symptoms and conditions

1990 - 2003 synthroid
Major bone loss
Complete hair loss

My last entry was under guest 35975.
I don't look at this site very often, because even though that i find it helpful, I also find it frustrating and somewhat depressing. We are all suffering at the hands of greed in the pharmacuetical, and medical worlds. This pill should have never pased the FDA. I myself have spoken to 5 very reputable law firms about a lawsuit, or class action suit. The problem is we need clinical data, or something close to it. I hope to get something set up where we can all check off our side effects during and after Yasmin usage. I will put it on the link site and on this one. When I will do this I can't say. I have been off this pill for 2 years now, and yet I still suffer from physical problems which cause me to have life issues, one being I find it very hard to get anything accomplished. I went from being a very active self suffiecient, busy equine physical therapist, who ran 3 miles a day and worked out at the gym, to someone who has not been able to adequately exercise in 3 years, and who has gained 25 pounds, and who has been unable to resume a rgular work schedule due to the Fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue symptoms, mixed with all the other stuff. I do thank God everyday that I am getting better, slowly, but I am better.
As for the question someone asked on how I found out I had anemia? Well, I had been complaining to the DR.'s that I felt tired all the time, this was about 3 months after the GI bleed. I eat well, and as I said I was very fit. They told me I was probably just getting out of shape, from lack of exercise, and that I should go exercise. I went to the gym, and got on the treadmill, and pushed myself as I always did. This time I felt like my chest was caving in, so I quickly stopped did deep breathing and a lot of praying. Eventually the heaviness went away, but the irregular heart beats didn't. So I requested an EKG, and ECHO and a CBC, IRON and FERRITIN test. My Iron was at 3% saturation, and my Ferritin was at 3, my Hematocrit was 12, and hemoglobin, in the 30's. I could have died! I had the start of what is called a anemia induced heart attack. The red blood cells were to tight in size to carry oxegyen, and I was short of them.
I urge everyone number one to get off this pill, and get a CBC plus Iron, Ferritin, liver panel, electrolyte panel, crp, and a folate test. These are all blood tests. Then I would also get a saliva test done to check your hormone levels and your Crtisol, and DHEA levels, these control your Adrenals, which are tied to your hormones and vica versa. My horone levels at last check, which was summer 2006, were worse then a POST-Menopausal women. I have aged tremedously because of this, and gained the weight. I barely had any Test. Prog., or Estrogen. The doctors seemed totally unphased and uninterested in this fact, and yet I am ony 42, and I have been battling all this since I was 38. Actually first battle was wghen I was 34. Make sure you get a copy of all your blood work and all your tests, don't take their word that all is okay. Do research, ask questions and be persistent, it is your right to see your medivcal records.
I have since been dropped by my insurance due to all the severe problems I had. I don't go to the Doctor any more, except for a blood test and a yearly GYN visit. Still my past medical expenses during the 3 year Yasmin nightmare, make me look like a bad client.
I urge all of you to change your diets to a more vegetarian diet, it has been shown that balancing your ph is helpful in overcoming most medical problems. The ph Miracle, by Dr. Young is a good book. Eat Organic! All the added hormones in the food today, can cause more hormonal imbalances. Be pro-active in your own health care. Times have changed, pharmacuetical companies and insurance companies run medical schools, and the medical feild now. The Mayo clinic is the only Western Medical place I found that had doctors who seemed to be interested in taking the time. Sadly they like most other medical practices know little about hormones. Ladies we have been Guinea Pigs long enough.
We can be a loud voice if we organize and speak together. This site and the others are good places to learn and vent, as I said I hope to soon have a place where we can start calculating data on our side effects, then maybe a law office will take on the makers of Yamin and shut them down, and bring awareness to what all these pill companies are doing to women.
You know that they linked Premarin with breast cancer, this is another hormonal drug.
Let's not lie down to big medicine ruining our bodies any longer.
By the way has anyone else suffered GI bleeding, or other excessive bleeding?
Or Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue, Adrenal Fatigue?
Also the info on Magnesium is very good and important, Floradix is a great product for naturally and safely raising iron and B vitamins, also take the Omega 3's like UDO's Oils or Nordis Fish oil, and Bcomplex, and C. Don't forget to get your blood work insist on it. God Bless you all! Tricia

Dear Jasmine, (later on something for "foggyhead", too!!)

that heavy chest feeling have posted the most women I've met hiere within the last 2 years!! Seems to be a very common (side-)effect of that pill.

But as I also posted here earlier the heavy feeling CAN be caused for example by an iron deficiency (which also can be caused by the diuretic effect of Yasmin on top of your monthly bleeding!!). Also breathlessness, changing of your finger nails, weakness, tiredness, and so on can also be symptoms for it. Very important: The iron deficiency CAN cause anemia, but even if you don't already have anemia the iron deficiency may cause the above mentioned symptoms.

So I think it would be a good idea to get your iron levels checked and especially the "Ferritin" (hope it's called so in English, too). It shows the situation of the iron storage in your body. Try to google a bit over "iron deficiency" and the symptoms, I bet you'll find yours... Just a thought, which perhaps might be the solution and I think it's worth a try!!

Jasmine, I remember one lady here, Sherry, whom had gotten pregnant shortly after stopping Yasmin. She also had very severe side effects and posted a lot here. I wonder how she might be doing today... But you see there is hope to get pregnant even after this nightmare.

@foggyhead:

Well, I think you meant "Virginia", not Laura. Virginia had been off Yasmin for 15 mos now. But I think you didn't read the whole post.... First she was telling, that she physically is doing completely fine! And as I can say, I'm doing nearly the same way as Virginia now, I've been off Yasmin for about 17 months. And I hope you NOW read further:

Yes, there are still some problems, and YES, they come up every month around the same time, BUT: I (and I guess Virginia, too) am definitely NOT in the same stadium as I was a year or longer ago! I'm back working, singing, gardening, going out and the list goes on.

What I try to say is, that you might (and I don't say WILL!!) still have some problems after such a long time, but they're definitely not as they were shortly after getting off Yasmin. And I also met so many women here, who didn't have ANY problems after such a long time. Not every woman is the same. Every body is different.

So please don't loose hope! Hang in there and you will be better, I swear!!

Virginia, I remember your name somehow, I think we have already met here, too, a few months ago. One question: Do you have a normal cycle back? Are your problems somehow rising around ovulation and shortly before your period starts or even within it??

Best wishes!

Silke

Kim,

I didn't know that you also are a vegetarian!! That's another mark for the fact, that you're assessed to be iron deficient (iron is mostly contained in meat!)!

Don't know if you already did, what I suggested (googling about iron deficiency). The Ferritin is the more important parameter than your iron level in your blood because the Ferritin shows the condition of your storage!! And if your storage of iron is still low you can have the symptoms you now are having.

And if you put this together with the side effects of Yasmin, you're DEFINITELY still suffering from, it is no miracle, that you're feeling so low now!!

Are you still taking the iron supplements every day?? Kim, I really hope that you believe me, how important that is for your situation!!!

The problem with the dopamin and serotonin is clearly a thing, which can be caused by bcp. You have to know that those two are also hormones!! And so it's simply clear, that, if your whole hormonal equilibrium is out of whack, the serotonin and dopamin might be also!!!

This is why time can help us all. Your body is able to get everything back in balance, if only he gets enough time for that difficult thing!!!

You didn't write anything, if you already had tried the Valerian (sorry, sometimes I still get the feeling that you're not reading really everything we all are writing here)!??

To the lady, who took Yasmin only 3 months:

You should be thankful, that your symptoms have come up that early. I know it sounds weird, but I think getting the side effects only after 2 years without noticing and taking that poison another 3 years has really damaged my body worse than if I only had taken Yasmin about 3 months. This can protect you from much more and worse symptoms than you are having now!!

Sarah:

I forgot to mention, that I also during my worst time lost about 20 pounds in only 4 weeks because I couldn't eat anything!! And I felt the same as you wrote: I would have been rather fat and healthy than slim and ill and not able to leave my house and having to go through all this nightmare... I totally understand, what you mean!!

But as this was the same for me, I really think that your weight will also get back to normal if you give it enough time. With the excercising I also agree with you! I still haven't been that fit again, as I was before that all. But, ok, 5 years of Yasmin were definitely too long and I know that I'll have to be much more patient than others and give it much more time to get back to where it was than others..... Hope I'll stand it further on...

But being able to sing again helps me very much. Although there always is some insecurity and anxiety in me, because I'm always afraid of getting as weak as I was during the last two months and that everything could break down again, what I' ve built me up now... (ok, although the weakness (thanks god) has gotten better again).

So ladies, just lets try to look forward and perhaps some day forget that nightmare (ok, I don't believe myself what I'm saying, don't know if I ever can forget, what I've been going through....).

One thing for those who have been only a few months on Yasmin: Please be careful and if you have the slightest doubt or the slightest symptom: GET OFF IT IMMEDIATELY!! You have the chance to avoid so many harm and sorrow!!!

Best wishes
Silke

Hi Everyone

Iam still doing not well went back to ER today I know they are sick of me have been 5 times in 6 weeks cant help it the effects are so horrible and scary

I took a quarter of the Lexapro yesterday and a quarter today it scares me too
If any of you knew how holistic I was prior to this
I never took anything at all and was always telling everyone to stop taking what they were taking and go to the health food store.

I dont know what made me takt the BCP.
I think I was weak from the anemia and wasnt thinking clear

Yes I have had my blood drawn 4 times now just today again my iron is up to 12.8 was a 8!
Ferritin is kind of low doctor told me to continue iron daily

My stomach is so nauseated though its hard for me to tolerate it now
Couldnt eat and still losing weight I cant sit down to a meal just biting here and there

Its so scary I have lost my slepp my appetite

The Lexapro is terrifying to me but no one has discussed the serotonin in the brain. Dejay therapist and cotor told her that the serotin and dopamine were altered by the BCP.
Iam not sure how that all works

I dontlike fooling around with chemicals but Dejay said we made that mistake when we took the BCP

Iam making myself sick about the Lexapro and that I took it I felt so jittery from it last night and today
Iam terrified to get hooked on it

The doctor and pharmacist said I can stop it at anytime I feel better in a month or whenever

Iam scared of it scared of not getting better scared of never being the same scared of missing these days of my life scared of losing my mind

Weight yes I too lost so much weight my rigs and chest bones are poking out

Sorry, me again.....

KIM:

You wrote that you were iron deficient before starting Yaz!! PLEASE get checked your iron levels again!! And not only the normal bloodwork but the FERRITIN!! An iron deficiency can bring on your symptoms as well, and even long before it's shown in your normal bloodwork (like hemoglobin, do you say so in English??).

Check the symptoms of iron deficiency over google or whatever!! I'm sure you'll find your symptoms. Perhaps another chance to find some help Kim!! Please try it!!!

Best wishes
Silke

<<>>

Well, would be nice to hear, WHO is writing such here in this forum. But it surely can't be someone who read the whole page through with hundreds of similar stories of YASMIN users! And surely not someone who was in this, too! If you never experienced such a nightmare before and just whilst or after taking Yasmin, well, how many other reasons do you expect to be there for all this???

It surely may not be a fault to perhaps see someone to talk to about all this. Maybe it would help, maybe not. Everyone has to try and decide by him-/herself. For some it even might help to take an antidepressant for a while, just to get over the worst months. But it's so clear to me, that we're all victims of that "wonder drug" Yasmin after reading each and every post here for about 2 years now!!

But such posts as the above only make people like Kim feel worse, I'm pretty sure, because I was the same 1,5 years ago. And very miraculous: Without going to a therapist, psychiatrist or taking any other medications, just waiting and waiting and hoping I finally got better and better by myself over the months.

And there is still someone out there telling such stuff out there "it might not be Yasmin"?????? Dear, I'm getting angry about such naive words. Mostly sounds as if even one of those ignorant docs, we all had visited may have written it???

Murph70: Sorry, I don't really know what that "hcg" is for? Is it a hormonal thing or something else??

To that poster who mentioned the two colds in between only a few weeks and sore throat and so on: I know that I'm repeating myself, but please GET YOUR IRON LEVELS CHECKED!! And not only the normal bloodwork, but the "Ferritin" (sorry, don't know what's it called in English). ALL of your symptoms (Soar throat, Chest tightness/ congestion, Fatigue, splitting/breaking nails, dry skin, Feeling down and depressed) sound like and iron deficiency!! If you won't believe me, please check it by yourself over google!!!

Best wishes to you all!! Hang in there!!! You're already halfway and there's really a light at the end of the tunnel!!

Silke