High potassium levels symptoms and conditions

Taking it for several years. Most recent blood test showed very high potassium levels, causing doctor to have great concern. Looking on the internet I found that Cardizem LA can cause high potassium levels.

RECOMMENDATION TO HELP HEAL YOUR BODY AFTER YASMIN

I promise I am not a salesperson! Following months of suffering, I've been doing loads of research. These are most recent supplements/remedies I have introduced and am seeing benefits from:

Whole Vitamin Supplement* (Bioavailable)
New Chapter Organices
The best I found for bio-availability (one that your body can easily assimilate/integrate) is New Chapter Organics. This is also extrmely low on potassium, which was very important for me because I am one of the women who ended up with 5.7 on my potassium when normal ranges are: 3.6-5.2. So I discovered I am in a range that is considered unsafe/mild hyperkalemia and working to lower it. 6.0 is considered Hyperkalmic (too high potassium levels in the blood and lethal.)

Barlean's Women's Formula for Hormone Balance*
I took Evening Primrose oil years ago and forgot just how helpful this was. Thish particular formula includes seeds from botanical flowers to include evening primrose, flax and phytonutrients.

Organic unrefined flaxseed oil:
the richest source of essential fatty acids, including alpha linoleic acid (Omega 3) and linolenic acid (Omega 6).

Organic Evening Primrose Oil:
contains specialized nutriet gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which has been show in scientific studies to support hormonal health and address symptoms of PMS and menopause.

Lignans:
highly studied and researched class of phytonutrient found in flaxseed studied by the National Cancer Institute and shown to possess impressive preventative properties-in addition to supporting hormone and breast health

Soy Isoflavones:
Plant phytoestrogens can help with symptoms of menopause and PMS in addition to supporting bone, heart and breast health.

Collodial Silver:
I also started for the first time taking Collodial Silver which has apparently been used for over 2000 years to boost immune systems. My sister, who has worked for and with a Naturopath for the last 5 years recommended this to me and she uses it with her own children. She is the healthiest she has ever been!

Best Wishes to everyone in getting your body, spirit and your health back. There is nothing without health and from my experience, I will not be taking any pharmaceutical medications for the rest of my life if I can manage to do so. I've never been big on medications to begin with, but after this experience with Yasmin, and all the learning I am doing about the pharmaceutical industries and their partnerships with Doctors/Nurses, all the horrible symptoms and other problems that come with taking so many of these drugs , no thank you.

I've learned and am learning so much about my body, about homeopathic and natural herb remedies that its actually exciting. I avoided anti-biotics recently given another month of bronchial problems (5 months of bronchitis every month at the onset of my period after going off of Yasmin) with Pulsatilla Nigricans, which is a homeopathic remedy. In one day, my chest stopped hurting and the cough is subsiding! And I've done it without wiping out all the good bacteria in my body with anti-biotics. To be honest, sometimes, the lessons I am learning from having been on Yasmin, all the horrible side effects, has put me on a course to take personal responsibility for my own health and ways in which I can care for it without Doctors, prescriptions, un-healthy drugs that treat symptoms instead of cause. It is very empowering.

Good health and healing to everyone.
Jessica

Yasmin is the first FDA approved birth control to contain a different type of testosterone never used before in bc pills that is supposed to help with acne. In addition, it alone among other bc pills has a potassium-sparing dieuretic in it, which is supposed to help with weight, but also tinkers with potassium levels. There is a special warning (among others) in their packet that people who take NSAIDS such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen daily must have their postassium levels checked during the first treatment cycle, owing to the risk of increasing potassium higher than safe levels. Potassium level disturbances can cause heart rhythm problems. In 2003, the Dept. of Health and Human Services informed the Yasmin maker that they were in violation of Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Act) regulations by "minimizing the important risk information that distinguishes Yasmin from other combination oral contraceptives" in their TV ad campaign from that year. In January of 2005, the watchdog group Public Citizen put Yasmin on their list of popular drugs that they recommend not to use. Their explanation for this decision was "it can cause elevations in blood potassium while offering no advantage over other birth control pills. If severe, high potassium levels can cause heart rhythm problems." Yasmin is truly unique from all other bc pills for these reasons, so one can not assume that side effects from Yasmin would be the same as experienced with other bc pills as well.

I had been taking Yasmin for just over 8 months and experienced the following serious side effects which I was unable to attribute to being a new mom second time around: extreme hair loss, frequent heart racing episodes, heart palpitations, daily headaches, vision changes (blurry episodes and thinking I needed bifocals,) feeling of being out of shape when performing tasks around the house, and going to the bathroom about 5 times each night. In addition I also experienced depression, zero libido, swollen ankles, exhaustion, etc. I have taken other bc pills off and on over the last 20 years, and have never experienced any of the above mentioned side effects except for the lowered libido, which was to the extreme on Yasmin. I stopped taking Yasmin just over 2 weeks ago when I put 2 and 2 together, and can honestly say I feel like a totally different person. Instead of daily headaches, I have had one headache which was last week and none since. My hair loss has decreased to almost normal. I have so much more energy, and am sleeping well since I don't have to get up 5 times a night to use the bathroom. No heart palps or heart racing episodes so far. Swelling is gone in my ankles, and no depression whatsoever. My vision appears to be back to normal, and my libido is now business as usual. On an emotional level, I feel as though 8 months of my life was stolen from me. Now that the symptoms are gone, I realize how much coping with them consumed me on a daily basis, and just plain made me sad overall. I have an appt. with my ob/gyn for a physical and to request she formally report my adverse side effects with Yasmin to the FDA.

Thank you to others on this forum who are posting their side effects as they go of Yasmin and time passes.