I can imagine symptoms and conditions

Dejay, I was at that point, too, believe me. There were times around starts of 2005 where I just lived from day to day and the only consolation was, that I could end my life by myself if I should feel that I really can't take it any longer and nothing gets better further on.... I really had given up myself totally!! Without any hope for better days and I went through that for about 4 months. On some days my husband didn't know if he would find me still alive if he came back from work in the evening because I was really on the edge.... So believe me, I can imagine how Kim's doing right now!!

But it definitely needs more time than Kim already gave it!! It's not done within about 6 or 7 weeks. That's what everyone around here keeps telling her day by day.

And this should give her some hope: We ALL are still here and got through this all. I've been on Yasmin for very long 5 years and today I still don't know if I'll ever be back to the 100% old me, cause I still got problems durin my period and around ovulation, which sometimes really makes me desperate.

But with only 3 weeks on Yasmin there should be really hope to feel better so much earlier than we all did!! But please tell her not to give up everything that fast as she's doing now. Everything she tries to do against the anxiety needs time and I mean weeks, not only days!!!

Give her a big hug from me over the phone dejay and tell her that she MUST try to finally get some hope in her head. That's the only thing that helps.

Perhaps another thing that helped me sometimes: Everytime I felt the anxiety or got a panic attack I kept telling myself: It's all the Yasmin (and after getting off: It's all the hormones trying to get back in balance) and nothing will harm me, it feels very uncomfortable but it won't kill me!

Out of those words I told my self I took so much consolation and ability to go on still another day.

Kim and Dejay, you will get through this, I promise. And in a few months you both will be here in this forum telling other women the same things as we do now!! I'm so sure!!!

Hi Guest 31031!!

Well, out of my experiences with getting off Yasmin, everything looks "pretty normal" (as far as you can say so though....) what's going on with your daughter!!

I've been off Yasmin for about 1,5 years now and still struggling with those problems around ovulation and the time, where my period should start (didn't get it regularly ever since stopping Yasmin!!!).

And another thing: 4 weeks off Yasmin isn't really much, I fear! How long had your daughter been taking Yasmin?

I had been on it for about 5 very long YEARS... And therefor I think I'm having harder times to get back to normal than someone whou only took it for about 1 year or even shorter...

But give it more time, please! At the time of 4 weeks I still felt totally ill and down. And after that time I had those problems every few weeks again, and always around ovulation and starts of my period!

The only thing that you could do is stand by the side of your daughter, keep her going with always telling her, that it WILL get better again after a few days or weeks. And this is one thing I CAN REALLY PROMISE!! It WILL get better again!!

That's what everyone around me (my husband and my parents) always kept telling me, when I was again at that point, where I thought I couldn't go on any longer. And it was the only thing that helped me not to loose hope!! And they were so right!! The nightmare always stopped again after a few days or weeks and I felt myself getting better again!!

Hormonal problems are nothing which can be solved within a few weeks. And the Yasmin-poison takes much longer to get out of your system than only a few weeks. And only when it is completely OUT the hormonal system can start to rebalance without that artificial hormones.

I can imagine how hard it is to see your daughter in such a bad constitution. It was the same with my parents and husband. They were all so worried but a very important thing is: Don't let her know, how worried you are!! Always try to stay strong and sure in telling her, better times are ahead!!

I wish you all the best and god's bless and I swear, you'll get through this with your daughter. And please tell her, that she's not alone, we're all feeling with her!!

Silke

hi, sorry to hear that your daughter has gone down hill again. unfortunately this is a really common problem, a lot of us that had depression/anxiety and scary thoughts find we still have problems during our ovulation and also right before our periods, it does get easier each month but it is still there. i can imagine at the moment she is doubting herself and is thinking "what if it is not the yasmin after all and i am actually mentally ill"? she would not be alone in that thought,we have all been there. i have been off yasmin for 6 months now and most of the time i can handle it,my anxiety levels day to day are very low but pre-menstrally it can still throw me know and again and have me thinking the same thought,but i know it is not true,it is just my hormones trying to recover. pms A has most of the symptoms we all suffer so i have concluded that instead of helping with pms yasmin can actually cause it. it seems like all we can do is wait and have faith that it will get better and also take care of our bodies nutritionally and physically. i really hope that your daughter starts to feel better soon,she is sooo young and should not have to suffer this at her age. she is obviously a very responsible young lady and thought that taking yasmin was a positive thing to do, we have all suffered the consiquences of taking this poison but luckily we are all here to support each other and to reasuure each other that it does get better.you are doing a wonderful job of supporting your daughter,that will be a great help to her. i really do wish you and her all the best,look up pms A symotoms and see if there are any tips to help on a monthly basis.

sarah

Hello All,

To the recent posts about losing hair. I can imagine this would be very alarming for you. The loss of hair after Yasmin appears to be very common and is most likely due to your bodies attempt to re-balance your hormones. Yasmin decreases your testosterone/oestragen and increases your progesterone. When you come off it, your body automatically tries to re-balance these levels causing your testosterone and oestrogen levels to sky rocket, and your progesterone levels to plummet. These hormones are the reason that so many of us have an increase in libido, increase in water retention, increase in anxiety and last but not least, hair loss.

I would recommend that anyone off Yasmin have a blood test (specific to check your hormone levels...usuallly conducted on day 21 of your cycle). Any 'average' blood test will not show these important indicators.

I had the above test last week (almost 7 months after getting off Yasmin as I was still not feeling 100%) and it showed exactly the above....my testosterone was high, my progesterone was low. I have now started the herbal 'Agnus Castus' to re-balance these levels, and assist in my 'recovery'. I just wished I had done this test months ago.

Any doctor that is not able to link your symptoms to your hormone levels is not looking properly. See a doctor that specialises in womens health. A typical GP is unlikely to look deep enough.

Good luck and big hugs to all.

i started on 25mg/day for first week. worst side effect was severe jaw tension which caused headaches and insomnia, also slight nausea and weird skin sensations (very much like coming down from acid/e). went up to 50mg for month or so, then 75mg, now on 100mg - this seems to be the right dose for me at the moment. planning to go back to 50mg in about a year. side effects seem to last for a week after changing dose. but the very first week was worst. i noticed benefits after about two weeks. i was really worried that i would feel zombied and have no libido - not the case at all. thats what i was like before cause i was so depressed. very glad i started on small dose, and changed gradually, i can imagine doing otherwise would suck big time. my most important message - ZOLOFT IS ONLY PART OF MY TREATMENT. my doctor helped to develop a treatment plan which involves yoga, affirmations, identifying negative thoughts and behaviours and changing them, seeking help from other sources (university counsellor), eating well, maintaining more regular sleeping patterns, getting out in sunlight and fresh air etc. if your doctor won't help you with this, or doesn't care about your side effects, or whether you're on the right dose - FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR!! there are also good websites like depressionnet, beyondblue and anu.edu.au/moodgym