Lost interest symptoms and conditions

I am a Registered Nurse and feel foolish that I wasn't able to connect the dots sooner. Yasmin's effects for me were insidious thereby slipping under the radar as the culprit responsible for all of the side effects I was experiencing. On Yasmin for 3 years:

- feelings of shortness of breath
- heart palpitations
- horrible anxiety and feelings of panic (not good when you're a nurse in the
ICU)
- insomnia (never had trouble sleeping before)
- varicose veins on my stomach??!!
- strange weight gain around my abdomen I could not lose despite my best
efforts
- ear popping and a feeling of fullness in my head
- constant runny nose requiring new prescriptions for nasal sprays and
allergy pills that did not work
- new abdominal bloating (ultrasound was negative)
- UTI (never had one of those before)
- strange colored periods
- agoraphobia (previously outgoing)
- depressed--lost interest in things I previously enjoyed, moody & angry,
- horrible fatigue (unable to jog anymore without becoming drained for days
- sharp debilitating headaches (CT negative)
- breast pain
- cellulite I've never had before
- and last but not least, compromised circulation to my right arm causing it
to go numb and change in color (Doppler showed partial arterial
obstruction that has since improved since quitting Yasmin)

Quit Yasmin 2 1/2 months ago and everything is resolving itself slowly. A big price to pay for good skin.

My son and I have both taken Welbutrin. I didn't really notice a lot of side effects. I know that it did not effect my sex drive which other meds did. I lost weight, lost interest in drinking alcohol, lost interest in smoking. Had more energy,
My son has had some different things happen to him. He gets real sharpe headache pains in the left top of his head. They come and go away within about 30 seconds. Has anyone ever had that problem? He tried getting off of the meds and experenced all these body pains. It drove him nuts so he went back on welbutrin. The body pains have gone away, but the head pains came back. The doctor said the head pains would go away if he took his meds regular.

I'm only 26 years old and have been on yasmin for a little over a year now. Before yasmin, I was on Orthotricylen and on Orthotricyclen-lo before that. My OBGYN kept switching my pills because after a year or so on one, my period would come before I was even finished the active pills. My doctor said it was because the hormones weren't "strong enough" for my body or something to that effect. I'm not good with science or medical things, so I've just gone along with her advice. I've been on BC since I was 18, so this is 8 years now I've been on chemical hormones, and I'm starting to think I need to stop. I'm willing to deal with severe menstrual cramps if it means getting my normal life back in order. I felt okay with the ortho pills, so I never though in a million years that Yasmin could be making me miserable. I used to be the nicest, happiest, and most optimistic person you'd ever want to meet, and lately, I've been depressed, moody, extremely fatigued (even with a full night's sleep), have lost interest in sex and don't even like being touched sometimes, and I've been anxious about everything-my job, my relationship, my investments, my family. I almost feel as if I don't know my old self anymore. I don't have fun anymore and I have a lack of interest in seeing a lot of people sometimes. I just want to sleep or be alone. I feel bad because my fiance is the one suffering. I feel bad that I have no libido anymore, and he's been extremely supportive of me through my depression/mood swings. I'm so glad he hasn't run for the hills with the way I've changed so suddenly. He has definitely noticed that I'm not myself. I've never before felt like this. I also have a sneaking suspicion that my IBS(irritable bowel syndrome) is connected to Yasmin. I was diagnosed with it just around the same time I began taking Yasmin. In addition, (without giving too much information!), I've noticed a drastic increase in vaginal disharge to the point where I'm wearing little panty liners on a daily basis to keep feeling "fresh." Concerned about this sudden increase of secretions, I went to my OBGYN (actually, I went 2 times for the same thing). She assured me that it wasn't an infection or anything and ran tests to be sure and all checked out fine. She just said that my body "naturally" produces more discharge. Well, I'm beginning to think that that's a load of crap--never before did I experience the heavy daily discharge before Yasmin and I hate feeling "uncomfortable." I don't know anyone else who has to wear liners everyday to feel "fresh." Has this happened to anyone else on Yasmin? I read through many posts and no one else mentioned this. I'm so glad that I'm not alone in most of my side effects, and I plan on seeking medical advice from my OBGYN (who I'm beginning to lose faith in) AND also I plan on seeking advice from my regular family Doctor. I have about 3 active pills left... and after that I'm stopping this pill. I'll revert to strickly condom usage to avert pregnancy and get away from these horrible pills! I can't imagine what damage has been done to my body... I just hope it can be undone!

to Murph70,

Are you serious that you were almost blind? Strange how the more I think about all of this and the things that occurred during those 2.5 years, the more realize how much was linked to taking Yasmin. This is crazy. I read through so many of these emails and I too was advised by both the prescribing doctor as well as an RN that Yasmin could not be responsible for the symptoms I was experiencing. Makes me absolutely nuts that this is happening to so many women, being advertised so heavily and that people in the medical field prescribing it are unaware and discounting.

Can anyone advise what treatment has been the most effective for coming off of Yasmin? Ive been off now for two month. I still have alot of pressure in both ears and interestingly noticed several people who advised they had colds coming off of it. I got really sick immediately following coming off it with someone that took me two months to get rid of. Then, after two weeks, I just got another cold. I've never been sick like this!

It occurred to me that it could well likely be due to how the increased potassium levels or changes to the electrolytes have effected the immune system? Anyone else had this experience?

While I can't say I noticed a change in sexual drive (except I will likely notice that more as I am off of it for longer), did notice I was exhausted all the time. ALL THE TIME. I would shower in the morning and then want to go right to bed. It depleted me and all my energy. And like some other people, lost interest in everything I enjoyed.

I've never been able to find vitamins that I could take that didn't make me feel kinda sick. How much magnesium is recommended? Any particular type of vitamin recommended?

hi guest 32341,
have you tried switching the time you take your pill until just before bed? some people have suggested that this may ease some of the symptoms because you pretty much sleep them off. if you are reluctant to switch to another brand of pill then give this option a try. i am a little concerned as you say that you are finding everyday things are a chore and that you are feeling overwhelmed, i was the same,i lost interest in everything,my friends,my social life,my marriage and my kids.everything was just too much like hard work,i became very introverted which is so not me! i also started to suffer other mental and psychological side effects that i never for one minute thought could be caused by my bcp. maybe you could try taking them at night for another cycle and if you are not improving or are getting worse then please please talk to your doctor about switching to another brand of pill, maybe a lower hormone dose pill. my hormones were also all over the place after having my youngest child as i breast fed her exclusively for a year and my poor body was lacking essential vitamins and minerals so i was not in the best shape when i started this pill and my life became a nightmare because of it. whilst you are still taking yasmin drink loads of water (as much as you can) take a supplement of vitamin b6 as well as a b complex and also some magnesium and calcium and also some zinc. you may be able to find a good multivit that contains all of these things try to take approx 30-50 mg b6 daily. best wishes to you whatever you decide to do. i hope that everything will turn out well for you and that you can get back to being a caring compasionate mother and friend.

sarah

hi claire from leeds in england, i am from surrey in england.
if you think you have issues that may have triggered your recent feelings then councelling is a good idea. my doctor sent me for councelling when my symptoms first appeared,like you i felt detached and emotionless to begin with,my life seemed pointless,i just thought "what's the point"? i stopped going to see friends,lost interest in most things and just generally felt deflated. i have 2 children so they both suffered as a result because i didn't want to go the park etc. then when the anxiety and panic attacks started i couldn't go out of the house and i felt to afraid to stay in the house by myself. nothing had changed in my life the only different thing was that i had started taking yasmin in the january (this was 2005,i stopped taking it 6 months ago when i found this site.) i was told i had an anxiety disorder but never quite believed the diagnosis as i had never had this problem before, i have been cautious and shy all my life but never had anxiety issues really. my doctor gave me diazepam but that made me worse and so i refused all medication and started to look into causes and found this site.once i stopped taking yasmin i started to feel better quite quickly but i still have the memories of feeling bad so it is taking a while as i need to change the habit,i suppose in effect i have developed an anxiety disorder now but i never had one before yasmin! there are some great ways of dealing with the anxiety though,i have some books etc,if you are struggling please email and i could maybe send you some that might help you,i genuinely want to help as i know how horrible it is and how it feels to have no-one else that has been through or is going through this nightmare.
i wish you all the best claire and hope that you feel stronger soon.

sarah

Thank all of you for your candor. I too had been on anti-depressants for the past 3 years. I finally said enough is enough, each med had different side effects.I had lost interest in my "life" didn't want to exercise, work or really do much of anything...unless I "had to" & was becoming quite the actress going through the motions...this was NOT the ME I had known for 30+ YEARS & will not BE ME. I have the blurred vision, confusion, forgetfulness to name a few of the side effects. It has been 1 year since my divorce (reason I started it)... I no longer felt "situationally depressed" and assumed the unusual feelings I was experiencing was due to the drug and that I needed to get off of it to get my life back. So I stopped Effexor cold turkey.After two weeks & unusal side effects I got on line to see what other experienced. I too have experienced the vivid dreams / nightmares, where I literally felt as though I was "drugged". I have the cotton mouth, when tired "spaced out", mood swings, tiredness, night sweats, flu like symptoms, my appetite has increased, I had no sex drive on Effexor, 2 weeks off and it is coming back at least I'm thinking about it....I can identify with most of what I've read others have experienced on some level.

Bottom line...if I had it to do all over again. I would NOT take any anti-depressants, I suppose I was depressed divorcing & I should have been it is a major change in ones life. In hindsight I should have let my mind and body go through whatever the "natural process" was to be... because the experience going on, waiting to feel "normalcy" (which neve happened) and coming off has been awful. My point of view, there is no "magic" pill that is going to make us get up and go like the TV commercials portray. Life is difficult & I will survive without a "pill", I definately feel better over all getting the Effexor out of my system ...I'm hopeful the side effects will be short lived.

Hi everyone..........
I have been on prednisone for aobut 6 months. I had a flare up of this skin itching I get and prednisone gets me over the flare up. The doctor also gave me 12 refills and the dosage is 30 mg. a day. The doctor that put me on it refuses to see me saying that I am "alright." I feel just as miserable as I was 6 months ago. (by the way, he also informed me that I have Lupus AND the blood works says not!) I have the moon face started and I "snap" easily at my housemate. Also the weight is coming on fast and furious. I have lost interest in doing the things I once enjoyed. I pulled out of church choir and I don't care to go to polka dances, which I have done for 39 years. I am just NOT ME! I bruise easily on my arms and am breaking out more with psoriasis. I don't want to go anywhere or do anything, I fell like crap! And I HATE feeling like this!

weight gain, hair loss, I feel tired all the time. I have lost interest in doing anything. Nothing excites me any longer. It is like I have lost my passion for life. When I first got on methadone it gave me energy and wieght loss but now it is the complete opposite. I want off this drug and was having the Doctor bring me down 5 mil a week and when I hit 20 mil, I got very sick and they had to raise me up to 40. They said going down 5 a week was way too fast. I don't know what is right. But since this drug no longer works for me, I can't see any reason to be on it. It is a waste of my money.

I am a 16 year old female who has been on different thyroid medication for at least 3 years. Along with my thyroid disease I have type 1 diabetes also. Right now I am taking LEVOTHYROXINE. I have taken levoxyl, synthroid, and I cant remember any others. Over the years I have gradually increased my dose to 125 mcg. Instead of losing weight with these medications, I've actually gained 25 lbs, and Ive kept my slow metabolism. Ive experienced bloating, gas, fatigue, spaceiness-like out of it, unable to concentrate, increased appetite, and mild depression. I usaully am able to get fantastic grades, and catching on to things comes easy. But now ive lost interest in friends, sports and overall life. I am wondering if this thyroid medication or my other medication- Metformin has anything to do with how I feel or overeating?

After four days on this medication my husband experienced a bad upset stomach and lost a lot of blood when he would use the toilet. He now has headaches, sunburn, and grinds his teeth at night. He was very short tempered and lost interest in food. Normally he looks forward to meals. Now all he wants to do is eat sweets especially dairy products which he normally does not eat such as ice cream. This seems like a lot to put up with just for an infected tooth. Can someone please explain some of this as it is very frightening especially the blood.

I'm a 64 year-old retired pilot. I've had a form of rheumatoid arthritis for years. Recently I had chest pains & breathlessness when walking the dog & going uphill. Cholesterol was 6.8 so, prior to an Angiogram next month, I was put on 20 mg of Simvastatin about 5 weeks ago. The Cholesterol went down to 4.4 but I gradually began to feel quite ill with dreadful tiredness & lethargy, feeling low & depressed, not wanting to do anything, With chest pains & breathlessness worse than before. Joint & muscle pains were now really bad and I felt tender all over. Yesterday I felt very nauseous, with stomach tightness, dizzyness and a strange feeling of "unreality" and restlessness. I had lost interest in life, couldn't sleep & was quite ill. I could barely walk!

The last time I felt anything similar was 20 years ago when I got Shingles and the doctor (not the same one) prescribed Zovirax tablets. Boy, I was nearly suicidal then and "afraid" to hear the doorbell or the phone go. This was not good in an Airline pilot so I flushed the tablets away, saw my doctor (who only then read me the side-effects) and vowed to be very careful in future.

I saw my (excellent) doctor today; he immediately took me off Simvastatin, agreed that I was quite normal but probably just on one side of the bell-shaped curve of human responses to this drug. He took blood for a liver function test, checked blood pressure (normal) and listened to my heart and chest (all OK). He recommended a "Statin holiday" and said he may try me on another, different form (much fewer side effects) of the drug. I slept a lot all day today, couldn't eat at all except for an orange (still nauseous), felt the lower back pain still and was generally fairly ill. However, I think now (at nearly midnight and without taking my nightly pill) that I am beginning to feel a whole lot better!

I can live with the high Cholesterol (since all other factors in my life are good) but I cannot live with Simvastatin. Simple as that. You are not alone!

I have been on 50mg zoloft for just three days, to treat depression, lethargy, shyness, and indecision. I had lost interest in exercise, sex, and my job. I take it at breakfast. I do feel some nausea in the morning, and i feel a little peculiar--but it's normal for me to feel peculiar, so no big deal. I think zoloft is going to work and be ok. I'll wait a couple weeks and see.
In the past i had a terrible, nauseating experience with Lexapro, but I've asked around and most of my friends take zoloft with no problems. All I want is a little boost of optimism so i can get out of this rut and on with my life. I've been depressed on and off for 10 years and I'm wasting my life.

Was on ZOCOR 20mg for about 2 years and suffered from leg cramps and malaise... lost interest in sex, etc. Dr. increased dosage to 40mg and noticed bad rash on forehead and scalp area that came and went unexplainably. Skin disease speacialist called it "acute dandruff". Changed to LIPITOR and head rash disappeared but left red and patchy areas where rash would normally have been. After 2 weeks on 10mg LIPITOR, noticed loss of strength in legs, pain in muscle from armpit to elbow area.. thought it was heart-related and scared me... pain became fairly constant... Also, had "white-outs" for minutes at a time while walking or excercising, feelings of irritability and depression. I am quitting taking ZOCOR and LIPITOR, plus, any similar drugs and will go as "natural" as I can to improve my Triglyceride and Cholestorol levels. The resultant side effects of these two drugs are more ominous than their benefits. It scares me that Doctors do not consider the drugs as a cause of your symptoms when you describe problems to them.. there seems to be no acknowledged connection to the drugs but yet I read on forums like this one similar effects that I experienced. People to people will always be the best source of information, I suppose. I would suggest to anyone taking Lipitor or Zocor and experiencing muscle pain, joint pain, malaise, depression, "white-outs", loss of memory, leg cramps, unusual headaches, any form of insomnia and possibly darkening of urine or yellowing of skin, eyes, etc., to quit taking these drugs immediately and tell your doctor about what you are experiencing. It could possibly save your life.