Physical symptoms symptoms and conditions

I'm 23 and I got prescribed Yasmin because I have PCOS, where I only got my period every 3-9 months (very irregular) where I suffered severe period pain and my period would go for about 8 days. The doctor thought regulating my period would decrease the pain, which it did. My period is around 3-4 days, very light and no pain since starting Yasmin. But I have had migraines weekly, constant headaches, usually starting with my vision going blurry and seeing flashing white light. I also lost my appetite for the first month, but have gained weight. I was going to the gym and exercising everyday and now I have no motivation to exercise at all, but feel bloated ALL the time. I have had trouble sleeping since taking it. I suffered from depression and anxiety attacks about 2 years ago, but since taking Yasmin I have been feeling very depressed and had several anxiety attacks, although the anxiety has only started after being on it for 4 months. After having another migraine this week and having to leave work for teh second time in 2 weeks, I decided I was going to stop taking it. (I had also had 3 anxiety attacks this week) since stopping I have instantly felt relaxed, no anxiety, and I no longer feel depressed.

After suffering all of this for 4 months, 8 day periods and 4 days of being in pain doesn't seem so bad. The depression and Anxiety is the scaries part as I haven't experienced it for so long, and don't want to!

Does anyone know how long it takes to be fully out of your system? I just want to get back to normal weight, moods, energy levels etc as soon as possible!

I talked to my gyno's nurse twice today. She told me when she first talked to me that she would have to talk to my doctorr and get back to me. Well, I just got off the phone with her and I'm pretty infuriated. She said that since I have been on the pill for almost a year, the pill has no direct connection with the depression spell. She didn't explain the sex drive thing & when I told her about other physical symptoms I had been experiencing, she did not back up any of it. She said that they will not change me to another pill until I see a family physician about the depression and am evaluated or go through a counselor. Too bad I saw a counselor all last semester for testing anxiety and I was never diagnosed with depression. I told her that it is now hard for me to evaluate my past on the pill, because how do I not know that the pill has been causing these symptoms all along & I merely found some sort of reason for everything that occurred. I also told her about this message board and she said that nothing on her goes along with scientific fact. I'm extremely frustrated right now.

I started getting panic, palpitations, anxiety, bouts of crying, no sex drive, odd taste in my mouth. I only had the taste and lack of libido since early on but felt fine and than whammo the crying and palpitations and anxiety hit. I asked the doctor if it could be the Yasmin even tho id been on it for a while, i got the royal fob off and some lame comment about 'us girls doing funny things sometimes' whatever that means!!!!! It got worst, i couldnt stand to be in the college where id gotten the palpitations to start with so dropped out and i couldnt understand why, but i was cool to still work nearby the college, I had some odd behaviour tho, like i suddenly couldnt park on the ground level for fear of the levels collapsing, i was scared of dying, of freak events, of flying and i LOVED flying, the syptoms waxed and waned and then a few months lather while still having intermittent anxiety a stressful period popped up and that was it i was gone, worst time of my life, allergies, nauseus, paranoia, depression, nightmares, horrific mental images and distressing thoughts, suicidal thoughts. Crux of it was it sucked big time!!!! That was 3 years ago and im still trying to put myself back together! The original syptoms did get better with time but ive never been quite the same.

I am a 34 year old and have been taking Yaz for almost a year.

I had some minor side effects until this past month when everything came apart at the seams. I do not know if yaz is the culprit - but the number of women with the EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS as me listed here SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME.

My "minor" sude effects were the following:

* No period for 5 months
* No sex drive (was not the case before taking Yaz)
* Panic attacks / anxiety (no history fo this. My doc has now put me on Zoloft.)
* Bloating / weight gain
* Brown blotches (like age spots) on one side of my face

This is NOTHING compared to the last month of my life. Basically my life has sucked for the last month. Roughly a month ago my symptoms started with a red rash on the left side of my face and pain in my left ear that led to a migraine that has not gone away at all. (The pain level goes between a 5 and 10, but never lower than a 5.) The rash went away in 2 days, but my ear still hurts today (a month later).

My vertigo began roughly 5 days after the onset of my rash and ear pain and has been non-stop since. I've taken phenergan, valium, etc. - but they are not working. I get spinning/dizzy every time my head moves (up, down, left, right) and with up and down eye movement. It seems like my migraine pain intensifies when my vertigo hits me. If I lie completely still - I have no vertigo - but my migraine is still there. To make matters worse, I have become very disoriented, like I am in a fog all of the time. I am only 34 years old and feel like I am losing my mind. I cannot remember simple words at times and have a tough time completing sentences.

All of these symptoms coincide exactly to the day I began a new packet of the birth control pill called YAZ (Yasmin). I had taken this brand of pill for a year, and though it has worked (not pregnant) I have had some minor side effects up until the last month. The biggest side effect is that I have not had any period at all for the last 5 months. I have also had anxiety (no past history) and have no sex drive (not my normal self.) I stopped taking the pill about a week ago - after reading literally thousands of people with the same side effects I am experiencing on a website called medications.com (My neurologist also told me to stop taking it.)

I am NOT having ringing in my ears or loss of hearing. I mention this because I know other ailments have these as symptoms.

I have already been seen by my dentist, physical therapist, ENT, 2 neurologists and a gyn. So far - they are not helping. I have even been hospitalized for 5 days and all they really did was try and dope me up to sleep and had me take a very potent anti-migraine drug called DHE that must be administered over a 36 hour period via IV. Guess what? It did not work.

The most scary thing is that even though I get severe vertigo any time I move my head (even to the point of waking me up while I sleep) - NOT A SINGLE DOCTOR EVEN MENTIONED I MIGHT HAVE BPPV ( BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO) and they did not test for it at all. They were all interested in treating my month-long migraine with anti-migraine drugs. They all swore up and down that my vertigo was related to my migraine. They also said my fogginess was because I was "tired and sick" and many migraine sufferers are that way.

After my husband and I searched the internet and found dozens of websites, we are pretty much convinced that I have BPPV. We are going to get in front of a vestibular specialist ASAP.

So you know, I have been through a CT scan, two different MRIs, basic blood work on my white cell counts, thyroid levels, potassium, etc.

They have ruled out a sinus infection, brain tumor, pituitary tumor, stroke, blood clots, etc. They have simply treated me with anti-migraine medication - and it has been worthless. I have taken Topomax, Frova and DHE (the drug mentioned above) and my migraine is still there. These drugs have not helped one bit. My neurologist swore that the DHE would do the trick. Guess what? He was wrong.

I discharged myself from the hospital yesterday and am now at home.

I just want my normal life back. I cannot drive, work, take care of my family, etc.

My two biggest questions are:

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BPPV CAN CAUSE MY MIGRAINE? The reason I ask is that the doctors all think that the migraine is causing my vertigo. All along they have been treating my migraine (with zero success) and have been giving me valium and antivert to simply mask my vertigo (no success there either.) No one has tried to really diagnose and treat my vertigo. Is it possible if I get my vertigo fixed my migraines will disappear?

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL PILLLS CAUSING BPPV? I saw woman after woman on medications.com have the same symptoms of vertigo, migraines and brain fog while taking the birth control pill Yasmin. I also know that my avalanche of symptoms eerily coincided with my first pill from a new pack. If they are related, I am most interested in what to do to get my hormones back on track in an effort to stop my vertigo.

This is all driving me crazy. A month ago I was absolutely normal. Now I am 100% disabled. I just want my life back.

Please help!

I have spent the last hour reading these messages. Yes i can believe that many Drs refuse to believe you when you tell them what is happening to you. I was told I am a hypochondriac, anxious etc. Funny how physical symptoms are there though huh? 2 days I have been taking Zocor and I have 12 symptoms described in others posts!! I remember many years ago I was on Zocor, then went to Lipitor for some reason (possibly side effects then stopped that too) but haven't been on any statin meds for several years. I am not taking Zocor EVER again. The chest and back pain was the worst for me. Blow that!! I have hereditary cholesterol even though I was vegetarian for 5 years weighed 130 pounds, (I am 5'5") rode horses, swam, did all the great stuff, still didn't make a difference (aint I lucky :| ) I will do it without meds from a western pharmacy!! I have emailed larryhor@optonline.net and I am telling you this person seems like a genuine wonderful man, wanting to share his experiences with lowering levels with everyone. What have you got to lose folks? ALL the horrible symptoms and your cholesterol levels right??? I will let you all know how things go with me over the next few days and weeks. I hope all of you get relief and are able to resume your normal lives real soon.
Blessed be to you all and THANK YOU LARRY!!!!!
Raine.....

I have been taking Yasmin for 5 days so far. I take it before bedtime. The first day I had a horrible headache and nausea and I had no energy. The second day was just nausea. The third day, just lack of energy. By the 4th day I was feeling fine. I hope that's the end of the side effects.