Sallow symptoms and conditions

I began taking Yasmin Dec. 2004 on my ob-gyn's advice. (My previous pill, which I had been on for years before and between pregnancies, was making my breasts very tender and sore but otherwise was OK to be on.) Within one month, I noticed several changes in my health and mood that I initially thought might go away after my body "got used to" the new birth control pill. Unfortunately, the symptoms did not go away and other even worse symptoms appeared. These symptoms included the following:

1. feelings of chest constriction and tightening
2. heart pounding/racing for no reason
3. inability to sleep (and thus fatigue and tiredness all the time)
4. severe changes in skin texture (esp. facial)--leathery and sallow
5. excessive anxiety, worry, depression, and feelings of panic (NOT AT ALL my personality prior to taking Yasmin)
6. development of asthma-like symptoms that turned out to be symptoms of acid reflux disease (which I had NEVER had before in my life!)
7. a general and pervasive sense that I was just not the normal me--I know this is not very "clinical" but it was very very disturbing to me and my family--everyone noticed changes in me
8. a dangerous jump in my blood pressure--prior to Yasmin my blood pressure was never higher than 120/70 (which is about what it was in Dec. 2004 at the office visit where I got my first pack of Yasmin)--not even at any point in my two preganancies! Yet in Feb. 2005, my resting blood pressure was 160/90 and was even higher (180/100) at times!
9. From Dec. 2004 through March 2005 (which is when I got off of this terrible medication), I was sick virtually non-stop with some type of cold or flu every 2 weeks--yet no one else in my household was getting sick!
10. a near complete loss of sex drive

As I have read from women in other postings, both my GP and ob-gyn (both of whom are women incidently) also said these effects could NOT be because of Yasmin. The only doctor that indicated he believed there might be a link between my symptoms and Yasmin was the ear-nose-throat guy who diagnosed my reflux.

I am writing to tell other women that I do firmly believe these health problems were DIRECTLY related to taking Yasmin--I noticed improvement in my health in all areas within about 6 weeks of stopping Yasmin--now several months later, I have normal blood pressure once again and my reflux has resolved itself, I'm the old "me" again (my Dad especially was terribly bothered by how my outlook on life had changed in just a couple of months after starting this pill). I'm 41 years old and have never had any type of emotional or health problems prior to taking Yasmin.

I contacted the manufacturer of Yasmin (Berlex) and made a report about the adverse effects I believe were attributable to taking Yasmin--I urge anyone who feels this drug has impacted their lives in a negative way to also do so. I have also made clear statements to my docs about what I believe happened to me in the 3-4 months I was on this stuff.

I felt such a wave of relief when I first found this Web site--it was like reading 100s of e-mails that could have been written by me!! I actually called my Mom sobbing on the phone after reading several pages from this listing on Yasmin--everything that was happening to me had happened to other women also, and I stopped taking Yasmin immediately.

I wish anyone who has gone down this road the best of luck--while doctors are usually good, educated people who try to improve people's lives, they are NOT infallible--if you believe Yasmin or any drug is affecting you negatively, be proactive about your own health no matter what your doc says--there are always options. To this day, despite how dramatically different my health is compared to earlier this year, my docs still will not say that they feel Yasmin was the root cause of my problems. (I guess it is the price you pay when so many people are afraid of lawsuits and such.)
Connie

I've been using Advair non-stop for about three years. At first, with the exception of a slight sore throat and raspy voice by mid-afternoon, I felt great, to the point where I forgot I was asthmatic. I developed several other symptoms very gradually, so gradually that I didn't associate them with the medicine. I've experienced the following symptoms, some worse than others:

Sore throat, loss of voice, fungal infections of the mouth (this is really getting out of hand!) and vagina, slight headaches, painful joints and feet (soles), muscle stiffness; muscle cramping(neck, abdominal, leg and feet), dental discomfort, red eyes, blurry vision and "floaters", dark circles; difficulty sleeping; weight gain, especially around the middle. Slight facial hair; sallow, dry skin, and poor healing (slow healing of wounds and scars). The latest :sudden bouts of weakness and sleepiness.

I think it's time to take a break and cleanse the system.