T zone symptoms and conditions

I've been taking Alesse since I was 15 (I'm 24 now), and my pharmacy switched me to Aviane as the generic last year. Since I was switched, I put on at least 30 pounds, look and feel bloated no matter what I do, and my face has suddenly sprouted bad T-zone acne. I had NO PROBLEMS when I was on Alesse, but thanks to the generic, I look like a fat, bloated, walking pimple! I went off of it for a month thinking I wasn't going to be sexually active -- lost a good ten pounds and looked/felt GREAT -- and now that I have a new partner went back on it... in just a week, I've gained seven pounds, my face looks really bloated, the acne is back, and I'm EXHAUSTED from doing nothing. My appetite is like a grizzly bear too. This is the WORST pill on the market, girls. Try something else. I'm going to Planned Parenthood and asking for a prescription for Yaz... don't have insurance at the moment, so it might be expensive (compared to the $25/generic Aviane), but at this point I couldn't care less if I start looking and feeling better! Girls, I advise you to STAY AWAY FROM THIS PILL.

I had mirena put in in Oct 08. My symptoms are: dizziness, sweating, nausea, (these symptoms can be mild and brief (seconds); or last a few minutes. I had severe dizziness in May and June of 2009. I also get acne on my shoulders, neck, face, and my T zone is very oily (especially my forehead). I am using good acne products to try to combat this problem, but I continue to have a problem. Some of my acne is like welts and I even have this going on on my scalp. I wrecked my car in December 2008. At that time I was very foggy headed. I blamed the foggy headedness on being stressed and overworked. I am 40 years old. My children are 10 and 13, therefore I know my symptoms are not post pregnancy. Today, I questioned if I wasn't going through early menopause. My doctor said this mirena would be wonderful and that after six months I would not have a period anymore. I have a period every two weeks. My periods are very light, but I still have them every two weeks, and they last for two weeks. I have been wondering if my body will adjust, and if I will eventually get to this heavenly place of now periods and bliss?

Holy hell. I don't think I'll ever find a birth control i like. After being on Aviane for a few months i have developed bad acne in my T-zone. Ive never had perfect skin - a zit here and there every once in a while, but recently its been quite bad. Also i have been quite irritable. Is Aviane to blame? Im gonna keep researching.

Oh I forgot to mention acne in the t-zone, pain in my knees, short term memory issues, and numbness in my right leg often. I don't know why I have been putting up with this thing for so long. Some people say anything is better than being pregnant but that couldn't be further from the truth.

I had my Mirena inserted in April 08 with a lot of effort! First the gyno could not insert the mirena......he tired a couple times and it just would not insert. I was in extreme pain. So a week later i was booked in to be put to sleep so it could be inserted....successfully. Obviously i could not feel anything this time. I was told that my cervix was closed and that is why it was a lot of trouble. Since the insertion i have had acne on the T Zone (i have never had acne before), and i have gained 4 kg (i work out 4 times a week and have always weighed 56 kg). I have not had a period which is great, and it has not affected my sex drive. But the acne and the weight gain do greatly concern me. I am thinking of having it taken out. Hmmm....what to do??

All of what you have said and then some. I have had depression that's unexplainable, very dry, peeling skin on my T-zone, eye twitching, headache, stomach problems, bloating, loss of sex drive (that's one form of birth control,) breast tenderness that is more severe and longer lasting than before and irritability. I have never felt this out of sorts before and my decisions and reactions to normal situations have been erratic and unreliable. I tried to rationalize my behavior and acknowledge that I would experience changes with the intake of hormones, but this pill makes everyday feel like a train wreck.

Hi, Reading all of your posts. I have been 100mg of Topamax for three years now and my side effects consist of tingle of the fingers/hands/feet,
oily T zone (face), short term memory loss, extreme fatigue, loss of taste. which I don't think is necessary a bad thing. haven't drank soda in three years due to the carbonation. Anything to sweet I can eat or drink. I have to water down my juices otherwise there to sweet. and I experience far less
migraines. from 2-4 a week or week long migraines where I would go to ER to get a shot of morphine and I was still feeling the pain. to only maybe 1 a month. But if I spot it fast enough a couple Tylenol will help before I have to take a Zomig to knock me out. It sucks being on meds for the rest of your life being young, this started for me age 30 I will be on migraine meds for life so my neurosurgeon says, and they don't think its related but I also ended up with 5 ulcers and a broken esophageal sphincter which now gave me GERD and requires life long meds which oh yeah I have constipation but is that from the GERD or the Topamax? So I don't take anything unless I absolutely have to. which includes my asthma inhaler or nebs. last thing I need is steroids on top of everything else. I drink coffee all day just to keep me awake but at the same time the min I stop I sleep hard and sound. Go figure.

hi started my topamax 25 mg at bedtime i take it for migranes been top for 3 weeks now i have noticed side effects however iam taking other meds and im having trouble distinguishing which side effect goes with what lol ..e.g.. paxil for anxiety , panic attacks and HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE for borderline blood pressure , i have experienced the tingling in the hands and the feet ..lack of appt,i wouldn't say my desire for sex is gone but im experiencing vaginal dryness and itching and numbness as well as problems climaxing sorry tmi lol ... thought it was a yeast infection but its kinda different? any girls ever exp that before while on top? im getting scared now reading the post about loss of hair im already very thin and have little hair as it is any help or suggestions would be great thx ...

As a teenager I had minor Acne and blackheads. Some red bumps in the back of my arms and my thighs, blackheads around my forehead and nose and one or two acne bumps around my chin that would go away and come back. Compared to many kids my age, I had great skin. The problem started the day my mother said I should start using beauty products. My aunt recommended Clinque (3 step regime). I was typed with t-zone skin and bought that package. I followed the advice of the counter assistant and after a day, red painful spots appeared in my skin. I went back and they said it was normal and to keep using it. I did and the red spot errupted to full sized cystic acne. I could feel the huge swells deep within my skin. I stopped using it right away, but it was too late. The damage was done. My skin was inflamed and sensitive and the condition of my skin just fed on itself. I went to the dermatologist and they told me to wash with Cetaphil and to be gentle with my skin. That relieved it a bit and over time (a long time) my skin calmed down. But it was too late. I had horrible acne scars and breakouts were more common than they were before I started.

Over the years I tried to find the cause of my break outs. Tried different products (with caution) and realized that a common ingredient (Salicylic Acid) caused my break outs. Well, almost all acne products contain this ingredient so I had to find other ways around Acne. I still have red blotches on my left arm where I tested a bit of a product on it. The inflamation is gone now but i'm left with scars. I still see acne products out there with Salicylic Acid in them. A couple of times when I change Doctor's, they would recommend me over the counter products that have Salicylic Acid in them. As you can tell, I no longer trust doctors advice.

I haven't found one article out there mentioning anyone having my symptoms when using Salicylic Acid.

I have been on ortho tri-cyclen for almost ten years and have experienced very little weight gain or other typical side effects. i do suffer from restless leg syndrome and have noticed a couple light shaded spots in my t-zone on my face. i have read that this is thought to be a side effect from long term use of birth control (in general).

GUEST 37772
JOEY-

It would seem that you are right and very smart for listening to your body and to your intuition. What I can share with you is that for many, and in my case, my skin did look the most beautiful that it ever had-but in truth, and upon reflection, I always had compliments on my skin. I have mediterannean in my background so it runs on the oiler side in the t zone and I am therefore more prone to breakouts. However, the upside is less wrinkling/slower pace than women with dry skin.

What I will say is this, the horrible side effects of Yasmin that have been documented here, and on the UK site Flowerbabies/Sarah set up, is no case for taking Yasmin. It is so detrimental to our bodies and our health and as we all come to learn if we haven't already, there is no quality to life when your health is sacrificed.

Yeast infections are very COMMON with BIRTH CONTROL PILLS. Most everyone of them opens a woman up to experiencing these because of the change in hormones and the effect on bacteria and yeast levels in our bodies. It alreay exists, just in healthy levels. When there is over-growth however, it causes yeast infections-one woman here had THRUSH which is yeast in her mouth.

VAGINAL dryness is also a side effect of Yasmin. Please read the insert that came with the Yasmin pills. You can also google Yasmin side effects and read an electronic one online. Many women reported changes to their sexual libido while taking Yasmin.

There are a couple of birth control pills: Orthocept and Ortho-tricyclen Low that i had good results with. Ortho Novum 35 as well has been around a long time. However, after years of being on and off birth control/hormones, what I would say is that if you can find natural method of birth control/non-hormonal, you are far better off in the long run. If you google side effects of birth control pills, you will see LONG lists of side effects. There is so little really known about women's hormones and these synthetic forms do damage.

I did not suffer from vaginal dryness while taking Yasmin but I did:
1. Significantly lose vision in my right eye
2. Developed a heart murmur
3. Developed chest pain and pressure and heart palps and irregular beats
4. Clogged painful eardrums

All* of these were directly linked to Yasmin and are even documented as possible side effects in Yasmin insert.

So, with that, I'd encourage you to see the UK site if you haven't already and the host of women who have experienced terrible side effects while on Yasmin as well as coming off of it.

Listen to your wisdom. you'll be ahead of many of the rest of us before we came to decide to come off of Yasmin a little too late.

GUEST 37760
Your side effects-specifically those related to weight loss are experienced my many women. I lost 15 lbs on Yasmin-and I directly attribute it to the diuretic in Yasmin as I went off, gained 10 back immediately.

Diahrhea also common. See insert that accompanies Yasmin. Most to many side effects women experience as well as outline of the enormous risks are there.

I hope that you are off at this time and feeling better.

GUEST 37745
Yasmin can and often does give women nausea and dizziness. Longer term, loads of side effects that can be debilitating. If you haven't already seen many of the side effects here-I encourage you to read through as many as you can as well as on the UK site and at ask a patient.com.

While this may go away, there are so many risks and so many terrible side effects women have suffered and are suffering as a result of being on Yasmin and/or Yaz now (its recent sister to hit the market)-I'd encourage you to get off of it now and explore non-hormonal methods of birth control. its so not worth it. Some of us, many of us have suffered terribly.

GUEST 37679!
HOW DID THEY COME TO DISCOVER THIS? WHAT WERE YOUR SYMPTOMS? THIS IS THE MOST SERIOUS RESULT I'VE SEEN HERE BESIDES THE VERY FIRST ENTRY ON THIS SITE WHICH IS STROKE, AND ANOTHER WHOSE HUSBAND REPORTED HIS WIFE DIED OF A STROKE AFTER PARTICIPATING IN A YASMIN FORUM.

I hope that you have recovered??? How are you today? I hope you will post your experience on www.askapatient.com as well as to the UK site.

Did you have any prior high risk/risk factors?

Are you taking up legal action? A number of us have been wondering how to do so.

I do hope that you are healing. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

GUEST 37673
Your side effects, specifically those of vertigo/dizziness and fatigue also documented here as common side effects. also documented on Yasmin's insert for possible common side effects. Good, very good, that you have stopped taking it.

Also common-irregular heart beats, heart palpitations-risk to women and risk in general with this pill for hypertension/high blood pressure. I experienced this, 1.5 years into taking Yasmin. First heavy chest sensation, then developed a heart murmur, irregular beats and chest pain that continue to this day 5 months off of being on Yasmin. Several other women here and at the UK site Flowerbabies set up also experienced this-multiple trips to the ER, EKG, ECG and a slew of other tests.

If it feels like your lungs are burning, i hope you are off this now? Has this continued? Interestingly, since I got off of Yasmin, I have been sick every month for the last 5 months at the onset of menstruation. A Naturpath I've seen has advised that changes in hormones create inflammation in the body and make this possible-more susceptible to infection. I've had bronchitis for 5 months in a row, each time starts at the onset of menstruation.

Your complexion going to hell is not so common as most women experience the opposite. It is so good that you are listening to yourself-and getting off of Yasmin. Too many of us had side effects over time that we didn't add up/attribute to Yasmin until too late-or until we are already suffering today from longer term side effects.

I also noticed while on Yasmin, I would wake up in sweats and became even more sensitive to cold than I already was. Almost like flu like symptoms-that several women here also experienced.

Nausea-also very common and outlined as well in Yasmin's insert of possible side effects.

To hear that these symptoms are in no way bad compared to those you experienced on Ortho Evra is quite concerning as that path is now under lawsuit and many of us are only waiting until this occurs, or working to figure out how to sue Yasmin and Yaz.

Best of healing wishes to you and congratulations for taking the responsiblity for listening to your body, taking the initiative to research your side effects, and taking personal responsibility for your own health. We can't count on pharmaceutical industry, pedaling doctors who receive financial incentives for prescribing this stuff, treating us like guinea pigs, to learn to take care and education for our own bodies and health.

Jasmine

Thank you Thank you Thank you for this site.
I was prescribed Yasmin by my GYN to help with the tiny bit of post period acne and also long and painful periods. She made it sound like the most wonderful and easy pill on the market! I was on ortho tri a few years ago and experienced a little nausea and a significant amount of weight gain. But nothing compared to what hell I just went thru.
First off, I have battled thru depression for much of my young and adult life. (I have been off meds for a year and have felt awesome). My gyn said that Yasmin is great for helping with PMS and getting thru the hormonal moodiness.
I started taking the pill on the 1st day of my period as instructed. I have been bleeding and cramping ever since. (2 weeks now as I write this). Normally I suffer for 2-3 days of heavy bleeding and debilitating cramps, NEVER more than 6 days! Also, I have cystic like pimples all around my eyebrows and T zone. (NOTE: Leave these alone, If you cannot see a doctor for treatment, crush up an aspirin and add a drop of water so you get a paste like consistency. Apply and leave on until it dries and falls off. Drink plenty of H20. Women's one a day vitamins may help too. ) I work in body/skincare. You can imagine how crappy it feels at work to suggest a face care regime to someone when you have pimples all over!!!!
I've experienced sore throat (which I thought were just allergies at first), tiredness, fogginess, stomach upset like a flu, constant nausea, and my feet are swollen up like little balloons! 90% of my depression symptoms have come back.
yesterday I felt so ill I had to leave work, I called my GYN and she said that these will go away as I get thru each pack, just give it a few months. I was tremoring, crying, nauseous to the point of vomiting, had a tingling in my hands-- I COULD NOT KEEP IT TOGETHER!!!!! I had my first panic attack in a year. It was by far one of the worst. And Im supposed to wait months to see IF the side effects will go away? Um, ok.
I immediately went to my primary care doctor who was surprised that I was prescribed this pill, it isn't tolerated well by many people and to stop taking it! She suggested that I try ortho tri lo- but i don't know if I will ever try another pill again.
When you ladies are feeling blue, go and talk to some one, hug your cat, call your mom. There is always hope and help!
I hope you all are feeling better soon! :) K

GOOD:

I lost weight (about 5 pounds) and my acne (which always seemed weird and hormonal--not the typical T zone stuff) was helped significantly. I also had decreased PMS symptoms.

I tried Alesse later and had breakthrough bleeding and returned acne. My university physician suggested it because they didn't offer Yasmine. It's not the same at all though.

My regular gyn said other patients had lost weight on Yasmine too.

Works for me!