Take some time symptoms and conditions

IF YOU ARE TAKING THIS, STOP NOW. There is hope!! I think after about 3 months it started effecting my activity. I started wanting to do so much but would just brush everything aside and not finish poems, art projects, not do things with people I really wanted to. but my acne went away.......and for a while that made me feel more confident. In late July I started having some mild halluicinations. things would just......seem different, I cannot explain it. In September I completely lost it. I heard and saw things that were not there, I did not know what was going on. but I pressed on with school. I thought I was schizophrenic......I was so scared. but I pressed on, until one night I went completely numb. I felt disassociated. I looked in the mirror just to make sure I was there. I had horrible graphic images come into my head. it was horrifying. I almost took my life one night because I thought there was no hope. I thought if this is my waking life forever, then I do not want to life. but I called the suicidal hotline and then went to my friends' place then the next day we drove 2 hours back home and talked to my gynecologist, and she immediately admitted me to the psych ward. I begged not to go, but it was for the best. I stayed there for 5 nights and it changed my life. I learned a lot of about faith and different walks of life that night. I have chosen to pursue Buddhist philosophies and eastern teachings while learning about more religions. I believe that God is just thought of differently in different countries, and it is not a mission to convert but just help. do what you can. I know many of you are not able as this poison of a pill has shaken you, but I promise you will get better. I honestly was going out of my mind for a few weeks, and I wanted to die one night. Now, each day is a step closer to healing and a step further from that shit. Once you stop taking it you should notice a difference. Seek some therapy or help though, as you may need it. You will learn who your true friends are during all of this, and probably learn a lot about yourself. It was so painful, and I'm still a little shaken by it, but my just being able to type this shows my gained coherence. So just know there is hope! I hope a class action lawsuit gets started and that it gets recalled soon also! Something I have started doing is bouncing a bouncy ball when I feel nervous, scared, paranoid etc. I find it fun and also takes your mind off and also is a much healthier way of relieving stress instead of squeezing a ball! email me at****** if you ever want any encouragement or tips or just want to ask me any question. I check my email everyday.

I must add my recent experience with Prednisone to this forum:

I have been suffering from constant lower back pain and a torn shoulder injury (rotator cuff) for the last several years. A week ago I got a slight case of Poison Ivy. My doctor gave me Prednisone - starting at 60 mgs. a day, tapering down to 10 over 12 days. I was unsure as to whether I wanted to be on a steroid , especially after reading some of the testimonies here at this forum. But I went ahead and took it. I must say this has been one of the most amazing experiences for me.
Not only did my Poison Ivy immediately begin to go away, but lo and behold, practically ALL my back pain and shoulder pain went away. I also found myself with this amazing positive mental attitude. I began to get up and enjoy my job everyday (normally I am somewhat depressed and stressed out). It was such a major change for the better - I feel like I have been living the resurrection!! Yet I know it is only due to absence of pain and increased energy brought on by the Prednisone. I feel like a happier, younger version of myself. Prednisone has even helped me sleep better! So, evidently, for some people, prednisone is a wonder-drug.
I did note a very slight manic edge at times, but never unmanageable and always very positive. As soon as I decrease the dose, the pain and inflammation in my back and shoulder starts to return. What a shame that this drug causes osteoporosis and other long-term affects. I wish I could stay on it forever!!

i was on lisinopril for a year and a half when it hit me like a ton of bricks.... i was twenty three years old and in super health, other than the moderatly high bp. i became very tired and dizzy like someone flipped a switch. At first i thought i was just coming down with a bad cold but after a week i knew it most have been somthing more. I was tired all the time, had problems with my sinuses, headaches, nausea, heart palpatations, dizzy, felt like i was going to faint all the time. I couldn't get to sleep at night and if i did i didn't want to get up in the morning. Even after 10 hrs of sleep i felt like i had just played two football games. I am one of the most optomistic people you will ever meet and i felt like i was going to die... I had no idea what was going on with me. I saw many doctors and they all told me that it was in my head. I felt this way for over a year when i suggested to my Dr that maybe it was the lisinopril. She really didn't think so but we stopped taking it and started a beta blocker. i have been off the lisinopril for 4 months and feel a ton better but still have a long way to go. Could anyone tell me how long this will last and what i could do to speed up my recovery... thanks CP

i have endometriosis, as well. i tried doing the vitamin thing for a couple of months but my peroids didn't get any easier, so i gave-in and went on BCPills. i was on loestrin which worked great for the 1st 3 months but then stopped working and i gained 8-10 pounds of water weight. i took a month off and went on yasmin and LOVED it! for the 1st 4 months, it was a dream come true - i lost the water weight, had TONS of energy. well, when i started working out again, around month 4 - i was fine doing cardio but as soon as i'd add weights to the routine, i would be hit with TOTAL exhaustion, muscle fatigue, etc.. i thought i was coming down w/ the flu or a cold and would take some time off...only to try again and have the same effect. this went on ALL summer - then i found out it might be YASMIN!!! apparently the increased levels of potassium in the blood can mess w/ the acidity in the blood and make the muscles hurt. my OBGYN refuses to accept it could be the pill (suggested i get tested for fibromyalgia, depression, etc.). i'm off of the pill now for a week and am still REALLY muscle-achey (sorta feels like the flu). does anyone else have this? does anyone have experience w/ how long it takes this crap to get out of the body? i just started at the gym this morning, only adding cardio for awhile... i am so frustrated!! i'm getting married in 8 months and want to be buff for the wedding but keep getting sidetracked w/ exhaustion. *UGH* can't wait to get yasmin behind me.

Hi I am a 22 year old who started taking yasmine in march 2007 by the end of my 3rd month i began to realize that i was having savere side affects to my BC thanks to my mother! I was having really bad migraines in the first months but they went away, having forgot they were giving me migraines i continued to take it since they went away. My last week of the white pills in the 3rd month i had 3 random panic attacks for no reason. I went to see my Dr who prescirbed me zoloft. I have not been known to be anxious or depressed before. from sun to thurs i was on zoloft and a nervous wreck. I was anxious, emotional, depressed, and having horrible thoughts. I discontinued the zoloft but started my next pack of BC and was still having an emotional crisis. I then spoke to a pharmacist who said to go off and if i feel better within a week my feelings could be attributed to the BC. It has now been since saturday that i took my last pill. It has definetely been a roller coaster but i do think i am getting better! The thoughts are much less, i am able to experience joy, but i do get a little anxious at time. I think the anxiousness is from going through such a traumatic experience. I haven't spoken to an OBGYN about my problem because im afraid they will just say its just me, and BC couldnt have these affects! I think We woman know our bodies and im just looking forward to feeling 100% better althought i think it may take some time. I would love to talk to someone else about there expeirences if you would like to contact me my e-mail is ******* Thanks for sharing your stories and hopefully mine will be of some help to you.. oh yeah and i dont want sex, i dont know which side affect is worse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PROLONGED PERIOD:
(Previously posted erroneously on the Loestrin FE24 page, but this relates to Nuvaring)

I have had a nonstop, heavy period for 9 straight days since using nuvaring. There is next to nothing in the materials they give with the product that warns of this, so I have spent the last two days reading all kinds of stuff on the web trying to figure out what is going on. They mention possible "breakthrough bleeding" which anyone other than a doctor would think of as spotting between periods. But this has been heavy bleeding for 9 straight days with no apparent "end" in sight.

I used nuvaring once about 3 years ago and did not have this problem. In fact, then it viirtually stopped my period. That concerned me, so I stopped taking it. I went back on after my doctor assured me the reduced bleeding was not a concern, and the main PURPOSE for my using it was to reduce my heavy periods and related anemia, Apparently they have changed (lowered) the hormone dose in the nuvaring, and for some of us it is insufficient, causing the "breakthourgh bleeding." (It has taken EXTENSIVE web searching to glean this information.)

I finally removed the nuvaring last night, and while I guess it may take some time, I want my body to normalize from this shock. I've had nausea, and now I am very fatigued from the extended heavy bleeding. This is NOT what I signed up for. Some responses out there suggest that this problem may "correct" itself in 1-3 months once the body adjusts to the hormone levels dispensed by the nuvaring, but personally I cannot endure this level of interference with my life that long, and the fatigue is becoming debilitating.

I think there needs to be improved warnings and disclosures with this product. Hope this helps someone searching for answers as I was. KN

Been on warfarin about 3 weeks due to an a-fib condition.. Dose is 2.5mg a day. Since starting I cannot sleep, feel very tired and fatigued and slight sour stomach. Doctors say this is due to the a-fib but I don't think so. All I hear from my doctors is no side effects. Hs anyone else experienced these symptoms, and/or is there a website where I can find some answers.

severe breakthrough bleeding,nonstop bleeding for 2 weeks

Dear kim and dejay,

your posts nearly bring me to tears, because you exactly tell my story from about 1,5 years ago!!

I know it's hard to believe while you're still in it, but: IT WILL GET BETTER!! You will be your old self someday, but you'll need lots of patience and endurance and the support of your family or husband or anyone around you!!

I know exactly EVERY symptom you both have mentioned!! And I remember me sitting in there and thinking "I never will be better again, this is how it will stay the rest of my life, I'm done!" and today I'm BACK!!

It can last a few weeks or months but I swear someday you'll think "oh, today I think I'm doing a bit better finally", that's how it happened to me!! It will be only little steps every day or week or month, but you'll get through this!!!

Remember that the pill is affecting your natural hormones completely and brings them out of whack. Now, after getting off that horrible pill, it will take some time for your body to learn how to produce hormones by itself again!! It's definitely not only a flu or a simple cold we're all going through, it's something more serious, but nothing letal and nothing, that will last forever!!

On top the Yasmin is lacking your body of very important electrolytes and vitamines and so on, because of the diuretic effect!! So, as flowerbabies already told you, please make sure to take some good supplements (most important seem to be magnesium, zinc and b-vitamines, because they are absolutely essential for nerves and muscles!!).

Another thing that might be possible (also because of the diuretic effect of Yasmin): Please ask your doctor for a blood work about your iron levels!! The monthly period (which, I guess, came really regular during Yasmin) AND the diswatering effect of Yasmin can also lack your body of that important substance.

For the very hard times another thing that might help to calm down a bit: VALERIAN. It's a natural medication which doesn't make you addictet and in my very hard times it was always a good thing to help me through!!

But DEJAY: Don't feel weak because you couldn't get through without antidepressants!! I swear there were times, where I thought "Please give me ANYTHING, I will take it, I can no longer stand this agony!" and today I still don't really know, how I got through without that stuff!! So please take something, if it might help you through the very hard times and someday you'll be able to get off it again!! I swear!

Ok, sorry, I'll try not to write a book again. But I really hope I could help somehow.

And please: If you feel bad and hopeless come around here and I swear you'll always find someone to support you (which I know sometimes is the only thing that helps not to give up completely!!).

But always remember: I's NOT YOU!! It's the Yasmin and someday you'll be better again.

Big hugs to you both and every other poor victim of that horrible drug and stay strong! You'll get through this!!

Best wishes and god's bless
Silke

Hi Guest 31105

I just wanted to let you know that It will take some time for your daughters hormones to balance again. Believe me right now they are still very off balance, and since that intricate balance is what gives you a sense of well being, the fact that they are so off (and I believe the YASMIN does this even more so than any of the other bcp for some girls) then she is not going to feel well for a few months. It WILL be on and off too, as I have experienced this as well. Dont go by when other people on this site feel good or bad, because everyones body chemistry is different. I know that personally for me it seems like there is only about a week or so that I felt good and then I would have a lot of bad days, before, during and after my period. Especially just after quitting the yasmin.
Keep in mind though that this gets better and better every month, you see birth control pills suppress the endogenous ovarian production of estradiol and progesterone resulting in low hormone levels which may be seen for 2-3 months after oral birth control pills have been stopped. Levels may return to normal within this time period. (I received my information from a lab where I have been having my hormones tested for the past 6 months.) But, I have been having a really SLOW recovery period of this balancing of my hormones, as I have seen with many girls on this site. So I believe with all the other types of bcp that someone may be on this may be true, but I think Yasmin threw my hormones so out of whack, and so OPPOSITE of my body chemistry that it is taking longer for the body to recover. So I was hoping that since your daughter was so young still and producing so many hormones still that she may recover faster (I wrote you in a earlier post) and she may still as compared to us, but it definitely is going to be months, not weeks. Dont be discouraged if she goes down hill again next month and the one after that as well. Keep telling her it is going to get better, and that as her body ovulates and goes through its cycle each month that it is producing the hormones she needs to regulate and balance her hormones. Tell her it is normal to feel great and happy for a while (it may be a week it may only be a day) and you feel like your improving, and then all of a sudden the next day or the next minute even you can feel like your whole world has fallen apart again and your back to square one. Its not like a steady improvement day to day, its more like month to month and you will only see the improvement in the fact that eventually she will start having more good days than bad, and more of her symptoms will gradually disappear. I dont know if raising the anti depressant dose will help as I said it seems to be a roller coaster of emotions as Im willing to bet in a few days she will start feeling better again as her progesterone and estrogen are going to start to rise again these next few weeks and they will be trying to balance themselves again before her next period where both hormones will fall again (Just before her period) and then the egg is released (her period) and then the hormones start to climb again after her period. So you can see why she becomes emotional at different times.
Being a nurse myself I have done tons of reading on hormones and what the body goes through in a cycle just so I can try to understand what is happening and why, but I have to tell you even knowing all I know and having the scientific facts of why I may be feeling the way I do, even I still fall into a depression and feel like I am crazy at times. Even to the point that my mom has had to do a lot of comforting to me! And Im in my 30's! So please just keep telling her to hang in there and that she is not crazy, what she is feeling is real because hormones (the right balance) are so important to our bodies our minds and our health, and the bcp wiped out that balance and now our bodies have to build this house of cards again, so to speak.
Take care and feel free to write back especially if you have any questions I will answer them as honestly as I can. Oh, and also, if your daughter does not start to feel some improvement in a least 4-5 months and I mean improvement not necessarily total recovery, I would take her to a doctor who specializes in hormones (It will take some research to find one who really does) and have her hormones tested to see if her body is having trouble balancing a particular hormone. But keep in mind it takes a long long time for complete balance as I have not even reached that stage yet, but I did set myself back by trying to restart my original bcp I was on Ortho novum for 14 yrs with no problems, and it threw my hormones off yet again! But Im hoping not as bad as the yasmin did. Only time will tell.
Sorry I wrote a book again!
Take care, I wish your daughter and all the girls on this web site the best of luck!
Bitter RN

hi claudia (hope)
i know exactly what you are going through,i have been there myself (as have many many women on this site) i suffered extreme anxiety/panic attacks,they were by far some of the worst symptoms i had while taking this pill as i felt i was going mad or had some kind of mental illness,i really thought my life as i knew it was over,i am 32 years old with 2 young children but i felt that bad i didn't think i wanted to carry on...then i found this site and came across so many women in this same situation and it saved me. i have been off yasmin for 4 months now and my anxiety levels are way way way down,it is now mainly in the background and is a memory rather than a constant feeling of fear. the practical things you can do are...take a B vitamin complex, vitamin B6, a magnesium supplement and maybe a little zinc too. take really good care of yourself with regards to what you eat and how much excercise you do.drink plenty of water and i mean plenty as it is great for anxiety and great for cleansing the body of these hormones. on a mental level try to remember that these feelings are not REAL fear as there is nothing to be afraid of it is just a chemically induced mood,panic attacks although scary will never actually hurt you even though they feel like you are going to die or go crazy. stay positive ( i know,easier said than done!) and face your fear head on,i know it sounds crazy but by taking control you will begin to feel stronger and more able to cope. it WILL get better but it will take some time for your body to get back into it's natural harmony,have faith that it will get better and please please listen when i say you are NOT crazy it is this horrible pill. i started to feel better after the first couple of months with regards to the anxiety and i hope you will too.i still have hormone problems and symptoms but the panic feelings are virtually nil. try the supplements i mentioned and try to reduce your stress levels too. i wish you all the best and hope that this has been of some help to you

Queen of Snow: You are not alone. There are other women on this site who have been on Yasmin for just as long as you and dealing with the same side effects.

I was on it for about 7 months before I quit. Had my first panic attack 5 months on Yasmin. Then the second at 7 months. I also had the fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Plus the sore boobs before my period.

It has now been 3 months since getting off Yasmin. I still have some bad days where I am pretty fatigued, but the dizziness, nausea, and sore boobs are gone.

So it will take some time, but you will get better.

I am also working with a nutritionist and taking some herbal supplements to help my body cleanse itself of Yasmin and all the bad stuff in my system.

Sandra

hi Hawkhillmom,
I too stumpled upon this post I was on Yasmin for over 3 yrs. and had gone to the dr.'s about 10 times, it wasn't until the second to last dr. I saw, that I realized it could be Yasmin. He said Yasmin was high risk for blood clots. So after the appt. I just did a quick search I typed in my symptoms and sure enough Yasmin came up

I was also prescribed antibiotics in case I had a virus or chest infection. Hang in there, I have been off for about 6 weeks and day by day I feel better. Some days I regress, but if you read the other posts, it's going to take some time to get out of your body. I kept a diary for about a month tracking how I felt some weeks were good, some weeks were bad, but all in all I can say I'm about 80% better.

I was on Estrostep before Yasmin and for no reason at all I switched at my Gyno's suggestion. He said oh you have gained 5 lbs. on this pill Yasmin won't cause you to gain any weight. Now 30 lbs heavier, numerous dr.'s telling me I'm crazy and need to speak to a therapist, a lot of money wasted on Dr.'s visits, and pure stress over thinking I was dying of some disease no one could fine....I'm glad to be off of it. I'm think I'm going to stay off Hormones for a while. After this ordeal, I think I'm better off with out them. For now at least.
Hang in there it will get better.
hill

Hello Ladies,
It has been exactly 6 weeks since I've been off Yasmin. I was feeling about 80% better however, this weekend I started having shortness of breath again as well as slight leg pain in my calf. I just finished up my period, first real cycle since stopping pill. I am also extremely swollen. This has been on and off since I stopped, but when I wake up in the morning, I can hardly make a fist my hands hurt so much. My fingers look like sausages. They are almost the size of my boyfriends hands. My face is a bit puffy too. I know some of you have had the swelling, but is it normal to have it after already being off of yasmin for 6 weeks. I know it's going to take some time, but I really thought I was doing better there for a while. I am a bit foggy abd dizzy again too. I guess it could be related to menstrating, although I kinda expected this to come before I menstrated not after. just wondering if any of you have had this.
Thanks, Hill

Update: I posted a message on 2/15, detailing my experience with Lisinopril 5 mg. I'm happy to report that the marathon coughing is finally over :) Yes, it felt like the coughing would never end! It gradually subsided in a span of two weeks. I would still occasionally cough as I noticed that there still seems to be an abundance of phlegm. But at least the constant coughing is gone. And, no more stress-incontinence as long I don't start the hacking cough. I feel so much better. I'm not as dizzy or light-headed. I'm still on Benicar 20mg (an ARB II ? not an ACE) and HCT 25mg. So far, no intolerable side-effects. My bp is controlled and will soon go for a follow-up visit. Just hoping I won't have to take this poison again.

One thing I noticed, on the following day I stopped Lisinopril, I had difficulty swallowing like even a teaspoons worth of food. It lasted for about a week and I was bloated. I was sure that I was having a bad reaction. But overall, things are generally better. I can say that life is good again :) The doc said that for some, it does take some time for the body to rid itself of the Lisinopril.

I disagree with the guy who implied that perhaps these are perceived symptoms. I think not! I am living proof that indeed, Lisinopril is the culprit. Like I said, I was never on any prescription drugs for the long haul other than your garden variety antibiotics. When I developed pregnancy-induced hypertension during my third pregnancy, I was put on Methyldopa for a few months. Any drugs I take, I always notice adverse side-effects. I'm in-tuned with my body when it comes to that, as are most people here who had complaints. So to suggest that these are "general and can be caused by and associated with many things" -- is an ignorant comment. It's not mass hysteria. Most people who posted here have already suffered the side-effects before they read what others wrote. They know from experience and observation that their condition was not normal after taking this drug and not because they first compared symptoms with other people.

You wrote: "Perhaps I would feel different if there had been a strong and relatively immediate reaction to the drug, but much of what I read suggests to me that people have other issues and problems, not a side-effect."

Wrong! Even the doctor concedes that many people do have these bad reaction to this drug. Not everyone is wired the same way, so naturally, some won't notice immediate side effects unless they're extremely allergic.

Hey Hill!!

You wrote:
< to take any hormonal bcp ever again in my life!!!

All the best to you!!

Silke

To guest 13095
Don't worry about something else being wrong for now, the side effects and withdrawal are awful no matter how long or how much u take of pred. Hang in there. I've been off of pred. since June 10 and I was on it for 4 yrs. I'm having a horrible time with withdrawal. Be very thankful u were not on it very long. As with gypsi and others, the self-esteem seems to disappear when pred. comes into our lives. The weight gain, insomnia, moodiness, sweating, aching, fever, hand tremors, etc. All r a part of side effects and withdrawal. My blood pressure is going crazy, high and low. Does anyone have any advice on this? Take one day at a time and know u will get better. It does take some time to get over this, I have a long way to go and today I feel like going to the hospital,but, I know after while I will feel different. Check on some posts from jules777. I'm not sure about all the "natural" ways but what have we got to lose? I'll try anything right now to feel better. Today is miserable. Keep me in your prayers out there. Thanx, I appreciate it lots. Trailblazen.............

There are so many postings of major problems with this drug that it may take some time to read them all. Please note that there are many many pages of problem reports. Go to the bottom and use the Page and Next buttons to see more issues. I found that I could only search one page at a time from my browser for words like anxiety. There are 42 pages of problem reports at this time, and rapidly growing too.

Among this group, anxiety and agitation are known side effects of this medicine. I believe the anxiety and agitiation come from the body knowing that something very bad is happening to it. I had severe agitation after a month or so of use. Later this turned into anxiety, and still later manifested itself as an intense and very scary burning sensation in my abdomin.

Needless to say, I saw several doctors: all were of no help and acted as advocates for the drug companies instead of as an advocate for me - they would say it couldn't possibly be the lisinopril, it must be you! What a cop out. And they prescribed paxil and later zoloft, since I kept complaining, neither of which was good for me. I finally made the association with the lisinopril, but unfortunately not before it had done some major and lasting destruction of quality of life. I got off the medicine and have been recovering ever since; that was over a year ago now. I'm much better (I was pretty bad off from this stuff) but not back to where I was before the lisinopril. I still have bad days rich with the side effects of this poison.

I have found calcium to help me with the pain in the lower abdomin side effect that was at the root of my anxiety and agitation. Later I discovered how helpful zinc is in getting rid of the cough side effect. And a small amount of manganese with some good vitamin-b helped me in combating the low energy levels and frequent tiredness side effect.

PS to Guest, #12572;

For sadness (depression etc) ; B vitamins and exercise are a great all-natural way to "help" combat the side effects you are experiencing. Vitamin C will also help.

B1; Plays a key role in the body's metabolic cycle for generating energy
B2; promotes general health
B3; increases energy through proper utilization of food, maintains the nervous system
B5 thru 11; improve the body's resistance to stress, helps the adrenal glands (the temporary loss of normal function in the adrenals is one of the most common effects of prednisone)
B12; low levels cause depression

Exercise stimulates the good endorphins and over all feelings of well being.

Because Prednisone can cause havoc on the adrenal glands, it is suggested that people do everything they can to support the adrenals during and after prednisone therapy;
(The adrenal glands secrete several important hormones that help maintain the balance of many body functions. Stress, fasting, temperature changes, infections, drugs such as prednisone, and exercise all stimulate the adrenals to release their hormones. When the adrenals release too few or too many hormones, the body responds differently to the everyday stresses of life.
The adrenal cortex is involved in the production of glucocorticoids (such as cortisol i.e. hydrocortisone), mineralocorticoids (aldosterone) and androgens such as androstenedione and DHEA. A mild to moderate adrenocortical deficiency can substantially reduce your quality of life, yet this condition is not recognized by most doctors, who only think of the adrenal gland's condition as being at either extreme - normal or in overt failure.
Symptoms of adrenal deficiency include depression, irratibility, fatigue, and exaggerated stress responses.

We need to remember that while taking prednisone, we were actually supplementing our own cortisol production and levels and it might take some time for our own cortisol productions to return to normal.

Best Wishes

I've had extreme swelling in my hands. Every morning when I wake up my hands are so swollen I can't bend my fingers. I've gotten to the point that before I go to bed, I take my wedding rings off. I have to. It's getting better. Ivygirl, it will take some time but it will go away, don't panic if the acne doesn't go away when you want it to. It will go away, just wait it out. Good luck : )

I noticed alot of people who are troubled by symptoms in the first 3 months of taking the pill. With any pill you are messing arround with your hormones and it's going to cause side effects untill your body can become accostomed to the new levels. Most doctors will tell you to stick it out for 3 months unless the pill is seriously not working (the first one i tried, Ovcon, didn't do a thing to lessen my insanely heavy periods so i switched to Yasmin after two months). Likewise, every person's body reacts differently to hormones. some people are extreemly sensitive while other's are not. Different pills usually offer different combinations of two hormones, so it might take some time to figure out what hormones your body reacts to the best. For me, Yasmin has worked very well. i did have a little weight gain but eating right and exercising keeps it in control now. the biggest side effect that i notice is vaginal dryness but most pills will cause that. In my opinion, don't be discouraged by some of the remarks here if you are about to try yasmin: make your own decision. It might turn out that it's the perfect pill for you or it may turn out not to be. You'll never know until you try, I have several friends who are on it and are very happy with it and others who have switched off of it and are happier with another pill.

So I decided to stop Yasmin after 3 years due to the HORRIBLE side effects. Although I have noticed some postive changes (decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, decreased cholesterol, improvement with stomach), I have also noticed some negative things from stopping Yasmin. For example, I am still suffering from anxiety and depression which I know will take some time to go away. Also, I have noticed that I have been losing TONS of hair and have not had a period since I stopped taking Yasmin about 6 weeks ago. Is the hair loss and not having a period normal? I am assuming this is probably because of the change in hormones...right???

Our nearly 3 year-old has been on 4 mg for almost a year. 3 weeks after starting the medication she started waking up 3 times a night with horrible screaming. Pediatrician and allergist both said it wasn't the drug so I kept her on it and it has been awful (though it has controlled asthma and runny nose). I started noticing "difficulty sleeping" and "vivid dreams" added as side effects on official literature. I switched her pill to the am and noticed that she became outrageously aggerssive about 8 hours after taking the pill, which coincided with when her nightmares had been. Since I took my daughter off the med, the nightime wakenings mellowed, but didn't stop altogether. I think it will take some time to undo the bad waking habits that have formed. I encourage parents who notice aggression and nightmares to take their kids off this medication quickly, as my poor daughter now has to contend with asthma AND exhaustion. I am just furious b/c I feel like I unwittingly made her a guinea pig.

Hi again. I wrote in about 10 days ago reporting that I had switched from Diovan to Lisinopril, and suspected Lisinopril was causing increased anxiety/depression. Just to be sure, I ran this past a psychiatrist who confirmed that what happened was a "classic drug reaction". I would take 10mg. lisinopril at bedtime. Within minutes, I would feel wide awake and agitated. I could not "turn off", even though I was tired. It would take some time to get to sleep. (The last few days that I took the drug, I paced circles around the house until the wee hours of the morning!) During the day I felt confused and anxious, and in the late evenings felt emotionally and physically exhausted and depressed. I had a hard time solving even simple problems. Then I would take that day's bedtime dose, and the cycle would start over.
After stopping the Lisinopril and switching back to Diovan, I noticed almost immediate improvement. It felt like a fog had lifted. In just a week I was pretty much back to normal. No need for SSRIs! I am not pleased that my insurance company is pushing this drug and plan to voice a complaint and register my concerns. In the meantime, I am paying for the Diovan out of pocket, and will be much more cautious about any future changes!
Best wishes to all...

my 6 year old son has been taking singulair since may, 2003 for a combination of fall-induced asthma, and migraines. the migraines seem to be less intense, but he has been getting a lot more headaches, in general. about 10 weeks after taking singulair, he began making some extremely morbid statements (i.e., "i wish i wasn't alive..." "would you be upset if i died?" "i wish i was never born..." "i wish i wasn't around..."), and these have only gotten worse as time goes on. he started kindergarten in september, and although he went to a pre-kindergarten class daily last year, he began having panic episodes. as all this intensified, we found a psychiatrist for him to talk to, but he doesn't want to talk to him or anyone else. we're still going, but it's very upsetting for him (and us). he's gone from being a fairly "happy-go-lucky" kid, to this miserable, negative child...seemingly in the time that he's been on singulair. i know these symptoms aren't "known" side effects, but as each person's body reacts differently to a drug, i wonder if it isn't the culprit. it all came on so suddenly, and we haven't been able to find out anything that could have triggered this. the school has been involved, his daycare is involved...and he says he doesn't know why he feels this way (basically, depressed).
so we took him off the singulair just 3 days ago. yesterday, we saw the child we remembered, although today he's been a bit of both. since the drug has to build up in your system to be fully effective, will it take some time for its effects to wear off as well? any information would be so greatly appreciated. there's nothing more heartbreaking than a 6 year old who repeatedly says, "i hate my life, " or "this is the worst christmas ever!"

Thanks! Judy