I began taking Yasmin 4 years ago, about 7 months after I had my ...

I began taking Yasmin 4 years ago, about 7 months after I had my first baby. My ob-gyn suggested Yasmin because of it's ability to prevent water weight gain, and since I had just gained 10 pounds postpartum with Depo-Provera (very scary drugi ndeed!!), I agreed to try Yasmin. I was 30 at the time and had been on BCPs since I was 18, so I didn't think Yasmin would be any different. (Wrong!) Because I was a new mom, I attributed my negative side effects (lethargy, awakening to go pee every night, dark circles under my eyes that prompted people to ask me if I felt ok all the time because I looked worn out, depression, not feeling at all like my normal self, waist/hips/thigh size expanded, hair trigger temper, or crying easily, feeling as though I was in a dazed state or sometimes about to explode, increase in blood pressure, massive hair loss during showering, increased thirst, and problems with severe incapacitating diarrhea along with a resulting weight loss of 10 pounds in less than 2 days, and or vomiting periodically, low potassium levels for which I was prescribed potassium supplements, and anxiety) to motherhood. Unfortunately, I could not find any info on these side effects until recently, so I thought I would just have to live with my problems and hope I would get better. Then, I saw on a website that Yasmin was on a list of drugs that should be banned by the FDA, and I searched for negative side effects, and found this website. That day in March 2006 I threw out my remaining pack of Yasmin, and I'm happy to report 3 months later that I am feeling so much better! I now sleep through the night, my blood pressure has returned to normal. I am anxiety-free. My vomiting /diarrhea has resolved much in part to daily yogurt consumption. But the best part is that I'm no longer angry (bitchy) at everyone and everything and I don't cry like a pregnant woman would. I can concentrate and I don't have spaced out feelings. My hair loss has returned to normal. I recognize the person looking out from a mirror as me now. Last but not least, I have lost 3 inches so far from my waist and 3 pounds of weight. Yay! What is truly scary about this drug is how it effects the kidneys and adrenal glands in a negative manner. I do hope I haven't done any irreversible damage to my organs. Yasmin is toxic and should be banned by the FDA. As someone who works in a medical laboratory setting, I wonder how the drug was approved in the first place. I guess as usual, women don't get the repect of the pharma industry. We have to fight for our rights for safe birth control methods. I am currently using the PG/53 fertility tester as my birth control and so far have been pleased with it. Thanks for allowing me to share my story!