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

I also was taking yaz for a month and a half. I stopped taking it because I had severe migraines. 2 weeks after I stopped the pill, I had severe vertigo. I was diagnosed with an inner ear infection. I never had one in my life. (i am 32). I am still suffering with severe dizziness. pretty much non functional - and scared. please stop taking yaz. I believe this is the cause of your problems.

take care.
christine

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL NOW WITH READING ALL THESE ARTICLES MY STORY IS VERY SIMALER TO YOURS I AM 29 AND IV HAD VOCAL CORD DYSFUNCTION FOR 12 YEARS AND NO DOCS HAVE HELPED .ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO I WAS TAKING TRYCICLYN BIRTH CONTROL I WAS FINE I HAD SOME ANXIETY WHEN MY BRATHING GOT TIGHT BUT NOT SO BAD THAT I NEEDED MEDS THEN MY DOC SAID THERE STOPPING TRYCICALIN BIRTH CONTROL SO HE CHANGED ME TO YASMINS THATS MY DAUGHTERS NAME BY THE WAY ANY WAYS AFER THAT MY LIFE CHANGED MY BOOBS WERE ALWAYS SORE I GOT VERTIGO I STILL HAVE IT IT RINGS IN MY EAR ALL DAY NOW I HAVE PANIC ATTAKS ANXIETY I WISH I WASNT ALIVE I TAKE SERTRALINE CLORAZEPAM AND SOME THING CALLEDPROPRANOLOL THER E WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME BEFORE I FEEL LIKE IM GONNA GO CRAZY AND NO DOCS EVER HELP DO YOU THINK I SHOULD STOP YASMINS AND GO BACK ON TRYCICALIN DO YOU THINK YASMINS CAN CAUSE VERTIGO ANXIETY AFTER READING ALL THESE I BELEIVE IT . WELL GOOD LUCK I HOPE YOU GET BETTER

Interesting. My 17 y/o daughter just started her new package of Yaz. Noted occasionally wanting to cry for no reason since starting, so there were mild initial effects that coincided with starting the medication. Since the most recent dose however (12th month), she noted dizziness (vertigo), palpitations (actual premature beats of EKG) and actually had a similar work-up in the emergency room. An echo/head CT/lung CT/ECG/lab/Monospot all negative since the emergency physician was convinced she had a brain tumor. Lucky she didn't. She recently gets mildly short of breath and anxious for no reason. This young lady is top in her high school and these are new symptoms. She will stop the Yaz tonight and we will see if symptoms resolve. Will update you on her progress. FW doc

I recently stopped taking Yasmin. About 2 weeks later if that, I started experiencing dizziness, anxiousness, vertigo, panic attacks. I then had an extremely heavy period. Connecting these symptoms to the bcp, I re-started it and although it made me feel calmer, my head felt foggy with constant headaches. I have now come off it again and have since been put on anti-depressants for panic disorder. I am currently experiencing panic disorder.

Have you stopped taking the Yaz pill? Seems to me that would be the first thing I'd do. If Yaz is causing your symptoms, then the symptoms should stop within a week or month after your cycle regulates itself.

I too am experiencing panic attacks and serious migraines since starting YAZ 6 months ago. When I first started, I felt fine for about 3 months, but the headaches got worse and the panic/anxiety attacks began about a month ago. I have never had anxiety in my life, so I am assuming it is related to the pill, but who knows for sure? I stopped the pill one week ago, but have not noticed any improvements yet, but I realize it may take a while. Now I just feel foggy headed, shaky, nervous and my nose is swolen for some strange reason. I have had a CT scan and all looked normal. I can't even drink caffeine any more as it induces anxiety in me. I really do think YAZ has something to do with it.

chrissy34,

Have your symptoms gotten any better? I too took Yaz for about a year. I began experiencing vertigo-like symptoms in April of 2007. These symptoms were more like an unsteadiness, not spinning like true vertigo. I have had blood work, head CT, seen a vertigo specialist, and countless doctors. The only thing that helps is anti-vert. I have always been anxious but it got a LOT worse while I was on Yaz and Yasmin. This may give you some hope though. Recently, within the past month, my vertigo has gotten a little better. I don't know why. It may be temporary. I hope it goes away completely. I hope you are doing better as well.

Wow..... I have been on yaz for about 4 or five months. I too am having anxiety and migraines. I'd NEVER had a migraine before. And... if I admit to this, my whole career is over. I am in a safety related job and if my vision is affected, I will LOSE my whole career!!!! I am debating whether or not I should complete this packet or not. I'm also waking up sweaty and with anxiety in the night and having nightmares. I knew this was a stressful time in my life, but first time I've had migraines and first time the anxiety was so bad that I actually had physical symptoms. I am a healthy 40 year old and I've been terribly frightened by the onset of these symptoms. Now I'm afraid of the vertigo when I get off of them? Haven't experienced that, but it sounds like most of you ended up with an ear infection or vertigo after getting off of these pills. My sister is on Cressell. I might try that or get a hysterectomy. So sick of this DRAMA!

Please ladies--GET OFF YAZ IMMEDIATELY--I was on Yaz for about 8 months and starting experiencing great signs of severe depression. Almost to the point where I was suicidal. Crying for no reason, feeling completely worthless. Yaz is the worse birth-control out there. Please, please stop taking it immediately!!!

I too have been on Yaz and have started feeling wierd I started having what I found out are migraines, spots in my vision, numbness, nausea dizziness, confusion!! I am stopping yaz right now!!!

My story is exactly like yours---three months into taking YAZ I had an awful vertigo episode and I thought I was going to black out. I do not have any health problems and I am in perfect condition. This was the one and only time in my life. When the dizzyness and anxiety and vertigo (and sudden living within a fog) started to become commonplace and the headaches were ibuprofened out (never had a headache IN MY LIFE till the YAZ), I really started wondering. Twice (once in ER and once in Urgent Care a blood panel was run to check for the usuals). Twice my Sodium came up low. The doctor diagnosed my with Adisons disease. But I have no joint pain or lethargy. So, I called my brother who is a physician. He did some research of his own and called me back and said to get off the YAZ ASAP!!! It was causing low sodium and sometimes low potassium (giving me a feeling of a 'hang over'). I asked if this would be the end of the side effects and he said unfortunately it is in your system now--you will have to stay clear of all hormones for three months to clean out. IF SYMPTOMS DO ARISE (even if you know what it is now) GO TO THE DOCTOR or URGENT CARE. The body is fighting to get back to normal but it is not there yet. This happened last week. First day I was dizzy and 'zonking' in my head, Second day I was headachy and a tad less dizzy but anxiety of a reshow was there. Third day I could breath my way through the dizzy's and I discovered Gatorade and Zone Bars (electrolytes and something I could eat adequate in sodium and sugars). Fourth day it was almost completely gone and I have kept on Gatorade, Zone Bars, and regular healthy food. Fifth day almost gone. Six day I feel GREAT! But if anything should happen I will be in the ER faster than you can imagine. Do NOT drink coffee (diuretic) and do NOT NOT drink alchohol at all. Stay out of the sun and just take it easy. Seems to be working. Wish me luck. After three months I think I'll go back to Mirena. All the best.

Wow, I can't believe I'm reading all these stories! I stopped taking Yaz in June 08 because it was making me moody and panicky, giving me headaches and causing breakthrough bleeding. I was switched to Ortho Tricycline on a Sunday and by Friday the vertigo started. I assumed it was the NEW pill causing it, so I stopped it immediately, but the vertigo and headaches persist (I haven't taken any form of birth control since late June). I realized today that I can't remember the last time I DIDN'T have a headache... I take ibuprofen every four hours, every single day of my life. I have spoken to my GYN, my GP and an ENT so far. I have a balance test and an MRI scheduled. But I'm guessing from all of your stories that all this testing will probably be fruitless.

Thank you to the poster who mentioned low sodium and nitrates, because maybe I've inadvertenly made myself worse... at the same time I ditched the pills, I also gave up my (DAILY!) Diet Coke and Zone bars because I was trying to eliminate artificial crap in my diet... If the symptoms are worsened by reduced sodium, well the pill plus my dietary changes probably caused a double-whammy!

I also reduced caffeine and alcohol, but it hasn't seemed to help.

Please, if anyone finds help for this, please don't forget to come back and post. It is RIDICULOUS that so many people should be suffering from this. I feel so victimized!

ive been on yaz almost a year and just recently started getting a brown discharge and cramps i know it isnt a period as im nt due my 7 day break until friday. can someone help?

I too have had a problem with Yaz. My first recommendation is to toss it out. I only lasted a month, and barely. From the second day I had heart palpitations, tightness in my chest (the advice nurse told me this would go away-it didn't) I felt winded all the time and had headaches for the whole month. Eventually, while at work, I lost my vision. It was like looking through a foggy window. I finally got to see a dr who told me to stop taking the drug because it was causing an allergic reaction. I have been off it for 4 days and still have a horrible migriane and a weird rash on my back that looks like a bunch of parallel red lines/ scratches and feels terrible. Most of my vision has returned and I can function now.
MY ADVICE TO ANYONE WHO HAS HAD AN ADVERSE REACTION TO YAZ-GO TO THE FDA WEBSITE AND REPORT IT http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/index.html. THE FDA NEEDS TO KNOW SO THEY CAN TAKE THE DRUG OFF THE MARKET IF IT CAUSES MORE HARM THAN GOOD. From the research I've done, I've found very few people have good things to say about Yaz. And its a much more dangerous pill than the others because it can cause elevated levels of potassium.

I can't believe I have read so much about this. Last sunday I got my period and started taking Yasmin for the first time. After 3 days I was feeling very moody and by day five was so moody that I decided not to take the pill anymore, so I had only taken Yasmin Sunday- Thursday. On the Friday I still had my period, quite heavy, saturday still had period. Sunday I had planned a trip with my boyfriend, we got in the car and I experienced dizziness, and all day I was vomiting, to the point that I fainted in the car. I suffered migraines all day that day, now it is Thusrday and I still have my period and I my stomach is still very sore. I hope my period stops soon. I can't believe it could be the pill- but all these readings are proof to me, that it should be banned, it is not something that should be handed out unless the doctor is sure we can handle it.

Last night I finally stopped Yaz after spending 48 hours flat on my back with severe vertigo & migraine. I'm 45 and have only been taking Yaz for 3 months to help regulate my painful ovulation and water retention. I've had vertigo migraines before but they are nearly everyday now so I wasn't catching on as I should. I also suffer from bipolar disorder so the increased moodiness wasn't anything new. But until Yaz I was living proof that women with bipolar can live happy, productive normal lives. I will follow the advice about the low salt diet get back to healthy now! Thanks, everyone!

I have a question for everyone. I never had any side effects while actually taking Yaz. However, I stopped taking it about 3 weeks ago, and I developed a cold or sinus type infection not too long afterwards. THEN I started having these terrible headaches, earaches and vertigo every day and it still has not stopped. Anyone aware of side effects not happening until AFTER you stop taking yaz? and anyone who has stopped taking Yaz in the past, does this ever go away? Any suggestions? I went to the doc and they gave me antibiotics for an ear infection, but it doesn't seem to be helping and i feel foggy and tired all the time...any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I am so glad I found this page in my search for answers about all my symptoms. I am 38 years old and have been dealing with adult acne for a while. on my last regular GYN visit I mentioned my acne problems and my Dr. recommended YAZ. At first I had heavy bleeding and spotting but got better after my second cycle so I just assumed its part the initial side affect with any new drug you take. About 6 weeks after taking Yaz I was woken up by dizziness/the room felt like it was spinning...I would fall back asleep and then when I would turn to my left side this would happen again. I really got nervous the next day when I was blowing my hair and my head was upside down I lost my balance and fell. I felt so out of control. My husband took me to my PCP and he said that I had Vertigo and prescribed Antivert. This helped but after a few days I stopped taking the medication I was questioning if possibly I had fluid in my inner year. My girls had the flu and maybe I had gotten it from them. Until recently I started to feel a little anxiety and also noticed some weight gain I decided to get on line in check it out. Well needless to say I did not take my pill today after reading all these helpful posting and I will contact my Doctors office this Monday because I have some questions. I am worried of what my body will do now that I will stop taking Yaz...Any suggestions or advice will be welcomed. Thank you all for sharing your experience while taking YAZ!

I am 37 and have perimenopausal symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats) due to a suggested ovarian failure. I have had prior experiences with slight dizziness as well as a family history of headaches, PMS, etc, and my OB-GYN gave me some samples of YAZ. After reading all of your postings and seeing that everyone seems to have the same side-effects, I am scared to death to take this pill. Granted, certain family histories certainly can play a key role regarding the side-effects, but it's not looking too favorable for me to start. I have just gotten over the dizzyness spells and the last thing I want to do is bring it back.

Has anyone else been prescribed YAZ for the treatment of perimenopausal symptoms?

DO NOT TAKE YAZ! I am 17 I was on it for a month and a half before I realised it was the cause of all my problems. as soon as I started the second month I becaame EXTREMELY tired could not get out of bed within a week I started getting unbarable migranes. They were so bad I went to the hospital twice in 3 days for them and was put on morphine and still felt horrible pain. I was nausus had severe dizzyness, blurry vision, anixiety, depression. THIS MADE ME FEEL LIKE ABSOLUTE SHIT. I got off of it 5 days ago and still can barerly get out of bed to even go to the bathroom because it causes such horrible migranes still and will for about 2 more weeks they said. It put me in bed without being able to do ANYTHING for the past 3 weeks already and had put me through rediculous pain and problems. I have had NO history of any of the problems I listed above and everyday ive been off the pill i am starting to get a little bit better. But it is taking A LONG time to recover.

I've accidentally found out that Botox cures migraines. Haven't had one since I had my first injection.

I had these same symptoms, the mind fogginess almost like I was on auto pilot. I had panic attacks and this strange dizzy, or almost floating feeling. My doctor prescribed at first some Ativan for the anxiety, and when that did not work, I was prescribed Trazodone, to help me sleep as well as some Celexa also known as Citalopram for the depression and anxiety, after about a week or two of recovery I was back on my feet and feeling normal once again. I do not know if it had anything to do with my use of Yasmin, however I do know it involved the chemicals Serotonin and Dopamine in my brain and digestive system. Hope everything works out!

Hi i too have suffered with migraines with aura since i was 17 (am now 31) and so have taken various pills over the years such as logynon and then switched to a lower dose oestrogen pill microgynan 20ed to see if anything helps. Recently have been taking the Yaz pill to see if it helps with the migraine i always seem to get when i get my period during the sugar pills but all i have noticed on taking yaz... i have tried it twice, and both times i have suffered with vertigo within days of taking it. Once i had vertigo every morning in bed for 6 weeks... it went away within a week and a half of stopping Yaz. I have just thrown it in the bin and will go back to taking Logynon triphasic pill. I will put up with the migraine i get when i get my period rather that this horrible vertigo. I agree this pill is causing vertigo.

Hi i too have suffered with migraines with aura since i was 17 (am now 31) and so have taken various pills over the years such as logynon and then switched to a lower dose oestrogen pill microgynan 20ed to see if anything helps. Recently have been taking the Yaz pill to see if it helps with the migraine i always seem to get when i get my period during the sugar pills but all i have noticed on taking yaz... i have tried it twice, and both times i have suffered with vertigo within days of taking it. Once i had vertigo every morning in bed for 6 weeks... it went away within a week and a half of stopping Yaz. I have just thrown it in the bin and will go back to taking Logynon triphasic pill. I will put up with the migraine i get when i get my period rather that this horrible vertigo. I agree this pill is causing vertigo.

My daughter is 14 and took the Yaz. Within her first month on the pills, she started having severe stomach pains and headaches. We didn't even relate it to the Yaz until later. 4 months after starting the Yaz, she ended up having to have her gall bladder removed. This after months of tests. Then we looked at the headaches. After much investigation, I took her off the Yaz, but the damage was already done. Now she deals with daily migraines, chronic nausea, vertigo, blurred vision, disconnects in her thought processes, fatigue, numbness in her arms and hands. Has anyone found anything that will help reverse the effects of this medication?

Hi momtobabs:

I just wanted to let you know that there is a site called the "Yasmin Survivors Forum" (if you type it into your search engine it will come up) where there are many women (including myself) who have taken either Yasmin or Yaz and experienced terrible side effects, who are willing to offer support and advice.

Many of us had great luck with taking vitamins and supplements when coming off of either Yasmin or Yaz, and there are threads on the forum that deals with this.

In the meantime, I wish your daughter the best of luck and improved health.

Meagan