Yasmin and 3 years

I am 21 years old. I have been taking Yasmin for 3 years with no problems. For the last two months I have used the generic brand of Yasmin. My breast size has increased, I feel bloated and have put on weight. Nothing else has changed. I exercise 6 days a week and eat the same. I have stopped taking Yasmin. Has anyone stopped taking it and lost the weight and if yes how long did it take?

This is a warning to those of you who are going off of Yasmin in an attempt to get pregnant! (along with a few other issues)

I was on Yasmin for almost 3 years, and I'd like to first say that I had SO many stomach issues since being on it that I had eventually been sent to a gastroenterologist by my GP. My gynecologist swore up and down that Yasmin could in no way be the reasoning for my stomach issues (nausea, motion sickness, diarrhea etc) however, I've recently gone off of Yasmin in an attempt to get pregnant. Here's where my huge problem comes into play... About a week and a half after going off of the pill I started having severe dizzy spells as well as fatigue. These symptoms persisted for the next 2 weeks or so and then about 4 days before I was supposed to get my period I started experiencing intense cramps. Of course my fiance and I were a little bit disappointed because this meant that those side effects meant we hadn't successfully conceived. So a few days go back, as does the usual Wednesday that I receive my period. So Thursday I decided to take a pregnancy test and to our complete and utter surprise it came out positive! We were so excited, as were our friends and families. So again, a few days go by (and I never got my period) and my cramps persisted night and day. Then I started experiencing sickness at night time when I tried to go to bed. We of course thought this was due to the pregnancy. Then Monday at about 4AM I woke up in complete and utter pain and went to the bathroom and came to find out I was bleeding. We completely panicked thinking I was miscarrying. I ended up spending that entire day in the hospital and later the next day we found out I was never pregnant. We had gone through a river of emotions within those 2 days and although we were very glad we hadn't miscarried, it was also devastating to realize we were not yet pregnant. False positives are very rare, and I'd have to say that they SUCK. So watch out girls, and make sure to go to the doctors for a blood test ASAP before getting too excited. Just wanted to let you all know.

As for us, we're going to keep on trying and hoping for the best. I of course never intend on going back on Yasmin as I've discovered I've been completely wasting my and my gastroenterologist's time due to this medication.

Hi all i have been taking Yasmin for about 3 years now and am so glad i have now discovered this site. Initially Yasmin worked well for me but in the last 2 years or so i suffered the anxiety, panic attacks and depression(which i was then given Zoloft to treat) and decreasing eyesight and weight gain, diarrhea, bloating i never thought it could be related to Yasmin! i have tried to come off it but experienced the most terribly painful periods. i recently went to a naturopath and was given herb tablets(vitex agnus-catus)
to stabilize my hormones whilst coming off the pill. I urge other women to really think about the side effects before taking YASMIN and ask questions if you have any of these symptoms.i hope i get back to normality once ive stopped this pill and hope everyone else does too!

i was on Yasmin for 3 years - thankfully the worst side effects i had were low sex drive and dryness. i did have a couple scares where i thought i had a clot, but i got it checked out an it was nothing. i got off the pill a month ago. i feel fine. i've been a bit moody and i cry a lot over nothing, but i attribute that to my body readjusting. i haven't had a period yet. i'm a bit nervous about that. i do feel i've gained a small bit of weight.

for all of you who are reading this - there ARE alternatives that are safe and easy. i just bought a fertility computer called LadyComp. it's expensive, but when you think about the side effects it is saving as well as the monthly expenses for the pill, it will eventually save you a lot of money as well as your health. it's not sold in the states (cuz pharmeceuticals rule the country and won't allow something like this) but you can buy online from England or Canada. it's just as effective as the pill and SO much safer for you!!!!

this is my story... I am 41 and wombless. Was prescribed Yasmin for a cyst which they say is an ovarian cyst, but I have no ovaries. May i say I have never taken contraceptives in my life. began taking prescription 28 days ago today. from the very first day it brought on kidney pain that was dormant for months and a feeling of nausea and headaches. That checked with antibiotics in a week, with the exception of headaches which i still have on and off, it has been smooth sailing. problem is yesterday i woke up bleeding. I haven't had a period in almost 3 years so i am in a dilemma. Its weekend and i don't see my gyn until Monday. The only thing i can put this to is the tabs and i am not gonna take any more. I quit.

ive been on Yasmin for 5 months. its been the worst 5 months of my life. been VERY depressed desperate and had suicidal thoughts. its made me cry and cry and cry. im still currently taking this but am waiting to finish this pack and change to loestrin 20. all women react to different pills. but from my own experience i wouldn't go near this pill. i wish id changed pill sooner because i cant handle my life at the moment.

Funny...Me and my Boyfriend of 3 years just had this big heart to heart today trying to figure out...WHERE MY SEX DRIVE WENT???? So we put two and two together in the time frame is seemed to have been "lost" in, and we came up with YAZ. Thats not why I ended up on this site at 1am though...

As we were lying in bed, I got sudden mild chest pains in my left side and my left arm went numb. All I have ever known about these symptoms is that you are having a heart attack! As I get outta bed Travis says "what are you googling?" Him knowing that I am a hypercondreact!

I had decided today to stop taking the pill not willing to risk my wonderful sex life and relationship. I said goodbye to my wonderful FULL C breasts :( I will keep you posted on my after side effects! Good luck to you brave women!!!

Wow. I found this site after looking up causes for lack of sex drive. I've been on Yasmin for 6 years, but never thought for a minute it had anything to do with the problems I've been having. Loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness, hair loss, mood swings (partners always gets the brunt of those), repeated bouts of chest pains (diagnosed with pleurisy recently, don't know if there is a link).

I had got to the point that I thought this is just the way I am, it never occurred to me that something else could be causing this. I can't even remember what it's like to be normal.

I already have 2 kids and don't want any more at the moment so I don't know what the solution is. Well, I haven't wanted sex for the last few years so i suppose the bloody thing has done its job in that way!

I'm just shocked, this has been a real wake up call. I'm stopping taking the evil little things as of now.

Feeling bad after Stop taking Yasmin:
I stopped taking Yasmin one month ago, after taking it for 3 years.
But now I feel ill and dizzy for about 3 weeks.
I don't know if I should start with Yasmin again to feel better.
I hope to get a helpful advice from you.
Thanks
A.

I was on Yasmin for 3 years and never experienced any significant side effects. I tried several different contraceptives to help with my menstrual cramps, and Yasmin was the only one that didn't make me crazy. I didn't notice any obvious weight gain, and I never experienced the horrible things I have seen written on here. I sympathize with everyone. Several other types of pills have negatively affected me: Alesse, Femcon Fe. I think it at depends on the person. About 4 months ago, I decided to go off of the pills just to see if my cramps would still be as bad as they used to be. They weren't, but as soon as I came off the pill, I got mild to moderate acne, I was sweating like a man, and generally felt exhausted. I decided to go back on Yasmin simply to help my acne.

1. Blood Pressure 180/120 resulting in an emergency room trip
2. Weight gain of 25 POUNDS! Most/all of which was water and came off within the first week of being off from Yasmin.
3. Bloating and extreme water retention. See # 2.
4. Severe leg muscle cramping and foot pain
5. A mental feeling of not caring and general fogginess
6. Complete loss of libido
7. Acid reflux (probably from the diuretic in Yasmin)
8. General weakness in my muscles (there were times that I could barely open a revolving door).

I was on Yasmin for a year. I have been off for one month. I am still on blood pressure meds, but they don't think the Yasmin is out of my system. Has anyone else gotten hypertension from Yasmin and if so, how long did you have to be on blood pressure meds?

Some of my symptoms are getting better after a month, and some are not. If anyone is reading this to decide whether or not to take Yasmin, please don't. You may not have any symptoms right away and you may think you feel great, but that is the scariest part. When symptoms come on gradually, you hardly notice them until you are in the hospital emergency room.

I'm 29 years old and just recently decided to get off the pill after about 3 years. I have taken MANY different kinds because I started having yeast infections every month and then I was given diflucan once a month for that, but I could never shake the migraines. I think I was taking it for about 8 months and my period was the same day every month and that was awesome. I was going to stop the pill last month, but decided to get the new generic version for another month. Even if Yasmin works for you be VERY CAUTIOUS about the new generic version. this came out July 1st and the generic name is Ocella. I took it for a week and had to get off of it because I broke out in hives and I've never had an allergy in my life. I wanted to stay on something thru the month so I didn't mess my cycle up, but making a trip to my family doctor because of it is not worth the hassle. I wish they could make the magic trick for no migraines with birth control pills so hopefully we can get pregnant soon and then I'll be getting my tubes tied and no more pills!! good luck ladies, but always ask your doctor for more options if something doesn't work for you.

I posted here on July 15, and would like to update.
(I had been on Yasmin for 3 years and got off it at the end of June, then experienced severe migraine and fatigue as well as weight gain of 6lb in a few days)

On July 16 I had a little bleeding, and migraine stopped. Then, within a few days, my skin and hair became very oily. A few pimples appeared on my face. I hadn't had a pimple for 6-7 years and my skin had been dry. I keep losing and gaining a few pounds in a day, and my fingers and face swell especially when I get up in the morning. I had migraine and felt extremely tired on August 12 - 15. On August 16, I got my 'period' that felt fake - even lighter than when I was on Yasmin. It started very slowly, and very light flow continued for about 5-6 days. No cramp.

I don't feel normal yet. I get water retention, and my skin is still very oily. I got a pimple on my neck and some on face. My skin feels very irritated and feels like there're tiny pimples all over my face. I feel overly worried about things that are beyond my control.
Good news is my sex drive recovered and I haven't had yeast or BV.

I hope we feel better (normal) soon. I will update again. Thank you for reading.

I had been Yasmin using 5 years and about 3 years ago was diagnosed with secondary hyperaldosteronism. I caught it because I had extremely high blood pressure at 21 years of age. I had a blood test done 2 years ago and I had elevated aldosterone levels around 150.The elevated levels continued until present (9/08) (I was taking Yasmin at the time) About 2 months ago my doctor took me off of Yasmin and within 3 weeks my aldosterone was down to 81.7. Still high but very suspicious that it went down by almost half after I had stopped taking Yasmin.

I am 38 years old and was on Yasmin for 3 years to control ovarian cysts that kept bursting. It kept good control of my acne, but I had no sex drive, horrible facial hair, no vaginal lubrication, and extreme pain during sex especially climax. Finally, 2.5 years ago, I suffered from right-side paralysis which ended up sending me to the hospital. My potassium levels were so low that my I was suffering from neuorlogical problems that they initially thought I was having a stroke at the hospital. Taking potassium did not keep my potassium levels up while still taking Yasmin, so I finally went off it. The literature does mention that one may suffer from low potassium, but even taking supplements did not allow me to keep my potassium levels up enough. I am getting an IUD put in place on Thursday and hopefully this will take its place well enough!

Oh! And Furthermore, Lest I forget to register MY formal COMPLAINTS about Yasmin...
i was a healthy 160 pounds when i started taking Yasmin 6 years ago (about) I now weigh about 218. 60 pounds in 6 years for me =( I attribute some of that to Yasmin...
also~ signature heart palpitations, depression, moodiness. exhaustion crept up on me over time, worrying about everything, being tired but not being able to sleep, (these all contributed to my lask of ability to exercise overly much....palpitations during exertion are very scary....
horrible overall experience. Just got off, going back to condoms as a 31
year old woman! (tells you how bad the pills are) Will never take ANY pills ever again in my life and really think these pills should be taken off the market. in this site alone you will find over 4000 threads on the topic of bad Yasmin side effects....google it and Im sure you will find tons more, Get off this pill if you value your heart and your hair! and spread the word.... I wish you all the best and pray this isn't something even worse than we realize, or that the damage is not irreparable. =(

I cannot recall off the top of my head how long I've been on Yasmin, but its been at least 3 years. I feel very tired a lot of the time, and I have little to no energy, except for a few days before my period starts, then I feel great and happy go lucky. My brother died over 10 years ago, and I was using an anti-depressant, so I kept thinking my depression was from my grief of losing my brother. Now, reading some of these posts and other women's experiences with Yasmin, I'm starting to think maybe Yasmin is the cause of my depression. I'm usually an energetic person, and love to be outside and enjoy being around people. Most of the time now, I'd rather be sleeping or being by myself. Thanks, everyone, for your experience of using Yasmin. I think I have a valid reason for seeing my doctor, to get off of Yasmin. I am not in any relationship, and the only reason my doctor put me on Yasmin was to regulate my periods, though they are usually fairly light to normal, and always have been.

I took Yasmin for 3 years and stopped about 3 weeks ago in hopes of becoming pregnant soon. I am experiencing a rapid resting heart rate (100) and occasional mild chest pains. My blood pressure, however, is normal. I have also had a pain in my lower right abdomen below my hip bone off-and-on for a week. The first day it was sharp and lasted about 20 minutes and I thought it was ovulatory pain (and I guess it still could be). When it lingered, I thought it was my appendix, and now I'm a little confused as to what it is. It is mild and only happens for a few minutes a day. I'm just wondering if these things are all linked to the timing of stopping Yasmin. Has anyone else experienced any of these symptoms? I'm becoming paranoid about my health.

I'm 22 years old and I have been on Yasmin for 3 years. The first year it was fine, but the next year I began getting panic attacks which I never even believed in until I had one myself. I've had severe anxiety that is uncontrollable and doesn't allow me to sleep at night. Let's not even talk about the emotional mood swings during my period. My boyfriend knows when it's that time of the month because I'm not myself. I will cry over things that would never make me cry in a million years. I'm mean and moody and then 20 minutes later I feel bad, but then I'm crabby again. Weight gain has not been a problem for me only about 3-5 pounds, but my breasts did go from a large B to a D. My boobs definitely do not fit my body. I have noticed a lot of hair fall but I just thought it was normal. I too have had problems with my potassium levels as I would get leg cramps in the middle of the night so I began drinking Gatorade and eating bananas every morning which has helped. I love being on birth control because it helps me plan accordingly, but I just don't feel like myself anymore. I am always hungry and am never full. I literally have to tell myself out loud that I'm done eating because it doesn't trigger for me. I have had a stomach ache nearly everyday of being on the pill. I became addicted to TUMS which only made it worse. I thought it was stress related which it might be, but I literally do not go to the bathroom for 4 or 5 days and it is soooo painful. Another thing is that I have no sex drive. I really have to prepare myself for it otherwise sex does not even occur to me. My boyfriend thinks I'm not attracted to him, but I AM! We just moved in together and you would think it was "freedom" but I'm just motivated to have sex. This is not normal for a 22 year old healthy female with an extremely hot man.

Anyway, I just went to the doctor and told her I was interested in Yaz. She gave me a few sample packs which I will begin next week. I'm hoping for the best and I truly do believe that birth control is a trial and error process. Everyone's bodies are different and you need to find the one that works best for you! I will write again once I know how Yaz works out.

-MCL

I've been on Yasmin for almost 3 years and have had no bad experiences except for a little constipation that cannot be cured by an apple a day. Prior to yasmin I tried Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Ortho-Low which both made me gain weight and become moody. I also tried the patch that made me gain a lot more weight and become extremely moody! tried the NuvaRing, and they you cannot feel it but I could and also felt really moody on it but couldn't tell with the weight since I had gained so much on the other stuff. My friend recommended Yasmin to me and since then I have loved it. You can't be on oral contraceptives and live a lazy lifestyle. You've got to be healthy and active. Exercise increases positive endorphines that will help you keep a healthy mood. When I went on Yasmin I lost 40 pounds of the weight that I gained from the other stuff. In addition some little acne I had cleared up. I have not experienced moodiness on Yasmin but again I eat healthy and exercise A LOT which I think helps tremendously.

My doctor did have me try taking "yaz" for 2 months and please DO NOT confuse the two. Yaz was completely horrible for me and my period became wacky. My OB explained that all women have hormonal changes throughout their whole life and that Yasmin may not be right for me forever but right now it seems to be the best choice. She said all women are different and some may experience it horribly.

So those of you reading all the negative posts below - please do not be scared of by it because you do not know what is good for your body by the basis of someone else experience.

If you do research on Yasmin as with any other drug you can see that there are something that you need to consider when deciding to go on this drug. Yasmin is also different because it uses potassium.

... I just want to say that I did not have a bad experience with Yasmin or Yaz (I had been on both). I took Yasmin for about 3 years and Yaz for about 2 years. The only thing that has been rough is actually stopping it... the first month Yasmin-free, nothing much changed, aside from some weight gain (only about 2-3 lbs or so), but my period was still pretty much the same... HOWEVER, month two... what a train wreck! Spotted for 4 days, thought I was pregnant, but oh, no... my period arrived with a vengeance four days late, and it totally brought me back to those high-school days when it was so heavy, I was self-conscious of leaking! I have also gained another couple of lbs, which I can only attribute to stopping the pill because I have become very active since the beginning of the summer, and have been cutting down on food portions. So, we;ll see what happens... but if anyone else has experienced weight-gain after coming off of the pill, I'd love to know.

Otherwise, no issues! Yasmin seemed to work well for me.

I'm 21 yrs old and have been on Yasmin for about 3 years, I've loved it - well I thought I did. I have been with my boyfriend for 2 years now, and this past year has just been really hard. I'll love our relationship one day and the next not be able to stand it and I love him more than anything. Over the past year I've experienced extreme mood swings, anxiety, haven't been able to handle stress - I've been breaking out in rashes at least once a month and really think it's because of this pill. I've also lost a lot of weight in the past year, I've been getting headaches everyday some to the point that I have to go to sleep because I can't think it's soo bad, I've had no motivation to do anything I have always, up to this point, loved doing. I've tried many anti depressants and have been off of them for about 2 years now, and have been thinking of going back on them because of the thoughts and feelings I've been experiencing. I thought it was just me, maybe there was something wrong with me? I've been on this pill for so long, who would've thought that it's just now causing these symptoms?
Yesterday I layed out by the pool for about an hour and when I got inside I noticed all these bumps on my arms that itched really bad, but they also hurt, so this morning I googled "sun bumps" and found that it can be cause from birth control pills, so then I googled "side effects of Yasmin" and I found this site. I am absolutely amazed at how many other women are experiencing exactly what I've been going through! I cannot believe that doctors don't bother mentioning all of these side effects to you, I'm absolutely terrified to go off of them because of the weight gain and also the mood swings I will more than likely experience. I got on the pill so I would have a normal period and it's really helped in that aspect, the craping isn't as bad, but the mood swings have definitely gotten worse.
I have called and left a message with my doctor to speak with her about what I've been going through now that I have a pretty solid idea that it's being caused from this pill.

i started taking Yasmin after i had my 5th child in July 2002. i was about 70 pounds over weight and my gyno said i would lose weight on this new wonder pill. i did, i lost 30 pounds and felt better than i ever had.
My skin was clear, my period light and i just consistently lost weight. i did notice that i was urinating quite a bit but didn't think much about it. About 3 years into taking the pill, my pharmacist mentioned to me that i should be having potassium levels drawn with this pill. I was a bit confused because i had read the literature that came with Yasmin when i started taking it(im a nurse and i just always research new meds i take) and it never once mentioned blood work. i had to harass my gyno because he thought it was useless but to appease me and because i mentioned to him i take a lot of ibuprofen for back pain he humored me and did the test. It was a little high but nothing crazy so i let it go even tho i mentioned that i was getting horrible muscle spasms all the time. he said my calcium was probably low. i accepted that because i had had 5 kids and figured i had depleted my supply. he mentioned that i could take Yasmin continuously without taking a sugar pill to keep me from having a period, said it was completely safe. so for the next 3 years i only had periods about 4 times a year. i raved to everyone how wonderful this pill was. i was still having muscle cramps but it was a small price to pay for no zits, no periods, no water weight, and i could eat whatever i wanted and had lost 30 pounds after one year of being on it though i never lost any after that.i didn't notice my hair was greasier than normal but i never connected it to the pill. i wanted to take the pill forever! that didn't work out thought when i lost my insurance and was forced to go off it because i just couldn't afford 70 a month. within the first couple of weeks i noticed acne appearing all over my face especially my nose and chin. i was 36 years old! far past the acne stage! i also noticed i felt bloated and my first period that came was like someone had released a flood gate. i went through 2 boxes of super tampons and a bag of pads in 3 days. thats about the time i noticed the weight gain. slowly over a period of 3 months i put on 3 or 4 pounds a week to now a whopping total of 30 pounds in 3 months. i was devastated. i knew that there were side effects of any medication and you assume those risks while taking it but not from not being on it anymore! the only good thing to come from getting off of it was those annoying muscle spasms completely stopped. i had been to the point that i couldn't even flex my toes or they would charley horse i had even gotten them in my jaw from yawning! now they were gone and replaced by fatigue, extreme weight gain and horrible acne and periods. i started blowing up and it didn't seem to be mainly weight, it seemed like fluid. i didn't urinate half as much as i used to it was like my body forgot how to make its own diuretic hormone. i could take a water pill and lose 10 pounds in 4 hours of fluid i knew that was not a good thing. i was scared as well as baffled. i went to my internist and he was shocked when he saw me my lungs were full of fluid, i had put on 30 pounds and was short of breath he ordered thyroid function tests and guess what? out of the blue my perfectly functioning thyroid (i had levels drawn the year before in routine tests) had stopped working when i got off Yasmin! so now i have to take diuretics because i don't seem to make enough of my own which i believe is thanks to Yasmin and i also feel it damaged my thyroid since its mechanism of action is inhibiting your adrenal system and thats what controls your thyroid. i am seriously considering filing a class action law suit based on the fact that for 3 years i never had my potassium levels checked because it wasn't advised by the manufacturer and i have experienced damage from this pill that i was not warned about in the package insert or by my doctor. i had the right to be informed and if they didn't know then the fda should have never approved it. i feel like ive been a guinea pig, and if anyone feels the same my number is ****** if we stand together maybe we can make them take this off the market and find out what has happened to those of us hurt already

I have been on Yasmin for 3 years and everything seemed to be going okay,skin was great,moods were good and all was going to plan..until 6 weeks ago. I decided to go off the pill to give my body a break,during this time i was extremely moody and caused my boyfriend and i to have huge arguments all the time. So i decided to go back on it for the sake of our 6 year relationship.So i was off for a month then went back on it. Within 2 weeks of going back on it i started to feel anxious over the smallest things and had several uncontrollable panic attacks at very inconvenient times. At first i thought i was just run down but it started to happen everyday,on the tram,in social situations and finally even at home.Over nothing worth stressing about! As my heart would race i thought id go to the doctor and was put on a 24 holter ecg monitor to see if we could 'catch' the palpitations so it could be treated with medication. Nothing showed up,my levels were great and he couldn't give me an answer. I just happened to search Yasmin on the internet and found this website..and thank god i did!!I have been loosing my mind! I feel as tough i am loosing my spirit and becoming something that i am not.i can't do anything without being worried itl happen again,making me a nervous wreck. As soon as i read this website i went straight off it and have been off it for 3 weeks and i has not been fun! The first week i felt a little better,but the last two weeks have been hell! I feel weak,shakey,paranoid,over-stimulated,cold and clammy and wake up everyday feeling depressed and nauseous.I feel like screaming.I can't do anything i used to,i was a mad high level basketballer,went out to dance every weekend and loved life generally.I went to a natropath and got put on magnesium and a mixture of herbs to help the nervous system and they seem to be doing nothing.I seriously need some help and have no idea what to do,i can't keep putting up with this,its just not me...someone please tell me that i gets better???I feel like an addict coming off heroin!

Apart from the mood swings and terrible irritability (which I have experienced with most contraceptive pills I have tried) Yasmin gave me uncontrollable, incurable THRUSH. It first started about three months after starting Yasmin and I had it for 8 months straight until I went off Yasmin. Within weeks the thrush subsided. It was HELL. I was at the doctor every month, using creams, taking oral anti fungals. But within a week of ceasing treatment, I would get that dry, irritated feeling for a day followed by the itch and every other depressing symptom of thrush. Each time I would be in tears. I was swabbed for EVERY STD imaginable just in case, but (thankfully) all clear. It was horrendous and I am disappointed that neither my GP or Gyno could identify Yasmin as the problem. I also asked my Gyno if Yasmin could be causing the depression I was experiencing and he said not likely that it was probably some other underlying issue which baffled me as I have a wonderful life in all aspects. I have just started using the NuvaRing after not being on hormonal contraceptives for over 3 years. I am about to rip that out too! I cannot use hormonal contraceptives, not if I, and the people around me want to live a happy and harmonious life. Poor husband will have to wear the trusty old condom until we've had all our kids and he goes in for the snip!

Hi!
I am so glad i found this,
i been off of Yasmin for about a month now and i will never go back!
i was on the patch for 3 years and was fine ( i know the patch is risky so i switch thinking i was safer ) WRONG!
I was depressed, bloated, irritable, the smallest things would set me off. I was spacey all the time, i could not concentrate i was tired. My sex drive wasn't anything near what it use to be. like i said i am off it now and i feel like i am myself again. I hope the affects of this terribly birth control don't affect me permanently! I am staying away form birth control!
does anyone have a better suggestion?

Hmmm.

My advice to all is to go see your doctor and discuss this with your doctor.
A doctor can help you much more than a bunch of postings over the internet.

I took Yasmin for 4 years and had no issues. I gained a little more weight, but considering everything else it did to help me with the PCOS, that is okay.

I took myself off of the pill for nearly 3 years because I was mad at my OBGYN for never being in the office so I stopped going.

I recently started the Yasmin again and I am glad.

Yasmin is mostly designed for women with PCOS or who need estrogen supplements. Yasmin is not for everybody. You should discuss this with your doctor to determine if Yasmin is right for you.

I'm 23 years old and I took Yasmin for about 4 or 5 years. I honestly loved it at the time, or so I thought. Basically, I got switched to Yaz because it was being pushed by my doctor's office and within 2 weeks I was the most miserable person on the face of the earth. Since I was going through a lot in my life I never even thought that my negative attitude was based on my birth control. I began to suffer from severe migraines, nausea, this strange rash on my face, and I gained a little over 20 pounds. I was on Yaz for 6 months when I finally realized that it was what was causing all my symptoms. The Sunday before my appointment, things got so bad that I was about 30 seconds away from killing myself or checking myself into an institution. I have since switched to Loestrin24Fe, and I can't say I'm in love with it, but I DO feel SO much better! Seems to have a few side effects of it's own, but as long as "killing myself" isn't one of them, sounds good to me! Despite thinking that Yasmin was great back then, I started to think back to when I felt my life had started to spiral out of control, and it's when I started the Yasmin. My migraines and over all aches, pains, and anxiety problems started then too! The 2 best years I had were 2 years I wasn't really actively using birth control. My last two relationships have ended in a fiery ball of flames due to the control Yasmin and Yaz have had over me. THIS PILL NEEDS TO BE OFF THE MARKET. It has ruined my life for the past 3 years especially and I can't believe that despite all of us screaming at the top of our lungs, no one is doing anything. All the drug reps keep saying "there's no "bad" pill everyone reacts differently" but HOW can you say that when so many women are this miserable on it? Do countless numbers of us need to die in order for this to be over?

I have been using Yasmin for over 3 years now. I did suffer from tiredness and nausea with everything else that I have tried before Yasmin. However, after reading several comments on this forum, I have to say that I too suffer from anxiety and depression. Although I wouldn't call it severe, its enough to take its toll on me. It makes me extremely paranoid in the sense that I worry over the silliest things and elaborate on every little problem thinking that everything is going to be worse. Basically my mind races over problems all day and I have been feeling like I am losing my rationalization. I did seek help from my psychiatrist and was put on a mild antidepressants and although they provide immediate relief and give my mind a little rest, I didn't benefit from any long term solution that he said the medicine would provide.
I have been quite annoyed at myself really for not being in control of my feelings because the person I know I am, has done an okay job at it before. Something is definitely screwing up my emotions and that could very well be Yasmin since I have tried every other solution. So I am going to give Yasminelle a go as of today and see if the lower dose improves things and if not I will definitely be looking at alternative birth control methods because I am honestly fed up of feeling like I have no control over my own emotions.

I started taking Yasmine in 2005 and almost imeemdiatley I started to have severe anxiety, depression, no sex drive at all and worse of all extremely bad migranes especially a few days before getting my period and during. My life had to be put on hold when I had my period because of the migranes. I stopped taking the Yasmine 3 weeks ago because I just couldn't take the migranes anymore. I have noticed I have gained some weight, my skin and hair feels alot oilier, and my hair has been falling out more than usual which is kind of freaking me out, don't have mood swings. My sex drive has gotten better which is a relief. I still don't know if my migranes will have gone away during my period. I'm just curious can anyone tell me if these side effects (hair loss, weight gain, oily skin) will go away after a few months.
When I went off another type of pill I actually lost weight, why is this one different?

Well, I'll share my story with you, and feel free to comment or ask any questions. I had been taking Yasmin for about 3 years. For the majority that time, I was in college (UCLA) while my long term boyfriend and family were back in the Bay Area. I was extremely depressed, which I presumed to be because I missed my boyfriend, and school was very difficult, etc. However, I had terrible anxiety, to where whenever I went to class, walked the campus, etc, I would have trouble looking up, for fear of making eye contact with others. To ask a question in class made my heart race. I would get terrible lumps in my throat that I could not get rid of. I used to be really outgoing, friends with everyone. But at UCLA for two years, I barely made new friends (maybe 3-5), blaming it on being too busy with my studies. Pretty extreme anxiety. As a child, I was a gymnast and suffered from OCD at one point, probably due to the anxieties of a very strict, mature schedule at such a young age. I guess I've been anxious in some way or another during my whole life, however I feel it was WAY worse during the course of being on Yasmin. I have also suffered from depression in my life, but the worst times were during high school, and during the past few years while on Yasmin. I am not saying I blame Yasmin for these things, but I definitely think it made them worse. I also have been having terrible mood swings, crying spells (to where I felt like I was going crazy), and not feeling like “myself”. I did take a break from the pill after I broke up with my boyfriend, and felt WONDERUL, woke up in a great mood, ready to take on the day, instead of forcing myself to try to start the day happy (which rarely worked). It has been a CHORE to be happy and grateful for my wonderful life (family, friends, good job, own apt., dog) for the past few years.

I stopped taking Yasmin 3 days ago (Sunday the 13th was my first day off of it) and already feel more normal, balanced and myself. Happy, hopeful, more relaxed. Of course this could be “placebo effects”, but I now myself really well, am very in tune with my emotions, etc., and I definitely feel different. I am not rhuminating either, which was another effect.

Does anyone have a similar story? Thanks! -Cassie

I have just gone back onto Yasmin after an absolutely horrifying experience trying to come off it.

I have taken Yasmin for 3 years with minimal problems. My skin was fantastic - never a blemish. I actually LOST weight while on it and went up a up a breast cup size. I got lighter periods which was a godsend. I did get a few problems though - gas and stomach bloating as well as headaches sometimes shortly after taking it and occasionally break-through bleeding. But for me the pros outweighed the cons.

I came off it recently as I'm no longer in a long term relatonship and it was just awfull. My skin broke out, I got very oily hair and skin and felt like I was going through puberty again. The worst problem was that in just 3 weeks I blew up like a baloon. I literally stacked on weight every day and my family all made suggestive comments like "been enjoying the cake lately?" I was so angry since I'm such a healthy eater and excersize every single day!!!!! I have never had a problem wth my weight before and the only change I made in my lifestyle was coming of Yasmin. I was so upset with my appearance I have actually gone back on the Yasmin. However its ridiculus to stay on it for beauty's sake.

Has anyone ever experiecend this before??? If so what did you do????

I thought Yasmin was great. I took it for about 3 years. I had light periods, no pain, no weight gain. I wanted to try Yaz, though, because I can get quite emotional before my period. I've been on it for about 5 months now and have had painful periods, headaches before my period, breakouts on my face, and weight gain. So I am switching back to the Yasmin. I think everyone reacts differently and pills aren't for everyone so you just have to shop around and try different ones before you find the one that's right for you. I took Ortho-Novum in my late teens, early-20's and I gained weight from that, too.

I am so relieved to come across this forum. I have been on Yasmin for about 3 years. After reading several postings here to my husband, we were both horrified to hear that I wasn't the only one having strange issues without a clear cause. I too have had heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable mood swings, inability to concentrate at work or deal with normal work stress, back pain, trouble falling asleep, low sex drive, and most recently, horrible depression. I have been to psychiatrists, allergists, chiropractors and physical therapy - all to try to find the cause. I have just gone off the pill, and have noticed improvement so far, and am very excited to see it hopefully improve. Hopefully I will be able to find a hormone-free birth control, instead of dealing with this. I can't believe doctors do not discuss these possible symptoms with their patients. I never would have thought bc pills would cause anxiety, depression, etc. A huge thanks to all of you for your candid comments... and helping me find an answer to my life-altering side affects!!!

Where to start! I started Yasmin in Sept. of 2005. So I've been on it 2 and a half years. Things were fine for a while. It did what it was supposed to do, including no weight gain. That's how its been marketed here, so that's why i got it. Nothing has happened all of a sudden. Its all creeped up on me very slowly. Headaches, pressure in my sinuses, tiredness...all pretty simple. But here's the thing. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and put on Prozac. The Prozac didnt help. I came off it. Now here's the more troubling symptoms I've experienced. Heart Palpitations, squeezing in my chest making it hard to breathe, increased fear and anxiety (which cause heart attack-like symptoms which can more commonly be described as a panic attack). I've had my finger on the 911 buttons several times in the last 8 months. Now I'm discovering the joy of incontinence. Do you have any idea what its like to be in the store buying groceries and then all of a sudden there's a puddle of number 2 around your shoe? I do. I'm 23. Abdominal pain, stomach distension, constipation followed by diarrhea. Hair loss. Cold feet. LOSS OF SEXUAL DRIVE! My God!

I've said all this to my doctor. He ran blood for everything, there's nothing wrong with me medically. X-rays, mri's, cat scans, ekg's. Nothing nothing nothing. I changed doctors and told the new doctor my story. He figures that because i was put on Prozac for depression, that I must have developed Hypochondria (aka extreme paranoia and a belief that I'm terminally ill). Not true, I know its not terminal, i just need to be put on a new pill. My husband and I have regular sex, he's allergic to latex, and even those non-latex condoms. We're not ready for babies yet, so I dont know what to do. But if this helps someone else, then taking the time to write this was worth it. And as a side note, if you're on the pill and have the choice, and your doc wants to put you on prozac...Don't do it. Try switching your pill first.

I started on Yasmin about 3 years ago and about 4-6 months on it- I started experiencing ringing in my ears. The ringing started with just 6 hours at a time maybe every other month- very minor in the beginning. Gradually the ringing would last longer and would occur more frequently. I saw an ENT Dr., hearing tests, MRI, you name it... There was nothing that came up and then I started doing some investigating in trying to make connections with the pill and the ringing. The pamphlet that it came with said that you could experience a deficiency in Vitamin B, B12.. whatever. So, I thought that I could start taking the B Vitamin and perhaps that would help.. I haven't gone off of it yet, because this pill has been amazing for me.. I don't have mood swings, heavy periods, bad cramps on it.. I love it compared to Ortho and the generic.. I felt like I was going insane on those! I think I just need to get off Yasmin altogether because of this ringing in my ear.. I really am trying to search for some answers!! If anyone has experienced ringing in their ears with Yasmin and never had it before- please email me... My doctors say that there is no connection and if everything else is great with the pill to stay on it; they say I have Meniere's Disease.. Also, I started getting a rash on the front of both of my calf's.. nothing to serious.. they say that it shouldn't appeared right away, instead of half a year later.. I'm at a loss.. like I said this pill has been great...

I have been on Yasmin for about 3 years. In that time I have had many different problems but never thought it could be my BC. I have been told that I have IBS, often have UTI's, chronic pelvic pain, and now kidney problems that cannot be traced through blood tests. I have been to MANY different specialist about each thing they all told me they could find nothing, and each time I was told that it could possibly be something different. In this process I have been given test after test after test including a colonoscopy, exploratory surgery and ultrasounds. It was not until today that I was talking with a co-worker about the pain that she mentioned that it could be Yasmin. My medical coverage sent me a letter stating that they would no longer pay for the bc but never told me why. I found this site and am grateful that other people are having symptoms and it is not my body falling apart. Thank you to everybody who shared.

I have been on Yasmin for about 2-3 years or so... but i remember thinking i was the luckiest girl because i found a pill i thought was great and made my periods only 2 days i loved it.... but lately for the past year i have been very depressed i realized something was different when i laughed i wasn't laughing i was just doing cause i knew i should laugh, i just didn't find myself happy and i should be I'm getting married to a wonderful guy who has put up with my loss of sex drive and being dry which makes it hurt so it makes it that much worse and my loss of exercising i feel fatigue over taking a walk or doing nothing i thought it was laziness or lack of motivation... then i have a bad knee and within the past year and half i have had severe neck issues with my muscles
i talked to my doctor she told me to see a psychologist for my depression, i have yet to do so but now realizing many other people are feeling this way on this site makes me happy I'm not really a depressed person and I'm just really messed up over this pill
I'm calling my doctor now to see if i can get my pill switched i cant last like this for much longer ill go insane and so will my fiance!!!

I have been on this for 1 month. The first two weeks was fine then I started feeling bloated big time. I do exercises for my stomach and I know I have good core muscles and I can't hold my stomach in. I'm not working right now need to be looking for work but I have been waiting for the bleeding to stop and the bloating to disappear. I am getting off of this. All of the head problems people are having are due to the extra drug in Yaz that deals with moodiness. I have been on tons of different anti- everything and usually it takes at least 3 to 4 weeks to adjust to your brain. If not it's not for you. I am completely off of meds now because I took the steps to freedom in Christ in a book called Breaking the Bondage by Neil T Anderson. I took ortho tri-cyclene before years ago and it did great compared to this stuff. Taking something to help with moodiness just causes a person to be numb to their feelings. The feelings don't go anywhere the pile up and that's why you find yourself at times crying uncontrollably. The only way to heal these things is to face them and the only one that can take that pain from you is Jesus. I know I tried everything. Exercise and changes in your eating habits will help with period problems. Water water water will help with acne.

I have only been on Yasmin for 3 weeks.
In the first week,every morning I had an upset stomach,and was often gagging and about to throw up.Then I started to get IBS,every single morning,which became very frustrating,and painful. I knew my first time the me and my bf had sex,that there was something wrong,something very wrong. It was absolutely excruciating,I had to tell him to stop it hurt so bad.I used to have a sex drive over and above what a males is,and it has just plummeted.Its so frustrating cause I just want to make him happy,but at the same time,i don't have the umph to do it.Even wearing a tampon is extremely uncomfortable. When I read about people not having a sex drive for 3 years,I immediately decided to go off it,and find a different pill.I'm looking into tri-cyclen lo,and so far this pill looks good. I'm always tired now,and my breasts always seem to be tender.The pill hasn't cleared up my acne at all.Another reason for going off it is what I've heard about being on it for a long time and then going off it,the side effects can be just as bad.ill let you know how things go.

I have been taking Yasmin for about 6 years. I didn't really have many side effects at first at least not anything I wanted to blame on the pill because I do take other medications, but after reading all of these problems that others have had, I wonder if I've just been overlooking what Yasmin may be causing. Other than the less serious things like major depression, anxiety,panic attacks, zero sex drive, weight gain, bad headaches, etc., about 3 years ago i had a benign lump removed from my breast. My Gyn said it couldn't have been caused from the pill but my surgeon said it definitely could have been caused from the pill. Then last June I had a mini heart attack. I am 35 and don't smoke. I wonder if the pill was responsible for that as well.

I began taking Yasmin January 2007, and my previous mood swings greatly improved. However, I have now been on Yasmin for over a year and have recently been experiencing some side effects. For instance, I suddenly have no desire to have sex, and when I do, I experience pain on the left side of my ovaries. I have also been experiencing increased dryness, and loss of appetite/ nausea. Is it possible to develop symptoms after being on Yasmin for an extended period of time, or are the symptoms prominent at the beginning? I had no complaints about this birth control up to this point. Now, I have reason to believe that my pill may be the culprit of my changes. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, please contact me.

I'm soo glad I found this site!! Now I know I am not really crazy... I was on ortho tri cyclen for 6 months then started Yasmin and have been taking it for 3 years to help regulate my period and since starting it my side effects just keep getting worse and worse. I'm 21 years old, very active, outgoing...but I will have SEVERE depression, feelings of hopelessness, bloating, crazy appetite (one day I won't eat at all, the next I'm eating everything), and for the past 3 years I easily get yeast infections and the part that really gets me is that I'm not sexually active and have never been, I only went on the pill to regulate my period. ALSO, since starting the pill I have had really bad problems with my contact lenses...so bad I couldn't even wear them and I had to get lasik surgery because glasses are not an option with me being a gymnastics coach. But all of this started when I got on Yasmin. I enjoy having a short, light, and regular period but the side effects have made me look to another because pill YAZ. My doctor said this pill should help with my symptoms of depression, poor appetite, etc. But is it even worth switching, I wish I didn't have to take anything but I'm afraid I will become irregular again. If I didn't have to be on the pill I certainly wouldn't be!!! Do ALL bcp have the same side effects? Should I try the shot, or the ring? This will definitely be my last month on Yasmin but I don't know what else to take!?

I used Yasmin for almost 3 years between 2004 - 2007. I loved it....my periods were regular, I had little acne, and I hardly had any PMS. Then I got pregnant (after stopping the Yasmin!) with twins and delivered them in late November 2007. I was so happy to know that I just knew which type of birth control I wanted to use, I had a great experience while on Yasmin so of course I would go back to it!

BAD IDEA! 4 weeks after the babies were born I started the pills. Mind you, I had a great pregnancy and lots of help at home...no post-partum or baby blues here. I started the pills on 12/23/07 and by 12/25/07 (Christmas Day) I was feeling majorally depressed, having emotional outbursts, having irrational thoughts....I felt alone and as if no one cared about me. I secluded myself and had suicidal thoughts. I thought about leaving my family and living in a hotel. I would get so mad at the littlest things....I almost threw a chair at my husband and tried to punch a hole in the wall. I cussed family members out. I was so irrational. I felt like a crazy, psychotic woman and all in less than a week. This was NOT me.

I quit the pill after the first week, realizing that this pill was causing all these side-effects. I called my OB and spoke with the nurse who told me what I was experiencing couldn't be from the Yasmin - those weren't common side-effects. I told her that I was 1 day Yasmin free and felt like a completely different person...I was myself again. She tried to tell me that maybe I was experiencing post-partum depression and I decided then to just make an appointment to talk to my OB (about Yasmin & his nurse!).

I have an appointment next week and am curious as to what he will say. I know it was the Yasmin and I am glad that I found this website & that I am not alone!

Hello,

I read about how YAZ birth control pill affects the body and psych and I am now scared. This is my 2nd day of YAZ (I've never been on birth control pills ever and I am 27 years old), it's all new to me but after reading all these negative posts about Yaz I don't know what to do. Before the birth control pills, I was depressed, annoying, serious weight problems - 210 lbs :~~((, low energy, low libido, always tired, terrible migraines every 2nd day, ridiculously increased appetite and excessive hunger, hair where it shouldn't be, menstrual blood clots, excessive cramping etc
I have all these problems for 3 years now and now that the family doc. put me on YAZ birth control pill I am even more scared - mainly of more weight gain, it would be a tragedy for me, I am fat enough already and what's worse I can't lose the weight, exercise doesn't help, diet doesn't help, NOTHING. Will YAZ birth control pill worsen my already tragic condition? I just don't know what to do and what to believe ... I appreciate any advice or help you can give me ... Thank You to all!

Oh My Gosh...I'm in tears reading through everyone's posts on this forum. I started taking Yasmin 3 months ago and noticed small changes in my state of mind within the first few weeks. I think you can always expect this when changing pills so reassured myself I would get better. BUT...about 10 days ago, I experienced the onset of depression and anxiety...neither of which I have ever suffered from before...I feel completely detached from life..I'm not necessarily always sad, I'm just completely indifferent to everything and everyone...I feel like I'm being pushed through one day to the next but for absolutely no reason...I feel numb and don't know how I'm going to fill my time... One minute, I feel so blank that I have no emotion about anything...the next minute, I'm crying over the silliest things. I too had the awful feeling that my relationship with my husband was wrong because I felt no better when around him and this made me worry even more. In my more rational moments, I realise that my feelings towards him haven't really changed at all as I do still love him, but that disappears as soon as I am on a low...when I am in that state of mind, I just want someone who has been through this to give me a big hug and tell me it gets better. I have also experienced chest pains, muscle spasms (in my arms and eyelids) and am currently being monitored for my excessively high blood pressure (also something I had never had trouble with before Yasmin) I am in the process of sorting out some counselling for myself but will also stop taking Yasmin as from now. I know that my state of mind could be due to something deeper, but nothing changed in my life to trigger this except Yasmin. Having read everyone else's posts about Yasmin, I am going to come off it so I can rule it out of the equation..maybe it isn't really to blame, but it's a big coincidence if not.
Good luck everyone...I'd love to hear from anyone who can relate to what I have written...

Claire. Leeds. England.

I got married in May and started taking Yasmin just before and it has been HELL ever since! It has cost my husband and I money and quite a bit of unnecessary turmoil!

Currently, I'm still on Yasmin and after reading all this am I definitely getting off of it! Everything that I have read is TOO faniliar! My agony includes:

-Insomnia (I was up until 3am last night)
-lathargic all day (very unmotivated and sleepy)
-a VERY low sex drive (my husband just LOVES this one)
-high irritability & mood swings
-frequent dizziness & light headedness
-had my 1st migraine ever (thank GOD I've only had 1)
-mild depression-want to cry all the time (& do) for no reason
-breasts are hard with knots (he loves that too)
-i pee all the time
-back pain in the morning (After sleeping in our guest room for a month, we have actually started shopping around for a new mattress-didn't even cross my mind that it may be the pill)

I'm on my 7th pack and can't wait to get to my doc to switch to something better. Anyway, my question is...for all of you who have already switched...what did you switgh to? Are your side effects less? (Off the pill, my periods are normal, short, and for the most part cramp free (Don't hate me!) My husband and I just want to enjoy being married a little longer before having any little ones!) Any suggestions?

Post your symptoms since stopping Yasmin!!!

Hey everyone it's Kay21 here and I just wanted to post my 3 month off Yasmin update. Because stopping the pill is a hard decision, I figured we should all post are updates here to help/support those who are planning to stop or who have recently stopped Yasmin.

I have been off of Yasmin since April 17. As some of you already know, I was experiencing horrible side effects while on Yasmin for 3 years (particularly stomach problems, vaginal dryness, muscle cramps, increased blood pressure and heart rate and anxiety).

The first 1 month off of Yasmin was okay. In fact, I felt the best I had ever felt in a while. My blood pressure and heart rate decreased and the migraines and muscle cramps went away. But when I hit the 2 month (8 week) mark, I felt HORRIBLE. I was severely depressed and anxious. I was crying all the time and felt a severe sense of DOOM! The physical symptoms also started to become problematic. The acne increased and I started growing more facial hair. The worse symptom, however, was that I started losing a ton of hair. I would lose stray hairs all day (probably about 200 a day). Since I have hit the three month mark, the hair loss has gotten MUCH WORSE! Now I am losing CLUMPS of hair all day. I have seen several doctors about this. Some say it's because of stress and a few (a derm, GYN and endo) say that hiar loss is common after stopping bcp. I have already loss about 1/3 of my hair.

I am also really concerned, because I have not had a period since April 22. So my doctor has put me on provera for 10 days to induce a period.

For those who have stopped Yasmin, what have your symptoms been (i.e. increased acne, weight gain, anxiety, etc.). Has anyone experienced hair loss? How long did it take to get a period???

Thanks...