Yasmin and acne

Hi ..I have been on Yasmin for 6 months now...and just loving it...even my doctor was surprised with the result...i lost weight...no acne...less facial hair. Its just working perfectly for me!

Hi ladies,

I'm a 20 year old girl and I've been on Yasmin for just over a year now and it has hands down been the WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE. I started taking it for extreme menstrual cramps that would leave me screaming on the kitchen floor, curled up in a ball begging for the pain to stop. Yasmin fixed that, trust me it was like a miracle, and my acne on my face and back cleared up, another miracle.

Now the bad stuff. The first month was okay, because sometimes it takes time for the hormones to take affect. But I became severely depressed thereafter. It just started happening, crying all the time, hopeless, binge eating, gaining a lot of weight. And on top of that the GI problems, my stomach literally ballooned out to the size of a watermelon, and everything I ate irritated me. But a few months ago I became bulimic in a drastic attempt to get control back of my life, I hadn't even thought of the pill as the culprit up until this point. Keep in mind that I'm young, fit, have a great family, in school, there's no reason for my to be falling so low.
I started seeing a therapist, then a psychiatrist. I was this close to being put on antidepressants. And then something happened, my years worth prescription of Yasmin ran out so my OBGYN told the pharmacy to refill my prescription but with the generic brand, Ocella, that they had available which would only cost me 10 dollars a month with health insurance. Within four days I felt like my old self. Happy. I couldn't believe it. I went to a physician for tests and everything seemed normal, but after explaining to her my severe stomach problems she told me that it seemed like the pill induced me to become lactose intolerant. Wonderful!
So I started the second pack of Ocella a week ago and it all started happening again. The first month was fine again, but my body had caught up by now and even though I've cut dairy out, my stomach has ballooned up again and I have heartburn and indigestion no matter what I eat. Yesterday I felt insanely depressed, I binged, became insanely nauseous and threw up. I didn't leave the couch once. Now I know that it may sound like I need to reevaluate my problems, but I promise you, THIS IS NOT ME. I've realized that Ocella is exactly what it is, the generic version, and hence chemically the same as Yasmin, so the effects will mirror Yasmin's. MY OBGYN told me to finish the pack, and then I can come off them, and I cannot begin to explain how excited I am. I'm done with pills, and I'll find another way to deal with the pain.

Please, if you're taking birth control for something like acne, reconsider, it's not worth it. We are the experimental age. We can't ask our grandmothers what the long terms affects are. But if you must be on it and are feeling badly in any way, switch! You might find something better for you.

I have a 16 year old daughter that has always been extremely healthy, very out going, very happy and energetic...until YAZ! My daughter was put on Yaz for irregular periods, it was nice that it helped her (very) mild acne. The first couple of months were fine, but then she started having a lot of symptoms...hair falling out, heart palpitations, bloating, depression, anger, crying, down mood all the time, I have rarely seen her smile in months, leg/joint pain, anxiety/nervousness, I can see her shake a lot, wanting to be by herself (which is totally not like her at all.) This medicine has helped her acne and period cramps, but totally destroyed her personality and her happiness! Is it worth the price...absolute NOT! I AM TAKING MY DAUGHTER OFF YAZ TODAY!!! Honestly, I do fear what this medicine could do to her life if she is not taken off of it ASAP. How sad this medication is even available, much less being prescribed to 16 year old! I only wish I would have known about this before my daughter took this evil pill! I am so sorry for those of you that have gone through all of this as well.

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!

I'm a 30 year old woman and I've been taking Yasmin for 4 months now. I've been reading what people have been posting here and I'm wondering if I'm alone in having the following symptoms:
-severe breast pain for one day in the middle of my cycle, followed by mild breast pain until I get my period,
-painful cramps in the middle of my cycle,
-weird sharp internal vaginal pain, (sorry for the graphics, but especially during climax),
-acne problems,
-depression
The last two, I did see that people wrote about on here. I called my doctor today and I'm requesting a new pill. I thought that after a couple of months the symptoms would equalize, but after this last month, I decided I couldn't live with it. The breast pain especially has been very painful.

I am the mother of a 23 year old who has been on Yasmin for 5 months.
Her dermatologist prescribed it for her without blood tests for acne. She went to a gynecologist who did a blood panel and said her testosterone levels were four times the normal level and agreed with having her put on Yasmin. We as her parents were totally against this decision.

Since she has been on Yasmin she has suffered severe abdominal pain with periods. She had an ultra sound and nothing was found. She then developed an infection in one eye. Very red and itchy. Took steroid cream for that. Then in July came down with strep throat. Antibiotics for that.
Since then she has had 3 bouts of strep. Every time she gets off
antibiotics she comes down with another bout within a week and a half.
She has also had a lynph node in her neck swell up to a huge size you
could easily see. Doctor said it was a byproduct of her strep.

She is now contemplating having her tonsils taken out. I am at my wits
end. I know all this chaos is from this pill and am trying to get her to get
off it. It is so sad and exhausting watching my previously healthy daughter go through this. And she still isn't convinced all this is due to Yasmin.

I have read so much on this pill. The doctor's hand it out like candy. Anyone got any words I might use to convince her to get off this killer?
Thanks.

I am 20 and have been on Yasmin a year and a half now and to be honest I am still not 100% completely convinced that Yasmin is the root of all my evils. To all of you who are having horrible side effects after a few days, give it time. Your body is trying to adjust to all the hormones you are putting into it and it’s doing its best to get back to normal. My first month was semi-bad, some nausea here and there and a little tenderness, but not enough to stop my life over. My doctor recommended taking the pill right before I went to bed so I could hopefully sleep though the nausea, which I usually did. After the first month I was perfectly fine and back to my normal life. I then switched to taking my pill in the morning so it was easier for me to remember. After reading countless “horror stories” on this website even I started saying, “oh my gosh, I have that….i have that too….and that!...its all because of that horrible Yasmin!” But then I had to take a step back and realize Yasmin is not to blame. Sure, I have panic attacks sometimes, but I have had those way before I started taking birth control and sure I get depressed sometimes, but what woman hasn’t at least once in their life? I didn’t lose or gain weight, my acne perhaps got a little better, and my breasts didn’t change an inch. My only questioning factor is that I don’t really have that big of a sex drive, but then I realized I never have. Now, before you all start yelling at me, I am not calling you liars in the least, I believe you and I feel sorry for all of you who have experienced bad things because of this or other birth control pills. For those of you who are thinking of taking Yasmin and are scared after reading all of these articles, remember, every body reacts to pills and medication differently. Thousands of people die every year from taking Tylenol and aspirin, but does that mean we should take these medicines completely off the shelves? Of course not. All I am saying is for every one Yasmin horror story there are thousands of very satisfied customers. Give it a try, you only have three months of your life to lose and so much to gain.

Hello, I am 27 and a mother of two. I have only used birth control pills a few times a few months on and off. My doctor said that she didn't want to give me an IUD, but she wanted me to take Yasmin, because of my tendency to be depressed. I was excited because I don't like taking anti depressants because of the sexual side effects. I really felt okay before I started taking the pill. My son was only two months old, and I was happy. After a while I started feeling really down, I was very tired, and I had horrible acne again. It didn't help my PMDD, I felt angrier and more unhappy the longer I took it. My joints hurt all over and I was getting these very painful headaches. I recently noticed that my hair was falling out. I also got a call from my doctor saying that I had an abnormal pap smear. I ran out of the pills two weeks ago, and I didn't get it refilled. I am feeling a lot better, my mood has improved, but the hair is still falling out, and I need more tests to clear up those bad results. Honestly, I would rather use condoms with my husband, than to feel so miserable on the pill. I have to take care of my children and my husband. I don't recommend Yasmin. It prevents pregnancy, (i think it works because no one would want to have sex with a girl who was a wrek because of it), but that is the only thing it claims to do that is right. I am also angry because my doctor doesn't seem to think that it is important to explain the risks of taking the pill.

I'm 21 and have been on Yasmin for 3 and a half months for bad acne. I was originally on Dianette but experience such severe side effects I honestly thought I'd be hospitalized, so I asked my doctor for Yasmin. All was fine for the first 2 months, but I'm now getting horrible pain in my right leg which won't go away no matter what, coupled with a pins and needles type feeling in my feet. I'm also developing spider veins on my legs, It's got to the point where I'm scared to look at my legs now in case any more have shown up! I've decided I'll come off it in a month or so, but don't know what to do to keep my acne at bay. Does anyone know of any natural remedies? I don't wanna keep messing around with drugs and hormones in case I cause long term damage!
Also, has anyone else gone to their doctor about these side effects, only to find the doctor says 'its nothing to do with the pill' when clearly it is! I saw 3 different doctors about my dianette problems, none of them believed it was down to the pill, but when I stopped taking it, my problems disappeared :/

I am 21 years old and I was on Yasmin for three in a half months (i stopped the last pack half way through). The first month i was on it, i had a lot of leg pains especially at night and sometimes to the point where i couldn't sleep. I went to the doctors and told her about this and she said it had nothing to do with the pill. My leg pain stopped after the first month i was on it and for two months i was fine. At the end of the third pack i began to get leg cramps again, but this time it was different i had little sharp pains here and there and tingling and my legs became extremely itchy. In the matter of two months i got spider veins and cellulite on my upper legs. Before the pill i had NOTHING on my legs. I searched the internet and found that birth control can cause spider veins because of the hormonal change so I thought my legs were itchy because of the spider veins so i stopped using the pill and made a doctors appointment. Three days after stopping i got my period for the second time that month. I also broke out with lumps that are red and extremely itchy. The doctor told me that the bumps are eczema and i also have a lymph node, which she said is from the eczema (which i find very strange). Two days after i broke out and got a lymph node, i got sick with a fever, extremely soar throat and a swollen neck. Today is my 7th day off the pill and im still sick. Hopefully i get better. But from being a 21 year old whos 95 pounds and having nothing wrong and starting this pill and getting spider veins, cellulite and then eczema all around the same time, i feel like im aging before my time. If anyone else has had any similar effects please let me know. Thank you.

34 with a diagnosis of a Hormonal Imbalace which consisted of the following symptoms: Vaginal dryness, acne and mood swings.

First pill was Valette 30mg which made me sick to my stomach. I was on that for a week. Then switched to Loette 20mg, which was good, but the state health care doesn't subsidize the medication. I then switched to Nordette which is the same as Loette, but a stronger form of 30mg and experienced rashes with Nordette and I believe Nordette lowered my immune system in which I caught the Herpes Simplex One on my lips. Since I have contracted the virus on my lips, I have not be able to get the virus to suppress itself as I believe my immune system is being affected by the pill.

I was then advised to switch over to Yasmin because my other doctor, which I have many doctors that I see as having a second opinion is important to me, said that Yasmin was the best pill for my health issues. Since being on Yasmin, I have experienced extreme skin rashes on my face, neck, chest, arms and hands, which itches like crazy.

Since I was on Nordette, wearing makeup causes me to get eczema on my eyes and has been consistent since being on Yasmin. So I cannot wear any makeup unless I am going out for the night and then have to remove it the moment I get home and treat my eyes with Hydrozol.

I am concerned with the side effects of the Yasmin and will be consulting with a different doctor about an alternative hormonal imbalance treatment with less side effects. To summarize my experience, Yasmin is causing me very itchy skin rashes all over my upper body and I will probably stop taking it as soon as I see my doctor.

The only good things that have come out of being on the various pills is my skin acne is gone and my vaginal dryness is gone. My libido is still kicking, but its not worth the rashes.

Ditto - I have been off for about a week now and my sex drive has returned, it was non existent on Yasmin.

I am feeling a bit odd being off it - definitely a bit bloated, emotional, acne/greasy skin and 'spaced out' but hopefully I'll get back to normal.

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 have been taking BCP since I was 18. I started w/ Aleese, Yasmin, Orthotrycyclin-Lo, Ortho Evra and the last being Loestrin24Fe. The sad part is that I can't remember what/if any side effects I had while taking those prior to Loestrin24Fe. Unfortunately for me, I have managed to gain 30lbs in the last 5yrs and I cannot seem to get rid of it. Of course the gyno said it wouldn't have been the BCP, but I would like to believe I didn't make myself a fat ass. I was taking Loestrin24Fe for 2 years and can't say I noticed too big of a change while taking it other than the periods being shorter, but they were still very heavy. But my acne has started to get worse the past year. In May I went to the doctor for my migraine's and skin/hair (too oily). After running blood tests it showed my thyroid was pretty low and had room for improvement. I was prescribed Maxalt for my migraine's and 30mg of Armour (thyroid medicine). I went back at the end of June and we upped the Armour to 60mg because I haven't noticed a difference since taking it. She also suggested I switch my BCP to Yasmin as it's been known to help with acne problems. Today was my 2nd day on Yasmin....and obviously it's too soon to notice if/what side effects will bother me. I just wonder if maybe I should take a break from BCP all together and allow my body a chance to breathe. I really hate the thought of having that longer period again but I'm going to have it with Yasmin anyway unless I choose to start a new pack early every month (to keep same schedule as Loestrin24Fe). Advice would be helpful :)

It is so funny to read all of the negativity but nothing positive! I came here looking for side effects and get a bashing about how horrid Yasmin/Yaz is! Let me first start off by listing my side effects that I wanted to know about:

breast tenderness
change in appetite
tiredness
red spot in eye

Next, let me tell you that I researched BEFORE taking this medicine because 1. I have MS 2. I suffer from migraines and seizures and 3. I take a whole boat load of medications! My doc recommended Yasmin for PMDD coupled with Sarafem to help my mood right before and during my time of the month. I must say that I have only been on it for about 10 days so I do not know anything of how it works with my period.

I am APPALLED at the fact that there are few, if any, positive comments about this pill! I know for a FACT that it works because I know 7 people personally that are on it that have NO PROBLEMS! So, I ask you all that have negative comments, what is wrong with you, other than you HATE the pill? What OTHER meds were you on while taking it? I read a few comments about stopping for a month and then starting again and then wondering why they felt like crap?? Well HELLO?! You are effing with your body's hormones! And there is a difference between Yaz and Yasmin hormones. If you had a bad experience with Yaz, make sure you are not confusing it with Yasmin! Yaz is a 24 day hormone pill where Yasmin is only 21 days.

I am not a doctor, but like I said, I have done my research. I have suffered with adult acne and PMDD for years. It sucks. If Yasmin helps, I want to know. I don't want to read a bunch of bull about people who mess up their cycles by taking the pill and smoking or taking the pill with meds they shouldn't be taking them with. I know what I can and cannot take. Most of what I take is natural and what is not, well, it CAN be taken with Yasmin. Like the website for Yasmin says and like most of the informational, non-biased websites say, Yasmin and Yaz is not for everyone. Some people cannot handle this type of hormone.

I can guarantee you that some doctor or pharm company can tell you that whatever symptom you are having is from something completely unrelated to the BC you are taking. Warnings are clearly marked...read them and obey!

Please let me know if a class-action lawsuit is ever filed against this Pharm Co because I will file a suit to get this dangerous drug off the market. Yasmin/Yaz almost took my life in January 08. My OB/GYN put me on Yaz in Oct 07 for bad periods and cysts on my overies. Within a month my entire personality changed and I started losing my hair. I experienced a complete loss of sex drive, became depressed and was either constanting crying or raging at someone. However, my adult acne did clear up. On 1/27/08 I experienced extreme pain in my calf that moved up to my thigh within 48 hrs. I went to the ER and was told that no only did I a condition called DVT (Deep Vein Thrombisis-blood clot) in my leg but that the clot had broken off and moved into both of my lungs and I had bi-lateral pulmonary embolism. I can't even describe how incredibly painful this was. I was admitted into the hospital for 1 week and was put on powerful blood thinners, which I will be on for about a year. It's now been nearly 6 months since I was diagnosed and the DVT and it is still in my uppper thigh. But am grateful to be alive. If you would like to contact me I would be glad to answer any questions regarding this situation and my email addy is ****** PLEASE DO NOT TAKE YAZ OR YASMIN OR LET ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY TAKE THIS MED, IT COULD KILL YOU.

i have been on Yasmin for 14 days now.i am glad i stumbled on this site. my doctor put me on it for acne. my face has not cleared up infact i feel like i have a rash that has developed on my face. i am feeling so itchy. also i feel so bloated and have breast tenderness.i do not want to wait for results. i have purchased a 6 month supply. i decided to stop taking it. does anyone know how i can sell it.please e mail me if u are interested. ******

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

Hello! I'm 27 and I've been taking Yasmin for probably 7 years and never had a single problem. My weight stayed the same, my periods got VERY regular, to the DAY, and things were ok.

Starting about 3 months ago I was on my honeymoon and decided to skip my period that month which I do a few times a year and Yasmin never let me down! Anyways my period came anyways and not only that, but I spotted an extra week after! It was most noticable in the mornings after having sex. It was just brown and yucky. Then I didn't have a period the next month, only 24 hours of brown and this month I had a regular one. On top of that I've suddenly gained 5 pounds without changing ANYTHING. I wonder, can Yasmin suddenly screw me up so many years after I started taking it? I hear horror stories about Yasmin but I only see it from women taking it for a few months or maybe a year? It was always so good to me. What's going on? The weight gain terrifies me too because I so easily gain weight and I've been trying so hard to eat well and I feel like it's been pointless. It ticks me off more because I have to pay $50 a month for Yasmin even AFTER insurance pays 15, and now I think it's messing my body up too.

I have a OBGYN appointment in a few weeks and I'm going to talk to her about it and see about getting on a new pill anyways for price reasons, but do you think all these weird sudden symptoms are from Yasmin? Can you recommend a pill? I can't afford to gain anymore weight. I just can't...

I don't have a side effect to report, but I have spent the past 3 hours reading all of your responses. Over all they are 95% negative. The only thing I am wondering, is WHY you chose Yasmin to begin with.

I have been thinking about taking Yaz to help with my severe PMDD. If you don't know what that is, basically it's like the moodiness side of PMS times 10. I am euphorically happy normally, lol, kind of like how happy a cocker spaniel is when their family gets home... except I don't piddle on the floor. About 5 days before my period starts I go into a very deep depression, I bloat, I am irritable, and my entire life suffers. I cry (wail is more like it) for absolutely NO reason... blah blah blah. But once I am about 2 or 3 days into my cycle it all passes and I am back to chipper me.

Long story short, I heard Yaz is supposed to be amazing to help stabilize people like me. How many of you started Yaz just as birth control, or as an acne control? How many of you took it for PMDD and it STILL didn't help?

if anybody else has ended Yasmin and skipped cycles, did it come back...please reply..its june and i haven;t had a normal period since jan 30th.
also some of my other symptoms when taking Yasmin-loss of sex drive, bumps on arms, and red neck-now besides my period not happening- i am getting acne on my forehead- i always had beautiful skin, so not sure what that's about and sometimes feel a little pain in my ovaries now.

I was on Yasmin since 2001. I LOVED it, it was great for me. At the end of 2006, I read about Yaz and asked my doc to switch me and so he did. I developed hives and cystic acne all over my face and back. It was terrible, and I thought it would get better but it got worse. So after 3 months of Yaz i went back to Yasmin. I currently have no health insurance and have been paying out of pocket for it. EXPENSIVE! but worth it. I never had any negative side effects while on Yasmin. It actually was beneficial for me, cleared up my skin, no more ovarian cysts, lighter periods and little cramping. For me Yasmin works great. Until I had to stop taking it 2 weeks ago, everything was rosy. I moved from NYC to Upstate NY, 300 miles away, and transferred my prescription for Yasmin. When it ran out last month, I called my doctor in the city to request a refill and he declined without me going to visit him for an exam since it has been over a year, which is ethical but BAD for me, because it's not convenient or cost effective for me to get to my doc 300 miles from here. So I went to Planned Parenthood and they refused to prescribe Yasmin for me because I checked the box in the health history that asked if I have ever had a history of headaches. I have gotten tension headaches for years but none in the last few years and they told me that because I checked the box they can;t prescribe anything with estrogen in it to me. I was so mad, I walked out without my exam. I called my doc in NYC and am taking the train down for an appointment this week. Unfortunately, I have to spend a month off Yasmin. I have been on one pill or another since 1993, so I know what works for me by now, and Yasmin has been a GODSEND. I am currently a disaster. I have developed severe cramping and bloating in my abdomen, which is normally flat as a pancake thanks to working out a ton, I am ravenous and want to eat EVERYTHING, I am moody and have developed a few large painful acne cysts on my face, and so far it's only been 2 weeks off, 3 if you count the placebo pill week. I want to kill someone. I am totally miserable. My mood was level all the time on Yasmin and I never had acne and my ovarian cysts had ceased. Did I mention that I am miserable? I am experiencing extreme fatigue as well. I am actually considering going to the county clinic tomorrow just because I can't take it anymore. I'd sooner take the morning after pill (which Planned Parenthood gave to me to take before they gave me a script for some stupid progestin-only pill) to trigger my period, which I think I am going to do, and order a month of Yasmin through an online Mexican pharmacy, just to get this nightmare to cease. I'm going to go do just that right now. I can;t take it anymore.

This medicine should be taken off the market immediately!! I am 30 yo and have been taking Yaz since September of 07. I have had such bad panic attacks, anxiety, nausea, gall bladder disease, and a laundry list of other odd effects that have taken over my body. I have been told by my doctor that I am depressed and was prescribed Xanax for those attacks that come out of nowhere and as of the other day he prescribed Celexa, which I took one dose of as directed and it put me over the edge. It was not until I read posts on this web site that I realize this Yaz pill is what has done this to me. I am reading all these comments from other women on this site and I feel like I am looking into a mirror. I had such a bad panic/anxiety attack this weekend I ended up in the ER and when I told the doctor I took Yaz he of course had never even heard of it which I guess is normal as it is not a med that is prescribed on an ER basis but regardless, I have stopped taking it and hopefully will be on my road to recovery. I hope someone else out there reads this and finds some peace with them self that you are in fact NOT crazy the medicine you are taking is.

i took dianette for acne for 18 months then asked my gp if there was an alternative..i was unhappy at my weight gain...i took Yasmin for 3months and in the 3rd month i had a constant headache..it peaked and became quite severe with a sickness but only if i laid on the left side of my head..i went back to my gp and she has now told me i can never take the pill again due to the risk of DVT...THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE..i have taken dianette for ages without any side effects but Yasmin made me feel sick all the time and i was very depressed...anyone been the same...my acne is starting back and i am gutted,,,,cant go out of the house

hello all, i've been reading your stories and feel i need to write mine too. i started taking Yasmin about 4 months ago. and i really do not know what to think. i haven't put any weigh on or got acne (which were my worries) and my periods got very light and completely pain-free. i did have constant but mild headaches (which i never have) and my sex drive has gone down (never had any problem before). more importantly, emotionally i am feeling terrible. i cry non-stop and i feel totally unstable. I am going through a lot of changes in my life (change career, country, new relationship, etc) so i thought i could be just that i am feeling stressed. but i think this is more than that. my anxiety has rocketed, I never felt like this before, I have racing thoughts almost constantly, panic attacks, and something that i think it's called 'depersonalization' - has anyone got anything like this? it feels like you're looking from outside yourself, if that makes any sense...not nice at all.
as I have a tendency to feel anxious anyway I really don't know whether the pill is causing this or not, but i feel i am going mad. as i read the postings i became more worried that it might be Yasmin
i went to the doctor who suggested to carry on for a few more months to see if the symptoms go away. i followed his advice (as those days i was feeling surprisingly well, and was optimistic about it) but i am still very concerned.
also, has anyone had a really bad depression/anxiety attack when taking antibiotics + yasmin? i could have killed myself that day. felt better when i stopped taking the antibiotics.
again, is it my mind...? or is it Yasmin...?
any comments would be really great

I started taking Yasmin in May of 2006 and all the benefits that they talked about (helps with acne and weight in particular) i experienced. Recently I decided to come off the pill it's been about a month now just last week I started experiencing a few break outs (in the beginning) but now the break outs have gotten pretty bad, last night i had some headaches and this morning when i was to work they were occurring to fast one behind the other at one point i had the feeling as if my period was coming but it didn't and then today at lunch i felt extremely bad and wanted to vomit my coworker came in with some KFC and I could not stand the scent of it. For one brief moment i thought maybe i was pregnant. I decided today to go back on the pill. Didn't have any problems while I was on it.

I started taking Yasmin on Monday April 21st, and by Wednesday morning I wanted off of it. I started getting really bad leg cramps all the time, I feel dizzy all the time, I have trouble concentrating, and I have trouble breathing. The worst part is that I have heart palpitations now. My heart feels all butterfly-like or it feels like it's beating really slowly really hard. I just spoke with my doctor, and she says to stop taking it immediately.

After reading this website I see I'm not the only one affected by horrible side-effects from Yasmin.

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?

Hi
After reading this forum, I found my answers!!
I was diagnosed with endometriosis about 7 years ago and have been on a provera tablet which my doctor recently advised that I need to come off. We have been talking about a IUD but until then I decided I would start taking a pill to see how I go. I have started to get adult acne so my doctor thought Yasmin would be the best pill for me. So I started taking yasmin about 3 weeks ago.
I have slipped into a massive pit of depression, thoughts about death, not eating, vomiting, crying all the time (i recently had to leave work early because I couldn't stop crying), , headaches, fighting with my friends and family, being completly irrational.
All this happened so fast I didn't know what was wrong. I honestly thought I was going crazy and yesterday I ready to check myself into a clinic. I've never been on a pill before and a friend of mine came to my rescue yesterday and suggested it could be my pill. After reading all these, I know now it is my pill. I have never been like this before in my life and I hate feeling like this. I am coming off it today! No more.

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????

So I started taking YASMIN in December 07. I switched to YAZ in January 08 and just quit a week ago. So about 4 months of bc. A week ago, I broke out in hives and rashes. I would itch one spot and then others would form. The areas get hot and the welts raise up my skin. It started when I was out in the sun but it couldn't have been sun poisoning because I never got burnt. I am diagnosing myself rather than a doctor because they do NOT know everything. After reading into the YAZ and YASMIN side effects, I am not risking anymore problems. Oh and I got an upper respitory infection along with the rash. This lingering cough has a weaze and phligmy sound. My friends are concerned with it too. I have never been the type of person to suffer from any major sickness or skin problem. I am tough skinned and have never gotten any kind of food allergy. I am 24, 5'6'' and in semi-athletic shape. I am an actor and model and I cannot afford to get rashes and a bad horsey cough! YAZ was great for 2 months and now bam! Downfall happening. Temporary relief-cortozone cream and antihistamines like benadryl.
YAZ benefit-clear skin, no PMS
YAZ side effect-rash, no sex drive/libido loss, difficult/no orgasm, appetite like a hog! Food #1 thought. Packed on pounds quick.
YASMIN benefit-clear skin, lost weight quick
YASMIN side effect- a little loopy, speech impediment, no sex drive/libido loss, no orgasm, couldn't even fake an orgasm!

I'm 23 and I got prescribed Yasmin because I have PCOS, where I only got my period every 3-9 months (very irregular) where I suffered severe period pain and my period would go for about 8 days. The doctor thought regulating my period would decrease the pain, which it did. My period is around 3-4 days, very light and no pain since starting Yasmin. But I have had migraines weekly, constant headaches, usually starting with my vision going blurry and seeing flashing white light. I also lost my appetite for the first month, but have gained weight. I was going to the gym and exercising everyday and now I have no motivation to exercise at all, but feel bloated ALL the time. I have had trouble sleeping since taking it. I suffered from depression and anxiety attacks about 2 years ago, but since taking Yasmin I have been feeling very depressed and had several anxiety attacks, although the anxiety has only started after being on it for 4 months. After having another migraine this week and having to leave work for teh second time in 2 weeks, I decided I was going to stop taking it. (I had also had 3 anxiety attacks this week) since stopping I have instantly felt relaxed, no anxiety, and I no longer feel depressed.

After suffering all of this for 4 months, 8 day periods and 4 days of being in pain doesn't seem so bad. The depression and Anxiety is the scaries part as I haven't experienced it for so long, and don't want to!

Does anyone know how long it takes to be fully out of your system? I just want to get back to normal weight, moods, energy levels etc as soon as possible!

I have a 15 yr old daughter on yasmin for acne. She has been on it for 4 months...no change really in her skin and she has gained 6-7 pounds. I am going to take her off of it. Has anyone gone off of Yasmin and lost the weight? She feels bloated and her chest is huge!

I was on Yasmin for over a year. Prior to the pill, I didn't have skin problems. I only took it to prevent pregnancy. I stopped taking Yasmin in summer 2007 because of the side effects. Since then, I've been having acne problems. The acnes are on my face and my chest where I never had acnes before. I am terrified. I am scared of trying another pill, but I do not want to go back to Yasmin either. Please give me some advice. I really want to have my clear skin back! Thanks!

I think It is wonderful...I don't understand why everyone can blame a little birth control pill. Come on now, is everyone honestly reading what they wrote it sounds ridiculous. My acne has cleared up and I haven't gained any weight except for the weight i put on myself not because of the pill. That whole weight gain thing all depends on you. I have headaches...but they are just headaches I had them before I started birth control -their not gonna disappear. Mood swings -we're woman like I said about the headaches- had mood swings before- their not gonna disappear... Thats all I got--- think about what your saying before you write it.

I've been on Yasmin for about 5 or 6 months..The first couple of months were fine, I still had energy, a little added size to the breasts, cleared my acne completely. Now people are asking my if I got a boob job, they're freaking huge! Or if I'm pregnant because it looks like I gained about 20 pounds and I feel awful about myself. I'm an avid gym goer and I can't drag myself to gym if my life depended on it, or the fact that I have a layer of fat all over my body that developed after starting the pill. I read another comment about little red bumps someone was having problems with..me too, some of them are itchy, and my acne is slowly coming back. I'm stopping the Yasmin as soon as I get home from vacation next week, hopefully I won't have any of the side effects I've read about after people have come off the pill.

I have been on Yas for about 4 years i was originally put on it for acne which cleared up slightly i still have it not as bad but recently i am that moody i feel depressed again ( had it 5 years ago post natal), real lack of libido to the point where my partner thinks I'm not attracted to him anymore, headaches, monthly aching legs, hungry i lost a heap of weight then recently started to gain it again, IBS, I also get my period the week before it says i should my doctor said it would fix up but it hasn't and it's not as if I've just started taking it. Also it is one of the most expensive pills so I'm a bit undecided whether to stick to it or to change.I don't know if any of this is related to Yas but after reading what is on this site I'm starting to wonder!!

took Yasmin for four years (taken 4-5 different types of bc in just less than 20 years). I had previously suffered from migraines and the Yasmin did not make these worse. I did not gain weight on Yasmin. My severe pms, cramping, and bloating was much better on Yasmin. My face was less prone to acne on Yasmin. If anything I might say that I had IBS symptoms on Yasmin, but have really had them before and after as well and can't really say they were worse on Yasmin. I went off Yasmin because after a move the doctor/pharmacy I now use didn't carry them. I know have a headache with almost every period, cramping, bloating, pms, depression with each period. My face is a wreck and I feel like I am back in Junior high. I was considering trying to get back on Yasmin... then I found this sight and despite my good experience with it I am now wondering.

I just started taking Yasmin 2 days ago now after reading everyone's comments i am scared of continuing. does all this happen to everyone? i had to buy my second refill because i need 2 months wroth because i am traveling overseas. please someone give me more advice and let me know if i should switch.

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'm thankful I found this site. I haven't experienced weight gain or acne. I have been on the pill for 2 months. But, it has made me feel extremely moody, very emotional and my contacts are blurry. I have crying fits for no reason or I get extremely upset like a flash. My family noticed a change immediately. I am switching to ortho tri cyclen lo.

I was on Yasmin for 1 year know and let me tell you it has been crazy. Acne my cheeks are always red and look like I had a bad rash, Blurry vision could not where my contacts. I went to the eye doctor got my RX change and still had the same problem. My hair is so thin and just shedding like crazy. And the worst of all is the damn weight gain I have a personal trainer 3 times a week and even on Weight Watchers and really watch what I eat and cant even lose 10 pounds. I came off of it this week and going through some terrible migraines know. But dealing with It. I just had to come off of it before I became bald and blind.

Hi

I have a lot of these symptoms I just read... I think I have IBS too, but am not sure exactly what the symptoms are of it... If anyone can help me out.... please respond!!!

HI my name is Jennifer, I am 27 years old, I went for my annual check-up on January 9 and I was telling my doctor that I was having headaches and feeling nausea a week before my periods and so she changed me to Loestrin 24 which I hate and yesterday was my last pill Thank God, and so now they switched me to Yaz which I start on Sunday and I am so scared of taking it because I have read so many things about women having horrible side effects such as blood clots in the lungs, acne, weight gain, vision loss and other side effects, I have gotten to the point that I want to call my doc again and get back on ortho tri cyclen but I have not even started Yaz I do not want to seem crazy! Can someone help me cause I am already freaking out and I have not started taking them yet please help!
Jennifer

I started the pill when i was 14, trying to control my cramps and acne. I have now been on the pill for 4 years. I constantly felt depressed and "blocked" in everything in my life. I gained over 40 pounds in my adolescence and never knew why. I'm taking control of my life now and have lost about 20. I went off the pill about a month ago and I can say with all of my being it was the best move i ever made. Then the acne came. I was devastated. I went back on and feel blocked again. My weight loss has come to a fault and my cravings are out of control. I am going back off of the pill again immediately. However, i don't want my acne to come back. Does anyone know of a great way to control it? creams don't really work for me so I'm not sure what to try. Mabye an herbal remedy? Any suggestions??

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.

Hello, I am 26 and this is my first time on a bc. My doctor Prescribed it to me to help me with my pms, cramping, and acne. It seems to be working for the cramping and heavy periods. I'm not too sure if it is actually working for my pms or if i have just been dealing with things in a better way. My acne hasn't changed at all, if anything i feel that it has gotten a bit worse. I experienced horrible horrible headaches and nausea the first month. The second month was a little better, and now the third is a lot better. Ok but now the reason that i am here is that i have been experiencing bad constipation to the point where i have developed hemroids. I have always had a few problems with my bowels but never this bad! Before Yasmin i was pretty regular with no trouble. I haven't changed anything in my diet or life other than started Yasmin. So I think its being caused by the pills. I'm on my last week of my third pack. If anyone else has experienced can you please let me know. If it is the pills, I'm not going to start on a fourth pack! Oh 1 more thing, has anyone experienced sudden heart palpitations because of the pill? It used to happen more during the 1st pack and has subsided a bit but still happens at times. It really freaks me out because it will happen over and over again when it does. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hi all! I just began taking YAZ two weeks ago and things were fine up until two days ago. I started experiencing itching on several parts of my boy an last night, realized I had hives on my waist at my back, near my underarms and have serious itching all over the rest of my body including the palms of my hands. Please, please, please if anyone reads this an has had similar side effects, please let me know. Furthermore, I did not take the pill last night as I knew this could be the only thing causing these issues. Does anyone know the reprecution of stopping the pill mid month? Please let me know and thanks for your help!

Hi all
I am a 24 year old, quite anxious person and have had problems with panic attacks and anxiety on and off for the last 5 years, although I generally stay on top of it, manage a good job and I have a successful long term with my boyfriend who I live with and love very much.
I was on Yasmin for three years and never thought I had any problems with it - although looking back maybe some of the anxiety that I experienced then was linked to it. The numerous GPs I spoke never made this connection so I would never have suspected it.
Anyway I came off Yasmin a year ago, as I decided I wanted a break from medication but any changes would have been disguised by another medication I was coming off at the time which gave me really bad withdrawal symptoms.
I went back on Yasmin ten days ago and today I feel terrible. I have been waking up at about 5am, wide awake and anxious and this morning had a very upset stomach due to the severe anxiety. I tried to go to work but on the bus I had the most awful depressing, dark anxious thoughts and could NOT get them out of my head. I felt terrible and came straight back home.

There is no way I am taking the pill tonight, but I am a bit worried about stopping it mid cycle - does anyone have any experience of doing this and what happened?
I also really want to know how long it will take for me to feel back to normal - can anyone give me an idea?

Thanks for your posts,
Really think they need to warn people more clearly on packaging...

Jem

I have been on Yasmin for 4 years. I switched from Ortho-Tri-Cyclin because the massive weight gain. I have had no visible problems with Yasmin until recently. I have not gained any weight, but I work out 5 times a week. Now, after reading other posts, I realize that I have had many of these problems. The past year or so, I have been crying for no reason at all. I have been extremely tired no matter how much sleep I get, a loss of sex drive ( which is hurting my relationship), very painful sex, and have had respiratory problems. Over the past couple of months, I have had severe gas, which has never been a problem before. It is painful. I have had very bad TMJ for about 2 years now. I have never had any problems with my jaw before then. The pain is on my left side. I just read some of the side effects of Yasmin, and left-sided jaw is one of them. I am going to talk to my Gyno about switching at my next visit. Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know why this happens?