Yasmin and antibiotics

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.

I want to thank each and everyone of you for writing in and spreading the word, I've been off Yasmin for a week now because of antibiotics and I'm so happy, I am so elated I feel like crying from all this happiness!

Can anyone recommend another contraception that I could use?

I was put on Yasmin because I have very bad period cramps and heavy bleeding.

Wow! I think i have just solved my problem(s)...i am 33 yr old healthy level headed woman,only med taken was ortho-tricyclen.
I began taking YASMIN 06/08, felt o.k. til beginning of July/08 when i switched to OCELLA. I began to experience some strange symptoms. I had eye pain, nausea, blurred vision,vomiting. 08/08 began getting severe headaches which lasted all day. then the eye pain became more severe. ended up going to several medical doctors, put on antibiotics, cat scan, just got my blood checked yesterday for graves disease /thyroid and addisons disease! i was thinking tonight what is making me feel this way... it dawned on me that i had a change in birth control and that is when all these symptoms started to occur. I really believe this is the answer, i don't think i have any disorder/disease i believe this pill has some serious problems. i fear that we will soon hear that it is pulled from the market due to some disease/disorder inducing side effects! I can not believe i found this-probably saved my life or maybe prevented something horrible from happening to me. i just hope i don't have any lasting effects from it:( i am still awaiting my test results...

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.

My experience with Yasmin was decreased aggression, mood stability and increased breast size. when I stopped taking the drug, I had an increase in aggression, less fatigue and no weight loss.

My T-3 levels are fine. My blood work is fine. Not many headaches. My mood became more depressed when I stopped taking Yasmin.

Not sure if I am suited to take the drug. So, I am starting Yasmin again to see if I notice side-effects. My estrogen levels were low prior to starting Yasmin the first time. So, I am wondering if my testosterone is a bit too high, and if Yasmin levels me out so to speak.

I think those with normal estrogen levels, prior to taking Yasmin, are badly affected by Yasmin. I wonder if those of us, with lower natural estrogen levels are as badly affected by Yasmin.

Will let this site know in a few months.

ALSO get this pill from Canada - ******
It costs $22 and it is the exact same packaging, etc.

Hope this helps

I'm still trying to find out if my symptoms are associated with Yasmin, but I STRONGLY believe they are. I can't believe I didn't pu the pieces together sooner. I've been on Yasmin close to 4 years... it was pretty new when I started taking it for my PCOS. For the last two years (yes, two years!) I've been experiencing extreme nausea and upset stomach and my resistance to illness/allergies has been non-existent. I've noticed that I feel depressed and lack a lot of energy. My sex drive wanes... sometimes it's nill and other times I can't get enough. I've had endoscopies, colonoscopies, blood work, etc... but nothing ever came back conclusive on anything particular. After my last cycle, it took me about a week to get my new pack and guess what? I felt somewhat normal! My sex drive came back and my gastrointestinal issues subsided. I'm going to stop taking it completely and see if it solves my "mystery illnesses".

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.

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 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.

Just recently, I stopped taking Yasmin after being on it for a year. My prescription was held back because of insurance issues and also because I had to take antibiotics for a cold. When I stopped taking it, I completely felt like a new person. I feel more energetic than I've been this past year. I'm eating healthy and I'm running frequently. My sex drive has also changed drastically (for the better). When I first went on Yasmin, my boyfriend immediately noticed a change in my mood and it went on for months. I thought I acted the same as always but I guess not. Over the winter I just got lazy, I wasn't motivated to run or do anything physical. I'm only 18 years old and I shouldn't have been as lazy as I was! Not to mention I gained a lot of weight I don't think I should completely blame college life. I think I'm going to stay off of Yasmin and birth control altogether and see how it goes.

It all finally makes sense!!! I'm 26 yrs old, have been on 3 bc's in my life for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and this past bc was Yasmin. Weird things have been happening and I never thought to link them with the bc but after reading all of these stories it makes perfect sense. Here I'm thinking that I have severe IBS and zero sex drive b/c I'm just a medical disaster but these other woman have opened my eyes. The worst side effect of all is the story that I am about to tell you and I hope that nobody else has this problem. My gyno put me on Yasmin the 8th of Aug. ('07) and at the end of Aug. beginning of Sept. I noticed a big sore knot on the back of my ankle. I thought nothing of it until another one appeared under the skin of my other ankle. I went to my doctor (who is my regular and gyno) and she told me that she didn't know what these lumps were but were NOT caused by my bc. She gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way...one knot went away and another larger one appeared. I went back to her and she gave me a 2nd dose of antibiotics, one goes away and 2 more appear. So this time she sends me to an Orthopedic Specialist who takes x-rays and has no idea what is wrong. He tells me to go see a dermatologist. I went to a dermatologist 2 weeks ago who tells me that I have a blood flow problem. My blood is thick (never had this problem in my life) and has problems flowing back up from my feet in my veins. He diagnosis me with Lipodermasclerosis...ok, so I ask him if this could be caused by my taking Yasmin...YEP! So, I stopped my bc that night. Now I am going to wait the three months for the Yasmin to completely leave my system before I know for sure that this was the cause of the knots on my ankles. Please let me know your thoughts and if anyone has had this same issue. Thank you!

I have been taking Yasmin since November 2006, since July this year I have been suffering from a condition called Chronic Urticaria. This involved a very itchy nettle rash, painful joints, swelling on my hands and feet, so much that I cant walk. My eyes swell up so much that I cant open them, my lips swell up, tightness in my chest almost so much that I can not breathe. I have been to the hospital loads of times, seen about 20 different doctors, been put on 5 different steroids, anti leprosy pills, antibiotics, post transplant pills, anti histamines and many more. I am just wondering if anyone else has suffered from any of these side effects whilst taking Yasmin?

I've been on and off of Yasmin for about a year now. It seems like every time I am on it and I have sex I develop irritation. I went to my OBGYN because I was scared out of my mind. I took every STD test you could think of and he finally told me it looked like I was having rough sex. I told him that my sex has not changed at all. I did an experiment and got off of it for a few months and didn't have any problems down there while I was off of it...but as soon as I got back on it I develop irritation after having sex. I also notice that my urine smells very different and I am thirsty all the time. I can never get enough water. I thought maybe this pill was causing me to have UTI's. Has anyone else had these problems?

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!

Hello Gang,

I have never felt so sick in my entire life. I started taking Yasmin two months ago (I only went through two packs of pills). I have felt like I am going to die every day of this last month. I have had severe migraine headaches, body aches, chest tightness, dizziness, SEVERE anxiety and EXTREME fatigue. My sex drive has packed up and gone, I have terrible vaginal dryness and I am never hungry. I used to work out every day but now find that the very thought of lifting weights puts me to sleep. The strangest part is how the "illness" kind of comes in waves, I'll be fine all morning and then I'm freaking out/sick all night. I have panic attacks and I'll start crying for no reason. Sometimes I lay in bed and worry that I have cancer or a tumor or all types of various diseases. My boyfriend has been extremely patient throughout the whole thing but I feel terrible because we hardly have a chance to get romantic because I'm constantly sick or simply worrying that I might get sick later on. I actually just had four vials of blood taken yesterday to make sure that I'm doing okay. They also gave me chest xrays due to the chest tightness. The thing that really bugs me is that aside from being frustrating, confusing and scary, it is proving to be quite costly since I now have to pay for my doctor's visits and doctor's expenses. I just switched over to Loestrin two days ago so I'm hoping that will help get me back on track. Until then, I'm just gonna have to hope that this stuff gets out of my body and that the feeling of looming death vanishes. I'm all for going to the news or Oprah or maybe dateline nbc. Women should know what they're getting themselves into because it seems obvious that if doctor's are prescribing this to us, they must have no idea what they're doing. And that thought is equally as terrifying as the constant sickness.

Wondering if anyone else has had IBS as a result of Yasmin? After 4 yrs of tests and eliminating all sorts of possible reasons why I digest far too quickly and have night hunger and loose bowels on and off, I just got a new doctor who says that Yasmin might be throwing off my flora balance (yeast & bacteria) and wants me to consider trying a different bc pill. Anyone else have this problem--superfast digestion, symptoms of yeast overgrowth on and off, recurring loose bowels? I did do 2 rounds of antibiotics in the last 4 years--one for pneumonia, one for a sinus condition, and I'm wondering if the combination of Yasmin plus antibiotics screwed me up? (I do take enzymes and probiotics but the symptoms keep recurring).

I have been on Yasmin for about 6 months now. I have had a vaginal infection for about 3 months now. I have been given antibiotics in pill form twice along with vaginal inserts twice. My culture came back negative for yeast and for bacterial vaginosis. My gynocologist said that only certain strains of BV are tested for, so I had to have another culture done. I am currently waiting for the results. My symptoms are heavier discharge, light itching once in a while, and my discharge has a slight smell to it. Nothing foul or offensive like bacterial vagisnosis, but it is no longer odorless. Anyone else experience anything like this on Yasmin? I'm wondering if the change in discharge is just from the pill and not an infection. After finding this site, I am definetly asking to switch birth control pills when my doc calls with my results. I have Polycystic Ovary syndrome, so I have to stay on the pill. Anyone have any recommendations for a new pill?

I had been on Yasmine for about a year, I decided to take a 3 month break from the pill. When I went back on it about half way through the pack I got hit with a bad kidney infection. After being sick for about a month I stopped taking the Yasmine because the antibiotics were taking away from its effectivness anyway. It took about a month and a half for the kidney infection to go away. I started back up again and now here I am half way through the pack and having kidney pains again. Im not sure, but it seems like there is a correlation. Anyone else had this problem?

Hi,

I went on Yasmin when I was 19 for 2 years and never had any adverse side effects that I was aware of. My skin improved and people started asking me if I had lost weight alhtough I didn't change my diet/exercise regime (thanks to the diuretic in it). I went off the pill for 1 year, then went back on it 3 months ago, because me skin had been steadily declining, and being off the pill was the only connection I could make.

But this time, my skin didn't get any better. I've been getting large, very red, painful pimples unlike anything I've had before, and in random areas like my cheeks and even around my mouth and chin. I went on a minocycline, a mild antibiotic, for 6 weeks to help my face, and it got somewhat better, but whenever I would cycle, my face would seem to explode right on time with more of these painful pimples. I just finished the antibiotics and will not be taking them anymore since it didnt help that much, and I'm worried about the levels of Candida (yeast) in my body, which can also contirbute to acne and other health problems.

I'm starting to think that maybe now my body is just reacting differently to Yasmin then the first time I was on it. Although my skin in this last year that I'd been off it, I think I've traced these new, worse pimples to being back on Yasmin. And after reading posts here and on aphroditewomenshealth.com, I'm stopping Yasmin right now for good. I'm going to deal with my skin using natural methods.

Here's some suggestions for natural supplements that I've gathered from other posts to balance hormones and help adult acne in the process. I'm going to look into them right away.

Agnus Castus
Chasteberry (Vitex) extract
Progesterone Cream
Evening Primrose Oil

I've also started taking Acidopholus supplements to reverse the damage to the good bacteria in my body from the antibiotics, trying to keep the Candida in check. And I'm drinking 3-4 ounces of Goji juice a day, which is supposedly really powerful stuff for all kinds of health problems. One of my professors claims that Goji juice is the only thing that's successfully balanced her hormones now that she's going through menopause.

Hope this helps...Interested to hear if anyone else has had bad acne problems from Yasmin.

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

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

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

headache & my eyes hurt. just started taking 6 days ago, wanted to stop w/the antibiotics for acne & try this

hi again i thought i would let you know what the doctor said well i went last night with my very supported husband bless him putting up with me after being on yasmin

well i said to him about since starting this i have visted him god knows how many times been on antibiotics and admitted in hospiatal coming away with no result everythink ok .
so i told him about my side effects im having and that we think it is this that is causing my 14months of what ive been through.
i said i have been of the yasmin since last sunday and staying of it to see how i go and told him i have been smiling a little since coming off this horrible drug still having side effects but not like they were.
last night i wasnt to good after tea was sick and i felt as if i lost my breath and started panicking its hard to explain but i went to bed and today i feel a little better
well to my surprize my doctor was very intrested in what i had to say he says its a new pill and that there is no side effects in his doctors bible book
so he wrote down what i told him and said use condoms and i will review you in 6-8weeks time to see how im getting on just hope each day carrys on like it is my chest pains have near enough gone just anxity will prob haunt me for a while had to get out the shop yesterday went out for a hour with my mum and couldt hack it need air but i just pray for the day to come when im back to normal will keep you posted on how i am anyone who want to talk then email by all means thaks nicola 22

I have been on yasmin for a month..I am actually on my 4th day of the 2nd month. I am taking it to regulate my periods so I can get pregnant. But I am having shortness of breath where, it feels like I am inhaling, but my lungs arent filling. Even when I yawn to get all the air, it is like my lungs dont really fill. I have charlie horses in my calves and pain like a UTI. As soon as I started taking Yasmin, I was diagnosed with one, and was given antibiotics. After a week, I was told I was fine, but the pain continued. I am sick to my stomach ALL the time, but there are some moments, when all I want to do is eat. I pee constantly. I am SO tired, all he time I want to sleep. I could sleep all day and all night, and still be tired. I had my period and I cramped so bad and had headaches, and nothing seemed to get rid of it. I wouldnt advise Yasmin for anyone. I would like to know how to get the FDA to take it off the shelf. Any replies or input would be awesome! I want to get pregnant, but not at the risk that I cant breathe!!

I've been taking BC since I was about 16, been on Yasmin since January and had to stop in March because of severe depression and generally just feeling sick, stomach aches, muscle pains, being tired. When I stopped I was so much happier and my skin cleared up and the sick feeling went away. Just last month I started again thinking I was sick from taking Paxil, but I'm feeling sick again and was so happy to see this website. I'm going to my Gynocologist tomorrow to switch. I used to take ortho tri cyclen and never had a problem with it except when I needed to take antibiotics. Also my skin looked like porcelain!

WOW. Thank goodness I found this site.

I was put on Yasmin one month ago after I was experiencing breakthrough bleeding with Ortho Novum. Almost immediately I felt UTI-like symptoms. Constantly having to go to the bathroom. Because I used to have them regularly, I went back into my gyno to get tested, and hopefully some antibiotics. My test was negative. She sent me home. I came back a week later as the symptoms had stayed...I just could not stop going! But I had no burning or pain, just major frequency. She tested my discharge and said it had some yeats in it. I have only once ever had a yeast infection (from antibiotics). She said the yeast may have travelled up and infected my bladder. She also said my urine was very alkaline, and asked if I was on atkins, which I am not.
She gave me FOUR doses of diflucan, detrol LA for overactive bladder, a peeing schedule to follow, and a sleeping pill to help me through the night.
I told her I was wondering if it was the yasmin, and she did not say anything to confirm this.
For the first 2 weeks of her medications, I did not feel better at all. Now I am off the active yasmin pills and am starting to feel better!

I TRULY think that all of that was because of Yasmin. I was healthy before I started taking it.

Also had:
brown discharge the 3rd week
when it was time for my period, NOTHING, except when having sex
NO sex drive
Hard time getting aroused for sex
Major dizziness
Pain in wrists

If anyone has had an experience similar to mine, regarding the urinary frequency, please email or post!!

I think I am going off BCP's for good...so tired of trying and failing with these...

I had planned to stop taking Yasmin 2 weeks ago due to nausea, but kept going (taking it at bedtime instead)to try to get my cycle back to wear it was. I now realize that since starting this pill, I have become depressed & feel really drained of energy, sometimes short of breath, & light-headed. It definitely is from the Yasmin. I've never taken medication before, except for vitamins & antibiotics when needed, so I know this change in my mood is related to Yasmin.
All the hormones that women across the country are taking are probably causing more problems than they're worth!