Yasmin and anxiety

Hi, I just started taking Ocella on Sunday.... 5 days ago, I decided to look it up since I have heard of Yaz having major problems. I am so happy I found this page and had the chance to read your stories. I have only taken 4 pills as of right now and I have a lot of the most listed problems on this page. I already have the occasional panic attacks that come on without any apparent reason, this started after my mother suddenly passed away a few years ago, but since the first day I started this pill I have felt very anxious NON-STOP. I have only slept about 3-4 hours each night this week due to anxiety, heart palpatations, chest pain, and headaches. My body feels soooo tired and unrested, yet my mind is in a constant panic. And because of the panic I have felt very moody and aggitated. I have three young children, so needless to say I need to be rested and HAPPY! After reading these earlier posts, I am definately not taking any chances with this BC. I only started it to try and regulate my period.

Thank you to everybody who has shared their experience, obviously everybody is different, and take to medications differently, but it seems that these are very common side effects in many woman.
I am DEFINATELY stopping taking the pill as of NOW!
I wish everybody the best of luck with their situations brought on by this terrible drug.

Oh my good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought this was just me!
I started taking Dianette when I was 15 years old, then a friend recommended Yasmin when I was about 23. I am now 29 so have been on it for 6 years, and only 2 days ago when I was talking to a friend about my serious mood swings and anxiety and irrational behaviour - which I thought was just the way I was., did she say: ''are you on the pill?'' I said yes but didn't really think too much that it would be that...... my mother says I am a nightmare and I honestly thought this was the person I was. My poor boyfriend and ex partners have gone through hell. After reading all these messages I think I am about to start a new life YASMIN FREE! To be honest the mood swings & depression etc started as soon as I went on the pill, but the connection was never made, and I thought it was part of being a teenager! then at 17 the doctor put me on an anti depressant and said I may have a hormone inbalancement. ? The tabelt I took for a couple of weeks were good and I thought ''wow is this what it feels like to be happy and relaxed '' but they made me vomit and I didn't want to get addicted so I came off.
For the past 14 years I have had constant MOOD SWINGS, ANXIETY, CONFUSSION, DEPRESSION AND IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOUR, and I can not believe that this has never been spotted due to the pill. I thank my friend who I call ''my angel'' for listening and pointing out something staring me in the face. My fiance and I willhopefully have a much calmer and happier relationship with out devil woman involved!

Ok seriously, you women are bordering psychotic.. perhaps I should blame your lack of intelligence on the pill too? You really need to stop self diagnosing yourself and realize that when dealing with hormones, your body requires time to adjust. For those of you who have been on yasmin for many years and have said it has been like living in hell, well then you are only to blame. Not every birth control is right for each person; however, if after three months you are still feeling horrible, you should have probably made an intelligent decision to go see your doctor and switch doses/ birth control. I would advise all of you to get off this website, and instead go see your doctor. By the way, I think I should let all of you know that I have been on yasmin for 2 minutes, and in that time my dog died and my house got struck by lightning ...I am certain the ONLY reason for all this misfortune MUST be due to the pill ... ;)

I started taking Yasmin 20 days ago (for pregnancy prevention, and I had heard only good things about Yasmin including great skin, weight loss, and less or no mood swings). After a few days I noticed that my breasts had grown about a cup size (I had easily gone from a size A cup to B in about a week or 2), my skin broke out more especially around my chest area, but then cleared up within the week, also I had noticed some mood changes. As the week progressed and I continued on the pill, I began feeling nausea, i had constant diareha, and trouble sleeping. My moods have been off the charts. I used to love spending time with my boyfriend and his family, and lately all i want to do is stay home and i have constant anxiety and dilusions that his family hates me (which is not in any way true) i am paranoid, and 100% anti-social. I dont feel like myself anymore, the depression is only worsening and I wake up crying. The only way to calm myself down is by drinking, so now I fear that i may start developing a drinking problem. I am taking the last pill today and then i will stop Yasmin FOR GOOD! I am considering having an IUD with no hormones because i dont think my body can handle anymore hormones in my system. Good luck to anyone on this pill, as for me, i need to stop for the sake of my relationship, my body, and my sanity!

Yasmin is a destroyer of mental and physical health. It has taken over a year to recover and it is the worst experience of my life. The level of suffering that this drug can induce is catastrophic and I caution others about the risks. Along with experiencing intense pain in my lungs, limbs, uterus, and back, constant dizziness, disabling fatigue and disorientation were my daily experience. The side effects of this drug were so intense that for me it reached the severity of medication induced psychosis (paranoia, extreme depression, detachment from reality).
If you value your health, avoid this drug.

I'm 29 years old now and had irregular periods and that's why my doctor put me on Alesse. I was on those for for 2 years but realized that it was causing me to be overly sensitive all the time and so my family doctor put me on Yazmin. I was on it for one year.This one turned out to be EVEN WORSE! I'm highly active but yet gained 30 lbs in one year. I eat and feel full but yet keep eating. I have a numb upper right thigh and have been to countless nerve doctors and they can't find anything wrong with me. I was super moody, crying all the time at the drop of a hat. I wanted to it people when they made me mad but never did and I'm not a violent person at all! I stopped going out which made my friends mad because that's not who I am. I love being with my friends and having fun, but I didnt feel like doing anything at all. I feel cold all the time even when it's super hot outside and my hands and feet are always numb. I also had heart palpitations but used to think because I workout with heavy weights it must be the weight training. I was so sad all the time so I started seeing a doctor to talk to and he found nothing wrong with me. I had a little anxiety sometimes when I used to go out to even like the grocery store or the mall. I can't count the number of times I'd get somewhere and drive right home without even going inside the store.I had slight night anxiety which my doctor couldn't explain. I went to a sleep clinic and my results came back fine. I decided to take myself off of the pills last month. I see my family doctor in January and I'll tell her about it. I felt so weird when I was off them for the first week. Like it wasn't myself in my own skin. My moods are getting better. My libido is coming back which is a good thing! I'm just feeling all around better about myself. I think it's one of the best things I've done for myself in a long time. :)

I began taking Yasmin in May 2007 in order to try to curb some serious mood swings I felt I was having. Looking back, I realize that my life was a bit more stressful at that time and I would have been fine dealing with my frustration, anxiety, irritability, etc. in other ways. However, at first, Yasmin seemed to be the answer. I felt better, I dealt with issues better, and I didn't even notice some of the side effects people say that BC causes: weight gain, headaches, low sex drive, etc. I thought I had the perfect pill. About 6 months into taking it, though, I started having serious stomach pains. Prior to Yasmin, I had a "stomach of steel." Nothing bothered it. But at this point, not only was I feeling abdomen pain, I was vomiting, being constantly nauseous, experiencing headaches, and having what I now call "duress" - horrible get-to-a-toilet-immediately diarrhea. That especially was ruining my life as I knew it. It came at the worst possible times and interrupted many important events in that period of my life. Many tests later, it was determined that my gallbladder was not functioning normally. It was not "emptying" as it should, and I was suffering for it. I had it removed in October 2008 and thought it was all to be over. I chalked it up to a family history, maybe, or just bad luck. Then, I stopped taking Yasmin in the Spring of this year because it had become too expensive under new insurance and I tried a lower dosage pill. I wasn't a fan of it, so I opted to go back to Yasmin again, only this time, I tried Ocella (cheaper). Sure enough, weeks into taking it again, my original symptoms came back. I thought, "Wait a minute. My gallbladder is gone! I thought that was the source of my stomach issues, and everything else!" Now, I realize it may have all started with the stupid pill. I finally made the decision to stop taking the pill (Yasmin, Ocella, or anything else) and try to "cleanse" my body from all this mess. As of October 2, 2009, I have not taken any sort of pill. My husband notices a real change in my health, personality, and even my mood swings are bearable...truth is, they aren't really all that bad. It's strictly dependent on what's going on around me. And isn't that how it's supposed to be? Ha. I really wish I had never even started Yasmin two and a half years ago. I believe it caused gallbladder disease and all of the problems that brings.

I have been taking Ocella the generic version of Yasmin for over three years now. I have been taking it for hormone therapy. For the first year I was fine great skin, hair, weight, mood everything... Now it is like I am living in a nightmare. I have put on 30 pounds, I am very moody, very depressed, have anxiety issues, no sex drive, I feel full all the time but for some reason I still eat. I have pitting edema in my legs. My latest blood test showed a lack of protein. (Even though I eat a lot of Tuna and Chicken). I get constipated all the time. My hair is falling out. I also have no energy and feel tired all the time. My chest feels heavy, I feel nauseous, I get leg cramps at night and I just don't know what to do. I have had to ask myself whether or not all of these symptoms are caused by Ocella or not? I have an apt with my gynecologist Dec 12th and am wondering if she is going to take me off of Ocella. I didn't know whether or not I should stop taking the pill without talking to my doctor first. I will update after my apt. I am sad to see all of you suffering. May God Bless you in your endevour to get healthy again.

I have been on Yasmin for about 5 years. I loved it to begin with but just recently I have been having horrible side effects that i just realized could be related. I just thought i was a 21 yr old with problems. i am having heart palpitations, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety, vision problems, UTI's, lightheadedness and blackouts, and CHRONIC migraines. I am having about 3 migraines a week! they are disrupting my life. it is weird that i was fine on the meds for so long and they are just now resulting in this. I am stopping the pill as of today and i am going to talk to my doctor about other options. i am thinking about ortho tri cyclin lo. i have to be on a birth control because i have had endometriosis and my doctor said it is less possible to come back if i am on a birth control. she mentioned the shot but i have heard bad stories about that too and i don't think i want to go there.

I'm a 19 year old college student and a I've been on Yasmin for about 3 years. I started the pill because after two major surgeries, my body was traumatized, leaving me with very heavy periods and feeling tired all the time. I started Yasmin and at first, was very happy with it. I didn't lose weight on it, but I didn't gain any weight, either, which is what happened when I tried taking other birth control pills. However, after my senior year, I went off to college, where the problems began. It seemed that anytime I was under stress, my anxiety and bad mood would amplify. I got mad at my boyfriend over small things to the point of wanting to break up with him. Thank goodness he was patient with me! I began having panic attacks and although I was living in horrible conditions at school, I just chalked it up to not being ready to move off, etc. I came home the next semester and had the same problems. Anytime my boyfriend and I get into an argument, I can feel myself get heated up and I become uncontrollably angry. I hate myself when this happens. I have also been very tired. Some mornings, I can't stay awake in class and since I've been on the pill, I have felt the need to take naps way more often than usual. I plan to stop taking this pill as soon as my month is up!

i have been taking Yaz for about 2 and a half months now. I have gained nearly 10 pounds, i am breaking out on my face in acne, i've been having unexpected anxiety and i have been tired constantly. hopefully from reading some of these forums, by going off the pill i will be able to lose that weight i gained shortly after. i know people say to just let your body adjust to the pill and give it time...but i don't think that my body should have to adjust to anything. the way it is right now is the way it's meant to be...so sorry Yaz!

I have been on the Yasmin now for nearly three months. I have no energy, chest pains, shortness of breath, tenderness of my breast, ribs and I feel REALLY TIRED even after having a nights rest. I thought this was perhaps after having a toddler and using my energy up during the day from lifting him and swinging him. I feel slightly anxious about different things in my life, sometimes depressed. I though my headaches and chest pains were stress/work related and so was the fatigue. I am popping vitamin tablets like it is an addiction thinking that if I don't have them I am going to feel WORSE( anxious/depressed). I also could not understand why I was feeling so nauseous and having stabbing pains in my stomach. - thought again this was just stress related - acid build up. I am going to see my Doctor today and get off this tablet!!!! I would rather have the odd pimple on my face than feel like this.

Hello, this is E. again. My son took a nap, so I was able to read a lot of the posts. Many things that occurred to me over time were things that I thought came with the change of life of being married and having a child. Just life, in general also. But, now that I think of who I was before motherhood and being a wife, it just doesn't add up. I believe now the additional things that were happening to me were indeed extra side effects of the pill. They include, no sex drive, weight gain, migraines/headaches, fatigue/tired, joint pain, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, insomnia, nausea, and stress. I have been hospitalized and have had certain procedures done for some of these symptoms. Today I am stopping the pill due to the reasons of my previous post. Within time I will let you all know if there have been any improvements. Take care, E.

I have been on Yasmin for around 5 months now and am absolutely fine for the three weeks of taking the pills, however as soon as i stop taking them on the pill free week i become extremely aggressive and emotional. I cry all the time and feel so depressed and angry. I feel myself become furious over the littlest things. I have also begun to have panic attacks over small things and have become scared of everything. Has anyone else experienced this?

I think I have a side effect that may have branched off of Yasmin. I have had throbbing in my fingers and my hands that woke me up in the middle of the night. Has anyone else experienced this? I have also had a stiff neck.... thats been killing me. I wasn't linking it together......and still am not sure if has to do with Yasmin. I don't know if its my anxiety or if Yasmin is causing shortness of breath... i get heart palpitations as well along with pain in my arms and legs (minor). I'm not liking this at all.

I am so glad I found this website.

After 2 years of being on Yasmin/Ocella, I have realized that my symptoms were entirely from this horrible drug.

Symptoms I experienced on Yasmin/Ocella:

-HEARTBURN! I had to have an endoscopy to determine the damage caused to my esophagus, and was on hard core antacid drugs for months.

-UTIs!! I suffered from a UTI pretty much every time my fiance and I had sex, and my Gyno referred me to a urologist. Mind, I had NEVER suffered from these frequently in any other time in my life.

-Strange heart beats - heart skipped a beat often.

-Anxiety, to the point of dysfunction.

-Back aches, kidney infections.

-Bladder infections.

-Depression - for instance, lying in bed for hours after my alarm went off, not wanting to get up.

-NO sex drive. NONE.

TAKE THIS DRUG OFF THE MARKET.

I am a 36 year old women that decided to start taking birth control for the 1st time in my life which was on aug. 1st. I decided this after having my last of 3 kids. my ob doctor prescribed me Yasmin, but I filled the ocella a generic of Yasmin. I was at first concerned a little bit about taking birth control due to my age. But my ob told me that if I smoked than there could be risks of the side effects of birth control. I do not smoke, drink, or eat badly.I used to drink coffee everyday, but stopped because of the b.c. effects. I am not overweight with no other health conditions, except now!!! I don't exercise much or sleep much because of taking care of the baby. I do stress and have anxiety at times. I have had a few mild heart palpitations in my lifetime that occurred at work.
I have never experienced so many and strong HEART PALPITATIONS until I was on the pill. I started experiencing them about 2 weeks after starting the pill they occurred about 3 to 6 times a day about 4 to 5 days in a row. I continued for another few days just to make sure, but still had HEART PALPS. I stopped taking the pill. on aug 17th. I was also more moody and felt like I had pressure in my head at times. I than got concerned and decided to take my blood pressure on aug 31st.which was at 133/88. I said to myself that i have elevated blood pressure that i never had before. I started to worry because i never had HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. My BLOOD PRESSURE started to raise every day and reached 182/101. I was was so worried and stressed over this, because i know I did not have HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE before. I called my ob to find out my blood pressure before i started the pill and on july 27th it was 120/64 a great and healthy blood pressure. on Sept. 5th I went to urgent care they gave me a clonidine 0.1 to lower my bp when i reached 182/101. and did an ekg which was fine. my pulse if fine. They gave me lisinopril 10 mg to help if my blood pressure continued to be high. I did start it because if was like 172/96 which was close to this # everyday.It is helping a little. My pressure ranges from 128/80's to 156/90's. usually the 2nd #. It's rare that it hits lower. started meds on sept. 6th. I don't have any heart palps since about 3 days ago, which was 11th. but still have hbp. my primary dr does not think it could be my birth control, especially with being on for only 2 & 1/2 weeks. I'm pending blood tests right now. and my dr. thinks it could be my thyroid causing palps and hbp. my dr does not seem to think bc's can raise hbp. I read the package insert of bc's and read on internet it can. I felt completely healthy 1 month ago. and had excellent blood pressure.

Hi Everyone,
After reading all these posts, I am just hoping that this pill caused me all my problems.
Back in march i had what I could now call a panic attack.. I started sweating and thinking i was going to faint and die.. I managed to run to the coffee shop.. and after a chocolate and few mints resting I was ok..so i thought my blood sugar may be low..... during April and June i could feel my legs very week...i thought i was not eating properly.. so ignored it..At the end of June on my third day of holiday I got the same feeling as i did in march i thought i was fainting and dying...After this episode I had shaky legs all the time..thinking i could faint at any time.. my heart was beating very fast once a day.. I had a blood test done just for thyroid and it was ok... after three weeks of thinking i was dying inside I started feeling very strange like if it was not me.. I was anxious..scared of my dreams..scared of my thoughts.. very anxious in the morning....feeling like i was in a dream and disconnected from my body.. I stopped the pill and it has been two months..i could say i probably got 5% better but i still not feeling like this is my body and my life..feeling I am going crazy.. i am not able to think properly..some sort of brain frog..it feels like if i didn't exist in this world..It has been horrible...headache everyday however I dont know if it is my anxiety or if i have something in my brain..

I just hope this feeling goes away and i can come back to be my old self... i used to love life ..every bit of bit...with bad and goods.

Do you guys have a similar experience?

Sorry to keeping annoying y'all with more posts from me, but I have another question. I noticed that my symptoms were worse with Yasmin's generic, Othello, than they were with Yasmin. I am not knowledgeable about generic drugs vs. brand-name drugs, but I wonder if there is something different about Othello that my body doesn't agree with. Just a thought... Any comments???? :)

Is anyone also taking adderall, along with Yasmin? I had a baby 9 months ago and was off of adderall and Yasmin for about a year. In April, I stopped breastfeeding and got back on adderall and Yasmin's generic version, Othello. I was fine for a few months. Then, in July, I noticed the anxiety and related symptoms: lump in my throat, numbness in fingers (I had this when I was prego, too, as I gained 80 lbs., etc., but it went away for a while), feeling like my heart was racing, moodiness, etc. I take my Othello at night, as I sometimes get nauseous at the beginning of the pack, and don't want to "suffer" during the day. At first I thought it was my adderall, as it can sometimes cause anxiety-related symptoms, but I went off of it for a few days and I still had the exact same symptoms, because I was still taking Othello. I even cut down on my caffeine. I love coffee, but have started getting half-caf. drinks. I think I need to go off of the Othello, because I really think that it is the source of all my "issues". Does anyone have a similar story or advice that they can share? Thanks! :)

Damn reading up on all these side effects shared here is really scaring.
Well I must admit that I certainly can relate to quite a few of them.
Well I took Yasmin for over a year,and my initial experience (say 6 months) was ok.
During that times my skin became flawless,to clear&radiant the best I'd ever had.
However beyond the 6 months things changed and I developed mad constant thrush
Really it was horrid,was put on fluconazole countless times,and I had never been one prone to thrush.
Furthermore every month during my period I'd get this mad headache coupled with dizziness and serious fatigue.
I was even convinced that I was anemic,because I'd actually go pale!Due to these headaches I decided to stop the Yasmin as I
Felt that really my life was at stake.In fact it was so bad I couldn't complete the that months pack.
Discontinuing Yasmin,opened yet another can of worms,perhaps due to me stopping suddenly.I developed severe acne,I was never one skin issues.
Well perhaps it could be attributed to the abrupt discontinuation of the pill.Sadly even 6 months of being off the pill my skin has not gotten any better.
As a result I have stupidly found myself having no choice but to go back to Yasmin.I have been taking it for just over a week,my skin has improved profoundly but I'm scared.
Moreso after reading everybody else comments,I'm really scared.If I'm to discontinue would yoi advice that I complete the cycle and not not stop suddenly?
Right now I'm ok just have slight nausea and occasional dull aching head.
Please can somebody give me advice.

This web page is a revelation. I thought I was the only one!! Was put on Yasmin by my Gynae for slight hormone imbalance (with no symptoms). Been on this pill for 4 yrs. Never had Pre Menstrual Tension until I took this pill. During my period, I suffer horrendous migraines, nausea and irritability and waves of anxiety for 3 days and then it goes.
Went to see another Gynae who said these headaches and bizarre side effects appear to be quite common with Yasmin and has recommended me take another one and won't recommend Yasmin to any of her patients anymore!

RB UK

My 17 year old daughter is on Yasmin and has been for over a year. She is taking it to regulate her periods and heavy bleeding. We have not noticed any side effects at all. She has a learning disability and a low IQ. She is also on Buspar for anxiety which she has had long before Yasmin. She is also on Strattera for her ADD. Now, after reading and hearing about all these terrible side effects such as stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, blood clots, etc. I am going to ask our doctor about this. I read one post that said if you were on Yasmin and you had to take Motrin you should have blood tests...what kind if this is true? She just had her wisdom teeth out and has taken plenty of Motrin along with other pain medication. This is just way too scary....scared Mom in SC

Thank god I found this site! My body has been going crazy ever since I started taking Yasmin two years ago and I didn't put two and two together until reading all of these postings and realizing the Yasmin might be the culprit.

I'm a healthy 31 y.o. who exercises regularly, doesn't smoke and has been on various oral contraceptives for the last decade without too many side effects beyond slight moodiness and minor weight gain. About two years ago I switched over to Yasmin. About two months ago I came across this site as I was researching hypertension which I had developed. I was confused and didn’t know what was causing it as I am healthy, unstressed and have a history of low blood pressure. But as soon as I found this site it all started coming together and I realized Yasmin had done much more than raise my blood pressure. I immediately went off the pill and almost right away many of my side effects went away. Here's what I've experienced since being on the pill:

-Weight Gain: Almost right away I gained ten pounds. I’ve effortlessly lost five of those pounds since going off the pill.
-Seborrheic Dermatitis: After a few months of being on Yasmin I developed a painful scalp condition called Seborrheic Dermatitis. Side effects of this are inflamed scalp, redness and most importantly, hair loss. The doctor said it is generally brought on by stress but on further research I saw that it is also caused by hormones, so it wasn’t a stretch for me to realize Yasmin might be the culprit once I saw this site. Over the last couple years I’ve been using all sorts of prescription shampoos to make the problem go away and nothing helped. But as soon as I went off the pill my scalp condition cleared in only a month without the use of shampoos.
-High Blood Pressure: Before I went on the pill my BP was about 100/70. During the time I took Yasmin my BP slowly climbed to above 140/90. Within two weeks of going off the pill my BP was back down to pre-Yasmin levels.
-Irregular Heart Beat: After about a year and a half of being on the pill I started to suffer from seriously irregular heart beat which went away immediately after I got off Yasmin.
-Hyperpigmentation: I know any birth control can cause this but none of them ever have until I went on Yasmin at which point it sprung up all over my face. I’m hoping the dermatologist can clear it up now that I’m off the pill.
-Tightness in Chest: Happened around same time as irregular heartbeat and is now gone.
-Anxiety: I’m not sure I can blame Yasmin for this one since going off Yasmin has not caused it to go away. But enough posters on this site mentioned it as a side effect and it wasn’t a problem for me pre-Yasmin, so I wanted to mention it.
-Irritability: I’m generally easy going and don’t let the little things bother me, but as soon as I went on Yasmin everything started to bug me. Now that I’m off Yasmin I’ve been in a much better mood.

If anyone is on this pill or thinking about going on it, I implore you not to. Too many risks especially since there are so many other pills out there that don’t have many side effects. I mean, there are close to 5,000 postings on this site, mostly against this pill while if you search the web there are almost no other pills that generate this kind of attention. That alone tells me something. I hope the makers of the pill pull it from the market immediately or doctors stop recommending it.

lower back pain, hair loss,joint pain, complicated migraines, vertigo, palpitation, hormonal imbalances (lowered DHEA, increased aldosterone-it affected my adrenal glands and kidneys), epigastric pain, bleeding, extreme fatigue, anxiety,pulmonary failure etc. I had to go through ER, 2 CT scans ( abdominal and brain), 2 MRIs, neurologist, endocrinologist, GI, gyno etc. I threw my Yaz pills in the trash after the first CT scan that revealed multiple tumors in my liver and left adrenal gland ( i took the pills for about 3 and 1/2 years)... the past 6 months have been a hell, but there are no more migraines, anxiety or other neurological symptoms at this point. By the way, one of my best friends who just started on Yaz recently ended up in the ER last week with a blood cloth in her left lung. Please stay away from that drug!

I also experienced everything you have listed above I have just stopped taken Yasmin after two years of hell I was sick all the time anxious and in and out of hospital for rapid heart rate. I began to lose my mind when all the tests were negative and they kept saying I have anxiety. I researched the pill and realized all my symptoms were due to this pill. I have been off it a week and i'm struggling always going to the toilet, hungry, losing weight and tired do I have diabetes now ? Any advice to get back to normal

I've been on Yasmin for years now, but recently switched to the generic Ocella. I'm trying to figure out if Yasmin or Ocella is causing my depression. I'm 25 and just recently my depression has been horrible. I've been on Lexapro for years to help with Anxiety/Depression, but never had problems like this before. My psychiatrist just switched me to Prozac. I've been on it 4 weeks and it's not doing anything. The reason I think my depression might be linked to the Yasmin is because the 2 weeks before I get my period I'm insanely depressed, borderline suicidal. Then, the day I get my period, I'm ok. Anyone else have this weird problem?

I have been on Yasmin 4-5years but recently i have been experiencing the following problems:
- severe period pains/pms
- palpitations
- chest pain
- migraine
- dizzy spells
- anxiety
- fatigue
- low sex drive

Thought it was mainly due to work related stress but now that ive read these comments im confident i need to come off this pill. Thanks : )

It's been such an eye opener for me to read all these posts about Yasmin. I'm 28 and have been on and off various birth control pills since I was 18.
My doctor switched me to Yasmin about 4 years ago because the pill I was on previously gave me bad headaches. Reading all the posts about mood swings and even depression I realize that Yasmin has been most likely to blame for my unexplained feelings or irritability, unexplainable anxiety and bursting into tears at times foe little reason. There have been other factors in my life which would make me prone to depression over the past 2 years, but I think whenever I go back on Yasmin (mainly for my skin and pms) I deal with things allot less rationally and my moods swing a lot more. I've just come off it so and am going to try Yaz, which I've read equally mixed reviews about but fingers x'd.

I have been taking Yasmin for 1 week. Before taking Yasmin, my stress levels were normal, no anxiety, energy was normal, etc. Within days I began noticing a change in my breathing patterns. I felt as if I could not get enough air. I would continue to yawn in order to get a 'good breath'. I felt like I was taking more short breaths. There seemed to be a constant pressure on my chest. Let me stress, A PRESSURE, not pain. This seemed to occur at all times of the day regardless of whether I was moving, resting, etc. I went back to my OB/GYN only to be told that 'It was anxiety, and I worked myself up. It must be my school, etc." This was so frustrating. I was a little apprehensive about the pill but I know I did not create such extreme anxiety symptoms overnight. In my experience hyperventilation from anxiety builds over time. That is not the cause for me. Please remember your doctor doesn't know your body like you do. Most often they dismiss 'side effects' and say 'It couldn't possibly be the medicine'. I've read more stories of girls complaining of a similar symptom and the doctor telling them... you're having anxiety and they end up on more medication. That's awful. I have found numerous articles on SYNTHETIC PROGESTINS which is what is in Yasmin causing increased breathing of Hyperventilation. I know Yasmin is the cause of this. My doctor was wrong. Now the question is, continue it... or not? It's extremely uncomfortable..so I'm unsure. I wanted to post this so other girls experiencing this side effect would know that it IS the YASMIN!!

I have been on Yasmin for two and a half months now. It was prescribed to me by my doctor as a means of treating 2 cyst that developed because of my endometriosis as a means of avoiding surgery. He put me on it for 3 months but because I forgot to start the second pack for 2 weeks I had to start the 3 month period all over. The first month I took Yasmin the side effects were minimal but since I started taking it in May I have gotten a constant vaginal itch and pain, my eye sight is blurry, stomach feels sick and I get stomach pains, neck pains, shoulder pains, leg pains and hip pains, pains in my face, little or no lubrication during intercourse, constantly have to urinate, stomach feels like its tightening and has gotten really big, gets short of breathe easily, bad headaches, I feel as though I would pass out any minute when I am standing or walking, I am disinterested in everything, I get nausea, I have lost all interest in sex, I feel bloated all the time, I have lost all taste in my mouth, feels very tired and fatigued all the time, I feel very sad for no reason. I keep feeling sick all the time and have lost interest in food. When I am sitting I feel the pains in my legs and hip even more. I am falling into a state of depression and it is beginning to show at work. I am also gaining a lot of weight, rapidly, and really don't know what to do about it because I am very careful with the things I eat, how they are cooked and the time I eat also and I do exercise. I really don't know if I should continue until I finish the 3 months to see if it works for me or if I should stop taking the Yasmin and ask my doctor to try something else. I just don't feel altogether right now.

I started taking Yasmin 3 weeks ago. And three days ago I woke up with this weird red rash all over my hands,feet,arms,legs,face and back of my neck. At first I thought that maybe it was something I ate but I haven't had anything unusual so thats not it then I thought that maybe its stress but thats not it either..... Anyway I decided to do a google search to see if maybe it was the Yasmin.. and right away there were pages and pages of people complaining about horrible red itchy rash so I'm stopping this medicine asap... not only did i get a rash but its made my anxiety 10 times worse and made me break out with acne (which has never been this bad). I'm super dizzy and lightheaded everyday. I've been spotting everyday since I started Yasmin not to mention I got a horrible yeast infection... and my husband is very unhappy because I have absolutely NO SEX DRIVE and I'm so MOODY..... Its almost like being pregnant again so I'm totally unhappy I really really hope that the makers of this medicine reevaluate this birth control and either takes it off the market or change the side effects..... thank you for your time and good luck......

hey everyone,

Im so glad that I found this forum and that im not the only one feeling like this. I have been on Yasmin now for about 3 years and am coming off it immediately after reading that so many people are having the same side effects. I initially began Yasmin after I had found fibroadenomas in my breast and had to have them removed, and also bad stomach cramps. Taking Yasmin was to regulate my hormones and stop the lumps and cramps. It began really good for me, skin cleared up, no weight gain, and no other side effects. But in the last year it has been a real problem for me and there is nothing else in my lifestyle that would suggests otherwise. I have always had really thick hair and I have lost an incredible amount to the point people are noticing (im so devastated bout this particular side effect as every knew me for my thick straight hair), my heart has irregular palpitations, im badly short of breathe all the time to the point im gasping for air with an open mouth and puffed out just climbing stairs when im not even a smoker, I have a lowered sex drive and really bad lubrication which is a real problem. My attitude has changed and im not my usual easy going self and always looking for an issue to pick at.
I have another month and a half worth but im not going to continue with it. I should have listened to my body earlier or at least known how it has effected so many other people.

I understand that it works really well for some people but it seems to not work for just as more people, which makes me wonder why it is so readily pushed onto patients by doctors when there should be clear warnings. The attractive point for me when my doctor suggested Yasmin was that it had been tested to have NO side effects......yeh ok!

Ladies, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for your posts! I'm so glad I found this site as it confirms some things for me....several years ago I was on Yasmin. For years I had taken other BC's until my dr switched me to Yasmin. I gradually started having anxiety issues, skin issues, & leg cramps (mainly left calf) so severe & violent that at one point they even sprained my ankle. After about 3 months into the medication, my anxiety became more severe, I would cry for hours about absolutely nothing, & I began noticing my thoughts racing about 2 - 3 hours after taking Yasmin. I had been taking BC since my early 20's and had never noticed this before, so I didn't think it was the Yasmin until I forgot to take my pills several days in a row--& I realized I was no longer anxious. I also realized then that for once being on my period was a RELIEF from my symptoms--not the typical hell as before Yasmin. When I started them again I kept a symptom log until I could no longer take it. This really helped my doctor in determining (& proving) that the pills had an adverse effect on my body. The point here is not to trash Yasmin as some people greatly benefit from it, but there are others who can't take it because the hormones clash with their systems. LADIES, LISTEN TO YOUR BODIES & TALK TO YOUR DOCTORS if you're experiencing negative symptoms after changing to this (or any) birth control! My doctor was about to put me on anti-depressants until we discovered that the cause was Yasmin. Once we switched, the symptoms went away. The best thing I did was to keep a daily log--it's not terribly time consuming, you just have to remember to keep up with it, but your health is worth it!!!!!

I thought that all the problems I've had the last 3 months that I've been on Yaz were unrelated....I thought between stress, IBS, my job as a teacher, and being a single mother, that all my problems are just stress. I've been on the pill for three months. I am taking the pill to help with adult acne and mood swings. I really think that it has helped both of those things. However, the last month I have noticed some symptoms and I think that maybe I can tie them all to yaz???? Here's the list:
Headaches
Weight gain
Muscle cramps
Extreme GI problems (worse than my normal IBS)
Blanking out (short time frames where I do weird things and I don't remember them). Is this a symptom? I haven't read about this one. I'm scared to death I have some mental disease or something! Anyone else have this problem? I am so scared that I've lost my mind and have gone crazy.
Night mares
Anxiety
Panic attacks (I think)
Abnormal heart beat

For all of you that has had problems with Yasmin or Yaz, I'm sincerely sorry. I'm really curious though to all of you, has anyone that read the leaflet that comes with the birth control box, have any problems? If you read that it may increase potassium which may cause serious heart and health problems so it would be good to get your potassium level checked before taking it. Side effects usually go away after 2-3months, has anyone have problems longer than that and ended up finding out what was the problem? I just wanted to know because my girlfriend is about to take it...and I wanted to know if one knew about the effects of this pill, and what precautions they had taken. Okay, thank you.

my experience with Yasmin has not been the best. and for once, i actually gave this birth control a try. but, over time, i've been getting chest pains, very bad headaches, and the worst mood swings. i get so anxious, i have to yawn all the time to get my breath. sure, i do drink caffeine drinks, and that might intensify the anxiety, but i do not trust this birth control, or any others really. i mean, who honestly knows what the hell they put in this stuff? no one. fake hormones are bad for you, no if ands or buts about it. i guess it might help acne and all that stuff, but whats more important? your well being, or your little acne problem, or acess hair problems? i'm pretty sure a good state of mind is better than that. i quit taking this stuff a few days ago, and i know it's not going to be completely out of my system for a while. i am never taking Yasmin again. the headaches, and unbearable mood swings, to the point to where i can't stop crying. nope. not doing it anymore. and more power to you if it works for you, that's a good thing. everyone's different, therefore it'll effect everyone differently, but i see a lot of the same symptoms in a lot of women on here. so, something must not be right.

I think Yasmin is great. I understand, though, that not everyone is going to react the same way to a certain birth control pill. I have been on some that have made me pretty close to impossible to live with. I do, however, have a problem reading about all these so-called side effects of Yasmin that can be attributed to something else.

For one, Caffeine. Birth control slows the metabolism of caffeine in our bodies, making that one cup have a much stronger effect on our bodies. If you drink caffeine daily, look at the symptoms of too much caffeine, as that usually amount before Yasmin can now be an overdose for your body.

Symptoms of too much caffeine:
-Jitteriness
-Difficulty sleeping
-Headaches
-Anxiety
-Flushed face
-Nausea
-Accelerated heartbeat
-Increase Blood Pressure
Etc. (look up in google more if you want)

So if you experience any of those symptoms on Yasmin and drink caffeine of some kind, try cutting back first. It might not be the Yasmin. Any birth control will increase the effects of caffeine on your body. (Some possibly more than others)

Secondly, look at how much water you are drinking. Yasmin has a diuretic in it, causing our bodies to lose more water. Are you drinking enough to replenish what is lost?
Symptoms of dehydration include:
-dry mouth
-the eyes stop making tears
-sweating may stop
-muscle cramps
-nausea and vomiting
-lightheadedness (especially when standing).
-The body tries to maintain cardiac output (the amount of blood that is pumped by the heart to the body); and if the amount of fluid in the intravascular space is decreased, the body has to increase the heart rate, which causes blood vessels to constrict to maintain blood pressure.

Seriously, if you are thirsty, don't reach for the soda. Grab some water. It might be what you need.

So, again, I know, not every birth control will work the same for everyone, but at least look at what you are doing first to see if it's you or the birth control causing the problems. Don't blame Yasmin for giving you anxiety when it could easily just be the amount of coffee that you drink.

If you've cut back on caffeine (for more than one day now) and been drinking more water and you still have problems, switch, by all means. But make sure it's not something else first before blaming the birth control.

I am 20 years old and have been on Yasmin for PCOS/mood swings/irregular periods since I was about 16 or 17. This past December, I was out with friends when I suddenly had this awful, all-over terrible shaky feeling, thinking I was going to pass out, die, or vomit. I had pressure all over and my tongue felt thick in my mouth, lump in throat and had to go home immediately. I thought I was getting some kind of flu. Weird feelings kept continually happening to me every day since then and the symptoms change over time and last for different lengths. I've mostly experienced tightness/strain/pressure in my throat, lump of pressure caught there, almost numb pressure sensation under my tongue, jaw, and up into my ears, an ache/pressure in chest and sternum. I stopped taking Yasmin, switched to Aviane which made me nauseous constantly and have been off BC over a month now. I have been told it's anxiety constantly by two different doctors, gone to ER, had blood work, thyroid checked, ENT stuck scope down my throat, everything. I was given Klonopin which never seemed to do anything to me, was given meds for acid reflux which did nothing. Even after getting off BC my emotions have also gone haywire and I feel at an all-time low and this is ruining my life and my relationship with my boyfriend. I finally gave in and tried Xanax. The first two times I've taken it, I felt great for the rest of the evening and slept well. Today was the third day and I felt fine for about two or three hours and the pressure in my throat and under my jaw is back again. Does anyone think this could be anxiety or something else, or does it truly seem to be Yasmin?? I'm at my wits end and would like to go back on the pill for my emotions/periods if possible but I'm so afraid in case that caused my problems. I feel helpless and always in pain and discomfort.

First of all, I want to say that I'm sorry for all of you having physical discomfort in your lives right now. I feel for anyone who is experiencing such problems.
With that said, I have been on YASMIN (not YAZ - those are two different things people!!!!) for 8 years and have NEVER experienced any problems despite experiencing problems on other pills. Pardon me being frank... If you are one of the women who BARELY started this pill in the last 3-6 months, you may have not given it enough time. You must remember that by taking any medication you are changing the chemical balance of your body and it will take time and adjustments. Bottom line, you need to carefully monitor your problems and discuss them with your ob/gyn and possibly general physician. You may just need to try other pills. This is TRIAL and ERROR, there is NO way for a doctor to be able to know how each person's body will react to any particular drug. Be open and pay attention. If you search about any birth control pills, you can find there are side effects for all of them. Second of all, some of you may have these existing problems, but never noted them until you started taking the pill, or as I said before, you have not allowed time for your body to adjust. For example, when you have a headache or indigestion, you take medication and it takes time for your body to adjust to the meds. Please ladies - don't bad mouth or assume, without first allowing for the already published side effects to come - and most likely, pass. And if they don't - talk to your doctor!!! Seriously!!! The makers even say to talk to you doctors if any of the published side effects happen. I do apologize for being harsh, but I must insist on being practical and reading the material provided. I do hope that each of you stay in good health and have no lasting problems.

I took Yaz for a couple months and was fine during that; however, about a month ago my doctor switched me to Yasmin(I have been on BC for years however, the ortho brand). I've been in the most pain in the past month than I ever have and I'm usually pretty good with pain and just try to take advil or something... but the symptoms have only gotten worse. I finally decided to google my symptoms and I found a lot of people on Yasmin had very similar symptoms. I have the worst anxiety like there's a lump in my throat and sometimes I'm literally grasping for air and I always try to drink a lot of water or cough or eat or burp to make it go away but it doesn't until I wake up the next day (sometimes). Also, I have never ever experience migraines in my life, but the past month I have the worst headaches imaginable. It happens at least 4 times a week; at first I thought they were caffeine headaches because it would sometimes help, but the past 3 days my headache has pretty much been constant (usually located near my temples/eyes). I take probably 8 Ibuprofin a day and drink an excessive amount of caffeine hoping it will make it go away, but it doesn't. Along with these problems I've been feeling lightheaded more often and usually have to sit down immediately or else I feel like I'm going to faint. The biggest/scariest symptom is my heartbeat and chest pain. Heart disease is extremely dominant on my moms side and almost all of her siblings have already had at least one heart attack. Lately my chest will hurt extremely bad, then I feel like my heart rate is just freaking out; I can feel my heartbeat from anywhere on my body and it's very intense. And then because of all of this going on, I always start to freak out and realize i'm getting extremely anxious so I try to make myself take deep breaths but nothings works. The past 4 nights I've been up til like 4 a.m. because my heart rate is so high and my chest hurts so bad in every position I try to lay in that I'm constantly moving. I never thought about going to the doctor because I thought it would get better but now I'm starting to think I should... I'm just wondering if anyone else has/had any of these problems from this medicine and if you've done anything to get rid of them.

(a couple other minor symptoms I've noticed recently are: joint pain and rapid memory loss (I'll be in the middle of a sentence and completely forget what I was talking about and blank out))

Have any of you suffered from really bad constipation whilst on Yasmin ???. Im at home now and i look five months pregnant. I keep taking senna tablets but it just isnt working. I eat really healthily drink loads of water. The only thing i can put it down to is Yasmin but im not sure if its just me if noone else has had it on Yasmin. Also have the following:

*melasma on top lip that looks like a moustache.
*cant stop eating constantly.
*really dry mouth, constantly thirsty.
*anxiety.
*feel down on myself

I can only take Dianette as a alternative but put weight on easily on it so im not sure what to do. Did any of you end up putting weight on on Yasmin after the first six months? . I don't know what to do.

Please could you let me know if you had constipation on Yasmin so i now if it is the Yasmin or not. My doctor knows but didn't seem too concerned.

I decided to try Yasmin because my sister recommended it for both skin and PMDD. For the past two nights (I've been on in for three days) I've woken up at least 10-15 times with anxiety and nervousness. It has been horrible. I can't sleep and I'm so tired. Needless to say I'm stopping the Yasmin. I am so grateful I looked up insomnia online because it wasn't listed as a common side-effect. It is the worst kind too because I wake up panicky with a racing heart. After reading all these posts I'm 99% sure it is the Yasmin but I'll post again if the symptoms don't disappear in the next few days.

Hmmmmm...... I also didn't have these symptoms until I got the gardisil shot.... which I got my second one at the same time I went to my Dr. for the anxiety.....

Hi my name is Ari. I'm 20. About a month ago an on-call gyno prescribed me YAZ. For the 2 weeks I was taking it I felt like my brain was up my butt. I was anxious and easily agitated. I was with one of my friends 3 Fridays ago and I got these random heart palpitations. I had no idea what was going on bso I had to have my friend rush me to the ER. By the time I got there my heart rate was at 127 bpm. The nurses and doctors told me it wasn't the pill, it was anxiety. They gave me some shrinks numbers and told me I needed therapy... I say horseshit. That's never happened to me before. I'm quite the happy kid and I'm not depressed. Needless to say, I stopped taking it that night. For the next week I still had random heart palpitations. I was trying to shop for a new cel phone with my bf and my heart started racing again. For no reason. I waited for another week to see if they would stop and it didn't. I went to a PCP and she told me the same thing. She didn't even give me a chance to explain to her what had happened. She just said I was stressed and go see a shrink.

Please somebody help me. These heart palpitations aren't stopping and its been over 2 weeks that I haven't taken YAZ. I'm in the process of finding an endocrinologist to see which of my glans this medicine messed up. I even tried to get a hold of my OBGYN and twice, the receptionists told me if I stopped taking it and I got my period then the drug is out of my system... not too comforting considering they're not a doctor. Not only that but they wouldn't let me talk to my doctor! Coffee, tea and marijuana make the heart palpitations worse (I smoke occasionally). I can't exercise either without my heart racing uncontrollably. I would greatly appreciate someones help. =)

I was only taking Yaz for 9mo. and was forced off of it. (thankfully) As i am sure we are all aware, a growing popular side effect of Yasmin is Pulmonary Emboli........I am a surviving 31 yr. old who was healthy and who had no other possibly reason to have this occur to her body. After reading so many stories of other females and their side effects I come to realize what some other recents issues I was having were caused by this pill. I have recently suffered from; headaches, dizziness, moodiness, majorly anxiety etc. Blessed enough, I made it through substantial blood clots in BOTH my lungs from this BC. Happy to be writing this as i am alive, here all these issues were from this pill............I pray that the company who is processing this drug for sale will have their day!!!!!

I just be on Yas for almost a month ( i will finish my first package in 2 days)
For the first couple of weeks, i do not feel anything different on me, but after my one week non-hormonal pills (white sugar pills) and start again with the hormone pills in the green section, I started to feel very EMOTIONAL and mood swings.. It seems like i could snap at anyone at anytime, very sensitive and very irritable. GOSH.. However, I do not have any other side effects, in fact, Yas has done a very good job in reducing my pms and clearing up my skin.

I have been taking Yasmin on and off for about a year and a half. I normally have very severe mood pms, and when I went off Yasmin, it got much, much worse. When I went back on Yasmin, it resolved again. I've never had any of the side effects described here, so I guess different women must have very individualized reactions to these things. I also was put on Ocella by my doctor last month, and had horrible side effects (crying for no reason, terrible anxiety, etc.). I'd much rather pay a little more for Yasmin than have the side effects from the supposed generic!

I just finished my last pack of Yasmin. I rarely post messages on sites such as these - I'm not in the medical field and don't have the expertise to tell anyone what they should or should not be taking. However, after my experience with this drug, I feel like I need to contribute to the large population of women who had bad experiences with it. I'm not the kind of person who cries easily and am usually a very laid-back and easy going person. I started taking Yasmin in June after 8 years of not taking the pill. It was great for the first 3 months or so - my periods were like clock work, they were short lived, I stopped having cramps. Then I started getting upset for no reason - crying at the drop of a hat, getting unreasonably angry and irritated at my poor, incredibly sweet and patient fiancee for the smallest things. I was exhausted - even though I'd sleep a routine 8-9 hours a night. I'm normally a happy person and I literally stopped being happy 3 weeks out of the month. The first week after my period - when the drugs were in the first week, I would be happy as a clam - in fact, happier than I normally would be. I'd feel every day like I'd won a marathon. The second week into the drugs, I'd become quiet and anti-social. Near the end of that second week and up until the end of the pack - I would completely change into a different person. You could track all of this with military timing. I wondered for a long time if I was becoming depressed or anxious - I've had ADD my entire life and been through bouts of depression and anxiety in my teens and early 20's. Since starting my ADD meds 5 years ago, I'd never had another issue with them. This pill brought it all back. Though it cleared up my acne and gave me regular cycles again, its effect on my mental health was just not worth it. I have started to take a new pill and if that doesn't work, I'll try again. I just wanted whoever reads this to talk to their doctor, especially those women with a history of depression, ADD, or anxiety, and let them know the concerns you have. If you take Yasmin or are starting it, call them immediately after you start getting these symptoms so that you don't have to suffer through months of wondering what the heck is wrong with you. Life's too short and there are other forms of birth control out there.

Hi

HAIR LOSS: I was on the Yasmin Pill for 2 and a half years. I have now been off it for 2months. In the past year i had been experiencing hair loss, but in the past 6mths i have gradually lost half of my hair. I feel so disheartened as my hair was my glory. Its not just the loss, its the condition, each strand has thinning out, and my hair is long with no movement and just a clump. I have heard about people taking VIVISCAL for hair loss, has anyone taken this? Please advise me on whether this works. Does anyone have any other advise on how to bring back my hair and prevent further hair loss through natural remedies?

ANXIETY: Since i have come off the pill, i have noticed myself thinking silly thoughts, and fallen into anxiety, which i have NEVER experienced before.

SWEATING: I have also noticed that i am sweating alot more, and suffer hot flushes, especially at night.

BREASTS: My breasts have reduced a cup size :( - but a very small loss after every other symptom i am experiencing

MOTIVATION: I have lost my motivation, i feel lazy and not proactive at all in my usual interests

If anyone has any advise on the above, to heal naturally please reply

thanks