Yasmin and arms and legs

Wow..this makes me feel a lot better reading all of this. I have been off of Yasmin for about a year now but am still feeling the side effects. When I was on it I felt fine at first & was extremely excited about finally being on BC. Then about a month into it I started getting extremely bad heart palpitations and tingly body and arms. My heart would race and I thought I was about to have a heart attack everyday. I consulted my gyn/ob about this and she stated it was "normal side effects of the pill." I told her I was concerned that I had a blood clot or something else extremely severe. She convinced me it was all normal & I would be EXTREMELY ill and in the hospital if that was the case. I told her it was interfering with my life on a daily basis but she didn't seem to believe me. My boyfriend had also noticed I had been acting extremely anxious, moody and depressed and became concerned. It got to the point where he couldn't even touch me when I was at home since I was having STABBING chest pains on a daily basis. I couldn't even move & I would have really bad heartburn all the time. I went to the doctor a couple of times because I thought I was seriously having a heart attack...Stabbing pains- tingly arms and legs, extreme anxiety...my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't breath and then my heart felt as if it would pop in and out when I took a breath. My doctor said it was normal side effects as well so I told myself I was just the crazy one once again. I went to the doctor about a month later when things got worse..this whole time thinking that Yasmin had nothing to do with it and found my blood pressure was 160/90!!! My doc said it should have been about 120/70. I started blood pressure medication but the heart palpitations did not stop so eventually I stopped with Yasmin. Things have gotten better but it has still left me with permanent damage. My anxiety is still a problem and my blood pressure is still sky high...even on meds. I never had any problems before any of this...now I have major problems for life because of this drug. I know they warn you of issues prior but NO medication should do this to ANYONE. I also gained about 20 pounds when I was on the pill and when I got off I lost about 15 pounds in 2 days..I lost equilibrium in my body and felt sick with all of the sudden weight loss....Is anyone considering a Class action lawsuit against this company? & why are the doctors covering up the side effects of this drug? I know they get paid for referring people to certain drugs but this is SCARY...keep me updated.

I'm 21years old. i took Yasmin for a year because i have PCOS. but had to get off of it because i could no longer afford Yasmin. i have been off of Yasmin for a year. i always thought that the problems i was having was due to PCOS. i was reading the side effects the other girls had with Yasmin. and its sounds just like the problems i have had. i had pain on the right side of my head it lasted for about 2 weeks. i wonder what it was but didn't think much about until now. about a week ago i woke up and my neck was hurting so bad i could not move it i took a pain pill and it did help a little. i thought it was the way i slept that night but its still hurting not as bad. i started losing my hair on head my 3 week on Yasmin , and started growing more chest hair ,neck, chin, lip hair on the 4 week, pain in my chest sometimes and pain in my arms and legs and almost like move met like someones kicking inside of my stomach but i not with child done had i test ran i feel very mad all the time anything upset me i get really pissy at time and its been like that since my 1 weeks on Yasmin has anyone else had any this happen to them

I was put on Yaz (same as Yasmin but with a smaller estrogen dose) due to irregular periods and a presumed hormonal imbalance. That was in September '07. Four month later, on Jan 1, '08, I went to the ER with breathing difficulties, and weakness in my arms and legs. I had been having muscle cramps/ charley horses in my right calf, but that was the only other health problem I had experienced. I thought I was having an asthma attack. So did the ER - at first. After I did not respond to the breathing treatments, and I became completely out of breath and exhausted after walking across the hall to the restroom, the ER doc checked my D-Dimer level to see if I was at risk for blood clots. He said if it came back over 500, he would have to do further testing for clots. It came back 4500!! I was sent immediately down for a CT Scan which showed mulitple clots in both lungs, mostly small, but several of significant size. I was immediately put on oxygen and a heart monitor, and an IV drip of heparin was started. I was in the hospital for 4 days, had to learn to give myself shots of Lovenol in my stomach until my pill form of blood thinner had time to kick in. I am now taking Coumadin blood thinner every day until July, when my D-Dimer will be checked again. Depending on the results, I may come off the Coumadin, or I may have to commit to it for 3 years. However, I was tested for all the hereditary blood clotting disorders and all came back negative, so my doctor feels as though the cause has to be the YAZ! Everyone tells me I was very lucky and that I could have easily died, especially when I was just thinking I was having an asthma attack and put off going to the ER for a few days. If you are taking Yaz or Yasmin, and you begin to have difficulty breathing, any kind of leg cramps, weakness, or tightness in your chest (I had also been having severe heart burn) - go have yourself checked out!!!!!

yaz is horrible.
I recently had a baby 5 months ago, and my obgyn gave me yaz to start taking 2 weeks after she was born. so i did........
I thought I had serious post partum depression or something. I was getting severe headaches EVERYDAY, i was always nauseous, irritable, horrible mood swings (actually thought i was bipolar or something) i was also gaining a lot of weight even though ive been working out like crazy and eating healthy since the day i gave birth. right now i currently weigh only 6 pounds less than when i delivered.....thanks to yaz.
I was also having severe itching spells, chest pain, difficulty breathing for no reason, constant headaches, always sick to my stomach, sleep issues (i would either have to sleep for more than 12 hours to feel rested, or i would be almost on a euphoric *high* with only 2 hours of sleep and function better than ever) and numbness is my arms and legs.
I took this for about 4 months before i finally just realized not to long ago, that all my symptoms date back to around the time i started taking this.

DO NOT TAKE THIS

I was on Yasmin for 3 years, at first I thought it was a perfect fit for me - I had shorter, less painful periods. Over the course of the next 2 years I had CHRONIC Urinary tract infections and yeast infections. I mean like 10 a YEAR. My gyno didn't know what was wrong (I'm meticulous about cranberry juice, cleaning, etc) and prescribed me a antibiotic. I had to take one pill after intercourse. Well, apparently 1 was enough to throw off the balance and I'd end up with a yeast infection.
In addition to all that I TOTALLY lost my sex drive. I've been off the pill now for 4 months and I'm still waiting for it to return.
I wouldn't reccomend this pill to anyone.

I have been using Yasmine for a month. I noticed that I am having extreme fatigue, dehydration, nausea, aches in arms and legs, chest pains, no sex drive, rapid heart beat, hungry pains and anxiety. During this month of using Yasmine I have been to the Emergency Room 3 times. I had several test done and all were normal. Thank God I found this site! At first I thought I was crazy! I have never experieced anxiety at this level.I did take Yasmine in June and stopped the 3rd week because I missed consecutive days. I experienced migraines for a month. Any suggestions of a new forn of birth control? I will not be purchasing another pack of Yasmine!

i have been taking Yamine for about a month and a half, after being on a generic pill for a couple years. I didnt know if these symptons i was having was caused by yasmine, but now i think it may be. I have been getting lightheaded, blurry eyes, shakiness, hot flashes..almost like a panic attack, and i have become very dehydrated, even though i have been drinking alot of water. I even went to the doctors for these symptons and they still don't have an answer, so i think it may be yasmine.my newest sympton as of yesterday is chest pain. also i feel like my heart is beating fast all the time, and i feel fatigued way too often, which is causing me to eat more, becauase i am starving way to often, and if i don't eat i feel like i am going to collapse. Also my sex drive has gone to non-existant- is that common? I workout all the time, and eat pretty healthy, so i don't know what else these symptons could be coming from. Is anyone else experiencing these sympons?

Okay I havent read anything about this so far but i hope someone can relate. Ive been taking yasmin for a little over a month and i just recently started tanning again. Ive NEVER had a problem tanning, ive always used the same lotion so that isnt the problem. Anyway.. after about three minutes in the bed my arms and legs feel like needles are poking me and about four hours later i get a red itchy rash on just my arms and legs. I am convinced its yaz, anyone else have this issue? Think i might have top give up either tanning or this pill..

I was only on Yaz for 3 weeks!!!

I have been off of it for 8 weeks now.

I have such bad anxiety that even the Lexapro (which I did not want totake as Iam holistic) but I was literally losing my mind due to the overwhelming anxiety.

Prior to Yaz I never took a prescription drug

I pray to God it didnt force me into menopause or damage me forever i cant live with this anxiety for ever iam so scared.

I have taken 8 Xanax as there are some nights I cant slepp I breka them into quarters so I get a tiny tiny dose.

I dont want to be on this lexapro does anyone please know of a way to stop the anxiety its mostly in my arms and legs!!
I tried tons of water swimming walking reading baths massage nothing and ia mean nothing stops it I tried Valerian, Calmfortay Kava Kava St Johns Wort none of which helps!!!!

Please let me know so I can wean off the Lexapro

Sarah you there please help!

Ok... Here is my complete list of side effects from this horrible drug...
Major depression, anxiety attacks, rapid heart rate, insomnia, shortness of breath, jerking arms and legs, weight gain, bloating, paranoia, excessive crying spells, night sweats. I hate this pill! Im never going to be on birth control again!
Tracy

Thanks Tracy!

It began with depression, anxiety and insomnia. Abdominal pains and constipation followed. Then on December 19th the jitters started. I was driving (4 kids in the car) and I suddenly thought I was having a heart attack! There was this fluttery feeling in my chest and I felt dizzy, like I might faint. I was terrified. That was what led me to research Yasmin withdrawal online and was when I found this wonderful site. It was so comforting to read that other women had experienced the same symptoms (and hadn't had heart attacks!) The jitters got worse before they got better. The fluttery feeling spread to my arms and legs and I twitched in the night, plus I had restless legs. However that is now much improved. I suspect it may vary with my cycle though and may come back just after my next period (which was the timing on the last one.)

Hope that helps.

Anna

About the stroke:

It was a Monday morning, around 6.30. First I dropped a cup, but in a weird way, like my fingers weren't working. I couldn't grip. Then, when I started speaking, first to my husband and then on waking my kids, I couldn't speak, or rather, the words came out wrong. (I said to hubby "Here's your number" instead of "Here's your tea" and all I could say in the kids' rooms was "How's morning?") I was so scared. My husband took me to the ER and they diagnosed a mini-stroke although fortunately the tests showed no permanent damage.

They were mystified because I had no risk factors whatsoever--I'm a normal weight, low cholesterol, non-smoker. I exercise and have low blood pressure etc. They carried on doing tests and eventually found I have a 5 mm hole in my heart. This means that clots that form are more likely to be dangerous to me--it's not why the clot formed that caused the stroke. That had to be due to the Yasmin.

Anyway they took me off the pill mid-cycle and at first I experienced no symptoms, but since my last but one period I've felt generally horrible--lower abdominal pains, constipation, anxiety and for the last two weeks this dizziness and fluttery feeling in chest, arms and legs. I just hope I get better soon.

Anna

hi kim123.
keep track of your periods,make a note of when you are ovulating etc,you may see some changes in feelings and behaviour. i think silke suggested writting a diary every day of your feelings,sensations,aches and pains. i did that too and it helped me spot a pattern in my mood changes but it also shows me how much i have improved since i stopped taking yasmin in june. i know it seems like you will never be normal again but you will it will just take a little time. unfortunately there is no magic number of time that makes us better,it just takes as long as it takes,please try not to become depressed and low as this will only make things worse. have you tried going for a nice long swim? i found swimming to be very relaxing. when i was at my worst i spent quite a few hours in the pool as swimming forces you breath properly and your brain needs to be concentrating on co-ordinating your arms and legs to keep you afloat! excercise is also one of the best ways to help your system to recover,you will sweat out excess hormones etc there have been lots of studies on diet and excercise for women with hormonal problems and pms/pmdd and also depression/anxiety. it is certainly worth a try. i am so sorry i cannot just say..hey take this it will cure everything you are going through,i have never found just one thing that helped me but all the little things accumulate and make a pretty good start. i felt like you about the anti depressants etc.my doctor kept trying to give them to me but i was too scared of the side effects to even consider them,they may have helped me i don't know,i chose positive thinking.cognitive behaviour techniques, healthy diet,excercise and vitamin/mineral supplements but that may not be right for everyone.we all have to find our own way through, but know that you have the support of everyone here.

dejay,
yes i got really greasy hair after i stopped yasmin,i lost loads of hair too,thankfully it is growing back now! i don't get the cystic spots on my scalp i have them all around the front of my ears and down the sides of my neck,they are gross and really sore. i also get a monthly outbreak of really huge sore spots on my chin and jaw line. i hate them but would rather have them than feel how i did whilst i was on yasmin. my skin was lovely on it,it's just a shame it turned me into a complete basket case that could not step foot outside of the front door to show off my lovely skin!

best wishes to you ladies.

Kim:

It seems you didn't read all of the posts, that have been written here during the last days. There is noone who says, you will be like you are now forever!!

You think noone here was as bad as you and dejay Kim???
Ok, I think I didn't tell my whole story for too long. So here it is. And dear, believe me: I and many other ladies were exactly as bad as you and maybe even worse!!!

I also nearly lost my job, because I wasn't able to work for months!!!!! I wasn't able to sing in my band, which I had done until that time for 14 years, which really broke my heart!!

I didn't even leave my house for about 3 months, and after this time I went out to the supermarket only together with my husband, never alone and only for a few minutes because I wasn't able to stand more than a few minutes without getting a fainting spell!!! I simply was no longer "alive"!!!

Tingling arms and legs, hurting muscles, muscle weakness, headaches to the point where I wanted to put my head off! Fainting spells without any reason, just doing a few steps to the toilet nearly made me break down, breathlessness like an 90years old ill person just after doing a few steps around here in my living room, aching joints, numb feeling in my legs, arms, and the list goes on!!

I went through a total hell and worse! I really believed I was goin' to die within the next months and believe me: At some point I couldn't even awate it, because I didn't want to feel all this any longer!!!

Well, I normally don't really want to think back to that time, because it was a living nightmare, which I'm still somehow shocked about!

Some days I even wasn't able to go into another room here in my own house because of the anxious feeling, the dizziness, the faint feeling and the breathlessness and weakness! Most of the time, my husband had to stay with me even on toilet!!!!!!

My head was foggy, I felt as if my life was just a dream and I wasn't really awake. I was sitting here all day in ONE room, trying to read a paper or watch TV, couldn't even work on my computer or do ANYTHING else because I had very bad vision problems and nervousness to the point where I thought, I'd go crazy about that!!

Sometimes a day I got some tiredness which wasn't only tiredness. It felt, as if someone had knocked me down and I was going to faint! I never had such a frightening feeling my entire life before!!!

My mum and dad had to come around here every day to cook for us and do our household because I wasn't even able to wash the dishes or something else because of my severe symptoms. I had turned into a total "baby", just awaiting the day that they would even have to wash me and put my clothes on!!

And for about 5 months NOONE could find out anything, thousands of doctor's visits and NOTHING!!!!! And no one was aware, my bcp could make me feel like this until I found an endocrinologist who really admitted, that all this could be brought on by my holy Yasmin!!!!! That was day 1 of my new life!!!

The next 3 - 4 months after getting off still were pure hell. But Kim and dejay, one thing you should know: I HAD BEEN ON THAT NIGHTMARE PILL FOR OVER 5 YEARS!!!!!!! And not only a few weeks or months!!

What should I tell you more?? I think this should be enough for you to see, that you're not the only ones who are doing that bad!

And comparing how long I had been taking that sh... and knowing how long you only had been on it should give you so much hope! Think about it!

I went through the hell I mentioned above for about 8 months!! And what do you see: I'm still here and look at me now:

I'm working again, singing again (have 3 new bands!), living again. Even though not everything is back to where it should be I started to live again and have still hope, that I'll be back to normal one day and completely can forget, what I've been going through!! What do you think how anxious should I be about a permanent damage, after being 5 years on this poison??????

So please kim and dejay, listen to what the ladies here are telling you and try to keep your chins up and keep in head what you've been told here so many times. IT WILL GET BETTER!!! I think you NOW know that I'm aware how hard that is and that I don't tell you just some "stories" without knowing what I'm saying.

I'm working as a lawyer's assistant and believe me: Even my boss isn't willing to start a lawsuit against a pharmazeutic group! It's sad but true: We can't really prove that we got those problems because of Yasmin and that's the problem!! There IS no doc who will attest us that fact!!! The only thing we can do is help each other, listen to each other and try not to loose hope and stay strong. This is what brought me back to life again, and nothing else!!!

And to your pacification: I finally found TWO doctor's who admitted, that the cause of all this COULD definitely be Yasmin!!

Hope that helps somehow, but please READ it, especially kim and dejay!!

Ant the others: Sorry for that long post, but I think it was really necessary!!!

Best wishes !!

Silke

chest pain, stomach ache, dizzy spells, headache, nausea, pains in arms and legs, sore throat, fatigue, sore breasts, aggression, decreased sex drive, moody, and weight gain.

Hi, I've been on Yasmine for about a year now and recently I noticed that my arms and legs are falling asleep more frequently. Not only that, my thigh muscles hurt too!! Is this a side effect?

I have been on Yasmin for about 3-4 years. First couple of years was great and it worked for me to have a period. Over the last few years I have had weird issues. Light bleeding for eight weeks, pain on the right side. Had an endometrial biopsy that came back fine. Was put on Yasmin and Provera together. Have been having anxiety issues which was caused by Provera when I was on it a few years ago. Went back for for major pain on right side, had a CT Scan, doctor said it showed some white spots on the ovary that typically mean benign or it could be a dermoid cyst and it was nothing to worry about. Over the last few months have had major back and hip pain that is bad while on the Yasmin and Provera and goes away when off for the week. Have seen a new doctor, am scheduled for a MRI tomorrow and tested for PCOS and will have the results next Tuesday. I do not know if my symptoms are from the Yasmin or not, but I am about to take my self off of it to see if things improve. Also have had the tingling arms and legs and hair loss over the last few months. I can not clearly confirm the symptoms are caused by birth control as I have looked all over the internet and found very little. I have found one article that said arm and leg tingling while on birth control is a symptom b/c of the reducing of B-12 while on birth control and one article that stated that a study overseas showed that women on birth control experience back pain more then women not on.

I am 31, and normally healthy.About a month ago, I started feeling dizzy and naueated. I went to my doctor and after numerous blood tests and an MRI, they could not find anything wrong with me. Two weeks later I started having extreme anxiety which lasted for about a week straight, I was also very emotional and weepy which is not normally like me. I had my doctor check for a hormone imbalance and just as he thought my hormones were all off. He precribed Yamin, which I have been taking for 3 weeks now. The anxiety is gone but I am still dizzy and very nauseated. I have also started getting rashes /hives on my arms and legs which usually go away within 1-2 hours. My breasts are also very tender. Does anyone know how long I should expect for my body to get used to this? This is the first time I have ever taken the pill

i have been on yasmin for three years. the first side effect i noticed was the dizziness. i used to have awesome balance (i was a gymnast), but now can barely stand on one leg with my eyes closed. the week after i started taking yasmin, i got in TWO car accidents and messed up my perfect driving record. i attribute it all to the dizziness.

i have PCOS...severely. my doctor perscribed yasmin to help control the disease and slow the facial hair i was slowly but steadily accumulating. PCOS also caused a me to develop muscles incredibly fast. i had a very boyish phsyique...broad shoulders, square waste, lots of muscle definition. i hated that so much that i felt the yasmin was my savior. he also put me on aldactone (spironolatone - the drug they say not to take with yasmin), but this caused me to become so exhausted and my hair to totally dry out. i went of the medication, but stayed on yasmin.

suddenly, i am experiencing horrible nausea and stomach problems. i can barely stand to eat anything other than yogurt. this has been going on for about a month, and i am so sick of being sick! i am also experiencing fluid retention to a severe degree. i am trying to flush it out by drinking tons of water, but i dont' think it's working. i have water in my ears as well. no one has been able to determine a reason that my ears hold water constantly. it's the worst pressure headache you'll ever experience. i believe yasmin is responsible for my nausea because when i had my period last week the nausea went away. sunday came around and I am back on the pill, and the nausea is back with a vengance. last night i dryheaved until i couldn't stand it anymore and just gave up and went to bed. i didn't sleep very well because of the numbness in my arms and legs. it's been keeping me up all night lately.

i scheduled a doctor's appointment tomorrow. i asked if they thought yasmin could be responsible for everything i've been experiencing, and they said not if i've been on it for 3 years. i'm so happy to have found this website. it makes me think i am NOT crazy and the pill is really messing me up.

i went of the pill for a week and lost five pounds previously. i'm hoping that going off for a while will be the right thing for me to do and i'll have relief from all of these horrible symptoms!

I was on another BC pill and was fine. I decided that Yasmin might be a good switch since it touts water/weight loss. I only took ONE PILL and that night I felt like my heart was pumping out of my chest. For the next two weeks, I had signs of angina--chest tightness, left arm pain, left neck pain, and numbness and tingling in my arms and legs. My OB-GYN doctor dismissed my symptoms and told me to see my family dr. My family dr. did have tests done and my brain MRI came up with possible signs of MS! I had to wait 2 months to see a specialist who read the x-rays and found them negative--what a relief. I also told him of Yasmin and he dismissed this possibility. I immediately went off of Yasmin and finally am feeling better after 2 months of taking one pill. I urge everyone to hold their ground and take care of your body and don't let anyone "dismiss" your symptoms. Thanks to everyone for posting your reactions--it certainly validates what I went through.

I've been taking Yasmine for about a month now. I've been unable to take other pills because they seem to make me incredibly b_tchy. Not good for a happy-go-lucky person. So far, the good effects are: noticeably clearer skin, no weight gain. The bad effects: my first period was extremely heavy, and my arms and legs cramp, and I can't fall asleep at a normal hour. One thing I was wondering: has anyone else had swollen hands that itch like mad, or itchy legs?

Recently, I was diagnosed with PCOS and my OB/GYN prescibed Yasmin about 2 months ago. During the first month, my period increased from 4 to 5 days. About 2 weeks later, I began to spot which progressed into a heavy bright red flow which has yet to go away.

For the last week, along with the neverending bright red heavy flow, I have been plagued by bloating, headaches, chest pains, hot flashes, extremely tender breasts, and an itchy lumpy red rash on my chest, arms and legs.

Over the last couple of days, I have been comtemplating taking myself off this medication but after discovering this site and reading the problems of others, I threw my last pack into the trash.

I plan to report this to both the manufacturer (Berlex Laboratories) and the FDA. I suggest others do the same.

This has been a hellish nightmare!

I started Yasmin on a Wednesday, and I was nauseous for the next four days. I was also feeling anxious. That Sunday night, I experienced 3 panic attacks; hyperventilation, numbness/tingling in arms and legs, accelerated heart rate, sweaty palms...I actually went to the the er thinking that I was having a heart attack. After a bunch of expensive tests, everything came up normal. I think that it was the Yasmin. I'm starting a new medication ASAP.

hair loss on arms and legs, aching pain in arms and legs as if bruised but I am not, anxiety while driving or just anxious period. The the usual everyone else has postsed: queasy, lethargic, depressed, no interest in exercise or romance, withered skin and dehydrated. Been on Yasmin for 6 months - have switched today to Desogen.