Yasmin and birth control pills

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 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.

I am so happy I found this sight. I am 32 and I started taking Yasmin in 2002. I have had SEVERE migraines that are taking over my life every month. Also, I have gained over 50 pounds since being on it. I want to get off it, but am scared of getting pregnant. I'm married, but cannot afford a child right now. Any advice?

Like almost everyone else on here, I seem to be having a really bad reaction to this birth control pill! I started taking it shortly after I gave birth to my third baby because there is absolutely no way I can handle any more kids right now! Soon after I started taking it I noticed a lot of weird things going on with my body. Just walking up the stairs gets me out of breath and causes my heart to beat rapidly. Sometimes it starts to beat like this just from driving! I am also constantly nauseous (like morning sickness nauseous), have daily headaches, have no sex drive, and have acne! Up until I started taking Yasmin my skin was like porcelain and I could literally count the number of zits I got on one hand. Now my face looks like a freakin pizza!

I also go through phases of being really depressed and really angry. These mood swings are even worse than the ones I had during pregnancy! I have 3 healthy kids, a beautiful home, an amazing husband, wonderful friends...but I still cry all the time and want to die. I know that I am extremely blessed so there is absolutely no excuse for me to be feeling this way!

At the time I had passed all these things off as my hormones trying to adjust after being pregnant, even though I have never had any of these problems before when I had my other two babies. I also noticed that this was the first pregnancy where I wasn't able to shed any of my baby weight. It seemed no amount of diet or exercise could get it off, whereas with my 2 other pregnancies all I had to do was eat healthy and use the treadmill everyday and was back to my normal size before I knew it!

Now I realize that none of these things are due to having my baby at all but due to Yasmin! However, I have never used birth control pills before so this is my first experience with them. Is it possible that this is just a brand that reacts badly with me, or do all brands have side effects like this? I'm trying to decide if I should switch to a different pill or just stop taking any all together and just be extra careful with my husband! Regardless, I will definitely no longer be taking Yasmin!

I have been on Yasmin for over 5 years, and just thought that I was a hypochondriac. After starting Yasmin I experienced severe nausea and unrelieved hunger pains. I saw a gastroenterologist who performed an EGD and Colonoscopy at the age of 20. It was normal and I was placed on Protonix to help with the GI issues. Also I have severe joint pains in my knees, hips, elbows and shoulders. I have been tested for everything from Lupus to Rheumatoid Arthritis, and it was all negative. I get headaches, have little sex drive if any, my skin is not clearer than usual and nor has it been since starting Yasmin. Thanks to all those people who have voiced their concerns and shared their stories, it makes us feel less crazy. I threw out all my birth control pills last night and I am going to try another form of contraceptive. I mean my headaches and chest pains have gotten so bad that they have forced me to go to the ER on several occasions. I DO NOT THINK THE BENEFITS OF YASMIN OUTWEIGH THE RISKS ASSOCIATED.

I was on Yasmin for 5 years and have been off of it for 3. While on Yasmin I had a tearing sensation in my left thigh and it became a little red and swollen. Long story short I had a clot that increased in size quickly. I spent a week in the hospital and was told I was very lucky to have survived. After I was released I took the time to do the research and found out that Yasmin is a "Second Generation" birth control pill and that a letter was sent to the FDA by an organization called "Public Citizen" demanding that the FDA put additional warnings out that it doubled the chances of blood clots. This is all compared to "First Generation" birth control pills that have been around for quite some time and were found to be just as effective, but with a lower chance of blood clots. I wish I would have come across this information before I requested my doctor switch me to Yasmin in the first place. I chose Yasmin because of "the lesser side effects" that it advertises. Hope this helps any of you trying to make a decision about this drug.

i ve been taking Yasmin for almost two years and few months ago i notices brown spots under my eyes. At the beginning i thought it was just me being too tired or luck of sleep. But in the summer i noticed it was discoloration of the skin, brown spots under my eyes. I visited a dermatologist and he told me its side effects from the birth control pills and that there is no treatment and he only gave me a cream which will make it less dark. I am never ever taking birth control pills again. Also I ve put a lot of weight.

I would also just like to add that I have developed a ganglion cyst in my right wrist, and do experience frequent joint pain. I don't know if this can be attributed to the use of Yasmin.

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???? :)

Took Yaz years ago for some months. Do not remember many side effects. Starting taking it in July 2009 and within 2 weeks was hospitalized with pulmonary embolisms in both lung. Which means blood clots in both lungs. Doctor's could not find any other reason than Yaz. Please DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. I was a healthy 37 year old with not history of clotting disorders and now I have to have see a hematologist, pulmonologist and take Coumadin for the next 6-9 months. I never thought that a medicine could destroy me in as little of a time as 2 weeks. I thank God for getting me through it and am writing to warn any future users. Don't take this med.

I have been on Yasmin for three years. I was put on it after I had an out of control year long period after being given a medication during knee surgery. Since being on Yasmin I have had several UTI infections including one that led to Clostridium Difficile and hospitalization after being on so many anti-biotics. I have had severe weight gain despite all imaginable efforts to lose it and I am always tired. I had no idea other people had the same side effects as me until I started to research other birth control pills to switch to.

I took Yasmin for about 2 years, and didn't seem to have any side effects at all. I never gained weight, lost hair, felt nauseous, or anything. Then on Halloween 2004, I suffered a moderate brain hemorrhage. I was 21 years old, and very healthy with no prior health conditions. The doctor said he didn't know the cause, I had several tests done, there were no signs of aneurysms (I am not sure of the spelling there) or any AV malformations. He said it could possibly be the birth control, but he can't be sure. I was immediately taken off of the pill and all other birth control pills because of it, and have had no problems since.

Ive never took birth control pills before. and i got a prescription for Yasmin today. now reading all these stories im kinda scared and don't want to take it. so what do i do then?

To all the women still taking this drug: I beg you to stop taking this medication and read all of the posts on this site!!!! Here is my story... I was on Yasmin for 6 years. About 4 years into taking the drug, I noticed a mass on my right side. It was a painful mass that I could easily feel, and it eventually because so uncomfortable that I could no longer sleep on my right side, and it affected basic movement. At the same time, I was beginning to show some side effects of Cron's disease (which runs in my family), so my gastro doctor told me to get a CT scan and an MRI. The tests revealed a gigantic mass on my liver and I was told to see a liver specialist right away. I went to KU Med and was told that I had to have emergency surgery right away, and that I was basically a walking time bomb.... If I tripped and fell, it could cause this mass to rupture and I could bleed to death. He also told me that if I had gotten pregnant while I had the mass, it would almost certainly lead to death for me and the baby. Nonetheless, they cut me open from the middle of my chest clear down to my belly button. They did a liver resection and removed my gall bladder and several lymph nodes. The mass on the scan turned out to be 2 grapefruit-sized benign masses, called Focal Nodular Hyperplasia - most commonly caused from the hormones in birth control pills!!!! Ladies, this was major surgery.... I was in the hospital for 9 days and out of work recovering for nearly 2 months.... and this all took place 2 months before my wedding!!!!!! The MASSIVE stress I endured caused me to have panic attacks and I thought I was going to literally die. Keep in mind that my CT and MRI were purely coincidental. If my GI doctor had not ordered the tests, I would have never known about the masses, and God only knows what would have happened to me.... Anyway, this whole ordeal has DRASTICALLY changed my life and affected all of the people I love, my husband included, who has to endure all of my pain and anxiety. BOTTOM LINE - IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT! TELL EVERY WOMAN YOU KNOW!

So let me tell you my experience...I started taking the generic form of Yasmin (Ocella), mind you I have been on four other birth control pills and had no problems. The first cycle I had with this pill I felt like I had the flu with no sinus symptoms, so I went to my doctor, it was flu season, did a flu test: negative. He told me it was just a virus and my body will kick it out in a few days...so I went back home and went back to bed...not six hours later I had a constipated feeling...go to the bathroom and I was having severe bloody diarrhea. I had to call my husband to come and get me to take me to the ER because my abdominal pain was so severe. The ER did a CT (yummy on the barium milkshake by the way, not!) they said I had colitis...went to a GI doctor and I went through 2 CT's, a colonoscopy, endoscopy, small bowel series, sonogram, and blood work to see if I was allergic to gluten and lactose...I was limited to jello and apple juice as my food supplements...I was STARVING for three months. I realized that when I would go to the ER they would give me antibiotics and I would feel better until about 24 hours after I ran out...I called my OBGYN and he told me flat out, stop taking the pill you are having ischemic colitis and it is a severe reaction to that pill you are taking...I also wound up having surgery because endometriosis runs in my family and he wanted to make sure mine didn't get any worse...which was wonderful...I quit taking the pill and I have to be on a pill due to hereditary gynecological issues...so I was put on Orth-Tri-Cyclin and Life is wonderful again!!! So for you ladies...some of you had it easy!! I almost had to get part of colon removed because they thought it was UC! Twelve weeks in a colostomy bag...NO THANK YOU!!

I cannot contribute - in the same way as other posters, I can add a side effect of getting of all birth control pills-- health. The pill seems to act by mimicking the first trimester symptoms of pregnancy in many ways - explains many of the symptoms. Can you imagine being 1st trimester-pregnant for years? I cannot understand why women will use un-natural, non-organic foreign substances in their bodies with possibly deadly side effects - yet swear by organic soy milk, veggies what have you -seems a bit schizophrenic. Better to wait for the man who would love you fully and not ask you to hurt yourself so he can use you for sex. We become just like the men here, this is so sad to me. Instead of being "liberated" we, (not the men) become slave to the pill. And then we don't get he freedom or the man. Try organic sex, in the ways God intended, much healthier.

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?

Hi everyone:

I tried two 6 month bouts with Yasmin and have had terrible side effects both times. The most recent being diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. I strongly encourage everyone to listen to your bodies - if something doesn't seem right, persists, and no other explanation is available, I would strongly recommend to stop Yasmin immediately! There are a variety of other birth control pills available. I seem to not tolerate certain progestin formulations, which vary from pill to pill. You can google BCP and hormones and self educate yourself until you find a pill which works for you. I am currently looking into filing an FDA complaint for this pill. In doing so I also noted that it is currently being investigated for causing acute pancreatitis!

One more comment, I've seen in this search and others people complaining about losing feeling on one side of your body and/or muscle cramping in the legs. These symptoms can be very serious (blood clot/stroke) and you should see a doctor immediately!

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.

Yasmin is great! I am 30 yrs old and have been on Yasmin for 4 years and my periods are reduced to a light 5 days (they used to be 8-12 days and heavy with clots). I have no more menstrual cramping as I did before. I have not had any pimples for 4 years. I have lost 15 lbs since being on Yasmin, but I also attribute that to being physically active and eating correctly. No change in moods, sex drive is better, boobs are bigger, energy is great. I am normal weight, healthy and active. I have no medical problems or risk factors. I just want to inform any of you that had problems with DVT, blood clots, or stroke..that all birth control pills (any brand) carry an increased risk of thrombosis. That is not a side effect unique to Yasmin. You are 2-3 X more likely to have a thrombotic event on OCPs when compared to women who are not on OCPs. Risk of thrombosis related to pregnancy is actually MUCH higher, 5-10 X compared to women who are not pregnant or on OCPs. So I'd stick with my OCPs to avoid the nastier side effects of pregnancy..

Hi Everyone,

I need Some help!!!!!!!!

I been on Yasmin for two months now because of extreme period pain. Im 20 years old. And for the past week, Im bleeding a little and also clotting, however its still a week from time for the sugar tablet. On top of this my skin hasn't cleared up yet. Is this due to the time scale? Also I am bloated so much and i have stacked on the weight, its the fattest I've ever been, Im only meant to be small. It pretty much came on in a couple of months, I just feel like shit. fatigued also.

Its nice to know that there are a few of you that are going through the same thing.

Is this the wrong pill for me???

It so annoying!!!!

I don't want to scare all of you, but I thought I should share my recent experience. I am 40 years old and have never tolerated birth control pills very well. I experience major headaches that make the effects not worth the pain. As I was approaching menopause, I developed an ovarian cyst and dysfunctional bleeding and anemia. My periods could last up to 8 weeks at a time. I was desperate. I was put on Yasmin and was told to give it 3 months for my body to acclimate to this drug. I had a headache EVERY day that I was on this pill. 2-3 times a month it would flair up into migraine status. After 2 months and 1 week, I had one of those headaches that didn't go away. I went to the doctor 3 times to figure out what the problem was. I had a stroke and it was not diagnosed for 9 days due to the fact that I didn't have many outward stroke symptoms. I had a blood clot in my brain that blocked my sinus, sigmoid, and jugular veins. My neurologist said that most people would not have lived through this and that I was lucky to be alive. Please warn your friends and family. This is so dangerous. The only risk factors that I have are my age (40) and my weight (200 lbs) at 5' 7. I did not smoke, rarely drink, I'm not on medication for any other thing.

Hello everybody!!
I had a very bad reaction the very first time I took my first YASMIN pil. Well, I took it on a Sunday night at 23h45 and went to bed. 1h00 in the morning I wook up feeling:
-Dizzy,
-My hands and legs heavy
-I had a LOT OF TROUBLE BREATHING/ bad hearth palpitations
-then my whole body started shaking very badly
I felt just horrible, so I called an ambulance. They took me to the hospital and checked everything on me. They told me there was no evidence to say that my reaction was caused by Yasmin. But I am 100% sure, cause I was feeling really healthy and all of a sudden, in 1 hour time I was just feeling horrible. I obviously did not take my 2nd pil….
After recovering, the following week I started with DIANE 35. This time I took 2 pils, but I was feeling very sick (vomiting, could not even eat, etc) all day long so stopped once again.
After talking to different doctors, and seeing that nobody cares… Finally I’ve done some ALLERGY TESTS for YASMIN and DIANE 35. I was just sure that the result would be positive, but I was really surprised when the results showed nothing at all. I just could not understand anything.
I know that my reactions where due to the pils. However the allergy test did not relate my sickness to the pils. Does somebody have an explanation?? Any similar experiences? Do you think that I just cannot take hormone treatments?

Thank you!!!

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.

sounds like my daughter who is 18 years old mood swings bad behavior rude remarks,, I feel with all the hormones injected in our meat supply with birth control did it to my daughter she cannot take birth control pills and is currently
taking zoloft 50 mg they also prescribed adderall which i am taking her off today the birth control pills might be doing it but I suggest you get a hormone drug test to check her hormone level that is what I am going to do.

I am three weeks into my first pack of pills, and today I stopped taking them because of the severe headaches I have been experiencing. I rarely get headaches, and when I do I can treat them with advil....but three weeks ago (right after I started my first pack) I had a headache that lasted for three days. I thought I had a sinus infection, the headache was behind my eyeballs and throughout my forehead and temples. The headache went away but came back two days ago, and I still have it now. I am convinced it is from Yaz. I have not been able to find a birth control pill that doesn't make me absolutely psycho, and I was hoping Yaz would be the pill to work for me. I never experienced headaches from the other pills I was on, but these headaches are so severe and last for so long that I know it's more then just a common headache. I hope they go away soon...this pill is scary!
And on I side note I also noticed I have NO sex drive...but that happened with the other birth control pills I was on too.

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 just got off of the phon with my ob's office having spo9ken to her nurse about YAZ. i have been on it for a month and for the last week i have been having pain in my calf and behind my knee. i am worried about a DVT or something serious. i wonder if a doctor would do some tests to tell me if i have blood clots or not because i am worried. the pill has greatly reduced my horrible pms symptoms but i don't want to dye of a pulmonary embolism! they may take me off of the pill, don't other pills also have a risk of causing blood clots?

People on here seem to be confusing Yaz and Yasmin--they are not the same. Yaz has less estrogen than Yasmin and Yaz has 24 active days vs Yasmin that has 21. I've been on continuous Yasmin pills (no breaks) for 8 years or so and it's been a godsend. It stopped my hormonal migraines and gives me the right amount of estrogen. In fact, I work with a specialist and take two Yasmin bcps a day to get what my body needs to manage the perimenopause I developed in my 30s as well as my migraines.

Birth control pills effect everyone differently and that's why it can be a long haul to find the right one--especially if you are prone to hormonally induced migraines--and I have them worse than ever even when I'm not having a period or ovulating. It can also take several months to determine if a birth control pill will work for you and often that means putting up with side effects that are short term--possibly bloating, emotions, etc (certainly not life threatening side effects like hives). When you start a bcp, there is often a very uncomfortable period of time--could be the first two months as your body attempts to adjust to the changes. It's a matter of being your own advocate and tracking the side effects--or what might be your body adjusting--and seeing how it resolves. As I mentioned at the beginning, everyone is different. I've seen that with friends who try to use Yasmin--some it works, others, it's a nightmare.
And for those wondering about weight gain--Yasmin has qualities in the hormones that are diuretic in nature, so typically someone will not have bloating and should drink more water...and get potassium checked at least yearly.

I love Yasmin and for me, it saved my life in terms of quality of life managing my migraines!

I am glad to have found this information after deciding to google Yasmin and heart palpitations. I started having palpitations last night (I had them years ago when I was having anxiety attacks but not since and I am not under any stress right now). I just started taking Yasmin less than two weeks ago and will not be taking it any more (I started it for PMDD). I have also noticed pain in my right breast and I was on the verge of a bladder infection a few days ago since I did not drink enough water for a few hours (I have only had one bladder infection in my life and that was after delivering my third child and having a catheter). I have also had blurred vision twice since I started it (I have experienced that before but very, very sporadically - not 2 episodes within days, I have migraines and my dr. thinks the blurred vision is somehow related). I had chest pain for 2 days, granted, it happened after a tough workout, but that is still unusual for me. I've always had pluses and minuses with any form of bcp, but these cons don't outweigh the pros (which I have not experienced yet anyway).

I started taking Yasmin about 1 month ago and seem to be experiencing the same side effects as many of you all. I know that many birth control pills can have side effects but Yasmin has been particularly bad for me. I have been getting dull headaches pretty frequently that just seem to linger for long periods of time. I have been experiencing nausea as well that I couldn't seem to figure out. The worst side effect, however, has been the MOOD SWINGS. My poor, loving (patient!) boyfriend! He's the one that has to take the worst of it. I find myself picking fights for no reason and getting really upset over nothing at all. I will go from happy to tears in split seconds. I know these emotions and sudden mood changes are not typical of my behavior yet I can't seem to control it. I feel like I have split personalities sometimes. I am getting off this pill as soon as possible and I suggest anyone with these same problems do the same! I can't wait to feel like myself again and feel in balance. I want to be happy like the person I was before I starting taking Yasmin.

Hi,

I started Yasmin generic (ocella) 3 weeks ago. After a few days I developed a headache that feels like constant pressure around my temples, eyebrows and in between nose. It does not go away with pain killers. I have no history of reoccurring headaches and when I have gotten one advil usually takes care of it.

After 2 weeks I decided to stop Ocella to see if that was the reason. I still have the headache a week later. I went to the dr. yesterday and he said it wasn't a sinus headache which I thought it might be. He said it might be a migraine even though it doesn't sound like a typical one. If it doesn't go away this weekend I'll have to get a Cat scan and maybe MRI. Does this sound familiar to anyone who got headaches from Yasmin? My dr. said BCP wouldn't cause a headache but several people on this site described it as a side effect. Input much appreciated.

Thanks!
C.

Today (2/3/09) my body decided to relapse. I took Yaz from 1/08 to 8/08 and switched to Ocella (generic) in 08/08 - 11/08. I started having pain along my left side when I breathed. I took Augmentin for one week and did not feel any better. I went back to my physician, who then put me on a week of Avelox because my chest x-ray should pneumonia in the left lung. One week later, I still didn't feel any better. I decided to go to the emergency room and the hospitalist order a CT Scan that discovered pneumonia and a blood clot in the left lung. I was hospitalized for a week and placed on light duty for two weeks. It is one month later and it has decided to rear its ugly ahead. I am only 30 years of age, and I pray I did not ruin my chances to have children because I just completed my first year of marriage.

hey. its great to see that i am not the only person going mad with the side effects of the pill!

I started taking Yasmin in august 2008 and stopped in January 2009. after 2 months i found i had slight leg cramps and very itchy calfs and underarms that turned my skin into tiny red dots after i scratched them. i also got extremely red and blotchy inner thighs. the constant itchiness and the fact that i felt disgusting, made me go see my doctor who put me on yasminelle. ive been on yasminelle for about 2 weeks now. the itchiness has gone but i have major leg, foot and arm cramps. its hard to point my toes and sometimes difficult to stand or walk. extreme sore pins and needles in my hands and feet are also an issue.

i know side effects are different for everyone, but why are doctors still prescribing something that will give so much pain to people.

im finishing this pack of yasminelle and then stopping for good. i'm only 18 and my life's just beginning. im way too scared to take the risk of staying on the pill! if this is what its like after half a year, what is it going to be like after one year. or even more.

this is not a serious side effect like many described here, but has anyone had problems w/ acne or their skin breaking out after stopping Yasmin? part of the reason i'm taking Yasmin is that of all birth control pills, it is one of the ones that is supposed to help with that (and i think it has helped somewhat). however, i am planning to stop in about a week, and really don't want to break out.

I am a 30 year old nurse and know first hand how birth control pills are individual. I was on many before Yasmin. 6 months ago I started Yasmin because it was the new hype in birth control medicine since it reduces length of period, flow of period, and reduces acne.
I don't think the ingredient drospirenone that's included in Yasmin (a potassium sparing drug, and diuretic, another form of the same type is Spironolactone) works for me.
Ever since I had experienced these symptoms:
Anxiety-heart palpitations, suspiciousness, racing thoughts.
Headaches-tension, leading to muscle spasms in neck and shoulders.
Dizziness-Vertigo type spinning sensations
Ear fullness-popping and cracking without losing hearing.
Fatigue-no motivation, especially for an early riser and a person who works 12 hr shifts.
Chest tightness, lump in throat feeling, could be due to increase in stomach acid (HCl).
If anyone else has vertigo, or dizziness, I would love to know!
Thanks,
Good luck with trying a different form of birth control.

I am brand new to this sight and have been on the generic for Yasmin-Ocella for almost 2 years and have about had it. I have chest tightness and am so moody sometimes that I start screaming at the kids for no reason and then break down in tears because of the way I have treated them. I am exhausted all of the time, I do have 2 small kids (5 & 2 1/2) but even when I do get 8-10 hours of sleep I feel drained. Like a depression. As I type this I am having the chest tightness. Only happens during the first week of a new pack. My OBGYN is having me skip the last week of the pack-which is when I feel like 100% my old self-no exhaustion, no moodiness etc &the only week that I have ANY sex drive too-because she thinks I have a torsion ovary. I will see what she says on the 29th but I want off of these pills... What is the point if you feel like crap, can't breathe and have NO drive what so ever!

My daughter was 16 when her GYN started her on Yaz. She was 5 ft 3 and 100 lbs. Non smoker. No risks. She went on the pill because she was having heart palpitations and extreme fatigue that correlated with her menstrual cycle. The idea was to level her hormones and see if that would level off the physical problems. Within 6 weeks she suffered from a pulmonary embolism. Because she was young, everybody though it was just pneumonia or inflammation of the lining of the lungs (pleurisy). Then her leg swelled up and turned blue from a clot (DVT). I found it fascinating that everybody at the first hospital, during the helicopter ride and at the second hospital all had EXACTLY the same reaction . . . They all said, "you just started taking the pill, didn't you? Probably one of the new ones like Yaz." Apparently, these new 'third generation' pills are worse than the old ones when it comes to clots. It turns out that my hubby's history of blood clots should have been a clue that my daughter has a common clotting disorder and YAZ triggered it into action. The clotting disorder affects up to 10% of Swedes and that is where my hubby's family comes from. Up to 5% of all Caucasians in the United States have Factor V Leiden as well. I notified the FDA and highly encourage everybody else to do so as well. The doctor are not required to file a report unless a patient dies. My daughter is doing better now. If any reporters are reading this, please contact me. B. A. ***** If you have ANY family history of problems that might be due to clots, avoid the third generation pills.

I stumbled on this site while doing research on DVT's. I am a nurse and was on YAZ continuously (skipping the inactive pills and going straight to a new pack) to control my migraines for about a year. I developed 3 DVT's in my left calf and behind my left knee. I have been having charlie horse cramps as well. I am now on lovenox injections 2 times a day and 7.5 mg. of coumadin to deal with the clots.I have also had the issues with heart palpitations, chest tightness, and feeling like i can't catch my breath. I read in one of the posts where it was described as she "had to think to catch her breath". I totally agree! I thought this drug was great, until now. I stopped it last wed 1/7/09 when they found the clots in my calf/knee. Can anyone with experience tell me how long it took them to recover from the palpitations and breathing issues. I am a very health person, non smoker, with no prior or family history of any clotting issues. Thanks for all the info on here and God Bless everyone who has suffered!

I've been on Yasmin/Ocella for 2 years, and the other week I had two panic attacks, like my body suddenly felt achey, trembly, as if I couldn't breathe, my throat and chest were constricting. After a long time, both passed, but since then I constantly have felt a tightness under my jaw, lump in my throat, and chest tightness on and off. My doctor told me I was just experiencing anxiety but now I think it may be Yasmin, even though I never had problems until now. Sometimes the skin on my throat feels itchy/tingly in a subtle way. If anyone has had these experiences with the throat & chest on Yasmin, I'd like to know because I'm hoping the problem is this.

Yasmin has caused me to have very itchy skin! ive been taking it 6mths now and after 4mths the side effects have kicked in.
Apart from the insane random annoying itching i keep getting severe abdominal cramps when i eat, ive been breathless on occasions and my hair is lkg limp and dull.

so far, ive been on Yasmin for almost 3 wks. the first week i had no side effects but as time progressed i started getting abdominal craps with a watery vaginal discharge; it sorta feels like i'm having my period except ther's no blood. i'm constantly nauseous and i have no appetite. my legs can feel numb at times and i get these really sharp pains in my chest. my body practically feels tender all over. i'm really depressed lately and my moods change drastically. Is this normal?

I've been on Yasmin for about 2 1/2 months now, For the first couple of weeks, I had bad cramps that weren't from my period. It was like sharp pains in my lower stomach. It went away after a while, but I'm still having constant head aches. I always got headaches here and there before the Yasmin. But they're more often now, At first I thought it they were work-related. But I even get them when I'm not at work. Every once in a while I get a sharp pain in my chest, but that's every once in a while. I haven't really had any numbness of the limbs, nausea, or mood swings. But these headaches are noticeable, Has anyone else had these?

I had been on Yaz for almost a year. I have tried EVERYTHING!!! I went to Yaz after trying even the Nuvaring. It seemed like everything from regular Ortho was too strong and the ring was too little. I've been on birth control since I was 17 (now I'm 26) and have tried it all. I mainly stayed on because of cramping and digestive trouble I used to experience around my period. For about 3 months Yaz was great- no mood swings, my cramp pain was cut in half, and my sex drive lost on the ring came back. However, after about the 5th month, I started to notice the same side effects as other posters; headaches, night sweats, fatigue, numbness in my legs, moodiness, zero libido, and the carpal tunnel in my wrists would increase in pain by 10 fold, etc. In fact, it was getting so bad, that my husband was getting annoyed with me saying I was always tired even though I would sleep 8 hours and not have any other outside stressors impacting my sleep patterns. We almost divorced over the stupid, but outrageous, fights I would pick for no reason at all! I would get so irritated at the smallest thing. It was like a switch would flip and I couldn't turn it off! I couldn't figure out why I was so fatigued- I exercise and eat right (I'm a nutritionist)and have played sports for years!. The depressing feelings bothered me because I know that eating right and exercising keeps serotonin levels at an even keel- that's what I do for a living! Mine were way off for no reason! It got to the point that my friends noticed a huge change in my personality- I used to be the life of the party, and now I would rather stay in instead of go out and socialize with my best friends and husband! Thank you for writing these blogs. I can't wait to feel normal again! I'd rather deal with the cramps or take some homeopathic remedy than deal with this horrible drug. There is a great article on cnn.com about birth control pills and libido/ side effects. Just search for "the pill" and the article should come up.

i personally have had the best experience with my Yasmin birth control. I have been on it for 5 years now. Before Yasmin I was a wreck.Before i ever took any birth control i had my period twice a month, super heavy bleeding,10 days,and cramps so bad I would pass out. I even bled for 5 months straight on the Depoprovera shot. I found all of the tricyclic pills make me crazy and over emotional. I have tried so many different kinds of pills and birth control all with the result of bleeding for months on end and finally my doctor recommended Yasmin and I have been completely happy with it. I have not gained weight, I do not get migraines (and i did with other birth control pills), I am much more emotionally stable (although I will never be a hundred percent sane, but I blame genetics for that one) I have never gotten pregnant, I have not suffered any gastrointestinal side effects, I finally have regular 7 day periods and my cramps are less horrible, my skin has cleared up, i have a perfectly healthy if not over active sex drive, my breast are not particularly tender ever, I don't get any more yeast infections than before, basically it is my saving grace in my opinion. I must also add to this that I did stop taking Yasmin once for 5 months in these 5 years just to see how I am without BC and nothing crazy happened. My periods were heavier, i had worse cramps, my skin broke out. I expected all of that to happen. A month after getting back on Yasmin I was back to my happy ol self again. One last thing is that I did try the Ocello generic version of Yasmin and it was all bad for me. I once again bled for 2 months even though I only took it for two weeks, and i went completely nutso overemotional chick. Long story short, everyone is built differently, not every BC will be the right one for you. Try some different ones out. If you are on a pill and it is not doing the right things for you then switch it instead of taking it for 2 years and then blogging about how miserable it makes you. I will leave you with a wonderful quote from I don't know who but I live for this saying "More orgasms, fewer kids, copulate, don't populate!" HOORAY

headache,nauseous,leg cramps, pain in my left breast, around heart...now, around each period my breasts hurt, and i have terrible stomach ache, like cramps, which i never had before..i also started having acne on my back and shoulders...but the worst thing is, my room-mate, she was using Yasmin for 9months, died a week ago. she wasn't sick at all.she actually did have a few headaches, and weird stomach ache, but we didn't seem to connect the two...

I have been on Yasmin since April of this year, 2008. My doctor put me on Yasmin because of a hormonal imbalance caused by PCOS. At first, all I noticed was my periods had become regular and my skin had cleared up. About 4-6 weeks later, I started experiencing EXTREME pain in my right breast. After the onset of the pain, just my right breast became enlarged. A few weeks later I started having chest/heart pains at random times. It started occurring when I would run and that made me really scared. I had the feeling of having a heavy rock on my chest and wasn't able to get a real breath. After an EKG my doctor confirmed that my heart was healthy. Here is a list of some of the other side effects that I noticed: no sex drive, weight gain, TIREDNESS, forgetfulness, cramps in my legs, but only while sleeping, extreme thirst.

I am so grateful that I found this website. It's just awful to hear some many other women complaining of the same symptoms.

I am at the end of my first month on this pill. Things seemed fine until 3 days ago when I got a migraine (I never get headaches) and it has lasted for 3 days making it so difficult to look after my children or get the simplest things done. I started looking up side effects and found this site. I realised that this month I had also had thrush, no sex drive at all and seem to be very cold in relation to other people. I suffer from PMDD and this is my second pill in attempt to make the symptoms easier to manage. Without the pill I am over emotional, cry a lot, have severe mood swings and painful and heavy bleeding each month. With this in mind I am still going to come off Yasmin right now. I do not want to mess things up even more. I have been concerned about the ingredients of the pill too - I am a vegan and there is no birth control pills which do not contain lactose or animal ingredients so I think I must go back to the diapham for birth control (condoms are just awful!). it is frightening how easily all these pills are prescribed. I was on dianette when I was 16 to combat the same PMDD and when I came off it five years later didn't have a period for a year at which time I discovered I had an ovarian cyst and a tumor, both of which had to be removed. Was told I probably couldn't have kids but thankfully five years later (five years of trying to conceive) I had our first and then 10 months after that fell pregnant with our second). I can't believe I was stupid enough to go back on any pill but my PMDD is difficult to manage and I was at my wits end but after just a month I know I have to come off it. For good this time. My life is to valuable to me to mess up with this rubbish.