Yasmin and blood pressure

I'm 14 years old and I've been taking ocells for the past six or seven months, and I haven't experienced any of the symptoms or side effects of this pill. My period is three to five days long, and I'm very light, I've only gained about five or ten pounds, and my heart rate and blood pressure are normal. It does say on the side effects may make you lose or gain weight, like I said, I've only gained a few pounds, which I could easily lose.

Well where to start. It started one Weds morning at work. Suddenly came over all dizzy and light headed and felt really really sick. Went home and started with a temperature. Parents say I was pretty spaced out for several days and didn’t really want to talk to anyone. It’s like I was there but I wasn’t. Went to doctor a couple of times and they diagnosed a virus. Problems with sleeping started. Ended up at the hospital out of hours as I was shaking, felt sick, thought I was going to pass out. Nothing found so sent back home. Saw doc again and was referred to a doctor at the hospital who had an interest in viruses. Saw doc and loads of blood was taken for testing. Went back after a couple of weeks and blood tests where clear. By that point I was feeling a bit better so they thought it was post viral fatigue. Went back to work part time and worked myself up to full time. Then it started again. Had to be fetched from work. Colleagues said it was more like I was having a panic attack. Broke down completely. Couldn’t stop crying and was in a right state. Went to docs and was diagnosed with depression and still post viral fatigue. My main symptoms have been, panic attacks, anxiety, faintness, dizziness, nausea, general feeling of unwell, blocked ears, palpitations. There are probably more but I can’t think of them at the minute (Oh yeah, brain fogginess as well !) More blood tests were done and that’s when they said my hormones were a bit low but they didn’t think it was anything to worry about. That’s when I started researching Low hormones and started to come across the problems with Yasmin. I cannot tell you what a relief it’s been. I honestly thought I was going mad and that there was nothing wrong with me and it was all in my head. I sat looking that the screen going ‘that’s me !’ Have stopped taking them straight away. Will see how we get on. Doctor didn’t know anything about the problems and has said he will be interested to know how I get on. I cannot believe they didn’t know. Main thing is I know now and can start getting better.

Wow! I can't believe how many of us suffers from the pill from hell, Yasmin. I stopped taking it September 17 after 5 years and I'm worried as hell as to what's going to happen to my body now. But first things first. I seem to have gotten pretty much every side effect in the book.

About a month after starting it I got gastroparesis- paralyzed stomach- and I also became lactose-intolerant after 30 years of drinking a lot of milk. Go figure! I get a huge bloated belly as soon as I drink a little water even now. I have gained about 6 lbs that I can't shake no matter how much I work out and that has never been a problem before.

I had migraines from hell and headaches nearly every day the last few years.

I got panic attacks and was very nervous, had anxiety and it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. And that is SO NOT me or anybody in my family. And I know it was the pill cuz I had no reason to feel that way.

I had blurry vision at times. Fainted once in the mall for no apparent reason, I had never fainted before in my life.

I had no interest in my own life or in doing anything whether that was working, going to school, exercising, going out with friends, traveling, whatever it was I was not interested. Again, so not me. I could have died and I wouldn't have cared. I could have gotten a Ferrari and I wouldn't have cared.

I could sleep 10 hours a night, take 1-2 hour naps in the afternoon and go to sleep again at 10 pm, no problem. And the nightmares! Holy crap. Awful dreams about plane crashes, robberies and murderers EVERY night. Thankfully they seem to have disappeared now.

I have high cholesterol, through the roof actually! -no family history there either- and blood pressure is a little high but not too bad. My thyroid was a little elevated last time and the doctor thought it was due to Yasmin.

I snap at everybody and think that I don't love my husband when I actually do love him a lot. He has put up with me being so unbelievably bitchy for 5 year. Bless his soul!

Since I started Yasmin we have had sex about 1-3 times a year. I'm NOT kidding. I haven't wanted anything to do with sex.

I have heart palpitations at times. Shortness of breath just walking up the stairs in my house.

Dry skin no matter what cream I use. Major hair loss.

I went off Yasmin once before and didn't get my period back for over 6 months so I just started taking it again like an idiot cuz I wasn't planning to have kids then anyway.

I was never happy, never sad. Mostly mad or irritated, no problems there.

What else? How many hours do you girls have to read my post? ;-)

To sum it up. Yasmin has destroyed my life for the past 5 years but I was to blind and scared to get pregnant before that I just didn't care. And not caring about my own health was surely caused by that rotten pill too.

What can I expect now that I'm off the pill since 2 weeks? How long before the hormones are gone from my body? What can I expect and when does it get better? Can I go to the ob/gyn after 2-3 months if I don't get my period and have them give me something to start it? Or would that be bad? What about the weight, should it go up or down? Acne? Hair loss? What else? Have you had any medical problems that you needed medicines for due to Yasmin? How long has it taken you to get your period back? And most importantly; can this pill make me infertile???

If there is a class action lawsuit I want to be in it!

I CANT BELIEVE THAT I CAME ACROSS THIS WEBSITE.I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN THROUGH.I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH YOU AS WELL......I HAVE BEEN ON YASMIN FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS NOW. JUST RECENTLY IN JUNE I NOTICED AN INCREASE IN MY BLOOD PRESSURE, I WAS EXPERIENCING CHEST PAIN, HEART PALPITATIONS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS. I AM A HEALTHY 22 YEAR OLD ,WITH NO MEDICAL PROBLEMS. I NEVER HAD ANXIETY OR PANIC ATTACKS THIS HAS JUST BEEN BROUGHT ON ME OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.... I HAVE BEEN TO THE ER 4 TIMES SINCE JUNE... I FINALLY WENT TO MY OBGYN AND THEY TOLD ME TO GET OFF THE PILL... I HAVE BEEN OFF SINCE SUNDAY I DO HOWEVER KNOW THAT IT CAN TAKE A MONTH FOR A HORMONE TO COMPLETELY LEAVE YOUR BODY, SOI IM HOPING TO SEE SOME GOOD CHANGES... IM THANKFUL FOR FINDING THIS WEBSITE AND IM GLAD TO KNOW I AM NOT GOING CRAZY! FOR ANYONE THAT HAS STOPPED TAKING IT... ARE YOU NOTICING GOOD CHANGE?

I lost the better part of four years of my life to Yasmin. I started on it when I was 19. I almost immediately developed panic attacks and anxiety. Over time, I experienced memory loss, "brain fog," stomach problems, and a lot of fatigue. I had no idea that the Yasmin was doing this, as my doctors told me that I was developing an anxiety disorder. I did stop using Yasmin for about 9 months because I ran out; within 4 months of being pill-free, my energy was back, my thoughts were clear, and I was just... myself. Then I went back on it, not realizing that the pill was poisoning me, and needed to start taking anti-depressants a few months afterwards because of the increased anxiety. My body also does not absorb B12 anymore, and my blood pressure fluctuates wildly. In addition, I get random crying/emotional outbursts for no reason.

I am not trying birth control ever, ever again.

I took Yasmin for 3 years and stopped about 3 weeks ago in hopes of becoming pregnant soon. I am experiencing a rapid resting heart rate (100) and occasional mild chest pains. My blood pressure, however, is normal. I have also had a pain in my lower right abdomen below my hip bone off-and-on for a week. The first day it was sharp and lasted about 20 minutes and I thought it was ovulatory pain (and I guess it still could be). When it lingered, I thought it was my appendix, and now I'm a little confused as to what it is. It is mild and only happens for a few minutes a day. I'm just wondering if these things are all linked to the timing of stopping Yasmin. Has anyone else experienced any of these symptoms? I'm becoming paranoid about my health.

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

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

I'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 prescribed Yasmin for PCOS in 2002. I took it and never had any problems and it made the PCOS easier to live with. This was until 2005. I started having real bad pain in my left side, so I went to the emergency room. They did x-rays and blood work on me. They admitted me to the hospital. They told me I had an infarct spleen. I was in there for almost a full week. My medical doctor told me he thought it was caused from my birth control (I did not take any other meds) and he took me off of it. Well I was having a lot of trouble with my PCOS so I went back to my gyno and told them about being in the hospital and what my medical doctor said. My gyno said they never heard of such a thing and put me back on Yasmin. They said I needed to be on it because it had an ingredient I needed to help me deal with the PCOS. So I went back on it after being off of it for 3 months. Well in May of 2007 I ended up in the ER once again. This time I was having severe headaches. I had never had headaches in my entire life until now. They ordered an MRI and gave me miagrane medication. I had the MRI done and they admitted me to the hospital once again. I saw at least 5 different doctors while I was in there. The MRI showed I had suffered 3 mild strokes (the cause of headache) and the only conclusion they could come to was the birth control again. I have never smoked in my entire life but yet I still suffered from strokes. I now have to take medication for my blood pressure, aspirin for blood clots, and migrane meds daily because of Yasmin. Yasmin is a very dangerous birth control. I also had to have an endometrial abaltion since I can't take any type of birth control. I am only 29 years old and can no longer have children because of this drug. It is very dangerous, I hope if I do nothing else someone will read this and stop taking Yasmin before it is to late for them also!!!

I took Yaz for 1.5 weeks. The day after I started it I broke out into a rash that I thought was poison ivy. It wasn't...it was the YAZ. I immediately stopped taking it. That was a month ago, and I still have my rash. I've been on 3 different steroids and 2 different anti-histamines. Still have the rash. Is anyone else having this problem?

When a class action lawsuit is filed, let me know....this drug should be taken of off the market immediately. We started all of this with an OB/GYN that prescribed this “miracle pill” and now have had to go not only to our primary doctor, but also a psychiatrist, gastrenologist, college campus counselors, psychologists, psychiatrist, and the campus medical doctors; All the while, accumulating enormous doctor bills. All the doctors say, "No, Yasmin won't cause those problems" (except the college campus doctors..wonder why? Hmm.. could it be that they are not in private practice?)....well, I beg to differ. Everyone needs to give this website to their doctor so the doctors can hear from the patients that have taken this drug, and not listen to the pharmaceutical companies that are pushing this drug to be the "miracle pill". Maybe if enough people complain and go to the media, we can get rid of this drug!
My daughter who is 18 was put on Yasmin because of irregular periods, hormonal imbalance, etc. We were told it was the new “miracle pill”. It will make you loose weight, regulate your periods, clear up acne, you name it, it will fix it. Yeah, right.
She started taking this pill in March 2007. She was off at college but called to tell me she was experiencing horrible headaches, behind the eyes. She complained about her stomach hurting, but we just figured it was the stress of freshman year at college. Then she said she got where she couldn’t eat when she went to a restaurant. When she came home in May for the summer, I noticed a total personality change. For example, she was always a neat freak, and now she wouldn’t clean her room. The first day when she drove home, she started crying she was so mad about the traffic. Yes, she has always had a little road rage, but this was ridiculous.
By June, not only could she not be in crowds, like at a restaurant, but now she is having full blown panic attacks and IBS. We called the OBGYN and they said, “Yasmin won’t cause this, go see your primary doctor”. I knew that the only thing that had changed with her was taking the YASMINE. I knew it had something to do with all of this so I “Googled Yasmin” and this website (http://www.medications.com/se/yasmin) was the first one I looked at. All of her symptoms matched everyone else’s! I am so glad we found this website, it explained everything and I had her to stop Yasmin immediately.
So we went to the primary doctor, explained about the Yasmin and how we thought it was the culprit of everything. Of course this doctor also says, “Yasmin won’t cause that”. We told him to look it up on the internet and see how there are over 3000 complaints on this drug, more than any of the other drugs on the market.
Besides the emotional problems she starting having, her pulse and blood pressure was sky high, so he puts her on medicine for that, and puts her on an anxiety medicine and sends her to a psychiatrist. She is very thirsty all the time, and develops IBS. She can’t eat without having pains in her stomach. So, now we’ve have gone from having just irregular periods, to all of the above, plus a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist doubles her medicine (and puts her Pamine for the IBS) because the panic attacks are gone, but she still is having a lot of nervousness, anxiety, can’t sleep at night, crazy thoughts, worrying all the time, etc. A month later he changes her medicine again, to Effexor. The first 2 weeks, she does okay, but the packet doubles the strength after 2 weeks. It takes 4 weeks for it to take full effect. Right after she doubles this medicine, it is like her senses are on hyper-mode. She can taste everything that is in her food (chili powder, seasonings, etc…), taste the metal in water, and she can hear someone’s phone vibrating, in another room.
Then she goes back to college at the end of August 2007, and it’s horrible. The Effexor is having bad, bad side effects. We called the psychiatrist that she was using at home and he doubled the dose. That was the worse thing they could’ve done. The side effects were worse than ever. I had her to immediately go to a psychiatrist on campus. She told him the whole story and he believed her! Needless to say we switched doctors. He then lowered her dose back down to ½ a dose and hopefully can slowly get her off of all this medicine.
The newest thing she has developed is being hypoglycemic. The campus psychiatrist sent her to a campus medical doctor and he told her that they would get to the bottom of this. He tested her for everything under the sun. Low blood sugar is the only thing they found. But, she hasn’t taken the Yasmin since May. No telling what the results would have came back like if it was done at the time she was taking Yasmin.
Thank goodness she has counselors and doctors there at the campus that believes that Yasmin can cause all of these problems, and are working with her. From what I have read from the people that have used this medicine, although most doctors do not agree, Yasmin takes like 6 months to get out of your system. I think I am going to believe the testimonials of the people who take this medicine, over a doctor who prescribes it.
If everyone goes to the media, their doctors, the FDA, congressmen, and make them aware of these horrible effects, surely we can get this drug off of the market! Does anyone know a class action lawyer that would pursue this? For my child to have to go through all of this is ridiculous, not to mention costly. What do we know of the long term effects this drug will have if it is doing all of this when you first start taking it?
If you have the same concerns as me about this drug, and would be interested in looking into a class action lawsuit, please email: ****** I would be interested to see how many would want to pursue this.

I just started Yasmin 6 days ago. I have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and depression. I am also on Wellbutrin. Since starting Yasmin I have had severe nausea, chest pain, elevated blood pressure, and pain in my joints. I actually feel like I have the flu all day long. I am glad that I found this site and know that there are others who have similar symptoms and it is not just in my head. I have tried ortho-tricyclen and didn't tolerate that either, it made my heart race.

I have been on Yasmin for 1 year, I have gained 15 pounds and my blood pressure is up, I have also been bleeding in btween my periods, I have horrible cramping even when Im not on my period, also I have yeast infections all the time. My doctor told me that this pill would help with my weight, and lower my blood pressure, but it has not. I am definetly going to change this pill!!!! Thanks for the memos, I know that I am not alone- E

Finish out your pack and then stop. One of the worst things you can do is stop taking birth control mid-cycle.

When you do come off Yasmin, it can take up to 6 months for your body to normalize, you may have some symptoms that are even worse for a while, but that's because your body is trying to regulate itself back to normal hormonal levels. There are some supplements you can take to support that process.

I came off Yasmin two months ago, and I feel fine. My period has come right on time and normal. (I was pretty regular before Yasmin) In fact, by blood pressure has gotten so much better that my doctor reduced my medicine in half. Everyone is different, so just be patient and try to eat right, exercise and get plenty of sleep so that you know none of those things are contributing factors to your health.

Good luck ladies!

I have had the bronchial problems while on yasmin and while on ortho-cyclene. I never related the two.. I still think it's allergies because it started when I moved to NC, and it only happens in the fall/winter.

My experience with yasmin I thought was great until I started to put two and two together. I didn't have the mood swings and my skin looked great. But when I realized my magnesium levels dropped causing my heart palpitations and ridiculous need to pee ALL the time, as well as my blood pressure going through the roof... I joined this forum and now I'm off Yasmin. My husband very supportive of my decision.

One thing I will say, I'm so grateful I listened to my body and went in for a check-up because I felt "funny". I know I would have had a stroke- my BP was 160/120. Now with medication it's normal. Hopefully with time I can get off BP as well, that's my goal.

I'll keep you all posted on my magnesium I have an appointment in Feb.

IPJ

Hello,

I was on Yasmine for 2 years and I have been off of Yasmine for 4 weeks. I had a fast heartbeat while on it and it has become worse lately. I also feel nervous and exhausted, but can't sleep very well. My blood pressure is also elevated sometimes (never had high blood pressure before this pill).

I also had bad stomach aches while on it and started to react to certain things (like eggs) I had never ever had a problem with. All kinds of intestinal complaints but of course the doctor says it is IBS - I wonder if it is the progestin that messes me up so bad. It is so strange. I want to get healthy again but feel really crummy right now, don't want to stand up to long, but try to keep going and doing chores etc, feel like I will pass out and takes a long time to recover from it. Could it bring on the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue or problems with blood pressure on standing???

The fast heartbeat is bugging me. I had an EKG and a sonogram of my heart, stress test 3 years ago and everything was normal (for chest pain while on Ovcon 35).

I hate this and wish I could get well. I've tried magnesium and B vitamins, sometimes I feel more wired-exhausted. This is weird but when I used to get that weird gnawing/stomach hunger while on it I would use baking soda/water to calm down my stomach, this seemed to help some of the other symptoms too??? Maybe sodium is off???

This is really driving me crazy. I have a microbiology degree so I understand a bit about the medical side of this drug but I don't feel like it was researched/tested thoroughly before it was sent out for human consumption!

LilahK

my blood pressure dropped 20 points one month after stopping. My pulse dropped 18 points. My palpitations disappeared

Hi everyone-
It has been a few months since I posted so I thought I would give you an update. I am YASMIN-FREE for 6 months now. My period is somewhat regular, 29-31 days, with it getting off to a very slow start then 2 days heavy and 1-2 days light. But, during my period (and often during ovulation as well) I have terrible trembling throughout my body sporatically during the 5-7 days it lasts. But, the brain-shocks have totally stopped, thank GOD!!! My Blood pressure is slowly coming down as well. No more 170/100 or 150/90 anymore. I also take fish oil and flaxseed which I think helps with the BP.
I have stopped taking the Xanax but I am still taking 37.5 (lowest possible) dose of Effexor once per day. I will be weaning off of it by Christmas accoriding to my doc.
This has been so hard for me and dealing with the side effects of Yasmin. I appreciate this forum in knowing that I am not alone, unfortunately. My husband and kids see such a difference in me now that I am off of that poison. It caused a total chemical imbalance and I am just starting to see the extreme side effects subsiding. It has taken 6 months. So, be patient ladies.
As always, I encourage all of you who had side effects (especially bad ones) to CALL Berlex and/or the FDA and REPORT IT! Their toll free number is on line.
Stay well ladies.
Hang in there and keep posting.
SILKE - how is everything? I am sorry that I lost touch for a few months!

I've been on Yasmin 28 for about a year and a half. I to am experiencing the mood swings and depression (my poor husband!). I've also had a difficult time climaxing (nearly impossible). But what really worries me, is that before I was on Yasmin, my cholestrol and blood pressure where just fine. I was also overweight, but less than I am now. I've gained almost 20 lbs. and my cholestrol has skyrocketed and my Dr. put me on Lipitor 10mg. My blood pressure the last two times I was at the Dr. was 136/90 (6 months ago) and 141/79 (yesterday). I'm only 26!! I exercise daily and eat pretty healthy. Could all of these problems be from the Yasamin??

Hi all! I have been off Yasmin for almost a month now and things have been so tough. I got diagnosed with OCD for the first time- although looking back I think that I have had it slightly my whole life. I think that the hormonoal inbalance definently contributed to my blow out.
Anyways I am getting by although things are sooo tough. My blood pressure went way down and my throat doesn't hurt very often.
Thank you guys for all of the support you gave me when I really needed it!

I began taking Yasmin 4 years ago, about 7 months after I had my first baby. My ob-gyn suggested Yasmin because of it's ability to prevent water weight gain, and since I had just gained 10 pounds postpartum with Depo-Provera (very scary drugi ndeed!!), I agreed to try Yasmin. I was 30 at the time and had been on BCPs since I was 18, so I didn't think Yasmin would be any different. (Wrong!) Because I was a new mom, I attributed my negative side effects (lethargy, awakening to go pee every night, dark circles under my eyes that prompted people to ask me if I felt ok all the time because I looked worn out, depression, not feeling at all like my normal self, waist/hips/thigh size expanded, hair trigger temper, or crying easily, feeling as though I was in a dazed state or sometimes about to explode, increase in blood pressure, massive hair loss during showering, increased thirst, and problems with severe incapacitating diarrhea along with a resulting weight loss of 10 pounds in less than 2 days, and or vomiting periodically, low potassium levels for which I was prescribed potassium supplements, and anxiety) to motherhood. Unfortunately, I could not find any info on these side effects until recently, so I thought I would just have to live with my problems and hope I would get better. Then, I saw on a website that Yasmin was on a list of drugs that should be banned by the FDA, and I searched for negative side effects, and found this website. That day in March 2006 I threw out my remaining pack of Yasmin, and I'm happy to report 3 months later that I am feeling so much better! I now sleep through the night, my blood pressure has returned to normal. I am anxiety-free. My vomiting /diarrhea has resolved much in part to daily yogurt consumption. But the best part is that I'm no longer angry (bitchy) at everyone and everything and I don't cry like a pregnant woman would. I can concentrate and I don't have spaced out feelings. My hair loss has returned to normal. I recognize the person looking out from a mirror as me now. Last but not least, I have lost 3 inches so far from my waist and 3 pounds of weight. Yay! What is truly scary about this drug is how it effects the kidneys and adrenal glands in a negative manner. I do hope I haven't done any irreversible damage to my organs. Yasmin is toxic and should be banned by the FDA. As someone who works in a medical laboratory setting, I wonder how the drug was approved in the first place. I guess as usual, women don't get the repect of the pharma industry. We have to fight for our rights for safe birth control methods. I am currently using the PG/53 fertility tester as my birth control and so far have been pleased with it. Thanks for allowing me to share my story!

I wanted to reply to Samp--did you go to an Ear/Nose/Throat specialist regarding your chronic sore throat? I, too, had a terrible non-stop sore throat that began within 2 months of starting Yasmin--I was finally diagnosed by the ear/nose doc as having acid reflux disease--which believe me I had NEVER had any trouble with prior to taking this rotten drug. I began medication and the condition cleared up (the sore throat part went away fairly rapidly but the damage from the reflux took longer to heal completely). I am not on meds now for it and have not had a recurrence.

I took Yasmin for 3 months--was chronically ill (got every cold that came to town), depressed, anxious, racing heart, palpitations, unbelievably high blood pressre, and convinced I was having serious heart trouble (even ended up in the ER once!)---I FIRMLY BELIEVE ALL OF THESE SYMPTOMS WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF TAKING YASMIN. I have been off of it a year now and am mostly back to normal with the exception of blood pressure which is still slowly coming back down to my normal of 120/70. I'm currently in the 130's for the top number, down from the 160's while on that damn pill. The blood pressure jumped from 120's before Yasmin to the 160's in the first month!!!!! This pill is dangerous.

My ear/nose guy believes the reflux was indeed related to the Yasmin--please get checked for reflux as if it is left untreated you can end up with scarring in your esophagus. I wish you all the best and would be very interested in anyone's experiences regarding changes in blood pressure.
justme

Sabresgirl,

I recently posted a message on this site regarding the rise in blood pressure I have since being on oral contraceptives. I wasn't on Yasmin, I was on estrostep. My BP went as high as 151/100. I came off the pill a little over 2 weeks ago and my BP is now 145/94, so it is coming down. So to answer your question, I think any oral contraceptive has the potential to give you high BP. I am excited that my BP is on its way down. I hope it continues to go down. I wish the same for you.

How BCP affect your blood pressure: I have NOT encountered a single one that does not warn about raising your blood pressure. That's why BCP's are not recommended to women with high bp to begin with.

Mircette (and Kariva) I have not tried personally, but a close friend has been taking it for a while. She hasn't had any problems besides heart palpitations, but not sure if the pill caused it or not. She's now switching to Nuvaring (less hassle, and I highly recommended it, as well as a gyno friend she has).

Nuvaring-I am on the second cycle. I never ever think about it, except when I have to insert and remove it, and they have a convenient computer program you can download to remind you, as well as a tiny timer you can carry around in your purse (can get it for free from their website). No headaches, no nightmares, no panic attacks. In fact, I don't even notice I'm on birth control, it's great.

Hello Everyone,

I've been taking Yasmin for 8 months now and have had major weight gain... 115 to 160. My blood pressure has gone up and I contribute that to becoming stressed or depressed even easier then I would normally (the weight gain makes me even more depressed). I'm seriously considering to stop taking Yasmin and go from there. The only other time I've ever been this large was when I was pregnant so there must be a hormonal connection. I still occassionally have hot flashes.

Thanks for everyones post,

Tammy

Hi ns!

So sorry to hear, that Yasmin has caused another medical victim...

Well, I'm just not really sure what "seizure" means (I'm from Germany). I had something, perhaps you meant that: It was like a horrible dizzyspell which forced me to lay down on the floor because I wasn't able to stand or sit any longer (that was January, 1st, 2005!). We had to call 911 (I wasn't able to get up or just sit up...) and they immediately put me into the ER where I had to stay for one week (no need to mention, that they didn't find anything........). I really thought I was about to die, my heart was totally racing and my pulse was about 150, my blood pressure rose up to 180/110 and so on.... Did you mean anything similar with "seizure".

Well, also not to forget: Since getting off Yasmin in February 2005 I NEVER had such a heavy dizzyspell again!!! So I think I found out by myself, what was causing me all that hell around October 2004 to April 2005!! (And still not everything has gone away.... even after one year without that stuff!!).

Best wishes to you and every woman out there again!!

And to those who are still trying to "adjust to Yasmin": PLEASE think twice about what you're doing to your body and don't think anyone of us here is just kidding!! My life has turned into a total hell after 2 years on Yasmin and it was not until the amount of another 3 years later when I finally realized that this pill hearly had taken my life!!!! Read more of the posts in this forum, that might help you to understand, how Yasmin is working in your body and that it is definitely different from other bcp and DEFINITELY can cause severe healt problems, MORE than other bcp!!!

God bless you all!!

Silke

BLOOD PRESSURE READING

Lisa here girls, soory a little excited today my blood pressure reading was 125/80 i feel soooo happy

had to share

STAY STRONG GIRLS

lisa here,

will this blood pressure EVER return to normal????iM sCARED

is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 dangerous????

Hi Hill,
Sorry that you are not feeling well. The cold will pass.
Fortunately you are no longer on Yasmin and are on your road to getting better.
My experience is that I cannot take Benadryl or any cold medicine without getting a racy heart and/or totally exhausted.
It is hard to say with certainty why you are having these symptoms. Keep an eye on them and see if you can see a direct correlation to the meds and the symptoms. You will know your body's reactions.
I am about one and a half months off of Yasmin. I notice that my anxiety is peaking during ovulation and my period. I started Paxil CR 12.5mg when I stopped the Yasmin. I assume that it is helping keep the anxiety under control.
Do alot of deep cleansing breaths when you feel anxious. Also, I recently purchased a couple of relaxation CD's. I listen to them in the late evening once my kids and husband are asleep. It has helped me fall asleep. Staying asleep has not been easy, but I am working on it.
Also- Have you had your blood pressure checked?

Nakie,
That was one of my first symptoms. It sounds like we experienced the same thing. This feeling would hit me at any time, not at one particular time of day.

They progressively got worse until a full panic attack hit me in December 2005. I thought I was having a heart attack or something. My blood pressure skyrocketed.

I am off Yasmin ONE MONTH today. Unfortunately, I am now on Paxil CR 12.5 every morning. I also had to take Xanax as needed for panic/anxiety. It was much worse during my pd.

I still have a racy heart every so often and small bouts w/situational anxiety. My BP is still elevated and I see my internal medicine doctor every few weeks to monitor my medicine.

I am in my mid-30's and I NEVER thought this would happen to me. I was always so in control of everything.

Hajnalka and Nakie---I commend you for getting off of the Yasmin. Do not restart without asking your gyn (see my previous posts). Good luck to you. Keep posting to let us know how you are doing.

Day 14 update:
blood pressure down from 130/90 to 110/70 (was 90/60 pre-Yasmin), lost 5 lb water weight (which it was supposed to help me with in the first place), have only had one panic attack, but it subsided quickly and wasn't that bad. Overall, I feel better and better every single day.

Erin:
I did become violent in terms of yelling and threatening a lot, but I don't think I ever hit or kicked him. I did have separation anxiety, which was progressively getting worse (I think I'm OK now). I'm not sure from your post--are you STILL on the pill? If yes, and if I were you, I'd talk to my doctor and see if maybe there is a better birth control alternative available.

Best of luck to everyone

amyr - I am glad that you made it through the party. I know how you feel at 3pm because I do the same thing at 7:00 pm, just before getting the kids ready for bed.
i noticed that my appetite is lower, not that it is bad in my case. Could be the paxil, maybe? I am on day 3 of paxil. I only needed one xanax yesterday at 11 am and was ok for the rest of the day.

Lisa - My blood pressure is high as well - 140/90 at its lowest. I have been consulting with a cardiologist and praying that it is temporary.

feel better gals!

Dear Chrissy,

i felt great whilst away and did not have any bad symptoms but home now and just finishing my period and i feel bad I MEAN BAD again, reading ur post i see this is normal, yes i finished nov 9 on pill so guess it makes it my 3mth mark, IS IT GONNA GET BETTER EACH MONTH...I just took my daughter to docs as she was unwell and i have been feeling so tired and jumpy last two days and had blood pressure read and it is 150/11 still which is high but i guess it has not risen so which makes me think its a yasmin side effect. did not see my normal doc and the one i saw said there is no way yasmin is still in my system and i need to concentrate on losing weight ( i have kost 2kilos this month) and to exercise and not put blame onto something other than my self i just want to cry. If it is out of my system,then why the heck are all these women on this forum. He told me that the yasmin takes 1 month, i know i am not crazy.
so to answer ur question i was feeling great jan 7th to 25th and now i feel flat, tired , edgy again, each month do the severity of these symptoms get easier because i am feeling really low.

thanks for your support
Lisa

Well, I took my last Yasmin on Saturday, but I'm still debating whether or not I will stay on it, I have a gyno appointment next Tuesday. I can't decide if I should just stay on it until I go in or if I should go off it completely and see what he says. Does anyone ever feel like they have something stuck in their throat. I know you can get that feeling from anxiety but I think mine is something else because my thoat and chest often feel tight. Also, even though my pulse is over 100 bpm my blood pressure is usually only 106/60

it seems to me that EVERYONE on this site has had horrific problems with yasmin. I have been on it for a month and a half now, and my blood pressure is still low, as usual. And i havent noticed any severe problems related to it besides the frequent breast sore-ness. The doc said your breasts get atleast a cup size bigger, is this true? Any other side-effects associated with it, i have had a small problem eating large meals since ive been on it. I swear my stomach can only fit a few bites in it lately.

Dear Chrissy,
heart palpitations have subsideddramatically and even though at ovulatoin time this month i had some they were SO MUCH BETTER than last month, have noticed that pulse has slowed at times so its not racing every minute of everyday as it wsa on yasmin and the past two months, is that how it went for you.... Took my pulse few times this week at its slowed a lot so thats encouraging and the blood pressure thing not too sure as i am going to be rechecked in a month as i was just stressing so much about that i thought give it another month and pay it by ear, another sign i guess that the anxiety is easing as a month ago i would have gone to hospital with worry, so when i think im not doing better i look at all the little steps like you said and then you realise its no where near as bad as the past month so heres to hoping its all on ths up for now.
I will be away from the 17th thill the 25th off to perth for a holiday wit my husband and children so i hope you stay well and i look forward to catching up on all the reading on the site when i get home.
big hugs
lisa

lisa!!!! its chrissy and YES i am SOOOO proud of you!!

5 kilometer walk everyday is great you have definitely improved so much... its such good news to hear becuase i remember how down in the dumps you have been. im doing ok too started going back to the gym and at the moment im just manging 3 times a week.... hopefulloy i can keep that up....
how are your heart palpitations going?? and your blood pressure is it dropping down??

and to Linzi... Lisa is right!! you will get there and things will get better but PLS stop taking this pill.... its gonna take away your sanity...
all us girls are always here for you ok...
like lisa said... this website saved my life!!

best of luck to every1
love chrissy xoxoxo

Hi chrissy,

hope all is well. wanted to ask if as you aer longer off the yasmin the side effects decrease each month......i know they are still lingering but things like mid cycle the larger breasts etc did that subside for you.Also i know the pulse slowed for you at 4mths how did you know did it just sibside or slowly start to go down ....

Silke
does the blurred vision decrease as the months go on???

Sherry,

did you get weight gain and if so did you lose that weight and how was your blood pressure.... with the weight gain

thanks girls

Lisa

Results are in....
all normal beside my iron is low....
doctor thinks the natural tablets that help regulate female hormones may have masked the progesterone levels (at least he believes me.....lol) but its reassuring to know that sugars, thyroid,etc are ok.
blood pressure still 130/90 still telling me i need to lose weight (i am on low gi diet at the minute) and trying as hard as i can i put on 15kg on yasmin and now weigh 90kg so understand blood pressure rises with weight but hey i see some larger than that ladies with no blood pressure issues so i know this is a definate yasmin legacy .and considering i had normal blood perssure on yasmin in the beginning and its only rises its largest when i was off it.
Question for ny ladies that gained weight with yasmin , did the blood pressure decrease naturally or did u lose weght and it decreased.

thanks in advance
Lisa

Lisa Here,

just an update went to docs yesterday and my old family doctor has moved to this clinic and i was so relieved to be able to tell him all about this poison. He is going to monitor me for a while with the blood pressure issues and cholestrol, pulse was fast (really) and pressure was up but not as high on lower reading as xmas so guess thats reassuring. He has taken bloods and checking all my level so will get them friday so be sure i will let u all know the results.
He was so shocked by side effects but told me the governments has not put it on its pbs scheme so obviously they are not too sure about it (great huh).
He hopes the pulse rates and blood pressure will drop but said was not sure if this had done permanent damage but from what i can gather most women return to normal levels after a while (am i right). Just finished my period and have no appetite whatsoever and its been 7 days now and am struggling to eat , i noticed Chrissy said something about this , did this settle post yasmin remember only 2mths off for me.
ok any advice will help
Hugs
Lisa

hey lisa its chrissy,

ur so funny you sound exactly like me worrying about so many things... and im not usually like that ...
as fa as flying goes im pretty sure its ok to fly if your blood pressure is high... i went up to QLD for the Indy car race and i was fine on the plane... i live in victoria australia by the way (not sure where your writing from)
yesss and i was due for my period today but i bet you it comes tomorrow right on new years eve GREAT!

silke is right about the heart palps not causing permanent damage so dont stress about that.... just gotta try not to get anxious when you feelt it coming on... just tell yourself ...
"ok i know whats causing the problem, its just a chemical inballance in my body and im not gonna let it freak me out"
i hope his helps you and i will always try my best to reply when i can cos i know what it feels like to think ur alone in this ....
have a safe new year... xoxoxo
chrissy

<<>>

Oh dear, it makes me so angry reading such sh...... told by those "gods in white"........

If I wouldn't have had the internet and hadn't found many sites just like this site here, I think today I would be sitting in a mental hospital taking lots of medicine, antidepressants and god knows what else, perhaps not knowing who I am and what my name is any longer..... I'm so glad I found this site in January 2005 and all my problems finally seemed to be declared at once... And getting better a little step every month after getting off this terrible pill agrees with my decision not to take this poison any longer.....!!!!!!

No doctor I had visited was able to connect my very very heavy problems (for about december 2004 to March 2005 I thought that in a few days I was about to die!!! I'm not exaggerating!!) with this hellsent drug!! Only a female endocrinologist whom I had asked about an eventual connection of my symptoms with the possible side effects of a bcp mentioned that this could be the solution and I had just to try it out and get off this pill immediately. And damn, she was so right!!!!!!

So if I hadn't had the internet I perhaps some day around there would have ended my life by myself, because I had no hope any longer for many many months to ever get better cause no doctor could tell me anything about my problems......

Well, my blood pressure was not constantly very high but went up to about 170 to 100 when I was in stress or anxious (so it happened when I was brought to the ER on January, 1st...). That had never happened to me before in my life!!

The higher heart rate I had for about 4 - 5 months after getting off Yasmin. But remember that every woman is reacting different!! And I had been taking this Yasmin sh.... for 5 years!! The only thing that might help you and give some comfort until your heart rate goes down to normal places might be, to keep in mind, that it's not dangerous (I think you had been done many tests at many doctors before, and everyone of them told you that you're ok...!??). It's very unpleasant but doesn't do any harm to your body so far. That was the thing that helped me not to be too anxious about this symptom (ok, although this was not my biggest problem, there were much heavier symptoms I worried about than this...).

Not to mention, that I had been taking my pulse a hundred times a day, too... ;-)

But today my heart rate is always about 65 to 75 and everything about that has gotten normal again. Sometimes I have little heart palpitations again, but not too heavy and just for a short time...

Hope this helps.

All the best to you ladies out there, and keep us updated. This is the only thing that might help through those hard times!!!

I'll pray for a better and healthier new year for all of us!!

Silke

Dear Chrissy,
omg my cholestrol was 7 too.....
Doctor told me lsat night that i need to go on low gi diet to get the cholestrol and blood pressure down, how to explain to someone that your heart rate is high always and its the pill. He said i should not consult the internet as everyone is different.,mmm sure when why the hell is it that every woman here has the same symtoms and side effects. I just want to know if anyone whom has had the high rate after going off the pill when does it subside... or will it ever. He said diet and exercise are my issues.
Lsa

Dear Chrissy,
hugs hugs hugs to you
I was soooo worried i know its going to take time as long as i know the others like yourself had the sake effects and the blood pressure rising i can cope but its just when u go to the docs they make you feel like you are going to be living your last days and god know we werent living on this damn pill anyhow.
Again thanks sooo much i have left my chrissy dinner table just to check if emailed back ( another yasmin anxiety effect)
thanks
Lisa

to lisa...

i know exactly what ur going through.... our doctors dont seem to understand... it takes way longer than 4 weeks to get yasmin out of our systems... i have been off yasmin for 5 months now and i still get heart palpitations when i ovulate and during the week leading up to my period....
dont feel alone in this ok... we can all help each other....
with the blood pressure yes mine went up a little too... it will get back to normal i promise you just gotta give it time...
when hormones get changed it takes a while to get them back into place...
dont be scared or anxious or at least try not to be... i know its hard believe me im still suffering...
just remember the best thing u did was getting off this pill and soon you will be side effect free...
lots of hugs to you and merry christmas...
chrissy xox

Joodles here with a 5 month OFF Yasmin update:

Like a lot of you I had the following symptoms while ON Yasmin:

Heart Palpatations
Pain/cramps in my knees/legs
Terrible itching skin rash
Dizziness
High blood pressure
Anxiety

Now that I am OFF Yasmin the following has happened:

BAD things:

A period every 14-18 days
Hair is thinning
Gained 10 pounds (lost 6 since June)
Acne!
Breast tnderness close to period

GOOD THINGS!

No cramps
Dizziness is gone
Skin itching is gone
Pain/cramps are gone
Heart palpatations have stopped
Blood pressure has returned to the normal range
Not as anxious/paranoid

So Ladies, as you can see, the GOOD things WILL happen over time!

I did have awful withdrawel symptoms the first 8 weeks of stopping Yasmin. I was VERY nervous and felt very uneasy. I found a tea at my local Jewel store, it is called Tension Tamer Tea, and it did wonders getting me through those very tense times. I am a big believer of herbal remedies and I have found Black Cohosh (20mg in the morning, 20mg before bed) to be very helpful to me.

If only our GYN's and Family Doctors know what torture we have all gone through because of this pill.

Ladies, hang in there, it WILL get better! I AM feeling a lot better and you will too! PLEASE give yourself time.

I wish you all love and a blessed Thanksgiving.

Joodles

I feel your pain, ladies! I had been on Yasmin before for several months with no side effects, so in February I went back on it. I gained about 5 lbs that month, and just didn't want to deal with the weight gain.

So when the month ran out, I stopped taking it. I gained 35 lbs in 6 weeks!!! I changed nothing about my diet and exercise during that time, so I know it was the Yasmin.

Here it is November and I've lost about 7 lbs of it. I can't change calories or exercise too much because I gain 3-5 lbs in a day. All I know is that it will take time for your body to stabilize, so hang in there.

I get so frustrated with drug companies and doctors only talking to each other, and not listening enough to patients who complain of these side effects. My blood pressure spiked from the weight gain, as did my glucose and cholesterol, which have always been low since I was 6ft tall and 155 lbs (now 189-192.) Just keep speaking up!

I started yasmin a year ago, thought it was good, but i have felt so depressed and down and anxious, thought it was just me going mad, but i have always been such an upbeat person, lately i have had dizzy spells, this morning i thought i was going to pass out so i had to lay on the floor for ages, which scared my 3 and 4 year old boys, later that day i went to the pharmacy as i felt much better apart from a tigh feeling in my chest the pharmacist checked my blood pressure ( i couldn't get into my doctor as she was ill) anyway the pharmacist said my blood pressure was high, which i have never had before not even during pregnancy, he said i need to see a doctor, i stumbled on this site accidentally and i know i am going to go off yasmin for sure now, I am a healthy 32 year old who isn't overweigth i eat a good diet and have never been unhealthy so i can only think this is the only medicine i take, and i have never felt so crappy, thank you all for making me realise i am not going nuts

Hi melkel18,
My negative side effects occured after I stopped Yasmin. I was on it for one year and felt great until two months after I stopped it. I have been in the er 3 times with heart palpitations(all test normal), elevated blood pressure and heart rate. I also am suffering from extreme anxiety attacks which I never had before. I have been seeing a psychiatrist and tried antianxiety meds(marginal help).
Another side effect was numbess,tingling,burning or heat sensations on the left side of my body(cheek and arm). I saw a neurologist-mri neg. for ms. She said probably anxiety!!!
This has been a horrible 8 months and I hope it resolves soon. All my physcians deny it was the Yasmin but it all falls so into place. I was so despondent until I found this web site and felt I had a concrete reason for my symptoms and that I was not crazy! Take heart and listen to all these ladies. It truly has helped me.
Take Care,
ES