Yasmin and blood tests

Words cannot explain just how grateful I am for coming across this web site. I've been taken Yasmin for about 4-5 years now and thought nothing about it. Started getting horrible horrible horrible mood swings. Everything and everyone were affected by my behavior. Pretty much have the same side effects from the weight gain to the thinning of the hair. In the past year or two I started to have these symptoms and could not figure out what the heck was going on. I must of went to 10 different doctors who took blood test after blood test and could not find anything abnormal except my cholesterol, which was strange bcuz i've eaten healthy my entire life and exercised. So here began all the different types of meds to try. Oh gosh has that been terrible. Nothing seems to be working so I decide to go to a psych dr. thinking perhaps I have some kind of imbalance going on. So I take a test that has several questions on it which pertained to alot of the symptoms I was having. I then was "diagnosed" with severe anxiety and at the time I really didn't know too much about it. Great now I know whats wrong so I thought. For the past year I have been taking Wellbutrin XL9highest dose) and lexapro. It seemed to have some effect on me, but it started to take a nose dive after several months. I stayed on it (dr. orders) just uped the dose. Horrible idea bcuz I'm back to my same symptoms. No desire to do anything!!!!! Fed up I googled this morning something to help my severe mood swings down right horrible moods. Cannot believe people don't hate me.....yet. So this web site popped up and realized it had to do with Yasmin. Could not believe it. I too felt and still feel that i'm nuts!!!! But I'm not alone and that is good news for me. Thank the Lord for whomever started this site. I'm going to stop today and not take it anymore. I will be sure to let other women know to be very cautious about this pill.

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.

I began taking Yasmin in July 2006. I had been on bcp for about 10 years at the time, mostly due to bad cramps and pms symptoms. Yasmin worked out well, but there was just one side effect, I would become extremely emotional right before my period. In October 2007 I went for my yearly check-up and mentioned this to my doctor. He switched me to Apri (Desogen) saying that this would be a better pill for that side effect. I began taking it that next month. Right away I had feelings of nausea and breast tenderness. Even though I felt like this I gave Apri a chance. In January 2008 I couldn't take feeling like this anymore and stopped taking it. In February I noticed my hair began falling out. I hadn't gotten a period this month either. I went to the doctor in March and she ran many blood tests. My estrogen came back extremely low (at a level of a menopausal woman). Instead of exploring any other options as to what to do, the doctor put me right back onto Yasmin, since now I went two months without a period. I figured that I would have to learn to live with a little moodiness before my period that Yasmin gave me. The doctor also made me believe that this would put an end to my hair loss...Nothing could have been further from the truth!!! I went back on Yasmin in March 2008 and what a HUGE difference than from the first time I was on it. Not only was I emotional now ALL the time, but I physically felt much worse. I had constant breast tenderness, acne (which even as an adolescent I never had), oily skin, and my hair was constantly falling out. Emotionally I was a wreck! I was constantly crying and very depressed! I began going from doctor to doctor, which is unlike me. I hate doctors and would only go for a serious illness. Now I was hoping that one of these doctors could give me an answer. But 6 months later and NO ANSWERS. The only thing that a few doctors said was that Yasmin was good for those with hair loss. So after reading many of the entries on this website and after much soul-searching...I am going off birth control for good!!! I have lost well over half of my hair, have practically pushed everyone that means anything to me away, and have personally hated myself! I have literally lost the past 6 months of my life! It is now time to see what my body is capable of on its own. I'm done putting this poison into my body and would tell anyone else to do the same. I always knew that there were side effects associated with any kind of medicine, but I could not have ever imagined that all of these side effects could have and would have happened to me. I felt like I had to write this after reading all of the other entries. Many of those entries gave me the courage to quit and I would be happy if this could help or inform even just 1 person! I would appreciate if there were anyone out there that had a similar experience to either post it or reply. Thank you.

I was on Yasmin from November 2005 to February 2007. I didn't have a period until June 2007, and have only had 4 periods since then (and one was medically induced). I have been to a gynecologist and an endocrinologist. I have had a battery of blood tests done and all have come back normal. I have some more coming up.
Before going on Yasmin, my periods were relatively normal. I didn't have a "set your watch by it" kind of period, but I did have a period every single month (just different times during the month). While on Yasmin, I can't name specific side effects that I noticed. Looking back, breast tenderness increased (and continues), increased propensity to headaches and fatigue, and weight gain were all present. It is going off of it that has really messed up my system. My doctor originally thought I had PCOS, but blood tests have come back normal. I was even convinced, because since going off Yasmin, I have developed some of the classic symptoms. I am at a loss as to why my cycle has not returned to normal.
I am so frustrated, and while it is nice not to have periods, I want to know that I am okay. I am wondering if my being on Yasmin is still haunting me.
Has anyone else had difficulties for such an extended period after coming off of Yasmin?

I have been on Yasmin for 4 years now and I only recently started to question if some of the things that I have been experiencing are related to this pill. After reading your comments here, I'm more convinced then ever! I am a relatively healthy 31 year right now but for over a year now I have had a terrible ongoing ache in the back of my right thigh, just above my knee. I went to a vein specialist who just wanted to inject me to reduce the vein and "hoped" that it would help resolve the pain. He said that I had reticular veins and that they can be painful but as I understand it, you can get pain in your deep veins, which can result in deep vein thrombosis and even pulmonary embolisms (very life threatening). I have also had terrible ongoing headaches that last me 3 days at least once per month. I've always suffered from migraines so I didn't necessarily connect these headaches to the pill. I have absolutely ZERO sex drive. It's like I have to force myself to do it and it fills me with anxiety to even "gear up" for it. I have vaginal dryness, which can be very frustrating during foreplay and painful during sex. I had previously always been pleased that Yasmin resolved my 10 + year battle with painful cystic back acne. I have beautiful, clear skin on my back since I started taking Yasmin. I have also experienced fairly normal periods (for me). I used to have debilitating cramps and periods so heavy that I would wear a tampon and double my pads (with wings) so that I could live through the first part of the day at work without completely breaking through and bleeding through my pants. They would last for 5 - 7 days but with the pill I have more normal periods, manageable cramps, minor bloating, and still a heavy flow but not nearly as bad as before. I have always had good cholesterol levels and low triglycerides until 4 years ago when I started the pill. Since then I have had 2 blood tests where my cholesterol has skyrocketed and my triglycerides are triple the "normal" range. I eat healthier now then ever before and I regularly exercise as well so I cannot explain my cholesterol change, nor can my doctor (after showing a food diary of mostly fruits, veggies, limited whole grains, lean meat and optimal water). He told me to "go on a low carb diet" and "stay away from "sugars". I can't explain it either, I am always thirsty. I drink almost a gallon of water a day. I have this constant craving for a beverage and dryness if I'm not consistently sipping on water. My eyes are always dry, so dry in fact that it makes me feel tired or like I just want to close them to give them a break. I just started using eye drops, which has helped. Also, I'm tired, very very tired. It's summer so my energy is better only because I force myself to go workout, which always makes me feel better. I must say though, all in all, I have some concerning symptoms that seem to be prevalent throughout the blog but I've also had some positive effects from Yasmin. My concerns and your comments however are enough to take myself off the pill (Yasmin and all others) to try and live with my natural hormones instead of the synthetic in the pill. I think the potential risks outweigh the rewards. Thank you all for sharing and helping me in my decision making process.

I am the mother of a 23 year old who has been on Yasmin for 5 months.
Her dermatologist prescribed it for her without blood tests for acne. She went to a gynecologist who did a blood panel and said her testosterone levels were four times the normal level and agreed with having her put on Yasmin. We as her parents were totally against this decision.

Since she has been on Yasmin she has suffered severe abdominal pain with periods. She had an ultra sound and nothing was found. She then developed an infection in one eye. Very red and itchy. Took steroid cream for that. Then in July came down with strep throat. Antibiotics for that.
Since then she has had 3 bouts of strep. Every time she gets off
antibiotics she comes down with another bout within a week and a half.
She has also had a lynph node in her neck swell up to a huge size you
could easily see. Doctor said it was a byproduct of her strep.

She is now contemplating having her tonsils taken out. I am at my wits
end. I know all this chaos is from this pill and am trying to get her to get
off it. It is so sad and exhausting watching my previously healthy daughter go through this. And she still isn't convinced all this is due to Yasmin.

I have read so much on this pill. The doctor's hand it out like candy. Anyone got any words I might use to convince her to get off this killer?
Thanks.

Within about 8 days of starting Yaz, I developed muscle pain all over my body, but especially in my legs and shoulders. Sometimes it felt like muscle cramps, sometimes like a crawling feeling, sometimes like a pinching, sometimes like a knot. Blood tests and a Doppler test showed no blood clots, but I went off the pill anyway. The symptoms started improving after a few days, and mostly went away within a few weeks. But then I came down with extreme itching and discharge, and trips to four different doctors revealed no infection. That finally cleared up after about two months. Now I'm on a different pill, and unfortunately the muscle pain is coming back. So I guess hormonal birth control might not be for me, but like someone said, this is not easy to deal with in a committed monogamous relationship. I'm going to take a break from all hormonal birth control and hope that the return of the muscle pain was just because my body isn't ready yet after the Yaz.

Hello-

I took Yasmin for a 1.5 years. I am now 2 years post Yasmin. In hind-sight, had I known what I would live through both while taking Yasmin as well as the 2 years following, I would never have taken it in the first place.

I am going to summarize some of those side effects below:

For the first 1.25 years, it seemed like I was living in an dream. I was that spaced out all the time. No affect, if you will. I felt like a zombie.

Exhaustion/Fatigue:
I became lethargic all the time. Previously, being very athletic, I had no energy at all. A walk made me yearn for a nap. 2 years post Yasmin, I am still trying to recover and bring back all the muscle tone I lost. Reading through alot of possible side effects, ataxia (muscle atrophy/loss) was one of them I suspect could be linked to becoming dehydrated.

Painful plugged eardrums:
Every morning after i would take Yasmin, my ears would have this "popping sensation" much like what it feels like when you are on an airplane and the pressure changes. Over time, my ears became quite painful like I had alot of pressure built up in them. I later learned from a Hearing Doctor that it could well have been the potassium sparing diuretic as the inner ears are composed of potassium/sodium and the diuretic could offset its balance. This doctor also told me that in their field they have known forever that artificial/synthetic hormones are toxic to the inner ears. No other doctor I saw coming off of Yasmin knew this...

Melasma:
I developed brown spots on my forehead, beneath my eyebrows and on both cheeks within starting Yasmin in the first month.

Constant Urination:
I urinated every 15 minutes for 1.5 years straight that I was on Yasmin. Learned later about the potassium sparing diuretic in it a little too late. My blood tests showed I was dehydrated and was deficient in Folic Acid and Vitamin B12. Both 2 common deficiencies seen with artificial/synthetic hormone use.

Chest Pain:
1.25 years into taking Yasmin, at the onset of menses, I developed this pressure in my chest and sharp stabbing pains. The next month, again at the onset of menses, the pressure occurred again, this time spreading across my chest. I went to see a Doctor at that point who discounted that Yasmin could be involved at all. (Not sure why a member of the medical community would say that given I have since read a number of articles that suggest that Yasmin and Yaz both run a higher risk for clots/pulmonary embolisms then other birth control pills). Regardless, I had a chest x-ray to ensure my heart was not enlarged and had an EKG which just showed an abnormally slow heartbeat-Sinus Bradycardia. It was recommended at that time that I have a ECG (echo-cardiogram). Tests start at $5000 each and I did not have coverage for this kind of test.

I went off of Yasmin now, almost 2 years ago. Going off I spent the last 2 years getting sick every month at the onset of menses with severe bronchitis, chest pain that still occurs at menses (I have since learned can also be brought on by low levels of oestrogen and progersterone at menses) and gained 30 lbs.

Blood tests showed I was depleted of Vitamin D, B and Folic Acid, dehydrated and also had elevated potassium (a possible risk with Yasmin's potassium sparing diuretic.

I would encourage everyone to google anti-mineralocortoid (diasperonone) and anti-androgenic effects (Spironolactone)

These are both acting ingredients in Yasmin.

This has been the toughest couple of years in my lifetime. Initially it seemed like a great pill. My skin cleared up, I lost weight and my periods were only 3 days long. On that note, it took a whole year and half for my periods to go back to 5 days from 3 days long so again, doctors telling me that Yasmin would not and could not be affecting my body after stopping, just went to show it took that long for my own body to start re-producing its own natural hormones.

Through all of this, I have met amazing women and other survivors who have offered enormous support. I would suggest to any of you that find your way here to trust yourself and your body first and foremost to what anyone else may discount or try and remedy with anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications. There are a host of amazing authors out there as well who enlightened me enormously on the role of hormones in our bodies, and ultimately, their balance to our overall health and immune function:

Dr. Lee and Dr. Hotze. They both have websites and books which are wonderful. I would also suggest googling Yasmin Survivors online, which will take you to another resource/forum of women who are sharing side effects and healing and survival techniques coming off of Yasmin. The site is: ******

I have been taking BCP since I was 18. I started w/ Aleese, Yasmin, Orthotrycyclin-Lo, Ortho Evra and the last being Loestrin24Fe. The sad part is that I can't remember what/if any side effects I had while taking those prior to Loestrin24Fe. Unfortunately for me, I have managed to gain 30lbs in the last 5yrs and I cannot seem to get rid of it. Of course the gyno said it wouldn't have been the BCP, but I would like to believe I didn't make myself a fat ass. I was taking Loestrin24Fe for 2 years and can't say I noticed too big of a change while taking it other than the periods being shorter, but they were still very heavy. But my acne has started to get worse the past year. In May I went to the doctor for my migraine's and skin/hair (too oily). After running blood tests it showed my thyroid was pretty low and had room for improvement. I was prescribed Maxalt for my migraine's and 30mg of Armour (thyroid medicine). I went back at the end of June and we upped the Armour to 60mg because I haven't noticed a difference since taking it. She also suggested I switch my BCP to Yasmin as it's been known to help with acne problems. Today was my 2nd day on Yasmin....and obviously it's too soon to notice if/what side effects will bother me. I just wonder if maybe I should take a break from BCP all together and allow my body a chance to breathe. I really hate the thought of having that longer period again but I'm going to have it with Yasmin anyway unless I choose to start a new pack early every month (to keep same schedule as Loestrin24Fe). Advice would be helpful :)

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

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

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

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

Will let this site know in a few months.

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

Hope this helps

I posted not too long ago as my symptoms first began creeping up on me, high chloesterol, depsite a lot of exercise and eating healthy and having a normal body fat percentage. (AND I MEAN SO HIGH THAT I SHOULD WEIGH 500+ pounds)! I also have vitiligo, this causes skin discoloration and began having muscle aches and trouble sleeping at night. I had been on Yasmin for a little over a year and taken a break for 3 months before getting back on and symptoms started creeping up 2-3 months after coming back on Yasmin. I have aslo began to have hair loss in the past few months, gained 17 pounds in 4 months despite excerising and eating healthy. I began having hert palpitations and my late night writing can be attributed to trouble sleeping and overwhelming anxiety. I also have a lower sex drive now and am very depressed. I have been off Yasmin despite my doctor not believing a low dose pill could be causing all this, for one month. I have had withdrawals without a doubt, I am having severe breakouts, my breasts are so tender air caused by a fan hurts them and I want to cry all the time. The worst thing of all is my doctor won;t believe me, but how else can all this be happening. Blood tests ruled out thyroid and anemia as culprits as well as pregnancy (apparently I wouldn't notice that the 17 pounds was really a baby-what are these doctors thinking I know my body!). I hear all your symptoms and I wish I could say that they go away as soon as you get off the pill, but I can say if you just got on and things seem to be great realize I was on it for over a year and swore by it becasue it was the first pill that seemd to help with my emotions and cramps...but that all changed and my life feels like it is crashing down. I may never convince my doctor that yasmin is doing this to my body...they don't blieve me that I'm not eating fast food and siiting on my butt eating fatty foods all day and that is why I'm gaining weight and have dangerously high chloesterol, but I hope I can convince you all. I have had bad luck with all pills, I am allergic to spermicide and can't use diaphrams, I had my period for a month solid on the shot, but what Yasmin is doing to me makes me worry that my life is truly at risk...I would rather deal with cramps that are crippling than be ridiculed by doctors and hate myself the way yasmin makes me fo.

I have been taking Yasmin for 2 months and suffer the following symptoms for the last 7 weeks, lack of balance and co ordination, problems walking which consist of shaking wobbly legs its like they are made from jelly , shortness of breath, palpitations, panic attacks, clumsiness, stomach cramp, constipation, diarrhea, clots whilst not menstruating, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, seeing spots, light headed, aching muscles, fluid retention, swollen hands and feet, abdominal pain, lack of period, mood swings, nausea, lack of appetite, sore breasts, bloatedness, tiredness, insomnia, pais in my chest, has any one else got these symptoms?

I have been on Yasmin for about 3 years. In that time I have had many different problems but never thought it could be my BC. I have been told that I have IBS, often have UTI's, chronic pelvic pain, and now kidney problems that cannot be traced through blood tests. I have been to MANY different specialist about each thing they all told me they could find nothing, and each time I was told that it could possibly be something different. In this process I have been given test after test after test including a colonoscopy, exploratory surgery and ultrasounds. It was not until today that I was talking with a co-worker about the pain that she mentioned that it could be Yasmin. My medical coverage sent me a letter stating that they would no longer pay for the bc but never told me why. I found this site and am grateful that other people are having symptoms and it is not my body falling apart. Thank you to everybody who shared.

Hello all. I was wondering if any of you who have been on Yasmin for a few years experienced any joint pain or swelling in your hands/feet because of this. I notice that it is a side effect, but was wondering when it developed for people who have been on it a while. I have swollen, painful joints in my hands, but the blood tests turn up negative for arthritis and my docs (primary and neuro) have quizzed me about Yasmin - the only prescription med I take.
Also, I had terrible migraines upon starting Yasmin but those subsided. I also experience the sex drive/dryness/increased UTI frequency issues others of you describe.
I am 32 and have not been pregnant before. Have been on Yasmin for three years.

I took Yasmin for 2 years and about 6 months after starting Yasmin I started getting migraines at least 3 x per week and sometimes 5 x per week (before not even really getting many normal headaches). I thought it might be my birth control and saw my OB who referred me to a Neurologist who put me on a medicine for migraines. About another 5 months later I noticed I had a small bald spot in my hair line. Saw a Dermatologist who diagnosed it is alopecia. I immediately stopped Yasmin and migraine meds and decided to get an IUD (GREAT CHOICE!) My migraines stopped almost immediately, however my hair loss continues to progress. I now have 3 additionally bald spots on my head and areas on my scalp that are very thin. I feel great otherwise, no headaches, no depression (other than losing my hair), no anxiety, appetite is normal. I'm so desperate to find someone else that has had this specific problem as no one believes the hair loss is connected to Yasmin. I just pray after awhile the hair will grow back. Please if anyone has experienced this same situation please post what might have helped you get through it and if it does ease up! One more thing - I have scalp pain, like burning on the front and top and back part of my scalp, wide spread, not only in the bald areas.

I started taking Yasmin august 07-took it for 3 weeks, 2nd week I felt pressure on my chest, 3rd week there was this day I started feeling pressure on my chest and bad palpitations, I got a little worried and they told me I was having a panic attack, it took 20 minutes for me to calm down. I stopped taking Yasmin that day and have continued to feel sick since. Symptoms since Yasmin have been:severe nervousness, shivering, racing heart especially with activity, chest pressure, pain by me heart, huge decrease in appetite, panic, thoughts I will die, body aches, headaches, slight dizziness sometimes. I've been to ER twice I've also had 2 d-dimer tests positive but no blood clot in my chest or legs and been to doctor about 7 times-she just sent me to psychiatry even though she knows I say the pill caused it. I also have an appt with cardiology tomorrow- and I'm sure they will tell me its in my head as well-its been 5 months I wonder how long my sickness will last.

I am 25 and I have endometriosis, and every side effect of yasmin that you all have is what i have been experiencing with endometriosis, the only difference is that i have a perfectly normal cycle, its either 28 - 30 days no more no less but still i'm not getting pregnant. I started taking Yasmin about a week ago and to date i have no symptoms. I think what happens is that we search online for information about these medication and what we read freaks us out and we start making our bodies believe that we have these symptoms, in-fact we are constantly looking out for these symptoms. when i read up on endometriosis i wanted to become pregnant so bad for the first time and i would make my self feel pregnant because i would go to these endo forums and read peoples symptoms who got pregnant with endo and i would find myself looking for those symptoms and then my body tricks me into thinking i have all the symptoms they describe on the endo sites and at the end of the 28 days my period arrives in full force as usual. but i schedule my self to take yasmin around my lunch time where i guarantee i will have a bite and i notice that with any pills if you do not eat while taking it, it can cause nausea, headaches. I know that it is very possible for people to get side effects from these medications, but i think we need to relax a little and take our minds off them and put our trust in God and let him take charge, pray everyday, and i don't mean pray for your problems, i mean give God thanks everyday for what he has done in your life and for waking you up because God already knows your problems, he just wants you to show acknowledgement for all he has done. This is the path that i am trying to take to overcome my endometriosis and just hope that one day he will look deep in my soul and help me and women just like me with menstrual issues, and help me and my husband to concieve our first child. the only side effect i am looking forward to while on Yasmin is falling pregnant at some point (you know how some people mistakingly fall pregnant on BCP's well i am looking forward to that) (smile)

The cure is worse than the disease is true for me with Yasmine. I started because of heavy periods, very painful ovulation, and cysts on my overies. Stop the periods sounded better than a hysterectomy.
My gall bladder has been very sore, and causing me the classic symptoms of gall stones or gall bladder disease. The ultrasounds, MRI's and blood tests are normal, the pain is always there, and very strong at night. I have seen at total of 6 doctors before someone said," birth control pills cause this type of pain." I have quit Yasmin but true to the British Columbia health system it will take another month before I can see my GYN. All women please check all the side effects of birth control pills, it seems so common, we take for granted that it won't be us that has the problem. Just for all you nay sayers out there, I already have a low fat diet, I am 5' 3" and 130lbs.

Hi all...I am not currently on Yasmin, but I was on it over a year. Never experienced a SINGLE side effect. In fact, I'm pretty sure that my mood, acne, etc actually IMPROVED with my use of Yasmin. I plan on going back on Yasmin.

For all of the people here who are within the first three months of use of Yasmin or any birth control, my doctor told me that there is a three month adjustment period. Try to hang in there; maybe it will get better.

I'm not a drug rep or anything of the sort...just a satisfied customer. I was once on the patch, but while I used the patch I experienced very serious mood swings. I stuck with it for over two months, and I simply couldn't wait out the three month adjustment period.

If Yasmin isn't for you, try to switch. The patch didn't work for me, but Yasmin did. If Yasmin doesn't work for you, it is not a reason to swear off all birth control pills. The difference between every pill is that there are different dosages. Each pill has a different dosage, so another pill might work a lot better.

Hello,

I read about how YAZ birth control pill affects the body and psych and I am now scared. This is my 2nd day of YAZ (I've never been on birth control pills ever and I am 27 years old), it's all new to me but after reading all these negative posts about Yaz I don't know what to do. Before the birth control pills, I was depressed, annoying, serious weight problems - 210 lbs :~~((, low energy, low libido, always tired, terrible migraines every 2nd day, ridiculously increased appetite and excessive hunger, hair where it shouldn't be, menstrual blood clots, excessive cramping etc
I have all these problems for 3 years now and now that the family doc. put me on YAZ birth control pill I am even more scared - mainly of more weight gain, it would be a tragedy for me, I am fat enough already and what's worse I can't lose the weight, exercise doesn't help, diet doesn't help, NOTHING. Will YAZ birth control pill worsen my already tragic condition? I just don't know what to do and what to believe ... I appreciate any advice or help you can give me ... Thank You to all!

I started using Yasmin right before I was married May 2006. We wanted to have children but, wanted to wait a little bit. I bled the whole month and experienced major weight gain. I had cramps and felt awful on it. I didn't feel like myself. My husband and I started to try for children in Sept of 2006. We stopped taking it. I continued to bleed when I stopped taking it.

A few weeks later we got a positive sign on a pregnancy test. We were so excited!! A few days later I started to bleed. I went to the doctor and after blood tests and ultrasounds they found something on my right ovary. At first they thought it might be cancerous. After more tests we found out it wasn't cancerous but there was a cyst.

I had had previous doctor visits with nothing showing. A clean bill of health. Now all of a sudden I take these pills and I have a cyst on my ovary. We continued to watch it and they came to the conclusion that I would need to have it removed. In November I had my right ovary removed.

Our chances have lessened since the removal, I stopped taking the pill at the end of January. We have yet to get pregnant, and have been trying most of the year. I continue to have my period monthly but, we are not pregnant yet. I find it difficult to lose weight too, although I'm still trying. I don't know if we are ever going to get this stuff cleared out of my system. No one ever warned me of possible cysts, of the dangers of using vitamin C, and we were told that we should have no problem, as soon as we stopped taking it we should have no problem getting pregnant!!
LIES, LIES, LIES.

I'd be interested in participating in a class action lawsuit. We may never have kids because of this.

Hello All,

As I read new stories on this site from women just realising the devastating effects of Yasmin, it breaks my heart.

I stopped taking Yasmin 2 years ago, after I found this site desperate for a reason for my complete insanity (anxiety, depression, panic attacks, vertigo....with no history of such). I had been on Yasmin for close to 2 years with the first year and a half symptom free....the last 6 months on it I became an entirely different person....scared to leave my house, utterly depressed and completely bewildered as to why when I had never felt this way, and had no reason to.

I cried as I read this site and realised Yasmin was poisoning me and my mind. I immediately stopped it (although it is recommended you only stop at the end of the pack you are on...I couldn't wait). Well the depression lifted within days....the dark cloud literally left like a miracle from above. Anxiety proved difficult as it continued for a few months but each month got better and I continually read from this site to remind myself that although I felt out of my mind at times, it was as a result of my body detoxing itself from this drug.

I did have plenty of times when I thought the old me was gone forever....but I now am back. Trust that you are getting better....trust that the real you is not mad or crazy and is returning slowly.

I recently read the following website and found it really made sense, particularly as my blood tests after yasmin kept saying my hormonal levels were 'normal' even though I didn't feel back to normal. You need to click on the 'cure for PMS' section. I would recommend all of you coming off this poison read it....

I wish you all the very best of healing and health. Take care of yourselves, avoid caffiene, white sugar, excess salt (none of which help anxiety) and drink plenty of water and exercise....and always remember to talk to someone about how you're feeling as you go through this...I always felt better talking rather than letting things stew in my head...even if it sounded insane....my sister was a godsend reminding me that I was going through a detox.

Be well!!!!

Wow. I posted about a month ago describing a list of symptoms that I've been dealing with for the past eight months. I was seeing a gastroenurologist to test for gallstones, pancreatitis, ulcers, IBS, etc... My blood tests showed that my Lipase was 400 (normal level is 60) and my Amalayse was just as high!--Dangerous levels! These both test your liver and pancreatic function, so my doctor concluded that I had pancreatitis due to something that he could not find. This made my doctor very nervous, so we ran a load of tests and he was stumped...

I decided to do a little experiment on my own. After reading your posts, I realized that all my symptoms started about when I started Yasmin. So I went off of it. Within days I started feeling better--and I had another blood test a month later and my levels are all NORMAL!

Yasmin caused me to have pancreatitis...that's really bad. And scary. What's in this stuff?

Hi, I started taking Yaz in November 06. The first few months were fine. Then, I started having to urinate ALL the time. I also developed very bad pain in my right lower abdomen. In addition, I lost my appetite and became increasingly depressed and anxious. I went to the hospital three times for the pain. After 2 CT scans, an x-ray, any many urine and blood tests, everything came back normal, but my symptoms remained. The thing the doctors found was multiple, small bilateral cysts on my ovaries, which they told me is perfectly normal. Is it?

Last week, my period came a week and half early which is VERY unusual for me. After looking up information about YAZ, I realized that my symptoms were likely caused by this pill. Anyways, I stopped taking it three days ago. How long do you think it will take for my symptoms to go away?

I have been off Yasmin now for a little over a week and i'd like to think that i'm seeing an improvement in myself but I know it's too early to tell... I did wake up this morning with a sore throat once again. The past 2 months (I was only on Yasmin for 4 months) I have had a sore throat at least 3 times which is very unusal for me. The thing's i've experienced and how I have been feeling since December 2006 has been nothing short of very bad (I started Yasmin in November 2006). I guess the worst thing was my moods and the least little thing would set me off. I couldn't deal with the stress of everyday and that is very unusual for me. I've had a rapid heart beat at times and a little shortness of breath. There are nights when I don't sleep or get very little sleep. I have instances where I am either extremely cold or very warm - seems there is no happy medium lately at all when it comes to my body temperature. My head feels 'foggy' a lot of the time and I never feel rested. My eyes are a lot dryer then they ever used to be and by the end of the day I can't wait to get my contact lenses out whereas before they never bothered me. I have episodes of vertigo where I can be stood up at work then all of a sudden i'll go to move my position and i'll stumble.... thing's like that which never happened to me before. I can't believe how much I have noticed over the past few months of thing's that didn't make sense to me and I didn't think Yasmin at first until I fainted at work last week and was brought to the ER. All blood tests and EKG were all normal so it got me thinking. That night when I got home I did some research and found this site and am relieved to know that I am not the only one that has had a bad experience because of this pill. I don't know what else can explain what has been happening to me the past few months if it's not Yasmin. I was only on it for 4 packs and I felt like crap the whole time. I was initially put on it for breakthrough bleeding but needless to say because of it I experience a whole lot of other things. I'm coming off birth control pills altogether and want to have my body get back to normal. I don't know how long Yasmin has been on the market but from what i've seen - the negatives of this pill are far outweighing the positives.

Hi Girls,
I haven't posted in a while, but I was wondering how everyone was doing with the weight gain. I have now been off Yasmin for 1 yr. I am feeling really great, I am now back to being able to run/walk or rollerblade 4-5 miles a day 4-5 times a week. My cycles are more normal than ever. Not exactly 28 days more like 38, but I'm ok with that.

The thing that is still getting me is that I not only can't lose weight, I'm still gaining it. I think I have now gained 40 lbs. I am taking vitamin b as well as women's one a day. Don't really want to take any more drugs though.

I had my thyroid checked when I was on the pill and going through the awful hell, had most of the side effects you have all posted, tingling, chest pains, anxiety, the list goes on. But they said thryoid normal and of course nothing wrong with me. Like most of you went to a zillion doctors about a yr. ago. But decided I was just going to give my body time to get back to normal.

Has anyone had similar problems with their weight. I just don't get it, I couldn't feel healthier, or be any healthier with my activity and lifestyle, but I just feel like I'm getting bigger and bigger, and according to the scale I'm right!

Any thoughts would be great. Silke how are you feeling?
Thanks,
Hill

hi syberlib. great ode to yasmin the "peril in pill form" !
i find it really weird that some people get symptoms when they stop yasmin,did you have any troublesome symptoms whilst taking it?
i was the opposite. i had dizziness,insomnia,depression,MAJOR anxiety,panic attacks,tingling and jumping limbs and restless legs as well as a sense of being smothered then there was also the ever present headache! as soon as i stopped taking it within days i felt phsically much better.the palpitations got less and less as did the headaches and the jumping,shaky feeling. The anxiety is proving to be a tough customer. although it is still there it is manageable most of the time and certainly getting less as time goes on. i have been off yasmin 8 months now. maybe age and childbirth are factors,i had taken dianette on and off since i was 14 up to the age of 22 and i never had a problem with it.never gained weight,got spots,heavy periods,nothing,it was perfect although i never stayed on it for more than 18months at a time as i have always been a little worried about the long term effects of messing with nature! i did not go back onto BCP's after the birth of my 1st child, A) because i didn't know when i wanted to start trying for my second and B) because my sex drive had gone into "park" i just couldn't be bothered so it seemed like a waste of time being on bcp's. after i had my second child i breast fed for a year then my doc put me on yasmin the new "wonder drug" he was right about the "wonder" part. within six months i "wondered" what the hell had happened to me. i was a shaky,poorly mental wreck.!!!!!
i have no idea what yasmin really does to the body but it has some really weird side effects. when i went to have blood tests when i was still on yasmin my blood was really thick,in fact the nurse asked if i was taking any blood thinning agents,i said no and she said i should be!! when i had another test 6 months after i stopped yasmin it was normal again as it had been before yasmin.??? not sure if it is linked but it was just another odd thing that has only happened whilst on yasmin. The heart flutterings also seem to be really common. i read a report on the side effects of yasmin i found on the english government site and it had a major number of pulmanary embolisms listed as reported effects,they were reported by medical staff not members of the public so some doctors somewhere know this stuff is poison. they pulled some of the older brands saying they caused blood clots and strokes etc but yasmin seems to be just as bad if not worse! i never heard of any of these side effects with the older brand of pill.the worst you got was a bit of bloating and maybe some weight gain and if you were one of the really unluck ones maybe a DVT.

once again i have ended up writting a hugely long post,i never mean to but once i start ranting about this devil in white i can't stop!

hi kim123.
i also had a lot of the symptoms of early menopause,i'm only 32 so was hoping that was not the case for me! my hormone levels came back "normal" but they were in the low end and also what is normal for one person may not be normal for the next. i also suffer from hashimotos disease and even when my blood tests say my tsh is normal i can feel really rubbish,so you can never rely on lab test results as "normal"! i also think that although your levels may have been the same last year they were naturally at that level, a lot of women pass naturally through the menopause with no effects at all. but i think the fact that yasmin is synthetic hormones and that it also messes with other hormones and androgens causes our body to react to the low levels as it drops others that would not normally be touched by a natural menopause. i am not a doctor,this is only my conclusions. hang on in there kim123. maybe try increasing your dose to 10mg lexapro if you feel no different after 2-3 weeks.you may just need a little more,it depends how badly your neurotransmitters are affected. try to keep your brain busy,the more you occupy it , the more pathways are created,the human body is an amazing thing,i never realised before all this just how complex it is! i hope that you start to get some relief soon.

sarah

Kim
Hi BitterRN here.
All I can tell you about your hormone levels is what I too have experienced myself.
I had my hormones tested by blood and saliva 3 months after I quit bcp.
Both tests showed estrogen and progesterone levels as normal.........HOWEVER
On my saliva test My level was 11... Normal is 20-50 (I am sure I run on the higher end of that scale as I have or should say HAD the oily skin, oily hair, smalller breasts before yasmin..) This level is extremely low, and the test level stated LOW.
My blood tests drawn at exactly the same time on the SAME EXACT DAY, read normal (at the very lowest end of the scale) so my gyn said, all levels are normal.
NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I had the results evaluated by a bioidentical Dr. later she said no, the blood levels were not "normal" and her words were "for an 80yr old maybe, but not for you"

So long story short, I kept testing, with saliva tests month after month (they have to be done at a specific time every month) and here is what happened.....

Month 4 after stopping,
My estradiol went to 0.8 now in the low range
Progesterone dropped to 72 now in the low range
Testosterone went UP to 15 still low range but higher.
Cortisol went up to 9.3 High ranges are 3-8. So just a little high probably from stress.
Symptoms, still feeling up and down with ? improvement.

Month 6 after stopping, (I skipped a month due to expense, I pay out of pocket for all these tests)
MY estradiol is range but still all of my symptoms are not gone
Cortisol still a little high at 8.9.
I am feeling better than before and symptoms are resolving, but I am not feeling getting better as quickly as I would like, so I do something REALLY REALLY stupid...

I try to start my old bcp ortho novum, thinking I did well on it all those years (12 yrs) and my hormones are pretty well getting to be more normal...or so I thought, now looking back not really, still had a ways to go, but I was not thinking clearly, and started them, at first I felt like things were getting back to normal, but about 12-15 after being on it, I felt the anxiety coming back. I stopped them on day 15, and it was like all the symptoms started over again (really wanted to die, How could I have been so stupid?) I believe I would have really felt better by now if I had not tried to do this.

Anyway, I saliva tested 1 month after and I already knew before the tests came back that my testosterone had fallen again to 17
My estrogen was normal at 1.3
Progesterone was really low at 16!!!!!! normal is 100-600
cortisol high at 11.

Next month after stopping
estrogen low again at 0.9,
Progesterone coming up at 52
testosterone 15 whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! somebody shoot me!
still feeling like sh*!
I really tried supplementing with bioidentical hormones at my doctors suggestion at this point, but It is really hard to find a dose because they are used to caring for much older women so it was a guessing game, consequently, I think i used a little too much testosterone,

Next month testing
progesterone dropped and testosterone shot up to 80!!
I called the lab and they said this indicated the dose I was using was too high, that since I tested while using this high dose, the test was registering high (in other words this was not my true level and it would come back down as soon as I stopped using it.) I asked why my progesterone went down as I was supplementing with progesterone creme as well, she said when one hormone is too high the other hormones become suppressed. Ahh.
So I quit supplementing altogether.
And now I am waiting for the next results, I should have them by monday or tuesday.
Just a side note, I am feeling better just as I was before I tried to take the bcp the 2nd time. It seems like this time I may be getting better faster? I dont know, depends on the day you ask me.
This is why i have been asking silke about her hormone levels and why I think that it may be her testosterone that is the problem, as some women have trouble getting their testosterone up after being on bcp or after pregnancy. I really feel this may be the problem as I did not feel better until this particular hormone started going up, as i felt crappy again as it dropped (especially with the anxiety) However, a doctor not familiar with hormones will say a Low normal level is normal. Its NOT.
This is just my experience. I cannot write it in stone. Hope it helps.
BitterRN

Silke
Hi, did you get copies of your labs?
Anxious to hear from you.
BitterRN

hi bitterrn and everyone else here you are all great women i am not throwing up but it feels just like morning sickness i was on this pill for almost 2 years and did not notice any symptoms untill sept of 06 but when i think back i can think of little odd things like i was never feeling good. i run a business and everyday is a complete struggle its hard because alot of women here complain alot even after being off of this poison a full year how can i avoid not fully breaking down when i know i have such a long road ahead of me this pill has completely destroyed my life. my doctor ordered some blood tests fsh, cortisol, LH, a bunch of other things im not sure what time of the month of my cycle would be the best time to have my blood drawn. i feel the best when i am bleeding is that weird or what. anyway i come here everyday and read these posts all of you women are so wonderful i wish everyone a fast recovery
foggyhead

Silke
I am still here and still wondering about you. I think those numbers you told me on the testosterone are low. was is
testosterone 0.37ng/dl or ng/ml? see the dl or ml mean deciliter and milliliter, the website I looked up (since I am not familiar with ranges for blood tests, more for saliva tests which are measured differently) but the website I looked up said that testosterone 25ng/dl or less is deficient and 1.5pg/ml is deficient for free testosterone. I dont know if they tested your testosterone or free testosterone, but regardless your result of 0.37 is still lower than these UNLESS they used a different measurement. So listen to what your doctor says is normal. If he says your level is normal, ask what the range is and write it down. If it is "low normal" again, then I would say that this is NOT a normal range for what your body is used to and may be contributing to your symptoms. Also ask if a progesterone level was drawn as this is also an androgen hormone and may be low as well. Im sorry, I know this can be confusing but I want to get this message to you. Let me know. K.

Hi all,
just reading the posts about acne. I suffered from this too after stopping the yasmin. I got spots around the side of my face and when my period was due they appeared around my jaw line.

I went to a dermatologist who prescribed me an antibiotic called tetralysal 300 and a gel called isotrexin. The gel is a milder form of Retin A. I cannot use retin A at all because it is a cream and it clogs my pores.I also have been using the skincare system called proactive. The best system i have ever used. You can order it online at proactive.com. My acne completely cleared up in about 8 weeks.

It is a very good combination. I had tried every other cream and lotion but they did not work. Or if they did not for long. My dermatologist told me that hormonal acne is one of the hardest to clear up but was confident that the treatment would work.

Flowerbabies about spironolactone.
It is recommended as a treatment for acne because it is an anti-androgen. I took it for about 6 weeks. I had to have blood tests regularly because it sometimes affects the liver. I started to feel very dizzy and tired. My doctor phoned me one day and told me to stop taking it immediately because of the blood test results. It had raised a level of something or other in my blood that was very dangerous. It probably doesnt affect everybody that way but be careful if you do start on it.

Because of all the problems yasmin caused me in the past few years i have done a lot of googling and asked a lot of questions. One thing i found out from my dermatologist was that hormonal acne is usually the result of low progesterone. That was the reason i was referred to a fertility specialist. After months of tracking my cycle to find out when i was definitely ovulating i then had my hormone levels measured at the correct times.
And as i wrote about last week i do have low levels of progesterone and estradiol which will be treated by hcg injections.

So maybe for any body here who is suffering from hormonal acne that is the way to go.

A gp will read results differently. To a gp and a fertility expert blood results have different meanings. My gp told me my results were normal but when i spoke to my fertility doctor he told me thay were very low.
So maybe it is best to go with the decision of the person who knows best.

I hope this is some help to those of you who are suffering from hormonal acne. It is very distressing and can make pms worse because of the anxiety it causes all by itself.
I think this post is very long and will take up almost an entire screen. Just thought i would share what i have learned over the last few months.
Good luck to all of you

Murph70

hey ladies... i've been on yasmin for a year, had all the effects - i went from being a 34 c, now a 38c/d... i gained 3 stone, in part due to the yasmin, had really teary times, id cry for no reason, and wonder why i cried the next day...

anyway... i came off yasmin - my partner realised that i had headaches at the same time each month - a day or too after comin off the yasmin, until my period started, felt like my vision was... flickery wi the headaches...

so when i last saw my partner - he wrks, an im stil at uni - on the 15 oct, wen my last period started, i decided, no more yasmin...

but today, i woke up feelin crampy, and have had to put a pad on, coz im bleeding! not sure if its jus break thru, or a period, or a withdrawal bleed from the yasmin? any ideas?

also, ive had SO MUCH probnlems wi doctors - one suggested to me this was just "mental issues" i was experiencing - didnt go back to him... ive had coutless blood tests, coz they think i may have an underactive thyroid, goion in for another one, and coz i was originally put on the pill for heavy crampy periods - wen i was 11, thats 9yrs ive been on the pill now, im scared that they will be as heavy and crampy as they used to be - an i may have investigations, swabs etc to see if im alright inside, to see what makes me so crampy... n then, i may be put on the mini pill to stop the cramps!

wish id know how yasmin does make you feel - some drs will not prescribe yasmin, others think its amazing...

its the most expensive contraceptive on the nhs in the uk...

but for me, its not the best for my body...

sorry for the long post, but it needed to be said:)

any advice anyone?

emily

Hi BitterRN!!

(Sorry ladies if this seems to get a "privat chat", but I think our "written books" can surely be helpful to others of you, too....)

Well, I absolutely understand, what you say. And this is surely an option I will get checked (ok, if I ever will have the power to go to another doctor again after my aimless oddyssey in 2005.......!). I think I should mention, that here in Germany the health system has gotten really difficult in the past 6 - 7 years so that the doctor's could not make every test on you which might be helpful. So it's really difficult to get blood tests (especially the expensive ones as homormonal testings...) done by a doc. That's what my situation always made even more difficult, than it already was...

But one thing I really don't understand: My perhaps low testosterone levels still don't explain, why I was doing so much better the last few months (as I already told here in former posts, I even started singing in my band again and I really felt good, about 85% like my old self!!) and now, after that bad cold 3 weeks ago, the tiredness and muscle weakness and stiffness (also craming in my legs during night and day) kicked in at once as if I was thrown back to nearly one year ago... I really feel and think, that his must be a lack of some minerals or vitamines again (magnesium because of the cramping legs and fingers, perhaps b-vitamines??? I feel so unsure......). Maybe this comes on top of the testosterone or other hormonal problem and makes my symptoms worse...!??? But I deeply feel, that there MUST be something else above the definitely still lasting hormonal imbalance...

Thank you BitterRN for answering so quickly and detailed!!

best wishes
Silke

I want to reiterate that I am simply stating my personal experience with Yasmin how I felt on it what concrete factors I discovered with my hormonal balance with both salivary and blood tests, which both stated I had low testosterone. There is indeed a lot of controversy over salivary testing for hormones, one website will tell you it is the most accurate reading, while another will tell you it is unreliable. The same can be said for blood testing. As for bioidentical hormone replacement the same goes for this issue. Some will praise it others state it will do nothing for you. I think all of the women on this website are well aware of how adversely a drug can react in your body and are cautious of anything they will continue to put into their bodies, myself included. I am simply trying to give some insight into the root of the problems we are experiencing having experienced them myself, so that they may find knowledgable medical professionals who can help them make informed decisions regarding their health. Note that I do not encourage anyone to take anything without the direct supervision of a skilled physician, as is the same route I am following with my doctor.
Thanks, BitterRN

I was only on the yasmin for 2 weeks but started having heart palpitaions and a bit of anxiety. I have been off for a week and a half now but I was in the ER 2 days ago due to the heart palpitations and maybe a small anxiety attack. My blood pressure was a little high(higher than normal for me, it was 131/97) I am usually low. They did an EKG, a chest x-ray and blood tests and the only thing they came up with was that my potassium levels were low which can cause heart palpitaions. The thing that I thought was strange was that they asked if I had been taking a diuretic. Yasmin has DRSP which is similar to Spironolatone (a potassium sparing diuretic)
They told me that if anything this would have spared the potassium but I am not convinced this seems very strange. This was the only medication I was on and I have never experienced heart palpitations or high blood pressure before.
Does anyone have any input about this?

Sophie,
You sound EXACTLY like me. In fact, I am 11 months off and so nervous/dizzy on day 12 of my cycle that I had to call someone to come stay with me. I MUST go to work, but I am so weak I am afraid to drive. I also have vision problems...pretty severe first thing in the morning. I am only 28 years old, and the doctors put me on Clonazepam for these moments. There is really nothing else they have done for me...none of the three doctors I have seen have even done blood tests. I think they have seen all this before. I have been 3 or 4 months without taking anything, but now it seems to have flared up again :( (Does the high temperatures have anything to do with this?) I was VERY scared just this morning, so I know how you feel. Hang in there...I will pray for you too. I promise it will get better.
Virginia

Hi, im 20 yrs old. It is thurs.june 22nd and i started using yasmin last thurs the 15th of june. Since i was 13 yrs old i havent been able to throw up and i fear that. i dont like the feeling. Last night i couldnt sleep because i felt i had soemthing im my throat and i couldnt do anything about it, but hope that whatever it was went down with water, coke, and picot... but it was hopeless so i went to sleep like that. This past sunday my parents were having a barbeque outside with friends and suddenly i started getting nervous and i felt like i wanted to throw up and i couldnt do anything about it but feel worried anxious and i went inside to splash water in my face.... i got over it by like chewing on a minty gum thats how i overcome throwing up feeling. So i dont know whats wrong with me i wish i had like money so i can go to the doctor and do like blood tests and examinations from head to toe. But over all what sucks about everything is me getting used to swallowing the little pills.... i started by taking a bite and then swallow with coke or whatever. Well thats about it hopefully nothing is wrong with me.

-mable

I rarely ever cry, yet I cried today when I found this board. I am so very relieved to see that I'm not alone. I have been taking Yasmin for over a year now and I've had so many side effects from it, I never knew that all this could be from my BC.

For the last year I have been struggling with Vertigo (dizziness), I've had MRI's, CTscans, blood tests, you name it, I've had it, and they have never figured out what has caused it. I've had some awful mood swings, but I'm glad that I can feel them so I can control them. I've been depressed for the last 9 months, and I'm slowly starting to break out of it. I've had lower abdominal pain, pains in my legs and calves, chest pains, abnormal b.m.'s, nausea, headaches and migraines. Half the time my mind is so foggy that I can't complete a sentence without having to pause and figure out where I was at.
I don't have the memory that I use to, and I can't get my brain to function as quickly as it did.
Also, the only allergy I had before was to latex, now it seems that I'm allergic to everything and I'm suffering from some pretty mean allergies this year. The congestion is so awful sometimes that I have panic attacks because it feels like I can't breathe and I'm not getting any oxygen what-so-ever. All of these symptoms are out of the norm. for me. I used to be so active and moving non-stop, now I count down the seconds until I can sit down again.

I'm going to try weaning myself off of the Yasmin so I won't have a complete withdrawal from it. Because I've noticed that when I finish my cycle and go to the placeboes I start to get some severe low-abdominal cramping.

I'm crossing my fingers and hope that this makes me feel better. I can't wait to feel like my normal self once again, this has been so hard for me to deal with since I've always been an independant woman, and now I have to depend on someone to help me out from time to time.

Thank you all for being so strong to step up and listing your complaints about this evil drug.

RaeAnna

Hi everyone!

please help... I have been of Yasmin for 2 month my body has gone nuts!!
I went to the docter to do blood tests my estrogen came back low has this happened to any one?
I realy want to get pregnant but all my symptons show I am menapousal. Help I am only 33,I had no other problems prior to using Yasmin....

Silke-
So glad to hear from you. I am just interested to know because I had lab tests done (blood) as well and mine came back "normal" low normal so I ordered a saliva test online for a hormone profile because I read that saliva tests are more accurate than blood tests for hormones and my labs came back that my testosterone is way low as well as some of my other hormones which were too low for a woman my age. ( By the way I have been off the yasmin since the end of Nov. 2005) So now I am looking into bio Identical hormone replacement, which is a natural hormone much like the hormones our bodies make already NOT the synthetic junk in BCP's. I think in my case that the yasmin supressed my androgens and testosterone which are the male hormones, guess what these hormones are responsible for? skin elasticity, mood, sleep balance, cholesterol levels, muscle integrity... among other things...hmm sound familiar? a lot of things we and other people on this site are complaining about. I am still looking into finding a good doctor for the BIH replacement but you can read up on this on www.salivatest.com click on 24 HOUR HORMONE HOTLINE on the bottom paragraph of the second box on the left hand side of your screen, then on the next screen scroll down to 630 ANDROGENS: Testosterone and DHEA listen to what the hormones are responsible for. 627 All about Hormones is very informative as well, actually if you click on a lot of the numbers there you can learn a lot, as well as about saliva testing and BIHR. You can order a saliva test by clicking on the home page you started out on, at the very top it says order test kit. I ordered HORMONE PROFILE I. That measures your estridiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol levels in the am. This will give you a basic idea of where your hormones are at. I would be curious to see where your levels really are as well. Let me know what you think. Bitter RN-

Hi Sunshine, obviously you have more problems than just acne... and probably they are because of hormone problems... I think you should try to be 'clean' and not take this kind of hormones... but we do not know the specific problems you've been trough, so we can not really tell you what to do... The only thing I can tell you is that I have awful side effects with this pills, starting by blood cloats in my legs which can be really serious, and now I have problems with the hypofisis which is now causing more problems on my hormones, like I have high prolactine which is making me have low dopamin and so many oher problems affecting even the tyroides...
So be careful with the pill....
Try to search more but specially get some studies done, like a hormonal and coagulant blood tests...
Good luck to you and to everybody!!..

Karla

Hi... I've been on Yasmin since July of '05. I was in the hospital in June, with what I thought was appendicitis. They said no that it could be something else, like gas or an ovarian cyst...they sent me home with some meds and said to come back if the pain doesn't go away. It went away, so that made me think that I had a problem with cysts. I saw my gynocologist, they recommended birth control, for that random, non-diagnosed pain I had, and also for those monthly cramps that were so harmful I couldn't move. Well, the cramps don't come as painful and my period has been starting to shorten, like 3-5 days now. So, I figured Yay for Yasmin. Yeah, well...not anymore. I've had a problem with Insomnia pretty much since then. (P.S. I'm 21, went away for school in August. Oh, and in September, I had to get my appendix removed.) I didn't think anything of it, since as long as I can remember, I've always had a problem sleeping, even when I was about 5 or 6 years old. Anyways, I saw my doctor a few weeks ago for my not sleeping, and he mentioned that this problem could be linked to the birth control I'm taking, but didn't go in depth about it. He was quick to say that I was depressed and that he didn't think anything was physically wrong. Well, the guy was an ass, but that's besides the point. He said come back in a month so we can talk more. It's like he was so anxious to go party for St. Patty's Day! So, he made me take some blood tests to confirm that I didn't have any thyroid problems, anemia, or whatnot. Test results: normal. I have a follow up appointment in a few weeks...I stormed home and cried, because I cry easily, because the doc said I was depressed. I don't want to be. I got the idea from my father, yes, my father, about looking into the birth control idea. I found some things for PMDD, but also that Yasmin is supposed to reduce those symptoms of it. And after reading all these posts from you gals, I'm almost freaking out. I can't sleep, only sometimes when I take sleep aids, which I've been taking almost every day for the past 3 months, because I get so frustrated that I can't even breathe! My heart rate speeds up, I have to take a walk down the hall and try to catch my breath; I am very, very irritable, random mood swings almost all the time, not just around my period; no motivation, some appetite changes, anxiety, stress, feeling of always being overwhelmed...and another strange thing: my boobs have grown almost 2 cup sizes since November!! It's so strange, I get freaked out by myself sometimes...usually once a month. My poor boyfriend, I get mad at him right around when my period is due, cry to him, scream at him...he shouldn't have to deal with that when he does nothing but love me. Sounds corny, but it's true; he's still with me and just lets me scream at him and cry and moan and complain and all those nasty other things that are going on in me. And this post is going to be long...almost starting to sound like one big ass complaint. I'm sick of feeling this way, but don't want to think that Yasmin is what's causing it all. Unfortunately, it's now in my head...I can relate to most of these symptoms everyone here has explained. Everything else with Yasmin has been fine with me... it's helped with cramps, with acne, with the overall regulation of my period... not much weight gain other than my breats... it's just the whole other thing...those emotional problems... Yes, I'm in a dorm room...I can't sleep most nights...the hall is noisy...I'm at a school that's located in the Boondocks, so there's nothing to do most of the time...I don't feel like doing anything anyway... I'm pissed that I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated that I'm moody. I'm moody because I can't sleep. I can't sleep because I'm irritable and sensitive. I'm irritable and sensitive because I don't sleep. It's just one big ass cycle... I hate cycles. That cycle and the cycle of being a woman. That's enough for me. I feel the Tylenol PM kicking in. I vent to everyone I meet. I'm crazy, I just know it. If it's not the pill, I'm crazy.

Hi girls I'm new, well I started taking Yasmin 2 1/2 weeks ago. Since then, I have had this bothersome feeling on the lower side of my stomach, I would say close to the ovary. Would that be a side effect? I also have to add that before I started taking Yasmin, I took pregnancy tests to rule out a pregnancy, I took 3 hpts (all negative) and 2 blood tests, the first blood test was on 2/9 and the second was 3/3, they both came back negative. Now I have this feeling that I get when I have my period (like something heave is about to come out of me). Has anyone experienced this? I will appreciate your answers.

Wow! I am shocked to find this site. I stopped taking Yasmin about four days ago. The first two days were fine, then the headaches hit me along with a lethargic feeling. I also feel cloudy in my thinking and just plain ill! I am 39 and was taking Yasmin to lesson heavy periods as well as treat PMS. The Yasmin did lesson the periods, but did not lesson the PMS. Actually, I think my PMS is worse.

My OBGYN wanted to do all kinds of things, including Psych meds, which I know works for many, but is not a route I am willing to take due to a bad experience with Paxil in the past. I decided to get a second opinion, of which the Doctor decided to take me off the Yasmin. I am to chart how I feel each day for three months and then go back for blood tests and a follow up to see how I am doing. My cholesteral level has risen and the last four to five months I've noticed an agitation about me, just feeling plain bad nearly 3 weeks out of the month!

I found out the the pill can raise your cholesteral level, never knew that. And from reading the posts on this site, Yasmin can create many of my symptoms, such as headaches (migraines at times), night sweats, racing heart, etc.

I woke up this morning and my heart was racing and I felt like I do right before my cycle, emotional, foggy, and plain sick.

It is good to know that I am not alone in this. I feel very upset that after going through Paxil withdrawal two years ago, now I have to go through Yasmin withdrawal(I never even knew that birth control pills had withdrawal symptoms?!).

BTW, I have been on the Yasmin for nearly 8 years straight.

Any input would be appreciated,

Thanks,

Kaytee

Dear SILKE AND CHRISSY,

have you had any blood tests done since being off yasmin eg cholestrol etc , after a extended time especially you Silke as its been a year ( congrats on that).
Silke also you said you blood perssure is st8ill up a little do you measure that yoursef or by doctor and do you need to take any meds for that.
TWO GIRLS MOM, how are you, you can guess know that the pals and anxiety are period related and it will ease as your cycle goes on. My first two months were really realy hard but its getting better coming into my 4th month could never have made it without the girls here, also how did you go with the bp monitor ???

Big Hugs
Lisa

I am 43 years old and I have been taking Yasmin for 4 months to regulate an irregular period. Two weeks ago I went to the Dr. becuase it felt like someone was sitting on my chest and I couldn't get a good breath of air. My Dr. decided my symptons didn't add up and sent me to the ER. There they found after a blood test that my blood was clotting. They did a MRI immediately and found two very large clots in my lungs as well as numerous clots throughout my lungs (multiple pulminay emboli). I was rushed from the military hospital to a downtown ICU who then rushed me to a teaching hospital because my condition was so severe. After 4 days I went home and I am now on Coumadin to thin my blood. Tests are being run to determine where the clots are coming from. No clots were found in my legs; it appears the clots are acute and out of nowhere filled my lungs. I am out of breath most of the time and get tired easily. A week prior to noticing my chest heaviness I had severe stomach pains. The day I came home from the hospital I threw away my Yasmin. The Dr.'s are unclear if Yasmin is the cause, I do not have a history of clots in my family. I have been told if no other tests can determine what caused the clots, then they will assume Yasmin was the cause. I know have to worry about paralysis, stroke, etc..

Hi everyone! So glad I found this site. I have had nothing but problems with my hormones in the past 3 years. I've always had irregular periods so my gyno put me on ortho-tri-cyclin and I was absolutely fine. Was on it for over a year then decided to take myself off it to see if I would be regulated at all. I was for a few months then didn't have a period for over 3 but would get all the PMS syptoms when I should have had it. I got married and went back on BC but I had terrible headaches, I've had weird syptoms with everything I've tried, ortho-lo, the nuva ring, the patch, ect...
The dr's wanted me to go on Yasmin because "it is so good". I did just that, didn't have any headaches but was more emotional than before, a good trade for me. So I stayed on it and started having panic attacks (i've had this with other BC's too). I've had a severe pain in my back and the dr's have ran several test including an iodine test, ultrasound, thyroid blood tests, urinalysis test...etc. Everything always comes back normal. The last week I have had terrible night sweats and feel like I am always having a panic attack, my pulse is at least 100 bpm or higher and never decreases even when relaxing. Sometimes I just break out crying, other times I feel like I am going to die. during my period I have the weirdest headaches, feel light headheaded, and my vision is somewhat blurred. What is my deal!!! Someone please help. Anyone else having this syptoms?

After two weeks off finishing Yasmin, I had all symtons of a heart attack, very fightening. Had ECG, stress tests, blood tests and all normal. Had several severe anxiety attacks since and on going heart pain, pain in left arm, generally feeling awful. I am so glad I found this site, I live in France. I don't know anyone else here to talk to about this, its now six weeks for me not taking this terrible Pill. I really hope my health returns to normal soon.

to the last two postings about the side effects.
i just want you to both know that everything ur feeling i have felt too!!
i was on yasmin for a month and had to stop taking it because it was making me anxious, giving me palpitations and i had chest pains and an ache in my left arm.
i went to hospital twice cos the palpitations and pains got so bad.. i thought i was having a heart attack!
im only 23!.. i did lose my libido for a couple of months and yes my breasts went up a whole bra size and they were so sore!!
its definitely yasmin that is causing both of you these problems. my doctor also told me to get my thyroid checked which i did and also had numerous blood tests which all came back fine.
ive now been off this pill for 5 months and i am feeling much better. i am just getting back my energy and finally the heart palps and anxiety is easing up..... it gets harder around the time i ovulate and the week of my period but its easier than the first two months.
i can not stress to you more to get off this pill!! its a nightmare...
lots of luck to you both
chrissy xoxox