Yasmin and calves

Hello everyone,

I have been feeling certain things lately so I thought "let's see what Google thinks it is". I typed in "bloated, tired, swollen legs, increased breast size" and the first site that pops up is this website. I actually thought I might be pregnant because and was surprised to see "Yasmin Side Effects" instead of "signs of pregnancy". I have taken Yasmin for almost 7 straight years. I was off it for 1 summer and probably one other month total in that whole time. I haven't really noticed any huge changes until recently and, like I said, it hadn't even crossed my mind that the things I was feeling could be from Yasmin. First of all, my breast won't stop growing and are so, so sore. I actually just bought my first D bra tonight, after being a C since probably my Junior year of high school. My legs and specifically my calves tend to feel extremely tight and stretched lately. I thought this was from running & exercise in general, yet I've exercised intensely & frequently for 4 years and this is a recent feeling for me. I have noticed for about a year that spider veins have started appearing on my legs. I thought I was just inheriting this from my mother, who has a lot of spider/varicose veins. My sex drive has definitely decreased significantly over the years I've been on Yasmin, but again, I thought this was normal or "just me". I go through periods where I have quite an appetite and can eat bad foods yet not gain weight. Then I go through periods when I seem to have the same eating patterns as normal and I'm exercising normally as well, yet I always feel bloated and fat. Plus, I have no appetite during these times. I also go through cycles where I have horrible stomach issues (I get a "bubbly" feeling, have had really bad cramps on occasion). I thought this was a side effect of coffee but now I'm wondering...

I get my period next week and then I think I'll stop taking Yasmin to see if any of these problems subside. Does anyone know any type of birth control that doesn't cause side effects?

Good luck to everyone!

My 15year old daughter has just stopped taking Yasmin due to severe depression, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable crying, suicidal thoughts and chest pain with erratic heartbeat. I thank God that we figured out the connection to Yasmin. She has been spiraling down so quickly, I thought I was losing her. While she does not relish the return of heavy, long periods, she is so ready to have her sanity back. Her counselor and gyn confirm the strong likelihood of these being side effects of the Yasmin. I was ready to put her on Prozac and sleeping pills because the situation was so desperate! While I was on Yasmin for years with no adverse effects, there ARE people who are desperate because of this pill! The hundreds of posts are too numerous to ignore the REAL truth. Is is worth it to "just try it out" for a boob inflation? You are taking a serious risk, sweetheart!

Wow ~ I am so happy that I came across this website tonight. I started taking Yasmin a year ago and I am calling my doctor's office tomorrow to get off this pill! I initially started my search on WebMD's symptom checker because I am so frustrated with never feeling right! When I came across all of these stories, it started to piece everything together and I couldn't believe that I never thought my problems could be caused by my birth control pill!! I am 29 years old and have always been a very healthy woman, which is why I have been so frustrated because I KNOW that something is not normal with the way I have been feeling ~ this is what I have been experiencing for the last year, with some of the symptoms getting worse over the last 6 months: constant waves of nausea (everyday!), heart palpitations, anxiety, diarrhea, gas, stomach problems, hot flashes, complete intolerance to the heat, dizziness, headaches, sore calves, sore breasts. I had told my doctor about the stomach issues, the nausea, the heart palpitations, and she actually prescribed Xanax because they were all symptoms of anxiety (which I couldn't believe that I had because I am in the best possible place in my life now!) ~ but that is beside the point. I am now starting to believe that anxiety should not be the diagnosis, but a symptom of being on Yasmin!! I hope I can update this posting in a few months with great news after I switch to something else!

I am a 26 yr old newly married woman and have been using Yasmin for 7 months.

I've experienced really sharp breast pain and sore calves occasionally whilst on the pill, but also have seen benefits of using this contraceptive - lighter, more regular periods, clearer skin and less greasy hair (these use to be big problems for me). I haven't had any severe mood swings either, as some have mentioned of having.

I think with all contraceptives there will be good and bad side effects - just depends which brands you can cope better with.

Just wondering if Yasmin can cause infertility if you take it for too long??

okinawak so sorry to hear about your daughter. All I can relate to you guys is my personal experience. I was on Norimin for a couple of years from the age of 19. For the last year (up until a couple of months ago) I was on Yasmin. I experienced anxiety whilst taking these pills which I attributed to stress, but since I have been off the pills I am feeling fantastic. I stopped taking Yasmin because I was experiencing other things like pains in my calves, hair loss and getting spider veins, loss of libido (I'm only 23). :-( I decided upon reading other experiences on this page to stop taking Yasmin. I am happy to report back that I am feeling great... Fantastic in fact. I won't say that its directly related to Yasmin as I have no way of proving that. All I can say is how I felt during and after. And for the last three months I have felt greater confidence in my ability to deal with what life throws at me. I am feeling happier all the time, and I think my libido is improving. All the best to you guys, and all those out there worried about symptoms, please go see your doctor!

I'm 22 years old and I have been on Yasmin for 3 years. The first year it was fine, but the next year I began getting panic attacks which I never even believed in until I had one myself. I've had severe anxiety that is uncontrollable and doesn't allow me to sleep at night. Let's not even talk about the emotional mood swings during my period. My boyfriend knows when it's that time of the month because I'm not myself. I will cry over things that would never make me cry in a million years. I'm mean and moody and then 20 minutes later I feel bad, but then I'm crabby again. Weight gain has not been a problem for me only about 3-5 pounds, but my breasts did go from a large B to a D. My boobs definitely do not fit my body. I have noticed a lot of hair fall but I just thought it was normal. I too have had problems with my potassium levels as I would get leg cramps in the middle of the night so I began drinking Gatorade and eating bananas every morning which has helped. I love being on birth control because it helps me plan accordingly, but I just don't feel like myself anymore. I am always hungry and am never full. I literally have to tell myself out loud that I'm done eating because it doesn't trigger for me. I have had a stomach ache nearly everyday of being on the pill. I became addicted to TUMS which only made it worse. I thought it was stress related which it might be, but I literally do not go to the bathroom for 4 or 5 days and it is soooo painful. Another thing is that I have no sex drive. I really have to prepare myself for it otherwise sex does not even occur to me. My boyfriend thinks I'm not attracted to him, but I AM! We just moved in together and you would think it was "freedom" but I'm just motivated to have sex. This is not normal for a 22 year old healthy female with an extremely hot man.

Anyway, I just went to the doctor and told her I was interested in Yaz. She gave me a few sample packs which I will begin next week. I'm hoping for the best and I truly do believe that birth control is a trial and error process. Everyone's bodies are different and you need to find the one that works best for you! I will write again once I know how Yaz works out.

-MCL

Hi, all. I'm 30 and have been taking Yasmin since Oct. 2006. Yesterday, I finally went to my OB/GYN and asked to take me off it. I can't believe it's taken me so long to realize it was the cause of my many health problems.

Like others have said, I've had many side effects but never connected any of them to Yasmin - until a friend was thinking about using it and told me she'd read it had bad side effects such as mood and GI problems. Once she said this, everything clicked.

Immediately after starting Yasmin, I started gaining weight and had terrible depression. Crying ALL the time. I thought both were because I had started a new job that was very stressful, and I've had struggled with depression my whole life. But this was severe enough that I've had thoughts of suicide and my actions really worried my husband. I asked my doctor to increase my Prozac dosage.

In June 2007, I started having migraines. The first one was so bad that my husband took me to the ER and had me get a CAT scan. It was clear, but the migraines have continued about once a month since then. I've been prescribed Maxalt for when they occur.

Also in 2007, I started having GI problems, especially bloating, cramps, heartburn, gas, and quick-onset diarrhea. The diarrhea got so bad, I'd have to leave parties, work, etc. One day, I didn't make it to the bathroom in time (thankfully, I was at home), was in tears, and my hubby said to see a GI doctor. I got the full workup, including a colonoscopy, which was clear.

In 2008, I started having Restless Legs Syndrome and extreme fatigue. It'd get tingles/pain in my calves when watching TV, in movies, on airplanes, and when asleep. I would sleep 12 hours and still be exhausted. I'd go to bed at 7 or 8 p.m. Finally, I had a sleep study in March 2008 and was diagnosed with RLS and was prescribed Klonopin.

This spring, I've had terrible sinus problems and headaches. I've had allergies before, but never this bad. My Allegra isn't working anymore. I have incredible post-nasal drip and sneezing. Go through Kleenex like crazy. My doctor prescribed Nasonex.

And finally, since Oct. 2006, I've gained about 60 pounds while on Yasmin. I chalked it up to stress from a new job and planning a wedding. Yes, I gained weight WHILE I was engaged. In the time between buying my wedding dress and my wedding, I gained so much weight that my dress had to be let out. I thought it was because of stress, not exercising and a poor diet - but now I realize it shouldn't have caused me to gain THAT much weight. I've continued to gain weight since I've been married.

Now that I put this all together, I realize I am on THREE NEW MEDICATIONS, increased my Prozac, had a colonoscopy, a sleep study, and a CAT scan, and gained 60 pounds ALL since I started Yasmin.

And aside from the medical problems and prescriptions, my lifestyle has changed and I use many over-the-counter drugs. Of course, I'm overweight. I use antacids about 5X a week for heartburn, simethicone about 3X a week for gas, Advil about 2X a week for headaches, sleep all the time, have unusually strong depression, still have diarrhea, and have terrible sinus/runny nose constantly.

I feel so stupid that I never connected the dots. And I realize as I'm typing this that I sound like a hypochondriac because of all my drugs and doctor visits! Most of all, I'm outraged, and truthfully, very sad, that I got married at a very heavy weight because of Yasmin.

I'll post again in a couple of weeks to let you know how I'm feeling off Yasmin. I pray it's much better. Thanks for this forum to share our experiences.

-Katie

I started taking yaz about 8 months ago January 2007. I started getting some calf pain in the morning but didn't think anything about it, then when I went on vacation at the end of June both calves were hurting, I ended up going to a doctor on vacation and she gave me some muscle relaxers. By the time I flew back home in July, I ended up in the emergency room and given a strong pain reliever. I ended up going on line and went to my doctor the next day and told her that I thought it was Yaz, she send me for an ultra sound and I had a superficial clot in my left calf. Since I have ended up going to a vein specialist and am wearing support hose. Both legs are still really hurting (including my knees and ankles), I also have had severe eye pain and have gone to the opthalmologist, I have been prescribed glasses but feel now that it is the yaz, I have been off yaz for about 2 months and still having severe muscle pain, does anyone know how long this lasts...

To Jma and to all ladies who have leg cramps and calves problems,

I was on Yasmin for nearly 4 years, and I started to have problems with cramps (calves, feet) followed by joint problems (chronic tendonitis in my knees), a stabbing pain in my right arm that would not go (despite the amount of ibuprofen and paracetamol taken) and finally arthritis in my right shoulder. I would advise that you stop at once taking Yasmin, as these symptoms are mild at the beginning and become very severe in the future. Since I have stopped taking the pill 10 months ago, the chronic tendonitis has gone, my arthritis is not a problem anymore and the pain in my right arm has disappeared also. Please see my post of 04/05/07.

I have experienced a lot of muscle spasms, cramping in my calves while on yasmin (14 months). Has anyone

To all women who have suffered from Yasmin,

I stopped taking that pill early July 06 after taking it for 4 years. Before I stopped I was suffering from:
- anxiety, irritability, irrationality (nearly split up with boyfriend)
- ear problems (damaged eardrums, constant ear blocage (none of the ephedrine medication worked)
- Severe muscle cramps (feet and calves)
- Pains in my right shoulder and arm
- Regular faintings (I found myself a few times in ER/ none of the tests they did show any abnormalities)
- Pain in my lower stomach
- Complete lack of energy
- No enthusiasm about what I used to enjoy doing
- Felt sick everytime I did some hiking (going up a hill for ex)
- Heart palpitations especially in the mornings when getting up
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen and aching gums (even the dentist thought they were strange and could not understand why as I had a perfect mouth hygiene)

At the time, I did not think at all about Yasmin as a poison, but slowly I realised I was sick because of it. Everytime I took it I felt disgusted like my body was saying: 'ENOUGH, I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS STOP IT!!'
I stopped early July 06 and since then slowly, I am becoming myself again. I suffered when I stopped especially of muscle weakness and ear problems but after 7 months off it, the muscles are becoming strong again (I have been doing light excercises since I stopped the pill) and my ears start to feel normal again.

The only new thing at the moment is that I gained 2kgs (about 4lb) in weight only around my tummy !!
Has anybody out there got the same problem? Is this normal ?
Does the weight go down once your body has completely recovered? How long does it take?

Thank you for your comments. I simply want to add :
IF YOU TAKE YASMIN AND FEEL BAD STOP IT NOW ! YOU WILL FEEL WORSE FOR A WHILE AFTER STOPPING IT BUT YOU WILL RECOVER SOONER OR LATER!! IT IS JUST A MATTER OF PATIENCE

To Dejay 78

Do not give up, this muscle pain, aches, twitching will stop once your body gets rid off the Yasmin toxins. I've had too the muscle pains, swelling, stiffness in my lower legs and my arms with the twitching when I went off Yasmin.
I could not sleep at night because of the pain I had in my legs and feet like horrible cramps and constant twitching. Also for 3 weeks I was not able to walk properly and felt like I wanted to die and had to give up my favourite hobbies (walking and swimming). It will take a while before you can back to normal again (it was 2 months for me) and I still have the stiffness in my calves (pain and cramps have gone!!) and some days are worse than others. I find swimming to be excellent as it relaxes your muscles and improves your blood circulation.
I'm also taking vitamin B complex with food once a day. This is good for the muscles, brain and heart. Just be patient and you will get better.

I've been on Yasmin for nearly 4 years and decided to stop taking this pill because like most of you I felt REALLY bad!! I had symptoms like cramps in my feet and legs, regular blackouts (I was taken to ER everytime), dizziness, shortness of breath, migraines, ear congestion, complete lack of energy and worst of all anxiety. I've also developed arthritis in my right shoulder for which I went to see a physio and thank god it is getting better.
I saw so many doctors and none of them could find anything wrong with me and none of them had the wonderful feeling that this may have been caused by Yasmin. When I told them I wanted to stop the pill, they told me there was no reason why and that I should carry on. So that was my decision to stop it and a very good one!! The doctors are wrong !
I am off Yasmin now since 1st of July 06 and it's only now that I start to feel better! I've been through so many weird symptoms: pains and swelling in both of my calves, cramps in my legs (streching helps!), nausea, heavy sweating during the night, my ears feel like they are blocked but no more of the other symptoms (blackouts have not come back)and my periods have come regularly but are very short (3 days).... My body is recovering and my calves are getting better. I also found out that I start to get cellulitis on my legs (what a nightmare), I was told by a friend that' s because of the pill!!
I am now full of energy, the anxiety has gone (I can face the world now), and I am determined NOT TO GO BACK on any C pills anymore.
I am 38 years old and have been on different pills since the age of 19, I would like to know if anybody of my age (or anybody) experienced symptoms like mine after they stopped Yasmin and how long it takes for them to disappear....

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

I have been taking Yasmin for about 4 years now, but did not really notice symptons until the last year or so. During that time, I took a more stressful job, my eating habits suffered a great deal, and my exercise become non-exisitent, so I did not realize it could be the pill and thought it was my new job and stress. My symptons are heart palpitations, "funny" feeling in my calves, fatigue, anxiety, and some minor mood swings. I finally called my gyno, and she suggested I have a thyroid problem. Maybe that is the case, but I can't imagine that this pill is helping anything. Does anyone have experience like this?

I've been on this for 3 months and also take zyrtec. Both my calves cramp up and I strained my left calf muscle, so bad that I needed crutches and physical therapy. My hands feel achy like I have arthritis and my neck and back muscles feel tight. I'm going off this med at the end of the week.

Grateful to find this page! I'm having the strange experience of muscle cramping after 3 months on Yasmin. The first month I spotted every day (but assured this passes and it has the past two months) and nothing else. Towards the end of the second I had finger and toe cramps (you know, where they pull together). This month I'm having leg cramps as well - especially when I stretch, the calves, feet or thighs tighten up. Painful! I'm not sure what to do. Mentally I'm feeling stable - sleeping well, no anxiety - but I'm so glad I've read this is something which might occur after I quit taking them!

I immediately started experiencing nausia after I started taking Yasmin. My breasts are extremely tender and lumpy and I feel so tired all the time. I feel sad and angry almost every day and have never experienced this feeling of hopelessness before. I have a dull headache almost every day as well. I find myself eating all the time and I haven't felt like excercising since I started these pills. If I do exercise, I get very lightheaded and my skin feels tingly as if I might faint and I have to stop the activity until I regain my balance. My muscles feel sore and I am having cramps in my calves during the night. I have taken other birth control pills in the past but have never felt symptoms this severe.

I have been on yasmin for a month..I am actually on my 4th day of the 2nd month. I am taking it to regulate my periods so I can get pregnant. But I am having shortness of breath where, it feels like I am inhaling, but my lungs arent filling. Even when I yawn to get all the air, it is like my lungs dont really fill. I have charlie horses in my calves and pain like a UTI. As soon as I started taking Yasmin, I was diagnosed with one, and was given antibiotics. After a week, I was told I was fine, but the pain continued. I am sick to my stomach ALL the time, but there are some moments, when all I want to do is eat. I pee constantly. I am SO tired, all he time I want to sleep. I could sleep all day and all night, and still be tired. I had my period and I cramped so bad and had headaches, and nothing seemed to get rid of it. I wouldnt advise Yasmin for anyone. I would like to know how to get the FDA to take it off the shelf. Any replies or input would be awesome! I want to get pregnant, but not at the risk that I cant breathe!!

My GYN prescribed Yasmin for me approx. 5 months ago after I had been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Yasmin has supposedly proven to be an excellent treatment for women with this diagnosis. I wasn't sure if I would be able to tolerate it at all since I've had a history of my body has rejecting any type of hormonal birth contral methods in the past (I would get SEVERE migraines, nausea, vomiting and vision problems). At first I loved it.....I was actually getting my period again and it was coming regularly. My bloating has almost completely gone away (I am constantly urinating), and my PMS systoms and mood swings have diminished substantially. However, as time goes on I'm noticing increasing problems with muscle pain, spasms and "knotting" particularly in my neck, shoulders, back and calves. The muscle cramping has gotten so bad at times that I have been unable to walk for short periods of time. Within the past 2 weeks I haven't had a single pain-free day, so that my chiropractor prescribed a muscle relaxant just so that I can get through my day. I'm not sure if this is the Yasmin or not, but I've never had these muscle problems before and it only began after I had been taking the Yasmin for a period of time. I have made an appointment to follow this up with my GYN because at this point, I still have one month left of this treatment to control my PCOS, which has the potential to cause me some other severe problems if left unchecked. I will repost additional comments after I meet with my doctor. Has anyone else had this problem while taking this pill?

I loved Yasmin at first. Helped with Acne and facial hair. Periods manageable and sometimes very light. Some PMS, but normal. I had breast tenderness that went away after about 4-5 months.
6 months into it. Severe anxiety and panic attacks. 8 months. Headaches that lasted 24 hours. Very specific spots that I could point to and other times all over pain. Also head sensations and dizzyness very regularly. OTC pain meds didn't work. Nothing helped. CT scan- that was clear. Migrain meds - pointless. Narcotics (Xanex) has become a regular pill to take. Scary.
10 months into it. Leg pains in my calves.
The anxiety, headaches, dizzyness, aches and pains...all of it I didn't attribute to the pill and then suddenly....I just said "it's got to be the pill" My quality of life is horrible.
And so after 12 months on Yasmin, I just stopped yesterday and I'm praying that I will feel normal in a few days.
I wish it would have worked b/c I thought it was working so well for me. No weight gain, good sex drive, clear skin. I was boasting about it to all my girlfriends for months.
It's very disappointing, but at the same time, I am glad to be going hormone free again.

Good luck to all!