Yasmin and constipation

I was on Yasmin for two months and then switched to the new generic form this month, completed two weeks and now I am taking myself off of the pill due to the following side effects: anxiety, crying over every little thing, insomnia, tiredness, extreme hunger, sore and swollen breasts, ear aches, constipation, and leg cramping.

Lately my wife has been experiencing of depression, lack of energy, muscle cramps, nausea, enlarged and soar breasts (nipples are hot also), headaches, insomnia, vaginal discomfort and sourness with and without physical contact, constipation, and other symptoms, which I cannot as a male, properly describe. Is this accumulation of symptoms normal or should we look in another direction for birth control (besides condoms)? A concerned husband, Kenny...

These reviews are pretty scary to me ... I've been taking Yasmin for about 5 years. Late last year, I started getting what seemed like a full period (not just spotting) almost exactly two weeks into my pill pack. Then I'd get another full period when I got to the end of the pack, and I went ahead and took the sugar pills because I didn't want to mess around with my cycle (which I've done in the past, with negative results). My doc switched me to reclipsen for a month (which I've read bad things about too, but not as bad as Yasmin!). I've had NO sex drive for years now, which I've blamed on myself, but it's really affected my relationship w/ my fiance. It's hard because I just can't get excited. I loved Yasmin and recommended it to all my friends because it kept my water weight down. Last month when I went off of it, I gained about 8lb in just a few weeks. I attributed it to going on vacation and not exercising for a week (I normally eat very well and never miss a workout). But since then, the weight has stayed and is very slowly coming off. I'm a personal trainer and I never usually struggle like this. I've also been bloated and it seems like I have an excessive amount of abdominal bloating.
Anyway, after a month on reclipsen, I decided to switch back to Yasmin to see if the month on another drug "tricked" my cycle back into following Yasmin (wishful thinking!). Sure enough, got my period two weeks in. Also got lots of bloating, constipation (never normally a problem for me), and moodiness/ depression. I've had "stomach issues" for years, and I've even had a colonoscopy with no real diagnosis. My abdomen is always tender to the touch. I never would've thought Yasmin could be a cause, but now I really wonder. Also, in the last couple weeks that I took Yasmin again, I noticed days where it felt hard to breathe, and I just blamed myself and my weight, figuring it was the few extra things I ate that made me bloat. But now reading other experiences, I realize how unusual my recent experiences are for me. Now I'm not sure what to do -- I don't think reclipsen is a good answer. I want to go off pills completely for a while, but I'm really afraid of weight gain (Yasmin is addictive that way -- I love how it's kept my water weight down and I've been afraid to go off of it). Fortunately, I haven't had the blood clotting (to my knowledge) or acne. But I do have overuse injuries that never seem to heal -- now I wonder how much those relate to Yasmin. I won't be taking it anymore!

I just started taking Yasmin 2 days ago now after reading everyone's comments i am scared of continuing. does all this happen to everyone? i had to buy my second refill because i need 2 months wroth because i am traveling overseas. please someone give me more advice and let me know if i should switch.

Hello, I am 26 and this is my first time on a bc. My doctor Prescribed it to me to help me with my pms, cramping, and acne. It seems to be working for the cramping and heavy periods. I'm not too sure if it is actually working for my pms or if i have just been dealing with things in a better way. My acne hasn't changed at all, if anything i feel that it has gotten a bit worse. I experienced horrible horrible headaches and nausea the first month. The second month was a little better, and now the third is a lot better. Ok but now the reason that i am here is that i have been experiencing bad constipation to the point where i have developed hemroids. I have always had a few problems with my bowels but never this bad! Before Yasmin i was pretty regular with no trouble. I haven't changed anything in my diet or life other than started Yasmin. So I think its being caused by the pills. I'm on my last week of my third pack. If anyone else has experienced can you please let me know. If it is the pills, I'm not going to start on a fourth pack! Oh 1 more thing, has anyone experienced sudden heart palpitations because of the pill? It used to happen more during the 1st pack and has subsided a bit but still happens at times. It really freaks me out because it will happen over and over again when it does. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks!

My story is long....I have been taking Yasmin for almost 2.5 years, since having my son. About 8 months after starting the pill we relocated to another state. About 6 months after that I began having shortness of breath and anxiety. I thought it was due to our relo, which was all positive but still those things can be stressful. My doctor thought it was anxiety and prescribed Zanax. I rarely took them...seemed like the anxiety subsided. A few months later I was back at my doctors office with extreme nausea and this crazy burning sensation down my arms and on my chest. I was diagnosed with H Pylori and treated for that and then had an endoscopy and found I had mild chronic gastritis. I was on Prevacid and then finally prescription Zantac for that. I went a few months and then the shortness of breath returned and I began having heart palpations. I then went back to my doctor. My heart rate was elevated so she sent me over to a cardiologist. He said my heart was fine. I then came down with a stomach virus, which is what I thought at the time, and ended up not taking my pill for 2 days and then began menstruating. I stayed off of it for a month and continued to have this terrible burning sensation on my skin. I started a new pill pack the next month and that's when the real hell began. I woke up around 1:30am with severe nausea and heart palpations. My husband took me to the ER - they said it was due to my stomach. I went back to see my GI doc she said that my stomach didn't cause that. I went to see my doctor b/c my GI doc thought it might be my BC pill because it just started happening after taking it again after being off of it for a month. I was sure it was the BC so I immediately stopped taking it. I had yet another period. Since stopping it, now it's been 14 days, I have had one anxiety attack after another, chest pains, shortness of breath, the burning skin, headaches, and major nausea. I can't eat or sleep. I can barely function. All my blood work, adrenal gland and thyroid tests are perfectly normal. No signs of anything wrong with me. I went to see my doctor today for a follow-up, she told me bluntly that I was mental! It was all in my head ! The pill could not cause this and I need to see a physiotherapist. I have never felt so bad physically in my life and then been kicked in the teeth so hard all in one day. I know all this is due to this drug. There is no other explanation. I am not crazy but I have a lot of people who believe I am. I am amazed at how the medical community is so uneducated and have become drug pushers and have forgotten problem solving. Thank you all for reading my story. I pray every minute that I will get through this and be normal again. All I want to do is enjoy the Christmas holidays with my family without being sick. That my friends is my Christmas wish. Best to all of you.

I have had some of the same symptoms described above, but they seem to have increased since I went off just days ago. I'm hoping they decrease in the next few weeks. I'm just so happy to be off of them, and I'm hopeful that my normal figure and state of mind will return. The last year and a half has been an emotional roller coaster.

Right now, three days off of the pill, I am so bloated it is painful. I know it's not constipation since that is happening regularly. What doesn't happen after "elimination" is relief. I am having constant abdominal cramping and bloating. It's awful...I have gained four pounds in as many days which is WAY more than I'm usually capable of.

The very first day off of the pill I had to call in sick to work with throwing up and other fun stuff. I thought at first that it was a 24 hour bug...but now I don't know.

Why do women get bullied into taking these products? It's been 40 years now and the best we still have is the pill? I'm going to take my chances I think with my natural mood swings and pregnancy.

EVERYBODY REPLY TO THIS Let's see exactly how many women have had negative side affects from Yasmin. Just reply with the sideaffects. I see lots of posts and was wondering how many women are out there sharing similar problems. So me.... migraines, extremely horrible mood swings all from taking yasmin for 8-9 days next..........? lol

Ive been on Yasmin for exactly 2 weeks now. The first 5 days were fine but now that its propally into my system ive started to feel the side effects. Ive felt nausea, depression, stomach pains and last night i had the worst migraine i have ever had. I couldnt lift my head off my pillow and i could hardly see when i opened my eyes. Im going on holiday soon and im unsure wether to carry on taking Yasmin. Can anyone suggest what they would do?

I've been taking Yasmin about four years...and about a year ago, I kept remarking that I think Yasmin changed its formula because I experienced terrible water retention (at least 6 pounds every month) and psychotic mood swings two weeks before my period. Originally, I started taking Yasmin to restart my periods which I lost for 3 years, supposedly due to weight loss (I lost 40 pounds in four months). But after I gained 20 back, still no period. This is when I started taking Yasmin and within 30 days it gave me a period like clockwork. I was fine for a few years, though very reclusive, which I thought was my depression - I do have a history of it. Funny, while taking Yasmin, I attributed my moodiness to PMS not depression. Since February of 2007, I have gained 10 pounds and my breasts have increased a cup size. As a result, my gyno and my shrink decided I should take Yasmin straight through so I didn't get PMS, or a period for that matter. The only reason I'm not depressed anymore is because I take Wellbutrin and Clomipramine. So now I don't get the pychological symptoms anymore -- just the bloating, constipation, huge boobs (they were big before) and general annoyance. To think it could have been the Yasmin all along! When every doctor told me I was insane...getting older...body changing...bipolar! One I finish the last pill, I'm taking matters into my own hands and kicking Yasmin to the curb. I would seek a Dr.'s help, but I'm sick of them shrugging me off. I'll report back. *Fingers crossed.*

I recently got off of Yasmin after being on it for 3 1/2 years. While I was on it, I got yeast infections often but I had no other symptoms. However, I have been bloated and constipated for the entire month I have been off of it. I have also gained 5 pounds this month!

Thanks Tracy!

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

Hope that helps.

Anna

Anxiety
Shakiness/dizziness
Fluttery feeling in chest/arms/legs
More insomnia
Abdominal pain
Constipation

Anna I have/had all of this!!!!
Still do even on Lexapro

About the stroke:

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

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

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

Anna

I was on it for maybe 5 years, then I stopped taking it mid-cycle in September because I had a mini-stroke!

I wondered if my current problems are related to a hormonal imbalance caused by stopping taking Yasmin?

I suffer from: insomnia, lightheadedness, a fluttery feeling in my chest, weakness in my hands, tingling feet on waking, anxiety and depression, abdominal pain worse during periods, constipation etc. etc.

What can I do to help myself? How long is this going to last? (I'm 38.)

Thanks

Anna

Hi ladies,
I just wanted to put my side effects out there. I was on Triphasil for 6 years and switched to Yazmine just because I wanted something new, well I'm going back to Triphasil. I've been taking Yazmine for 2 months now and I've had enough. The gas, bloating, and cramping before, during, and after my period are nothing like they used to be. I have cramps no where near time to start and that's not normal. The gas is terrible. I normally only got bloated right before time to start and now it's 24/7 30 days out of the month. The gas pains are terrible and I already have I.B.S with constipation. I had my IBS under control and now I am back constipated. Yazmine has taken it's toll and I'm through with it.

Hi,

I've never felt compelled to post anything on a blog site before, but in this case, I felt that it was important to share my experience on Yasmin. I've was on Yasmin for 3 years, but last month, I switched to Avianne.

At first, I didn't notice any terrible side effects on Yasmin. However, slowly over the years, I noticed or experienced the following: a) marked decrease in sex drive; b) vaginal dryness; c) melasma (darkening of skin on the face); d) depression (especially in the first week of the cycle); e) muscle spasms; and f) dehydration even while drinking 10 glasses of water a day; g) weight gain; and h) fatigue.

Most desturbing of all, were symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In my opinion, the diuretic component of Yasmin is dangerous. It was rare for me to pass a bowel movement every day and when I would, it was difficult b/c of constipation. Usually, I would pass a bowel movement every 3-5 days . I switched my diet to high fiber and eating mostly fruits/vegetables, and cutting out dairy, but that didn't help. Sometimes the pain from feeling bloated and "so backed up," that it was imbearable. Also, I would alternate from symptoms of constipation and diahrea.

I never had any of these problems before I started taking Yasmin.

It took me a while to put two and two together when I noticed that the ONLY time that I didn't have difficulty passing a bowel movement was the week of taking the placebo pills, and I was on my period.

On Avianne, I have 1-2 bowel movements a day. All symptoms of IBS have disappeared. The other symptoms of Yasmin are starting to abate, too.

Finally, if you don't notice any decrease in your sex drive at first while on Yasmin, you will down the road. It's rather insidious and it's no surprise-- if you do the research, you'll discover that the unique progestin component of Yasmin (what's usually associated with decreased sex drive) is 6 times greater than other BC pills.

Hope this helps.

hi all, it sounds like i may have come to the right place,hopefully someone can help me. i started taking yasmin in jan 05 after stopping breastfeeding my then 1 year old. All seemed fine but 1 year ago i started to get severe anxiety attacks and panic attacks paraniod episodes as well as numbing in my face,twitching in my left eye,palpitations,stomach cramps,constipation or worse the other extreme! and raging headaches that feel like someone is crushing my head.My doctor told me i was suffering from anxiety disorder and put me in touch with a counceller and gave me a prescription for diazepam, i came off the diazepam and have been trying natural congnitive therapy for my anxiety (which has given me a foem of agoraphobia, not great with 2 kids that want to go out all the time!) i have been looking into the hormone link as i seem to feel worse about 9 days before my period then i came across this site, i am seriously considering stopping taking this pill ,is not needed anyway as sex is the last thing on my mind these days. does this sound familiar to any-one? did your anxiety improve when you stopped taking the yasmin, i am scared that it will make it worse if i stop but i know that i have to take that risk to find out if it is the yasmin that is making me ill,help i feel like a total crank most of the time,i want to go back to being normal!

ANOTHER SIDE EFFECT????

Been awhile since I posted. After 3m on it I had horrific anxiety and panic attacks. It's now 3m since I took my last pill and I am 95% back to normal.....however......

Over the past month I had to see a gastro doc because of horrific left side pain, vomitting and constipation (TMI but some of what came out was bloody mucous). After a CT scan and colonoscopy I have been diagnosed with colitis. I have NEVER had gastro issues my whole life. After reading up on colitis and IBD/IBS I have read that there is a connection with colitis and birth control pills bringing it on.

Anyone else?

Denise

I was on Yasmin a few years back and didnt seem to have any noted problems. At the time, I had extremely long hair. Past my butt, about mid-thigh. I began losing tons of hair. At the time, I had no clue as to why I was losing my hair. Me and my husband assumed that my hair had just reached a length that my scalp could no longer handle. I went and got my first haircut in 15 years!! I got it cut to about bra-strap length. Then shortly thereafter, my insurance stopped covering Yasmin so I was forched to switch. The hairloss stopped. I never thought twice about it. I assumed the haircut put an end to the hairloss. Until recently. I have never been able to take the higher estrogen birth control pills due to migraines. Only Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, Lowestrin, Yasmin, and Ortho Micronor. Most recently, I had been taking Ortho Micronor due to breastfeeding my son. At my recent annual, my doctor wanted me to get off the Ortho Micronor because he said its not as effective as the other ones and he only had me on it because I had been breastfeeding. Now that I was no longer breastfeeding, he wanted me off it. He was going to put me on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, but I specifically asked for Yasmin because I remember how nice it made my skin and figure. I have been on it for 16 days now and have noticed constipation, weight gain, and most predominantly...major hair loss. I took a shower and washed my hair the other day and noticed clumps falling out as I was rinsing. Then while I was brushing it after I got out, I cleaned a hairball the size of my fist out of my hairbrush afterwards. I still didn't put two and two together. I got online only to look up if the constipation was a side effect of the Yasmin cuz I dont remember having constipation the last time I was on it. Thats when I found that other women were having hairloss from Yasmin. Then I remembered the last time I suffered this type of hair loss, and it was indeed, the last time I was on the Yasmin. Even though I dont recall constipation or weight gain with the Yasmin last time, I definately notice it now. I've gained 4 pounds in 16 days. This really upsets me since I recently lost 26 pounds. So, Im calling my doctor today and tell him I dont care if the Ortho Micronor is less effective because I prefer to keep my hair and not become a whale =)

I started taking Yasmin just over a month ago because my former bcp was giving me a lot of breast tenderness. There have been some things that are better...less moodiness during pms. BUT, I found that I was much more emotional when I was actually on my period. And, for the past several days I have had little to no appetite and constipation. Has anyone else had those symptoms?

I have been on Yasmin since Nov, 2004. In January, I had a very bad infection like I've never experienced before. I stopped the pill for a month to make sure it was completely cleared up. I resumed taking them in March, 2005. Since then I have progressively begun to experience constipation. It's just gotten worse and worse throughout the months. My hair has started to thin in areas near my forehead. I had mild postpardum depression after I had my daughter in July, 2004, but it went away. In the past 3 months, I've been experiencing depression that is just getting worse and now anxiety attacks. Even though I've been exercising since January, I haven't lost any weight at all. My sex drive wasn't that great before, but now it's completely non-existing. I've never experienced such a lack of sex drive. The only good thing about this pill is that is seems to help cramps, tremendously and my periods are very short and light. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow to see if she can switch me to something else. I've heard that Seasonale is good, but I don't know if it's right for me.

Hello: I also am SO glad that I found this site. Where else would I have learned that my digestion problems are probably linked to my birth control pill!! My doctor sure never thought of it. I've tried just about everything to battle the CONSTIPATION, BLOATING, PRESSURE AND GAS in my stomach. Yasmin has been great for the PMS symptoms, but I haven't been able to eat a normal meal in months! I'm off the pill as of today and hope things clear up soon. Thanks for the forum.

I am so relieved to have found this site, I seriously thought that I was really sick or jsut going crazy. I started Yasmin about 3 months ago and my GYN, made it sound like this mirical pill because I had been on over 10 different pills. At first I thought it was but after 2 weeks and got the following symptoms;

1. Nausea, Nausea, Nausea
2. Headaches
3. Cramping in my Hamstrings
4. Never wanted to sleep with my husband
5. Constipation
6. Bloating
7. Gas
8. Diarehea
10. Vomitting
11. Vaginal dryness
12. fatigue
13. ANXIETY and Panick attacks
14. Always thirsty and dehydriated
15. Constantly peeing

On the third month of the pill I started getting really dizzy and passed out at work and was rushed to the ER, where after numerous tests there was nothing wrong. I even had them test my potassium levels...NORMAL. So after being dehydrated from all the vomitting and Diarehea and excessive peeing. My husband and I decided to stop taking Yasmin. It is now day 4. And let me tell all of you that are thinking about quiting do so.

I am no longer nausous, no constipation, or bloating, no longer tired, and I want my husband. YEAH! The only thing that is still there is I am still a little anxious, but no panic attacks yet. I will keep everyone posted as all the side effects wear off.

Since i started taking yasmin I stay nauseous. I was afraid that I was getting a virus but I talked to my friends 3 of them and we had never talked about it before but they were all getting sick on their stomach at weird times. One moment you'll be fine and the next you are trying really hard not to throw up. We found out that all of us are taking Yasmin. We also experience miserable constipation.

i am 16 and have had surgeys for ovarian cysts i have been put on yasmin, for about 3 months continusly so i wont have my period. since last going to my gyn, they now are saying possible Endometriosis, How can this happen since i am on the BC? also does anyone experience painfull bowls or constipation? Thanks
-Alyssa

I was prescribed Yasmin by my Doctor (children's clinic) for my acne. I had went in expecting to get Ortho Tri Lo because I had heard good things on it for clearing up breaking outs, but he gave me this instead. I noticed that the only negative side effects were tightness in chest into back, occasional rapid heart beat (suffered from that before)and constipation. So far ending my third month, i have noticed an improvement. My forehead has cleared up and my cheeks are smoother. Of course there are the occasional bad flareups especially two weeks before my period. When that happens they are on the side of my face and on my chin. Any suggestions for a bcp or any medication good for acne? Oh yeah, my doc also prescribed me Retin-A and duac for the face at the same time. So, really I'm not sure if the pills or the meds are causing the clearup.

I am so glad I found this web site.
I have been on yasmin for 2 years. I take it without the placibo week, to stop my periods because of uterine complications.
I am never moody, I never break out.
But, my life is plagued with intense bouts of diarrea, constipation, gas, bloating, somach pain as well as lower abdominal pain. I don't sleep, I've gone from 150lbs to 132lbs in the last six months. I feel like I'm dying. I can't function. I have no energy.
I have been in the hospital three times for dehydration and severe flu like symptoms. I was recently put through x-ray and ultrasound procedures to diagnose the problem. I think I may have just found the answer to what has seemed like a medical mystery!
Thank You All So Much!

I have only been on it one day. Alot of the side effects many of you mentioned I had on ortho-tri cyclen. The moodiness, the depression, the bloating, the incredibly sore boobs, AND, despite it's clinically proven to clear up moderate to mild acne, I was actually breaking out and getting oily the week before my period, sometimes 2 weeks before. The side effects were just awful. I took ortho tri for 7 years, and it's been the last 2 or 3 years w/ these side effects. BUT, I also take an anti-depressant on a regular basis as well as a very mild tranquilizer for when I am extremely anxious, and I have IBS w/ constipation as well as regular headaches, irregular sleeping patterns, etc. LOL there are a lot of things wrong with me I guess!! ... so never really knew if these were actual side effects or just my body being a pain in the butt!! Anyways ... like I mentioned, just started Yasmin, and hopefully because the hormones remain the same levels throughout the 3 weeks before my period, I won't have those side effects that I had on Ortho tri.

I also want to add that I've had some constipation and the worst fatigue of my life. My skin broke out worse than usual at first, but now it's the clearest it's been in years except for a few huge, painful, disgusting zits ( i guess they're cysts) on my chin. My doctor told me this pill would help with weight gain and water retention but I haven't had any improvement. My urine is always concentrated even when I drink a lot of water. The worst part is the mood swings and the loss of my sex drive. And there was brownish-reddish blood on my underwear and toilet paper yesterday. I've never had spotting on any birth control pill.

This is directly to Lilly who wrote in what seems to be a "positive" aspect of Yasmine. Lilly- we are all entitled to our opnions. Unfortunately for the majority of us listed below, we were told by doctors our problems were in our heads. I can tell you that I have been off Yasmin for a month and my body is finally funtioning normal. I have not been rushed to the hospital for sever stomach pains, vomiting bile for being backed up from constipation. I have slept through the night w/o waking in pain. I actually have my period normal for the first time in a year.
There were a couple of people who wrote in and had some luck on this pill. Good for the minority. I am glad they have never had morphine shots for stomach pain that can't be diagnosed. For the majority of the women who have found their situations so hard to deal with they had to find a site that helped them feel normal, we know the truth of this drug.

Was on Yasmin for about 1 1/2 years, I have suffered from leg & foot cramps, pains in chest & arms, pins and needles in arms, headaches, detoritating vision, nausea, breathlessness, tiredness and kidney infections (caused by the diuretic in it), weight gain, constipation and heavy periods, thought I was becoming serioulsy ill, felt like 70 instead of 30. The only positive thing about this pill was that I didn't get pregenant.
Am off it now about a month and all symptons are just gone.

i've been on yasmin for about a month and a half. like the other pill i was on for a year, (trivora), yasmin made my depression and mood swings increase significantly. also, there's beena lot of constipation. could this be because yasmin contains a diuretic that makes me more dry?? if anybody knows the answer, please post.