Yasmin and depression

Hello, this is E. again. My son took a nap, so I was able to read a lot of the posts. Many things that occurred to me over time were things that I thought came with the change of life of being married and having a child. Just life, in general also. But, now that I think of who I was before motherhood and being a wife, it just doesn't add up. I believe now the additional things that were happening to me were indeed extra side effects of the pill. They include, no sex drive, weight gain, migraines/headaches, fatigue/tired, joint pain, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, insomnia, nausea, and stress. I have been hospitalized and have had certain procedures done for some of these symptoms. Today I am stopping the pill due to the reasons of my previous post. Within time I will let you all know if there have been any improvements. Take care, E.

I have been on Yasmin for around 5 months now and am absolutely fine for the three weeks of taking the pills, however as soon as i stop taking them on the pill free week i become extremely aggressive and emotional. I cry all the time and feel so depressed and angry. I feel myself become furious over the littlest things. I have also begun to have panic attacks over small things and have become scared of everything. Has anyone else experienced this?

Oh my... I thought I was the only one!!! I have been taking Yasmin for about 6 years as it was recommended to me as the new and safer birth control pill. From time to time I also stopped taking it since I was not in a relationship and didn't feel like I needed it. Every time I did I felt like my old happy self - Like I was a 16 year old again. Happy and loving life! Everyone wanted to be around me and I was afraid of NOTHING!

I knew then that birth control can cause depression, but no one ever speak about it, not then, not now. My friends didn't seem to change. I was the only one. I was the only one, I think, that became a boring person when taking it; boring and afraid of things. I met my husband during those few months I was not taking it... and I can for sure tell you all that I am not the same person he met back then.

I have been thinking about stop taking the pill for a long time now, specially since I hit depression much easier now since I had to move away from my family and friends (they are all in Sweden) to be with my husband (USA). I cry so easy! And can't face conflicts, and just want to sleep - nothing is fun. Some of the depression I have managed pretty good by stop eating grains and sugar, but it only does so much. You guys have pretty much convinced me that now is the time to quit. I will not take one single Yasmin ever again!

For those of you that are in a relationship - how did your special someone take this change as far as birth control. What are you using now instead? I have been thinking about a female sponge - anyone tested those?

There are many out there that suffers from medication and I am actually on the path to help people get off other drugs like statins because there are other things you can do than give doctors and pharmaceutical companies your money for feeling ill the rest of your life. There is a cure - they just don't want you to know about it. Who would have guessed that I needed to be saved from this craziness too!

Good blogs about unconventional medicine is: ******
Thank you for being here GIRLS!!!

I take Yasmin and I just heard today about the lawsuits. This is completely freaking me out. I've been taking it for a bit over 2 years and its been a constant battle to lose weight compared to before i could lose it easily with diet and exercise. Now no matter what i eat or don't eat, i can't lose it. I've even tried diet pills. I have had huge mood swings the past 6 months or so that i just punch something and yet at my parents for dumb reasons. I've had IBS before these pills but it has been worse. I take the pills my doctor gave me plus over the counter stuff. My depression fits are horrible and I finally made the connection. About 4 months i started taking these pills i was put on antidepressants. I stopped taking those a long time ago b/c of the side effects (go figure).

I was on Yasmin for about 3 years, and during I noticed I was real depressed which was not normal for me. I also during my last year on it started having what physicians thought as "Panic disorder" which once again was not normal for me. I didn't tie the two together until after being off the pill and not having depression or anymore attacks, that the pill had caused it. And almost a year later, confirmed, Yasmin has been recalled! I am so sick and upset to know that all of that suffering I went through was from a pill that my doctor prescribed. I was scared that every time I would have these "episodes" that I was going to die. And it sickens me that they are still advertising everywhere these commercials to get on this wretched pill!!

I am so glad I found this website.

After 2 years of being on Yasmin/Ocella, I have realized that my symptoms were entirely from this horrible drug.

Symptoms I experienced on Yasmin/Ocella:

-HEARTBURN! I had to have an endoscopy to determine the damage caused to my esophagus, and was on hard core antacid drugs for months.

-UTIs!! I suffered from a UTI pretty much every time my fiance and I had sex, and my Gyno referred me to a urologist. Mind, I had NEVER suffered from these frequently in any other time in my life.

-Strange heart beats - heart skipped a beat often.

-Anxiety, to the point of dysfunction.

-Back aches, kidney infections.

-Bladder infections.

-Depression - for instance, lying in bed for hours after my alarm went off, not wanting to get up.

-NO sex drive. NONE.

TAKE THIS DRUG OFF THE MARKET.

I'm a 20 year old healthy girl. I started taking Yasmin 10 months ago. I thought it was the best thing that happened to me, no weight gain, no headaches or and no depression. I felt perfectly fine except NO SEX DRIVE. I didn't really understand why I was feeling this way. I started believing that I was not happy with myself and not confident enough with my body any more.I started taking it just before I got married and its beginning to ruin it. I need to find another BC solution. I don't know what to do any more. By the way, thanks for everyone's comments, when I began to read them I understood what was happening to me. TC

I never thought I would ever be posting my experience with BC but I think this could be useful to other women worldwide. I have been using Yasmin now for a year and a half and I agree with everyone here at the beginning I felt great, beautiful skin, controlled short term periods, stable weight. My body changed in all the right places. My breast turned a cup larger (I was a 34B) my buttocks got larger and rounder. My boyfriend was enjoying the changes as much as I was!! I thought this was the perfect pill for me and I actually recommend it to all my friends. Things started changing for me about three months ago. I started to feel tired, I use to work out 5 times a week now I can't even work out one. My eyesight started to change, I started getting cramps in my legs at night, my legs started feeling heavy as if I was losing circulation, fast heartbeat, and the occasional migraine to top it all of. Then I found the commercial about the lawsuit on TV and I panicked!! I googled the lawsuit and I found this websi

te and after reading everything here I went straight to my Dr. this afternoon with all my side effects. I am 39 now 18 on diferent types of BC and up until now I have been a very healthy and active person. When I read everything here I was decided to get off thie pill inmediately. But here goes what my Dr. said: (I trust his opinons because he is a friend and has been my obgyn for the last 15 years) " first Yasmin is the best hormone BC on the market, very women has different side effects and giving me another pill wouldn't solve my problem. I could actually get worse. He gave my the option of going of the pills but asked me if I was ready for all the changes that would bring. Weight gain, acne, anxiety, depression etc. Another option he suggested I try was taking an antioxidant complex, omega 3, and lecithin. All natural supplements which he firmly believes will make me feel much better, help my circulation, and minimize the side effects. I will start this treatment tomorrow and stay on the Yazmin for at least another month. PS. My health is in perfect conditions after blood tests and sonograms. thank God!! I will keep everyone posted on my progress. And I hope this is useful to all you ladies. God bless!

Reading these is both disturbing and a relief. I was put on YASMIN by my GYN after blood work confirmed my estrogen was low- I was 42 at the time and the GYN felt I needed the pill to boost my energy and she said it would "even out" mood swings. I stayed on the pill for 3 years.

I attributed my fatigue to being "perimenaupasal" meanwhile I stopped the pill 3 weeks ago and my fatigue has lifted, my aches and pains are gone. When I would try to research these symptoms I would come up with Lupus or some chronic fatigue issue, but I realize now it was this pill making me fatigued, moody, and thirsty!!

I have had blood work done to rule out any other type of illness or issue and realize so many other women are struggling with these symptoms, the pill that is supposed to make life better is making people sick.

I have been on Yasmin now for around 7-8 months and am shocked at the responses that I have heard. Now that I have read into this I have had similar experiences with this pill - I have been on countless contraceptive pills since 15years and am now 25yrs and heard this was one of the best pills advised by my GP but one of the more expensive ones so were reluctant to put me on it!- previous problems, migraines, high blood pressure, weight gain and extreme IBS and spots but this pill apparently would cure this!

I have always had problems with being on the pill as they make my period pains worsen, cramps, extreme IBS however when I am off the pill I don't experience these symptoms - Does anyone experience the same?????

Have been to doctors several times with pains in my abdomen,chest and had to go to hospital to get this checked several times and got scans all normal no problems - i wonder if this pill has anything to do with this?????

Since being on Yasmin have noticed changes such as depression and feelings of extreme loneliness, feeling not so great in myself even thou my fiance tells me every day am gorjus, mood swings, wanting to burst out crying, headaches, extreme tiredness all day every day, and most recently extreme weight gain to my stomach is this normal am healthy eating and started exercising more to help but seems to be getting worse?????

It's really getting me down and am in the middle of planning my wedding and find myself not being excited or getting annoyed but it should be the happiest times planning my wedding. Advice..........????

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

I took Yasmin for years and was perfectly normal and totally functional. The pharmacy automatically switched me to Ocella last fall. I was ok up until around this past March. I have experienced extreme heart palpitations, horrible panic attacks and my very favorite has been the excruciating back and abdominal muscle pain (I'm on a heating pad every night for 4 hours). I feel like death. Have been to every doctor and have had every test done (cardiologist, family, obgyn, etc.) - I'm just plain crazy according to them!!! I'm 39, have 2 kids and a husband, teach school full time and I'm convinced I won't live to see 45. I have been starting to see commercials about lawsuits against Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella. I think the pill I took this morning is the last Ocella I'm ever going to swallow. Has anyone else experienced any of these symptoms?

I've been on Yasmin for years now, but recently switched to the generic Ocella. I'm trying to figure out if Yasmin or Ocella is causing my depression. I'm 25 and just recently my depression has been horrible. I've been on Lexapro for years to help with Anxiety/Depression, but never had problems like this before. My psychiatrist just switched me to Prozac. I've been on it 4 weeks and it's not doing anything. The reason I think my depression might be linked to the Yasmin is because the 2 weeks before I get my period I'm insanely depressed, borderline suicidal. Then, the day I get my period, I'm ok. Anyone else have this weird problem?

OMG!!!! I've suffered all these side effects and just didn't realize it was this damned pill. I even visited by OBGYN about the lack of lubrication and pain during intercourse and we have not been able to come up with an explanation until now. Even my eyes were affected and my optometrists could not explain the vast changes. lets not even talk about the depression, i made some one else's life a total misery with my emotional swings . OMG!!!!!!! I
ve been off it for a few months and i actually started having feelings again and my emotions have been so much more stable.........I'm forwarding this site to all my gfs ................

I've been on Yasmin for the past 2 years and the first 6-8 months were like hell for me. I've experienced hair loss, depression, lack of motivation, terrible migraines which wouldn't go away with one dose of paracetamol. All these symptoms have abated by time but the symptom which is constant is: lack of libido, I feel that I've been robbed and don't know when and if I'll ever get it back!

It's been such an eye opener for me to read all these posts about Yasmin. I'm 28 and have been on and off various birth control pills since I was 18.
My doctor switched me to Yasmin about 4 years ago because the pill I was on previously gave me bad headaches. Reading all the posts about mood swings and even depression I realize that Yasmin has been most likely to blame for my unexplained feelings or irritability, unexplainable anxiety and bursting into tears at times foe little reason. There have been other factors in my life which would make me prone to depression over the past 2 years, but I think whenever I go back on Yasmin (mainly for my skin and pms) I deal with things allot less rationally and my moods swing a lot more. I've just come off it so and am going to try Yaz, which I've read equally mixed reviews about but fingers x'd.

I was put on Yasmin several years ago to control symptoms caused by ovarian cysts. I was told this was pretty much the only solution. Against my better judgment, I went on it. Things were ok for a few months but I started having mild side effects. I didn't feel like myself and my sex drive was definitely gone. Two years ago I had my thyroid levels checked and found out my TSH level was very high. After doing some research, I found that birth control can affect thyroid levels. I contacted my general doctor and he confirmed my findings. I took Synthroid to control my thyroid for two weeks and had to get off of it. I was like a zombie. I called my general doctor back and asked about stopping everything. He said to contact my ob/gyn and if she ok'd it, then it was fine by him. They agreed but also said there is no connection with the pill and thyroid. Red flag #1. After being off of the pill, my sex drive has not returned. It has been two years now. I asked my ob/gyn to do a hormone profile and they said I was too young to be having any problems like that. Red flag #2. I was tired all the time and had no energy at all. My general doctor gave me pills for depression (which the main side effect is extreme drowsiness). I was so disgusted at this point, I went to a Homeopathic doctor. I was told I had adrenal fatigue (which can be caused by the pill). I have been on a course of natural supplements for a few months and have felt better than I have in a long time. However, the sex drive is still gone and due to the pill, may never return. This has been a horrible strain on my relationship. It's upsetting when you know you should be feeling a certain way and you just don't. I have given up on traditional medicine and the idea of pills being given out without knowing long-term side effects and causing even greater problems. Ladies, if you are experiencing problems on or off the pill, see your doctor. If they offer no help, find another doctor! Also, after looking up Yasmin in a pharmaceutical book, it is listed as one of the WORST pills and listed under definite do not take. Use this pill at your own risk.

i HAVE BEEN ON THIS PILL FOR 3 WEEKS TODAY I HAVE GAINED 3LBS BUT ITS REALLY ONLY BLOATING, I AM TIRED ALL THE TIME AND HAVE BEEN SPOTTING FOR TWO-WEEKS STRAIGHT BUT MY CYCLE IS USUALLY 8-10 DAYS THIS IS WHY I BEGAN THE PILL TO STOP THE HEAVY CYCLES AND MOOD SWINGS. I AM CURRENTLY ON EFFEXOR SO DEPRESSION IS THERE AND I HAVE BEEN USING PROACTIVE SINCE IT HIT THE MARKET BUT THE ACNE IS BREAKING TO NEW HEIGHTS I AM GOING TO STICK THIS OUT TO SEE IF IT WILL GET BETTER FOR ME CAUSE MY IRON WAS SO LOW THEIR WANTED TO DO A TRANSFUSION DUE TO THE HEAVY BLEEDING AND CLOTTING LIKE I JUST HAD A BABY. BUT I WILL KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED IF THINGS GET WORSE OR BETTER. tHE ONLY THING I WILL SAY IS THE STOMACH PAIN IS TERRIBLE BUT ITS NOT CRAMPS IT JUST ACHES, AND THE NAUSEA IS GETTING TO ME A LITTLE BUT IT BEATS THE HEAVY PERIODS, PERIOD.

I have been taking Yasmin for 1 week. Before taking Yasmin, my stress levels were normal, no anxiety, energy was normal, etc. Within days I began noticing a change in my breathing patterns. I felt as if I could not get enough air. I would continue to yawn in order to get a 'good breath'. I felt like I was taking more short breaths. There seemed to be a constant pressure on my chest. Let me stress, A PRESSURE, not pain. This seemed to occur at all times of the day regardless of whether I was moving, resting, etc. I went back to my OB/GYN only to be told that 'It was anxiety, and I worked myself up. It must be my school, etc." This was so frustrating. I was a little apprehensive about the pill but I know I did not create such extreme anxiety symptoms overnight. In my experience hyperventilation from anxiety builds over time. That is not the cause for me. Please remember your doctor doesn't know your body like you do. Most often they dismiss 'side effects' and say 'It couldn't possibly be the medicine'. I've read more stories of girls complaining of a similar symptom and the doctor telling them... you're having anxiety and they end up on more medication. That's awful. I have found numerous articles on SYNTHETIC PROGESTINS which is what is in Yasmin causing increased breathing of Hyperventilation. I know Yasmin is the cause of this. My doctor was wrong. Now the question is, continue it... or not? It's extremely uncomfortable..so I'm unsure. I wanted to post this so other girls experiencing this side effect would know that it IS the YASMIN!!

I have been on Yasmin for 2 years and i was recently diagnosed with an eye disease called keratoconus which is loss of vision and cornea problems and Yasmin might have been the cause of it. I also have had excessive weight gain that i can get rid of, depression, sleeping problems, and hair loss. I am concerned because i do not know if it is healthy to just stop taking birth control but i don't want to do more harm to my body.

Hi, I have been on Yasmin for almost a year now. And only in the last three months have I started experiencing side effects.
I thought I was silently going out of my mind, I have cramps in my abdomen, dizziness, constant headaches, mood swings from hell, nausea, a runny tummy, tiredness, hot flushes, intense cold,and Strain Injury of the right wrist, back ache and shoulder ache,depression, and just a general ill feeling.. I cant complain of acne as yet. Reading what others have gone through have opened my eyes. This pill is evil. What i don't understand is how can doctors prescribe this if they are aware of the side effects and what it does to us. I am stopping it immediately I only hope the withdrawal process is not as bad as what I fear I am going to go through.

I had been on Yasmin for about seven years. I decided to get on the pill because I used to experience HORRIBLE menstrual cramps and pretty bad acne. For seven years, I thought that Yasmin was the BEST thing that ever happened to me. My cramps went away, my acne cleared up and my hair seemed healthier than ever.

In January, I decided to give my body a break and get off of the pill. I figured that seven years was a long time to be dependent on a drug. Since I have gotten off, I have had a RIDICULOUS amount of hair loss, terrible mood swings, hints of depression, wacky appetites, increased acne and my menstrual cramps are getting worse with each cycle. I have been off of the pill for 5 months now and I am wondering how long it takes before the drug is completely out of my system. Can anyone help?

I thought that all the problems I've had the last 3 months that I've been on Yaz were unrelated....I thought between stress, IBS, my job as a teacher, and being a single mother, that all my problems are just stress. I've been on the pill for three months. I am taking the pill to help with adult acne and mood swings. I really think that it has helped both of those things. However, the last month I have noticed some symptoms and I think that maybe I can tie them all to yaz???? Here's the list:
Headaches
Weight gain
Muscle cramps
Extreme GI problems (worse than my normal IBS)
Blanking out (short time frames where I do weird things and I don't remember them). Is this a symptom? I haven't read about this one. I'm scared to death I have some mental disease or something! Anyone else have this problem? I am so scared that I've lost my mind and have gone crazy.
Night mares
Anxiety
Panic attacks (I think)
Abnormal heart beat

I had a lot of the negative side effects listed above by others including depression, fatigue, trouble concentrating, aching body, restless nights, irritability, my arms and legs falling asleep and so on. Then I found out that i had a vitamin b deficiency - a lot of these symptoms are also symptoms of vitamin b deficiency. Yaz along with other oral contraceptives interferes with the bodies ability to absorb vitamin B. Taking vitamin B supplements a few times a day has helped me. They are water soluble so you do not have to worry about overdosing- if you take more than your body needs you will just pee out whatever is extra.

I was just wondering if any one else has expierecned the side effects I have. I'm not sure if they're from the pill or not so I'm wondering if anyone can relate. Now first I do get bad headaches and I know those are from this pill. My eye sight got slightly worse and I can't wear contacts well which again, are side effects from the pill. However, my "new" side effects are nausea, balance issues, I feel like my body swells when I get too hot (no I'm not pregnant), I also just feel so lethargic and tired all the time. I have no motivation to do anything, especially when it comes to being active. I'm not depressed but I'm getting there because of the laziness. I do have a few mood swings before my period but not often and I usually know they're mood swings and I'm being ridiculous. OH! Also I get this weird rash on my body, it's like a bunch of red blotchy spots when the sun is on me too long or when I get too hot. Does any of this happen to anyone else?

First of all, I want to say that I'm sorry for all of you having physical discomfort in your lives right now. I feel for anyone who is experiencing such problems.
With that said, I have been on YASMIN (not YAZ - those are two different things people!!!!) for 8 years and have NEVER experienced any problems despite experiencing problems on other pills. Pardon me being frank... If you are one of the women who BARELY started this pill in the last 3-6 months, you may have not given it enough time. You must remember that by taking any medication you are changing the chemical balance of your body and it will take time and adjustments. Bottom line, you need to carefully monitor your problems and discuss them with your ob/gyn and possibly general physician. You may just need to try other pills. This is TRIAL and ERROR, there is NO way for a doctor to be able to know how each person's body will react to any particular drug. Be open and pay attention. If you search about any birth control pills, you can find there are side effects for all of them. Second of all, some of you may have these existing problems, but never noted them until you started taking the pill, or as I said before, you have not allowed time for your body to adjust. For example, when you have a headache or indigestion, you take medication and it takes time for your body to adjust to the meds. Please ladies - don't bad mouth or assume, without first allowing for the already published side effects to come - and most likely, pass. And if they don't - talk to your doctor!!! Seriously!!! The makers even say to talk to you doctors if any of the published side effects happen. I do apologize for being harsh, but I must insist on being practical and reading the material provided. I do hope that each of you stay in good health and have no lasting problems.

I took Yaz for a couple months and was fine during that; however, about a month ago my doctor switched me to Yasmin(I have been on BC for years however, the ortho brand). I've been in the most pain in the past month than I ever have and I'm usually pretty good with pain and just try to take advil or something... but the symptoms have only gotten worse. I finally decided to google my symptoms and I found a lot of people on Yasmin had very similar symptoms. I have the worst anxiety like there's a lump in my throat and sometimes I'm literally grasping for air and I always try to drink a lot of water or cough or eat or burp to make it go away but it doesn't until I wake up the next day (sometimes). Also, I have never ever experience migraines in my life, but the past month I have the worst headaches imaginable. It happens at least 4 times a week; at first I thought they were caffeine headaches because it would sometimes help, but the past 3 days my headache has pretty much been constant (usually located near my temples/eyes). I take probably 8 Ibuprofin a day and drink an excessive amount of caffeine hoping it will make it go away, but it doesn't. Along with these problems I've been feeling lightheaded more often and usually have to sit down immediately or else I feel like I'm going to faint. The biggest/scariest symptom is my heartbeat and chest pain. Heart disease is extremely dominant on my moms side and almost all of her siblings have already had at least one heart attack. Lately my chest will hurt extremely bad, then I feel like my heart rate is just freaking out; I can feel my heartbeat from anywhere on my body and it's very intense. And then because of all of this going on, I always start to freak out and realize i'm getting extremely anxious so I try to make myself take deep breaths but nothings works. The past 4 nights I've been up til like 4 a.m. because my heart rate is so high and my chest hurts so bad in every position I try to lay in that I'm constantly moving. I never thought about going to the doctor because I thought it would get better but now I'm starting to think I should... I'm just wondering if anyone else has/had any of these problems from this medicine and if you've done anything to get rid of them.

(a couple other minor symptoms I've noticed recently are: joint pain and rapid memory loss (I'll be in the middle of a sentence and completely forget what I was talking about and blank out))

Hi My name is Daniela, and I just checked my spam box and saw an e-mail about Yasmin dangerous side effects, I guess it is organized by lawyers that wants you to sign up for a law suit..anyway, that made me really think about it ,and I googled to read more about the Yaz birth control. I have been taking Yaz for 16 months, I just stopped taking the drug , because I had to go to the doctor again to prescribe me some more, but since I don't have health insurance anymore I have postponed the visit. It has been two weeks since I stopped the Yaz an for the last 4 days I have had chest pains all around the breast area, my chest and back will hurt at the same time, I got scared thinking I can get a heart atack, or else. I am 32 years old, and It is very scary to me at that early age to have problems like these. But by reading your complains I am realizing the pain is from these pills. The first 4 months I have been taking Yaz, then I switch to Ocella (generic of Yaz) because it is much cheaper.And thinking back then, I started taking Yaz Oct 2007,, In Jan 2008 I went to see my doctor for depression, I got very angry, explode about stuff,and being depressed, and now I am putting all the pieces together, and I can really see all the similar thing that other women has t experienced during the time they took that medicine. Wow, I am glad that I stopped Ocella.And I will go to my doctor for a full exam.
My dad was telling me how a doctor told my brother that his liver look very bad, the doctor thought he is an alcoholic, but he is not, he just takes a lot of pills about anything to get rid of pain, cold, or else. And that info also made me think about myself. And how I should try to avoid pills to take care of minor headache or pain.
Thanks to all the women for sharing their experience, it has really helped me put the pieces together and help myself, by thinking, not by taking pills.THANK YOU

Ive been on Yasmin for about a month and my mood swings and irritability freaks me out. depression is def. a side effect. Lately ive been feeling extremely unattractive when ive never had confidence issues. Haven't really cried much but have been about to. Hair loss, maybe, ive always suffered from hair loss but he fact that this pill supposively enables hair loss is not a good thing. Im 21 years old and am very scared that im forcing my body to mature too early...?

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

I am so happy to have found this website! I have been taking Yasmin for almost 2 weeks and I am currently waiting for my MD to call to schedule me for an appointment, TODAY!

The first week on Yasmin I experienced slight piercing pain in my chest, but it went away after a day. I did not have any other problems. When week 2 started, I have been experiencing emotional and behavioral changes. I am experiencing depression, lack of motivation, loss of appetite, and fatigue, but I have been having problems sleeping. I am not taking any other medications and my diet and lifestyle have not changed.

These drastic changes in such a short time has me too worried. It seems that I can not function at all.

I have been on Yasmin for 4 years and have suffered with constipation, poor libido, headaches, exhaustion, depression... I just got onto this website today wondering about side effects as I have lost all hope. The past four years I blamed my symptoms on a major snowboarding accident that happened around the time I began taking Yasmin, which 4 years later I am beginning to question? I am 26 and I feel like my husband got screwed as I was normal before we got married and since the Yasmin, everything has changed. I have to take glycerin laxatives once or twice a day; if I don't take them I have a fever between 99-100 degrees daily. I tried miralax (the whole bottle), natural laxatives, fiber, zelnorm and nothing happens. The zelnorm seems to help the bloating and gas more than anything but doesn't help the constipation. I went to the gastro and got a CAT scan. The doc said I am chronically constipated and if I don't continue taking laxatives I could end up in the hospital getting surgery!!! I am a joyful person and enjoy life but just 4 months ago I couldn't deal anymore and went to the doctor because I would sleep 8 hours at night, go to work, come home and sleep 3 hours, have dinner with my husband, and go to bed again. He put me on protac but I wonder if this is all related to Yasmin!? Any insight?

I have been on yasmin for 11days. My doctor switched me form yaz to yasmin because of breakthrough bleeding. I have experienced depression, crying for no reason, feeling really bloated and fat and lethargic. Very fatigued. And my sex drive has decreased.
My doctor is going to change me to loestrin to see if that works better.

My now 17 year old daughter was prescribed Yaz back on 7/12/07. Since then she has had an extreme problem with constipation. She has been to the doctors several times, and is now seeing a gastrointestinal specialist because she can only have a bowel movement if she takes a laxative. The pediatric doctor had her on miralax from April to October trying to get this problem under control. It has not worked. We are seeing the specialist and they are running her through a battery of tests, which will now possible include a colonoscopy (at 17 !!!!). She has been extremely moody and aggravated - which I attributed to her age of course. She is no longer extremely athletic, she doesn't really do a lot. She is not the same person, definitely is a homebody now - never going out hardly with friends,etc. She has also had a 20 pound weight gain and for a tiny girl, this has had a huge effect on her. I have watched all of this, and never really thought about the yaz connection until today when a friend sent me this email with a link to this site:
******

that is when I got scared thinking maybe her problems were all caused by yaz. of course her acne cleared up, but her periods are still irregular and spotty. has anyone else experienced the bowel problems???

I have been on Yasmin for about 5 years. I have never had an issue. I am worried that everyone on this site is making Yasmin look bad. You all need to remember that not everything will work for every person, everyones hormones are different to begin with so when you add the pill to these different levels of hormones you will get different side effects. To the people with low sex drive, did you perhaps think that this could be due to depression or the aging process? Many women suffer from low sex drive, those on and off the pill. Your sex drive will not be consistent throughout life, mine dropped in my early 20s and now is rising again, it may drop again, it can also be due to stress. All that said if you're suffering side effects that you think are attributed to Yasmin, or any other pill, stop taking it! Not everyone's body will handle it.

I was prescribed YASMIN about 2 weeks ago now after seeing my GP about low sex drive and depression. It was a shock to me that the doctor decided to change my pill to Yasmin. I was advised to finish my old pack of pills and not take the week break and to just move straight onto the Yasmin. Obviously I followed these instructions thinking things would improve but to my surprise things are still the same if not worse. The very first day I started my first Yasmin pill I suffered from hot flushes and felt sweaty for no reason. I am not a hot person. I also noticed that all I do is yawn all day long which is really weird. My period has not yet stopped since a week and half ago. After asking my sister what her experience was like on Yasmin she said it gave her bad spots and her friend that took it before suffered from severe side affects and did not get on with it at all. Just like to say this has done nothing for my sex drive, if anything its pursponed it even longer! I thought I'd look the side affects up for myself and have read enough to make me think about having the injection. Can't be bothered with pills anymore......at least you don't have to worry about periods with the injection!

Hi all i have been taking Yasmin for about 3 years now and am so glad i have now discovered this site. Initially Yasmin worked well for me but in the last 2 years or so i suffered the anxiety, panic attacks and depression(which i was then given Zoloft to treat) and decreasing eyesight and weight gain, diarrhea, bloating i never thought it could be related to Yasmin! i have tried to come off it but experienced the most terribly painful periods. i recently went to a naturopath and was given herb tablets(vitex agnus-catus)
to stabilize my hormones whilst coming off the pill. I urge other women to really think about the side effects before taking YASMIN and ask questions if you have any of these symptoms.i hope i get back to normality once ive stopped this pill and hope everyone else does too!

im 17 and started Yasmin when i was 14 maybe 15, it made me so sick, id start throwing up about 8 hours after taking the pill, and that would last for about 5 hours, (like having mild food poisoning). I got heart palpitations every minute or so for days on end, and unbearable depression. I was the happiest person until i started taking this pill, and its so bad that i couldn't enjoy my life properly. Now im tiny, like really really thin mums worried i have anorexia, and although my life is perfect (great friend, good grades, nice boyfriend), I cant enjoy any of it properly. I went off it about four months ago and my happiness returns now and then like it used to be three years ago, but my mind feels so fuzzy and sort of disorientated, and i cant seem to convince myself of things properly. I was wondering if these things get better and better or am i stuck like this???
plz help xxx

Hello Ladies,

I first posted my story in 2005, but check in now and then to remind other poor sufferers.

The first year or so on Yasmin was free of any noticeable side effects then out of no where my whole life changed, I had vertigo, became severely depressed, very anxious, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts...NONE of these symptoms had I ever experienced before in my life...I was always the 'glass half full' girl.

No one knew what was wrong with me, and my family were desperate. One day I found this website and it saved my life. I realized that it was Yasmin that was destroying me. I immediately stopped it (although now am told that finishing the pack would have been optimal)...my depression and panic attacks stopped within days. It was like a dark cloud lifted. Let me be honest though, it was a long road to feel 100%...the first few months my anxiety seemed to get worse before it got better, according to my cycle. The light at the end of the tunnel is that YOU DO GET BETTER. I have been there when you wonder if the 'old you' will ever return....you do.

I recommend you eat a healthy diet, eliminate caffeine and white sugar, and get all your hormone levels checked...including your thyroid and adrenals. This pill is poison and depletes your body of all the necessary vitamins and nutrients, and completely destabilizes your hormonal balances.

Each month you will be closer to complete healing. I stress that everyone is different and you may not take as long as me to recover, but take heart if it is taking longer than you expected.

This is a temporary state of mind. It is not the real you.

Take care xx

I was on Yasmin for almost a year, and then on Yaz, and I've never felt so crazy in my life. The mood swings were so bad that it was like I was bipolar and became a different person. Worst part is that I couldn't realize it until I was out of the "bout" of anger, depression, and even paranoia. I have had emotional side effects with birth control before, and these were some of the worst. I just really wish there was a non-chemical birth control that didn't involve plastic, latex, or stingy spermicides! I know many women who cannot take hormonal birth controls, and we all complain that our sex life is not as good, and even causes big problems for some. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I didn't even think to attribute my loss of sex drive, depression/feeling of helplessness & mood swings to Yasmin but everything I've been reading here are issues I have been dealing with the past 7 months that I did not have before taking Yasmin. I am & was not ever on any other kind of medication.

My symptoms are

Massive hair loss by the roots, which started about 2 years after going OFF the pill and hasn't stopped. Some hair still hasn't grown back yet.
Bloating with water retention (this is where the bigger boobs come into it).
Leg Cramps
Pins & Needles in legs and toes
Cold/numb spots on one leg
Can go without sex for long periods

However, the benefits are:
clear skin, no mood swings. No depression.

Hi to all Yasmin victims. I have been off Yasmin for 2 months now and still experiencing anxiety in the mornings and depression. Silke, flower babies, whoever is there to help me believe this suffering will come to an end. I lost the joy in life, and cannot function as i used to. Please please write to me girls, i really need support. I am 26 and living on my own in another city. I had to move next to them for 1.5 months in order to survive. I lost so much weight, my thyroid started to work fast (it is under control now). I have a beautiful and loving boyfriend, and he is suffering with me too, our relationship is damaged a lot because of my severely depressed mood. I need to talk to people who are getting better. I am on antidepressants because I was soooo depressed and with no appetite. I feel much better compared to the previous month, I am trying my best to stay strong but sometimes loose my hope. I really need you guys, I really need your supporting words.

I am so happy I read this site today. I started Yasmin about 6 months ago and heard from the doctors nothing except good things. I was on tricylcen 2 years prior but wanted to try something new because I found that I gain weight while i was on tricyclen so the doctor suggested Yasmin. It wasn't until I read this site that everything I am experiencing was due to Yasmin.

Probably the biggest side effect was the loss of my sex drive and depression. My sex drive was always high and then within 3 months it was completely gone and it really scared me that is was gone for good and I am only 26. I am so happy to know that this could be the reason because this was starting to put a real strain on my relationship with my boyfriend

I didn't know about it giving you larger boobs, but it makes sense now since I can't fit my bras anymore.

Does anyone has any suggestions of what to do next. Obviously I am going off it once I am done this month, but what pill would you suggest I take?

hi everyone, i hope youre all ok
i made the decision to come off Yasmin last Sunday as it was making me so unwell, and so depressed
but i haven't really felt that much better; i still feel constantly nauseous and my period that started when i was on Yasmin seems to never be ending
i also feel extremely depressed and not myself at all
does anyone know how much longer it will last? im guessing its just the hormones trying to get back to normal?

I started taking Yaz about a year and a half ago. I'm no longer continuing this pill after this month's pack is finished. I have to say that at first, it was a really great pill. The first month was hell. I bled for a month straight, and I was so irritable, and emotional, and my bf would talk about silly shit, like beached whales and I would start bawling. I spent four months living overseas after starting the pill so I didn't notice the loss of sex drive and sensitivity at first. But when I came back I started to notice all the little things that were becoming huge issues. My sex drive is more or less gone. I actually fell asleep last night while my boyfriend was trying to get me aroused. That's awful. I always feel tired lately. I get a lot of headaches. I read that this pill increase your potassium, and my mother's told me she has a lot of potassium so when she eats bananas she gets splitting headaches, and I'm the same way, so I'm starting to realize where all these headaches are coming from. Sometimes they are so bad that Advil does nothing at all and I end up having to rub between my thumb and forefinger while trying to fell asleep to make the pain stop. I've become extremely moody. My moods change so often now. I'm irritable. I am coming off of two really tough years of my life, and things are really great for me right now, and I don't feel great. I never want to have sex. Foreplay doesn't feel as good as it used to. I don't get aroused quickly, and I have a lot of trouble climaxing. I smoke weed and was smoking mixed spliffs with my bf for some time not even thinking about it, and the reaction the tobacco had with the pill was horrible. I'm certain that if I didn't stop I would have ended up in the ER. I would experience fainting spells, momentary blindness!!, I'd go really pale after getting very hot. I nearly passed out on at least four occasions before discovering the link. After I stopped, I felt much better. But now I can feel all the emotional side effects. I've also been sleepless for a long time, and I think that has to do with the pill, too. Lately I've been getting very nauseated if I eat shortly after taking the pill. And it doesn't matter what I eat. I'm constantly burping like I have a nervous stomach, but I've been calming my mind lately so there's really no reason for it. I've got a lot going on with life and whatnot, but I'm usually able to handle a lot of pressure and stress without breaking down, and this pill has made me almost incapable to dealing with the slightest bit of stress. It's horrible. And I don't want any part in it, or in the pharmaceutical business. I'm going to try tracking my own ovulation. At least I won't have some crazy hormones messing up my system.

Oh. I also had a fibroadenoma (breast cyst) this summer that I had to have a biopsy on (which was really fun, let me tell you...), and I can't say that the pill caused it, but I've never had cysts in my breasts before... The pill did inflate them an extra cup size, and during the third week of pills they are so tender I can't even let my boyfriend touch them or hug me tightly because they hurt so badly. And I live in NYC and there are a lot of stairs to bounce down and it's painful.

I see all the same symptoms with everyone who takes this pill and has a bad experience, and I've decided that it's not for me. The man can wear a condom for a while, while I try to regain my normal self again.

So far I haven't seen anything in regards to my symptoms with Yasmin.

After going the past two years and having only two periods, I was diagnosed with PCOS. My Gyno told me that the only way I would be able to have a period, and delay the harmful side effects of this disorder would be to go on Yasmin. I agree that my mood swings the 1st month were terrible. I almost punched my own mother in the face because I didn't like one of her jokes. That's not me. But that is something common with BC. They are hormones your body takes in to regulate your cycle. And because my body doesn't' regularly produce the hormones needed for menses, I expected mood swings. The catastrophic depression and PMS were the main reasons I stopped taking the pill years ago.

My problem is a bit different. I haven't gained weight. As a matter of fact, I think I've lost a bit. My problem is my skin. Before the pill, I had flawless skin. It was always really sensitive, but because I was cognizant of this fact, I took every preventative measure to ensure its healthy appearance. But now my skin in a mess. I have a rash spreading all over my body. My eyelids have a hard crushed rash of skin folding over, and my under-eyes are the same way. All across my face, I now have raised red patches of skin that burn, and the only change I've made to my daily care regimen is popping that little pill every night. The rash is now spreading to my shoulders and a bit on my legs.

Has anyone else developed skin problems, or could this all just be coincidental in my case?

I

1. Blood Pressure 180/120 resulting in an emergency room trip
2. Weight gain of 25 POUNDS! Most/all of which was water and came off within the first week of being off from Yasmin.
3. Bloating and extreme water retention. See # 2.
4. Severe leg muscle cramping and foot pain
5. A mental feeling of not caring and general fogginess
6. Complete loss of libido
7. Acid reflux (probably from the diuretic in Yasmin)
8. General weakness in my muscles (there were times that I could barely open a revolving door).

I was on Yasmin for a year. I have been off for one month. I am still on blood pressure meds, but they don't think the Yasmin is out of my system. Has anyone else gotten hypertension from Yasmin and if so, how long did you have to be on blood pressure meds?

Some of my symptoms are getting better after a month, and some are not. If anyone is reading this to decide whether or not to take Yasmin, please don't. You may not have any symptoms right away and you may think you feel great, but that is the scariest part. When symptoms come on gradually, you hardly notice them until you are in the hospital emergency room.

After reading these reviews i feel so relieved!!!
I have finally found what has been destroying my life these past few months.
Yasmin is surely the cause for my uncontrollable emotional outbursts, anxiety, depression, phases of feeling happy one minute & then dramatically sad and low the next, having a very very short temper- especially with my boyfriend and with relationship issues.. crying almost everyday , sometimes for no proper reason!!
all these symptoms contributing to my lack of interest in many things i used to love, for example exercising, socializing.. etc..
YASMIN has ruined my year!!!
I'm going off it tomorrow once and for all!!!

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.