Yasmin and doctors

Hi guys. I am so glad I found this site. I am 29 and I have been on Yasmin for four years. In the last few months I have toned up and shed a few pounds and all of a sudden last week I got home and felt a tightening in my legs that I had never felt before. Then a tingling in my left arm and I had trouble swallowing and breathing. I am a very healthy person so I freaked out and went to the ER for the first time in my life. After the blood work, EKG, MRI and stress test they told me I was normal, except for low potassium levels and mentioned that I should go to a neurologist. I also thought I must be allergic to something but all the foods I had been eating were the same as before. Well it happened again tonight so I went online because there was no way I was going to spend more money in the ER to have them tell me it was nothing. After reading all the comments on this page I realized it is amazing how many other symptoms that I didn't realize also correlated to the pill. My hair has been falling out at the root like never before and I just recently developed troubles with eating tomato based foods. I haven't been sleeping good lately either and I started crying uncontrollably for no reason. Well I am throwing away my Yasmin and I can't believe that the doctors in the ER aren't mentioning the side effects of this birth control.

I am a new poster & am excited to be a part of this discussion !! I feel to close to this discussion because I have been experiencing the same issues.
I too have been having major chest pain issues for almost 2 months now. I started Yasmin (much to my dismay!) about 6 months ago. I haven't taken any b.c. since I was about 19, I am now 30, I started because my periods were absolutely unbearable anymore, intense cramping, heavy flow & in incapable of work/activity for the first 2 days. My doctor always pushed b.c. on me for the pain relief. Finally I agreed. I started in February, 2008.
Almost 2 months ago (7 months into Yasmin) I was getting a bit of chest pain along the ribs/inside of the side of the breast, mainly the right & sometimes on the left. I wasn't too worried as I am a healthy eating, yoga/work-out doing, average weight, no health issues what-so-ever except for my intense period kinda gal. About a month went by with increasing chest pain & I went to the hospital (up north at my moms when I was visiting, only an hour wait to get in as apposed to the 6 here back home!). My fear was heart problems. They did blood work & (I am not sure what this is called!) they hooked me up with tons of little stickies & monitored my heart. - I mentioned to the doctor I was taking b.c. & he said it wasn't an issue, they usually pose blood clot risk....not my issue here.
They said everything was normal & because of the sensitivity of the chest pain (it is sore to the touch!) he said it was costochondiritis, the inflammation of the chest wall. So I thought that was it, I would just take the Advil the suggested 3 times a day for inflammation & it would go away. I did this for 2 weeks & nothing changed.
I was getting some shooting pains in my chest & went back to my doctor, explained my visit up north & what they concluded it was. She said that the costochondiritis has made me sensitive to acidic foods, prescribed me with previcid for a week. That didn't make any difference at all.
Here I am another month later & my chest pain feels worse, my chest still feels tender to the touch, I am short of breath going up the stairs, heart racing/palpitations, gas (burping & passing gas), some upper back ache, I am feeling helpless & beat down !!
By now I'm sure there is a bit of anxiety mixed in there, I have been so sad, scared & worried!
I went back to my doctor & she sent me for an upper G.I. to rule out acid reflux & it came back normal. I also did some blood work again (which have since came back normal) & am waiting for the results. She said she doesn't think it's costochondiritis now. I am scheduled for an abdominal ultrasound & with a cardiologist (I go tomorrow) for an EKG for my heart.
Last night my hubby & I were talking, my co-worker was really upset to hear I've still been taking the pill, she thinks it's poison. I told my guy that & we got out the information booklet from my Yasmin & there were ALL of my symptoms, there was a list of 12 & I had 8 of them !!! No vision or numbness problems but all of the chest pain/breathing issues.
I took my last pill 2 days ago (it was my last before my period) & I have no plans to start again. I am going to follow through with the scheduled appt.'s just in case but my hubby & I have our money on the pill being the cause for all of this.
1 thing that gets me is when I went to my doctors with this issue in the beginning, not once did she bring up the pill or say to stop the pill. In the booklet under all of the symptoms I've been having it says to immediately stop taking the pill. ;(
After taking my last pill I felt a bit better (it's only been a week/my menstruating week), the sharp pain on the inside/side of my breast/chest has not been as sensitive to the touch. I still have had palpitations (minor, not lasting long - to lasting up to 4 hours until I just go sleep to try to get rid of it) & sparse shooting/dull/aching pain in my chest/armpit.
YASMIN SHOULD BE BANNED !!

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.

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?

Ive been on Yasmin for 3 months by which time it shouldve already absorbed in my system. Im 17 and the other day after 3 months of feeling ok but being diagnosed with mild depression and a hormonal imbalance; feeling ok but a little skirmish and over the past week, I got into the shower and nearly passed out twice. This was unusual for me because ive never fainted before and Ive never been dizzy. I got half dressed on the ground opened up the bathroom door and yelled out to mum. If you've ever seen a corpse's face, that's what mine looked like. I wanted to cry coz i was so scared but no tears came out. My legs felt weak and i wanted to throw up and i had a huge headache that lasted probably two-three days; i had severe abdominal/period pain and I thought I was going to die. On top of that I had to miss the day off school and mum had to take me to the doctors. The doctor told me that it was all just to do with Yasmin so she put me on a new pill called Levlen ED. I was so scared and i wouldn't wish this on anyone. If it happens again to me i may have to see a gynecologist. Please if there is anyone out there that has had the similar thing can you please let me know? xx L.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a class action lawsuit against Yasmin.

I started taking Yasmin last October and the first three months I was on it, I was bleeding every day. It was the first time I ever got on a birth control pill. I stayed on the pill for a total of 6 months until one night I suddenly had severe abdominal pain along with nausea. It went bad from worse and I was rushed into emergency room later that day.

My diagnosis was acute pancreatitis due to high level of triglycerides. The doctors ran a series of tests, blood, ultrasound, CAT scan, and X-ray, etc. Their conclusion was Yasmin caused the dramatic increase of my triglycerides, and ultimately caused my acute pancreatitis.

My triglycerides level was below 200 before I started taking Yasmin and by May this year when I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, my triglycerides was over 4,300!

After spending 3 weeks in hospital for pain control and being off food and water for a total of 2 weeks, I was able to go home and get on with my life. My doctor told me I should never take any form of birth control pills nor any kind of hormone. I stopped taking Yasmin since the day I was admitted.

If anyone knows of a lawsuit or a lawyer that is working on a case against Yasmin, please let me know.

HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS FROM YASMIN!
I am 21 and I have been on birth control pills for 4 years. I used to be on a generic low dose hormone birth control until i developed an ovarian cyst which the doctors told me was because of the low hormone. So now im on Yasmin and i have been on it for 2 months. So far i have gained 6 lbs ( i have weighed the same since 9th grade until now), and i eat healthy , my eating habits have not changed. I am also super moody , i feel depressed, can't sleep, constantly crying, me and my fiance are constantly fighting because of my mood swings. I also get horrible cramps during my period and i bleed about 11 days after i have just had my period. The side effects are awful and Im thinking about switching to Mirena because I cant handle this anymore. Hope my experience is helpful.

hi, please can someone help me :-(
I'm 17 and this is my first time on any pill, I was on mefenamic acid to deal with painful periods but had to stop after I used them incorrectly.
I started Yasmin 6 days ago, and since my period stopped I have had constant pain in the left side of my back, headaches, am very tired and constantly feel like I'm about to be sick.
Is this normal? My parents don't seem to understand how much it's affecting me and I can't keep missing school.

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

Okay, I don't have any side effects, but I do want to know something important!
I'm 16 years old and i REAALLLY want someone (who knows about the Yasmin pill!) to help me out with this one. Tomorrow i am going to the doctor with my mom. I have irregular menstruation. Like 2 or one week before it's supposed to come. I also get cramps, which are just enough to hold out...But the thing is, i just want to get the Yasmin pill. I heard that it clears your skin (although i don't have acne or anything) and it can make your breast bigger.. I have like a A-cup and bigger breast are nicer.
But now I read these bad experiences and I'm just scared to start it.. But still i wanna try it, 'cause I can stop right after it starts to become bad, right??
Please give me a good and useful answer!

Thanx!
A confused girl

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

I have been on Yasmin for about a year. I have had to start taking it before I go to bed because if i take it during the day, I get severe headaches and extremely nauseous. I also have been having a problem with vaginal dryness. I almost do not want to have sex anymore...no lubricants help. It is so dry that it seems to soak the lube right up and i have to constantly reapply it. Also, I am often moody and/or depressed. I had a three month period where i had to stop taking it because i was in a car accident that resulted in a broken leg and me being put on bed rest so the doctors did not want to take any chances with blood clots aided by my inactivity. Since I have been on it again, i noticed a return of all these symptoms plus i have been noticing loss of hair. And i mean extreme. I get out of the shower and i have to clean the drain so the water can drain...i shed so much hair the tub backs up!
Is this common with any pill or is it just this one? HELP!

I wanted to ask you ladies if any of you have seen or had hair lose due to Yasmin? My girlfriend has had all the symptoms you all have talked about she has been on for maybe 3months and has seemed to have been loosing more hair? we are trying to figure out why?

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

I can't believe this is prescribed for women in order to HELP them! I took it for a few days only, it was a very scary experience. My periods were irregular and my Gyn said this would help. I started the pill and by the next day I was having HORRIFIC cramps, not even double doses of Ibuprofen would touch them. I felt dizzy, nauseaus, and I started feeling depressed within a few days. I went to bed one day with the cramps and I actually felt suicidal, didn't want to get out of bed or speak to anyone. I just laid there and cried and cried!!!

Well, I know myself enough to know that this was not any way to treat myself so I stopped taking them immediately. Within 2 days I was back to normal. I told the Gyn but she shrugged it off, said I should have stayed on the pills as I would have evened out. How does she know??!!??!! I'd like her to take them and then say that.

I started taking some good supplements, Black Cohosh was one, along with B vitamins, E, Calcium/Magnesium, and I felt pretty good within a month or so. My periods evened out too!

Take care of yourselves ladies, you know your bodies better than doctors!
:-)

Hi, I have been on Yasmin for 2 years now. I didn't like what it was doing to me and so went off it. I didn't get back on it for 7 months, my reason for getting back on it, my PERIODS STOPPED for the whole 7 months I didn't take the pill. I really don't know what to do. If I get off it my period stops, if I don't Im cranky, irritable, low and hardly have any sex drive. The doctors just say its normal. I don't even want to see the doctor anymore sice they don't do anything about it. Ive had it

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WOW! I was prescribed Yasmin after seeing a new doctor, believe it or not, it was prescribed to try to treat my iron deficiency anemia. He believes that having extremely heavy menstrual cycles is the cause of my anemia and said that the Yasmin will help that. Now mind you, i don't have ANY gyn type problems, no fibroids, no cramping, endometriosis, etc. So now, after reading all of your posts, it really seems wrong to have prescribed me this medication. I don't like taking medicines, usually treat things with herbs and such so I have been very apprehensive.

Today was the day I was supposed to start taking it, and I just didn't feel right about it, so I decided to research it on the internet. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to those of you who have taken the time to care enough about other women you don't even know to post your side effects. I AM NOT TAKING THIS CRAZY PILL!!!

I have four young sons, a wonderful husband and my life's purpose is to help other women as a inspirational speaker. I have way too much to loose by taking a chance on this pill. Ridiculous!!!!

I am sooo glad I prayed about this before just following the doctors instructions. Because I did, I didn't feel comfortable and I researched it online. GOD IS SO GOOD! TRY CHRIST!!

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

I was on Yasmin for 2 years and it was 2 years too long! I should have stopped taking it immediately. I experienced EXTREME HAIR LOSS!!!! It started to fall out as soon as I started taking the pill, but I was also coming off Depo Provera and thought it was the Depo causing the hair loss. This happened in 2 different cycles. The first time, A LOT of hair fell out and I was humiliated. After about 6 months, some hair grew back; but my hair was still extremely thin and you could see most if not all of my scalp in strong lighting (outdoors for example). About 8 months later, it fell out again...this time worse than ever because I had about half of the hair I used to. I think I was literally lost 3/4 of my hair this time. Most if the hair loss was on the top of my scalp and every doctor I saw had something different to say. In the beginning stages of the hair loss, they said it was stress. Then when they saw it progress and they realized how much hair I had lost on the top of my scalp, I was told I had female pattern baldness...only no female in my family had ever experienced this before. Finally, I went off the pill and WOW...I HAVE HAIR AGAIN and it is probably close to what I had before I ever lost any of it. Oddly enough, Yasmin is used to prevent hair loss; as it is prescribed for women who have higher testosterone levels...yet it caused me to lose mine. I also gained A LOT of weight on that pill!
I have been off of Yas for about 6 months now and my periods are definitely less than regular. I won't get my period for 3 months and all of a sudden I am getting it every 2 weeks. I also have cysts on my ovaries and I thought I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which can also cause hair loss, but the doctors are quite positive that I don't have PCOS and that it is not what led to the hair loss.
Moral of the story...unless you have to go on a pill that is designed for lowering your testosterone levels (and I recommend Diane 35 if so), do not take Yas! If I ever go on the pill again, I am sticking to something like Alese that is low-dose.

Hi I have just tried to go back onto Yasmin and feel absolutely terrible, I feel very down, moody, nausea, and a lot of gas pain especially in rib area. Going to go back to the Doctors today.
The reason I started Yas was to improve my skin and regulate my periods I so have PCOS. I had previously been on Yasmin before and had no problems. I don't know if they have changed the ingredients?
I hope the Doctor doesn't think I am mad!!

Hi Guys

I am taking Yasmin since May 2006. I have been suffering from chronic daily headaches since March 2006 and wondered if Yasmin could be a factor in this? For my headaches I have tried so many different things and not been successful and hadn't looked at the possibility that Yasmin could be a problem until I started to google it. What do you guys think? Could Yasmin be adding to my problem of chronic daily headaches? Cos I have the headaches all the time.

Any responses would be greatly appreciated!

Regards
Warda

I had been on Yasmin for a couple years then became pregnant. After the baby, my obgyn suggested taking Yaz b/c he said there were less side-effects. So, I began taking it and with in a few weeks time I had began fainting at work, good thing I am an R.N. in the E.R. and was having irregular heart rhythms. I was told I had very low Potassium and began taking K + supplements. Although, no one made the connection to the birth control. I kept telling different doctors that the only new change was that I had begun taking Yaz. They just kept saying I was stressed and my body was still adjusting from a very difficult pregnancy, which was true. So after resuming with Yaz I again started to feel lethargic, muscle spasms, headache and palpitations, I finally have an appointment with my ob and can't wait to switch pills!!!! Yaz is not what is cracked up to be........

Hi, ive been on Yasmin now for 1 month and 3 days. A few days after starting it I got a rash on my chest and upper arms which i thought was sparked by the sun/heat. It went away and then a week later my skin slowly started to get itchier and itchier until I was covered in a rash from my ankles to my neck. I looked like I had a weird disease. Even the doctors were impressed, but no one could help. We suspected the pill as it was the only thing that was new to my system, but then it disappeared and we put it down to being caused by stress. Ive just started the next month (like I say 3 days into it) and once again I find myself scratching an feeling basically itchy and very very tired (not that it is unusual the tiredness I have to say, it just seems a little more than normal). I am now pretty sure it is the pill, but am nervous just to stop taking it. I just don't want to go through all that ive just been through with the previous rash, it was HORRENDOUS! Has anyone else had such a severe rash reaction? They were red, itcy spots with a watery kind of top to them........

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

I am not trying birth control ever, ever again.

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

I am 21 years old and I was on Yasmin for three in a half months (i stopped the last pack half way through). The first month i was on it, i had a lot of leg pains especially at night and sometimes to the point where i couldn't sleep. I went to the doctors and told her about this and she said it had nothing to do with the pill. My leg pain stopped after the first month i was on it and for two months i was fine. At the end of the third pack i began to get leg cramps again, but this time it was different i had little sharp pains here and there and tingling and my legs became extremely itchy. In the matter of two months i got spider veins and cellulite on my upper legs. Before the pill i had NOTHING on my legs. I searched the internet and found that birth control can cause spider veins because of the hormonal change so I thought my legs were itchy because of the spider veins so i stopped using the pill and made a doctors appointment. Three days after stopping i got my period for the second time that month. I also broke out with lumps that are red and extremely itchy. The doctor told me that the bumps are eczema and i also have a lymph node, which she said is from the eczema (which i find very strange). Two days after i broke out and got a lymph node, i got sick with a fever, extremely soar throat and a swollen neck. Today is my 7th day off the pill and im still sick. Hopefully i get better. But from being a 21 year old whos 95 pounds and having nothing wrong and starting this pill and getting spider veins, cellulite and then eczema all around the same time, i feel like im aging before my time. If anyone else has had any similar effects please let me know. Thank you.

I'm 21 yrs old and have been on Yasmin for about 3 years, I've loved it - well I thought I did. I have been with my boyfriend for 2 years now, and this past year has just been really hard. I'll love our relationship one day and the next not be able to stand it and I love him more than anything. Over the past year I've experienced extreme mood swings, anxiety, haven't been able to handle stress - I've been breaking out in rashes at least once a month and really think it's because of this pill. I've also lost a lot of weight in the past year, I've been getting headaches everyday some to the point that I have to go to sleep because I can't think it's soo bad, I've had no motivation to do anything I have always, up to this point, loved doing. I've tried many anti depressants and have been off of them for about 2 years now, and have been thinking of going back on them because of the thoughts and feelings I've been experiencing. I thought it was just me, maybe there was something wrong with me? I've been on this pill for so long, who would've thought that it's just now causing these symptoms?
Yesterday I layed out by the pool for about an hour and when I got inside I noticed all these bumps on my arms that itched really bad, but they also hurt, so this morning I googled "sun bumps" and found that it can be cause from birth control pills, so then I googled "side effects of Yasmin" and I found this site. I am absolutely amazed at how many other women are experiencing exactly what I've been going through! I cannot believe that doctors don't bother mentioning all of these side effects to you, I'm absolutely terrified to go off of them because of the weight gain and also the mood swings I will more than likely experience. I got on the pill so I would have a normal period and it's really helped in that aspect, the craping isn't as bad, but the mood swings have definitely gotten worse.
I have called and left a message with my doctor to speak with her about what I've been going through now that I have a pretty solid idea that it's being caused from this pill.

I cannot believe I did not make the connection sooner, I went on jasmine for 6 months and was incredibly weepy and so emotional. I had pains in both breasts for about 2 weeks of every month, the pain was unbearable so much so that going over a speed bump was pure agony, I ended up having a Mammogram as I was convinced I had Breast cancer, (there is a very strong history in my family), so that worry coupled with my emotions being all over the place I really was not in a good state of mental health. Not to mention the spotting and Migraines,and my poor new husband dealing with awful mood swings, I even brake down uncontrollably in the Doctors. I had no Idea all these other people have experienced similar symptoms. It is outrageous these are being given to Women. How have these not been removed from the market?

My jaw dropped after reading all of these posts. I started on Yasmin 3 weeks ago. I've never really been on BC's before, so I thought that my headaches, numbness and fatigue were just because of school. I finally connected the dots and looked on the internet to see if it was the Yasmin or if i was just crazy. I am so thankful to have found this website. I wish it was in the paper or advertised. Doctors should not even be able to prescribe this drug.

I was just discharged from the hospital on Saturday. I had been taking Yasmin for almost two years now and until recently, had no problems. Last Wednesday I went to the ER for severe pain and inability to breath with my left lung. They admitted me after finding a blood clot in the right, as a result of Yasmin! Turns out, I had pneumonia in the left and since I had no symptoms that the clot was there, the pneumonia saved my life! I too had to take those fun Lovenox shots in the stomach and now I'm on Coumadin for 6 months. I am 29 years old, never smoked a day in my life. I do not drink, I am a healthy weight and I work out regularly. I do not have a history of blood clots in the family. How could this happen especially with a drug my doctors told me was safe?

With the amount of occurrences, I'm interested in a class action lawsuit as well. I will never take a birth control pill again EVER.

I've been off Yasmin for 2 months now, and it's the best thing I've done!
A month after starting it I started having sharp pains in the lower left side of my stomach, excessive bloating and constipation at least once a month, severely enough to make me short of breath, light-headed and I could not work. I saw doctors, did all kinds of tests for viral infections, but nothing was wrong with me. Saw a gastrointerologist who sent me for ultrasound and x-rays, still nothing. He said if it continued to come back and we'd do a colonoscopy. I'm 34 yrs old. Luckily after my last appointment a friend told me she had similar problems and changed BCP and it go better. I hadn't made the link between Yasmin and the pains but when I realised the problem started a month after switching to Yasmin, I switched back to Alesse. No stomach pains since. Unbelievable!

My doctor wants to give me Yasmin due to bad pms every month. I am already on meds for mood disorder but they don't seem to budge the monthly aggravation and agitation I suffer. I am 43 and do not need a BC pill as I had my tubes done a few years back but he feels this may be the answer for the pms. I had an oblation procedure done last year and only have a 3-4 day mild period anyway. Is anyone else in this situation? Should I take this pill ?

Hello! I'm 27 and I've been taking Yasmin for probably 7 years and never had a single problem. My weight stayed the same, my periods got VERY regular, to the DAY, and things were ok.

Starting about 3 months ago I was on my honeymoon and decided to skip my period that month which I do a few times a year and Yasmin never let me down! Anyways my period came anyways and not only that, but I spotted an extra week after! It was most noticable in the mornings after having sex. It was just brown and yucky. Then I didn't have a period the next month, only 24 hours of brown and this month I had a regular one. On top of that I've suddenly gained 5 pounds without changing ANYTHING. I wonder, can Yasmin suddenly screw me up so many years after I started taking it? I hear horror stories about Yasmin but I only see it from women taking it for a few months or maybe a year? It was always so good to me. What's going on? The weight gain terrifies me too because I so easily gain weight and I've been trying so hard to eat well and I feel like it's been pointless. It ticks me off more because I have to pay $50 a month for Yasmin even AFTER insurance pays 15, and now I think it's messing my body up too.

I have a OBGYN appointment in a few weeks and I'm going to talk to her about it and see about getting on a new pill anyways for price reasons, but do you think all these weird sudden symptoms are from Yasmin? Can you recommend a pill? I can't afford to gain anymore weight. I just can't...

I don't have a side effect to report, but I have spent the past 3 hours reading all of your responses. Over all they are 95% negative. The only thing I am wondering, is WHY you chose Yasmin to begin with.

I have been thinking about taking Yaz to help with my severe PMDD. If you don't know what that is, basically it's like the moodiness side of PMS times 10. I am euphorically happy normally, lol, kind of like how happy a cocker spaniel is when their family gets home... except I don't piddle on the floor. About 5 days before my period starts I go into a very deep depression, I bloat, I am irritable, and my entire life suffers. I cry (wail is more like it) for absolutely NO reason... blah blah blah. But once I am about 2 or 3 days into my cycle it all passes and I am back to chipper me.

Long story short, I heard Yaz is supposed to be amazing to help stabilize people like me. How many of you started Yaz just as birth control, or as an acne control? How many of you took it for PMDD and it STILL didn't help?

I've been on Yasmin for four months. With all of the side affects from Yasmin it is the only pill that makes me feel somewhat normal. Just to name a couple I've been on Levlen, Tricyclen and they all caused major infections, depression and mood swings. I am only on the pill because I have a cyst on my ovary and the doctors will not operate because it is not big enough to remove but big enough to cause a lot of discomfort. Every month when I start Yasmin the first couple of days I am very moody and then I am okay until the week before my period thats when i am depressed and grouchy. Now I've started losing my hair, not cool. I'm sure it's Yasmin because i am not on any other medications and I take really good care of my hair. I just hoping it will pass.

Anybody concerned about their pill symptoms, look up CANDIDA. It is related to so many symptoms and my latest thoughts are, The pill causes candida and candida causes the symptoms. This means your body may not go back in check after stopping the pill.

I have had
Mood "problems" we'll call them,
headaches mostly as a soreness in my temples,
Dizziness,
Sore feet,
Random cramps in legs,
Flu like aches and pains,
Chemical sensitivity,
Fatigue,
Stomach problems
Decreasing ability to concentrate,
Severe and sudden beer intolerance, meaning taking only 2 beers to get a wicked hangover,
Sudden noise and light sensitivity,

To keep it kinda short here, I just kept telling my doctors, I feel like I'm getting old. I'm 27! I think this pill gave me a great breeding ground for candida and candida did the rest. Look it up!

I'm 29, have been on birth control pills for 10 years, and switched to Yasmin about 2 years ago. I a small varicose vein in my right within 2 months of switching, but didn't think a relationship between my vasculature and the pill existed. I can now trace the entire vein from my right hip to my ankle. In the 2 years since starting Yasmin, my ankles and lower legs swelled heavily...but at very random times. It often began at the start of the 7-day sugar pill regime and finished by the time I started a new pack. I assumed that the estrogen withdrawal going into the sugar pills was too much for my body to handle and that the diuretic effects of Yasmin were obviously absent during that time. I also noticed leg cramping, heart palpitations, and I started waking up in the occasional hot sweat in a drenched bed.

So, after making sure that my heart and kidneys were healthy, my gynecologist prescribed continuous hormone Yasmin and claimed it as the "ultimate solution". For 4 months, I have skipped the sugar pills for each pack and started new packages immediately. I have not had a period since, and the edema has continued (still at random) and has become exponentially worse. In the last few weeks alone, the vein in my right leg has become massive, my legs are so distended by the end of the days on which they swellI that I can't fit into pants which are otherwise loose, I am noticing other large veins "surfacing", little veins are breaking everywhere, and I can now see most of the blood vessels beneath the skin in both legs. My primary care physician told me I have chronic venous insufficiency...a diagnosis I'm not okay with. I'm very worried...the changes and ensuing damage have happened way too quickly to be venous insufficiency. I am going to ween myself off of the pill, but don't know what the next step should be. Endocrinologist? Another OB/GYN? Anyone have ideas or similar experiences to share....

I have been using Yasmin for approximately 4 -5 months and am starting to wonder whether Yasmin is the reason behind my state of feeling unwell. I mean, we all lead active lives, but i have never felt so fatigued and like i need to have a little cap nap every afternoon.

I went to the doctors on Monday because i have been really concerned about the pins and needles feeling that i have been constantly getting, fatigued muscles (even when i haven't exercised) and the intense hot flushes.

Prior to Yasmin I was on Loette and about 2 years ago I was on Diane for a short period of time, having to get off it as it made me so emotional.

My doctor told me to skip the sugar pills for 2 months to see if the hot flushes subside... I'm just thinking i want to get off Yasmin all together because the pins and needles are quite a horrible sensation to have. Especially when I am exercising.

I've been on Yasmin for about 3 1/2 years and had nothing but GREAT experiences. My face cleared up (not that it was ever bad though), I lost weight and it elevated my mood and evened out my mood swings. My husband thinks it's the greatest thing ever. One thing I do find interesting, however, is that I have been experiencing more headaches the last year or so. I never thought it was related to Yasmin and neither do my doctors (other than the week I go off of it to have my period and my hormone levels drop). I have stopped taking Yasmin this week as we will be trying to conceive soon. For any out there who are nervous about starting Yasmin after reading these posts, please know that all types of birth control will have side effects. I have had a great experience on Yasmin and so have some of my best friends.

I am on my 2nd day off Yasmin. 9th if you consider the white pills. I have been taking this pill (no pills prior) for about 6 years. August 2006, I started having headaches and other symptoms. Been seeing many, many doctors ever since. None of them can see a problem, although now I can. I can say without a doubt I am not the same person I was 6 years ago. I have been blogging on ****** about my various health problems and seeing all of the doctors. I don't know that I can post links on here, so I would have to say if you searched for the user name ashallaya, you would find me. At this moment, I am terrified that some harm will come from suddenly stopping. Does anyone know what signs to look out for when stopping? And what kind of doctor do you see about this?

Both my 19 year old daughter and my 30 year old step daughter were put on Yasmin. Both began having heart problems. The eldest had heart palpitations, a racing heart and dizziness. The doctor discovered that her potassium level had shot up and her magnesium was down. They put her on magnesium to help control the racing heart. It helped, but then she became pregnant and had to lower the dose. The 19 year old has had the worst side effects. She was fine on ortho tricyclene, but when her doctor switched her to Yasmin her blood pressure shot up to 170/118. She began having chest pain. We pulled her off the Yasmin, but she has continued to have uncontrollably high blood pressure. The doctor ran several tests and has found no underlying cause as of this writing. She began taking 5 mg. of Norvasc, but was increased to 10 mg. to manage the high blood pressure.

Hi ladies... I'm not surprised that you folks comprise most of the posting population considering the fact that this drug is prescribed to you. Well I'm quite interested in this drug and I do prescribe it to my patients however I am surprised at the magnitude of side effects listed here. I am based here in south-east Asia and I do prescribe Yasmin to my patients and I rarely here of these side effects. Perhaps this can be contributed to the fact that it (Yasmin) is available here under a different brand name however consists of the same chemical position. I am interested in the ones available in the U.S. Does anyone know how I may go about purchasing them. You can contact me personally on ****** thank you.

Hmmm.

My advice to all is to go see your doctor and discuss this with your doctor.
A doctor can help you much more than a bunch of postings over the internet.

I took Yasmin for 4 years and had no issues. I gained a little more weight, but considering everything else it did to help me with the PCOS, that is okay.

I took myself off of the pill for nearly 3 years because I was mad at my OBGYN for never being in the office so I stopped going.

I recently started the Yasmin again and I am glad.

Yasmin is mostly designed for women with PCOS or who need estrogen supplements. Yasmin is not for everybody. You should discuss this with your doctor to determine if Yasmin is right for you.

I have been taking Yasmin for 3 weeks now I am into my 4th week. I have taken two white dummy pills already and I have yet to get my period. I wasn't aware that Yasmin takes your period away. Is that a normal side effect of this birth control? I have had breast tenderness since I started taking Yasmin. I started the pill in the first 24 hours of my period and for the first week I thought my period would go away and just come again when I started the white pills at the end of the month but that did not happen. My period lasted 7 days while taking the pink pills in my first week. There was a lot of blood clots during my cycle which I never had before. Has anyone else had this symptom when they first started taking Yasmin? I have a doctors appt on the 29th of this month for a separate condition but I plan to ask the doctor about these symptoms. Has anyone else had any of these related experiences?

I started taking Yasmine in 2005 and almost imeemdiatley I started to have severe anxiety, depression, no sex drive at all and worse of all extremely bad migranes especially a few days before getting my period and during. My life had to be put on hold when I had my period because of the migranes. I stopped taking the Yasmine 3 weeks ago because I just couldn't take the migranes anymore. I have noticed I have gained some weight, my skin and hair feels alot oilier, and my hair has been falling out more than usual which is kind of freaking me out, don't have mood swings. My sex drive has gotten better which is a relief. I still don't know if my migranes will have gone away during my period. I'm just curious can anyone tell me if these side effects (hair loss, weight gain, oily skin) will go away after a few months.
When I went off another type of pill I actually lost weight, why is this one different?

The health care system has failed me and led me to believe that I had many issues "inside my head." I was on yasmin since spring 07 and was fine for half a year until the symptoms one by one crept up. I too was experiencing the fatigue, the vomiting, the mood swings, the depression and anxiety. I've been known to be very laid back, very easy going, so when I had my first panic attack ever, I knew something was off.
Soon after, I started to experience heart palpitations, chest pains, shortness of breath. One day I was so freaked out I went to the E.R. with a standing heart rate of 142. When all the tests turned out clear, they told me that I should visit the psychiatric clinic. When they asked if I was on any medications, I told them I was on yasmin. The doctors looked at eachother with a confused look and asked me "What's yasmin?" Shows how much they know!
I was getting better overall until a few late-nite episodes had me waking up with my heart pounding and my thoughts racing. This happened two nights in a row which disheartened me since I thought I was slowly getting better. Then, I found this website, and everything made sense. I stopped taking the pill that night, and that night, I slept fine. It's been about three weeks since I've been off of yasmin and I'm 80% back to normal. I was at the point that I thought I would never laugh as loud or never smile as much as I did a year ago. The other day I caught myself with a huge smile for no reason at all . . . and that's when I knew I was on track to recovery.
I started to ask around and found out that many women have experienced very negative effects from yasmin. Last week, I told the woman whose office is next to mine and she proclaimed "I had the same thing too! So did my sister!"
The doctors won't believe you. Many of them are buttered up by the drug companies. Even my sister who's an RN told me that sometimes, you need to be your own doctor. And for symptoms of anxiety, depression, I would recommend 5-htp. It's a plant-derived natural supplement that increases the production of your seratonin. It's so easy to get misdiagnosed and placed on some other medication that has other adverse side effects.
Spread the good word, ladies. We must reach out to one another and take care of one another like sisters. Afterall, who else is there who we can rely on?

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

Yasmin - Sudden Panic/Anxiety-

I have been on Yasmin for 7 years. I started a new box and pack 3 weeks ago and 72 hours later had what I thought was a "panic attack". I had never suffered panic or anxiety before and I am 32. Then, the chest pain and anxious feeling wouldn't go away (not normal with panic I hear). I went to the Dr and my bloodwork was all "great". I went to a cardiologist and they tested my heart. It was indeed beating "extra" so I had to be one a monitor. Still, the entire time I was miserable and wondering what the heck had happened to me. How could I go from being a normal, well adjusted women to a crazy lady in one day. I was crying and couldn't function, concentrate or eat. I felt like an "out of body" type of experience almost, like it wasn't really me who was feeling all this. Very disoriented feeling. Well, the Dr gave me anxiety pills and I was going to take them. But, in the meantime I went on the "sugar pills" of my Yasmin and guess what? 72 hours after I stopped the pills I felt normal again!!! I'm still not 100%, I'm 90%. Now I have no hard evidence that Yasmin caused this, particularly since I've been on it so long but I can't help wondering if they changed the dosages or something. I have NEVER experienced any level of anxiety or panic before this and going off the pills was the only thing I changed when I started feeling better. Sounds like more than a coincidence to me.

Has this happened to anyone else recently???

I am so relieved to come across this forum. I have been on Yasmin for about 3 years. After reading several postings here to my husband, we were both horrified to hear that I wasn't the only one having strange issues without a clear cause. I too have had heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable mood swings, inability to concentrate at work or deal with normal work stress, back pain, trouble falling asleep, low sex drive, and most recently, horrible depression. I have been to psychiatrists, allergists, chiropractors and physical therapy - all to try to find the cause. I have just gone off the pill, and have noticed improvement so far, and am very excited to see it hopefully improve. Hopefully I will be able to find a hormone-free birth control, instead of dealing with this. I can't believe doctors do not discuss these possible symptoms with their patients. I never would have thought bc pills would cause anxiety, depression, etc. A huge thanks to all of you for your candid comments... and helping me find an answer to my life-altering side affects!!!