Yasmin and doctors

I was diagnosed with Wet Macular Degeneration while taking YAZ. Has this happened to anyone else? I was 29 years old when diagnosed. Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the US. Normally found in older people. Doctors unsure why I would get this so young..

I went on this POISON Yasmin for a year then went off after I gained weight. I proceeded to lose so much weight after I went off that I lost 40 pounds by doing nothing different over the course of three months. I got so skinny people became concerned but there wasn't anything medically wrong with me. However, I also didn't have my period for over a year after quitting Yasmin. I went to the gyno concerned but after a Progesterone test (which I failed) he suggested I just try going back on again with Yaz this time. I had my periods again of course but not on my own. They were hormonally controlled. After two months, I started craving food and getting anxious and stuffing my face as a way to cope with the mood swings and stress. This is was so not like me. Then I started to get horrible bloating and constipation. I had to use laxatives regularly to have any movement. After gaining 30 pounds and suffering in severe with the constipation, I decided it had to be the pill so I went off again. No surprise, I haven't had a period for 6 months since I've been off and while the crazy mood swings have gone away, I'm still having really bad GI problems. I have a sharp pain in my lower left bowel and I'm chronically constipated. After seeing doctors and running blood test which all ended up normal they still don't know what's wrong even though I tell them it's because of this pill. My gyno thinks I'm crazy, my GP thinks I'm crazy, and now I have a GI who thinks I'm crazy. IT'S BECAUSE OF YASMIN/YAZ!! This is POISON. Do NOT take this or give it to you kids. I'm just praying I can heal the pain and the constipation soon because I'm starting to limp and all the doctors have told me to do is eat a different diet. I've been eating cooked fruits and veggies for almost a month now because that's the only thing I can eat without severe pain. And I'm a 24 year old healthy girl who exercises every day. I am beyond amazed this crippling drug is still on the market place.

Hi
I am in the UK - where any knowledge of side effects related to Yasmin appear to be non-existent. I was prescribed this to treat my endo after having problems with another pill (constant bleeding and mood swings).
Initially it was like a magic pill - immediately improving the mood swings and stopping the constant bleeding. Then after about 4 days I felt so nauseous I wanted to go home from work - this lasted a few days.
A week and half into my first pack, I suffered continuous asthma attacks - with no obvious cause, this developed in hours to spontaneous vomiting along with a hacking cough.nI was prescribed antibiotics for "infections". The symptoms continued until it was unbearable and I was put on anti-vomiting tablets. and changed onto a different antibiotic.
A week later back at the doctors surgery I had a series of tests - awaiting results as I type, as I have very dark urine, stools that are not "normal" (clay or yellow), pain in my stomach, pins and needles, continue to vomit if don't take the anti vomiting tablets. Have now stopped taking Yasmin and await results...
HOw long does everyone appear to improve after stopping taking Yasmin? Also does this sound like I may have a case of hyperkalemia? (I am awaiting results).
Many thank

I am a few days away from my 19th birthday and i've been taking Yasmin since the age of 11. I was diagnosed with PCOS when i was 11 and Yasmin has been what's keeping my period regular and more or less pain free since then. In May of 2008 i was switched to the generic version of Yasmin called, Ocella and started to notice more and more symptoms and side effects. My stomach pain in the mornings grew greater by the day and when i was on my sugar pill i would gain an unbearable migraine. Thinking it was just part of being a woman i ignored it and went about my life. It wasn't until December of 2008 while out with a group of friends i came into some serious stomach pain. thinking it was just a typical stomach ache that i normally got i ignored it. when i came to be about 4 am and the pain hadn't stopped i started to worry. first thing in the morning i went to the doctor who referred me to get an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that i had gall stones and that i should have my gall bladder removed before more complications were to occur. Being a college student only a week away from returning to my second semester i opted to wait until spring break to have the surgery. During the 3 month wait i experience extreme diarrhea whenever something was put in my mouth, extreme stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, headaches, sore muscles, the list goes on and on i felt like i had been hit by a truck every day and i still had to go to class. in March of 2009 i had my gall bladder removed thinking that the symptoms would finally stop i returned to school only to find that nothing got better. It's been 7 months since my gall bladder has been removed and i'm still having the same symptoms as before and now i've added depression, stress, lack of energy and interest and many other things to the list. I'm still taking Ocella because i've never been advised otherwise but the symptoms are taking over my life. I am a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering at college and it's just become harder and harder to focus on my work or to enjoy the aspects of college that i should be with the frequent trips to the bathroom or having to opt out of a fun activity because of stomach pain. I was wondering if anyone can help me, maybe point me in a direction where i can get better and get back to enjoying what a 19 should be. Thanks.

I am so happy I stumbled apon this website. I thought I was losing my mind. I was on Yasmin for 3 long years and have been off for a month now. I am 37 and was on Triphasil 28 for 17 years (with no issues), my derm told me to switch my birth control to help my acne, worst decision of my life. I have lost all of my friends, my moods and me being paranoid all the time drove my friends away. I am so dry that I itch all the time. I have loss half of my hair, my scalp is sore and itches non stop. I have gained weight and my blood pressure is high. How do you go from a 34 year old normal woman to a 37 year old medical mess? YASMIN. every time I asked my doctors if it could be the pill I heard the same answer over and over NO! I was told that it was age and stress. Hello I am 37 not 97. Stress wouldn't you be stressed if all of a sudden you weren't the same person and no one had reasons why.Well I am no doctor but we cant all be making this up. I am hoping and praying that all of this isn't permanent and that I soon will grow my hair back and that my happy old self will come back. I wish doctors would stop prescribing this horrific drug!

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 have been on Yasmin for 2 years now. It is the only BC I have ever been on and have LOVED it up until about 3 months ago. All of a sudden I started having heart palpitations, sever chest pains, extreme fatigue, very bloated in my stomach, low sex drive, pain and tingling in my arms and legs,dizziness, shortness of breath, trouble swallowing, weight gain and major mood swings! I went to the DR and they did an EKG (which was normal) Tested my blood (I now have a thyroid problem that I have never had before) and they did an ultrasound (Dr that I may have a murmur) on my heart and the results came back fine. So the DR prescribed me Synthroid for the thyroid problem and the DR said that should help me gain my energy back, loose some weight and would take care of the heart palpitations. The other symptoms he contributed to Stress (Panic Attacks) I have been on Synthroid for 5 weeks now and I don't feel any better in fact I feel worse!

This morning I seen a commercial for a lawsuit against Yaz or Yasmin. Well since I am non Yasmin I immediately did a search and came across this site. I have literally been sitting here all night reading all the comments from different women and now know what my problem is. My problem is YASMIN! I am not taking this anymore and have an appt with my Dr tomorrow to have them do whatever they need to do to see if I have any blockage or any other damage from using this pill. My chest pains and the tightness in my chest are so severe that it takes my breath away and I am only 24! I am not ready for children and don't want to deal with bad periods like I had before getting on the pill but I can not take this rise. PLEASE if you are on Yasmin please stop taking it immediately and call your doctor Your life could depend on it!! I am hoping like other people who have commented that after a few weeks of being off the pill that I will feel so much better. I hope I am getting off of it in time before I have done any further damage.

I have lost an ovary to ovarian cysts and was put reluctantly on Yasmin to save the other ovary.

Since going on Yasmin my hair loss, PMS, skin have all improved and I get no more large cysts but still a lot of pain in the ovary which radiates down the leg and across my back.

However, today I went to my GP regarding a bill payment and he just routinely took my blood pressure which was 160/98, I've been sent home with a heart monitoring machine and given urine and blood tests (still awaiting results). Six months ago, just before going on Yasmin it was fine. I now have a suspected issue with my kidneys and have very dark urine, hot flashes and fluid retention.

I'm now officially off this drug as from today but the doctors are pushing Yasmin and claim it's the only drug that will work for my hormone imbalance. If there is an alternative to Yasmin (combined pill) for my hormone imbalance I would be only to glad to know about it as doctors keep telling me how wonderful Yasmin is.

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..........????

have been taking Yasmin for 2-3 weeks and was beginning to worry i was pregnant as i took a pill late, have had extreme headaches and lethargy, and i'm someone that never gets headaches. i've also had some spotting. i'm going to the doctor today after reading this....i can't believe doctors don't warn you of this. Yesterday i felt nauseous as well.

Hello! Its kind of creepy that i just now realized my problems and where they are coming from. A couple months ago I was having symptoms very similar to being pregnant.. went to pp and the dr. and I was not. I have been on Yasmin and the generic brands for 3 years now. and recently quit taking them for the 3rd time... About 2 weeks ago I started having " prego " symptoms again.. took a prego test and of course came up negative once again. Its been a little depressing as my partner and I have been wanting a baby. but now i'm starting to see where these symptoms are coming from.. My digestive system has gone haywire.. i get headaches.. my boobs hurt.. and i'm extremely emotional... my boyfriend has mentioned recently that my "outbursts" are frightening to him.. I didn't think it was that bad but now that I look back on it i've had these problems only during the time i've taken BC. WOW!!! as much as i enjoy the BC because it relieves me of my extremely long periods and severe cramps reading and feeling all of this makes me feel a little mad. I wish there were better ways of handling birth control and menstruation My doctor wont give me an IUD and my mother had severe side effects from the shot so i've been left with only the pill.. as the patch gave me really bad numbness after only 4 days..What are us women supposed to do!!! it seems like the doctors know what they're giving us but they do it anyway! women today should be able to be confident in their BC and know its not going to kill them. if anyone has some sort of "option" for me please don't hesitate to email me your thoughts and ideas... thank you! ******

There is a class action lawsuit for anyone that took Yaz/Yasmin birth control. I just saw the commercial the other day from an attorney in Denver and it's nationwide. Please call Nolan Law Group - Valerie Romo at 888-630-9340. They are handling it nationwide.

I am 39 year old who has had problems with hormones since I got my first period (12 years old). Heavy bleeding, thinking for sure "I was going to die every month" cramps, having to stay out of school for 2 to 3 days a month. I thought after having children(which I was told by doctors) my hormones would get regulated. They did not. Four years ago I was diagnosed with fibroids and got a partial hysterectomy and having no more periods. The doctor put me on hormonal pills(not Yasmin) and I was having problems breathing. So I suffered with a lot of the symptoms listed here until last year September when they found a cyst on the ovary that was left. So I wound up having a full hysterectomy and was put on the Yasmin pill. In the beginning I would get sick on my stomach really bad and I stopped taking them. But, because I was I am full menopause, I swear I was going thru some serious, serious mood swings. So I got back on the pill and started breaking them in half for a month to get my body used to them and now I can take the full dosage. I personally am so happy with this product. My acne has cleared up tremendously and my mood swings are intact. I still may have a few instances if my husband or kids push me to far, I'll let them know in my own way. But it is not as bad as it could be without these pills. I feel bad for those who have really bad reactions to them, but maybe taking half doses until the body gets used to them might help.

I sort of have a love/hate relationship w. this pill. I was on this pill after I had my 1st child. For those 18 mo. I felt great. I suffer from alopecia (female pattern hair loss) and this pill made my hair thicker and reduced the loss completely. I went off of it 3-4 mo. before easily conceiving my 2nd son. However, a month after I got off, I started to loose more hair than ever AND break out ridiculously for the first time ever in my life! The only reason I believe that everything turned around is because I got pg and we all know the good hair and skin that does for you. I am now done having kids and back on Yasmin because I was disparate to regrow my hair (which it helped again). It has been about 6 mo. and am starting to lose my hair again and have symptoms comparable to an ulcer. I'm just not sure anymore, but what i am sure of is doctors have no clue.

ive been on Yasmin for about 3 years now because it clears up mah acne...but now i don't know if it's good for me. the first side effect ive noticed about a year after was that i get really burnt when i go out in the sun... and this is even with sunscreen! i get red rashes and my face gets swollen... at the time i thought that was just heat rash and didn't think much of it. now about 3 yrs later, i got a really really bad sunburn which resulted in huge blisters, and this scares me. I used sunscreen and my doctors said it couldn't have been just the sun so they are still trying to figure out what caused the burn...however after reading this thread im starting to think that Yasmin was the cause of it coz i never used to get sunburn before i started taking the pill... i grew up in a place where its Summer for almost a whole year so its really crazy to think that i would get burnt this much just for staying out in the sun! this past year ive also started gaining weight and now my sex drive is just gone... i thought it was me but i couldn't understand why that would be...now it all make sense...

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!!

This site is the answer to my prayers. I have been on YAZ for 2 years and at first it was amazing. Regular and light periods, no mood swings, no breast tenderness and no weight gain. The past few months it all changed. I thought it was just a funk I was going through but its to the point it is affecting my life. I have developed severe anxiety and a feeling of sadness for no reason. My life is great; new job, great relationships, financial issues are fantastic. I have been having panic attacks out of the blue and it is getting worse as well as weird muscle twitching daily. I felt like I was losing my mind, because I can't stop feeling that way. I went to the doctors and acupuncture to see if it could help. I noticed it was worse a week before my period and during my period and the week after. It fluctuated all the time. Then one day my eye sight was blurry and couldn't see straight for 20 minutes. I've been thinking about Yaz and if its a side affect so decided to get off of it. Now that I did my own research and seen that people are having similar side affects , it gives me an even more red flag to get off it. I hope and pray that these feelings go away now that I am getting off it.

Hi guys,
yesterday I wrote a post, describing my own unpleasant experience with Yasmin and I made references to the recent case of embolia of a 16-years old girl, as well as a death case in Croatia in 2006, which have been related to the usage of Yasmin by the treating doctors.
Funnily, it seems that my post had been erased.
You can make your own conclusions, if you at all read this.
All the best!

I decided to do some research and stumbled across all of you!
Well is started Yasmin about a week ago and...i stopped eating, im nauseous,tender boobs, my period as stopped but the after bits are still coming. I am in such a bad mood! i want everyone to stay away from me!!
All my friends have been on Yasmin and they praise this magic pill! I wasnt sure if it was the pill - but now i am.

Thanks for the posts!

hey everyone,

Im so glad that I found this forum and that im not the only one feeling like this. I have been on Yasmin now for about 3 years and am coming off it immediately after reading that so many people are having the same side effects. I initially began Yasmin after I had found fibroadenomas in my breast and had to have them removed, and also bad stomach cramps. Taking Yasmin was to regulate my hormones and stop the lumps and cramps. It began really good for me, skin cleared up, no weight gain, and no other side effects. But in the last year it has been a real problem for me and there is nothing else in my lifestyle that would suggests otherwise. I have always had really thick hair and I have lost an incredible amount to the point people are noticing (im so devastated bout this particular side effect as every knew me for my thick straight hair), my heart has irregular palpitations, im badly short of breathe all the time to the point im gasping for air with an open mouth and puffed out just climbing stairs when im not even a smoker, I have a lowered sex drive and really bad lubrication which is a real problem. My attitude has changed and im not my usual easy going self and always looking for an issue to pick at.
I have another month and a half worth but im not going to continue with it. I should have listened to my body earlier or at least known how it has effected so many other people.

I understand that it works really well for some people but it seems to not work for just as more people, which makes me wonder why it is so readily pushed onto patients by doctors when there should be clear warnings. The attractive point for me when my doctor suggested Yasmin was that it had been tested to have NO side effects......yeh ok!

I made an appointment today to see whats going on.I have been on yaz for about 3 weeks..yes i too have all the same symptoms however i also have a horrible pain right in between my breast..it feels like someone is standing on me.i wake in the night in tears cause i cant roll over i cant pick my 3 kids up cause the pain is always there.... maybe its something else but at the same time im thinking it might be this pill.. as of today im off it.. and when i find out what my doctor says i will let everyone know.. i personally think out of the blue im seeing all these commercials on this pill and doctors are pushing it like crazy so im feeling a little like a ginny puig and no one will tell us this pill is causing all this crap in our lives! so im off to
the docs to see whats hes going to say not too hopeful...

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've been taking Yaz for about a year and a half. I also take lexapro to help even out extreme mood swings I would get (2 weeks before my period). For a while, probably the first year, I just felt more tired, which I thought was because of the lexapro. In the past 6 months though, I have been getting a stomach flu type illness every month, 3 days after I start my new pack of pills. I also have a very sensitive stomach and get sick easily. I recently lost 5 pounds (from 125 to 120) without making any lifestyle changes. Also, this year I've had low iron levels, and noticed my stools are black from time to time. I went to the doctor today to have my blood checked and also submitted stool samples. Could this all be from Yaz? I have been getting the flu (or flu like illness) way too much this year, and my boyfriend never catches it from me. I am worried about going off the medication because the yaz and lexapro have really controlled my mood swings, and my skin gets much worse without birth control. I'm just worried something more serious is going on here. I am 26 and a healthy eater, so I don't understand all the stomach problems! Does anyone else have these issues? Especially after starting a pack of pills (I feel fine the week of my period)...

I'm 43 and have been on Yasmin for the past 5 years. A month ago my arm swelled up like a balloon and I have a blood clot in my subclavian vein just under my colar bone. All my doctors have pointed the cause to Yasmin. I've had no major trama or central line. I was immediately taken off Yasmin and started on blood thinners that I had to inject into myself. Since being off the Yasmin I feel much different. I'm loosing weight and am happier and I got my libido back! My nightly leg cramps have also stopped.

Ladies, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for your posts! I'm so glad I found this site as it confirms some things for me....several years ago I was on Yasmin. For years I had taken other BC's until my dr switched me to Yasmin. I gradually started having anxiety issues, skin issues, & leg cramps (mainly left calf) so severe & violent that at one point they even sprained my ankle. After about 3 months into the medication, my anxiety became more severe, I would cry for hours about absolutely nothing, & I began noticing my thoughts racing about 2 - 3 hours after taking Yasmin. I had been taking BC since my early 20's and had never noticed this before, so I didn't think it was the Yasmin until I forgot to take my pills several days in a row--& I realized I was no longer anxious. I also realized then that for once being on my period was a RELIEF from my symptoms--not the typical hell as before Yasmin. When I started them again I kept a symptom log until I could no longer take it. This really helped my doctor in determining (& proving) that the pills had an adverse effect on my body. The point here is not to trash Yasmin as some people greatly benefit from it, but there are others who can't take it because the hormones clash with their systems. LADIES, LISTEN TO YOUR BODIES & TALK TO YOUR DOCTORS if you're experiencing negative symptoms after changing to this (or any) birth control! My doctor was about to put me on anti-depressants until we discovered that the cause was Yasmin. Once we switched, the symptoms went away. The best thing I did was to keep a daily log--it's not terribly time consuming, you just have to remember to keep up with it, but your health is worth it!!!!!

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?

I am 29, super fit and healthy. I'd been taking Yasmin for 6 months, in addition to having a high blood pressure 3 months into taking Yasmin, in the last month, in addition to a high blood pressure I started getting rings in my vision (lasting 5-20 mins and then returning to normal), i had problems with my hearing, i started getting dizzy after very light exercise and lost my breath, i found i was slurring in my speech or having trouble getting the words out, i felt pressure at the base of my head. The problems with my vision led me to getting a CT scan and the docs believed I had a small blood clot in my brain caused by Yasmin.

After finding out I had a thrombosis caused by the pill, the rest of my symptoms could be attributed to that. Yasmin has been taken off the market in many countries because of its side effects. Yasmin is indeed evil and I feel fortunate I had a doctor who referred me to a specialist to get checked out. So many doctors will say take pain killers and come back if it gets worse. I will never touch BC pills again.

Hello everybody!!
I had a very bad reaction the very first time I took my first YASMIN pil. Well, I took it on a Sunday night at 23h45 and went to bed. 1h00 in the morning I wook up feeling:
-Dizzy,
-My hands and legs heavy
-I had a LOT OF TROUBLE BREATHING/ bad hearth palpitations
-then my whole body started shaking very badly
I felt just horrible, so I called an ambulance. They took me to the hospital and checked everything on me. They told me there was no evidence to say that my reaction was caused by Yasmin. But I am 100% sure, cause I was feeling really healthy and all of a sudden, in 1 hour time I was just feeling horrible. I obviously did not take my 2nd pil….
After recovering, the following week I started with DIANE 35. This time I took 2 pils, but I was feeling very sick (vomiting, could not even eat, etc) all day long so stopped once again.
After talking to different doctors, and seeing that nobody cares… Finally I’ve done some ALLERGY TESTS for YASMIN and DIANE 35. I was just sure that the result would be positive, but I was really surprised when the results showed nothing at all. I just could not understand anything.
I know that my reactions where due to the pils. However the allergy test did not relate my sickness to the pils. Does somebody have an explanation?? Any similar experiences? Do you think that I just cannot take hormone treatments?

Thank you!!!

I am really worried! I have taken Yasmin for a year until my doctor switch me to Yaz and Ive been taking that for two years. So for 3 years I have been taken a pill that now has a lawsuit! I have been getting these side effects as well; the tiredness, the vomiting (when my brother and I used to live together, we would eat the same things and sometimes I wont throw it up later, yet he would be fine) I cry a lot! i mean alot! I had people tell me that I may be Bipolar and so I didn't think that these side effects had anything to do with the birth control I have been using for over 3 years. I also had my gallbladder taken out last year and the doctors told me they didn't know why at my age, my gallbladder decided to fail on me. I also have been getting really weird headache on the right bottom back of my head (light a hard tight headache) and now that someone has pointed out nightmares, I have also noticed that since ive been taking yaz i have also been having these weird bizarre dreams every other night or so. again didn't know that this was due to the pill, i thought it was my lack of rest. I also have been experiencing this weird flashing dot in my right eye that has been going on for a year and a half now. Im really worried that these side effects are due to this pill. I don't have a sex drive neither, as a matter of fact, i haven't had sex in two years! I also have that funny 'fluid' feeling in my ears and its been extremely hard to concentrate these past years. Im really worried, I am going to stop taking yaz after this pack is over.

I'm in my 5th month of taking Yasmin, and in my 4th month I developed rashes on my face and all over my body. They look like inflamed skin with heads of pus, and very itchy. I first thought it was some severe skin reaction unrelated to the pill because I've taken bc before (ortho-tricyclen) for many years and that never happened. But after reading this forum, I think the cause is Yasmin. I've never had any skin issues like this before, and what's worse is that my immune system has been weakened and I got a bad flu-like illness with high fever in my 4th month of taking this pill. In fact, I'm experiencing my second rash reaction right now, and I'm in my 5th month. This time I'm heaving as well. I think I will stop this drug tonight. I'm so glad you are sharing your experiences on this forum because reading this helped me figure out why I've been so sick. From what I'm hearing, this drug is awful! Nobody should risk taking it because it is even worse than high dose pills, in my experience.

I'm at the end of my 2nd pack of Yasmin and I'm having trouble figuring out these side-effects. My acne is getting slightly better and I didn't get any cramps like I did when I was on tricyclen low. But I've gained probably about 10 pounds and I feel full/bloated all the time. I've never in my life had trouble with weight until I started the pill. I feel like I'm never hungry anymore, yet I still eat like a beast (I don't really know if this is important but I also burp all the time now which is rare for me, I used to have trouble even if I tried to. I know this is something stupid to mention). Second, I've been noticing my mood is not like it used to be. I have moments where I'm fine but then all of a sudden I feel really down and I've had random moments where I want to cry for no real reason. But I sometimes wonder if it's the effect of the pill or maybe I'm bummed out about the less fortunate things happening in my life. My weight gain isn't making things better for the mood. A lot of times I'm sad and I don't really understand why and no matter what I do to try to pick myself up there's a slump. Please help me I can't figure out if it's just me or the pill might have something to do with it.

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))

Yaz has caused extremely bad constipation, I have had to go to multiple doctors and i have been taking laxatives for the past few months. My doctor said I had irritable bowel syndrome, but he never said it was from Yaz. After reading other girls experiences who are my age, i've realized it has to be the Yaz. I never had this problem until last June when I started talking it. What birth control should I switch to?

Hi, I googled Yasmin as, like GM/Gabrielle, I have problems with hyperpigmentation on my upper lip and my chin (making me look like I have the beginnings of a beard and a mustache, highly attractive!!) I took Yasmin for about a year from 2002-3. I have surfed the net before at various points curious about Yasmin, but decided that I was just unlucky in taking Yasmin and it was one of those things. Having read all the posts here I am disgusted that this drug is available at all. Yes, we are all guinea pigs and yes, the doctors who prescribe this medication and others like it have no idea of the long term effects or maybe they are not really that bothered? How the hell are they made available anyway? Pharmaceutical companies literally get away with murder, to say nothing of their moral responsibility with regard to vivisection. As soon as I started to notice the pigmentation and connected it with the Yasmin I saw my doctor who immediately took me off it,warning me that it shouldn't get any worse but it may not go away. It does get worse if exposed to any sun, so I use a strong sublock and skin lightening cream all year round which thus far has only lightened the skin slightly (I live in the UK). I'm getting married this year and it will be a shame to feel self conscious about my skin, but having read these posts I feel so lucky to only have this to "worry" about - this is minor in comparison to life threatening blood clots. My grandmother died from thrombosis - maybe my vanity on this occasion has saved my life.

Like many of you here... i am extremely happy to have found this website. I have been on Yasmin for about 5 years (frightening!!) and not until yesterday did i realize that all of the peculiar things that have been happening to my body must be connected to this pill. Let's start with the weight gain...

I am 5'9" and have always weighed about 128-132 lbs... As soon as i started taking the pill i jumped up to 138lbs and then over the course of 2-3 years peaked at 160 lbs!! I have struggled to lose that weight for years, exercising daily (with a trainer and also running, doing bikram yoga etc) and eating immaculately (under the supervision of one of New York's best nutritionists..) the result?? not much! i have struggled to lose 10 lbs and have remained at this weight (around 150 ) for about a year!! no matter how many crunches i do, laps i run, and vegetables/ salmon i eat my tummy and midsection is flabby, bloated etc. and i can't shake this weight

next up... i am always tired but yet have trouble sleeping... lie awake at night clutching my chest thinking i'm having a heart attack. fluttering heart/ palpitations etc. they always pass but i thought i was mad until i came across this site.

phantom leg pains... i have inexplicable cramps in my lower legs... thought they were blood clots. have been to see about 20 doctors... all over the world... been tested for blood clots w/ ultrasound, been tested for nerve damage, muscle damage, bone density issues... you name it. even went down the whole eastern medicine, acupuncture route... NOTHING!! nobody can diagnose it or even locate any issue.

these pains also wake me in the night.

last, but not least, i develop hyperpigmentation when i expose my face to the sun... basically looks like a have a moustache b/c my skin darkens... i know this is normal for any birth control/ hormone pill but figured i'd throw it in anyway! also noticed hair on my lip/ sideburns which i promptly removed with laser but i'm now thinking might have been from the Yasmin.

i am midway through a packet but as of today i am stopping. praying that the weight will fall off and the weird aches and pains and imaginary heart attacks will stop.

thank you all for your posts and good luck! does anyone have any updates as to their progress since getting off it??? i promise to post an update in a few months to hopefully help anyone with similar issues!!

all the best!
GM

Hi my name is Ari. I'm 20. About a month ago an on-call gyno prescribed me YAZ. For the 2 weeks I was taking it I felt like my brain was up my butt. I was anxious and easily agitated. I was with one of my friends 3 Fridays ago and I got these random heart palpitations. I had no idea what was going on bso I had to have my friend rush me to the ER. By the time I got there my heart rate was at 127 bpm. The nurses and doctors told me it wasn't the pill, it was anxiety. They gave me some shrinks numbers and told me I needed therapy... I say horseshit. That's never happened to me before. I'm quite the happy kid and I'm not depressed. Needless to say, I stopped taking it that night. For the next week I still had random heart palpitations. I was trying to shop for a new cel phone with my bf and my heart started racing again. For no reason. I waited for another week to see if they would stop and it didn't. I went to a PCP and she told me the same thing. She didn't even give me a chance to explain to her what had happened. She just said I was stressed and go see a shrink.

Please somebody help me. These heart palpitations aren't stopping and its been over 2 weeks that I haven't taken YAZ. I'm in the process of finding an endocrinologist to see which of my glans this medicine messed up. I even tried to get a hold of my OBGYN and twice, the receptionists told me if I stopped taking it and I got my period then the drug is out of my system... not too comforting considering they're not a doctor. Not only that but they wouldn't let me talk to my doctor! Coffee, tea and marijuana make the heart palpitations worse (I smoke occasionally). I can't exercise either without my heart racing uncontrollably. I would greatly appreciate someones help. =)

Hi,

I started Yasmin generic (ocella) 3 weeks ago. After a few days I developed a headache that feels like constant pressure around my temples, eyebrows and in between nose. It does not go away with pain killers. I have no history of reoccurring headaches and when I have gotten one advil usually takes care of it.

After 2 weeks I decided to stop Ocella to see if that was the reason. I still have the headache a week later. I went to the dr. yesterday and he said it wasn't a sinus headache which I thought it might be. He said it might be a migraine even though it doesn't sound like a typical one. If it doesn't go away this weekend I'll have to get a Cat scan and maybe MRI. Does this sound familiar to anyone who got headaches from Yasmin? My dr. said BCP wouldn't cause a headache but several people on this site described it as a side effect. Input much appreciated.

Thanks!
C.

Hi All

I've been on Yasmin for a year. At first, it’s fine until there’s some side effect such as emotionally, leg cramp, headaches, breathless, chest pain, etc. since July ’08. Had stopped taking Yasmin on end Aug ’08. Since stopping it, I feel much better emotionally but was feeling so sick every day as had gained about 9 Lbs, stomach bloating, indigestion, abdominal pain, headaches, water retention (swelling on my finger & legs), having acne on my face, skin become very dry & skin allergy and the worst is that I’m losing lots of hair everyday (about 1/4 of my hair in the past few months and it’s still dropping & some portion already bald).
Could anyone give some advice how to get my hair back to normal through their experience?

Thanks

Hi,
I took BCPs continuously for over 10 years (I'm 36 now), with last 6 or 7 years on Yasmin. I felt great while on it, but there were I few changes in my health that prompted me to stop the Pill.
a) I developed high cholesterol and triglycerides. I am a runner and a healthy eater (mostly vegetarian, fats limited to olive oil); I check my blood lipids every year. Given my lifestyle, the doctors had the only remaining explanation that is must run in my family - but no, this is not a hereditary condition in my case. I did some online research and found out other women whose cholesterol and lipids shot up while on Yasmin or other BCP.
b) After many years of perfectly normal Pap smears, I developed first mild and then moderate cervical dysplasia. I underwent LEEP, which is a minor surgery to remove the diseased tissue, which went well, but the condition returned within several months. And now I've been referred to see an oncologist.
While the cholesterol -BCP link is a speculation at this point, the BCP link to cervical cancer is a well-known fact. My advice to those who consider getting on the pill: do it if you absolutely have to, but get off after 3-5 years, don't wait for 10 years to find out what it did to your health.

I am a 30 year old nurse and know first hand how birth control pills are individual. I was on many before Yasmin. 6 months ago I started Yasmin because it was the new hype in birth control medicine since it reduces length of period, flow of period, and reduces acne.
I don't think the ingredient drospirenone that's included in Yasmin (a potassium sparing drug, and diuretic, another form of the same type is Spironolactone) works for me.
Ever since I had experienced these symptoms:
Anxiety-heart palpitations, suspiciousness, racing thoughts.
Headaches-tension, leading to muscle spasms in neck and shoulders.
Dizziness-Vertigo type spinning sensations
Ear fullness-popping and cracking without losing hearing.
Fatigue-no motivation, especially for an early riser and a person who works 12 hr shifts.
Chest tightness, lump in throat feeling, could be due to increase in stomach acid (HCl).
If anyone else has vertigo, or dizziness, I would love to know!
Thanks,
Good luck with trying a different form of birth control.

Wait a minute!!!!! Let me say that I have really been spooked by everyone testimonials regarding Yasmin. Although I AM sympathetic and very sorry to hear of all you r health problems, I think that before we all get into a panic over this, we need to take other things into serious consideration. We have no clue what one anothers lifestyle is. Their diet, weight, allergies, stress issues , medical issues, other medications, exercise, genes, and sometimes age. I myself have suffered from hair loss, digestive issues, constipation, eyesight changes, fibroid/fatty lump in my breast, migraines, moodiness & poor circulation. And that was BEFORE I went on the pill. Sorry to say….but I’ve learned that these issues all come with age. I’m 39. And at age 35 I started seeing all these changes in my body. I was on NO medication and in pretty good health and would see a doctor regularly just to make sure. Some of these symptoms that were experiencing just might be due to the fact that were getting OLDER!! I even became somewhat lactose intolerant literally overnight. And one lady said in here that there is lactose in the pills. So maybe some of you are more susceptible to it.
And remember, the chemicals and hormones they’re putting in the pill…isn’t All Natural. They’re chemicals!!! Which can be hard on the body. (God did not design us for them). And a lot different from what I remember 20 years ago. When I used to take the pill you had to wait at LEAST a month before you can be safe from pregnancy. Now it’s only a WEEK! Hmmm…..that’s an obvious difference/change/warning….whatever you want to call it. Maybe the pill isn’t such a necessity for some of us. Maybe just a change in diet and vitamins might help us. For just pregnancy protection…maybe try another method like condoms, shots, diaphragm, etc….. I admit that I was having headaches ever since I started the pill 4 days ago. But then I realized that I only got them when I would sneek a cigarette 4 times a day. Shame on me!! That’s the ONE THING they tell you NOT to do. But now I know it’s not worth the pain and risk to my health. I didn’t smoke yet today and….no headache!! But I have not had any other side effects……YET. But when I do, I will look at other issues in my life that are going on….Diet, water intake, stress, genetics, normal woman changes, etc. I’m not saying that all your symptoms are nothing or not related toYasmin, but maybe look at the big picture before you overreact.

I am 44 years old and began taking Yaz about three months ago. I now have a very high level of Potassium. I have very bad stomach aches after eating or when any thing is in my tummy. I have had all kinds of test from Scopings to CAT Scans and nothing was found. My doctors advised me to stop taking Yaz. I have stopped for about a week now and have started to feel a little better. I started taking Yaz to help with crapping and irregular periods. It helped with those symptoms. I did not have weight gain, but felt nauseous and blotted all the time.

Tony Sapore
Too Everyone on this devil drug get the hell off it..My wife is Dead because if it.. Its happened so quick.We are from arizona(mesa) It pretty much happend in one day.I was at work My mother in law took sandra too go see a (her doctor) she was really white out of breath weak and coudnt breath ..Rite away they told her to go straight to the emergency room.They thought she was bleeding inside.They took care of her rite away. They started to take alot of test cool everything came back awesome. Then they said we are going to run a Kat scan.Bam that was it.Came back to us said she had Pulmonary Embolism .They said they can treat it.Never said you can past from it.So they took her to her own room in the hospital ..Started treating her for the blood clots in her lungs ..Everything was looking good getting color back and thinking positive.You know were like cool 3 4 days in the hospital eat good food alittle vacation dont have to take care of our son Nick 12 years old .Her mother was with us up until 1120 pm she was tired and told sandra that she was tired no problem go get some sleep and I will take care of her.She was resting pretty good then around 1220 pm about a hour later BAM stood up Cant breath and she was at white as ghost.She was suffering I could tell I called a nurse.THat when it happend so quickly They gave her oxygen nothing couldnt breath its was like she was having A CARDIAC ARREST her body couldnt function she was really tiny(her Nickname was peanut) 130 pounds then one doctor came then another like it was ER the show.I couldnt do a dam thing .Then the took me out of the room I knew something was up that was the last time I saw her alive suffering.I was sitting in a chair about 4 rooms over.Lights going off over the door.There was about 10 people in her room.Lights going off red white red.THen I heard them say Go GET A SOCIAL WORKER.I knew in my heart she was gone.They tried to give her CPR for about 20 min nothing.Then they said they want to call any family .They called her mom and Dad.and said they are going to try 10 min of cpr nothing they came out of the room and told me she died.Wow 35 years old both of us .Then her parents showed up and I had too tell them their daughter died all in one day..So know we know it was from yaz..All the signs losing hair cant breath always nervous lots of head aches .Every thing was their signs .Just because of that stupid pill.. Thank you so much and sorry it was so long have a good holiday.. always TONY

I had a Massive stroke to my temporal region and was not supposed to live much less walk or talk again

headache,nauseous,leg cramps, pain in my left breast, around heart...now, around each period my breasts hurt, and i have terrible stomach ache, like cramps, which i never had before..i also started having acne on my back and shoulders...but the worst thing is, my room-mate, she was using Yasmin for 9months, died a week ago. she wasn't sick at all.she actually did have a few headaches, and weird stomach ache, but we didn't seem to connect the two...

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???