Yasmin and drug reps

I'm 23 years old and I took Yasmin for about 4 or 5 years. I honestly loved it at the time, or so I thought. Basically, I got switched to Yaz because it was being pushed by my doctor's office and within 2 weeks I was the most miserable person on the face of the earth. Since I was going through a lot in my life I never even thought that my negative attitude was based on my birth control. I began to suffer from severe migraines, nausea, this strange rash on my face, and I gained a little over 20 pounds. I was on Yaz for 6 months when I finally realized that it was what was causing all my symptoms. The Sunday before my appointment, things got so bad that I was about 30 seconds away from killing myself or checking myself into an institution. I have since switched to Loestrin24Fe, and I can't say I'm in love with it, but I DO feel SO much better! Seems to have a few side effects of it's own, but as long as "killing myself" isn't one of them, sounds good to me! Despite thinking that Yasmin was great back then, I started to think back to when I felt my life had started to spiral out of control, and it's when I started the Yasmin. My migraines and over all aches, pains, and anxiety problems started then too! The 2 best years I had were 2 years I wasn't really actively using birth control. My last two relationships have ended in a fiery ball of flames due to the control Yasmin and Yaz have had over me. THIS PILL NEEDS TO BE OFF THE MARKET. It has ruined my life for the past 3 years especially and I can't believe that despite all of us screaming at the top of our lungs, no one is doing anything. All the drug reps keep saying "there's no "bad" pill everyone reacts differently" but HOW can you say that when so many women are this miserable on it? Do countless numbers of us need to die in order for this to be over?

I noticed I didn't put my side effects. They are "Charlie horses" or leg cramps, I don't eat like I use to, back pain, tingling shoulders, neck pain, bloating out of this world, chest pains, and heart palpations. The bad thing is I called my local health unit and they told me to continue taking the pill. What should I do?

IF YOUR TAKING THIS GET OFF NOW!!! I have tried lots of pills and this by far was the worst! I have had 6 kids and even post pardom depression was nothing compared to the effects this had on me! I noticed just after 2 weeks of taking YAZ I stared having mood swings not just little ones just crying all the time..I would be fine one second then just blow up on everyone around me! While working out my toes would go to sleep and it was so painful! I contemplated suicide! This is how bad it was. I called my doctor the nurse switched me to Yasmin..*which of course she said was different but it wasn't* After taking Yasmin for 2 more weeks I was wanting to die everyday! I called my doctor at 6am he actually answered! He said that both pills were the same. I am now on the old school Ortho and I'm doing awesome! This pill should be taken off the shelves! I actually got this pill free from my doctor! The drug reps must get paid alot to tell doctors that this is good for you! It's BS ladies! Please I'm begging you don't try this pill nor give them to your children! I Beg you! email me if you have any questions I've been doing alot of research and talking to doctors in my area to stop giving these out!
Good Luck

Hi tashbash7 18027
I saw three differnent OB's and 2 of them said no way the pill could cause this finally the last one said of course it could cause all your symptoms, what works for one person is hell for another. I know that not all doctors know everything there is to know about every medication. They get these fancy drug reps in their office bringing fancy gifts and telling them to use their new miracle drugs because they can do this and that. Some doctors only know what the reps tell them about the drug unless they do their own research(not likely) and even if they did do research on it, they are not going to find the symptoms we are all describing, because most of them are not in the packet insert info. which is about all the info. i found on the web about yasmin. Except that it is on the worst drug list because they say there is no reason to be taking it because the other bcp do what they are supposed to. I agree, if I had known that Yasmin had spirinolactone in it (its the ONLY bcp that does) I would not have taken it. If i had seen this website, i would not have taken it. Imagine how stupid i feel being a nurse and having this happen to me. I could just kick myself for not researching it first. I should know better, but I thought all bcp were basically the same. Our OB's dropped the ball too when they didnt explain the "difference" and possible additional side effects. But I feel they dont know about the side effects we are feeling because the drug is still too new. We are the experts girls, not the doctors, because we are the ones who have/are taking it. You cannot tell the guinea pigs what they are feeling is not real because the money hungry drug company who never ingested so much as one little white pill SAYS thats not a side effect! What you are feeling IS real. I experienced for the first time in my life what real depression feels like. The doctors?! The cold hard truth is that most of them either dont research, or more important LISTEN TO THEIR PATIENTS. WE are the experts, not them. Dont let them make you feel like you are crazy, because you are not. And the last OB I saw (a female) even told me that as well, that I am not crazy or imagining my symptoms, that the pill can cause all these symptoms, and that it will take a couple of cycles for everything to get back to normal, but that none of the changes should be permanent. I believe what makes one doctor evaluate different from another is experience with a particular drug, personality and the ability to think further than whats just in front of them (ie, it doesnt say it can do that so it cant), and just LISTENING which believe me, A LOT of doctors just do not have this skill. If the ones who told you no your crazy logged onto this site and read all of these similar complaints would they rethink their answer, would they even take the time, would they even care? FEW would and some would not thats the cold hard truth. I know my body just as you all know yours and you can feel when there is something wrong with it thats why I kept refusing the antidepressants they were trying to put me on. I noticed around about Jan. 14th that heavy black cloud sitting in my head lifted and I started to feel better emotionally, though I still have spells of depression but not nearly as heavy or lasting as long. Dont get me wrong if anti depressants are helping you that is great, I personally just didnt want to chance extra side effects on top of the million side effects i was already experiencing. The headaches have really disappeared for the most part as well but they were terrible. My skin is still changing every day its starting to get oily and pulmp again and my hair is falling out less and less. Its been 3 months off the Yasmin, things are getting better slowly. Sometimes it feels like one step forward two steps back, but just hang in there, it does get better. Write me. This website is good therapy.

To redaurora:
I am completely angered by your story!! I can't believe that an OBGYN would be so ignorant to think Yasmin didn't play a role in your mild stroke when it's one of the risks listed RIGHT ON THE PACKAGE. Honestly, it seems like we all have to do our own research on these things... it's the only way we can get trusted information (which I have thankfully gained from all the women on this site).
I did some research and found that doctors claim their number one source for information on side effects are the pharmaceutical companies themselves (like they are going to admit there's a problem). Also, I have a friend involved in marketing pharmaceuticals and you wouldn't believe what kind of perks docs get from drug reps! (conflict of interest??)
It really makes you wonder....good luck with your recovery from yasmin. I am 4 months off Yasmin as well and still suffering...

I took Yasmin for only 10 days. In that time I

felt nauseous almost every day (each time i ate)

had constant terrible anxiety from day 2 on it. I could feel it in my chest the whole time

had constant breakdowns. I cried up to 30 times a day for no reason.

basically i wanted to die.

I have been on many different pills and never experienced any emotional side effects. I have no history of depression or anxiety.

I think this pill is dangerous and people need to know about it. When I went into a family planning clinic to tell them my predicament and ask them the best way to go off birth control after taking it for so many years, they said that Yasmin is not first line of birth control because of the side effects, but drug reps are hitting the advertising hard and doctors are not really educated about it.

The (non-biased, drug rep free) family planning clinic changed my pill mid cycle 2 get me off Yasmin. I cried once the day they changed it (over the whole situation i have been dealing with) and have felt totally calm since then. No nausea, no breakdowns, no anxiety.

I have posted warnings on other forums. Please spread the word about your experiences because I really feel the side effects are bad enough that they could end in a suicide for someone.

It is time that people recognize that drug companies are not honest and can really downplay the side effects.

-Rayann