Yasmin and hard time

I started yasmin because of bad PMS and heavy periods, leaving me very weak for days. Only really had one good week a month, so i thought i'd try this pill (never having used BC pills before) after it had been recommended by two friends of mine. Now, i've only been on it 8 days so it may be a little early to start complaining but my main concern is that my period has not stopped. I took my first pill on the day my periods started for the month and where they would usually last 4-5days max, i am now on my eighth day and there's no sign of them stopping! Not heavy, light and dark like the last couple of days before the end of your cycle - only im usually onlly like thsi for a day or two before they finish... this time they dont look like they're finishing!!! Also have swollen, sore breasts (that i can tolerate - have gone up a cup size!). Have found im going to bed earlier and waking up a lot easier since i started the cycle, which id a plus as i usually have a hard time falling asleep and waking up.

Mainly concerned about the constant bleeding as have not seen it mentioned as any one elses symptoms. has anyone else experienced this? if so, is it normal for a first-timer? I thought it may be because its the first time i have taken BC pills and it takes a couple of months for your body to adapt...

Any feed back would be greatly appreciated :-)

I have just gone back onto Yasmin after an absolutely horrifying experience trying to come off it.

I have taken Yasmin for 3 years with minimal problems. My skin was fantastic - never a blemish. I actually LOST weight while on it and went up a up a breast cup size. I got lighter periods which was a godsend. I did get a few problems though - gas and stomach bloating as well as headaches sometimes shortly after taking it and occasionally break-through bleeding. But for me the pros outweighed the cons.

I came off it recently as I'm no longer in a long term relatonship and it was just awfull. My skin broke out, I got very oily hair and skin and felt like I was going through puberty again. The worst problem was that in just 3 weeks I blew up like a baloon. I literally stacked on weight every day and my family all made suggestive comments like "been enjoying the cake lately?" I was so angry since I'm such a healthy eater and excersize every single day!!!!! I have never had a problem wth my weight before and the only change I made in my lifestyle was coming of Yasmin. I was so upset with my appearance I have actually gone back on the Yasmin. However its ridiculus to stay on it for beauty's sake.

Has anyone ever experiecend this before??? If so what did you do????

Where do I begin?

I started taking Yasmin almost a year ago (Feb '07). I thought everything was great in the beginning ... sure, I had some headaches (I've always had more headaches anyway) & I would experience some nausea on & off, especially after midnight (generally I'm still awake around then). My gyn told me that it would take awhile for my body to fully get used to it & that seemed reasonable enough.

However, a few months ago things started to get weird. I have always been an anxious person, especially in regards to school. Getting anxious about exams is nothing new for me, so in terms of school I didn't think the pill could be affecting me much. I started to noticing the other month that the week before my inactive pills began just seemed off. Some symptoms associated with my regular period have never gone away. My boobs still swell & hurt, I get bloated & sometimes, I even feel like I stay bloated the majority of the month. Furthermore, I still get nauseous. Just recently I have felt like a total maniac. I have had one spell of depression before, but I knew the reasons for why I was upset. These days, I have felt like my world is ending for no reason. I have had terrible thoughts - just feelings about how awful life is, how people don't matter to me anymore & sometimes, I have wished I would just not wake up. I'm not suicidal, nor would I ever commit suicide. These aren't normal thoughts for me! It makes you feel 100x worse to think things like this & know that this is so unlike the person you are & the beliefs you hold true to you. On top of all this, I have had a hard time being around my boyfriend. I have not wanted to have sex for a couple of weeks now & like other people have said, have begun experiencing the same dryness symptoms. It is terrible. I know he has been worried about me. Furthermore, I noticed my hair falling out a lot more awhile ago, but again my reason for it was because I have long, thick hair. I didn't really think it could be anything. I have tried telling myself there were reasons for everything I have been going through -- i.e. I'm a second year at a large University, 3 states away from my hometown state & there has been a lot of adjusting involved the past year & a half. That's what I have blamed it all on.

Reading this site has made it all suddenly click. Here I was trying to find reasons why I am feeling this way. It's been so confusing & frustrating to not know why you are in so much pain. I am contacting my gyn immediately tomorrow. I almost contacted her awhile back. This website has made it clear to me now that I MUST contact her. Sure, predictable periods have been nice, but they just aren't worth it for all this.

I sure hope that Yasmin is really what to blame in this situation. Has anyone switched to another pill successfully?

Thanks.

I can't believe I have found this site!!! I have been having horrendous but very petty arguments with my boyfriend just lately, to the point I do not know if we are over as he is only speaking to me in a temper voice. Obviously I believe eveything is his fault(!) and now after reading the site I am wondering if it is all actually me and down to my pill, yasmin, as everything I have read about everyones mood swings rings true! I am almost 3 months in and have been experiencing headaches for the first time in my life and I thought it was just one of those things. My breasts are nearly up a whole size and I have become really really self conscious which I have also never been like before and few of my clothes appear to fit. I have also recently visited the Dr's with dizziness which I actually put down to Jasmin although she said it couldn't possibly be the pill and put it down to a dodgy eardrum which she thinks I have - also I believe I have become increasingly deaf... could that be the pill too or am I now blaming everything that is going wrong in my life on that one tiny little tablet????
I am going to book an appointment with my Dr for tonight but am really conscious that I am going to burst into tears the moment I walk into the surgery - is this the table or because of the rows with my boyfriend? (Like the chicken and egg!)
I have been on Dianette for years and have never experienced any problems - surely it can't be that bad, can it?????

Hello Everyone, My name is chere' and i have been taking Yasmin for 5 months now and what i thought would be a good decition to take the pill considering that i'm older, would effect my life my health and my personality. Taking the pill i've noticed alote of change in my body and what i thought would be normal side effects turned out to be everyday. when taking the pill i had nausea, rapid mood swings, loss of appetite, losing wieght, anxiety attacks and just over whelming depression. i thought i was crazy. i had about 4 brake downs in the past month to where i felt like i couldnt control it. I never ever had an anxiety attack until i took the pill and every morning i feel nauseated, and had a hard time gaining appetite. what made me get off the pill was Rapid mood swings and my heart. hopefully now i will be me again :) i found the root of the problem and i feel sooooooooooo realived that i wasnt crazy.

ANOTHER UPDATE:
Hi again, I posted on the 12th and the 15th I was on Yas for a week, noticed a bad change of moods etc.
well here's the time line....
I got my period on Saturday Aug. 4th and started the pill on the 5th. I stopped taking it the 13th or 14th So I was on it for 8-9 days. Well I am spotting heavily and have major cramps which all started the 17th. And while reading the new posts and seeing how people are complaining about migraines I REALIZE ME TOO! I got a migrane on Thursday night the 16th at work. At first I thought it was due to lack of sleep, work or having had taken a late lunch.... fine I go home go to bed. Wake up early still had the migrane but went back to sleep since I didn't have to be at work until late. Headache was gone when I woke up again. But I've been feeling a little discomfort in my head very slight. I's like a ball was rolling around in there and any sudden movement would hurt a little as if the ball bounced against the walls. Anyway today the migraine came back full force same place. Right side of my head like a pin has been inserted from the back to the middle of my right eyebrow. Has anyone been feeling like this? And I am spotting and have very very bad cramps. I dont know whats going on if it's me having a bad week or if it has anything to do with this damn pill. Anyway thats it, sorry if I'm rambling a bit I am having a very hard time trying to express myself with my head pounding.

Thank god I'm normal! I plan to call the doctor TOMORROW to come off of this medication.

I'm breastfeeding my son, so it's difficult to find a "safe" pill to use. I tried the mini-pill with lots of side effects. Have been on Yaz for 10 days, and as I read through all of the posts I realize I've had side effects I didn't even know were side effects!

The most troubling has been the anxiety. To have a panic attack while nursing an infant in the middle of the night is not a good thing. Especially the loss of control knowing that if I pull him off for my own comfort, he will probably become frantic. My anxiety level during the day has been ok, but I've been on Prozac for depression all along, which may be keeping me somewhat even.

Other side effects: insomnia (last 3 nights I've been up till 3 in the morning), extreme muscle aches, nausea in the morning (feels like morning sickness, but def. not preg!), dry, itchy skin, lack of libido and aversive to touch, even in a non-sexual way.

Oh, well...time to try another. Hopefully my OB/Gyn will not give me a hard time.

Where do I begin??? I have been taking Yaz for six months. Migraines! The worst migraines ever, I cannot function for one full day and sometimes more, the pain was so intolerable.

Hives! For the past two months, I keep thinking that I had a food allergy; even my doctor diagnosed it as that. After going to the allergist, I was told that I have developed an allergy to the Yasmin pill. No part of my body has been discriminated with this medication. Hives from the top of my head, in my eyes, right down to the bottom of my feet! This has been the worst experience of my life with this pill.

Fatigue to the extreme! I fall asleep sitting up and never feel rested. Yaz has caused me to go up two cup sizes so far, I went from being a 38C to a 40DD and I can't fit into anything. My boobs are sore a lot.

Weight gain, at least 20 pounds heavier. Nausea; Indigestion; Diarrhea & Constipation; Decreased Sex Drive; and Mood swings; Uncontrollable Rages; Severe body aches; Hot Flashes/Chills; Crying Spells; Blurred Vision; Lack of Concentration; Trouble sleeping; Dizziness; Shaking; Restlessness mainly after 9pm when I should be winding down to go to bed; Terrible night sweats; Never ending cravings for junk food; Inability to cope with stressful situations; Feeling of being inadequate; Can’t concentrate; Gassy; Hate family & partners; Irrational.

My gynocologist had to put me on Yaz because I had had a Kenalog Injection for a slipped disk and after being injected with Kenalog I kept having menstrual periods....4 in a month a half! So she gave me Yaz, it seems to work so far, but this drug gives me side effects too. Has anyone experienced extreme tiredness? I seem to be tired non-stop even after having a lot of sleep. This wasn't listed as side effect on my prescription, but I thought this may be causing it. Since I started taking this 3 weeks ago I began to feel real depressed and angry for no reason at all. I just get these weird bouts of depression.

I've been on Yaz for 1 year now. I've been in a deep depression since September ( 6 months on Yaz) for which I've had to seek treatment. It took 4 months to get me straightened out on medications and still daily I struggle with it.

Also I've noticed right shoulder pain, weight gain (60 pounds), no libido, chronic fatigue, bloating with horrible gas.Is all of this from the Yaz or is it my depression or what? I'm having a really hard time sorting thru all of this.

Thank you, that makes me feel better!
Did you take any vitamins when you quit?
I am worried my body will have a hard time getting back to normal. My sister had hair loss when she quit the pill which seems odd. I am trying to make my transition as easy as possible

I just wanted to follow up to my earlier posting. (I have copied it below). Turns out the side effect was not from Yasmin. Actually caused by a nerve. I wanted to post a follow up should anyone be scanning this site.

I started taking Yasmin in July. I had taken other traditional birthcontrol pills for years. Decided to try Yasmin as my OBGYN suggested it may help with weightloss as I was having a really hard time losing weight despite diet and excercise and ruling out other issues. I have not had the side effects such as anxiety and skin pigmentation that others mention. It did make my periods heavier and more cramps. Cramps mostly went away with ibuprophin.

However, I have been having a symptom that I am wondering if others have had. I have been to my primary care doctor, orthopedist, nuerologist, vein specialist, and no one can seem to find the issue. I am now wondering if it could be a Yasmin side effect. Since mid July what started out as a tingling (almost numbness) in my upper right thigh. It sometimes feels like pins and needles, other times like a bruise, and other times like a sharp pain. Seems worse at night. But numbress is always there.

I am very interested in hearing what people have to say. I am going to make an appt with my OBGYN to try another pill.

I have been off of Yasmin for about one month now and I'm not really too sure how I've been feeling. I got my first "period" about a week late, but it didn't even last a day. Two days later I had horrible cramps with shooting pain down my leg. This lasted about two days. Its two weeks later and I started my "period" again and I think its the heaviest I have had in the last three years (I was on Estrostep for 1.5 yrs and Yasmin for about the same). I am having a hard time figuring out what my normal cycle will be, which is frustrating b/c my husband and I are ready to start trying to have a baby.

Can anyone relate?????

I started taking Yasmin in July. I had taken other traditional birthcontrol pills for years. Decided to try Yasmin as my OBGYN suggested it may help with weightloss as I was having a really hard time losing weight despite diet and excercise and ruling out other issues. I have not had the side effects such as anxiety and skin pigmentation that others mention. It did make my periods heavier and more cramps. Cramps mostly went away with ibuprophin.

However, I have been having a symptom that I am wondering if others have had. I have been to my primary care doctor, orthopedist, nuerologist, vein specialist, and no one can seem to find the issue. I am now wondering if it could be a Yasmin side effect. Since mid July what started out as a tingling (almost numbness) in my upper right thigh. It sometimes feels like pins and needles, other times like a bruise, and other times like a sharp pain. Seems worse at night. But numbress is always there.

I am very interested in hearing what people have to say. I am going to make an appt with my OBGYN to try another pill.

Guest 20168--Guest 20077 here...thanks so much for your response. I am really overwhelmed at all this though... it's crazy how many women are listing their problems with Yasmin. Don't you think there should be something done with it? I do, just don't know how. I'd like to see how many women there are that do not have problems taking the pill. I just found out that quite a few of my friends take the same kind, and one didn't have any side effects...the other didn't have any problems when taking it, but said that after she stopped with the pills, she did feel better--more energized, motivated, more like herself. I am utterly frustrated at everything...and not just because the pills are making me feel that way. You read about the situation I had with the doctor...I have been seeing a counselor/phsycologist about the lack of sleep issue, and she doesn't seem to think it's Depression, as she says that people who are depressed think they are... I'd say I'm depressed, but that's not more than feeling down every day. She says she hopes to find the truth behind my problems... and I said I hope that depression isn't the truth and that it's just something simple, like Yasmin. All this just because I can't sleep. Before taking Yasmin, actually, as far as I could remember, I had a hard time with sleeping. Even as a little kid...but with this birth control, something with many great benefits, I've become exhausted, angry, frustrated, tense, anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, etc. All that. As the Doc has said, "You're depressed. Come back in 3 weeks." Yea, and about those antidepressants...I don't mind taking pills...I'd rather take an antidepressant to feel better than be taking 7 or 8 different sleeping pills in one night just to find sleep. No one seems to understand, or seems willing to understand, besides women who post on websites. Thank Heaven for you ladies and thank heaven for caring families. I wish I could show them Me...who I really am. I wish I could see who I am and feel just like me.

Hi Ladies!

It's me again, searching for a little advice.

I'm 7 months off Yasmin now and still sometimes got this nervousness and blurry vision again. I started working again 2 days ago (I hadn't been working because of my Yasmin illness now since december 2004 - I really wasn't able to do anything even in my household or such!! I'm working for a lawyer, typing his correspondences) and I feel, that I don't get on even with a little stress like I used to before in my whole life!! I was a very strong person who could do 3 things at one time if I had to!! And now I feel overwhelmed just with typing those correspondences which I did with no problems during my whole life before Yasmin!!! :(

I feel so desperate and anxious again, that I perhaps could never be the old me again in my life and this pill has caused some longterm damage in my body and brain!!

I should mention, that I had been taking Yasmin for very long 5 YEARS (!) before getting off in February this year and that my hormones are not back in balance again at all!! My first period off Yasmin and same time my last until today was at easter this year!! My whole body is completely messed up and I'm having a hard time getting everything back to normal since then. Very much of the symptoms have gone away, but sadly not everything and not completely!!

So please tell me: Is there someone out there still experiencing the same or similar symptoms after this long time off Yasmin???

Anyone out there, who's finally totally back to normal and if so, how long has it taken you to get there???

I'd really need some pep talk!! Thanks in advance and all the best to everyone!!

Hi Ladies!
I like many of you have had a horrible experience with Yasmin. I was on Yasmin for 2 1/2 years. I didn't realize while on it that all of my problems were due to this pill. I have been off for three months now and I am slowly, very slowly getting better. I was just curious if anyone out there has had disturbing and irrational thoughts while getting off? I have been having a hard time mentally. My anxiety is also terrible. I am very emotional because I have no clue where any of these thoughts are coming from. Well, I hope to hear some feedback. Also, how long has it taken for this dreadful pill to get out of your system? I am so happy I found this site. Thanks again!

HELP!

So I was just perscribed Yasmin and have not started taking it yet. I have a hard time with hormonal birth control because it makes me sick to my stomach. Did any of you expierence vomiting while taking this pill?

After reading this fourm, I am thinking that there is a better choice out there for me. I should start my pack a week from this Sunday.... but from the sound of this, this is a bad idea....

Let me know what you think! and please let me know about the upset stomach

i Started Yasmin about 5 months ago. I recently noticed a very thin spot in my hair. I then also noticed my hearing had not been very good and I even went as far as to make an appt to have my hearing tested. I thank god I came across this website. I have felt like a madwoman my emotions are up and down and i feel like I am raging all the time and little stupid things have set me off. To make matters worse I have had no sex drive at all and feel bloated. I am reeling right now realizing that i have been having a hard time sleeping at night and wake up drenched in sweat. I have a week left to go before my period and I am not starting a new pack. I will look at new options. I will keep you all posted. I am thing class action law suit. we women dont deserve to be caught between a pharmacutical company and the doctors we trust. you must question everything!

Thank you all for your experiences about the side effects of Yasmin. I have been taking the pill for 5 months now and changed from a happy, chilled, enjoying life type of person to the bitch from hell, crying excessively at the drop of a hat for no real reason and constantly loosing the plot and taking everything out of proportion. I have been extremely negative when I have always been positive and now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have previously tried over 10 different types of pill and never been happy with any them due to weight gain, eczema, acne etc but the doctor recommended Yasmin and said that this one had very limited side effects. How wrong was he?? I was totally stressed all the time, gave my boyfriend a hard time about everything/anything/nothing was short with my work colleagues and distanced myself from my friends. Reading all of your stories has really changed everything. I thought it was me and it isn't. My boyfriend read your experiences and understood why I cried so much with relief when I read them and he understood what has been happening the last few months. Today I have taken my last pill. I was considering trying another but I would like to be myself rather than pump hormones into my body and never quite know if it was really me or the pill. Now I shall investigate alternatives more seriously and look after No. 1.

Hello, ladies. I took Yasmin for one year and sudenly many things made sense as I read your experiences. My side effects happened gradually, but worsened a lot this last month. They are:
-joint aches (my doctor said I had fibromyalgia!)
-no sex drive
-leg cramps
-vaginal dryness, which gives you pain when you're having sex
-hair loss, dry hair
-a "beautiful" brown spot above my lip, like a moustache (wasted a fortune with peelings and lotions)
-decreased respiratory capacity
I sing opera, which requires a lot of energy and breathing capacity, and I had a hard time trying to figure out what was happening to my voice. It even changed in tone quality, to worse.
I've been off the pill for 6 days and I've already noticed some nice changes in my voice, but I'm experiencing bad cramps and a weird anxiety. Guess it is my body trying to desintoxicate from all this mess!

I have been on Yasmin for about 9 months and for the last 7 or 8 months have been having extreme difficulty breathing. I have always been an avid runner and been in very good shape, but noticed while weight training one day that I was having a hard time catching my breath, like I just couldn't get enough air. I thought maybe I was getting a little cold and dismissed it. Day after day it got worse and worse and has been an ongoing problem now for 8 months. At first it started in my workouts and progressed to the point where daily activities have me short of breath. I thought it was allergies, went on allegra, then zyrtec, then inhalers. Have NEVER had breathing problems in my life, used to run 5-6 miles a day and now can barely make it to 3. Have also been weirdly irritable all the time, to the point where I don't even feel like talking to my family or friends. Also just unhappy in general, for absolutely no reason, it's like I'm not sad, but I'm not happy, I'm just there. I've never been like that before. It's been so frustrating and I'm pretty sure my boyfriend thinks I'm crazy, which I was starting to think myself. It was such a relief to find this website, I can't believe I went so long dealing w/ this. I just finished my last pack and will not be starting a new one. Has anyone else had a similar experience w/ the shortness of breath?

I have been on Yasmin for a little over a year now, at first everything was great, aside from swollen breasts, I had no complications. Over the past 6 months, I have become increasingly moody, depressed and I feel angry all the time, stressed-out, overwhelmed...any little thing will set me off. I have gained some weight, but not a whole lot but I noticed my appetite has increased since starting Yasmin. I have headaches almost daily, my eyes are blurry at times and I have a hard time concentrating on things. I also have horrible leg cramps that happen in the middle of the night, usually when I stretch my legs out, I can literally feel the calf muscle tighten into a hard ball...and I have ti rub it to loosen it up, then my leg aches the rest of the day. The more I take this, the worse I feel. I feel good the few days during my period when Im not on active pills, but here I am 6 days into my active pills and Im turning into the "monster" again.....this pill has got to go...thanks for all who have written their side effects as well, I can now see its this pill and not my imagination.

I'm really glad I read the entries on this web site--after being on Yasmin for 3 months, I'm having a hard time weighing the positive and negative side effects. I notice I am VERY thirsty and listless since I started....And I have a pain in my chest almost all the time. I work out about 3 times a week and notice in the middle of cardio I get terrible pain like I've ran 5 miles when I've gone barely 2.
The positive effects have been lighter flow during my period and less moodiness during PMS. My breasts have grown a little bit as well(I need all the help I can get and surgery is nothing I would consider ;)
My skin is also drier since I started taking Yasmin... I know that ALL birth control pills have negative effects at least in some way. But I took Ortho Novum 1/35(old school pill) and never experienced the constant thirst or other effects I mentioned...

I am only on my second week of yasmine. I took it because i gained like 20 lbs in a year on ortho tri. I have been extremely thirsty every night at school. I downed a 20 oz water in 5 minutes--usually i have a hard time drinking a whole can/cup of anything....other than that i am good. Did not know it was so easy to get depressed on this. After reading the posts i better be careful. Also, headaches every night, but they are dealable.

I have been on Yasmin @ 5 mos - I have very short periods now - about 3 days and haven't gained weight. However, I have a lot of muscle cramping - legs, feet, all over. Also, night sweats during the month and a hard time sleeping. Anybody experienced these?

I went on Yasmin 4 months ago after being on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for over 4 years. I was looking to increase my sex drive and had heard that Yasmin was a great pill for that. Unfortunately, now I have an extremely hard time reaching orgasm which has never been a problem for me in the past. I have also noticed a negative reaction with my skin: extremely dry with constant breakouts around my chin.