Yasmin and hormone level

Just reporting back with some information.
I've been off of Yasmin for over a month now. Overall I've been better but there have been a few "relapses" where I've become so dizzy/lightheaded that I hard-core started to panic. Those days can be disheartening.
I've read some previous posts from an RN who said that Yasmin in particular, suppresses your androgens (testosterone) which causes many of these symptoms. This also explains why sometimes it takes a while for these symptoms to "catch up" I know I was feeling great when I first started.
I'm a lot better now that I stopped Yasmin, but I know it's going to take up to six months to get back to normal. Have your doctor check your hormone level. Even if it's " low normal" that isn't healthy for say, a 20, or 30 year old.
For herbal supplements I would suggest Ashwagandha. It's supposed to help production of your androgens. Also keep hydrated and have plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids.
What I also encourage is to talk about your situation. Once you open up, you'll never know who you'll find that had the same issue. We women can be a very helpful resource for one another.
I'll keep you posted on the progress and I hope the best for all of you.

SARAH: syberlib, #35391

HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU HAD A MINI-STROKE? WHAT WERE YOUR SYMPTOMS PRIOR, DURING AND FOLLOWING? Were you diagnosed and if so what were the tests they conducted?

I feel so sorry that you were on this pill since it came out. 2001 is when it was approved in the U.S. and now it is being sold like crazy-heavily advertised.

I started Yasmin in January 2004. I went off in September 2006 so I was on it for 2.5 years. It was originally prescribed for me for anxiety interestingly enough because so many women here reported problems with anxiety while on it and then getting off of it.

I got off following 4 months of increasing chest pain. Started on the left side and then a month later, traveled across my chest and another month later primarily on my left side. This occurred usually the week just prior to my menstrual cycle so I expect that it has something to do with the hormone level changes just prior to the menses.

While on Yasmin, it made me so exhausted, I would shower and feel ready to go right back to bed. The Doctor recommended I take it at night so I did and it made getting up in the morning that much more difficult.

I went to the bathroom excessively due to the diuretic in Yasmin. no matter how much water I consumed, I constantly felt de-hydrated.

I had incredible fatigue while on Yasmin. My ears stopped up to the point of being painful and noticed right after I would take it that my ears would "pop" like they do on an airplane. This would last for 1-2 hours following taking it. I saw a hearing doc who told me that they've known for years that Ortho-contraceptives are odo-toxic meaning that they are toxic to the fluid levels of the inner ear. The inner ear consists of potassium and sodium fluid, so due to this pill's naturally increasing potassium levels, it made sense although a pharmacist, the prescribing Doctor and RN I saw to have an EKG done did not know this.

I've been off now for 3 plus months. However, to ease symptoms, I went onto Orthocept from September through December. Although some of the symptoms got better, the chest pains still continued to come the week before my period. What I want to know is how one knows if they are suceptible to a heart attack or stroke. The RN told me the EKG was normal but confirmed a returning heart murmur I had had years prior. When I was originally told I had this murmur back in 1999, a Naturopathic doctor said it was due to having low progesterone and said that it would likely go away on something like Orthocept. It did. However, after 2.5 years on Yasmin, it came back.

FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS POSTED OR IS NOT POSTING ON THIS SITE-I HIGHLY RECOMMEND KEVIN TRUDEAU'S BOOK ON NATURAL CURES. I'VE BEEN READING SECTIONS OF THIS FOR MONTHS UNTIL MY BROTHER GAVE IT TO ME FOR MY BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH. HE BASICALLY TAKES THE POSITION THAT ALL PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AS WELL AS NON-PRESCRIPTION CAUSE ILLNESS. DEPRESSION. ANXIETY. YEAST INFECTIONS. FATIGUE. MUSCLE SOARNESS. YOU NAME IT. EVERYTHING I'VE READ TO DATE I'VE KNOWN AT AN INTUITIVE LEVEL. THAT BASICALLY, MUCH TO ALL OF SCIENTIFIC MEDICINE-THAT IS PRESCRIPTION AND NON-PRESCRIPTION TREATS SYMPTOMS AND NOT NOT CAUSE AND CREATES AN IMBALANCE IN HEALTH THAT LEADS TO OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS. I THINK THAT THIS IS BASICALLY TRUE AND I WOULD HEED WARNING TO ALL WOMEN SEEKING RELIEF FROM ANTI-DEPRESSANTS OR ANTI-ANXIETY MEDS. THEY ARE DEADLY.

IN ADDITION-EVERY WOMAN I KNOW HAS INCREASED ENERGY AND IRRITABILITY JUST PRIOR TO HER PERIOD. IT IS A NORMAL RESPONSE TO THE CHANGE IN HORMONE LEVELS IN YOUR BODY DURING THIS TIME. I USUALLY FIND THAT INCREASING ACTIVITY LEVEL, LOTS OF EXERCISE, AVOIDING CAFFEINE AND SUGAR ARE CRITICAL AND RELIEVE MOST TO ALL OF THESE SYMPTOMS.

The other thing I would like to mention is that sensations of feeling "blue" or "sad" are just as normal as feelings of bliss and happiness. We're raised to think that we are supposed to be these jolly all smile faces and if you aren't' "happy", that something is wrong. So, I'd just say, that while some diagnosis about imbalances may be very real, I'd recommend doing alot of reading and research prior to putting anything else into your body or taking any other medications. They all likely cause other problems.

I am, after all this time, quite disturbed by this and what I expect are millions of other responses by people taking an array of medications that cause such severe symptoms and sometimes death. After 6 years on the market, how its still being pushed so heavily. If you read Kevin Trudeau's book, you'll see that much of the pharmaceutical and medical industry isn't concerned with treating the cause of your symptoms, but instead recommending medication after medication to treat the symptom.

Exercise and stress relief as critical as a healthy diet which today has become more and more difficult to create and make a discipline with lifestyle but it is absolutely critical. All these pills, I believe are wreaking havoc and hell on people all over the world.

Thu, 18 May 2006 18:00:07 -0500 - #6524

Side Effects of Yasmin
I am so glad to have found this site! It is somewhat comforting to know that I am not alone in my battle with the bad effects of Yasmin.

Here is my story:

Infertility for the first three years of my marriage. Got pregnant and miscarried at 14 weeks. Have had lots of mid cycle pain in my lower left abdominal area since I started college (so for over 10 years now). Had 3 large fibroids removed from the outside of my uterus. Decided to go on the Pill in Sept 2005 to see if it would help with my mid cycle pain. My OB prescribed Yasmin. At first things were great...lighter periods, more dependable period schedule, etc. Then in Feb 2006 I had my first panick attack. I couldn't sleep, I had dizziness, nausea, vomiting. Then my period came and everything went back to normal. Then in April 2006, another panick attack. Severe nausea, severe dizziness, severe brain fogginess, etc. Things are so bad that it is now mid May and I am still recuperating. Lots of unexplained and uncontrolled crying and feelings of despair. My OB suggested that I see a psychiatrist. I know that I am not really depressed. I know it's just that my hormones, which were already imbalanced before, are now really whacked out because of Yasmin.

Here are my symptoms:

Extreme moodiness
Extreme fatigue
Mental cloudiness
Nausea
Dizziness
Weepiness

Just not feeling like myself

I am going to see a new OB at the end of the month because we switched insurance companies. I am asking for a regular PAP and for a hormone level test to see where I am at. I have also done a lot of research online and am going to ask for my thyroid level to be checked. I have also contacted a nutritionist who specifies in dealing with endometriosis (I also have this) through diet and natural remedies to help rebalance my body's hormone levels and to clean out my organs from bad junk.

I have a 15 month old who is very mobile and a busy Stay At Home Mom lifestyle so being completely drained of energy and feeling like my brain is not connected to my body is completely interrupting my life.

For anyone thinking of starting Yasmin or any other scientifically created medicine, please do your research before taking anything. If it's not completely from nature, how can we expect it to act/react with our bodies naturally without causing a host of other problems now and in the future? Take care of your body now, stay off Yasmin.

I also stopped taking Yasmin about 3 weeks ago mid cycle. I immediately got my period about 3 days after stopping the pill (which would be a week earlier than normal). Now I am having feelings that my period will come again just two weeks after my last one. How long until I start to feel better and get back to my regular natural cycle?

Thanks,
Sandra

Hi ladies, I have noticed that ortho tri cyclen lo isnt listed at this website so since so many of you have posted your negative comments on yasmin I figured I could ask you all if you have tried this other birth control and I would like to know anything good or bad that you have to say about it because I have been on yasmin for almost 2 years now and although It has not been troublesome at all to me I cant help but be concerned by the comments from you who say your troubles didnt start untill you took it for several years!! I do however notice sometimes bad headaches during the placebo week with yasmin and it seems worse than it was with 4 other birth controls Ive taken in the past. I cant help but wonder if ortho tri cyclen lo would help because the hormone level changes each week instead of being the same all month like with most pills. So before I go and make a switch I would like to know if anyone has tried it and how it affected you. Im not sure I want to stay on something that is gonna just make me feel worse in the long run and I end up feeling stupid that I didnt switch sooner! So please help me figure it out!! Thanks!! Kim

Hi,

I wrote earlier telling about my symptoms while on Yasmin for one month. Shortness of breath, anxiety or panic attacks at night, not being able to sleep!

I called my OB/GYN's nurse today and she told me it WOULDN'T be caused from the Yasmin ( she's on that pill too and hasn't had any problems with it ) I asked her how long it stays in your system after going off of it, and she said 24 hours is all. That can't be right! I still haven't been sleeping well, and i was done with the pack last Sunday. I HOPE this gets better soon. My aunt is a nurse and she said that your body can still be messed up because it's getting it's normal hormone level back etc. UGH. I just can't wait to be able to sleep better again! i have NEVER ever had anxiety problems or sleeping issues like this before! It has to be related! i hope to hear from people who went off of it if they got better pretty soon afterwards. I haven't had as much shortness of breath, or the heavy feeling on my chest..so i guess some is getting better, but i want to sleep!

Thanks!