Yasmin and hormones

I have been on the Yasmin now for nearly three months. I have no energy, chest pains, shortness of breath, tenderness of my breast, ribs and I feel REALLY TIRED even after having a nights rest. I thought this was perhaps after having a toddler and using my energy up during the day from lifting him and swinging him. I feel slightly anxious about different things in my life, sometimes depressed. I though my headaches and chest pains were stress/work related and so was the fatigue. I am popping vitamin tablets like it is an addiction thinking that if I don't have them I am going to feel WORSE( anxious/depressed). I also could not understand why I was feeling so nauseous and having stabbing pains in my stomach. - thought again this was just stress related - acid build up. I am going to see my Doctor today and get off this tablet!!!! I would rather have the odd pimple on my face than feel like this.

I am so happy I found this sight. I am 32 and I started taking Yasmin in 2002. I have had SEVERE migraines that are taking over my life every month. Also, I have gained over 50 pounds since being on it. I want to get off it, but am scared of getting pregnant. I'm married, but cannot afford a child right now. Any advice?

Well I have been on Yasmin for over 6 years.My youngest child will be 7 in November...After I gave birth and went to my 6 week check up I weighed 145. I now weigh 167. I am very depressed, an emotional basket case, and to top everything else off my period has been going on for 2 weeks. Does this pill cause weight gain and the rest of the side effects? I requested that I be put on these at my 6 week check up because I heard on TV that in Germany the women lost significant amounts of weight....HELP

Like almost everyone else on here, I seem to be having a really bad reaction to this birth control pill! I started taking it shortly after I gave birth to my third baby because there is absolutely no way I can handle any more kids right now! Soon after I started taking it I noticed a lot of weird things going on with my body. Just walking up the stairs gets me out of breath and causes my heart to beat rapidly. Sometimes it starts to beat like this just from driving! I am also constantly nauseous (like morning sickness nauseous), have daily headaches, have no sex drive, and have acne! Up until I started taking Yasmin my skin was like porcelain and I could literally count the number of zits I got on one hand. Now my face looks like a freakin pizza!

I also go through phases of being really depressed and really angry. These mood swings are even worse than the ones I had during pregnancy! I have 3 healthy kids, a beautiful home, an amazing husband, wonderful friends...but I still cry all the time and want to die. I know that I am extremely blessed so there is absolutely no excuse for me to be feeling this way!

At the time I had passed all these things off as my hormones trying to adjust after being pregnant, even though I have never had any of these problems before when I had my other two babies. I also noticed that this was the first pregnancy where I wasn't able to shed any of my baby weight. It seemed no amount of diet or exercise could get it off, whereas with my 2 other pregnancies all I had to do was eat healthy and use the treadmill everyday and was back to my normal size before I knew it!

Now I realize that none of these things are due to having my baby at all but due to Yasmin! However, I have never used birth control pills before so this is my first experience with them. Is it possible that this is just a brand that reacts badly with me, or do all brands have side effects like this? I'm trying to decide if I should switch to a different pill or just stop taking any all together and just be extra careful with my husband! Regardless, I will definitely no longer be taking Yasmin!

I have had the worst year and a half of my life-it should have been the happiest! I was on Yasmin for about 7 years. This last year I had gotten engaged and was excited to marry the man of my dreams! The first few years on Yasmin everything was fine-I did not notice any changes. Over the last few I seemed to recognize some anxiety and started having panic attacks out of the blue. Well, in July 2008, I went to the Dr. and was misdiagnosed as having an ulcer-I really had mono and walking pneumonia?? I was having all kinds of anxiety and they could not figure out why I was sick. I went to all kinds of specialists-neurologists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, etc. They said nothing was wrong. I received a call from a friend of mine who is a nurse. She knew of my symptoms that had compiled over the last year and asked if I was on Yasmin. She told me to stop the pill but I did not think that this was causing me all of these problems. I ended up having severe insomnia, massive anxiety and panic attacks, irritability, moodiness, muscle aches, night sweats, chest pains, racing heart, depression, the list goes on...I wanted to cancel my wedding! I thought that I was going insane! I ended up at a therapist looking for some help. She was able to help me get through my wedding (December 2008)-thank God!
One of my friends wanted to get off the pill to try and get pregnant and decided to do so after my wedding. After 3 months, she was able to stop her anxiety and depression medicine...correlation?? She was on Yaz!
I immediately stopped the pill (March 2009) -that was the icing on the cake! I have NOT had a period since March, I still have anxiety and am in fear every day that something is going to happen to me.I still have insomnia and feel scared that all of this is taking a huge toll on my body-especially my heart. I just want my hormones to go back to normal so that all of this will end!
Does anyone have a similar story? Any advice as to when I will get back to normal?
Please do not recommend Yasmin or Yaz to anyone ever! It has ruined my life in every aspect. It has affected my relationships, work, school, my well being.
I would love any feed back and/or comments-help!

I felt I should share my story, even though it is quite lengthy, since it is similar, and every story helps those who are still unsure.

I went on birth control at the age of 15. I tried several kinds, but all of them made me nauseous. I was on Mircette the longest, and seemed to be doing fine. Then around '03/'04 I started seeing a new ob-gyn, who told me that my problem was that I had a low tolerance for estrogen, and that was what was making me feel so nauseous. She said there was a new type of pill specifically for women like me called Yasmin that had very low doses of hormones. I was excited about starting the new pill, and did right away.

I continued taking Yasmin until about a year ago, when I switched to the generic of Yasmin, Ocella, due to the fact that my insurance didn't cover Yasmin and it was becoming expensive. On the Ocella, which I took for two months, I felt bloated like I had a basketball in my stomach, constipation, and other issues. I was told by the pharmacist that I was probably allergic to the additives that are sometimes in generic pills. So I decided to find out which birth control was covered under my prescription plan, call my gyno, and switch.

My gyno called in Loestrin Fe, but they filled it with the generic, Microgestin. I took this for approximately 3-4 months, and felt absolutely terrible, with panic attacks, crying, sleeping problems- the whole bit. So I thought that I should go back on Yasmin, no matter what the cost, and attempt to regulate again.

I went back on Yasmin six months ago, and though some of my symptoms have improved over how I felt on Microgestin, I am still a mess at times. I have moments when I am anxious and moments when I am absolutely joyful. I get really angry over little stuff, irritable and snappy. Then I get weepy and feel terrible about being snappy. Then I'm happy again. It's an emotional rollercoaster. I was never like this before- my moods were even, and I handled stress well. And I was always pretty happy-go-lucky.

Physically, I have ear fluttering/clogging/pressure/popping/pain. I'm getting fairly frequent migraines, which I never had before more than once a year. I, too, have numbness on the right side of my face in which it feels like my eyelid is swelling, neck stiffness and pain, and numbness of fingers and arm. I went to the ER a while back because I thought something was severely wrong due to symptoms of dizziness (vertigo) and right-sided numbness. I have severe TMJ and jaw pain, which I didn't have before, and allergies, which I also never had before. I have heart palipitations and sometimes random chest pain under or to the side of my breast. All of these symptoms have started to occur in the last six months after going back on Yasmin.

I went to an internist, who did blood tests, checking for thyroid issues and checking hormone levels. My thyroid was temporarily hyper, but my hormones were, according to the test, normal. But when the blood test was done, I wasn't experiencing any symptoms, so I'm not sure if it's accurate.

My yearly exam with my gyno is coming up in November, and I'm going to discuss these things with her, but I'm afraid she'll look at me strange for thinking that these symptoms are related to Yasmin...

Ironically, the only time it seems that I'm feeling pretty good is when I have my period! Which I guess would be when I have no hormones in me whatsoever! I feel happier and my sex drive goes back up, and my moods even out.

I am now considering, after reading these posts with all of you that were kind enough to share your stories, going off of Yasmin for good. I'm not sure what, if anything, my gyno is going to recommend, but I was considering trying an IUD instead...

I have been off Yasmin (Ocella) for just over 2 months. In most ways I am feeling much better. Less headaches, earaches moodiness and more energy then I had when on the pill. Since then I have been sent for many tests, ultrasound, hormones etc. I was diagnosed last night with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. My hormones are soo out of balance, and my doctor said it may be from taking the pill. I was on Yasmin for 6 years and am 31 years old and married. I can't believe this. I have always had a lot of pelvic plain but was never diagnosed with anything.

I would also just like to add that I have developed a ganglion cyst in my right wrist, and do experience frequent joint pain. I don't know if this can be attributed to the use of Yasmin.

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.

Thank god I found this site! My body has been going crazy ever since I started taking Yasmin two years ago and I didn't put two and two together until reading all of these postings and realizing the Yasmin might be the culprit.

I'm a healthy 31 y.o. who exercises regularly, doesn't smoke and has been on various oral contraceptives for the last decade without too many side effects beyond slight moodiness and minor weight gain. About two years ago I switched over to Yasmin. About two months ago I came across this site as I was researching hypertension which I had developed. I was confused and didn’t know what was causing it as I am healthy, unstressed and have a history of low blood pressure. But as soon as I found this site it all started coming together and I realized Yasmin had done much more than raise my blood pressure. I immediately went off the pill and almost right away many of my side effects went away. Here's what I've experienced since being on the pill:

-Weight Gain: Almost right away I gained ten pounds. I’ve effortlessly lost five of those pounds since going off the pill.
-Seborrheic Dermatitis: After a few months of being on Yasmin I developed a painful scalp condition called Seborrheic Dermatitis. Side effects of this are inflamed scalp, redness and most importantly, hair loss. The doctor said it is generally brought on by stress but on further research I saw that it is also caused by hormones, so it wasn’t a stretch for me to realize Yasmin might be the culprit once I saw this site. Over the last couple years I’ve been using all sorts of prescription shampoos to make the problem go away and nothing helped. But as soon as I went off the pill my scalp condition cleared in only a month without the use of shampoos.
-High Blood Pressure: Before I went on the pill my BP was about 100/70. During the time I took Yasmin my BP slowly climbed to above 140/90. Within two weeks of going off the pill my BP was back down to pre-Yasmin levels.
-Irregular Heart Beat: After about a year and a half of being on the pill I started to suffer from seriously irregular heart beat which went away immediately after I got off Yasmin.
-Hyperpigmentation: I know any birth control can cause this but none of them ever have until I went on Yasmin at which point it sprung up all over my face. I’m hoping the dermatologist can clear it up now that I’m off the pill.
-Tightness in Chest: Happened around same time as irregular heartbeat and is now gone.
-Anxiety: I’m not sure I can blame Yasmin for this one since going off Yasmin has not caused it to go away. But enough posters on this site mentioned it as a side effect and it wasn’t a problem for me pre-Yasmin, so I wanted to mention it.
-Irritability: I’m generally easy going and don’t let the little things bother me, but as soon as I went on Yasmin everything started to bug me. Now that I’m off Yasmin I’ve been in a much better mood.

If anyone is on this pill or thinking about going on it, I implore you not to. Too many risks especially since there are so many other pills out there that don’t have many side effects. I mean, there are close to 5,000 postings on this site, mostly against this pill while if you search the web there are almost no other pills that generate this kind of attention. That alone tells me something. I hope the makers of the pill pull it from the market immediately or doctors stop recommending it.

I just turned "51"

I've been on Yasmin for the past 5 years.

I never have been on a birth control pill in the past as when I was a young teen I tried and couldn't handle the first side effects.

I have had a lifetime of the most HEAVY periods. I have to stayed glued to the toilet on my first two days.

I was diagnosed 20 years ago with ITP where blood platelets deplete. I thought my periods were so heavy because of this. I just couldn't take it anymore so my DR put me on Yasmin.

Yes at first my boobs were big and sore. But after 3 months I thought I had died and gone to heaven with a better life. Period so light.

BUT:
I've gained 40 lbs over this time frame. I look pregnant with the tummy Bloating. I've just had the most thorough physical, ultra sound for fibroids and everything came back normal except which never had previous: Borderline high Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure.

So, I've been power walking and never eat anything bad. ???? so why can't I loose even a pound?

Back in November I went off Yasmin for a month and had a period that hemorrhaged! So I went back on Yasmin. But I'm bloated now more than ever. I know it is the hormone changes.

I'm hooked on Motrin for my headaches which is like a sinus ache in my hear.... weird headache.

BUT: Hmmmmm I've had arthritic symptoms in my joints just over the past 4 years, severe Dry Eyes in the morning. All I googled is Bloated all the time and got Yasmin.

I'm in between pills and seriously think I need to just put up the the bad bleeding and get off the Yasmin. It is like quitting coffee, the headache is because of stopping the pill. I took one pill today even tho I have my period right now. My head is clearing up and I am feeling better.

I Don't think it is just Yasmin I REALLY BELIEVE WE ALL HAVE THESE SYMPTOMS WHEN THE HORMONES ARE IMBALANCED.

I Loved Yasmin for giving me back a life. But I'm so BLOATED right now I've got to try going off.

I do not take any other drug. I did a Candida cleanse but it didn't elevate the Bloating.

I will keep you all posted........

lower back pain, hair loss,joint pain, complicated migraines, vertigo, palpitation, hormonal imbalances (lowered DHEA, increased aldosterone-it affected my adrenal glands and kidneys), epigastric pain, bleeding, extreme fatigue, anxiety,pulmonary failure etc. I had to go through ER, 2 CT scans ( abdominal and brain), 2 MRIs, neurologist, endocrinologist, GI, gyno etc. I threw my Yaz pills in the trash after the first CT scan that revealed multiple tumors in my liver and left adrenal gland ( i took the pills for about 3 and 1/2 years)... the past 6 months have been a hell, but there are no more migraines, anxiety or other neurological symptoms at this point. By the way, one of my best friends who just started on Yaz recently ended up in the ER last week with a blood cloth in her left lung. Please stay away from that drug!

I have been taking Yasmin for 11 days to help with my acne but have decided to stop taking it. I have experienced the following side effects:
Extreme fatigue
Strange taste in mouth
Heightened sense of smell
Extremely emotional
Blurred vision.
It could be that these symptoms will subside within a few weeks/months of use but I don't feel like myself and I am not willing to take that risk. I refuse to put this into my body any longer. I'd rather be 'me' with spots. Can anyone tell me what I might experience over the next few days? Thanks

Hi, I have been on Yasmin for just three days and in that time I have had severe diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. At first I just thought I had a bug or food poisoning but no-one else in my family has come down with the same and even though I have not eaten in 48 hours it seems to be getting worse.

I just don't know whether to stop taking the pill right away or whether to finish the packet. I don't want to have a dreadful 2 week period that some people are describing but I can't go on like this ... I am literally bedridden. Has anyone else had a similar experience or if anyone could offer any advise I would be grateful.

First of, let me say I am a Pharmacy Technician. I was on Yaz for about 5 months. It was OK. It wasn't strong enough to stop my periods until about 4 days into a new pack, it didn't do much for my skin, and it was $40/ month because there is no generic! I only kept taking it because it didn't make me nauseous (I am very sensitive to nausea).
After $40/month was a little too much, I went to my dr and wanted to be put on Yasmin (ocella) because it would only be $10/month and it has the same hormones as yaz which didn't make me sick, but it was .01mg stronger, which made me a little nervous. But I tried it, didn't make me sick AT ALL, cleared my skin up, periods start and stop on time, no cramps, cheaper generic, and I lost 17 lbs! I actually love this pill... it's a miracle serum.

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 was not on Yasmin, I was on Aviane...if ANYONE on birth control ever comes down with a case of gastritis STOP YOUR PILL immediately! It is caused by the pill, I was on Aviane for 5 years ; apparently that was too long. I now use the nuvaring which is a lower dose or hormones and I love it.
I have never been so sick in my life; I was severely nauseous every single day of my life, never knowing it was because of the birth control pill. If you ever get sick after being on a birth control pill for too long, get off of it and go to a lower dose. Believe me .. do not waste your life being sick!

Hi everyone:

I tried two 6 month bouts with Yasmin and have had terrible side effects both times. The most recent being diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. I strongly encourage everyone to listen to your bodies - if something doesn't seem right, persists, and no other explanation is available, I would strongly recommend to stop Yasmin immediately! There are a variety of other birth control pills available. I seem to not tolerate certain progestin formulations, which vary from pill to pill. You can google BCP and hormones and self educate yourself until you find a pill which works for you. I am currently looking into filing an FDA complaint for this pill. In doing so I also noted that it is currently being investigated for causing acute pancreatitis!

One more comment, I've seen in this search and others people complaining about losing feeling on one side of your body and/or muscle cramping in the legs. These symptoms can be very serious (blood clot/stroke) and you should see a doctor immediately!

Got married about a couple years ago and went on Yasmin. First BC and as I've never had any BC did not know what to expect. I felt fine but now reading all these makes me realize that the weight gain, NO SEX DRIVE, NO VAGINAL MUCUS (have to use tons of lubrication), re-occurring thrush could be attributed to Yasmin.
I stopped Yasmin last year December as now ready for a baby, its been six months and still haven't conceived, still dry and use lubrication....and also have milky discharge from breast but not pregnant. Had an MRI scan and showed pituitary anenoma (not sure of the spelling) basically a small tumor of the pituitary glad that secretes too much prolactin in system caused by imbalance of hormones.
I'm only praying to God for healing and hoping that my body would go back to normal rather than start other medical treatment.
My advise.............. come off Yasmin, DO NOT TAKE ANY BC

Wondering if anyone has noticed an increase in sun spots on their face? I'm 31 and wear SPF 30 on my face daily - but since I've started on Yasmin the sun spots seem to be getting worse daily (I thought this wasn't supposed to happen until my 40's). I haven't changed anything else in my daily routine - just curious is anyone else has noticed the same thing?

i first went on Yasmin after the birth of my first child, who is nearly 3. before then i was on nordette. for the first year on Yasmin everything (i thought) was hunky dory but since reading previous posts i have come to realize that i have suffered the majority of symptoms listed by other users. however these symptoms did not appear til about a year after starting the drug. mainly i suffered from blurry vision, headaches, chest pain (which i attributed to my gallbladder which i had out not long after my child's birth.residual/phantom pain i thought silly me!) but i find that it is now that i am having the worst problems. i came off Yasmin in November last year in order to try for another child. i expected it to take a little while for my body to get back to normal but not this! ever since i have come off it my hormones have been so out of wack its not funny! i have broken out in acne worse than i ever had when i was a teenager, not only on my face but on my back as well. i have to wash my hair every night because it gets so greasy and i have put on a tonne of weight (which i first attributed to lack of exercise and poor food choices, but not to this extent!) i have also had a miscarriage in late January (when i had no trouble conceiving and carrying my first child) and am now pregnant again but think i might be about to loose this one too. i believe it is because i have some kind of hormonal imbalance due to coming off Yasmin - that it has thrown everything really out of wack. i plan on going to the doctor to get whatever test i can to try and work out what is wrong. when i first come off it my doctor said that it does affect people this way but i didn't think it would be this bad and i never had anything like this after coming off the nordette and i was on it for 10/11 years! was wondering if anybody else has had any problems after coming off it and trying to conceive?was thinking of using it again after my next child but think now i will just go back on to nordette.

I was on Yasmin for only a month in November 2008. I quickly got off of it because of the side effects. I wear contact lenses, yet my vision was getting blurry. I was training for a marathon, yet I was gaining weight (and it wasn't the muscle mass I was also gaining from training). I began to have horrible headaches, retaining water and I even got these little red rashes on my arms and breasts. At the time, I didn't know that Yasmin was causing all of this and ruining my life! Now I know it's Yasmin. I went to my doctor, she performed various lab tests (including liver, kidney, thyroid) and I am perfectly healthy. So I did major research on Yasmin and discovered all of my ailments were on there as side effects. My advice for anyone experiencing anything similar is to either change the dosage or just get off of it. It's not worth it. Yasmin is the devil! I mean think about it, we are messing with the natural way our body's hormones function. Oh yeah, and not to mention that I started losing some of my hair as well.

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!

I've been taking Yasmin for 3 years now and have always experienced mood swings, uncontrollable crying, and severe anxiety since I started taking it. I discontinued my other medications systematically with no improvement, and am coming to realize this may be to blame on Yasmin.

I felt like the symptoms were much more severe in the days before, during, and immediately after my period. Has anyone else experienced this fluctuation in mood during and after your period? Do you think it's due to Yasmin? I know PMS is supposed to be normal, but this is ridiculous.

Another question: has anyone found another birth control that does not create these side effects? I've only ever taken Yasmin and don't know where to go next.

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 am on my second month of Ocella, the Yasmin generic. Within the first day or two, I had palpitations, chest pain and insomnia. I thought my body was just adjusting to the new hormones. I have just started my second pack and I still have chest pain daily. The only thing that I have found to make me feel better is when I run on the treadmill. I would think my body should have adjusted by now and I do not want to cause any long term damage. I just wish I was not having this issue since my oily, acne prone skin is finally looking pretty good.

I had been on Yasmin for about seven years. I decided to get on the pill because I used to experience HORRIBLE menstrual cramps and pretty bad acne. For seven years, I thought that Yasmin was the BEST thing that ever happened to me. My cramps went away, my acne cleared up and my hair seemed healthier than ever.

In January, I decided to give my body a break and get off of the pill. I figured that seven years was a long time to be dependent on a drug. Since I have gotten off, I have had a RIDICULOUS amount of hair loss, terrible mood swings, hints of depression, wacky appetites, increased acne and my menstrual cramps are getting worse with each cycle. I have been off of the pill for 5 months now and I am wondering how long it takes before the drug is completely out of my system. Can anyone help?

i started Yasmin and this is my 2nd month. I am normally a very grounded laid back person but since starting this pill i have become a horrible nasty very angry and depressed person i have head aches and vomiting and i just feel miserable - it is so not like me and i am really struggling - i have just had a baby who i love dearly and was very worried that it might of been post natal depression. i have never been depressed before. i decided it must be my hormones or something and have made an appointment with my doctor - then i got to thinking my bad skin, head aches, awful mood swings, weight gain and general miserableness all started with this pill - i will be coming off it straight away and will be advising anyone i know to stay away from it. Thank you to everyone on here who has written about their experience with Yasmin for making me realize i am not crazy!!! - its a huge weight lifted off. Hopefully i can return to my normal happy self and get back to enjoying my baby daughter and son.

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 am in my second month of Yaz having switched from Yasmin -- Yasmin (or rather, the generic form) did not seem to have perfect results for my acne and after a year I decided to switch to Yaz because I thought that the longer amount of the drospirenone would help my skin.

Unfortunately, it seems as if my skin has gotten WORSE. I have no cysts on my face, but I have a lot of small whiteheads on my forehead and around my chin. And additionally, I seem to have little bumps on my chest and back -- places where I never had acne before. While my skin was not perfect with Yasmin, it was DEFINITELY clearer and more manageable, and this is just terrible.

I am worried that this is because Yaz has less estrogen than Yasmin. Is it the estrogen or the drospirenone that helps prevent acne? Is this just my skin reacting to the change in hormones? Should I stick with Yaz for a third month, or should I switch back to Yasmin at the end of this second month? How long should I wait before giving up?

I should also note that I started Epiduo gel about two and a half weeks ago, so I don't know if that would contribute to the fact that my acne has been getting worse, too.

HELP!

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!!!

my experience with Yasmin has not been the best. and for once, i actually gave this birth control a try. but, over time, i've been getting chest pains, very bad headaches, and the worst mood swings. i get so anxious, i have to yawn all the time to get my breath. sure, i do drink caffeine drinks, and that might intensify the anxiety, but i do not trust this birth control, or any others really. i mean, who honestly knows what the hell they put in this stuff? no one. fake hormones are bad for you, no if ands or buts about it. i guess it might help acne and all that stuff, but whats more important? your well being, or your little acne problem, or acess hair problems? i'm pretty sure a good state of mind is better than that. i quit taking this stuff a few days ago, and i know it's not going to be completely out of my system for a while. i am never taking Yasmin again. the headaches, and unbearable mood swings, to the point to where i can't stop crying. nope. not doing it anymore. and more power to you if it works for you, that's a good thing. everyone's different, therefore it'll effect everyone differently, but i see a lot of the same symptoms in a lot of women on here. so, something must not be right.

sounds like my daughter who is 18 years old mood swings bad behavior rude remarks,, I feel with all the hormones injected in our meat supply with birth control did it to my daughter she cannot take birth control pills and is currently
taking zoloft 50 mg they also prescribed adderall which i am taking her off today the birth control pills might be doing it but I suggest you get a hormone drug test to check her hormone level that is what I am going to do.

The thing about 'hormones' and the 'benefits' of birth control is that there are OTHER methods of addressing these things without risking suicidal depression or fatal lung clots!!!! Sure, YAZ may 'work' for you, help your migraines, but, giving ALL of the info on this page ALONE, if I were you, I would seriously consider whether or not any negative affects are 'building up' in your system. Women and female teens are DYING because of this and the worst part of it all? Bayer or whomever is manufacturing this poison has ALREADY 'factored in' the 'collatoral damage' of the female s that will either die from its use or will suffer indefinite debilitating symptoms. That carnage was in their business model even BEFORE it hit the market. So, is a law suit in order - by all means YES!!! Has YAZ 'helped' some women? Perhaps... will those same women that 'benefit' from YAZ suffer in the future on account of this poison? I've STOPPED taking it and who knows how far reaching the will be. My MD did NOT review ONE SINGLE RISK with me NOR did she (and yes, it was a 'she' not a 'he' = unbelievable!) review my family history to determine if YAZ would KILL ME! Good that it helps your migraines which are terrible to deal with... Better if you continue to monitor yourself for possible side effects like those listed on this post. My side effect? I took YAZ for less than one week. On day 2 I was suicidally depressed and felt like DEATH. I cried for 3 DAYS STRAIGHT for NO APPARENT REASON. My head hurt, I could only lay around, I was confused and just ILL! After stopping on day 4, I didn't regain my 'normal self' and am still suffering...

Hi everyone, I have been on Yasmin for 3 years and I found it compared to the other pills I have been on not to bad. I did have the occasional mood swings but it was worse on other types of pills.

However I have as of last week decided to go off it as my partner and I are trying to have a baby! Coming off Yasmin I have found much harder all last week I was in tears over nothing, and the last three days I have had a server headache and dizziness. I assume these will go over time and ill let you know.

People on here seem to be confusing Yaz and Yasmin--they are not the same. Yaz has less estrogen than Yasmin and Yaz has 24 active days vs Yasmin that has 21. I've been on continuous Yasmin pills (no breaks) for 8 years or so and it's been a godsend. It stopped my hormonal migraines and gives me the right amount of estrogen. In fact, I work with a specialist and take two Yasmin bcps a day to get what my body needs to manage the perimenopause I developed in my 30s as well as my migraines.

Birth control pills effect everyone differently and that's why it can be a long haul to find the right one--especially if you are prone to hormonally induced migraines--and I have them worse than ever even when I'm not having a period or ovulating. It can also take several months to determine if a birth control pill will work for you and often that means putting up with side effects that are short term--possibly bloating, emotions, etc (certainly not life threatening side effects like hives). When you start a bcp, there is often a very uncomfortable period of time--could be the first two months as your body attempts to adjust to the changes. It's a matter of being your own advocate and tracking the side effects--or what might be your body adjusting--and seeing how it resolves. As I mentioned at the beginning, everyone is different. I've seen that with friends who try to use Yasmin--some it works, others, it's a nightmare.
And for those wondering about weight gain--Yasmin has qualities in the hormones that are diuretic in nature, so typically someone will not have bloating and should drink more water...and get potassium checked at least yearly.

I love Yasmin and for me, it saved my life in terms of quality of life managing my migraines!

It is too soon to tell if YAZ has contributed to my daughter's problems but her doctor just recommend that she stop taking it immediately.

My daughter is 17, in the last two years she has had mono twice. It all started with spasms in her back and neck two years ago, then her neck lymph glands started swelling and she kept getting horrible viral sore throats. Next her blood pressure started dropping radically. 85/50 for no reason, next she started getting terrible stomach pains and then headaches,nausea, watery eyes, irritable bowl syndrome and then the glands in the area of her appendix swelled up so much the emergency room thought she had appendicitis.It was her glands, not her appendix. This was all over a 2 year time frame. None of the symptoms had any rhyme or reason and they all came and went erratically. However, they were making her miserable and me miserable because she was depressed, very moody and unhappy and sick!

The only thing she has ever taken during all this time was YAZ. I asked her doctor if the YAZ could contribute to the swelling of the lymph glands and he did not think so. That was a year ago. Yesterday, I took my daughter to a Rheumatologist and when he heard she was on the YAZ he told her to stop immediately and prescribed a low dosage of muscle relaxer and an anti inflammatory. I have no way to know whether all of these symptoms are going to clear up. I have started my daughter on a wellness plan of eating which includes lots of holistic methods. Hard to get a teen away from comfort foods when they don't feel well but she is resigned to the fact that her immune system is so compromised that if she ever wants to feel well we have to try drastic measures.

She has had almost all the symptoms described as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and I am told that's what she has now. It is possible that the YAZ had made all of this worse. She sleeps endlessly and only time off of the YAZ will tell, but as a mom I wanted her off this pill a year ago and I am upset that I didn't do more to get her off it. It took her missing 60 days of school consecutively for a doctor to say STOP and see if it helps. My feeling is she couldn't be much worse, well actually that's the direction this seemed to be going. I think that the estrogin has fed many of the problems my daughter has had, but I am not a doctor and it's just my mom opinion.

Only time will tell.

My daughter was 16 when her GYN started her on Yaz. She was 5 ft 3 and 100 lbs. Non smoker. No risks. She went on the pill because she was having heart palpitations and extreme fatigue that correlated with her menstrual cycle. The idea was to level her hormones and see if that would level off the physical problems. Within 6 weeks she suffered from a pulmonary embolism. Because she was young, everybody though it was just pneumonia or inflammation of the lining of the lungs (pleurisy). Then her leg swelled up and turned blue from a clot (DVT). I found it fascinating that everybody at the first hospital, during the helicopter ride and at the second hospital all had EXACTLY the same reaction . . . They all said, "you just started taking the pill, didn't you? Probably one of the new ones like Yaz." Apparently, these new 'third generation' pills are worse than the old ones when it comes to clots. It turns out that my hubby's history of blood clots should have been a clue that my daughter has a common clotting disorder and YAZ triggered it into action. The clotting disorder affects up to 10% of Swedes and that is where my hubby's family comes from. Up to 5% of all Caucasians in the United States have Factor V Leiden as well. I notified the FDA and highly encourage everybody else to do so as well. The doctor are not required to file a report unless a patient dies. My daughter is doing better now. If any reporters are reading this, please contact me. B. A. ***** If you have ANY family history of problems that might be due to clots, avoid the third generation pills.

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.

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???

I was on Yasmin for 3 months or so earlier this year, and ended up going off of it because of side effects, but looking back on it now, I may have just found out what caused my gastrointestinal problems that I've had since then.

I was put on Yasmin like a lot of other people because I was having really irregular periods - like, I would go 2 or 3 months without a period, and all of my periods were EXTREMELY heavy. My gynecologist put me on Yasmin as a first attempt, saying it was the least amount of hormones, it wouldn't screw me up, I'd lose weight, acne would clear up (now, I've never had much acne, but most of what I had actually was related to the make up I was using. Let's clarify that now).

It worked miracles for me for my period. I was completely regular, normal flow, exact amount of days, barely any cramps. After about 2 months, though, I started having... not really mood swings, but emotionally violent reactions. I'd overreact to things, I'd freak out about things - I wouldn't necessarily have panic attacks, but I essentially had mini breakdowns. For example, one day, I was in hysterics for 5 or 6 hours because I thought that registration for the next semester started that day, and I had missed getting into the class I wanted.

My parents made me get off the Yasmin, thinking that had to be the only thing that could cause them. They even went so far as to confiscate all the packages I had, knowing I had no way to get any more, just in case I tried to use it without them knowing (this makes me sound like an addict. They were just overreacting, though).

Within 2 weeks of stopping, my mood swings were almost completely gone. Looking back, there was some nervousness and depression in those months as well, but the emotional lability was the most prominent thing.

Now, around Summer 2007, I began having stomach and hip pains - the stomach pains around my period, and hip pains (I call them hip pains, they felt like a 1-inch diameter steel rod was being stabbed through my pelvis) with exercise. We assumed that the stomach pains were cramps, but as it reached into Fall 07 and neither went away, they simply got worse, we began to worry. We considered appendicitis, cysts on my ovaries, nothing turned up. Eventually we determined that the hip pains were probably due to my cyatic nerve being pinched, and figured that the stomach pains were associated, and went on with life. I dropped my dance classes, and the hip pains went away. The stomach pains continued to worsen, though.

They were still focused around my period, though, and I was beginning to have diarrhea due to the pain. These pains would literally tense my ab muscles so bad I couldn't move. Around the time I went on Yasmin, however, they got a lot worse. I was no longer just having diarrhea around my period, it was all month long, every bite I put in my mouth. It was worse around the period, however.

After I went off the Yasmin, though, the gastrointestinal problems have never gone away. I have been through nearly every test I could be put through to figure out what has caused such severe stomach problems. The cramps have all but gone away, but there are days where I'm so sick I can't even drink water. I had to do a non-academic withdrawal from most of my classes this semester because of how bad my stomach is.

Now, I'm not saying for sure that my stomach problems are linked to the Yasmin, but... let's just say there's a strong chance, and I'm going to my doctor and having them pull my records tomorrow.

I posted a while back about the symptoms I was experiencing from Yasmin. Well, I've been off of the drug for just about a month now. My libido has DRASTICALLY improved, my moods are better, and I am getting along with my boyfriend like I haven't in a long time.

The only problem I'm now having is that my weight is continually creeping up. I have been very busy with various things for the past few months (searching for and finding a new job & new apartment in a different state, going on a week-long food-filled vacation, packing, moving, unpacking etc etc). I thought that I was up a few lbs (3) as a result of being very busy and not having as much time to commit to exercise and eating healthy. Don't get me wrong, I have still been exercising and eating healthy, I just haven't been able to commit quite as much time as normal to these things.

In the past two weeks I have gotten back into my old routine and have been doing 60 minutes of cardio approximately 5 days/week and really not eating very much. Most days I have eaten a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and not been hungry until dinner. Since I've gotten back into this routine I have done nothing but gain MORE weight. Additionally, I have absolutely no appetite. My stomach looks poochy and my pants are getting tighter.

I have been able to keep my weight in the same range (127-129) since I started running, 4 years ago. It would VERY occasionally creep up to MAYBE 131, but I haven't seen a higher number than that until now. I feel that I literally LOOK at food and gain a pound.

Has anyone else experienced this? Could it be that my hormones are just adjusting? Honestly, I'd almost rather deal with the side effects of Yasmin than deal with gaining weight as a result of not being on it.

I have been on Yasmin for about 5 years. I have never had an issue. I am worried that everyone on this site is making Yasmin look bad. You all need to remember that not everything will work for every person, everyones hormones are different to begin with so when you add the pill to these different levels of hormones you will get different side effects. To the people with low sex drive, did you perhaps think that this could be due to depression or the aging process? Many women suffer from low sex drive, those on and off the pill. Your sex drive will not be consistent throughout life, mine dropped in my early 20s and now is rising again, it may drop again, it can also be due to stress. All that said if you're suffering side effects that you think are attributed to Yasmin, or any other pill, stop taking it! Not everyone's body will handle it.

Hi all i have been taking Yasmin for about 3 years now and am so glad i have now discovered this site. Initially Yasmin worked well for me but in the last 2 years or so i suffered the anxiety, panic attacks and depression(which i was then given Zoloft to treat) and decreasing eyesight and weight gain, diarrhea, bloating i never thought it could be related to Yasmin! i have tried to come off it but experienced the most terribly painful periods. i recently went to a naturopath and was given herb tablets(vitex agnus-catus)
to stabilize my hormones whilst coming off the pill. I urge other women to really think about the side effects before taking YASMIN and ask questions if you have any of these symptoms.i hope i get back to normality once ive stopped this pill and hope everyone else does too!

I have been on Yasmin twice now, with a 6 month break while using Yaz (got free samples). The first time was for about 2 years. Now it's been 5 or 6 months. Both times, I have had the following side effects, but did not realize they were the pills fault, until I started taking it again -- and noticed the trend. These side effects are particularly bad the first 3-4 months of Yasmin, and then my hormones seem to level out...

1. Weight gain. I have gained 5 pounds since restarting Yasmin this summer. I am dieting and exercising, and I think that if I weren't fighting as hard as I am, my weight gain would be significantly higher.
2. Facial and random body hair. Ok, gross and embarrassing. I have had random chin hair pop up, and one strange chest hair that comes right before my period. These were not an issue while on Yaz, or after my body became accustomed to Yasmin last time. I am not normally a hairy woman. Seriously!
3. Pimples. These were the worst pimples I have EVER gotten, and had to visit a dermatologist for serious medicine to counter my acne. I literally have ACNE SCARS from the huge, severe cystic acne that I have while on this pill. I do not normally wear makeup, but no makeup could cover these HUGE zits! This is awful for the first 3-4 months, and my skin flairs up on the 3rd and 4th week of the pill still. People didn't even know they were pimples, as they were so big and red. Beyond pimple size. I don't know how to explain this well enough -- literally quarter sized. I am currently on my last week of pills for the month (week before period) and have a large cystic pimple that doesn't even look like a zit, because of it's size!
4. Heavy, inconsistent periods. My period last month lasted 4-5 days (about average for me). I bled through tampons and actually had to double up. For example, I changed my tampon right before I left the house for work one day. I got to work (30 minutes) and had bled through my heavy tampon, panty liner, underwear, and into my jeans. This is NOT acceptable!
5. Grumpiness. Yes, I'm a bit grumpier and more emotional than usual, but counter that with increased exercise (also to fight the weight gain).
6. Sex drive. Point blank: I have not had an orgasm since being on this pill. I'm a married woman, and that would be nice to have once in a while.

What shall I do about this? Nothing. Apparently Yasmin is supposed to be the best pill out there for weight gain, acne, and facial hair. So, they are telling me that other pills would be even worse...? Does ANYONE have a useful suggestion for a new birth control pill that will have fewer side effects?

hi everyone, i hope youre all ok
i made the decision to come off Yasmin last Sunday as it was making me so unwell, and so depressed
but i haven't really felt that much better; i still feel constantly nauseous and my period that started when i was on Yasmin seems to never be ending
i also feel extremely depressed and not myself at all
does anyone know how much longer it will last? im guessing its just the hormones trying to get back to normal?

First off, I haven't taken Yasmin. However, if you're bloating with stomach pain or back pain, that's the side effect called angioedema, an allergic reaction. My advice is stop the drug. They screw with your hormones. Relief from angioedema can be found from an herb called Marshmallow (don't buy a big bag of marshmallows, not the same thing). I can't tell you this is a permanent fix, but it will ease the bodies immune reaction (the intestinal swelling, possible internal hives that is happening inside). As for those horrible mood swings and headaches, nature has an answer for that too, research GLA, available in evening primrose, borage oil and blackcurrant oil. I've taken borage oil for a month and the biggest surprise is after years and years of horrific headaches, no headache. For those of you on the pill to control acne, nature has a remedy for you too. The B-vitamin called Pantothenic Acid (500mg day) takes a month or two to work, but believe me when I say it was the only thing that did. No lotions could touch the results that brought me. One final piece of information for all women to research. The thyroid is a major player in hormones and immune health. Drugs screw it up. Don't bother with thyroid tests, they are not reliable. A simple $3.50 bottle of "tincture of iodine" purchased at Walgreens will tell you if you are deficient. Paint a 2x2 patch on your arm, if it's gone in under 24 hours you're deficient, if it's gone in under 10 hours you're severely deficient. 80% of people are iodine deficient, run a search for the "history of iodine" and you'll be surprised. I know I was. If you are deficient search for information on Prolamine Iodine and Iodoral and decide what you might want to try. This is just information to help women find out if something is deficient and will help them rather than rely on a drug that may do more harm than good. If it helps one person, it was worth posting.

So far I haven't seen anything in regards to my symptoms with Yasmin.

After going the past two years and having only two periods, I was diagnosed with PCOS. My Gyno told me that the only way I would be able to have a period, and delay the harmful side effects of this disorder would be to go on Yasmin. I agree that my mood swings the 1st month were terrible. I almost punched my own mother in the face because I didn't like one of her jokes. That's not me. But that is something common with BC. They are hormones your body takes in to regulate your cycle. And because my body doesn't' regularly produce the hormones needed for menses, I expected mood swings. The catastrophic depression and PMS were the main reasons I stopped taking the pill years ago.

My problem is a bit different. I haven't gained weight. As a matter of fact, I think I've lost a bit. My problem is my skin. Before the pill, I had flawless skin. It was always really sensitive, but because I was cognizant of this fact, I took every preventative measure to ensure its healthy appearance. But now my skin in a mess. I have a rash spreading all over my body. My eyelids have a hard crushed rash of skin folding over, and my under-eyes are the same way. All across my face, I now have raised red patches of skin that burn, and the only change I've made to my daily care regimen is popping that little pill every night. The rash is now spreading to my shoulders and a bit on my legs.

Has anyone else developed skin problems, or could this all just be coincidental in my case?

I

I am 18 years old and ive been taking Yasmin for about 2 years, and tonight i came across all of these stories of bad experiences.
after putting together the pieces, ive realized that im not crazy after all! i have had every symptom out there for this pill except high blood pressure and nausea.
i used to be 135 pounds before i got on this pill, and now i am 160 pounds.
i find myself crying all the time, im surprised my boyfriend can put up with it.
i have no energy, all i want to do is sleep. i get sharp pains behind my eyes that cause me to shift them to find a spot where it wont hurt. i have no sex drive at all. i constantly feel depressed and sometimes don't want to live. im so tired of feeling this way.
the only good thing that happened for me was that my skin had cleared up tremendously!
and now i want to just stop and quit this pill right now! im just afraid my acne will come back.
this pill should not be given to women, all of these stories show great reasons on why its harmful.
PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS PILL!! ITS NOT WORTH IT.
im glad i found all this out before it was too late.
my boyfriend wants me to finish the rest of my pill pack but i just want to stop right now.
i don't know what to do.
if i continue taking this pill for the rest of the pack i will feel worse about it each day knowing its harming my body and life.
help.

I was on Yasmin on and off for the past year without major issues (maybe because I used it for a month, then drop off, then another couple of months and another break) and this year I started taking it nonstop since mid July.

So almost 3 months later now, I'm beginning to bloat and feel tubby all of a sudden (which is ludicrous because I just started eating healthy and doing exercise 2 weeks ago, so it's not me pigging out and blaming it on the pill!!). My tummy is also swollen and distended on a daily basis now, and I have a latent feeling of indigestion every bloody time I eat, it's very uncomfortable.

Yasmin definitely upsets my stomach, and I can tell the difference because on the last week of the cycle, when one's off the pill for seven wonderful days just before the period, I have no issues whatsoever.

On this last cycle I've also been feeling really emotional and snappy, and this only used to happen when I was actually PMSing not randomly like now.

I seriously believed in all the benefits Yasmin promises, but I'm beginning to realize the weight gain (and I really hope it's just water retention) is about the same as with all the other hormones in the market.

My periods were definitely lighter and I got rid of the spots, but... at this price? I guess that as a woman, you can't win can you?

I also have a question. I've taken about 5 pills so far this cycle and I just want to stop, I can't go on like this any longer. What happens if you just stop taking it for good when you haven't finished the treatment?

Thanks for reading.