Yasmin and insurance

started yasmin almost 3 years ago. my doctor gave me samples for a bit over a year because I didn't want my mom to know I was on it so I couldn't use our insurance and didn't have money (i was just barely 16). Everything was great. I didn't notice any weight gain, it didn't give me any acne, and I thought I noticed my breasts get a little bigger. When he ran out of samples, I went to a free sex health clinic because they sell packs for $5. They didn't have yasmin so I took Alesse. just after a week of being on it, I started feeling really bloated and got a crazy amount of acne (I had never had acne before) and so at the end of the month I stopped being on it and took a break from birth control for 3 months. Then, desperate, I got yasmin with my family's insurance and the bloated feeling went away and the acne got a little better. although, the acne is still there now, nearly a year later. i have been on yasmin for the past 9 or 10 months (im guessing) and i still have some acne. it is not horrible, but really annoying because i am sure i would have never had it if i hadent switched to alesse. also, since i tried alesse, my hair and face gets greasy really fast and constantly have to wash it. i think i may stop taking yasmin at the end of this cycle and take a break for a half a year or so to try to get my body back to normal. any suggestions?

I started taking Yaz about a year and a half ago. I'm no longer continuing this pill after this month's pack is finished. I have to say that at first, it was a really great pill. The first month was hell. I bled for a month straight, and I was so irritable, and emotional, and my bf would talk about silly shit, like beached whales and I would start bawling. I spent four months living overseas after starting the pill so I didn't notice the loss of sex drive and sensitivity at first. But when I came back I started to notice all the little things that were becoming huge issues. My sex drive is more or less gone. I actually fell asleep last night while my boyfriend was trying to get me aroused. That's awful. I always feel tired lately. I get a lot of headaches. I read that this pill increase your potassium, and my mother's told me she has a lot of potassium so when she eats bananas she gets splitting headaches, and I'm the same way, so I'm starting to realize where all these headaches are coming from. Sometimes they are so bad that Advil does nothing at all and I end up having to rub between my thumb and forefinger while trying to fell asleep to make the pain stop. I've become extremely moody. My moods change so often now. I'm irritable. I am coming off of two really tough years of my life, and things are really great for me right now, and I don't feel great. I never want to have sex. Foreplay doesn't feel as good as it used to. I don't get aroused quickly, and I have a lot of trouble climaxing. I smoke weed and was smoking mixed spliffs with my bf for some time not even thinking about it, and the reaction the tobacco had with the pill was horrible. I'm certain that if I didn't stop I would have ended up in the ER. I would experience fainting spells, momentary blindness!!, I'd go really pale after getting very hot. I nearly passed out on at least four occasions before discovering the link. After I stopped, I felt much better. But now I can feel all the emotional side effects. I've also been sleepless for a long time, and I think that has to do with the pill, too. Lately I've been getting very nauseated if I eat shortly after taking the pill. And it doesn't matter what I eat. I'm constantly burping like I have a nervous stomach, but I've been calming my mind lately so there's really no reason for it. I've got a lot going on with life and whatnot, but I'm usually able to handle a lot of pressure and stress without breaking down, and this pill has made me almost incapable to dealing with the slightest bit of stress. It's horrible. And I don't want any part in it, or in the pharmaceutical business. I'm going to try tracking my own ovulation. At least I won't have some crazy hormones messing up my system.

Oh. I also had a fibroadenoma (breast cyst) this summer that I had to have a biopsy on (which was really fun, let me tell you...), and I can't say that the pill caused it, but I've never had cysts in my breasts before... The pill did inflate them an extra cup size, and during the third week of pills they are so tender I can't even let my boyfriend touch them or hug me tightly because they hurt so badly. And I live in NYC and there are a lot of stairs to bounce down and it's painful.

I see all the same symptoms with everyone who takes this pill and has a bad experience, and I've decided that it's not for me. The man can wear a condom for a while, while I try to regain my normal self again.

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 for about 4 years, then stopped due to no health insurance (couldn't afford it anymore). I was off Yasmin for 4 months, started it up again now that I have a new job, and man- I HATE being back on this pill. Now that my body had a break, I can tell what this pill does/did- I've taken about nine pills and have already called my doc to go right back in and get a Paraguard IUD, because now that I know what "normal" feels like there is no way I can go back to this pill! Extremely tired again/feel run down all the time (since day 2 back on), nauseous (continual), dry eyes/vagina (after 2-3 days back on), sex drive ebbing off again (after nine days back on)... also strange when I read people's posts, my knees/hip used to crack (pop) all the time and it's started up again within one week of this damn pill. A big clump of my hair fell out yesterday too!!! I can only tell you how I FEEL- there is something NOT right in my body with Yasmin back in the mix. I felt awesome for four months sans pill (sex drive came back with a vengeance, forgot how it felt to feel aroused, feel lubricated, feel energy, feel happy go lucky) then Yasmin- now this crap has got to go!!! I'm so turned off by this eye-opener (thankful though, at least now I know what I put myself through for four years). I'll go with an IUD to avoid hormones from now on. Trust yourselves ladies, if it doesn't feel right, it might be bad for you! Good luck ladies!!!!

Hi ladies,

I'm a 20 year old girl and I've been on Yasmin for just over a year now and it has hands down been the WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE. I started taking it for extreme menstrual cramps that would leave me screaming on the kitchen floor, curled up in a ball begging for the pain to stop. Yasmin fixed that, trust me it was like a miracle, and my acne on my face and back cleared up, another miracle.

Now the bad stuff. The first month was okay, because sometimes it takes time for the hormones to take affect. But I became severely depressed thereafter. It just started happening, crying all the time, hopeless, binge eating, gaining a lot of weight. And on top of that the GI problems, my stomach literally ballooned out to the size of a watermelon, and everything I ate irritated me. But a few months ago I became bulimic in a drastic attempt to get control back of my life, I hadn't even thought of the pill as the culprit up until this point. Keep in mind that I'm young, fit, have a great family, in school, there's no reason for my to be falling so low.
I started seeing a therapist, then a psychiatrist. I was this close to being put on antidepressants. And then something happened, my years worth prescription of Yasmin ran out so my OBGYN told the pharmacy to refill my prescription but with the generic brand, Ocella, that they had available which would only cost me 10 dollars a month with health insurance. Within four days I felt like my old self. Happy. I couldn't believe it. I went to a physician for tests and everything seemed normal, but after explaining to her my severe stomach problems she told me that it seemed like the pill induced me to become lactose intolerant. Wonderful!
So I started the second pack of Ocella a week ago and it all started happening again. The first month was fine again, but my body had caught up by now and even though I've cut dairy out, my stomach has ballooned up again and I have heartburn and indigestion no matter what I eat. Yesterday I felt insanely depressed, I binged, became insanely nauseous and threw up. I didn't leave the couch once. Now I know that it may sound like I need to reevaluate my problems, but I promise you, THIS IS NOT ME. I've realized that Ocella is exactly what it is, the generic version, and hence chemically the same as Yasmin, so the effects will mirror Yasmin's. MY OBGYN told me to finish the pack, and then I can come off them, and I cannot begin to explain how excited I am. I'm done with pills, and I'll find another way to deal with the pain.

Please, if you're taking birth control for something like acne, reconsider, it's not worth it. We are the experimental age. We can't ask our grandmothers what the long terms affects are. But if you must be on it and are feeling badly in any way, switch! You might find something better for you.

This contraceptive means that I will never go on the pill again. I was on Jasmine for a year, lost my boyfriend, lost a lot of weight through been sick every morning, and through depression. I didn't have sex for the entire time I was on it. Couldn't bare anyone touching me, including close friends just for a friendly hug. I was paranoid, had panic attacks and was in a constant state of nervousness. I cannot believe that this drug has not been taken off the market, that it is still recommended to people as the "wonder" contraceptive pill is completely baffaling.

I'm 22 years old and I have been on Yasmin for 3 years. The first year it was fine, but the next year I began getting panic attacks which I never even believed in until I had one myself. I've had severe anxiety that is uncontrollable and doesn't allow me to sleep at night. Let's not even talk about the emotional mood swings during my period. My boyfriend knows when it's that time of the month because I'm not myself. I will cry over things that would never make me cry in a million years. I'm mean and moody and then 20 minutes later I feel bad, but then I'm crabby again. Weight gain has not been a problem for me only about 3-5 pounds, but my breasts did go from a large B to a D. My boobs definitely do not fit my body. I have noticed a lot of hair fall but I just thought it was normal. I too have had problems with my potassium levels as I would get leg cramps in the middle of the night so I began drinking Gatorade and eating bananas every morning which has helped. I love being on birth control because it helps me plan accordingly, but I just don't feel like myself anymore. I am always hungry and am never full. I literally have to tell myself out loud that I'm done eating because it doesn't trigger for me. I have had a stomach ache nearly everyday of being on the pill. I became addicted to TUMS which only made it worse. I thought it was stress related which it might be, but I literally do not go to the bathroom for 4 or 5 days and it is soooo painful. Another thing is that I have no sex drive. I really have to prepare myself for it otherwise sex does not even occur to me. My boyfriend thinks I'm not attracted to him, but I AM! We just moved in together and you would think it was "freedom" but I'm just motivated to have sex. This is not normal for a 22 year old healthy female with an extremely hot man.

Anyway, I just went to the doctor and told her I was interested in Yaz. She gave me a few sample packs which I will begin next week. I'm hoping for the best and I truly do believe that birth control is a trial and error process. Everyone's bodies are different and you need to find the one that works best for you! I will write again once I know how Yaz works out.

-MCL

i have been on Yasmin for 14 days now.i am glad i stumbled on this site. my doctor put me on it for acne. my face has not cleared up infact i feel like i have a rash that has developed on my face. i am feeling so itchy. also i feel so bloated and have breast tenderness.i do not want to wait for results. i have purchased a 6 month supply. i decided to stop taking it. does anyone know how i can sell it.please e mail me if u are interested. ******

Hello! I'm 27 and I've been taking Yasmin for probably 7 years and never had a single problem. My weight stayed the same, my periods got VERY regular, to the DAY, and things were ok.

Starting about 3 months ago I was on my honeymoon and decided to skip my period that month which I do a few times a year and Yasmin never let me down! Anyways my period came anyways and not only that, but I spotted an extra week after! It was most noticable in the mornings after having sex. It was just brown and yucky. Then I didn't have a period the next month, only 24 hours of brown and this month I had a regular one. On top of that I've suddenly gained 5 pounds without changing ANYTHING. I wonder, can Yasmin suddenly screw me up so many years after I started taking it? I hear horror stories about Yasmin but I only see it from women taking it for a few months or maybe a year? It was always so good to me. What's going on? The weight gain terrifies me too because I so easily gain weight and I've been trying so hard to eat well and I feel like it's been pointless. It ticks me off more because I have to pay $50 a month for Yasmin even AFTER insurance pays 15, and now I think it's messing my body up too.

I have a OBGYN appointment in a few weeks and I'm going to talk to her about it and see about getting on a new pill anyways for price reasons, but do you think all these weird sudden symptoms are from Yasmin? Can you recommend a pill? I can't afford to gain anymore weight. I just can't...

I was on Yasmin since 2001. I LOVED it, it was great for me. At the end of 2006, I read about Yaz and asked my doc to switch me and so he did. I developed hives and cystic acne all over my face and back. It was terrible, and I thought it would get better but it got worse. So after 3 months of Yaz i went back to Yasmin. I currently have no health insurance and have been paying out of pocket for it. EXPENSIVE! but worth it. I never had any negative side effects while on Yasmin. It actually was beneficial for me, cleared up my skin, no more ovarian cysts, lighter periods and little cramping. For me Yasmin works great. Until I had to stop taking it 2 weeks ago, everything was rosy. I moved from NYC to Upstate NY, 300 miles away, and transferred my prescription for Yasmin. When it ran out last month, I called my doctor in the city to request a refill and he declined without me going to visit him for an exam since it has been over a year, which is ethical but BAD for me, because it's not convenient or cost effective for me to get to my doc 300 miles from here. So I went to Planned Parenthood and they refused to prescribe Yasmin for me because I checked the box in the health history that asked if I have ever had a history of headaches. I have gotten tension headaches for years but none in the last few years and they told me that because I checked the box they can;t prescribe anything with estrogen in it to me. I was so mad, I walked out without my exam. I called my doc in NYC and am taking the train down for an appointment this week. Unfortunately, I have to spend a month off Yasmin. I have been on one pill or another since 1993, so I know what works for me by now, and Yasmin has been a GODSEND. I am currently a disaster. I have developed severe cramping and bloating in my abdomen, which is normally flat as a pancake thanks to working out a ton, I am ravenous and want to eat EVERYTHING, I am moody and have developed a few large painful acne cysts on my face, and so far it's only been 2 weeks off, 3 if you count the placebo pill week. I want to kill someone. I am totally miserable. My mood was level all the time on Yasmin and I never had acne and my ovarian cysts had ceased. Did I mention that I am miserable? I am experiencing extreme fatigue as well. I am actually considering going to the county clinic tomorrow just because I can't take it anymore. I'd sooner take the morning after pill (which Planned Parenthood gave to me to take before they gave me a script for some stupid progestin-only pill) to trigger my period, which I think I am going to do, and order a month of Yasmin through an online Mexican pharmacy, just to get this nightmare to cease. I'm going to go do just that right now. I can;t take it anymore.

Just recently, I stopped taking Yasmin after being on it for a year. My prescription was held back because of insurance issues and also because I had to take antibiotics for a cold. When I stopped taking it, I completely felt like a new person. I feel more energetic than I've been this past year. I'm eating healthy and I'm running frequently. My sex drive has also changed drastically (for the better). When I first went on Yasmin, my boyfriend immediately noticed a change in my mood and it went on for months. I thought I acted the same as always but I guess not. Over the winter I just got lazy, I wasn't motivated to run or do anything physical. I'm only 18 years old and I shouldn't have been as lazy as I was! Not to mention I gained a lot of weight I don't think I should completely blame college life. I think I'm going to stay off of Yasmin and birth control altogether and see how it goes.

I've been on Yasmin for a very short time, my doctor prescribed it for my PCOS, I think I know why they say people lose weight while on it, because the abdominal pain and diarrhea are so bad I can't hardly eat. I am going to get through at least the first thirty days and see, but I have to pay out of pocket for this because of my insurance, and not sure it's worth it.

Hello,

I read about how YAZ birth control pill affects the body and psych and I am now scared. This is my 2nd day of YAZ (I've never been on birth control pills ever and I am 27 years old), it's all new to me but after reading all these negative posts about Yaz I don't know what to do. Before the birth control pills, I was depressed, annoying, serious weight problems - 210 lbs :~~((, low energy, low libido, always tired, terrible migraines every 2nd day, ridiculously increased appetite and excessive hunger, hair where it shouldn't be, menstrual blood clots, excessive cramping etc
I have all these problems for 3 years now and now that the family doc. put me on YAZ birth control pill I am even more scared - mainly of more weight gain, it would be a tragedy for me, I am fat enough already and what's worse I can't lose the weight, exercise doesn't help, diet doesn't help, NOTHING. Will YAZ birth control pill worsen my already tragic condition? I just don't know what to do and what to believe ... I appreciate any advice or help you can give me ... Thank You to all!