Yasmin and negative side effects

I have been on Yasmin a month and was actually looking for other info about the pill when I stumbled across this and a few other sites with all these horror stories. It freaked me out quite a bit, considering a lot of the side effects and health problems did not occur in most stories until the women had been on Yasmin for a while or went off of it.
I had been on birth control for about 7 years (only OrthoTriCyclen) and decided to go off because a) I wanted to give my body a break, b) I had lost my sex drive, and c) I was having mood swings that I was convinced were coming from the pill. The year and a half I was off of it, I felt fine. I just got tired of the irregular cycle and worry of impending baby doom, so I decided to get back on birth control. I had heard from several close friends who were on Yasmin how great it was and how they had no side effects, were feeling great, had breast growth (a plus for me), and overall were very satisfied. I decided to give it a go. So, like I said, it has only been a month. I have not noticed any negative side effects, and I consider myself to be very aware of my body. The only thing I can say is that my breasts did get a little tender throughout the month, but they did grow a good bit as well. My period came the second day of the placebo pills and is what seems to be a regular period. No crazy heavy bleeding, no severe pains. I do have a slight headache, but from time to time I get those with my period, so this is nothing out of the ordinary for me.
I just wanted to post a positive comment so that women who read this information will not be scared to death. All you can do is be aware, track your symptoms and side effects, and if you notice anything fishy, stop taking the pill. I hope this helped.

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.

This medicine should be taken off the market immediately!! I am 30 yo and have been taking Yaz since September of 07. I have had such bad panic attacks, anxiety, nausea, gall bladder disease, and a laundry list of other odd effects that have taken over my body. I have been told by my doctor that I am depressed and was prescribed Xanax for those attacks that come out of nowhere and as of the other day he prescribed Celexa, which I took one dose of as directed and it put me over the edge. It was not until I read posts on this web site that I realize this Yaz pill is what has done this to me. I am reading all these comments from other women on this site and I feel like I am looking into a mirror. I had such a bad panic/anxiety attack this weekend I ended up in the ER and when I told the doctor I took Yaz he of course had never even heard of it which I guess is normal as it is not a med that is prescribed on an ER basis but regardless, I have stopped taking it and hopefully will be on my road to recovery. I hope someone else out there reads this and finds some peace with them self that you are in fact NOT crazy the medicine you are taking is.

I started taking Yasmin on Monday April 21st, and by Wednesday morning I wanted off of it. I started getting really bad leg cramps all the time, I feel dizzy all the time, I have trouble concentrating, and I have trouble breathing. The worst part is that I have heart palpitations now. My heart feels all butterfly-like or it feels like it's beating really slowly really hard. I just spoke with my doctor, and she says to stop taking it immediately.

After reading this website I see I'm not the only one affected by horrible side-effects from Yasmin.

Thank God for this website because it confirms my feelings that Yasmin was causing very negative side effects. I gained 15 pounds in about 2 months, feel very agitated most of the time, very sore breast most of the month, decreased sex drive, oversentitivity to touch, and sometimes feel shakey and have dizzy spells. I have broken out in a rash on now several spots on my arms, and have had little bumps all over my back almost since the beginning of taking Yasmin. Today, because of reading these postings, I have realized all this negative crap has come around since I started taking this pill. The rash on my arms didn't start until 3 months after being on the pill and it is at its worst right after I take the pill in the morning. By bedtime it is very light, and by the next morning it is almost gone. I understand that all drugs effect people differently, but from my experience, this is a very scarey bcp and everyone should think really hard before trying it.

I am 25 and I have endometriosis, and every side effect of yasmin that you all have is what i have been experiencing with endometriosis, the only difference is that i have a perfectly normal cycle, its either 28 - 30 days no more no less but still i'm not getting pregnant. I started taking Yasmin about a week ago and to date i have no symptoms. I think what happens is that we search online for information about these medication and what we read freaks us out and we start making our bodies believe that we have these symptoms, in-fact we are constantly looking out for these symptoms. when i read up on endometriosis i wanted to become pregnant so bad for the first time and i would make my self feel pregnant because i would go to these endo forums and read peoples symptoms who got pregnant with endo and i would find myself looking for those symptoms and then my body tricks me into thinking i have all the symptoms they describe on the endo sites and at the end of the 28 days my period arrives in full force as usual. but i schedule my self to take yasmin around my lunch time where i guarantee i will have a bite and i notice that with any pills if you do not eat while taking it, it can cause nausea, headaches. I know that it is very possible for people to get side effects from these medications, but i think we need to relax a little and take our minds off them and put our trust in God and let him take charge, pray everyday, and i don't mean pray for your problems, i mean give God thanks everyday for what he has done in your life and for waking you up because God already knows your problems, he just wants you to show acknowledgement for all he has done. This is the path that i am trying to take to overcome my endometriosis and just hope that one day he will look deep in my soul and help me and women just like me with menstrual issues, and help me and my husband to concieve our first child. the only side effect i am looking forward to while on Yasmin is falling pregnant at some point (you know how some people mistakingly fall pregnant on BCP's well i am looking forward to that) (smile)

The other really bad side effect which I forgot to mention was constantly feeling thirsty, but no matter how much water I drink, it doesn't make a difference. I also noticed a bad taste in my mouth since I started taking Yasmin. I was brushing my teeth 5 times a day but as soon as I brush them, the bad taste comes back. I wanted to go on the pill b/c I have really painful periods and am prone to ovarian cysts, but for me, this is even worse than bad periods. I think the only way to know is to try it, b/c I do have friends who use it and like it, but for me, it had very negative side effects.

There are a lot of negative experiences on here, so I thought I should share my positive one. I have been on birth control off and on for about 6 years. I was on orthotricyclin for the majority of the time-off and on. After getting horrible near migraine headaches on orthotricylin every Friday before my period for about 5 months in a row my doctor and I decided to try a different pill. I was on trilevelin (sp) for 4 months and gained a few pounds and felt easily irritated and emotionally different-just cried easily and not myself. I've been on Yasmin for a month and have had a great experience. I lost the water weight I'd gained and just verified with my boyfriend that my PMS was hardly even there. Everyone is different and has different hormone levels, but so far I am very happy with Yasmin. I've been migraine free tthe whole month!

26 years old/on YASMIN for one year.

I'm sorry you've all experienced so many negative side effects on YASMIN. Everybody is different and it's important to find the pill that's right for you. Ten years ago I tried the BC that comes in the form of a shot in the behind once every three months, and it made to throw-up and gain weight after just one dose. I never took another dose, but it was a year before my body went back to normal. So i know what it's like to have your body disagree with BC.

After ten years I decided to go on the pill again, and I was extremely nervous. I even had a couple different prescriptions filled and then backed out of taking them. Finally, one year ago, I started taking YASMIN. I experienced ZERO NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS. And I immediately felt better than I had in years. I have always had severe anxiety and have been hospitalized for panic attacks and heart palpitations. My last panic attack was on the second day of taking YASMIN, and I have been anxiety free for a year. Okay, well.. I do get anxious sometimes; life can be stressful. But i don't feel like my hearts going to explode, and I don't get dizzy, shaky, nauseous, or any of those other terrible sensations.

I have had many other positive effects:
My periods are lighter. I only have cramps every couple of cycles which are very mild (before I needed a hot pad and some pain meds). But the biggest change for me has been my mood. I am finally happy. I feel like a normal person for the first time, and EVERYONE notices a difference in the way I look and behave.

I'm not telling anyone to take YASMIN. And if i had even one of the terrible side effects some of you have mentioned I would have stopped the pill before finishing the first pack. I just thought you might like to know that if you do find a pill that's right for you, it can greatly improve your life and overall happiness. Be smart, do research, and most importantly- LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!
.

I'm so glad I googled side effects of Yasmin and found this site. All of the sudden my mood swings for the past almost YEAR make sense. I started out fine. The pill was great, and I haven't had to worry about acne at all. Of course I gained a few pounds, but not too much. However, I'm a pre medical student trying to study for the MCAT this summer. I've been SO tired and drained and majorly depressed that I just can't seem to concentrate. I feel like I'm always crying over the stupidest stuff (AKA: no reason at ALL), and my grades are starting to suffer. Hopefully now that I've read this, I can stop taking this pill and see an improvement. It's just not worth the depression. I'm 22 right now, and until recently had never had a suicidal thought. I was starting to panic, because I couldn't identify the cause of my depression. I'm a good student, have lots of friends, and have the most amazing boyfriend and family. Life is good, I shouldn't feel this bad. Now that I have a clue as to what this may be, I can fix it.

I have been on yasmin for 2 months and I have been experiencing negative side effects, however not as bad as the ones on ortho-lo. The first week on yasmin my breasts blew up like balloons (which might make some happy but since I already had D cups I am less then thrilled) and they are so tender, swelled and painful to the point that I can barely walk without being in pain. It is the pain that your breasts experience right before your period but this is times 10, and its all month long. Interestingly, the week when I have my period the pain disappears and starts back up when i take the new pack. Another symptom is weight gain, I'd say around 4-5 lbs, which has been unusually difficult for me to get off. Lastly, a few weeks ago I had a migraine for the first time ever, and after reading that many of you have been experiencing migraines I realize that it must be the yasmin. The migraine was so bad I was throwing up. I also get light headaches almost every other day. It's miserable.

The only good thing I can say is that I haven't gotten pregnant and my skin has relatively cleared up. Also, to my surprise (and joy) my sex drive has gone through the roof. When I was on ortho-lo I had no sex drive so this is actually a positive thing which I was not expecting.

This site has made me realize that I am not alone in my symptoms! I hope this helps everyone that is taking Yasmin or considering starting it.

Hello, I am in the middle of my 2nd month on Yasmin. I switched to Yasmin from Orthrotricyclen-lo, since that pill made me feel unpredictably angry, edgy and depressed, along with other negative side effects. Overall, i feel much better now. My moods and body have stabilized. I had some side effects the 1st month which were, stomach cramping, bloating and a headache or two, but now those have gone away. My only concern is that now, my libido has decreased quite a bit and i know this is not me, but the yasmin. If i still feel like this by the end of the 3rd month i will most likely go off the pill all together because this isnt worth being on if i dont have normal a sexual drive, like i used to.

KCK

I would finish out this pack/cycle and then get off. It is not good to stop in the middle of your cycle, it actually is one of he worst things you can do. Otherwise, many of the women on this site have experienced various side effects as a result of getting off, but I have only felt better and become much more myself. My husband is very happy to have me back!!

Show your boyfriend this site and how there are many women like you. It may help you salvage your relationship. No excuses, just explanations-but doing something about it is important.

You are not alone, and thankfully you have caught on in time. Like I said earlier, not everyone has negative side effects, but for those of us that do, it is devastating.

I am officially off Yasmin for over 2 weeks now. I feel so much better! While taking it, I was so tired that I could hardly function. Now, I am back to myself again. I have also lost the bloated feeling and can actually wear pants without elastic again. I can't believe the negative side effects I had with Yasmin. I didn't realize how bad I felt on it until I stopped it.

Attention ladies...especially Silke: (re: response to femalepara's post)

This board is for posting individual experiences while using Yasmin. Amongst the hundreds of posts stating negative effects...you throw a fit because someone has a good experience. Even if it has only been "2 weeks" that is her experience. I think most people that are reading are not going to take one person's opinion and run with it...there are plenty of negative effects information on this board to make one seriously consider taking this medication. You're post seemed very harsh and uncalled for...as if you are the ruler of this board. Chill out and let people share....it doesn't discount other peoples experience, clearly many women have suffered greatly on this medication.

"This registry is a place to share positive or negative side effects of using Yasmin."

I feel like Yasmin ruined my life.

I went on the pill in May of 2005, first 2 months I was fine. Summer of '05 rolled around and I was nauseous every night. I also felt like I had anxiety issues, and started crying every night (especially while watching the news, haha.)

Septemper of '05 I started having extreme chest pains. I went to a Doctor away at school, and was told I had acid reflux disease.

Not knowing the cause of Acid Reflux (I was originally told it could be an onset of stress,) when I returned from school during Christmas break, and went to my regular MD, who said it was a possibility I got it from the Yasmin. When I confronted my (now FORMER) gyno, she said she had "never heard of such."

Finally home from school for good this spring, I got a few tests done and switched to a new gyno. Turns out the problem was my YASMIN. My MD AND new gyno both told me that in the past few months they have had tons of people come in with numerous problems from Yasmin, and that everyone is getting off of it. (Most likely from their "extra" chemical they brag about during the commercials.)

It's disappointing I had to suffer a year of my life from being nauseous all of the time, crying every night for no reason, and STILL having severe cramps even though the pill was "supposed" to help.

Yasmin has been nothing but a nightmare for me, and tonight I start LoEstrin 24. Hopefully I won't have to comment on this site about LoEstrin's side effects, but I have to say I was kind of relieved to read that I wasn't the only one who had SO many issues with this pill. :/

I began taking Yasmin 4 years ago, about 7 months after I had my first baby. My ob-gyn suggested Yasmin because of it's ability to prevent water weight gain, and since I had just gained 10 pounds postpartum with Depo-Provera (very scary drugi ndeed!!), I agreed to try Yasmin. I was 30 at the time and had been on BCPs since I was 18, so I didn't think Yasmin would be any different. (Wrong!) Because I was a new mom, I attributed my negative side effects (lethargy, awakening to go pee every night, dark circles under my eyes that prompted people to ask me if I felt ok all the time because I looked worn out, depression, not feeling at all like my normal self, waist/hips/thigh size expanded, hair trigger temper, or crying easily, feeling as though I was in a dazed state or sometimes about to explode, increase in blood pressure, massive hair loss during showering, increased thirst, and problems with severe incapacitating diarrhea along with a resulting weight loss of 10 pounds in less than 2 days, and or vomiting periodically, low potassium levels for which I was prescribed potassium supplements, and anxiety) to motherhood. Unfortunately, I could not find any info on these side effects until recently, so I thought I would just have to live with my problems and hope I would get better. Then, I saw on a website that Yasmin was on a list of drugs that should be banned by the FDA, and I searched for negative side effects, and found this website. That day in March 2006 I threw out my remaining pack of Yasmin, and I'm happy to report 3 months later that I am feeling so much better! I now sleep through the night, my blood pressure has returned to normal. I am anxiety-free. My vomiting /diarrhea has resolved much in part to daily yogurt consumption. But the best part is that I'm no longer angry (bitchy) at everyone and everything and I don't cry like a pregnant woman would. I can concentrate and I don't have spaced out feelings. My hair loss has returned to normal. I recognize the person looking out from a mirror as me now. Last but not least, I have lost 3 inches so far from my waist and 3 pounds of weight. Yay! What is truly scary about this drug is how it effects the kidneys and adrenal glands in a negative manner. I do hope I haven't done any irreversible damage to my organs. Yasmin is toxic and should be banned by the FDA. As someone who works in a medical laboratory setting, I wonder how the drug was approved in the first place. I guess as usual, women don't get the repect of the pharma industry. We have to fight for our rights for safe birth control methods. I am currently using the PG/53 fertility tester as my birth control and so far have been pleased with it. Thanks for allowing me to share my story!

My other messages didn't post so I'll try again--- Depending on where you look, oral contraceptives are contra-indicated for use with thyroid medications. Estrogens bind with thyroid hormones so your body can't use them-- then you sufer the effects of low thyroid hormones, like fatigue and weight gain. My doctors have freely given me BCP even though I suffer from hypothyroidism. If you do alot of research you'll see that not only do bcp cause thyroid imbalances, but so do some foods (such as eating alot of soy.) Family doctors get next to no training in endocrinology and aren't aware of the side-effects of bcp.

And on to negative side effects--- after 2 months on Yasmin I suffered an enormous grand mal seizure and had to be taken to the ER. I have never had a seizure prior to taking Yasmin. When I looked, seizures are a barely mentioned side effect and considered rare. I"d love to know how many women have had seizures and just didn't report it or didn't realize it was the Yasmin.
My neurologist can find nothing that might have caused my seizure (like a tumour, etc). Although my family doctor won't say Yasmin was the cause, I have been ordered off of it. (gladly!) Coincidence?

I think women need to be aware that taking Yasmin has huge consequences. I had taken another tri-phasic bcp for a decade just fine. I went on Yasmin because of the low dose and thought it would be better for me. Now it has cost me weeks of work, truama to my family, and a very long, difficult recovery from the seizure. (I pulled every muscles, I couldn't think clearly, and I bit my tongue so badly I couldn't eat for days.)
Yasmin is not candy like doctors make it out to be. I recently heard and expert call bcp the biggest human trial in history. There is every chance enormous numbers of women will suffer awful consequences (like breat cancer) after years and years of use! As well, Yasmin is so new on the market none of us can be certain it is safe. It wouldn't surprise me if this drug is pulled from the market somewhere down the line. Everyone on this sight seems to be suffering terribly because of it.

Hi melkel18,
My negative side effects occured after I stopped Yasmin. I was on it for one year and felt great until two months after I stopped it. I have been in the er 3 times with heart palpitations(all test normal), elevated blood pressure and heart rate. I also am suffering from extreme anxiety attacks which I never had before. I have been seeing a psychiatrist and tried antianxiety meds(marginal help).
Another side effect was numbess,tingling,burning or heat sensations on the left side of my body(cheek and arm). I saw a neurologist-mri neg. for ms. She said probably anxiety!!!
This has been a horrible 8 months and I hope it resolves soon. All my physcians deny it was the Yasmin but it all falls so into place. I was so despondent until I found this web site and felt I had a concrete reason for my symptoms and that I was not crazy! Take heart and listen to all these ladies. It truly has helped me.
Take Care,
ES

I am so unbelievably thankful that I found this website. I started feeling depressed about a month ago. It has gradually gotten worse to the point where I feel like I have nothing to look forward to in life. This is not my natural state of mind. I have ALWAYS been a very upbeat, optimistic person. A few days ago I started thinking that my depression coincided with the stopping of my Yasmin. I had been on Yasmin for 4 years and loved it except for the fact that it has, especially in the past year almost diminished my sex drive. (I guess a bc pill will be foolproof if you never, ever want sex.) So I stopped taking it, 2 weeks later my sex drive came back but depression started. I decided to search the web for Yasmin info and found this site. I was amazed at the number of women with the exact symtoms as me. I was also relieved to know that it is not me but the drug causing it. Also very angry at the drug companies that make this drug. Now that I've ranted...my main reason for posting is to let everyone know that I immediately went to see my Dr. who is wonderful. She was very concerned and agreed 100% that it is the Yasmin causing my problems. She told me to buy some Primrose oil, flaxseed oil & phytoestrogen supplements (these all come in capsule form)..these all help regulate your hormones naturally. She did not want to give me anti-anxiety meds because it will just cause more negative side effects down the road. I have only been taking them for 2 days now but feel better and less depressed already. It could be these supplements or just the fact that I am doing something positive to help my situation, whichever it is I'm glad it's working. If you haven't tried these it may be worth it.

Hello All,

As posted by voicei, I get extremely frustrated to read the postings by women whom it seems fail to read close to 2000 postings on this site that describe in detail the life changing effects of Yasmin.

Yasmin is not a pill whose symptoms you can simply get used to. To suggest so demonstrates complete ignorance and naivety.

I have been off this pill for 6 months, and only NOW feel like I am becoming the 'old me'. I only started experiencing negative side effects a year after I started taking Yasmin. These effects included severe depression, severe anxiety/panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, rapid heart rate, and vertigo. Prior to Yasmin I have NEVER experienced any of this.

Yasmin has taken a year from my life, where I found nothing to smile about or laugh. I only now see the bright side to life again....and my whole life I have been an extremely active and positive person.

It is negligence on behalf of fellow women to read these experiences and then suggest somehow that we could 'ride through' these symptoms. I doubt I'd be here right now if I tried such a ridiculous suggestion.

Getting off Yasmin saved my life and my sanity. How many of these stories to woment need to read in order to be convinced?

Love to all those getting off Yasmin. DO NOT BE CONVINCED OTHERWISE.

Athough my periods are very light and regular while on Yasmine, and I experience very little cramps during mestruation, I do experience negative side effects as well Constant fatigue, depression, always worrying, digestive problems, EXTREME mood swings while PMSing and leg pains.

To all new readers of this site:

It seems that there is some 'discussion' lately over the magnitude of negative posts about Yasmin on this site. It has been my experience that it has been accessed by anyone either thinking of taking this pill, just started taking this pill or those whom have ended it recently. I agree that ALL medications have side effects and that ALL people react differently to medications/pills. HOWEVER, as Yasmin FAILS to list PSYCHOSIS, SEVERE ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACKS, SEVERE DEPRESSION, RAPID HEART RATE, and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS in its little book of 'possible side effects' then where else would you suggest people find out about them.

I trust everyone has enough brains to realise that their bodies react differently than everyone elses BUT as far as I'm concerned, if I had any clue this could 'possibly' have happened to me, then I could have spared myself the last 7 months of complete hell after taking this rubbish and getting through the 'after effects' once finishing it.

I'm happy that there are those out there who have had no negative side effects...thats wonderful. I myself thought Yasmin was fantastic for a year and a half until I suffered almost over night from ALL of the above (and have zero history of any of it). I dont tend to worry only of myself and what has worked for me, rather, I worry about all of those who could use my experience as a deterant, in doing so, save their mental health and that of their loved ones.

Sure, all pill's are different. None though are worth taking the risk.

The shame is, those who have suffered enormously simply for taking a BCP now need to 'justify' their reasoning for wanting to spread the word and look out for their fellow women.

I wish all those reading these posts luck in their pursuit of a safe and healthly birth control option, and a greater understanding of their dangers whilst doing so.

Take care.

I totally agree with the person two posts down. Most people that post here searched for a place to talk about their side effects and to see if any one shares the same symptoms. I am on Yasmin and I have no side effects whatsoever. I was also searching if Yasmin makes boobs bigger LOL. If I wasn't looking for that, I probably wouldn't be looking for any sites about yasmin like most people who have positive results. I actually saw this site before I started taking Yasmin and I was so discouraged that I almost went to meet with my doctor to change my pills. However, I decided to try it and see if I would have any negative side effects (which, I believe anyone who is going to try this pill should since everyone's body is different and would react to this pill differently). The pill has been great for me though.

I was put on Yasmin for only 3 months to treat an ovarian cyst (age 48). After just 3 WEEKS, I experienced leg cramps at night and severe constipation and bloating, despite taking Metamucil 3x a day, eating a high fiber diet with whole grains and lots of fruits and vegetables, increasing fluids, and taking an herbal laxative tea. I went off it immediately before I developed any other negative side effects.

I have been using Yasmin since September when I had to have a ovarian cystectomy due to a burst cyst. I thought that I was crazy until I came across this site. I have been having some random side effects that had never occured before with any other BCP that I have used.

Panic attacks at random times for no reason
Inability to concentrate at times
Discharge from my nipples, but no growth... go figure.
Hair in the most random places
I am extreamly tired all of the time
Weight gain
Swelling of my feet and hands
Bad Acne and i have never had even a little bit before
I am always sick to my stomach

I kept on wondering in the back of my head about Yasmin, but my doctor said that it was stress. Maybe I will give him the link to this site so that he fully understands the negative side effects of this pill. Thank you to all of you ladies who took the time to help educate me and make me realise that I am not alone.

Hey ladies... I'm 24 years old and I've been on Yasmin for the past two or so years. The first year or so, I was side effect free and I thought that the pill was the greatest thing invented by science. I used to run around promoting it to every female on knew because I thought that this was the end-all-be-all of oral contraception. But then things changed, gradually over time... and now that I'm reading all of these complaints of negative side effects that I too experience- and now I'm freaking out.

Here is the rundown of side effects that I have:
-Fatigue
-Weight Gain (happened about 6 months ago, all of a sudden gained 10-12 lbs despite diet and exercise)
-Violent Mood Swings
-Psychosis
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Paranoia
-Constant Hungryness
-SEVERE Acid Reflux
-Major Digestive Problems
-Panic Attacks
-Achey Joints
-Muscle Fatigue
-Migraine Headaches
-Lump in Left Breast
-Racing Heart
-Heart Palpitations (left-center of chest, almost daily)
-Night Sweats
-Nightmares (nightly... and really terrible ones)
-Insomnia
-Monthly Spotting
-Multiple Periods Per Month
-Mysterious Abdominal Pains (like... lower abdomen)
-Thinned Hair
-Generally, a Complete Bitch
-Weird Discharge
-Acne like the dickens (and in places like... my eye area?)
-Cloudy Thinking/Zero Concentration

I could write more... but you get the point.

Right now, I'm feeling really guilty for ruining the wonderful relationship that I had with my boyfriend. Because of my general psychosis, he has begun to second guess our relationship- I mean, who wouldn't second guess things when your girlfriend is a complete mess. I just hope that I can return to my old self after coming off of these pills- because right now. I also feel sorry for my family for having to deal with me being unstable for the past few months. It's been a terrible strain on all of my personal relationships.

I feel like a really sad psycho-bitch with a lump in her left breast that can't even sleep through the night at age 24.

My Ob/Gyn has always encouraged me to be on some form of birth control (for obvious reasons), but I have to say that I'm going to have to go against medical advice on this one. When I get my period on this pill, it is also the (excuse me for saying this) the smelliest, most clot-ridden, painful, heaviest and most disgusting mess ever.

My previous experience with BCP's was Ortho Tri-Cyclen and I originally came off that pill because it gave me no sex drive, huge boobies that I didn't want, and extreme mood swings. Now that I've also had this terrible experience with Yasmin, I'm calling it quits in the artificial hormone adventures. It's strictly condoms and diaphragms for this girl. Risking my health and causing permanent damage was NEVER what I intended for... I just intended on not getting pregnant and having a regular cycle.

Ladies... I'm throwing the pills in the trash TODAY. If you are smart, you will do the same. These artificial hormones have ruined my life... and all I can hope for is that I can repair the damage that they have done. If you're thinking "gee, I've been on these for like 9 months and I'm fine!"- think again. It will happen to you. It happens to everyone. Save your body and your soul from complete hell by throwing the pills away TODAY.

Hi, all.

I'm really sorry to hear of so many people having bad experiences with Yasmin. I've been really happy on it. This is my second pack, and I've had as negative side-effects, only some early, nausea (gone after 1st three days) breast tenderness (getting better) and increased appetite (which I'm managing with exercise). In the plus column, my breasts got about 1/2 cup bigger (nice for small-chested me!), my skin has cleared up a little (still not perfect, though) and seems softer, my body hair is growing back noticeably slower, and my head hair seems to be staying put, looking thicker and more lustrous (I've been getting compliments on it). I think I may have something like PCOS, though I've never been tested for it, and my ob/gyn specifically suggested Yasmin when I mentioned problems with body hair, acne, and PMS. Seems to be working well for me. I think these things are *highly* individual, but if you're having bad side-effects, I'd say try a different pill! Ortho-cyclen gave me months of morning sickness, but many women swear by it. I wish they had cheap, reliable tests to measure hormone levels, and could then prescribe the pill based on your current balance (or imbalance, more likely). Anyway, I'm happy on Yasmin so far, and I hope you all find the right pill for you.

Thank God I found this web site! I have only been taking Yasmin for 3 weeks and literally thought I was coming down with some severe illness. My GYN prescribed it to me for treatment of ovarian cysts. I've always had negative side effects on birth control pills in the past and at first I refused to take them, but the doctor kept saying how mild Yasmin was and that I wouldn't have any side effects. Against my better judgement I took it. Here are a list of my adverse reactions:

Extreme nausea and indigestion
fatigue, worse then I've ever felt
bloating
heart palpitations and chest pain
shortness of breath
irritability

With all the nausea and bloating my regular doctor figured I was having gall stones and sent me for a nuclear scan of my biliary tract, it came back perfectly fine. I found this site, trying to figure out if my symptoms were from this pill and as soon as I saw they were I quit. I am already feeling better and my palpitations are starting to lessen. I am so glad I found out before I had a bunch of uneeded tests. I lso called the maker of Yasmin and reported the adverse reactions, they are required by law to report the symptoms to the FDA!

I was on Alesse for four years and felt I had reached maximum bloat, so decided to discontinue the pill altogther this fall. Unfortunately, my acne problems surfaced again (after a year and a half after a six-month course of accutane). My skin got really bad and was getting oilier and oilier. I thought I'd better get back on the pill again to get my skin at least somewhat under control. I also considered going to my derm and ask for spironolactone to help with my skin's over production of oil. While doing research on BCPs that were purported to be good for acne, I landed upon Yasmin, and asked my OBGYN for it and she prescribed it to me. Yeah! It's been a godsend.

I started around the holidays this past December and it addressed my oily problem within the first week of taking it. And it doesn't make me bloat! I swear I've lost 10 pounds of water weight that I was carrying before. I still have to keep a lot of attention to my skin to control breakouts, but not being so oily helps out a lot.

My only complaints are with the diuretic effect, I'm up in the night having to go to the bathroom, sometimes as much as three times. And if it's rather early in the morning I can't get back to sleep. I'm a little moody, but it seems to be the case with birth control pills. The moodiness is nothing excessive. I'd be a lot moodier if I had my old icky oily skin back and had to go back on Accutane.

I have not experienced the fatigue or other negative side effects that people have mentioned here. In fact, it seems that all the possitive side effects that Yasmin was purported to have have worked for me.

I'd be very upset if Yasmin was taken off the market. If you find that a birth control pill is not working for you, go back to your doctor and try another kind. I remember a friend in college who had started taking the pill and she had terrible side effects, like bad headaches, terrible moodiness, felt like her heart was palpitating, and I told her to go and get it switched. Evidently the one that she switched to was perfect because she's been on it ever since. Works out perfectly for her, no bloating, etc. Maybe a little crabbiness, but seems hard to avoid that one.

At any rate, I've been very happy with Yasmin. As birth control pills go, it's practically perfect for me.

I can't get over the intensity of the negative side effects I have experienced. I have been on Yasmin for 3 months. I have never been this depressed in my life. I have gone from being active (running 3-4miles at least 4 times a week), to doing nothing. I have never felt like this. My back gets cramps too. We were hoping my skin would clear up a little ... it has actually worsened. I have had an increase in hairgrowth in certain areas, however, the hair on my head has thinned out. Last night was my last pill ... I am quitting immed. No pill is worth feeling this low.

I was prescribed Yasmin by my Doctor (children's clinic) for my acne. I had went in expecting to get Ortho Tri Lo because I had heard good things on it for clearing up breaking outs, but he gave me this instead. I noticed that the only negative side effects were tightness in chest into back, occasional rapid heart beat (suffered from that before)and constipation. So far ending my third month, i have noticed an improvement. My forehead has cleared up and my cheeks are smoother. Of course there are the occasional bad flareups especially two weeks before my period. When that happens they are on the side of my face and on my chin. Any suggestions for a bcp or any medication good for acne? Oh yeah, my doc also prescribed me Retin-A and duac for the face at the same time. So, really I'm not sure if the pills or the meds are causing the clearup.

I started taking Yasmin in August and stopped taking it five weeks ago.

Whilst I was taking this horrible pill I was subject to the worst stomach cramps, bloating, constant GAS!, my weight increased, my breasts were HUGE, sore and itchy, I was dizzy constantly, I had NO SEX DRIVE whatsoever, my appetite increased and I couldn't stop eating, and worst of all I had a dreadful bout of thrush that lasted the entire two months (and still remains a problem today).

I honestly thought there was something wrong with me, like I wasn't healthy but it was this pill all along. I can only be thankful I didn't suffer from anxiety attacks like so many of you.

If you are suffering from these dreadful side effects and you have not been feeling your normal self since you started taking Yasmin, stop taking it immediately and see your doctor. I acknowledge that some of you have not experienced any negative side-effects. It's great if you can find a pill that suits you.

After five weeks Yasmin-free I'm getting back to normal. The awful side-effects have disappeared although I'm still waiting for my sex drive to return and the thrush is still causing problems. Fingers crossed!!!

Hi, ladies,
I made a post back in May about some negative side effects I came to attribute to Yasmin, including sleeplessness, fatigue, anxiety, you name it. I even started going to a therapist. The lines got blurred--could this be the BC pill? Or is this just me? Well in May I decided to go off Yasmin and BC pills completely to find out just that, and it was the greatest decision. It took a few months until I felt back to normal, but I am a much happier, calmer me and I would not put myself through that again. Sure there are drawbacks to not being on the pill, but sanity and happiness are worth it, and I am happy to report that I have both. I'm not sure if another pill would have the same negative effects or if this was just Yasmin's doings, but I didn't want to risk it. These are artificial hormones that we are putting into our bodies daily....no wonder there are physical, emotional and psychological effects for some women!
If it's worth it for you, more power to you! I'm only 25 years old and its hard to imagine never being on BC again, especially when I get married, but that's the direction I'm headed! It's a decision each woman has to make...weighing benefits with tradeoffs.
Best of luck and feel better!

As a Registered Nurse who works in Women's Health, I am empathetic toward the many of you who have had such negative side effects from Yasmin. I, too, just started Yasmin a couple of weeks ago, but fortunately, I am not seeing the same effects as many of you. All I have really noticed so far is a pretty constant headache, which is a very common side effect from any type of oral contraceptive.

It is our right and responsibility as women to ask questions when we are prescribed a medication - irregardless of the type of medication being prescribed. Your health care provider must provide you with that information when you request it. Ask specific questions, demand answers. Be very proactive!

Pharmacists are also a great resource of information. Get the info on your meds in writing - manufacturers are required to provide this information for patients. If your health care provider won't give it to you, your pharmacist will. When I got my Yasmin prescription filled the first time, I read the whole information packet because I wanted to know all the risks and possible side effects. We should all pay attention to what our bodies are telling us. If you don't feel right, don't let anyone (including a physician) convince you that you are OK or dismiss your concerns. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. Listen to your body and do what you feel is right, like stopping a medication like Yasmin.

I know of several women who have taken this OC without difficulty. I know others who have problems with other types of OC's. Everyone is different and everyone's body reacts differently to the exact same medication. While most of the posts here refer only to the negative side effects, I am confident that many women out there are taking Yasmin without difficulty.

Unfortunately, some women are being prescribed OC's when they shouldn't, including those who smoke and any woman over 35. Many studies prove the increases in serious health risks for these groups in particular where OC's are concerned. Again, it is our responsibility to request information and ask questions of our health care provider before taking any type of medication.

To all of you having such a negative experience with Yasmin - good luck to you. Please seek another opinion if you are dismissed by your doctor. Request a change in OC's if that's what you want. If you can't get it changed, make an appointment with someone who cares what you have to say and will listen to your concerns. That is your right as a patient. Best of luck to you all.

This is my first month using Yasmin and at first I experienced a lot of negative side effects that are posted here including: nausea, headache, increased heart rate, and thirsty/dry mouth. Also, I felt completely wired during the night so I couldn't sleep at all and when I finally did it was restless and filled with nightmares. During the day, I was so exhausted I could barely stay awake and I had absolutely no energy. Even worse, I felt seriously depressed and my mood was all over the place. Then I decided to change the time I take the pill from daytime to night time, about an hour before I go to bed. It has made a HUGE difference. Now, I get great night's sleep, and feel normal during the day. What's more, my mood has stablelized and I don't feel depressed and psychotic anymore. My libido is up and generally I'm feeling pretty good! And as an added bonus, my breast size has increased to almost a full cup! (Although they continue to be sore, but not a bad trade off!) If you haven't already, try changing the dose time to night and see if it makes any difference for you as well. It did for me and now I think Yasmin is the wonder pill!

Good luck.

OK, sooooo i have had the same negative side effects as everyone here since I was 17. I am now close to age 21, and I feel like I have the energy and metabolism of a middle-aged woman who has had a child. Prior to taking Yasmine and Ortho Tri-cyline (that was my first BC), i was a VERY fit, energetic, fun, normal 17 yr old. I will never forget those first few months when people in school began to notice how huge my breasts got and how much bigger i was. I had gained about 15 pounds due to a suddenly bottemless pit of a stomach and my breasts had swelled to a size C cup from a small B. Now at age ALMOST 21 ;), I have grown to gain 20 pounds. I have horrific mood swings that have led me to self medicate with food and since I'm never full and always hungry, I eat a lot during binges. I have been diagnosed with bulimia and IBS. So naturally, i took MANY tests from the doctor (MANY MANY MANY), and they came out negative--of course. I've slept and cried my way through the past few years from mood swings. There is so much more, but i cannot find the energy to type..haha..little joke for ya. I look forward to quitting Yasmine and BC ALL TOGETHER starting tomorrow :) I look forward to my new life!!!

I just started taking Yasmin a few weeks ago. I was advised to start it the first day of my perios. I did. I have been taking it at the same time ecvery evening but I am still having a period.

I also thought that I had food poisioning or something that just will not kick. I feel out of it and nausiated with a bad headache. I was told that nausea is a common factor for the first few months and to just try to "hang on" . Now I am starting to worry a bit that I won't be able to do it. I thought that I would research online side effects and when I discovered this site it was like women were telling MY story. What I have been experiencing and I am both relieved and worried that it is most likely caused by this pill.

Does anyone have any bad exp with the patch or with seasonale (newer one)?

All comments would be greatly appreciated!

Hope all is better soon for everyone. And to those of you who have not had negative side effects, beleive us you are all lucky chickadees :)

I'm 18 years old and I have uterine fibroids that were causing my periods to be almost unbearable. So my gyno put me on the pill in August. I never had any negative side effects except weight gain, but I'm not even positive that was from the pill.
But my fibroids have grown so my doctor switched me to Yasmin. I'm in the third week of my second pack of pills.
In the past month or so I have had the worst migraines of my life, frequent loss of appetite, terrible nausea (but no vomiting) and a rash that appeared to be an allergic reaction (because my face was swelling also) but I didn't do *anything* different so I can't imagine what I was allergic to. I've also had terrible leg and foot cramps and the worst mood swings. One moment I will be so depressed I can't stand it, and then a short while later I'll be in the best mood ever. I'm also not as interested in sex as I normally am, even though I'm in a very new relationship.
I never thought that any of this was due to yasmin until I discovered this forum and now I realize they are probably all due to yasmin. I'm going to the gyno soon and I am going to tell him I'm not taking this pill anymore.

I have been on Yasmin now for almost a year and my experience has really been nothing like the others on this page. IN the firt month of taking it I did have an extended period that was quite heavy, but that was expected, and my breast were more tender than usual, but after the third month I was back to normal.
I strongly suggest that if you are truly are having serious side effects from this pill you get off, but don't go into it believing you're going to have problems, because it becomes mental. The mind is more powerful than anything and it can make you believe anything. If you're gaining weight, ask yourself what's really going on in your life...is it really the pill or an outside factor?
I have not experienced any weight gain and have been able to keep up with my active lifestyle with no problem.
Sometimes I feel down and not as happy as other days, but when I really look at the big picture, that's life..not every day is perfect. That happened even before the pill.
I just felt it necessary to post something that is not so negative so that if someone else, like myself, chances upon this website who is not having negative side effects happening to them, can know that it doesn't happen to everyone.
You know yourself, and you know if you're placing blame on the incorrect things.
Monitor yourself and do what you need to do.
For me, so far so good :)
Good luck ladies

*Lily

I have been on Yasmine for 3 months and I have experienced negative side effects such as constant flatulance, migraines, nausea, loss of appetite and fatigue. I am stopping and getting on seasonale.

I have noticed a few side effects after 18 months of taking he pill:

NEGATIVE: constant depression, tiredness, irregular bleedings, vaginal dryness, no sexual desire at all, constant headache, hair loss, sensitive skin (feeling very uncomfortable/ tickly when someone touch my skin)

I must however point out the POSITIVE side effects that made me conitnue using the pill (hoping the others would go away!): clear skin, no acne, bad facial and hairline psoriasis totally gone, loss of appetite (weight loss)

Reading this page has made me realise that the negative side effects aren't going to go away, and so I am quitting this pill - and all others for that matter. I am 36, have never taken any other BCP's in my life and so I know my body reactions very well. It is not worth jeopardizing a happy family life with husband and 2 kids - all because of the above negative side effects. There are other natural remedies that regulate hormonal imbalances that can sort my skin out - and my husband has agreed to have a vasectomy...

This isn't a new side effect or anything, but I just got off of Yasmin because I had diarrehia everyday for the past 6 months since I first started taking it. At first, I thought maybe I had inherited my dad's stomach problems, but then quickly realized that it wasn't just my dad's problems wearing off on me, it was Yasmin. Yasmin is probably the worst of 4 kinds of birth control that I have ever been on. I am scared to death for those of you that think that Yasmin is good. I have been off for less than a week and I am going crazy because of it. A couple months ago I had my first panic attack. I didn't know then what it was until yesterday when I researching the symptoms I had again...another panic attack just 3 days ago. Now my whole body feels numb. I don't know what to do. I finally decided to tell my mother who is taking me to the doctor tomorrow morning. It is almost as if my body is non-existent. I feel like I itch, but when I go to scratch, I really can't feel it but I know I am scratching. It's almost like "if I can't see it, it's not there". I am hoping that the doctor can help me out. I see where some people took 6 months to get over the panic attacks...and that scares me to death. I hope that I am a quick recoverer because this is something that I do not wish anybody to ever have to go into. I am a college student and I can almost tell that this is going to affect the way that I look at things and my studying habits. I would urge EVERYONE to NEVER take YASMIN because it really does have some very negative side effects that they failed to mention.

Please, if you have had negative side effects, call the manufacturer at 888-237-5394! An automated menu will direct you to a live person who will take down your information.

I just called them to report my side effects. The woman I spoke to was wonderful-- very friendly, and very concerned about the side effects I told her about. The more people who call, the better understanding they will have of what Yasmin can do to you.

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

HI,
My doc prescribed Yasmin to me because I have heavy heavy periods that come every three weeks due to fibroids. As a result, I have anemia, am up 2-3 nights during period time because of heavy bleeding - then have up to a week recovery time where I'm exhausted because of all the bleeding I went through. I was on Alesse for 12 days last year because I was going crazy! I had extreme moodiness and anxiety. I have the pack of Yasmin in my cabinet and last month I found this site, read everything and decided against taking it. Here it is only 20 days later - got my period and don't know what to do. I'm happy to see that there are some who have had positive results, but since I had such a bad time on Alesse - I don't want to go through what all of you have endured - it's terrible - but I'm sick of the frequent periods and heavy bleeding. If you have any suggestions, please post or email me at Andelmar@aol.com. Thanks and I hope all of you with negative side effects are feeling better - it's certainly no way to live!

I've only been taking the pill for 6 days now. All these people who are reding about the negative side effects should remember that more people state negative things about products and are more vocal than those who have a positive experience. So far, most of my symptoms are not bad. I had a little nausea and need to go to the bathroom more but my breasts are a little bigger and right now my sex drive has increased. Last time I was on BC, a couple years ago, I had horrible mood swings right away. So far I haven't encountered that so I am happy with Yasmin. I'll update after I've been taking it longer.

I've been taking Yasmin for two years. I always had severe cramps to the point where I would pass out. My doc said Yasmin would help. I was amazed how it helped w/ my cramps after about seven months being on the pill. I thought of Yasmin as the "miracle drug". I wouldn't have to take pain killers anymore!

Well...I've learned a lot today and I will not take this BCP from now on! I didn't realize that a lot of my "problems" were related to me taking Yasmin. I thought I was the type of person to never experience side-effects...that's why I never thought the pill was making me feel the way I did. I'm still in shock. My main concern was these unusual headaches I would get that wouldn't go away (and I still have it now! It's in one spot on the back side of my head...and it's always in the same spot). Two years ago, I had such bad headaches...and I even had an MRI to rule out a tumor and aneurysm. My doc diagnosed me w/ having Migraines. I believe migraines are hereditary (no one in my family has them). I did a little research and found out that oral contraceptives could trigger migraines. I had no idea! I looked up side effects for Yasmin and found this site. And a lot of my problems are listed here:

About me: Age 30, non-smoker, drink rarely.

Negative Side Effects:
- Headaches...localized, won't go away...more annoying than painful.
- Dizziness: especially after I eat
- Blurry vision: I never linked this, but I got prescription glasses shortly after taking yasmin!!
- Moodiness: I would get extremely angry at little things that didn't matter. I've noticed it would get worse each month. I am so not an angry person...now I know why I was acting that way.
- Shortness of breath...even when I wasn't working out!
- Chest Pains...about once a week. I thought I was having a heart attack.
- Achy joints
- Toenail fungus: I couldn't believe this either. My toenails started to look unhealthy. I just learned yesterday that oral contraceptives could cause this. Looking back, it started around the time I was taking Yasmin. Anyone else have this problem?
- Vaginal dryness: I've never had to by KY til recently! Never linked it either.
- Blemishes: some breakouts around period time...but not really bad.

Side effects I have NOT experienced: no weight gain, no anxiety attacks, no lack of sex drive, no brown spots on face, no nausea or gas, no or little pain in breasts.

All my symptoms didn't come at once. They've developed over the period of time I've been taking Yasmin. If they did come on all at once, I would have known it was the pill causing it right away and would have stopped imeadiately. I believe that all BCPs do have negative side effects. I'm going to stop taking these pills and ask my doctor to really evaluate my needs instead of using me like a guinea pig by giving me samples and just saying "try this or that...if that doesn't work, then try this." How effective is that? Well, the pill did work for the cramps, however, it brought many other bad things with it. I'd rather not take a BCP. I just pray my excruciating cramps don't come back! I wish all you luck.

I decided to start taking Yasmin, hoping to help ease the severe pain I suffer each month from cramps. I have been on Yasmin for 3 weeks. Like alot of people, I am experiencing the "acne" side effect. My face has broken out in huge red bumps, especially around my chin. I am 27 years old and my face looks as though I am going through puberty again, it is very bad even with make-up on. I have also experienced the breast tenderness and lack of sex drive. My stomach feels bloated and gassy. I also have had problems with my stomach getting upset and cramping after I eat something, which then causes me to practically run to make to the bathroom in time. After visiting this forum and reading story after story about negative side effects, I can assure you I will not be taking Yasmin anymore. Isn't it amazing in the commercials you see on TV about Yasmin, you never hear any of these horror stories...wonder why?????

Good Afternoon,
I have been on Yasmin for 4 months. The only negative side effect is break thru bleeding. The positive side is that my face has cleared up from acne, I have lost 10 pounds and back to my old weight of 110. My sexual desire has increased. I'm curious of people who are having more positive than negative side effects.