Yasmin and periods

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 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.

Hi, i just wanted to say that very many people use Yasmin with little or no side effects whatsoever, i sympathies so much with everyone who has had bad side effects, and i completely agree that every person is different, some birth controls work for people, some don't. I find that most people who look up forums are the ones who have problems with a tablet, and thats why the majority of posts are all negative. To everyone who has had bad side effects i sympathies so much and would recommend trying a different pill, however very many people use this pill with little or absolutely no side effects (i know of some people with no side effects at all on Yasmin). I just don't want people to be worried unnecessarily. It is meant to be one of the pills with the least side effects and don't rule out using it because of some negative posts.

I can't believe this is prescribed for women in order to HELP them! I took it for a few days only, it was a very scary experience. My periods were irregular and my Gyn said this would help. I started the pill and by the next day I was having HORRIFIC cramps, not even double doses of Ibuprofen would touch them. I felt dizzy, nauseaus, and I started feeling depressed within a few days. I went to bed one day with the cramps and I actually felt suicidal, didn't want to get out of bed or speak to anyone. I just laid there and cried and cried!!!

Well, I know myself enough to know that this was not any way to treat myself so I stopped taking them immediately. Within 2 days I was back to normal. I told the Gyn but she shrugged it off, said I should have stayed on the pills as I would have evened out. How does she know??!!??!! I'd like her to take them and then say that.

I started taking some good supplements, Black Cohosh was one, along with B vitamins, E, Calcium/Magnesium, and I felt pretty good within a month or so. My periods evened out too!

Take care of yourselves ladies, you know your bodies better than doctors!
:-)

Hi, I have been on Yasmin for 2 years now. I didn't like what it was doing to me and so went off it. I didn't get back on it for 7 months, my reason for getting back on it, my PERIODS STOPPED for the whole 7 months I didn't take the pill. I really don't know what to do. If I get off it my period stops, if I don't Im cranky, irritable, low and hardly have any sex drive. The doctors just say its normal. I don't even want to see the doctor anymore sice they don't do anything about it. Ive had it

I was giving 3 months samples of Yaz in May. I was taking another BC pill for about 2 years and had NO problems, periods were a little off, but it was consistent. OBGYN insisted on changing me to Yaz. Well in June I developed Phlibitas in my left leg and missed about 2 weeks of work. I had been having pain in my right leg for awhile, but thought it was just sore muscles. Well the pain became just horrible and I could hardly walk! I was taken to the ER, and found out that I now have a DVT. I am now going on a month of no work. I was lucky that they caught it. I want them to take this off the market before any more women are effected or DIE.

I am so relieved to read all of this.
I have been on Yasmin for about 2 months, and it has been a nightmare.
I have suffered from heart palpitation, leg cramps, nausea, & severe depression.
I'm only 16, and I don't want this medication to ruin my life.
I was told that this will give me shorter and lighter periods.
I am currently on my 8th day of my cycle.
So much for "shorter."
I will never take this horrible pill again.
Thank you all for opening my eyes.
I thought I was going crazy.

After reading a lot of these comments I can say that I'M NOT CRAZY! Yasmin really was the cause of a lot of problems that I had. I switched from Ortho Tri Cyclin to Yasmin about two years ago because I wanted lighter periods. It took me almost that entire time to figure out why I was feeling so much different. I never had problems with spot bleeding on Ortho and Yasmin didn't change that. I did start having really bad headaches a few days before I would start my period. It also cause my hair to stop growing and become very thin. It took me forever to realize that my hair started to change about the time I changed my birth control. I have tried everything to get my hair to grow again! Nothing seems to help. I had acne in high school (around age 18) but after and up until about two years ago (age 21) my face has always been clear. After switching to Yasmin, now about two weeks before my period I break out, mostly around my jaw line ITS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL ALL OVER AGAIN. I also found that it has an effect on the face cleaner that I use. I have used proactive for the past 4-5 years out of habit and found that two weeks before my period my face has a horrible reaction to the cleanser. Its gets really red and irritated and it itches like crazy. That only lasts for a day or two tops but I never had that problem before. The worst part about Yasmin in my opinion, besides the hair loss, is that it turned me into a down right mean person. I treat my boyfriend like absolute crap, and for no good reason. I have no tolerance for anything, I snap at him constantly and I yell at him for everything. I met him about three years ago and he always asks me why I changed so much from when we met. I guess I figured it out! I'm getting off this stuff and thinking about switching to ortho tri cyclin LO, is that any better?

I was on Yasmin for 2 years and it was 2 years too long! I should have stopped taking it immediately. I experienced EXTREME HAIR LOSS!!!! It started to fall out as soon as I started taking the pill, but I was also coming off Depo Provera and thought it was the Depo causing the hair loss. This happened in 2 different cycles. The first time, A LOT of hair fell out and I was humiliated. After about 6 months, some hair grew back; but my hair was still extremely thin and you could see most if not all of my scalp in strong lighting (outdoors for example). About 8 months later, it fell out again...this time worse than ever because I had about half of the hair I used to. I think I was literally lost 3/4 of my hair this time. Most if the hair loss was on the top of my scalp and every doctor I saw had something different to say. In the beginning stages of the hair loss, they said it was stress. Then when they saw it progress and they realized how much hair I had lost on the top of my scalp, I was told I had female pattern baldness...only no female in my family had ever experienced this before. Finally, I went off the pill and WOW...I HAVE HAIR AGAIN and it is probably close to what I had before I ever lost any of it. Oddly enough, Yasmin is used to prevent hair loss; as it is prescribed for women who have higher testosterone levels...yet it caused me to lose mine. I also gained A LOT of weight on that pill!
I have been off of Yas for about 6 months now and my periods are definitely less than regular. I won't get my period for 3 months and all of a sudden I am getting it every 2 weeks. I also have cysts on my ovaries and I thought I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which can also cause hair loss, but the doctors are quite positive that I don't have PCOS and that it is not what led to the hair loss.
Moral of the story...unless you have to go on a pill that is designed for lowering your testosterone levels (and I recommend Diane 35 if so), do not take Yas! If I ever go on the pill again, I am sticking to something like Alese that is low-dose.

I was on Yasmin from November 2005 to February 2007. I didn't have a period until June 2007, and have only had 4 periods since then (and one was medically induced). I have been to a gynecologist and an endocrinologist. I have had a battery of blood tests done and all have come back normal. I have some more coming up.
Before going on Yasmin, my periods were relatively normal. I didn't have a "set your watch by it" kind of period, but I did have a period every single month (just different times during the month). While on Yasmin, I can't name specific side effects that I noticed. Looking back, breast tenderness increased (and continues), increased propensity to headaches and fatigue, and weight gain were all present. It is going off of it that has really messed up my system. My doctor originally thought I had PCOS, but blood tests have come back normal. I was even convinced, because since going off Yasmin, I have developed some of the classic symptoms. I am at a loss as to why my cycle has not returned to normal.
I am so frustrated, and while it is nice not to have periods, I want to know that I am okay. I am wondering if my being on Yasmin is still haunting me.
Has anyone else had difficulties for such an extended period after coming off of Yasmin?

Hi I have just tried to go back onto Yasmin and feel absolutely terrible, I feel very down, moody, nausea, and a lot of gas pain especially in rib area. Going to go back to the Doctors today.
The reason I started Yas was to improve my skin and regulate my periods I so have PCOS. I had previously been on Yasmin before and had no problems. I don't know if they have changed the ingredients?
I hope the Doctor doesn't think I am mad!!

Hi Guys

I am taking Yasmin since May 2006. I have been suffering from chronic daily headaches since March 2006 and wondered if Yasmin could be a factor in this? For my headaches I have tried so many different things and not been successful and hadn't looked at the possibility that Yasmin could be a problem until I started to google it. What do you guys think? Could Yasmin be adding to my problem of chronic daily headaches? Cos I have the headaches all the time.

Any responses would be greatly appreciated!

Regards
Warda

I started taking Yasmin at the end of July due to abnormal bleeding of the uterus. At the time that I started the pill, I had been having a period for two weeks so I was relieved when it stopped. However, I have been extremely tired to the point where it is hard for me to keep my eyes open especially right after taking the pill. I have also had extreme tenderness in my breast to the point where I can not sleep on either side of my body. I have always had cramps but this time they lasted throughout my entire period, and they were the worst I have ever experienced.

My symptoms are not as bad as some of the ones you all have posted, but I want tot stop this pill before things get any worse. My doctor said it would also help me with my weight loss, but I'm too exhausted to even take initiative. I called my doctor to make an appointment so I can get my meds changed. Wish me luck.

I'm a 30 year old woman and I've been taking Yasmin for 4 months now. I've been reading what people have been posting here and I'm wondering if I'm alone in having the following symptoms:
-severe breast pain for one day in the middle of my cycle, followed by mild breast pain until I get my period,
-painful cramps in the middle of my cycle,
-weird sharp internal vaginal pain, (sorry for the graphics, but especially during climax),
-acne problems,
-depression
The last two, I did see that people wrote about on here. I called my doctor today and I'm requesting a new pill. I thought that after a couple of months the symptoms would equalize, but after this last month, I decided I couldn't live with it. The breast pain especially has been very painful.

I am the mother of a 23 year old who has been on Yasmin for 5 months.
Her dermatologist prescribed it for her without blood tests for acne. She went to a gynecologist who did a blood panel and said her testosterone levels were four times the normal level and agreed with having her put on Yasmin. We as her parents were totally against this decision.

Since she has been on Yasmin she has suffered severe abdominal pain with periods. She had an ultra sound and nothing was found. She then developed an infection in one eye. Very red and itchy. Took steroid cream for that. Then in July came down with strep throat. Antibiotics for that.
Since then she has had 3 bouts of strep. Every time she gets off
antibiotics she comes down with another bout within a week and a half.
She has also had a lynph node in her neck swell up to a huge size you
could easily see. Doctor said it was a byproduct of her strep.

She is now contemplating having her tonsils taken out. I am at my wits
end. I know all this chaos is from this pill and am trying to get her to get
off it. It is so sad and exhausting watching my previously healthy daughter go through this. And she still isn't convinced all this is due to Yasmin.

I have read so much on this pill. The doctor's hand it out like candy. Anyone got any words I might use to convince her to get off this killer?
Thanks.

I am 26, last December i was diagnosed with endometriosis. I was on yaz and doing pretty well for 7 months, no mood swings, normal sex drive, no weight gain. Then all of a sudden month 8 my period came 2 weeks late and didn't stop for 4 months! With in those 4 months i was given a ton of birth control to try and stop my bleeding. Yasmin was the last one. It took about a month but then my periods stopped and was normal after that. It has been a lot lighter. That has been the only good part. I still get severe menstrual cramps and every month i get more and more depressed. I have no desire to be with friends go to work or anything i love. I get the worst mood swings, sometimes i feel like i am going to walk away from my marriage, my great marriage! Literally i tur so dark and loose desire to work, clean , work-out...anything. Im very concerned this is because of this pill.

Im a 21 yr old girl and started taking YASMIN about 1.5yrs ago. At first i thought it was great.. But then it al started really bad Headaches, extremely angry with everything to the point when my bf of 6yrs dropped water on the bench he would get yelled at! (and that's not the person i am) and also my sex drive was at a point of braking up my relationship as i didnt even like the thought of him touching me and a bunch of other things.. so i came of it in NOV 07 and my periods came back to a regular time each month and was not any heaver then when they were on the pill. I got back to my happy self and things picked up i started enjoying having sex and things went so well we are not talking about marriage.
But after so many months not on it and using condoms we decided i should give ti another go. maybe it was me ? I have been back on it for 4 days and i feel back to the bitch i was before... i am so angry and feels like i have OCD because i want everything to be perfect and in order (even to the way i place objects) i have lost my sex drive which last week was great! im crying for no reason and feel just really depressed..
I have came off it last night but i think its going to take a bit to wean off of it. I will NEVER use it again!

I have been on birth control since I was 16 due to severe cramps during that time of the month. I have been on several different kinds. They placed me on Yasmin about 3 yrs ago. I thought that was the best one that I had ever been on until I went off of it. I have been off of Yasmin for about 2 1/2 months, since then I have developed anxiety, panic attacks, depression, with racing thoughts. I have contacted my OBGYN who said that this would not be a side effect. I have to say that everyone's body is different. I would like to know if anyone else has experienced any of these symptoms and if so how long will I feel like this?

My God, This is so confusing!! I 'm 23 yrs old and I've been taking YASMIN for about 2 yrs. It really helped with my period pains, my periods were lighter and everyday in every month was totally normal for me. Everyone else in the world had the pains pains except me!!
A couple months ago, I decided to stop taking the YASMIN, because I thought that maybe I would be ok without it and save myself some bucks everymonth. But Oh My GOD!!
I never believed in the existence of PMS until last week:
I was on a diet and last week I just ate junk food none stop, my mouth was like a conveyor belt for ice cream, cake, chocolate, meat, pizza. And I knew I should stop cuz I was ruining all the progress I made with my diet... But I couldn't stop eating!!
My libido sky rocketed... Which was difficult because I was trying so hard not to be sexually active with my horrible ex-boyfriend... I tried to concentrate on other things, but having sex was literally taking up everything!!! I felt like a real whore....
My ability to suppress negative emotions was also difficult. I usually deal with a lot of upset persons on the phone and I usually am the one to re-assure them and give them all the information they need. One of my superiors enjoys picking on me and I ALWAYS let it slide. But last week... My God, I knew I was getting angry, I told myself "don't allow yourself to look ignorant and blow up" but it was as if I didn't have control!!!
I got bad cramps days before my period. Usually I get them the day before or on the day of my period. But I couldn't function!!!
My period came really really really late, by about a week and a half. I was so worried that I was pregnant especially because of my week of weakness with my ex... I took four EPT's.
When my period finally came... It came really heavy. This is embarrassing. But I'm wearing adult diapers at night. Tampons would be a waste. When I use the bathroom, blood just drips out in large gross clots.
And so I'm starting back on YASMIN.
Friends who took YASMIN experienced negative side effects: breast tenderness, leg cramps, increased PMS. But what I listed here was what happened when I came off it for two months. I'm not recommending it. But after reading this I realize that we are all different, different how?? I guess we'll need a Gyno or MD to give reliable answers.
Good Luck, and my condolences to you all!

I cannot recall off the top of my head how long I've been on Yasmin, but its been at least 3 years. I feel very tired a lot of the time, and I have little to no energy, except for a few days before my period starts, then I feel great and happy go lucky. My brother died over 10 years ago, and I was using an anti-depressant, so I kept thinking my depression was from my grief of losing my brother. Now, reading some of these posts and other women's experiences with Yasmin, I'm starting to think maybe Yasmin is the cause of my depression. I'm usually an energetic person, and love to be outside and enjoy being around people. Most of the time now, I'd rather be sleeping or being by myself. Thanks, everyone, for your experience of using Yasmin. I think I have a valid reason for seeing my doctor, to get off of Yasmin. I am not in any relationship, and the only reason my doctor put me on Yasmin was to regulate my periods, though they are usually fairly light to normal, and always have been.

I am 25 years old. I was on YASMIN for about 6 years. A year ago I choose to get off the pill because I was on birth control for 10 years; I thought that was to long to be on any pill. I was off the pill for a little over 8 months the first 2 months everything was the same, however the last 5 months my periods were a lot heavier, horrible cramps like high school, my skin was disgusting, I cried all the time for no reason, and I gained about 10 lbs despite being very active, eating well and working out 5 days a week. 3 months ago I got back on YASMIN and everything has regulated. As far as the sex drive goes YES it's low, but I can't really say it was extremely high when I was off the pill. I found this site by searching for a cheaper prescription for YASMIN or a coupon. I read most of the posts about YASMIN and I’m not having any of the symptoms with YASMIN it’s more like I’m having them with out it. I’m sure everyone’s Doctor says this pill may not be the one for you. I had to go thru 4 before finding the one for me!

I have been taking BCP since I was 18. I started w/ Aleese, Yasmin, Orthotrycyclin-Lo, Ortho Evra and the last being Loestrin24Fe. The sad part is that I can't remember what/if any side effects I had while taking those prior to Loestrin24Fe. Unfortunately for me, I have managed to gain 30lbs in the last 5yrs and I cannot seem to get rid of it. Of course the gyno said it wouldn't have been the BCP, but I would like to believe I didn't make myself a fat ass. I was taking Loestrin24Fe for 2 years and can't say I noticed too big of a change while taking it other than the periods being shorter, but they were still very heavy. But my acne has started to get worse the past year. In May I went to the doctor for my migraine's and skin/hair (too oily). After running blood tests it showed my thyroid was pretty low and had room for improvement. I was prescribed Maxalt for my migraine's and 30mg of Armour (thyroid medicine). I went back at the end of June and we upped the Armour to 60mg because I haven't noticed a difference since taking it. She also suggested I switch my BCP to Yasmin as it's been known to help with acne problems. Today was my 2nd day on Yasmin....and obviously it's too soon to notice if/what side effects will bother me. I just wonder if maybe I should take a break from BCP all together and allow my body a chance to breathe. I really hate the thought of having that longer period again but I'm going to have it with Yasmin anyway unless I choose to start a new pack early every month (to keep same schedule as Loestrin24Fe). Advice would be helpful :)

My experience with Yasmin was decreased aggression, mood stability and increased breast size. when I stopped taking the drug, I had an increase in aggression, less fatigue and no weight loss.

My T-3 levels are fine. My blood work is fine. Not many headaches. My mood became more depressed when I stopped taking Yasmin.

Not sure if I am suited to take the drug. So, I am starting Yasmin again to see if I notice side-effects. My estrogen levels were low prior to starting Yasmin the first time. So, I am wondering if my testosterone is a bit too high, and if Yasmin levels me out so to speak.

I think those with normal estrogen levels, prior to taking Yasmin, are badly affected by Yasmin. I wonder if those of us, with lower natural estrogen levels are as badly affected by Yasmin.

Will let this site know in a few months.

ALSO get this pill from Canada - ******
It costs $22 and it is the exact same packaging, etc.

Hope this helps

i was wondering if anyone has had problems with gaining back NORMAL periods after coming off of Yasmin.
I took it for about a year and then in April of this year came off of it. the first 2 periods were mornal but now..i'm late. I am not worried about it too much I am just wondering if anyone else has had this problem.
Because right after coming off, I went and am still going through some SERIOUS mood swings. Like one minute I'm fine and the next I am totally crazy! Like in the same conversation. It's like Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde....it really is.

Hello all Yasmin Survivors.
I stopped taking Yasmin in July 2005 and three years on I am still re-building my life! I feel this pill and its side-effect stole some of my best years, I am 33.
My main side effects were extreme anxiety, agoraphobia, pounding heart, panic attacks, fear of doing anything (even going 10 minutes away from my own home). I was on it for 12 months and the side-effects started very gradually at about 5-6 months, I barely noticed them creeping up on me. It took me another 6 months of taking it to start to question whether Yasmin could be causing the extreme change in my personality. I think if I hadn't stopped I'd have had a major breakdown. I had lots of weird physical symptoms too including, bloating, passing urine all the time, leg cramps, dizziness, hair loss.
Anyway, all the extreme anxiety and stress caused by Yasmin left me with exhausted adrenal glands - which I'm now trying to re-build. Anyone feeling fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, inability to handle stress in the same way as you used to, PMS several months after stopping Yasmin should look into Adrenal Fatigue as a possible cause of their symptoms. It's hard to treat and can take a long time to recover - but there are lots of things you can do to help your body re-build. Visit ******(doctor Andrew W. website on Adrenal Fatigue) as a start to find out more about the condition and how to find out whether you are suffering from it.
It would be good to hear from more people re-building their lives after the impact of taking Yasmin on this site. Also, is anyone out there trying to put together a class action?
Sarah

I was on Yasmin for a number of years and had chest pains. I also have 2 red "dots" on my hair line that formed about a year ago. I noticed my hair thinned out too. I never made the connection that it could be related to the Pill. I also had frequent headaches, but would just take some Aleve and be on my way.
Anyways, I went off in February, and it is now June, and I still have no period. I've seen the gyno, tried to take Provera, and nothing is working to help me get my period. I ended up getting some bloodwork done. My estrogen levels are extremely low (like someone that is in menopause). I AM ONLY 25!!!! I am guessing it is related to coming off Yasmin somehow. Please contact me if you have similar things, as I am now getting all the symptoms of menopause (severe hair loss, night sweats, hot flashes, uncontrollable moods).

I experienced breast sensitivity and enlargement after taking Yasmin for just one month and have stopped taking it as a result. Does anyone know if this is a common side-effect? My doctor prescribed Yasmin to improve my skin and mood swings before my periods, but I can't report any noticeable improvement in this regard. In fact, I still had one or two pimples before my period. Does anyone know if these side-effects would have abated with time if I had carried on taking Yasmin?

i started taking Yasmin after i had my 5th child in July 2002. i was about 70 pounds over weight and my gyno said i would lose weight on this new wonder pill. i did, i lost 30 pounds and felt better than i ever had.
My skin was clear, my period light and i just consistently lost weight. i did notice that i was urinating quite a bit but didn't think much about it. About 3 years into taking the pill, my pharmacist mentioned to me that i should be having potassium levels drawn with this pill. I was a bit confused because i had read the literature that came with Yasmin when i started taking it(im a nurse and i just always research new meds i take) and it never once mentioned blood work. i had to harass my gyno because he thought it was useless but to appease me and because i mentioned to him i take a lot of ibuprofen for back pain he humored me and did the test. It was a little high but nothing crazy so i let it go even tho i mentioned that i was getting horrible muscle spasms all the time. he said my calcium was probably low. i accepted that because i had had 5 kids and figured i had depleted my supply. he mentioned that i could take Yasmin continuously without taking a sugar pill to keep me from having a period, said it was completely safe. so for the next 3 years i only had periods about 4 times a year. i raved to everyone how wonderful this pill was. i was still having muscle cramps but it was a small price to pay for no zits, no periods, no water weight, and i could eat whatever i wanted and had lost 30 pounds after one year of being on it though i never lost any after that.i didn't notice my hair was greasier than normal but i never connected it to the pill. i wanted to take the pill forever! that didn't work out thought when i lost my insurance and was forced to go off it because i just couldn't afford 70 a month. within the first couple of weeks i noticed acne appearing all over my face especially my nose and chin. i was 36 years old! far past the acne stage! i also noticed i felt bloated and my first period that came was like someone had released a flood gate. i went through 2 boxes of super tampons and a bag of pads in 3 days. thats about the time i noticed the weight gain. slowly over a period of 3 months i put on 3 or 4 pounds a week to now a whopping total of 30 pounds in 3 months. i was devastated. i knew that there were side effects of any medication and you assume those risks while taking it but not from not being on it anymore! the only good thing to come from getting off of it was those annoying muscle spasms completely stopped. i had been to the point that i couldn't even flex my toes or they would charley horse i had even gotten them in my jaw from yawning! now they were gone and replaced by fatigue, extreme weight gain and horrible acne and periods. i started blowing up and it didn't seem to be mainly weight, it seemed like fluid. i didn't urinate half as much as i used to it was like my body forgot how to make its own diuretic hormone. i could take a water pill and lose 10 pounds in 4 hours of fluid i knew that was not a good thing. i was scared as well as baffled. i went to my internist and he was shocked when he saw me my lungs were full of fluid, i had put on 30 pounds and was short of breath he ordered thyroid function tests and guess what? out of the blue my perfectly functioning thyroid (i had levels drawn the year before in routine tests) had stopped working when i got off Yasmin! so now i have to take diuretics because i don't seem to make enough of my own which i believe is thanks to Yasmin and i also feel it damaged my thyroid since its mechanism of action is inhibiting your adrenal system and thats what controls your thyroid. i am seriously considering filing a class action law suit based on the fact that for 3 years i never had my potassium levels checked because it wasn't advised by the manufacturer and i have experienced damage from this pill that i was not warned about in the package insert or by my doctor. i had the right to be informed and if they didn't know then the fda should have never approved it. i feel like ive been a guinea pig, and if anyone feels the same my number is ****** if we stand together maybe we can make them take this off the market and find out what has happened to those of us hurt already

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 have been on Yasmin now for 2 months and have had no problems with it. i have not gained any weight or felt moody. i actually feel that my face has definitely cleared up and on my last periods they have been shorter. the reason i asked my doctor for this specific pill was because i had HORRIBLE cramps that i couldn't move. my whole entire body would ache and my appetite was sky high. since being on it i think that it has helped me out. i think if your questioning taking this pill just give it a try for at least three months or so. every woman is different just remember that!!!

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.

Hi all! I am actually really glad to have found this site, i've been on Yasmin for 2 years now. I have been on several different bc pills before this but I was told by my Doctor that Yasmin would be better for me as my weight fluctuates terribly. Normally after being on the same pill for about a year my body starts rejecting the hormones. However, Yasmin has sent my body into overdrive, I feel ill all of the time, have constant headaches, break out in rashes at lease once a week and my sex drive is non-existent. I have also been experiencing extreme pains and my stomach bloats to the size of a football (seriously!) about a week before i'm due on. My periods have also become heavier and extremely painful in the last six months. After reading all of your posts i'm feel happier knowing i'm not the only one and that its not just my body! I am definitely coming off this pill now! Has any bc pill worked for anyone?? I guess i'm going to have to try different things now. However i've heard such bad things about the injection and the implant. (My nurse said they could prevent me from ever having children? - I'm 20 and have my whole life ahead of me. This is the last thing I want!) Thanks again! xx

hello all, i've been reading your stories and feel i need to write mine too. i started taking Yasmin about 4 months ago. and i really do not know what to think. i haven't put any weigh on or got acne (which were my worries) and my periods got very light and completely pain-free. i did have constant but mild headaches (which i never have) and my sex drive has gone down (never had any problem before). more importantly, emotionally i am feeling terrible. i cry non-stop and i feel totally unstable. I am going through a lot of changes in my life (change career, country, new relationship, etc) so i thought i could be just that i am feeling stressed. but i think this is more than that. my anxiety has rocketed, I never felt like this before, I have racing thoughts almost constantly, panic attacks, and something that i think it's called 'depersonalization' - has anyone got anything like this? it feels like you're looking from outside yourself, if that makes any sense...not nice at all.
as I have a tendency to feel anxious anyway I really don't know whether the pill is causing this or not, but i feel i am going mad. as i read the postings i became more worried that it might be Yasmin
i went to the doctor who suggested to carry on for a few more months to see if the symptoms go away. i followed his advice (as those days i was feeling surprisingly well, and was optimistic about it) but i am still very concerned.
also, has anyone had a really bad depression/anxiety attack when taking antibiotics + yasmin? i could have killed myself that day. felt better when i stopped taking the antibiotics.
again, is it my mind...? or is it Yasmin...?
any comments would be really great

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.

my daughter is 16 takes Yasmin for severe periods and cramps, stomach pain, moodiness during her periods. She has just started complaining about headache that hurt really bad, not like migraine headaches, she already had a history of those and said that they feel different. I'm worried, has anyone experienced this?

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

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

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

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

I need help! I have been on Yasmin for the past 6 months. I never felt sick but my periods became more painful, had pains in my calf muscles, can't sleep or stay asleep, always tired, very moody, gained 20 pounds, got spider veins, etc.. It's terrible! I have about 9 pills left before the sugar pills start. I really want to stop taking it. Do I have to wait until the sugar week to get off? Or can I stop now, my moodyness is driving me crazy!

My doctor put me on Yasmin about 2 years ago because I had severe menstrual cramps. So bad that I had to take off of school whenever I had my period because the only way to relieve my pain was to lie in bed with a heating pad on max, and i'd still cry over how bad it was. In the beginning of taking Yasmin, I felt awesome, lighter period flow and minor cramps that actually could be relieved with midol but seeing as it was nothing compared to what I had gone through I usually didn't even take that. Now i'm 21 years old, am 15 pounds heavier, I have no energy and severe anxiety and stress. A few months ago I had this 2 week episode with a headache that wouldn't go away with advil, like a normal headache would, stomach pains, nausea and vomiting. I had never felt so awful in my life. I went to a gastroentronologist and was diagnosed with IBS. I always had minor constipation when it wasn't period time and I hadn't been eating good and exercising as usual but this is noticeably worse, and comes with all the goodies of IBS like mucus ew. I'm going to stop taking Yasmin and see if my body starts to work properly again although i'm not looking forward to spending my periods in bed again crying.

I have been on Yaz for 3 months now.. I just want to start off by saying i love it! I use to take tri-cyclen.. that use to be the only pill i could take b/c all other pills made me bleed all the time..so i like tri-cyclin(not sure if i'm spelling it right cuz i took generic tri nessa) but the only problem is i was so psycho and messed up.. i felt like iwas going to go crazy i was a total bitch and my moods were so messed up i almost got on antidepressants.. but my dr. gave me yaz and i have never been better! i feel great i have lost weight my periods are very light..i'm happy everything is wonderful! the only thing i have noticed is diareha and at first i had a funny taste in my mout but i also have constipation as well and i have been reseaching I.B.S (irritable bowel syndrome) which i though i might have had before taking yaz.. so all in all i love the pill but a little concered about the consitpation and Diarreha but i'm looking into it

Hi..I just went off Yaz last week after being on it for 18 mos for severe periods. I've had nausea,diarrhea, gained 20 lbs, sore and aching legs, and the worst lower back pain. I've been go a gastrointestinal specialist for a endoscopy and colonoscopy and everything came back normal. I've also had a CT, MRI and nerve blocks for my back but nothing helped. My daughter had a really bad reaction to the Mirena IUD and a light bulb went off that maybe the Yaz was responsible. I'm 46 and I feel like I'm 86. I literally manage to go to work (most days) and then am too sore and exhausted to do anything else except lay on my couch. It's been a week since my last pill and I have to say I feel worse today than ever. If it's the Pill, how long would it take to start feeling better? I had really hoped that this would be the answer. I used to be very fit and active and I can't believe that I might feel like this forever.

I'm 23 and I got prescribed Yasmin because I have PCOS, where I only got my period every 3-9 months (very irregular) where I suffered severe period pain and my period would go for about 8 days. The doctor thought regulating my period would decrease the pain, which it did. My period is around 3-4 days, very light and no pain since starting Yasmin. But I have had migraines weekly, constant headaches, usually starting with my vision going blurry and seeing flashing white light. I also lost my appetite for the first month, but have gained weight. I was going to the gym and exercising everyday and now I have no motivation to exercise at all, but feel bloated ALL the time. I have had trouble sleeping since taking it. I suffered from depression and anxiety attacks about 2 years ago, but since taking Yasmin I have been feeling very depressed and had several anxiety attacks, although the anxiety has only started after being on it for 4 months. After having another migraine this week and having to leave work for teh second time in 2 weeks, I decided I was going to stop taking it. (I had also had 3 anxiety attacks this week) since stopping I have instantly felt relaxed, no anxiety, and I no longer feel depressed.

After suffering all of this for 4 months, 8 day periods and 4 days of being in pain doesn't seem so bad. The depression and Anxiety is the scaries part as I haven't experienced it for so long, and don't want to!

Does anyone know how long it takes to be fully out of your system? I just want to get back to normal weight, moods, energy levels etc as soon as possible!

As for myself, i started taking Yasmin when i was 17, i took it for about a year, then i had a break and i started taking it again about 1 maybe 1,5 year ago. i knew there are many side effects connected with birth control, but i decided to give it a shot, and i liekd it. less cramps, lighter periods, perfect. but now that i read all those side effects posted here, i realized that even though i did not have any physical side effects i did in fact suffer mental side effects. i am easly aggrevated, i get hurt over little things and can cry for no real reason, i feel tired all the time, deacreased sex drive.. and all this time knowing about side effects i kept blaming myself for being weird and becoming hard to get along with, which i wasn't before. i am an optimist and rather sensitive, but what happens to me know is way out of proportions.
today i realized that birth control pills are great invetion for a high price of our mental and physical state. condoms work for some, for others they dont bring enough satisfaction, but whats the point of being on the pill, and not having to use some latex, when the sex drive is decreased because of al the hormones?
today was the last day i am taking my bc pill. perhaps i will have to ind another alternative, but for now i need to apologize to all the people i've been hurting without even realizing that it wasn't the real me.
it's good to experiment with birth control to find whats right for us, but we have to make note of not only our physical state but also if how we feel mentally.
good luck to all finding the right ways of protecting yourselves :))

I have been on Yasmin for about 2-3 years or so... but i remember thinking i was the luckiest girl because i found a pill i thought was great and made my periods only 2 days i loved it.... but lately for the past year i have been very depressed i realized something was different when i laughed i wasn't laughing i was just doing cause i knew i should laugh, i just didn't find myself happy and i should be I'm getting married to a wonderful guy who has put up with my loss of sex drive and being dry which makes it hurt so it makes it that much worse and my loss of exercising i feel fatigue over taking a walk or doing nothing i thought it was laziness or lack of motivation... then i have a bad knee and within the past year and half i have had severe neck issues with my muscles
i talked to my doctor she told me to see a psychologist for my depression, i have yet to do so but now realizing many other people are feeling this way on this site makes me happy I'm not really a depressed person and I'm just really messed up over this pill
I'm calling my doctor now to see if i can get my pill switched i cant last like this for much longer ill go insane and so will my fiance!!!

I was on Yasmin for 5 years. In Sept. 07 I stopped taking it because I was having breakthrough bleeding which was very strange for me. We decided it was also time to try for our first baby. I thought my experience while on Yasmin was bad, but things only got worse after stopping it. I have been off for 5 months now and have many symptoms and no pregnancy. Including nausea, the worse cramping ever, very bad moodness, and the worse one of all - my periods are 45 days apart, and when your trying to conceive that is not a good thing. I do blame the Yasmin pills because before I went on B/C I had very normal 28 day cycles. If your planning on wanting to get pregnant someday, my advice to you is stop taking the pill long before you really want to get pregnant, and use back up protection, because it could take a while for your body to adjust to it, and it's heartbreaking if you are trying to get pregnant.

HI my name is Jennifer, I am 27 years old, I went for my annual check-up on January 9 and I was telling my doctor that I was having headaches and feeling nausea a week before my periods and so she changed me to Loestrin 24 which I hate and yesterday was my last pill Thank God, and so now they switched me to Yaz which I start on Sunday and I am so scared of taking it because I have read so many things about women having horrible side effects such as blood clots in the lungs, acne, weight gain, vision loss and other side effects, I have gotten to the point that I want to call my doc again and get back on ortho tri cyclen but I have not even started Yaz I do not want to seem crazy! Can someone help me cause I am already freaking out and I have not started taking them yet please help!
Jennifer

I went on the pill because my periods were very irregular. I was on Yasmin for two months altogether. One week I thought I had the stomach flu because I was throwing up. I had quit throwing up for about a week and then I started throwing up again. I also had horrible headaches and I didn't before I started taking it. I called my OBGYN and she said to stop taking them immediately. I too was also constipated. She then prescribed the NuvaRing, which I was on for two months. I wasn't throwing up anymore, but my headaches were still there. I was 22 and had a bad stroke. I was paralyzed on my right side. With therapy I was able to move my right side. My doctors are not sure what caused it, but they did say that the birth control pills are what pushed it over the edge. I am lucky to be alive. I believe birth control pills can have different side effects on everyone and there are side effects with almost any drug. However; there are a few side effects that are common to almost everyone who takes that particular drug. In the case of Yasmin, it seems bloading and constipation are common.

I have been on Yasmin for three months now. I just finished my third pack, actually on the placebo week. The first month I had no symptoms or reaction to the pills and I got my period the first day of the placebo week. The second month I had unprotected sex and began to have cramping, lower back ached, nauseated, frequent urination, and at the end of my second pack I did not get my period. On my third month, much of the same symptoms and now I am two days into my placebo week and am worried I might be pregnant. I have taken the pills religiously and have not missed a pill. Please let me know if anyone has had any of these same symptoms and possibly missing two periods in a row! Thank You in advance.

I am 17 years old and before I started taking Yaz my periods were heavy and my cramps were so painful I could barely move, but it only lasted 3-4 days. I am on my second pack of Yaz and my period was a week late, when it did finally start I was glad that it was light, and my cramps are not as painful, but it has lasted 12 days and is still going. ( I am going to ask my doctor about that at my next appointment.) I don't know about loss of sex drive cause I am still a virgin and am only taking Yaz for fewer and lighter periods. I haven't smelled anything odd yet and I hope I never do. But I did get headaches when on my period and I was hoping Yaz would help that too, but it hasn't worked so far. Reading what other people have wrote has scared me a little cause right now my only problem is the length of my period. I hope I don't get anymore bad symptoms. Is there another kind of BCP I can take that doesn't cause so many problems? Cause I don't want to wait for these problems to happen to me, I want to prevent them!

I was put on Yasmin for PMDD along with an increase in my anti depressants- since I have been taking it, I have had several instances where I have slept for like 20 hours- has anyone else experienced this? My gyno originally put me on it for insomnia during my cycle- I can't take this anymore- I think I need to stop taking it- I haven't even made it through one pack yet- can anyone help me?

I'm glad I found this site. My OBGYN put me on Yasmin.. This is my first pack. I stated it on the first day of my period, that was more than a week ago and I'm still bleeding. The bleeding is also irregular, I used to have 3 sometime 4 day periods. Now I don't bleed at all at night, I have cramps all day and massive clots with sometimes no bleeding in between (never happened before). Should I wait and see if things will change? or should I get off this pill asap. I've been on other birth controls before (marvelon) and that was two of the worst months I had ever experienced...