Yasmin and pills

I was on Yasmin for 3 years and never experienced any significant side effects. I tried several different contraceptives to help with my menstrual cramps, and Yasmin was the only one that didn't make me crazy. I didn't notice any obvious weight gain, and I never experienced the horrible things I have seen written on here. I sympathize with everyone. Several other types of pills have negatively affected me: Alesse, Femcon Fe. I think it at depends on the person. About 4 months ago, I decided to go off of the pills just to see if my cramps would still be as bad as they used to be. They weren't, but as soon as I came off the pill, I got mild to moderate acne, I was sweating like a man, and generally felt exhausted. I decided to go back on Yasmin simply to help my acne.

When I decided to come off Yasmin I had already taken 3 pills from the pack, but just decided to come off it anyway! after about a week I got a period which lasted a few days, but I think this is normal ! I have since had a proper period. If you really don't want to be on Yasmin anymore I recommend you just stop regardless of how many pills you have just taken, your body will sort itself out eventually!

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.

I wanted to ask you ladies if any of you have seen or had hair lose due to Yasmin? My girlfriend has had all the symptoms you all have talked about she has been on for maybe 3months and has seemed to have been loosing more hair? we are trying to figure out why?

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!
:-)

Wow! I can't believe how many of us suffers from the pill from hell, Yasmin. I stopped taking it September 17 after 5 years and I'm worried as hell as to what's going to happen to my body now. But first things first. I seem to have gotten pretty much every side effect in the book.

About a month after starting it I got gastroparesis- paralyzed stomach- and I also became lactose-intolerant after 30 years of drinking a lot of milk. Go figure! I get a huge bloated belly as soon as I drink a little water even now. I have gained about 6 lbs that I can't shake no matter how much I work out and that has never been a problem before.

I had migraines from hell and headaches nearly every day the last few years.

I got panic attacks and was very nervous, had anxiety and it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. And that is SO NOT me or anybody in my family. And I know it was the pill cuz I had no reason to feel that way.

I had blurry vision at times. Fainted once in the mall for no apparent reason, I had never fainted before in my life.

I had no interest in my own life or in doing anything whether that was working, going to school, exercising, going out with friends, traveling, whatever it was I was not interested. Again, so not me. I could have died and I wouldn't have cared. I could have gotten a Ferrari and I wouldn't have cared.

I could sleep 10 hours a night, take 1-2 hour naps in the afternoon and go to sleep again at 10 pm, no problem. And the nightmares! Holy crap. Awful dreams about plane crashes, robberies and murderers EVERY night. Thankfully they seem to have disappeared now.

I have high cholesterol, through the roof actually! -no family history there either- and blood pressure is a little high but not too bad. My thyroid was a little elevated last time and the doctor thought it was due to Yasmin.

I snap at everybody and think that I don't love my husband when I actually do love him a lot. He has put up with me being so unbelievably bitchy for 5 year. Bless his soul!

Since I started Yasmin we have had sex about 1-3 times a year. I'm NOT kidding. I haven't wanted anything to do with sex.

I have heart palpitations at times. Shortness of breath just walking up the stairs in my house.

Dry skin no matter what cream I use. Major hair loss.

I went off Yasmin once before and didn't get my period back for over 6 months so I just started taking it again like an idiot cuz I wasn't planning to have kids then anyway.

I was never happy, never sad. Mostly mad or irritated, no problems there.

What else? How many hours do you girls have to read my post? ;-)

To sum it up. Yasmin has destroyed my life for the past 5 years but I was to blind and scared to get pregnant before that I just didn't care. And not caring about my own health was surely caused by that rotten pill too.

What can I expect now that I'm off the pill since 2 weeks? How long before the hormones are gone from my body? What can I expect and when does it get better? Can I go to the ob/gyn after 2-3 months if I don't get my period and have them give me something to start it? Or would that be bad? What about the weight, should it go up or down? Acne? Hair loss? What else? Have you had any medical problems that you needed medicines for due to Yasmin? How long has it taken you to get your period back? And most importantly; can this pill make me infertile???

If there is a class action lawsuit I want to be in it!

I have been off this pill for 6 days...was taking it for 11 months and I feel horrible today. My side effects while on this pill where:hair loss, complete loss of libido, vaginal dryness, headaches, muscle pain and twitching in my legs, rash on my breasts that was very itchy, nervousness, bladder problems: constant need to urinate and feeling pressure in my kidneys. The list goes on and on. I am scared coming off these pills, I have had dizzy spells all day and feel very nauseated, I have bad cramps. I stopped the pack mid-cycle and I have been bleeding fully since yesterday. I am so scared of whats going to happen next.

Last week I started to have this pain in the chest. I thought they will go away but they didn't. I went to a chiropractor that said it is my back that couses all this pain, the tingling feet and arms, dizziness. But 2 days ago, my mom told me that on the news they showed a 22 years old girl from Croatia that died because of Yasmin. Today I looked online to see if i can find something about it. and I found this site. And i read more then half of the posts. I am taking Yasmin for 14 months. And everything that is in these posts i felt in on me. Except the weight. I am still the same at 120 pounds. but, the anxiety, the panic attack - my first ever, emotional problems - which i never had before - OMG - i don't want this anymore. I love life - i didn't get ther to have suicidal attempts. But it is bad. No libido - from a person who loved to have sex, painful intercourse, crying for no reason. etc. Tomorrow no more pills. that's it. My chest hurts so bad that i feel like crying.

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

Hi Gosh I can't thank this forum enough. I have booked my appointment for the Doc today I have felt so bad, and then came across this forum. I used to suffer from Panic attacks about 5 years ago. It happened suddenly and it got so bad that I ended up in Hospital. I was put on anti depress. for a year. Now I know I was on the pill then but can't remember which one and never thought about a link. However I have been fine for the last few years and was not in a relationship so didn't go on pill. Now in one for the past year and a half and firstly went on Dianette as I had bad acne then6months later went on to Cilest, had really bad breakthrough bleeding on both. So last month switched to Cilest. Have had two major Panic Attacks within the month, and as I never associated the pill with the attacks the last time it never occurred to me until now that it could be related. It was obvious to me that there was a connection to Yasmin as I just went from normal to mental this month, had a huge row with my Fiancé over nothing, had two major attacks. On Saturday was out at a meal and my mouth went like sandpaper, couldn't get rid of it then almost a second later major diarrhea
and felt heart palps. Was up all night anxious. Now my head is all fuzzy, ringing in the ears, feel my neck is stiff and I am dizzy all the time and my heart is really beating out of my chest. My contacts are also a nightmare with dry eyes This is after one month on Yasmin and it has to be it as nothing else in my life has changed over the month (except getting engaged< so I can’t be depressed!) I have really felt out of sorts and bloated too. I have talked to my Fiancé about it and have said that I may just come off the pill all together and get an alternative non hormonal contraceptive as I am just so unhappy on the pill and sick of changing.

Did anyone find they where extra paranoid and jumpy while on Yasmin especially towards your loved ones? and that your blood was boiling inside you over the smallest things?

Girls, I thought I was going crazy until I started reading all of these posts on the side effects of Yasmin. I have been off and on different types of pills for 15 years and have NEVER experienced anything like this. My breasts hurt so badly I can't even touch them, I have gained weight, am bloated, EXHAUSTED and so moody and off sex that my husband doesn't know what to think anymore. All of this after only 12 days of this nightmare pill. My doctor and another gyno friend told me to "ride it out" until I finish the pack and go back on Yasminelle (I live in Europe, don't know if it exists in the States), which I was on until last month. I cannot fathom taking this for another 10 days but am also worried about stopping a pill mid-cycle.

I have found all of this so surprising since I am quite healthy and have never experienced side effects from anything before (though it should be said that I have never taken tons of medication since I am rarely sick). I am also really active, always out and about, doing a million things at once and while I get tired like everyone else I am used to long, active days. Since I started this pill I have been going to sleep at 9.30pm and getting up at 7am!!!! And I'm still tired when I wake up!!!!

I have several girlfriends who have been taking Yasmin for years and absolutely love it, so I thought something was really wrong with me. I actually considered taking a pregnancy test though I think it's highly unlikely since I was on another pill last month and had a regular period two weeks ago.

I just can't wait for this all to be OVER. Something is wrong with this pill and my body.

Hi, ladies. I have been on and off birth control for nearly 8 yrs now. I am 26. I started when i was 17 d/t very heavy menstrual bleeding and cramps. I've been on several different kinds. I just started Yasmin (actually the generic) 3 days ago and have decided to come off of it already. After reading some of your comments I have def decided I'm going to take a break from the pills. I have experienced severe depression and anxiety within the past two days and my heart racing really rapidly. I have mitral valve prolapse and was surprised my nurse practitioner prescribed this for me. I have also been very sleepy. Not sure if this is one of the side effects or not. But please be careful to all of you out there when choosing birth controls. I've decided to take my chances w/ the cramps and just suck it up. No medicine is worth causing your body harm. I don't recommend Yaz or Yasmin to anyone!

im sorry but i don't know to write very well English,cause im Albania,i started to take pill last year cause i have 2 abortion and i was only 17.i started to get very depressed,cry the whole day.hate everyone.no sex drive.i have been taking Yasmin for over a year,and suddenly i decided to take off even i don't finished the packet,and a leats that a week i started to bleed very mush,and know its my lif in risk,so please take care of yourself,and if anybody can help me.do it,write me

Hi ladies,

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

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

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

okinawak so sorry to hear about your daughter. All I can relate to you guys is my personal experience. I was on Norimin for a couple of years from the age of 19. For the last year (up until a couple of months ago) I was on Yasmin. I experienced anxiety whilst taking these pills which I attributed to stress, but since I have been off the pills I am feeling fantastic. I stopped taking Yasmin because I was experiencing other things like pains in my calves, hair loss and getting spider veins, loss of libido (I'm only 23). :-( I decided upon reading other experiences on this page to stop taking Yasmin. I am happy to report back that I am feeling great... Fantastic in fact. I won't say that its directly related to Yasmin as I have no way of proving that. All I can say is how I felt during and after. And for the last three months I have felt greater confidence in my ability to deal with what life throws at me. I am feeling happier all the time, and I think my libido is improving. All the best to you guys, and all those out there worried about symptoms, please go see your doctor!

i'm a 21 year old girl, i've been on YASMIN for about 3/4 years, i have been through almost every pill you can think of. I was put on Yasmin because i had cysts on my ovaries, heavy bleeding and migraines.... ok in the beginning it was hunky dorry, but now its become really terrible. we have a heart condition in the family so last night talking to my dad explaining to him what i was feeling thought i was having a heart attack i had such bad heart palpitations, i had sharp shooting pains which felt like they were going through my heart, my chest closed up and i couldn't breath... my hair is falling out by the hand fulls, my moods are terrible my family doesn't even want to be around me, i'm paranoid i lost my boyfriend because i was so paranoid.... i have depression, i wake up every morning feeling nauseous, i have had the flu 23 times this year it has effected my immune system very badly. at least 3 times a month i have a migraine which keeps me in bed for about 3 days. out of all the pills i have ever tried this is the worst. i have never felt so rotten in my life i cant wait to come off after seeing all of your comments, i'm going to the gyne today. if i can help anyone PLEASE come off this pill it will cause more damage than anything else.

I am so glad i saw all these other comments or else I would have thought I was going crazy!! I decided this wk end to come off of Yasmin, i've had nothing but a rollercoaster of emotions for the last 5 months and I really didn't think it could be possible for it to be down to just one small pill!!

I know they say you have to try a lot of different pills but i think I'm put off now!!

The symptoms I had were weight gain about 10lbs, I was always hungry, mood swings like no other, crying for no reason, stressing, depression paranoia, dry skin and headache!!

The main reason I'm stopping it is just my mental state I was never the calmest person in the world but I found it impossible to control to control my emotions and temper. The paranoia was the worst. My personality completely changed!

I'm off it now for 4 days and hopefully I'll come back to normal!! I didn't feel right from the start but I decided to give it a few months to level out, now i wished I'd stopped back then!!

I had been on Yasmin for a couple years then became pregnant. After the baby, my obgyn suggested taking Yaz b/c he said there were less side-effects. So, I began taking it and with in a few weeks time I had began fainting at work, good thing I am an R.N. in the E.R. and was having irregular heart rhythms. I was told I had very low Potassium and began taking K + supplements. Although, no one made the connection to the birth control. I kept telling different doctors that the only new change was that I had begun taking Yaz. They just kept saying I was stressed and my body was still adjusting from a very difficult pregnancy, which was true. So after resuming with Yaz I again started to feel lethargic, muscle spasms, headache and palpitations, I finally have an appointment with my ob and can't wait to switch pills!!!! Yaz is not what is cracked up to be........

Oh! And Furthermore, Lest I forget to register MY formal COMPLAINTS about Yasmin...
i was a healthy 160 pounds when i started taking Yasmin 6 years ago (about) I now weigh about 218. 60 pounds in 6 years for me =( I attribute some of that to Yasmin...
also~ signature heart palpitations, depression, moodiness. exhaustion crept up on me over time, worrying about everything, being tired but not being able to sleep, (these all contributed to my lask of ability to exercise overly much....palpitations during exertion are very scary....
horrible overall experience. Just got off, going back to condoms as a 31
year old woman! (tells you how bad the pills are) Will never take ANY pills ever again in my life and really think these pills should be taken off the market. in this site alone you will find over 4000 threads on the topic of bad Yasmin side effects....google it and Im sure you will find tons more, Get off this pill if you value your heart and your hair! and spread the word.... I wish you all the best and pray this isn't something even worse than we realize, or that the damage is not irreparable. =(

Wow you are all a bunch of complainers who try and blame XYZ on Yasmin which probably have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the pills. I have bee diagnosed with PCOS and have been on hormone therapy since age 15, first zovia, which worked well enough but did not get rid of a lot of my symptoms, only lessened them somewhat, so now I am on yaz. My depression has completely subsided, I feel GREAT and only had some nausea which almost EVERYONE gets when taking a hormone therapy birth control pill. Trust me, if you are going to have SIDE EFFECTS it is not going to happen 4 YEARS LATER, please.... grow up and take responsibility for yourselves, rather than trying to blame a pill

I have been on Yasmin for a number of years now, and have experienced none of those side effects stated in other comments, I have not gained wait, I still have a very high sex drive and I don't feel depressed! Anyone that is having those side effects are obviously on the wrong pill for them! You need to try a few pills before you find the right one for yourself!

To add to my comment below, those of you who are migraine sufferers (like myself) Yasmin is perhaps your answer. I used to get migraines once every week to every month depending on situations and things happening in my life. After a few months on Yasmin my migraines have more or less completely disappeared while I am taking the active pills, and occasionally I will get one while I am on my period itself, but that is because I am not ingesting any hormones. I would recommend it for getting rid of migraines; however it took a few months for me to see the results so you must give it time.

Hello, I am 27 and a mother of two. I have only used birth control pills a few times a few months on and off. My doctor said that she didn't want to give me an IUD, but she wanted me to take Yasmin, because of my tendency to be depressed. I was excited because I don't like taking anti depressants because of the sexual side effects. I really felt okay before I started taking the pill. My son was only two months old, and I was happy. After a while I started feeling really down, I was very tired, and I had horrible acne again. It didn't help my PMDD, I felt angrier and more unhappy the longer I took it. My joints hurt all over and I was getting these very painful headaches. I recently noticed that my hair was falling out. I also got a call from my doctor saying that I had an abnormal pap smear. I ran out of the pills two weeks ago, and I didn't get it refilled. I am feeling a lot better, my mood has improved, but the hair is still falling out, and I need more tests to clear up those bad results. Honestly, I would rather use condoms with my husband, than to feel so miserable on the pill. I have to take care of my children and my husband. I don't recommend Yasmin. It prevents pregnancy, (i think it works because no one would want to have sex with a girl who was a wrek because of it), but that is the only thing it claims to do that is right. I am also angry because my doctor doesn't seem to think that it is important to explain the risks of taking the pill.

34 with a diagnosis of a Hormonal Imbalace which consisted of the following symptoms: Vaginal dryness, acne and mood swings.

First pill was Valette 30mg which made me sick to my stomach. I was on that for a week. Then switched to Loette 20mg, which was good, but the state health care doesn't subsidize the medication. I then switched to Nordette which is the same as Loette, but a stronger form of 30mg and experienced rashes with Nordette and I believe Nordette lowered my immune system in which I caught the Herpes Simplex One on my lips. Since I have contracted the virus on my lips, I have not be able to get the virus to suppress itself as I believe my immune system is being affected by the pill.

I was then advised to switch over to Yasmin because my other doctor, which I have many doctors that I see as having a second opinion is important to me, said that Yasmin was the best pill for my health issues. Since being on Yasmin, I have experienced extreme skin rashes on my face, neck, chest, arms and hands, which itches like crazy.

Since I was on Nordette, wearing makeup causes me to get eczema on my eyes and has been consistent since being on Yasmin. So I cannot wear any makeup unless I am going out for the night and then have to remove it the moment I get home and treat my eyes with Hydrozol.

I am concerned with the side effects of the Yasmin and will be consulting with a different doctor about an alternative hormonal imbalance treatment with less side effects. To summarize my experience, Yasmin is causing me very itchy skin rashes all over my upper body and I will probably stop taking it as soon as I see my doctor.

The only good things that have come out of being on the various pills is my skin acne is gone and my vaginal dryness is gone. My libido is still kicking, but its not worth the rashes.

I have been on Yasmin for about a year now and am finally convinced by my horrible side effects that it needs to stop. For the past few months my PMS has been so severe that I'm surprised my boyfriend still speaks to me. The worst time is the week leading up to and during my period. Now that I've decided to stop taking Yasmin, my question is what possible alternatives are there for birth control that don't involve hormonal madness? I've tried several other pills in the past, which just weren't right, and I'm definitely not comfortable with using the coil. Are condoms really the only solution?

I'm so glad to find this. It's taken me a while to put 2 and 2 together, but I am absolutely convinced that Yasmin is responsible for the subzero sex drive I've had for most of the past year. After reading this page, I also have an explanation for the brown discoloration on my forehead after I got a sunburn this spring -- it hasn't gone away! It's been a week and a half since I took any of the active pills, and I already feel SO much better. I was beginning to think I would never be interested in sex again! I have an appt. with my doctor this week, but there's no way I'm going back on Yasmin.

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.

Just to clarify, aren't YAZ and Yasmin two diffy types of birth control?

Wow, I am so shocked to read all your ladies' comments!

I just started using YASMIN about a week ago and suddenly I started feeling very anxious and depressed, at first I thought that it was because I recently moved to my current apartment and had a lot of stress.

Then the more I thought about it the more I realized that whatever was happening was not normal because that's now who I am. I felt it had something to do with the pill, but I didn't think the side effects could be so awful. I have breast tenderness right now.

I just went to my GYN today and let her know what was happening and all she said was that it was too early for me to be having those side effects and gave be a paper to go and get a blood pregnancy test done.

I am 27 yrs old and I had been off BC for a long time, but the pills I used years ago did not give me any of those side effects.

I plan on going back to the DR ASAP and let her know that I want a different BCP.

I am 21yrs old and I have never taken BC pills. My doctor recommended Yasmin over a year ago but it has been only two weeks since I've started using it and i've gotten really bad side effects.Immediately i noticed red spots in my eyes, intense headaches, irritability, short breath and feeling quite drowsy. In addition i had very clear skin and now i'm noticing that i'm breaking out on my face, especially my forehead.

I've decided to continue using it until the end of the month and if there isn't any changes i'll stop it completely. GREAT WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have waited long enough to tell my story. I am a 29 yr old single mother of 3. I started YAZ in Feb of 2008. I took it for 11 days. ELEVEN DAYS. It was about 4 days in that the headaches started. I couldn't stand light, I wore hoodies and sunglasses. I was nauseated. Saw double, black spots. Motion sickness.I could barely make it to work. I was out of control. I did not have control over my mind. I was crazy. My friend almost took me to the hospital to have me committed. There is no history of this in me or my family. The headaches would last from the time I woke up til the time I would go to sleep. Painkillers was the only thing that would keep me asleep through the pain. My dr immediately stop the the pills. I saw an eye doctor and they found nothing. They ordered an MRI. They found T2 Foci scattered throughout my brain. VERY unusual in someone my age. What that is, is my protective covering of my brain cells had been damaged there were gaps in its covering. I soon developed a stutter and a slur in my speech. The pain then moved throughout my whole body. They said fibromyalga and daily migraines. I'm now on topamax daily which gives me breaks in my headaches. I still get them daily. I still have pain in my body daily and I'm on painkillers daily. I have found a new dr who is wonderful. Who has recently taken blood. Who thinks that maybe it could be lupus. So I started researching Lupus...my symptoms and rashes match up. There is also a DRUG INDUCED LUPUS. and ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES is a KNOWN drug that can cause this!!! BUT IS THAT ON THE LABEL???? NOOOOOOOO!!! I was perfectly healthy before yaz, in kick boxing and now I walk and have the memory of a 60 yr old and my brain is permanently damaged. I have another MRI coming up to find out if there is more damage and I will find out the results of the blood work to find out what is wrong with me...but I blame all of this on YAZ and I hold them responsible. I SAY CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT....just have to find a firm with big enough BALLS to do it!!!

i started taking yaz a couple months ago and developed a blood clot in my lung, a pulmonary embolism. i was hospitalized for a week in may of this year. i have visited many websites to see if other women have developed blood clots due to yaz and i have found a startling number of women that have developed blood clots, and a couple girls who even lost their lives. the side effects of birth control are explained to us before we start taking them, and it is expected that some women will experience the side effects, and this is normal. however, when a disproportionately large number of women start having serious health problems due to yaz, then something is not wrong with us, something is wrong with yaz. i have seen many women express an interest in starting a class action lawsuit and i am trying to do so. i have worked in a personal injury law office for the past 2 years and know an excellent lawyer looking to take on a case of this nature and magnitude. if you or your loved one has developed a blood clot, lost their life, or have developed another serious health problem due to yaz than please email me at ****** with your name and an email address i can reach you at. A class action lawsuit requires a large number of plaintiffs. I have already gotten a few emails but need many more before we can make this happen. please email me... help me and yourself.

I CANT STAND YASMIN!!!!
I've just completed one month of pills and I'm losing my mind!

After Just one week of being on this pill, I noticed I was completely irritable, and on edge with everything.
As well my breasts were so sore and by the time I was done my first pack I'd gone up a come size, as well I feel like i've gained a tonne of weight, I just feel bloated everyday.

I only started Yasmin becuase My previous birth control slowly took away my period. I was on Lo-Estrine and after about 5 months my period was smaller and smaller until gone, so my doc put me on Yas, and now i have an awful period.
never had such uncomfort in my life, bloating and mild cramping, which sucks as i've never had a cramp! I HATE THIS PILL!!!
I would never recommend it!

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

I've started taking Yasmin 1½ month ago and in the last 3 weeks or so I've been having severe night sweats, chills and extreme fatigue (always feeling sleepy, need longer sleep time, need rest during the day). The night sweats is really what is bothering me the most. I wake up, my night cloths completely drenched in sweat, and then I literally freeze to death because of the drying sweat and the wet cloths, then I finally manage to fall asleep only to wake up a short while later, again, covered in sweat - and so the cycle repeat itself until I finally get up in the morning... Very very annoying. I really hope that changing my BC pills will fix this because I can't stand it any longer, I'll go nuts.

I was taking Yasmin until mid 2007 and took a break until 3 months ago. Since starting with Yasmin again I've been feeling very unwell. Constant nausea, sever fatigue, hair loss which I have never experienced before, stomach cramps, no energy, weight loss, kidney infections. I have been to the doctor twice in the last week presenting with these symptoms. I have 5 pills left in my third pack of Yasmin and I'm stopping today. Yasmin should be taken off the market- there must have some change to the manufacturing process since I last took Yasmin last year.

I'm 29, have been on birth control pills for 10 years, and switched to Yasmin about 2 years ago. I a small varicose vein in my right within 2 months of switching, but didn't think a relationship between my vasculature and the pill existed. I can now trace the entire vein from my right hip to my ankle. In the 2 years since starting Yasmin, my ankles and lower legs swelled heavily...but at very random times. It often began at the start of the 7-day sugar pill regime and finished by the time I started a new pack. I assumed that the estrogen withdrawal going into the sugar pills was too much for my body to handle and that the diuretic effects of Yasmin were obviously absent during that time. I also noticed leg cramping, heart palpitations, and I started waking up in the occasional hot sweat in a drenched bed.

So, after making sure that my heart and kidneys were healthy, my gynecologist prescribed continuous hormone Yasmin and claimed it as the "ultimate solution". For 4 months, I have skipped the sugar pills for each pack and started new packages immediately. I have not had a period since, and the edema has continued (still at random) and has become exponentially worse. In the last few weeks alone, the vein in my right leg has become massive, my legs are so distended by the end of the days on which they swellI that I can't fit into pants which are otherwise loose, I am noticing other large veins "surfacing", little veins are breaking everywhere, and I can now see most of the blood vessels beneath the skin in both legs. My primary care physician told me I have chronic venous insufficiency...a diagnosis I'm not okay with. I'm very worried...the changes and ensuing damage have happened way too quickly to be venous insufficiency. I am going to ween myself off of the pill, but don't know what the next step should be. Endocrinologist? Another OB/GYN? Anyone have ideas or similar experiences to share....

I HAVE BEEN ON YASMIN FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS NOW, EVER SINCE I STARTED DATING MY BOYFRIEND. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY MIGRAINES INCREASED TO AT LEAST ONE IF NOT MORE A WEEK AND EVERYDAY I DON'T HAVE A MIGRAINE I STILL HAVE A LESS SEVERE HEADACHE. I HAVE TERRIBLE HEARTBURN OR ACID REFLUX DAILY, AND EVERY TIME I GET IN A CAR THAT IM NOT DRIVING I GET REALLY SICK. I HAVE BEEN TO MY DOCTOR SEVERAL TIMES AND SEEN A NEUROLOGIST. I TIRED TOPAMAX AND LAMICTAL WITH NO SUCCESS! AND I FEEL LIKE IM POPPING MIGRAINE PILLS LIKE CANDY, CAN ANYONE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH ANY OF THIS TELL ME IF THEIR HEADACHE PAIN STOPPED AFTER QUITTING THE PILL? THANKS SO MUCH!

I am on my 2nd day off Yasmin. 9th if you consider the white pills. I have been taking this pill (no pills prior) for about 6 years. August 2006, I started having headaches and other symptoms. Been seeing many, many doctors ever since. None of them can see a problem, although now I can. I can say without a doubt I am not the same person I was 6 years ago. I have been blogging on ****** about my various health problems and seeing all of the doctors. I don't know that I can post links on here, so I would have to say if you searched for the user name ashallaya, you would find me. At this moment, I am terrified that some harm will come from suddenly stopping. Does anyone know what signs to look out for when stopping? And what kind of doctor do you see about this?

After 5 weeks of taking Yaz, I have developed hives, "lobster red" skin and itchiness from my ankles to my knees. The itching is was so bad, I was using a metal hair brush to scratch (I know, not good). It turns out, I'm allergic to Yasmine. Hives is one of the first side effects.

I stopped taking Yaz about 3-4 days ago and the hives went away completely last night (my doctor told me yaz stays in your system 7-10 days).

The doctor also told me, if you do develop hives on this medication, you need emergency help. Hives can spread very very quickly and they can obstruct your airway.

I personally did not go to the emergency room (I didn't know any better), I was able to control them with Benadryl.

I am sad I can no longer take this pill. It was awesome. It took away my appetite, no moodiness, no pms, no weight gain.

:-(

Oh dear, if you read possible side effects for ANY BC the symptoms you are having can happen, I have been on many pills, some seriously affected my emotional well being, due to est..levels. Not one is right for everyone, as the warning inside your package clearly states, you may have to try several before finding the right one for you.

If you are becoming depressed go see your doctor. If you read the insert on your pills if you are experiencing any "side effects" contact the doctor, it is very possible that the combination of levels isn't right for you, the doctor can evaluate and find a more suitable pill with different hormonal levels for you.

Also I recently had to be put back on the pill due to cysts on my ovaries, sometimes the pill is prescribed for this, so the person claiming pill causes cancer, it also can PREVENT other cancers.

Hi all,
This is my third posting. I've been off of Yaz for two weeks and wanted to let you all know that I'm feeling pretty great. Headaches are gone, dizziness has mostly dissipated, mood is fantastic. Anxiety has diminished, heart palpitations are gone, and sex drive is back to where it should be. I'm having some joint aches and pains but it's hard to say if that's from the pill or just general wear and tear from working out. But I'm very optimistic! Best of luck to you all. My advice is if this pill works for you, great, stay on it. But if it's making you miserable, you have choices, and you should go off and try something new. Like my doctor said, there are tons of birth control pills out there, and you just want to find one that works for you and makes you happy. And if your doctor isn't telling you this, find a new doctor!
Good luck! I'm going back to orthocyclen next cycle.

I have been on Yasmin for approximately a year and a half. And I had nothing to complain about,... it did do it's job, up till recently. I always got severe headaches on one side of my head, and I just thought that was normal. Furthermore, I had noticed an increased heart rate for a while now... but having heart problems as a child, I thought that was normal. Then I had taken 2 pills at once the other day, thinking nothing of it, and an hour later my heart rate was approximately 148beats/min. That is completely abnormal! I have been reading some of these posts and other websites, and I've noticed some other people noticed this too. I was wondering if there was anyone else?

I posted about a week ago, and have since gone off the pill. The last night I took it was last Monday, 4/14. I'm already feeling noticeably better. Still not 100%, but better. Got my period Friday night and was an emotional wreck that night and Saturday (uncontrollable crying to the point of burst blood vessels in the skin around my eyes), but yesterday was good. Today I'm feeling mellow and tired, but no anxiety, minimal headache, decreased dizziness, and much more clear-headed. Will continue to post about my progress. Best of luck to you all!

First of all, Yaz and yazmin are two diff pills, yaz was approved a few years after yazmin b/c it held a lower dose of estrogen.

I am a female who had a bad reaction to ortho and the depo shot. I was turned onto yazmin about 4 years ago because I had bad reactions to the other forms I'd tried. I suffer from depression problems as well, and my doctor said that it tested well among people with my background. I loved it.

Anyhoo, the whole reason I am writing, is because I've noticed a pattern in all of the statements on this website: the women who had bad experiences w/Yaz or Yazmin, had good experiences w/Ortho Tricyclen and vise versa. I just find that so amusing!!!

Thank you for your time,

Mel

I am 26 years old, have a great job, boyfriend, friends and family. Everything was great until Oct. 1st, 2007 - the day I started taking Yaz. The first week, I would get into bad moods for no reason, and by the 4th month my life was spinning out of control. Actually, my mind was - my life was still near perfect. Here were my symptoms during this period: Panic Attacks, nausea, shaking, de-realization and so much more. There was a point where I was scared to live and scared to die. I didn't even want to leave my house. This is when I decided to see a psychiatrist who percribed me Klonopin (a form of Valium to get me through the days.)

I stopped taking YAZ The end of Jan 2008 (after I put 2 and 2 together), so I have been clean of it for approx. 2.5 months now. But the upsetting part for me was I thought the day I stopped taking the pill, was the day I would get my life back. Not so!!! I have been feeling a little better but I cry because I I still do not feel like my old self, which was happy, outgoing and full of energy. Does anyone know how long it takes to feel better? I hear 3 months, but I just want to know how long it took for someone to feel normal again. My anxiety is mostly gone, but now I just feel withdrawn and like my head is in a constant fog w/ extreme fatigue :(:(:(

Girls - I feel your pain. And I also see the other side, with the women that had sucess on this pill. My two closest friends were on Yaz and loved it! But for me, it took many months from my life and I am still not 100%. Thanks for everyone who shared. I think this is the first time I ever blogged on a web-site, and you girls gave me the encouragement to share my story. Please feel free to send me a personal e-mail for support.

Baby-killer pills aren't good for you.

Hey, girls.
I'm 24 years old and i've been taking Yasmin for three months and stopped a month ago.
I must admit that at first (for 3 weeks) my mood was almost better than normal but after that...
I had mood swings, slept for 12 hours and was still feeling druged up, numbness in my hands and legs (so that i would wake up during the night because of it), absolutely no desire for sex and the pills dried me out (you know where:) ), had very poor orgasms, was too emotional and sensitive and i would cry and be hurt for peanuts. Oh, and my migraine got really really bad.
Now, after a month without them my sex drive is back (and the ability to do it without a lubricant too), i dont wake up in the middle of the night and my mood is so improved that even my boyfriend made a comment the other day about how happier i got lately.
But sadly...those pills were my best shot, so i guess i'm back on those sweet little latex thins again.
I hope it helps anyone.
I apologize for potential grammar/spelling mistakes, i can guarantee you i dont make those mistakes in my language :)