Yasmin and sex drive

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!

Ditto - I have been off for about a week now and my sex drive has returned, it was non existent on Yasmin.

I am feeling a bit odd being off it - definitely a bit bloated, emotional, acne/greasy skin and 'spaced out' but hopefully I'll get back to normal.

I was on Yasmin for 3 years, and just got off it a week ago. I tried 3 different birth control pills before Yasmin, but I cannot recommend any of them. The side effects of the first pill (three-phase pill) were more visible in a short period of time - weight gain, moodiness like crying or feeling edgy for no reason, BV, and decreased sex drive. Because it was not tolerable, after 3 months of this pill (I cannot remember the name), I switched to Min-Ovral. It was better in regards to weight and moods, but I had no sex drive. Also I had several yeast infections (following the initial episode after use of antibiotics to treat BV) after I had sex. After about 6 month of this, pill I tried Alesse but nothing changed. After 6 month of Alesse, I changed to Yasmin. The side effects include
(1) zero sex drive (affected relationship with my husband)
(2) yeast infections and bladder infections (never had either before)
(3) migraine (2-3 times a month, sometimes with nausea)
(4) anxiety (not severe)
(5) fatigue or low energy
Migraine was so bad that I was wasting my time just suffering from pain 2-3 times a month, 1-2 days each time, my husband suggested I should go off the pill. Now I've been off Yasmin for a week (2 weeks including a week between packs) and I've seen 'side effects' getting off the pill.
(1) feel like my head is going to explode - feel pressure in my head
(2) fatigue and sleepiness - can't concentrate
(3) weight gain 6 lb in a week!! while my diet or exercise did not change
(4) bloating especially on my lower stomach
I found this web site and had to post my experience, although it is still too early to tell. I think I will see a doctor if these side effects persist for a month, and will update the post here.
Thanks for reading, and I hope we will find a good solution somehow.

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.

These reviews are pretty scary to me ... I've been taking Yasmin for about 5 years. Late last year, I started getting what seemed like a full period (not just spotting) almost exactly two weeks into my pill pack. Then I'd get another full period when I got to the end of the pack, and I went ahead and took the sugar pills because I didn't want to mess around with my cycle (which I've done in the past, with negative results). My doc switched me to reclipsen for a month (which I've read bad things about too, but not as bad as Yasmin!). I've had NO sex drive for years now, which I've blamed on myself, but it's really affected my relationship w/ my fiance. It's hard because I just can't get excited. I loved Yasmin and recommended it to all my friends because it kept my water weight down. Last month when I went off of it, I gained about 8lb in just a few weeks. I attributed it to going on vacation and not exercising for a week (I normally eat very well and never miss a workout). But since then, the weight has stayed and is very slowly coming off. I'm a personal trainer and I never usually struggle like this. I've also been bloated and it seems like I have an excessive amount of abdominal bloating.
Anyway, after a month on reclipsen, I decided to switch back to Yasmin to see if the month on another drug "tricked" my cycle back into following Yasmin (wishful thinking!). Sure enough, got my period two weeks in. Also got lots of bloating, constipation (never normally a problem for me), and moodiness/ depression. I've had "stomach issues" for years, and I've even had a colonoscopy with no real diagnosis. My abdomen is always tender to the touch. I never would've thought Yasmin could be a cause, but now I really wonder. Also, in the last couple weeks that I took Yasmin again, I noticed days where it felt hard to breathe, and I just blamed myself and my weight, figuring it was the few extra things I ate that made me bloat. But now reading other experiences, I realize how unusual my recent experiences are for me. Now I'm not sure what to do -- I don't think reclipsen is a good answer. I want to go off pills completely for a while, but I'm really afraid of weight gain (Yasmin is addictive that way -- I love how it's kept my water weight down and I've been afraid to go off of it). Fortunately, I haven't had the blood clotting (to my knowledge) or acne. But I do have overuse injuries that never seem to heal -- now I wonder how much those relate to Yasmin. I won't be taking it anymore!

I'm still trying to find out if my symptoms are associated with Yasmin, but I STRONGLY believe they are. I can't believe I didn't pu the pieces together sooner. I've been on Yasmin close to 4 years... it was pretty new when I started taking it for my PCOS. For the last two years (yes, two years!) I've been experiencing extreme nausea and upset stomach and my resistance to illness/allergies has been non-existent. I've noticed that I feel depressed and lack a lot of energy. My sex drive wanes... sometimes it's nill and other times I can't get enough. I've had endoscopies, colonoscopies, blood work, etc... but nothing ever came back conclusive on anything particular. After my last cycle, it took me about a week to get my new pack and guess what? I felt somewhat normal! My sex drive came back and my gastrointestinal issues subsided. I'm going to stop taking it completely and see if it solves my "mystery illnesses".

I started taking Yaz for about 3 months and couldn't tolerate the daily spotting and severely itchy skin from my knees to my ankles. I switched to Yasmin and though I don't have as much breakthrough bleeding, it still occurs daily a week BEFORE my real period. I have very little to no sex drive and I have to use Aveeno 24 hour anti itch lotion immediately after showering (I've lived in a desert climate for over 10 years now and have NEVER depended on anti itch lotion much less regular lotion since starting these pills). It was so bad a couple of nights that I took Benadryl to get through the night. After reading the posts from others, I'm thinking that I must have an allergy as I, too, have constant post-nasal drip in addition to the itching. I have also noticed more hair shedding but luckily for me, I have thick hair. The only benefit is I don't seem as moody as with other birth control pills and have kept my weight somewhat normal despite not exercising and overeating on the weekends. I am going to my PCP to change back to Ortho Novum although I dread the moodiness that comes with increased estrogen. Why can the drug companies come up with incredible drugs like Cialis but 30 years later, we still have @$#! for birth control pills?

Side Effects: Yaz -- daily breakthrough bleeding
Yasmin -- breakthrough bleeding 2-3xs a week
Both-- severely itchy lower legs, constant post nasal drip, hair loss, severely decreased libido, occasional leg cramping

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

ive been on Yasmin for about a month now
my symptoms are:
nausea
brown discharge
tiredness
erratic sex drive
moodiness
and i seem to space out a lot,like stare at walls and lose concentration

i think the discharge is annoying me most as its the most recent and effects my boyfriend wanting to have sex with me

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

Hi!
I am so glad i found this,
i been off of Yasmin for about a month now and i will never go back!
i was on the patch for 3 years and was fine ( i know the patch is risky so i switch thinking i was safer ) WRONG!
I was depressed, bloated, irritable, the smallest things would set me off. I was spacey all the time, i could not concentrate i was tired. My sex drive wasn't anything near what it use to be. like i said i am off it now and i feel like i am myself again. I hope the affects of this terribly birth control don't affect me permanently! I am staying away form birth control!
does anyone have a better suggestion?

Heart palpitations, dizziness, migraines, fatigue, no sex drive, weight gain, panic attacks. Saw cardiologist was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse however i don't think the doctor ever saw this on my echocardiogram. All of these symptoms appeared after being on yaz for over a year. I am stopping Yaz at the end of this pill pack..any idea how long it will take to get back to normal?

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 started taking Yasmine in 2005 and almost imeemdiatley I started to have severe anxiety, depression, no sex drive at all and worse of all extremely bad migranes especially a few days before getting my period and during. My life had to be put on hold when I had my period because of the migranes. I stopped taking the Yasmine 3 weeks ago because I just couldn't take the migranes anymore. I have noticed I have gained some weight, my skin and hair feels alot oilier, and my hair has been falling out more than usual which is kind of freaking me out, don't have mood swings. My sex drive has gotten better which is a relief. I still don't know if my migranes will have gone away during my period. I'm just curious can anyone tell me if these side effects (hair loss, weight gain, oily skin) will go away after a few months.
When I went off another type of pill I actually lost weight, why is this one different?

I posted not too long ago as my symptoms first began creeping up on me, high chloesterol, depsite a lot of exercise and eating healthy and having a normal body fat percentage. (AND I MEAN SO HIGH THAT I SHOULD WEIGH 500+ pounds)! I also have vitiligo, this causes skin discoloration and began having muscle aches and trouble sleeping at night. I had been on Yasmin for a little over a year and taken a break for 3 months before getting back on and symptoms started creeping up 2-3 months after coming back on Yasmin. I have aslo began to have hair loss in the past few months, gained 17 pounds in 4 months despite excerising and eating healthy. I began having hert palpitations and my late night writing can be attributed to trouble sleeping and overwhelming anxiety. I also have a lower sex drive now and am very depressed. I have been off Yasmin despite my doctor not believing a low dose pill could be causing all this, for one month. I have had withdrawals without a doubt, I am having severe breakouts, my breasts are so tender air caused by a fan hurts them and I want to cry all the time. The worst thing of all is my doctor won;t believe me, but how else can all this be happening. Blood tests ruled out thyroid and anemia as culprits as well as pregnancy (apparently I wouldn't notice that the 17 pounds was really a baby-what are these doctors thinking I know my body!). I hear all your symptoms and I wish I could say that they go away as soon as you get off the pill, but I can say if you just got on and things seem to be great realize I was on it for over a year and swore by it becasue it was the first pill that seemd to help with my emotions and cramps...but that all changed and my life feels like it is crashing down. I may never convince my doctor that yasmin is doing this to my body...they don't blieve me that I'm not eating fast food and siiting on my butt eating fatty foods all day and that is why I'm gaining weight and have dangerously high chloesterol, but I hope I can convince you all. I have had bad luck with all pills, I am allergic to spermicide and can't use diaphrams, I had my period for a month solid on the shot, but what Yasmin is doing to me makes me worry that my life is truly at risk...I would rather deal with cramps that are crippling than be ridiculed by doctors and hate myself the way yasmin makes me fo.

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

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 :)

My doctor put me on continuous birth control hormones to help alleviate the severe cramps associated with endometriosis. I tried NuvaRing first, but went off because of vaginal/vulvar burning. I switched to Yasmin a few weeks ago. My breasts hurt nonstop for the first packet, but cleared up after that. I noticed I was feeling depressed a lot. My period decided to start before I even finished the active pills in the first pack. My sex drive dropped to zero. I became very irritable, like having constant PMS. I started noticing blurred vision/feeling like a blackout was coming on when I was climbing stairs. I started getting winded just climbing stairs. My energy fell through the floor. I continue to struggle with mild depression. The vaginal burning continues; intercourse is too painful--I suspect it may be linked to the hormones and not the NuvaRing. Honestly, NuvaRing had much fewer side effects for me than Yasmin. I'm not sure what to do next except get off the Yasmin.

Yasmin - Sudden Panic/Anxiety-

I have been on Yasmin for 7 years. I started a new box and pack 3 weeks ago and 72 hours later had what I thought was a "panic attack". I had never suffered panic or anxiety before and I am 32. Then, the chest pain and anxious feeling wouldn't go away (not normal with panic I hear). I went to the Dr and my bloodwork was all "great". I went to a cardiologist and they tested my heart. It was indeed beating "extra" so I had to be one a monitor. Still, the entire time I was miserable and wondering what the heck had happened to me. How could I go from being a normal, well adjusted women to a crazy lady in one day. I was crying and couldn't function, concentrate or eat. I felt like an "out of body" type of experience almost, like it wasn't really me who was feeling all this. Very disoriented feeling. Well, the Dr gave me anxiety pills and I was going to take them. But, in the meantime I went on the "sugar pills" of my Yasmin and guess what? 72 hours after I stopped the pills I felt normal again!!! I'm still not 100%, I'm 90%. Now I have no hard evidence that Yasmin caused this, particularly since I've been on it so long but I can't help wondering if they changed the dosages or something. I have NEVER experienced any level of anxiety or panic before this and going off the pills was the only thing I changed when I started feeling better. Sounds like more than a coincidence to me.

Has this happened to anyone else recently???

Hey everyone...I have been on yasmin for 6 or 7 months now... I have experienced som of the same symptoms..whe i first got on it i was nauseated and tired for about 2 weeks...being on it for a while my boobs got fuller, and i had clear skin...i little weight gain...but my weight goes up an down all the time! somedays im 5 pounds heavier than others! i've never gotten depresson or anything from taking the pill, and it definately didnt kill my sex drive...it improved i quite a bit...im horny all the time! and have great sex...its painful at times but that's not cuz of the pill!!! but i currently have a problem...im experiencing several prego symptoms but i took a test and it came out negative....so i'm curently wondering whats wrong with me! i have all the early symptoms and no baby???? that makes no sense to me!!! anyone have any ideas what it could be...or is it possible that the test was wrong??

WOW! My husband and I are newly weds and have been having SO many problems. I have been depressed, emotionally out of whack (which I never was before), disconnected, NO SEX DRIVE (which for a newlywed husband is AWFUL). The other day I was contemplating finding another form of birth control and decided to research this from other users and ALL of your symptoms are the same- severe headaches (which I had before but after taking Yaz they got WORSE). I am going to try going off of it, it is NOT worth ruining my marriage over!

Thank you to all that have posted. I have been on Yasmin for over five years and have never considered going off it. I asked my OB/GYN whether my body needed a 'break' like I had heard about girls taking, and he said 'take a break if you want to get pregnant.' I was having no problems with it (that I could discern) and I didn't want to get pregnant so I agreed. That was about three years ago. I have ZERO interest in sex and I have no idea whether it is because it has become too painful because of vaginal dryness or if it is because of the drug in the Yasmin that decreases sex drive. These symptoms have kind of snuck up on me because I never thought to connect them to them bc I was taking. So, withdrawal symptoms or not I am going off them. that is the only way to find out whether they are from Yasmin or not.

So I started taking YASMIN in December 07. I switched to YAZ in January 08 and just quit a week ago. So about 4 months of bc. A week ago, I broke out in hives and rashes. I would itch one spot and then others would form. The areas get hot and the welts raise up my skin. It started when I was out in the sun but it couldn't have been sun poisoning because I never got burnt. I am diagnosing myself rather than a doctor because they do NOT know everything. After reading into the YAZ and YASMIN side effects, I am not risking anymore problems. Oh and I got an upper respitory infection along with the rash. This lingering cough has a weaze and phligmy sound. My friends are concerned with it too. I have never been the type of person to suffer from any major sickness or skin problem. I am tough skinned and have never gotten any kind of food allergy. I am 24, 5'6'' and in semi-athletic shape. I am an actor and model and I cannot afford to get rashes and a bad horsey cough! YAZ was great for 2 months and now bam! Downfall happening. Temporary relief-cortozone cream and antihistamines like benadryl.
YAZ benefit-clear skin, no PMS
YAZ side effect-rash, no sex drive/libido loss, difficult/no orgasm, appetite like a hog! Food #1 thought. Packed on pounds quick.
YASMIN benefit-clear skin, lost weight quick
YASMIN side effect- a little loopy, speech impediment, no sex drive/libido loss, no orgasm, couldn't even fake an orgasm!

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!

Really the only new side effects i have after switching to Yasmine were mild headaches all day, mild nausia all day and slight weight loss. but im guessing the weight loss could be due to the mild nausia. Had problems with sex drive with the last pill i was on too

Does anyone got multiple sclerosis because of yasmin?
i started taking yasmin when i was 19 and took it for almost a year.
i have always been a healthy person never really got sick.
i went off the pill because of the terrible side effects; first my sex drive changed in a bad way, then i had mood swings (i would cry or get mad for any reason) then my leg got numb then my arm got numb then i got speech trouble then chest pressure, then blurry vision on and off for two months. my doc sent me to a neuro doctor, did all the tests everything came up clear except for the mri. He told me it was up to me to start the medication for ms, and that he cannot be sure if i really have ms or not because of the test results. I decided to stop taking yasmin after my leg got numb and since i when off the pill (2yeas ago) i have not felt any numbness, or blurry vision, or speech trouble, or chest pressure, only 2 occasional terrible headaches in the passed 2 years (last year) and anxiety once in awhile).

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 :))

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

Hi everyone, ok i have never been a good 'pill' accepter, my body hates any kind of rubbish but I have ME and sometimes it's very hard to monitor symptoms related to pill, medication, virus or anything other. I haven;t got on with any pills, except microgynon 30, the only prob is you sometimes think they're causing something they're actually not. It turned out co-codamol causes headaches so it wasn't the pill. Yasmin seemed ok for first few days, but then small spot rashes on chest, forehead and shoulders, itching in places, extreme tiredness, which doesn't help with ME i am very aware of my symptoms and this is the only change i have encountered so must be the pill. I have chronic stomach pain, bloating, wind, constantly urinating, discharge thin and very regular, so a few are acceptable but this is the 2nd pack and the pain is uncomfortable, I'm like a balloon and feeling very anti social as it's not really the nicest symptom to have....thought gastric flu, but doesn't last 2 months????? I'm going back on microgynon. Will we ever find happiness as women..coming back as a man next time lol

I started taking Yasmin 2 months ago and have not felt right since the day I started taking it. I just haven't been myself lately and couldn't figure out why. After reading about the side effects others have experienced, now I know what the problem is. I've been extremely tired and have started feeling depressed. I've gained weight and in general feel extremely bloated. I'm a runner and even though I have been running, I can't seem to lose the weight or bloated feeling. I've also had random bouts of nausea, and absolutely no sex drive. I am going off of it ASAP.

I am 22 and have been taking Yasmin for 3 1/2 years. Everything was great and then all of a sudden i started getting the same symptoms of all of you. depression, stomach cramps, zero sex drive, extreme dryness and almost all the others. my relationship is suffering but I'm not willing to go off a pill bc completely. Can someone please suggest a pill that is good with less bad side effects? I'm desperate!

Hello all. I was wondering if any of you who have been on Yasmin for a few years experienced any joint pain or swelling in your hands/feet because of this. I notice that it is a side effect, but was wondering when it developed for people who have been on it a while. I have swollen, painful joints in my hands, but the blood tests turn up negative for arthritis and my docs (primary and neuro) have quizzed me about Yasmin - the only prescription med I take.
Also, I had terrible migraines upon starting Yasmin but those subsided. I also experience the sex drive/dryness/increased UTI frequency issues others of you describe.
I am 32 and have not been pregnant before. Have been on Yasmin for three years.

I have only been on Yasmin for 3 weeks.
In the first week,every morning I had an upset stomach,and was often gagging and about to throw up.Then I started to get IBS,every single morning,which became very frustrating,and painful. I knew my first time the me and my bf had sex,that there was something wrong,something very wrong. It was absolutely excruciating,I had to tell him to stop it hurt so bad.I used to have a sex drive over and above what a males is,and it has just plummeted.Its so frustrating cause I just want to make him happy,but at the same time,i don't have the umph to do it.Even wearing a tampon is extremely uncomfortable. When I read about people not having a sex drive for 3 years,I immediately decided to go off it,and find a different pill.I'm looking into tri-cyclen lo,and so far this pill looks good. I'm always tired now,and my breasts always seem to be tender.The pill hasn't cleared up my acne at all.Another reason for going off it is what I've heard about being on it for a long time and then going off it,the side effects can be just as bad.ill let you know how things go.

It all finally makes sense!!! I'm 26 yrs old, have been on 3 bc's in my life for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and this past bc was Yasmin. Weird things have been happening and I never thought to link them with the bc but after reading all of these stories it makes perfect sense. Here I'm thinking that I have severe IBS and zero sex drive b/c I'm just a medical disaster but these other woman have opened my eyes. The worst side effect of all is the story that I am about to tell you and I hope that nobody else has this problem. My gyno put me on Yasmin the 8th of Aug. ('07) and at the end of Aug. beginning of Sept. I noticed a big sore knot on the back of my ankle. I thought nothing of it until another one appeared under the skin of my other ankle. I went to my doctor (who is my regular and gyno) and she told me that she didn't know what these lumps were but were NOT caused by my bc. She gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way...one knot went away and another larger one appeared. I went back to her and she gave me a 2nd dose of antibiotics, one goes away and 2 more appear. So this time she sends me to an Orthopedic Specialist who takes x-rays and has no idea what is wrong. He tells me to go see a dermatologist. I went to a dermatologist 2 weeks ago who tells me that I have a blood flow problem. My blood is thick (never had this problem in my life) and has problems flowing back up from my feet in my veins. He diagnosis me with Lipodermasclerosis...ok, so I ask him if this could be caused by my taking Yasmin...YEP! So, I stopped my bc that night. Now I am going to wait the three months for the Yasmin to completely leave my system before I know for sure that this was the cause of the knots on my ankles. Please let me know your thoughts and if anyone has had this same issue. Thank you!

Hi all! I just began taking YAZ two weeks ago and things were fine up until two days ago. I started experiencing itching on several parts of my boy an last night, realized I had hives on my waist at my back, near my underarms and have serious itching all over the rest of my body including the palms of my hands. Please, please, please if anyone reads this an has had similar side effects, please let me know. Furthermore, I did not take the pill last night as I knew this could be the only thing causing these issues. Does anyone know the reprecution of stopping the pill mid month? Please let me know and thanks for your help!

I Have been on Yasmin for about 3 months and I've noticed that my body has become very itchy and dry...I'm usually constipated...but my sex drive is pretty much the same...Someone Please tell me if they've experienced severe dryness due to the pill..I'm not sure if thats what you guys mean when you say "dry"..if so...then i know i should get off

Hi all
I am a 24 year old, quite anxious person and have had problems with panic attacks and anxiety on and off for the last 5 years, although I generally stay on top of it, manage a good job and I have a successful long term with my boyfriend who I live with and love very much.
I was on Yasmin for three years and never thought I had any problems with it - although looking back maybe some of the anxiety that I experienced then was linked to it. The numerous GPs I spoke never made this connection so I would never have suspected it.
Anyway I came off Yasmin a year ago, as I decided I wanted a break from medication but any changes would have been disguised by another medication I was coming off at the time which gave me really bad withdrawal symptoms.
I went back on Yasmin ten days ago and today I feel terrible. I have been waking up at about 5am, wide awake and anxious and this morning had a very upset stomach due to the severe anxiety. I tried to go to work but on the bus I had the most awful depressing, dark anxious thoughts and could NOT get them out of my head. I felt terrible and came straight back home.

There is no way I am taking the pill tonight, but I am a bit worried about stopping it mid cycle - does anyone have any experience of doing this and what happened?
I also really want to know how long it will take for me to feel back to normal - can anyone give me an idea?

Thanks for your posts,
Really think they need to warn people more clearly on packaging...

Jem

I've been taking Yasmin for 7 months now...at first it was brilliant! i have had trouble with other pills in the past and Yasmin seemed totally different.
however, after settling down with it, i am starting to experience some side effects. i appreciate that obviously they may not be related to Yasmin but after reading other people's experiences I'm thinking that they probably are!

my hair falls out more than is normal...i used to have really thick hair and now it's getting pretty thin.
i have developed a cyst on the side of my head?!
i get weird pains in the right of my chest and stomach as if I've been exercising too much or sitting balled up for hours.
i have gone off food.
my sex drive is none existent! my boyfriend and i used to do it pretty much every day and now i never want it. we haven't really had any proper sexual contact in over a month.
i had complete loss of vision in one eye.
I'm getting seriously anxious about things that are important, but overly so.
i feel permanently tired and drained no matter how much sleep i get.
i cry 24/7 over absolutely anything... songs, adverts... its ridiculous!?

if i come off Yasmin it'll be the 3rd pill that doesn't agree with my body. I'm gonna have to try something new i think...

I have been taking Yasmin for about 6 years. I didn't really have many side effects at first at least not anything I wanted to blame on the pill because I do take other medications, but after reading all of these problems that others have had, I wonder if I've just been overlooking what Yasmin may be causing. Other than the less serious things like major depression, anxiety,panic attacks, zero sex drive, weight gain, bad headaches, etc., about 3 years ago i had a benign lump removed from my breast. My Gyn said it couldn't have been caused from the pill but my surgeon said it definitely could have been caused from the pill. Then last June I had a mini heart attack. I am 35 and don't smoke. I wonder if the pill was responsible for that as well.

I talked to my gyno's nurse twice today. She told me when she first talked to me that she would have to talk to my doctorr and get back to me. Well, I just got off the phone with her and I'm pretty infuriated. She said that since I have been on the pill for almost a year, the pill has no direct connection with the depression spell. She didn't explain the sex drive thing & when I told her about other physical symptoms I had been experiencing, she did not back up any of it. She said that they will not change me to another pill until I see a family physician about the depression and am evaluated or go through a counselor. Too bad I saw a counselor all last semester for testing anxiety and I was never diagnosed with depression. I told her that it is now hard for me to evaluate my past on the pill, because how do I not know that the pill has been causing these symptoms all along & I merely found some sort of reason for everything that occurred. I also told her about this message board and she said that nothing on her goes along with scientific fact. I'm extremely frustrated right now.

I have been feeling nausea after about the first week of taking Yasmin. I've also been getting panic attacks also, I used to get them when I was younger but they started up again my second week into taking the pill. It scared me, I've been feeling shaky, irritable, and feeling pain in my left hand, sometimes feeling like its going numb. I'm so glad I found this site that people listed some of the same side effects, I went through some major depression in high school, & used to have to take mood stabilizers, I've found my moods have been changing more drastically since I started the pill, I also feel itchy. Plus if my sex drive goes away I might find myself living alone. Thanks everyone for you posts, it really helped me.

I have been on Yasmin for a year and I have gained 20 pounds within a year. I don't have a sex drive and it has been a problem with me and my husband. I have terrible headaches to the point where I want to stay at home with no light and sound. I called my doctor and changed today because I that is not right. I am depressed all of the time and I just cry for no reason. I have a family member on it and her legs and arms get numb and she has really bad headaches. I need doctors to stop prescribing this medicine.

Thank god for the internet-I don't know what I would have done if I had to feel the way I did from taking Yasmin any longer without knowing why. I took Yasmin for two months. In the third week of my second month I suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks along with irrational fears and obsessing on random thoughts that wouldn't normally bother me. When I would somewhat calm down, I would then feel so depresses because I didn't know why I just couldn't go back to feeling like myself. I am a worry-er, I admit, but never to this extreme. I was so nervous, I had no appetite and the anxiety really began to take its toll on me physically. Now that I look back on it, I was more nervous than usual in my first month, I have lost my sex drive, I have had small dizzy spells and blurred vision, random pains in my left lower abdomen area, but I never put these all together. When I found not only this website, but tons others with women writing about all of these side effects, I already started feeling like myself again. It's been 4 days off the pill and I still get a little anxious, but nothing like it was last week. I can't wait for this stuff to get out of my system. I did take the pill at 7:45 every night and I do notice I'm more nervous in the morning when I get up and by late afternoon, I start to relax and feel more like myself. Synthetic hormones are not natural and I really feel like we shouldn't put this stuff in our bodies. We are messing with scary stuff. God only knows what would have happened if I had to endure any more of that physical and mental pain!

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...

I have been on Yasmin for 4 years. I switched from Ortho-Tri-Cyclin because the massive weight gain. I have had no visible problems with Yasmin until recently. I have not gained any weight, but I work out 5 times a week. Now, after reading other posts, I realize that I have had many of these problems. The past year or so, I have been crying for no reason at all. I have been extremely tired no matter how much sleep I get, a loss of sex drive ( which is hurting my relationship), very painful sex, and have had respiratory problems. Over the past couple of months, I have had severe gas, which has never been a problem before. It is painful. I have had very bad TMJ for about 2 years now. I have never had any problems with my jaw before then. The pain is on my left side. I just read some of the side effects of Yasmin, and left-sided jaw is one of them. I am going to talk to my Gyno about switching at my next visit. Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know why this happens?

I have been on this pill for 11 months now and it has almost gotten to the point of ruining my life. I've experienced weird symptoms and I thought it was just from some mild changes in my life (just graduated from college, moved away from home, got my first job). But now that I have read all of these comments, I realize that ever weird symptom was from this pill! I have a non-existent sex drive (which almost ruined my engagement to my fiance), I've experience weird hives on my legs, arms, hands and feet. I'm constantly tired. I can concentrate (which has been detrimental to my home and work life). I've gained 11 lbs in 2 months. Hair loss, which is super scary for a 22 year old! I was taking a shower one day, washing my hair, and 2 big clumps of hair just fell out. I was scared to death. I've even experienced an increased heart rate. The scariest time was when I woke up one morning, had a horrible migraine, and my heart was racing. I took a shower and collapsed shortly afterwards. I was rushed to the ER and they did a TON of tests: cat scans, xrays, blood test. All the test results came back normal. I am convinced now, after reading these posts, that it was due to Yasmin! I've never experienced these symptoms on other birth control pills that I've taken. I am stopping this pill immediately & I am looking forward to starting my life, back on track again.

The worst part is that these symptoms that thousands of womens have experienced these symptoms & it is not warned on the label or website of Yasmin! The only side effects they list are the normal ones that are experienced with other BC pills: Headaches, Nausea, Bloating, Bleeding between periods, Breast tenderness, etc.. BUT NOTHING as severe as what we have experienced!

Is there a class action suit against Yasmin? I mean, for all the doctor's visits, ER visit, vitamins, how it has hurt my relationships, work-life & home-life, extra hours of exercising, many months of weight watcher membership fees, the list goes on and on.... I should be reimbursed for this! I could not afford to live like this any longer.

I began taking Yasmin January 2007, and my previous mood swings greatly improved. However, I have now been on Yasmin for over a year and have recently been experiencing some side effects. For instance, I suddenly have no desire to have sex, and when I do, I experience pain on the left side of my ovaries. I have also been experiencing increased dryness, and loss of appetite/ nausea. Is it possible to develop symptoms after being on Yasmin for an extended period of time, or are the symptoms prominent at the beginning? I had no complaints about this birth control up to this point. Now, I have reason to believe that my pill may be the culprit of my changes. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, please contact me.

I am so glad I found this website. I am on my 2nd month of Yasmin. Last month was great. This month I have experienced dizziness, being extremely tired, spotting, painful sex, no sex drive. I started taking it because my doctor recommended it for mood swings. The mood swings are still there, just not as bad. The dizziness makes me want to lay down all the time. My breasts are also very tender. I'm calling my doctor to switch my pills back to what I took for the last 7 years.

Wow..so I am not crazy..I realize this after reading all these responses..I have been taking Yaz now for 2 months debating whether or not I should stop taking it...I have pretty much been bleeding straight for the whole time..I have also found myself to be extremely moody..but by far the worst thing is that I have no sex drive anymore, but who knows maybe one doesn't really feel like doing it when they are having headaches everyday either..anyways..thanks to everyone that gave some input..it really helped me out..good luck