Yasmin and sugar pills

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!

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

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

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

I'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 using Yasmin for approximately 4 -5 months and am starting to wonder whether Yasmin is the reason behind my state of feeling unwell. I mean, we all lead active lives, but i have never felt so fatigued and like i need to have a little cap nap every afternoon.

I went to the doctors on Monday because i have been really concerned about the pins and needles feeling that i have been constantly getting, fatigued muscles (even when i haven't exercised) and the intense hot flushes.

Prior to Yasmin I was on Loette and about 2 years ago I was on Diane for a short period of time, having to get off it as it made me so emotional.

My doctor told me to skip the sugar pills for 2 months to see if the hot flushes subside... I'm just thinking i want to get off Yasmin all together because the pins and needles are quite a horrible sensation to have. Especially when I am exercising.

i am on my second pack of Yasmin. In the beginning,i got really sick to my stomach, probably because my body was getting used to the pill. As soon as i began the week of sugar pills, i had terrible headaches on one side of my head. the headaches lasted about a week, and by the end of it, i was ready to lose my mind. now, today,i woke up and began feeling very dizzy and numb all over my body.after a few minutes my vision was fading until it got to the point where all i could see was outlines of things. Everything looked like a picture with really high contrast.i looked at my mom and her face was bright white with black detailing. it was really weird. i also noticed a sort of white glow all over everything. i was so terrified. i am not the type of person who ever faints or anything, so this was really odd. it went away after about 5 minutes, but it was so scary that it felt like an hour had passed. I'm not 100% sure if this is caused by Yasmin, but i haven't done anything different that would make this happen to me. i am going to the doctors, but in the mean time, i'm going to stop taking the pill. please let me know if anyone else has had an experience like this

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

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???

I just started taking Yasmin again in March. I had taken it back in November but stopped midway through my second pack because I was experiencing severe anxiety, nausea, fatigue... to the point my social life and grades in school were suffering. I went online and found this site and read how there were a lot of women who experienced bad side effects from this pill too. Recently I decided that it was in my best interest to take birth control again and because I did have added stress in my life during the time I took Yasmin before I thought maybe I would be okay this time. I WAS SOOO WRONG. I haven't even been on Yasmin again for a month and my life as I knew it has been turned upside down. In less than a week of starting it I started to have severe chest pains and nausea. I thought I was having a heart attack. I have had panic attacks before and this was nothing like that The tightness and pressure in my chest never has gone away. I've been to three different doctors and have had many tests to figure out whats wrong. They all tell me the same thing that I'm a healthy 22 year old and that if anything I just have inflammation my ribcage. My grades are suffering again because I have missed a lot of class because I feel so awful. Every morning I wake up with the chest pain (that gets worse the more active I am) and nausea. Since all these symptoms have come on my relationship has taken a turn for the worse too. All I want to do is sleep, I don't feel like going out, I get annoyed very easily by everything my boyfriend does so I don't want to be around him. I feel so "out of it" sometimes I get dizzy and feel numb all over. Its so scary (esp. the chest pains) The worse thing is that no one really believes me (i.e. my boyfriend) I never feel good and I'm sure the people around me are tired of me complaining all the time. One more thing... I started my period very early (I still have a week and a half of active pills left) I've never experienced that before... weird. Anyways, I stopped taking Yasmin 2 days ago. I still have all the same symptoms... I really hope they go away soon. I want to get back to my old self and my old life. YASMIN SUCKS!!! I'd rather take the risk of getting pregnant than take Yasmin. At least then I'd have a excuse that ppl would believe for being sick :(

Please email me or respond if you have found this. My little toes go numb, like they lose circulation or get too cold... I thought it was my boots were too tight...and one day it happened I was only on the sugar pills. But just now they were yellow no blood color and the bottom of my foot was yellow and pink.. I tried everything to get them feeling normal, they moved but they were stiff. I put them in front of a heater and massaged. After 20 minutes total they have gotten back to normal. I read that this could possibly be a side effect. This is my second pack. The first pack I can recall no side effects.

What day does your period usually start after starting the sugar pills?

Hello,

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

I have just been feeling so wierd. I had the worst sleep ever, and I kept on having irrational fears and panic attacks. I just don't feel like myself and I want myself back. I kept on questioning myself and it was soooo horrible. And I feel so wierd towards my boyfriend and I don't know why. I just feel so out of control. I am on day 7 of my sugar pills ( my period week,) and I long to have control back in my life.

I've only been on Yasmin for a little over a month. I haven't experienced many physical side effects but my mood swings and such are terrible. In fact I'm sitting here crying as I type this....and the only reason I can figure out is that my boyfriend is an hour late coming. I worry constantly and my mood changes randomly. I get really paranoid and have these big stress and anxiety spells. I also seem to be more impulsive. I haven't had any problems with my sex drive or gaining weight, but I have had more headaches recently.

I was thinking I was getting used to Yasmin and the side effects were stopping. I realized I had a really good week last week...I didn't really connect until today that the reason that week was good was because I was taking the sugar pills.

I have been on Yasmin for two months. The problem is that I am deployed in Iraq and I started taking Yasmin because my doctor said that it would be okay to miss the last week, the sugar pills and continue on with the following month. That way I wouldn't have to have a period while I am deployed in hot Iraq for a year. So, here I am and instead of not having a period I am consistantly spotting. Basically I have been bleeding a little every day for two months. This is the last thing that I want to think about while I am here. I don't have access to good doctors and I am busy so I will probably will have to stay on it until I get back home. Meanwhile though, my breast (which are usually non-existant) are HUGE! I LOVE that, even though it is too bad that I can't be with my husband to show him.... Despite this GREAT breast growth I probably won't stay on Yasmin unless my body gets used to it and I stop this never-ending bleeding!!!!! My skin looks good too, and that is amazing considering how hot and dirty I am. But, is it really safe to bleed, even just a little bit, every day? I doubt it!

I was so glad to hear that what I am going through is normal. I have been on Yasmine for about 4 months. It is making me a completely different person. I am so irritable, tired, sad. I have uncontrollable outburst of tears for no reason. I literally feel like i am pregnant. The first week back from the sugar pills is the worst. I was told that Yasmine was the pill that had the lowest amount of hormones, so I am affraid to switch because I really don't think I could handle more of this. Any suggestions?

I believe Yasmin is good for some, not good for others. I was on it for a month (3 weeks, really, since the last week is just sugar pills), and found myself dead tired every evening. I thought that maybe it was the work schedule I was on, but realized I've been working super hard before, and was certainly tired, but not as exhausted as I was. The week of sugar pills, I paid attention, and sure enough, my energy is getting back to normal. Not sure if it was the Yasmin or what, but I figured better safe than sorry - I'm going back to my original stuff, Triphasil.

Okay I was put on Yasmin for PCOS PolypCystic Ovary Syndrome. I started it 2 weeks and 4 days ago.
I now realize that since starting this pill, I have become depressed & feel really drained of energy, sometimes short of breath, & light-headed. I also get these painful headaches that don't go away for a long time! I am tired ALL the time. I tend to just fall asleep whenever or whereever sometimes! I have really really really bad cramps that I feel I could bend a steel bar if given one! My lower back is hurting really bad when I have cramps. I am supposed to skip the sugar pills and continue taking another box instead of the regular use of the pills. I am going to call the doctor tomorrow and demand a new prescription! I can't handle the pain anymore! I had to step down from my job from it! Now that I have read some of the other women's comments and my Husband has too he agrees in calling the doctor for new medicine.

started Yasmin because of severe hormonal headaches and a girlfriend recommended that it stopped her headaches if she missed the sugar pills. I started Yasmin 4 days after my period and missed a pill after 6 days. I have continued the pill for 2 weeks since and have had a heavy period this entire time. I have 2 more days until the pack is complete. I have had severe depression and nausea every day since taking it. I am extremely exhausted after having slept for ten hours. I have not had a headache with the bleeding which is a relief but will not even finish the last two days because the side effects I have had are clearly directly related to taking the Yasmin. I am not prepared to wait 3 months to see if my body adapts.

after reading the posted notes that others have been writting i was very much amazed at all the side effects that were talked about. i work for an ob/gyn and i have heard only good things about this medication. i too am currently on the med and i feel great. i too was on other bcp and felt horrible. i think the number one thing is that not every one reacts the same way to medications and what works for one may not work for another. it is very important to have your blood levels cked prior to begining any bcp regimen, helping your provider select the correct levels in bcp that will fit you. all my pms s/s are gone, this being a "mono" pill helps keep my levels the same all the time not creating an up and down effect on my hormones like other bcp's like othotricyclen would do. no decreased libido either. one great thing that some providers dont inform their patients of it that you dont have to take the sugar pills (the white ones) there for keeping your body on a cont. level of hormones, and even better not having to experence a period, i find that after about 2-3 mths of patients doing this they have no side effects of any birth control pills at all, they feel great and it keeps your body level, the way that it likes to be. good luck