Yasmin and thyroid

I stopped taking Yasmin over a year and half ago as i was getting thoughts of suicide and migraines, i spoke to my doctor who said that i was having an estrogen withdrawal in my 7 day break so she gave me oestrogen tablets to take in between. I don't usually take any kind of tablets, not even for headache so i thought this was stupid. So after a couple of years of taking it (oh and i forgot to say im from England were this drug hasn't been out long, i was used as a guinea pig, first to trial it at my local doctors) i stopped. Then the trouble began two weeks after stopping i got more headaches and started to itch my head on one side. The result was my hair fell out caused by alopecia, caused by body shock from coming off the pill, after that i developed Telogen Efluvium, which is another form of hair loss. I ended up loosing 50% of my hair all over. I had oily skin and severe acne.
So now i am now still recovering, i take Viviscal herbal tablets at £40 a month, to help my hair growth. But all this dosnt help the fact that i am still recovering, i do however see the light at the end of the tunnel and im just going to be patient.
I if could just get some time with the people who make this stuff and also spread the word, DON'T TAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Ladies,

I first posted my story in 2005, but check in now and then to remind other poor sufferers.

The first year or so on Yasmin was free of any noticeable side effects then out of no where my whole life changed, I had vertigo, became severely depressed, very anxious, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts...NONE of these symptoms had I ever experienced before in my life...I was always the 'glass half full' girl.

No one knew what was wrong with me, and my family were desperate. One day I found this website and it saved my life. I realized that it was Yasmin that was destroying me. I immediately stopped it (although now am told that finishing the pack would have been optimal)...my depression and panic attacks stopped within days. It was like a dark cloud lifted. Let me be honest though, it was a long road to feel 100%...the first few months my anxiety seemed to get worse before it got better, according to my cycle. The light at the end of the tunnel is that YOU DO GET BETTER. I have been there when you wonder if the 'old you' will ever return....you do.

I recommend you eat a healthy diet, eliminate caffeine and white sugar, and get all your hormone levels checked...including your thyroid and adrenals. This pill is poison and depletes your body of all the necessary vitamins and nutrients, and completely destabilizes your hormonal balances.

Each month you will be closer to complete healing. I stress that everyone is different and you may not take as long as me to recover, but take heart if it is taking longer than you expected.

This is a temporary state of mind. It is not the real you.

Take care xx

I have been on Yasmin for 2yrs. now. I went to my doctor recently to check my thyroid out because I've been experiencing hair lose.My thyroid is normal and now I'm thinking about getting off the pill. I'm only 24yrs.old I work out regularly and eat healthy so I know it has nothing to do with my life style.It also seems like my sex drive is not where it should be.

First off, I haven't taken Yasmin. However, if you're bloating with stomach pain or back pain, that's the side effect called angioedema, an allergic reaction. My advice is stop the drug. They screw with your hormones. Relief from angioedema can be found from an herb called Marshmallow (don't buy a big bag of marshmallows, not the same thing). I can't tell you this is a permanent fix, but it will ease the bodies immune reaction (the intestinal swelling, possible internal hives that is happening inside). As for those horrible mood swings and headaches, nature has an answer for that too, research GLA, available in evening primrose, borage oil and blackcurrant oil. I've taken borage oil for a month and the biggest surprise is after years and years of horrific headaches, no headache. For those of you on the pill to control acne, nature has a remedy for you too. The B-vitamin called Pantothenic Acid (500mg day) takes a month or two to work, but believe me when I say it was the only thing that did. No lotions could touch the results that brought me. One final piece of information for all women to research. The thyroid is a major player in hormones and immune health. Drugs screw it up. Don't bother with thyroid tests, they are not reliable. A simple $3.50 bottle of "tincture of iodine" purchased at Walgreens will tell you if you are deficient. Paint a 2x2 patch on your arm, if it's gone in under 24 hours you're deficient, if it's gone in under 10 hours you're severely deficient. 80% of people are iodine deficient, run a search for the "history of iodine" and you'll be surprised. I know I was. If you are deficient search for information on Prolamine Iodine and Iodoral and decide what you might want to try. This is just information to help women find out if something is deficient and will help them rather than rely on a drug that may do more harm than good. If it helps one person, it was worth posting.

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!

Wow! I think i have just solved my problem(s)...i am 33 yr old healthy level headed woman,only med taken was ortho-tricyclen.
I began taking YASMIN 06/08, felt o.k. til beginning of July/08 when i switched to OCELLA. I began to experience some strange symptoms. I had eye pain, nausea, blurred vision,vomiting. 08/08 began getting severe headaches which lasted all day. then the eye pain became more severe. ended up going to several medical doctors, put on antibiotics, cat scan, just got my blood checked yesterday for graves disease /thyroid and addisons disease! i was thinking tonight what is making me feel this way... it dawned on me that i had a change in birth control and that is when all these symptoms started to occur. I really believe this is the answer, i don't think i have any disorder/disease i believe this pill has some serious problems. i fear that we will soon hear that it is pulled from the market due to some disease/disorder inducing side effects! I can not believe i found this-probably saved my life or maybe prevented something horrible from happening to me. i just hope i don't have any lasting effects from it:( i am still awaiting my test results...

Hi ladies,

I just finished my last pack of Yasmin on Thursday because I felt I was pumped with hormones. I googled "coming off the pill Yasmin" and came across your comments.
I was originally put on Yasmin by my Doctor as I had put on a few pounds. I lost that weight with exercise (can't diet) but I have never lost my DD breasts (I was a C cup before Yasmin) and I've a tummy which when I bloat the week before my period, I look pregnant!
I've been experiencing a lot of the negative side effects of Yasmin over the last year and I was beginning to think I was going mad.
I suffer from very bad headaches, water retention, bloating and loss of sex drive.
In the last 2 or 3 months I'm now suffering with nausea, leg cramps, sore breasts, anxiety and feeling down.
As most of these symptoms have occurred in the last year, I just got fed up. I've been on the pill for 14 years (on and off), and on Yasmin for at least 6 years. I'm now 32, I'm married and would love a child.
I feel by coming off this pill, my body will settling into a routine before I hopefully conceive.
So glad I found your comments and I'm not alone in how my body feels.
Thank You.

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

I was on Yasmin for 6 months before my wedding. i had to go to the hospital for the headaches I was getting....they were indescribably painful. i stopped Yasmin end of aug and got my period normal for sept-jan. then feb and march skipped but had weird cramping and nausea and then got in randomly in april but was brown blood only. then may skipped. i demanded blood work and got tested last tues for thyroid, glucose, insulin, and hormone levels to help rule out PCOS. i am worried i have pcos or premenopause from the pill. i should get the results tomorrow.

I was on Yasmin since 2001. I LOVED it, it was great for me. At the end of 2006, I read about Yaz and asked my doc to switch me and so he did. I developed hives and cystic acne all over my face and back. It was terrible, and I thought it would get better but it got worse. So after 3 months of Yaz i went back to Yasmin. I currently have no health insurance and have been paying out of pocket for it. EXPENSIVE! but worth it. I never had any negative side effects while on Yasmin. It actually was beneficial for me, cleared up my skin, no more ovarian cysts, lighter periods and little cramping. For me Yasmin works great. Until I had to stop taking it 2 weeks ago, everything was rosy. I moved from NYC to Upstate NY, 300 miles away, and transferred my prescription for Yasmin. When it ran out last month, I called my doctor in the city to request a refill and he declined without me going to visit him for an exam since it has been over a year, which is ethical but BAD for me, because it's not convenient or cost effective for me to get to my doc 300 miles from here. So I went to Planned Parenthood and they refused to prescribe Yasmin for me because I checked the box in the health history that asked if I have ever had a history of headaches. I have gotten tension headaches for years but none in the last few years and they told me that because I checked the box they can;t prescribe anything with estrogen in it to me. I was so mad, I walked out without my exam. I called my doc in NYC and am taking the train down for an appointment this week. Unfortunately, I have to spend a month off Yasmin. I have been on one pill or another since 1993, so I know what works for me by now, and Yasmin has been a GODSEND. I am currently a disaster. I have developed severe cramping and bloating in my abdomen, which is normally flat as a pancake thanks to working out a ton, I am ravenous and want to eat EVERYTHING, I am moody and have developed a few large painful acne cysts on my face, and so far it's only been 2 weeks off, 3 if you count the placebo pill week. I want to kill someone. I am totally miserable. My mood was level all the time on Yasmin and I never had acne and my ovarian cysts had ceased. Did I mention that I am miserable? I am experiencing extreme fatigue as well. I am actually considering going to the county clinic tomorrow just because I can't take it anymore. I'd sooner take the morning after pill (which Planned Parenthood gave to me to take before they gave me a script for some stupid progestin-only pill) to trigger my period, which I think I am going to do, and order a month of Yasmin through an online Mexican pharmacy, just to get this nightmare to cease. I'm going to go do just that right now. I can;t take it anymore.

Did anyone have weight gain as a side effect from STOPPING Yasmin? I was on ortho tricyclin for 7 yrs, and switched due to weight gain to Yasmin, which I really liked. Except after 2 yrs I thought it caused weight gain, so I stopped about a month ago, and initially noticed a really bad headache (not a headachey person) which resolved. But strangely I think I've gained a lot of weight in the past month, while eating better.

Has anyone else noticed this? Does the weight come off?

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 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.

I started on Yasmin a year ago because I believed the TV advertising. I had no noticeable side effects for several months, then began heart palpitations, anxiety attacks in the middle of the night, crying for no reason, severe headaches, and my blood pressure, which has always been low, skyrocketed to as high as 160/130. I asked my gyn if Yasmin could be the cause and he said maybe, so I took myself off it. I had to go on blood pressure medication, but I'm hopeful that after that poison pill is out of my system I can get off the meds. The doctor's office called yesterday to say my cholesterol was so high they wanted me to go on medication for that. I last had cholesterol checked in Nov, and it was fine. I've been off yasmin for two weeks and already feel more hopeful and less anxious.

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

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

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

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

I have been on Yasmin for 2-3 years now for endometriosis. It was great as it helped with the severe cramping, and cleared up my skin. I never paid much to the series of changes to my body months to follow, till it got worse. Within the past 2-3 years, I've had countless exams literally from head to toe -- bloodwork, MRI, X-Rays, CT-Scans, Ultra-Sounds, and other lab work. All of which, despite slight irregulars through bloodwork on liver count, thyroid, lymph, and raised cholesterol, were normal. It got to a point where my family doctor thinks I need to see a psychologist. I considered my self a pretty healthy and happy individual. I know I was not imagining these aches and pains.
About 1 year into taking the pill, I noticed numbing in my legs, severe headaches, dizziness, and trouble falling asleep. I even discussed it to my gyno, who quickly brushed off any relation between these symptoms and the pill. I figured, it might have be induced from stress at work and thought no further of it. I also discussed it with my family, who also dismissed the idea.

I started losing a lot of hair and started getting more emotional, with frequent/extreme mood swings. I also started crying a lot, which was never the case before. I was never so emotional. The pill does not even help with clearing my acne anymore. I also had bloating, frequent urinating, tender/painful breasts, chronic cough, frequent throat infections, nausea, fatigue, back pain, heart palpitations, chest pain and pressure, and chronic abdominal pain. The chest pain and abdominal pain landed me in the ER today. And of course, all test results were "normal".

It's worth getting off this thing, at least to see if Yasmin is the cause. If this little pill is the case of all of our pain and suffering, instead of helping like it should -- the product should really be pulled of the market, along with a class action against the manufacturer.

I feel very lucky to have found this site, that there are others who are going through the same thing and can understand I am not insane for thinking the pill is the cause. I'll have to come back to post the progress.

Help me! I have stopped taking Yasmin for about 4 or 5 months because my husband and I want to conceive. I AM STARTING TO LOSE MY HAIR! I am so worried about this as I am losing at least double the normal amount everyday and this has been happening for about a week now. I have noticed the difference as my hair is not very thick. My husband has noticed. My friend says she can't tell, but if you look in my bathroom and my comb you would think I was undertaking radiotherapy. I went to my doctor two days ago and she thinks it could be thyroid or iron problems. She thinks it could be ceasing the pill but is unsure......PLEASE, is there ANYONE who has experienced this? And if so will it stop? I am so distressed about it.

I was given this pill as all the others I have tried caused me to feel suicidal and very angry so I start on this pill and feel great no symptoms for about 2 months it gets rid of my spots and bad p.m.t but all of a sudden I start to feel run down and have headaches this then becomes sinusitis I think I'm over the worst and iv just had a virus but not long after the palpations begin and I panic they get worse and they become very fast and I don't even want to get up as it sets my heart to race it is noticeable even when still and I went to a&e one night even had an ambulance out as I thought I was dieing it was so fast, but the medics couldnt find nothing wrong I had thyroid tests at g.ps and then it was said I should go on anti depressants which seemed to work a little but I was very ill four a good 4 months I mean I was in turmoil I didn't know what was wrong with me I felt like I couldest breath I was dizzy all time I had the worst ringing in my ears all the time (very hard to sleep with this) but slowly started to feel better, but I couldnt stand the repeat attacks of sinusitis and my ears are always blocked I have stopped taking Yasmin a few days a go and I hope I start to feel better soon but I am very angry that this is going un heard by our medical pros as its there job to learn about these things, I hope we all get over this and get this drug banned.

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

I took the Yasmin for 1 month and toward the end of the month (near my period) i had extreme premenstrual moodiness and depression. This was followed by a week of nausea, inability to eat, IBS, vomiting a few times and extreme tiredness and exhaustion.
I have stopped it for 3 days now and feel a little better already.
Cant wait to have this horrible pill out of my system.
Please pass this onto as many woman as you know. I was in the process of going to do anti depressants, as i know others have treated the symptoms too, even assuming pregnancy, hepatitis C or thyroid related illnesses.

Get of Yasmin, and see the benefits!

I can't even describe how this website is making me feel. How could I be so stupid as not to consider my birth control as having large effects on my body. I was on Ortho Cyclen before and it was fine but I wanted to switch to something else because I gained weight on it. I switched to Yasmin and didn't notice much of a difference besides the annoying thing that I still get severe cramps and back pain during my period. In probably the last almost 2 years I have been suffering from depression and OCD symptoms that are very bad. I was not sure what was wrong with me! I have also developed IBS symptoms to the point that I can't even go out and eat dinner with my boyfriend or family without being anxious about having stomach pain, nausea, and having to run to the bathroom. I was tested for an ulcer (it's genetic in my family) but it has been confirmed otherwise. I am on Omeprazole (to decrease stomach acid) and feel at lest functional on it but still get severe stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea. No one seems to understand!!! I also get dizzy spells and feel faint and weak frequently. I was diagnosed with a thyroid disease but have been on medication for that and never really felt many side-effects from that anyway. I am going to request a different medication the next time I see my gyno and hopefully I'll be back to the fun-loving spontaneous person I once was.

Hair loss! My hair was falling out by the handfuls after about 5 months on Yasmin. It first I had no idea that it could be the BC, since I have never had any side-effects like that from any other kind. I stopped taking the pill immediately, but my hair still falls out! I've been off Yasmin and any other BC pill for over a year now, and my hair is still falling out! Help! My Dr. is completely ignorant and telling me that he's never heard of any side-effect like that. I also have really bad acne. I had thick hair and completely clear skin before I started this BC pill. What the heck is happening? I had all my hormone levels tested as well as thyroid, and those are fine. Any ideas? Anyone else having this problem? Anyone found a cure? What is going on, and how do I get my hair back?

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!

Yasmin gave me IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrom for those of you who don't know.) I was on the pill for eight months. My pre-symptoms were I had 5 yeast infections in a row, in the second and third months of taking it...this didn't ring any bells, even though I had never had a yeast infection before in my life, and my doctor just said I had a yeast imbalance. So a month after those stopped the IBS started. I was in the bathroom about 8 times a day, I thought maybe it was a flu, so i didn't go to the doc right away. I eventually gave up on that thought and went to see my doc, who even he, thought that it was IBS, so he sent me to a specialist right away. I had a colonoscopy and nothing, so the specialist told me that I needed to stop searching and just accept that I had IBS (I told him that I had been trying to figure it all out, because you literally don't wake up one day, go to the bathroom and your life changes forever, I KNEW something else was going on.) Anyways, I had a dumb specialist, he said that I had to accept this, I asked if it could possibly be my birth control and he said no and prescribed my a whole bunch of other drugs. Well I still just couldn't believe my life just all of a sudden changed, so I went to my family doc, lied, told him i was getting moody off Yasmin, and he switched me onto another. IT WORKED no more IBS, the results were immediate, it took a while for my poor damaged bowls to fix themselves, a few months actually, but now things are getting back to normal. Oh, and I've stopped birth control pills, back to condoms for me...my doc put me on Alesse, which didn't work either - moody! and then he put me on Marvelon, which inflamed my gallbladder (had to go for an ultrasound to see if i had gallstones) I figured at this rate, in two years i'd be dead from taking b/c so I was done, I would recommend the same to anyone!!

i have been taking Yamine for about a month and a half, after being on a generic pill for a couple years. I didnt know if these symptons i was having was caused by yasmine, but now i think it may be. I have been getting lightheaded, blurry eyes, shakiness, hot flashes..almost like a panic attack, and i have become very dehydrated, even though i have been drinking alot of water. I even went to the doctors for these symptons and they still don't have an answer, so i think it may be yasmine.my newest sympton as of yesterday is chest pain. also i feel like my heart is beating fast all the time, and i feel fatigued way too often, which is causing me to eat more, becauase i am starving way to often, and if i don't eat i feel like i am going to collapse. Also my sex drive has gone to non-existant- is that common? I workout all the time, and eat pretty healthy, so i don't know what else these symptons could be coming from. Is anyone else experiencing these sympons?

I have just come across this site, while looking to find out why I have been experiencing heart palpitations for the past two months - out of the blue!!! and usually "exercise" induced. I had some tests and have been told they are Premature Atrial Contractions "PACs". I started taking Yasmin in April, after having tried others over the past year (tri-cyclen lo and alesse) which did not work for me as the progestin was not strong enough. I am in my 40s and never took the pill before. Yasmin was great, it significantly reduced my "physical" pms (severe inflamation, severe bloating, severe sore breasts) which I experience for 2-3 weeks a month. However, sometime in mid to late June, I started getting palpitations/tremors out of the blue. The first episode freaked me out and lasted for about two weeks. At first I thought it was allergy medication mixed with my thyroid med, which can happen - but I cut out the allergy meds and still got them. They seem to come about 6hrs to a day after I fexercise/figure skate and they last from 2 to 5 five days. It's very irritating and nerve wracking, and I feel very agitated. I am also out of breath more than usual when walking up stairs, a little light headed and have some tightness in the chest. My legs also are weak, which makes no sense given my exercise regimen. I then lowered my thyroid replacement from .125 synthroid to .100 - too much thyroid med can cause some palpitations. Anyone who has mistakenly taken a second thyroid pill having forgotten that they already took one will understand. Even with the lower dose I am still getting the palpilations. I am totally at a loss as to why all of a sudden this is happening to me (perhaps perimenopause??). I have had the odd flutter here and there in my live, but nothing like this. It just doesn't make any sense ag ll. Can one's health just change like this overnight?. I am otherwise healthy, slim, have "lower" blood pressure (apprx 100-90/70-60)I skate 3 to 5 times a week, I have a full time job and yes I do push myself, but this is getting ridiculous. The only thing I can attribute it to is the Yasmin, ... but my symptoms only started after a few months not instantly, whereas it would seem that most of the the women here noticed the side effects faster. I hate to stop the Yasmin because I will have to return to pms "hell", but I suppose I will give it a try to see if the palpitations subside. At this point, I have been offered a low dose "beta blocker" and have refused. I am stunned to think that all of a sudden I have heart issues, especially since my Dr has always kidded me my that I will never have heart problems with my blood pressure. I will stop the Yasmin tonight and post another message in a few weeks one it is out my system. Here's hoping it is the Yasmin.
KarenSkaterGirl

I've been on Yasmin for about a year now and over the last 6 months I noticed small brown patches forming on my face. I though they were age spots cause I'll be 30 in a few weeks. I always wear makeup and it has SPF in it so I know it's not from the sun. I just spent a week at the shore and though maybe when I get tan the spots will belnd in. To my suprise my face is destroyed. I look as if I had a very dark tan and now my face haswhere the spots are and nothing on the rest of my face. I am so upset cause I take really good care of my skin and Yasmin has stopped my face from breaking out completely. I do have 4 children that are 10 years, 8 years (twins) and 5 my mom though my hormones were messed up from having them so close at a young age. I also have experience severe headaches but they have been something I had before the Yasmin. I just don't know what to do or what to change to.

I have experienced a lot of muscle spasms, cramping in my calves while on yasmin (14 months). Has anyone

I've been on Yaz for 1 year now. I've been in a deep depression since September ( 6 months on Yaz) for which I've had to seek treatment. It took 4 months to get me straightened out on medications and still daily I struggle with it.

Also I've noticed right shoulder pain, weight gain (60 pounds), no libido, chronic fatigue, bloating with horrible gas.Is all of this from the Yaz or is it my depression or what? I'm having a really hard time sorting thru all of this.

Hi Girls,
I haven't posted in a while, but I was wondering how everyone was doing with the weight gain. I have now been off Yasmin for 1 yr. I am feeling really great, I am now back to being able to run/walk or rollerblade 4-5 miles a day 4-5 times a week. My cycles are more normal than ever. Not exactly 28 days more like 38, but I'm ok with that.

The thing that is still getting me is that I not only can't lose weight, I'm still gaining it. I think I have now gained 40 lbs. I am taking vitamin b as well as women's one a day. Don't really want to take any more drugs though.

I had my thyroid checked when I was on the pill and going through the awful hell, had most of the side effects you have all posted, tingling, chest pains, anxiety, the list goes on. But they said thryoid normal and of course nothing wrong with me. Like most of you went to a zillion doctors about a yr. ago. But decided I was just going to give my body time to get back to normal.

Has anyone had similar problems with their weight. I just don't get it, I couldn't feel healthier, or be any healthier with my activity and lifestyle, but I just feel like I'm getting bigger and bigger, and according to the scale I'm right!

Any thoughts would be great. Silke how are you feeling?
Thanks,
Hill

Dear Jen

My Thyroid elevated quite high when I came off the Yaz I thought I was having heart attack
I had it last checked a month and half ago and it was 0.89

I dont know I too was wondering where it is at now
Maybe should have it checked again

Wish I understood what is making us all feel this way
Hormones?
Thyroid?
Stress?Anxiety?
Depression?

Which is it what is it???

I have tried so much
Just got adrenal support vitamins today and whole foods B6
Trying the vitamins now

Cant fall asleep on my own is so terrible

Does anyone else have insomnia or the problem where you cant fall asleep

Dejay had it the same as me but the Lexapro I believe made her gain her sleep back.

Is anyone else out there taking antidepressants and it helped alot

Dejay was a mess and the Lexapro has her out everyday and functioning pretty well and sleeping

I tried Lexapro for 4 weeks and it nearly killed me

My doctor wants me to try Celexa a mild version thinks it would help alot but Iam terrified

Anyone know?

Hi ipj!!

So you've experienced the "logic" of those gods in white with your magnesium levels too.... Here in Germany we have a sentence, that tells exactly how it is: "Two docs, three opinions..."!

I found another part of your post very interisting: You've said, that you went through a normal hormonal change in your late twenties, early thirties... Well, that's exactly where I am now (I'm 32) and my agony started in the age of 27!!! Well, and that was exactly the time where I started the Yasmin. I think that this was the biggest fault in my life, to start that poison and on top in such a "time of my life"...

I hear from many women in my age, who have different "problems" with their health which no one can really explain.... So I found it very interesting that your doc told you, that within that age a normal hormonal change is going on... Somewhat relieving for me!! (I'm going through very hard times again at the moment, 2 years OFF Yasmin!!)...

Something seems to be wrong with my thyroid which on top can bring the sexual hormones out of whack and so on... A really damn circle.... I hope I'll find a solution soon; had an appt. with an endocrinologist last Friday and got another bloodwork (hormones) done. I'll let you all know, when I have the results back...

Bitter RN,
I hope you did get my last 2 posts. They were pulled to the next site of the forum pretty quickly so I don't know if you had caught them... Thank you again for always trying to help!!

Dear ConcernedBoyfriend:
Well, I think everyone of us here can imagine what you and your girlfriend are going through right now... I felt and still feel so sorry for my husband, who had gone through this all with me (and has to do that now, after 2 years OFF Yasmin again...) and still thinks positive and is the only one, who keeps me going sometimes...

So I think the most important thing for your girlfriend is your love and care. First of all, please try to get her to STOP that poison thing immediately!! It makes me so angry to hear, what such young women have to go through because of this "wonder pill" from hell!!!! I think she has the chance to fell better much sooner than many of us here, because she's so young. Please, take the chance!!!

Who cares of a few pimples or oily skin, that's definitely not worth staying your whole life in such a constitution!! The pimples and oily skin and weight gain were my slightest problems within that agony... Some months I didn't care at all about how I might be looking... I just would have been thankful to be able to get out of my house again someday, even if I had a few pimples or such in my face... And before that nightmare I was such a health and look caring person (I've been a singer in a band for 15 years now....).

I hope your girlfriend will come to this site and see, what is doing all that to her and stop that thing asap!!! I wish you both all the best!!

Best wishes to all.

Silke

Hi bitter RN!! Hope you read my last posts... (I fear they were displaced in the meantime to site 2 or 3).

Just had a phone talk with my doc's office. They didn't tell me every result of the bloodwork but I asked them especially for those here:

TSH (Thyroid) 4,1 (!!) --> the highest it has ever been...

Transferrin: 340 (within the normal range but at the upper end of them; so it seems to be a bit high, which could show, that my iron storages are a bit low........

Iron: 76 (which is also still within the normal range but at the lower end of the normal ranges!!)

I have an appointment with my doc to talk about all the results on tuesday next week in the afternoon...

I hope they can finally help me somehow.......

Flowerbabies:

As you told, you have hashimoto's... do you know or could you tell me, how your TSH is??

Thank you both in advance!!

Best wishes
Silke

Hi Dejay

Its me Kim
Dejay and I have had parallel symptoms now for weeks we have cried many tears over thephone.
I have been off Yaz for 5 weeks now and everytime I think Iam feeling better getting better I have a setback. I have had the worst with anxiety and feeling of vibration under my skin. Recently I have had disrupted sleep I dose off for thirty minutes wake up and Iam wide awake I can do this for days?????
I dont understand why my sleep is worse now than 3 weeks ago??
I had a good day yesterday than today had terrible weird headaches I never had headches before yaz.

My doctor insists it was not the ;ill and Iam just experiencing stress!! I want to scream
I too like Dejay had my Thyroid go out of wack that was the worst.

Iam just not myself have spent 7 weeks now sufferring and in and out of the ER and doctors office just to be told Iam fine.
Iam not me Iam not fine I want to be normal not have good days and bad days.
Also it seems like my right eye was affected it feels a little twitchy now anyone else have this??

What can I do to sleep? My eating patterns are horrible too. I have no appetite most days than will get sudden appetite and eat than lose it again.

Please when will we be normal??

Hi everyone,
It has been a while since I posted so I wanted to say hello and let you know that things do get better. I am now 8 months Yasmin-free. I am still on the effexor xr (still 37.5mg/day) for the anxiety that the Yasmin caused. I am totally off of Xanax now and cannot wait to be off of the effexor.
My bloodwork came back this week. Thank God that my thyroid and almost everything else is now OK. However, my cholesterol and triglycerides are way too high. And... since starting effexor, I gained 15 lbs. I need to get off of it, but the doc won't let me.
But the good news is that the tremors, the blackouts, leg pains, palpitations, brain zaps etc.... that I was experiencing on Yasmin are pretty much gone. And, I am so much better to my husband and kids now that I am off of the evil "Yasminpoison"!
I am in my mid-30's and never thought that this would happen to me. I lost so much time off of my life because of that little poison pill.
Your posts are so powerful and help me understand that I am alone in this. You should never feel alone in this, so many of us have suffered and are suffering terrible effects of Yasmin.
take care everyone!

hello ladies, hopefully you will be able to give me some advice! i stopped yasmin 4 months ago,my 1st 2 periods were 28 days apart which was my normal cycle before yasmin,my next period was 32 days,this one is later still,i am on day 36 and still waiting,i have a really bad headache,dry throat and a bloated tummy but no period! has this happened to anyone else? i saw my GP today,she said she will run some tests when my period arrives to see what my progesterone levels are doing as well as testing my thyroid again (am hypothyroid)....just wondered if anyone else has experienced this? on the plus side my anxiety is still greatly improved although i have a little bit more pre-mestrually but nothing like when i was on yasmin! at the moment i have all the symptoms of be pre-menopausal......i'm only 32!

I'm 36 and I've been on Yasmin for 2 years for my hormone imbalance and POF, and have never experienced anything I've read on these posts being on it. I lost weight on it, my mood swings went away, my skin never broke out and I was able to have periods again. Yasmin made me feel great.

I've been off it for 4 weeks due to a medical ins. issue and I'm starting to have cronic fatigue problems where I can't fight falling asleep at odd times of the day, my period wont start, I had some really bad bouts of depression, I get dizzy easy and my hair started falling out more than usual having long hair.

I had my thyroid checked and everything is fine. I'm not on any other meds, nor do I have any other health problems.

I was on Yasmin for over a year and a half and had horrible side effects,no sex drive, could not have an orgasm, got brown spots on my face,weakness in my arms and hands,thoughts of suicide , and severe depression! Everyone keep saying I was crazy and a hypochondriac! I finally went off it and thought I would feel better until I started putting on weight! 7lbs in a month. My depression is better,sex drive came back ,but this weight gain is horrible. I have always watched my weight because I have a slow thyroid. Has anyone else notice weight can after stopping Yasmin? If so PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Yasmin should be taken off the market. I had GI bleeding, and when I discontinued taking Yasmin, my body went into Post Partem depression. My heart began beating irregularly, my adrenals got messed up, my thyroid, and my progesterone and testasterone were almost non existent. I felt like I was going crazy. I have been off of it for 1 year now, and by the grace of God I am healed. It has been the biggest nightmare that almost cost me my lif. No more women should have to have their bodies messed up. Our endocrine system is so delicate, and it runs our bodies. This pill messes it up. The damage is severe. I am not alone. Let's get it off the market. There is no need for it. Ortho Novum was just fine-if there is such a thing. This pill is evil. No more woman being hurt by drug companies. We are not test mice.

Hi All,

I had taken yasmin for 1 month and now i am abt 3 weeks post yasmin. During the month my throat started getting more and more irritated, severely dry. Especially in the mornings throat was so dry that it used to hurt. I got a upper GI series done which was normal, to rule out acid reflux.
After 3 weeks now, my throat still hurts(although not as much as when i was on the pill) and my cheeks and whole face feels strained and painful. Did anyone else have this problem? Do you think i should maybe get my thyroid checked, becoz i have a hyperthyroid anyways and my weight is also such that i cant afford to lose anymore weight.
Thank you all for posting ur side effects, becoz of u all i havent gone thru a lot of bad things becoz of yasmin.

Hi everyone! So glad I found this site. I have had nothing but problems with my hormones in the past 3 years. I've always had irregular periods so my gyno put me on ortho-tri-cyclin and I was absolutely fine. Was on it for over a year then decided to take myself off it to see if I would be regulated at all. I was for a few months then didn't have a period for over 3 but would get all the PMS syptoms when I should have had it. I got married and went back on BC but I had terrible headaches, I've had weird syptoms with everything I've tried, ortho-lo, the nuva ring, the patch, ect...
The dr's wanted me to go on Yasmin because "it is so good". I did just that, didn't have any headaches but was more emotional than before, a good trade for me. So I stayed on it and started having panic attacks (i've had this with other BC's too). I've had a severe pain in my back and the dr's have ran several test including an iodine test, ultrasound, thyroid blood tests, urinalysis test...etc. Everything always comes back normal. The last week I have had terrible night sweats and feel like I am always having a panic attack, my pulse is at least 100 bpm or higher and never decreases even when relaxing. Sometimes I just break out crying, other times I feel like I am going to die. during my period I have the weirdest headaches, feel light headheaded, and my vision is somewhat blurred. What is my deal!!! Someone please help. Anyone else having this syptoms?

Thank God!!!!!!!!

Please tell me someone else has had severe weight-loss!!! I had a baby April 05 and got on Yasmin 2 months later. Then the weight just started falling off. Normally pre-baby I am 135-140 solid I'm 5'6". Now I'm 116-I eat like a horse and can't figure it out. My bones are literally protruding-it's sick!!! I've had every test done-thyroid, diabetes, Hepatitis ABC-everything-all negative. Then yesterday at my Ob-gyn annual I asked him-thinking maybe he would know since it happened so close to having a baby. He thought and said "well it couldn't be your birth control" Then a light went off. He suggested seeing a dietician.

Then I found all of you

Please if anyone else has a similar story-let me know!!!!!!

I can't search the entire 1600+ pages

Olive

to the last two postings about the side effects.
i just want you to both know that everything ur feeling i have felt too!!
i was on yasmin for a month and had to stop taking it because it was making me anxious, giving me palpitations and i had chest pains and an ache in my left arm.
i went to hospital twice cos the palpitations and pains got so bad.. i thought i was having a heart attack!
im only 23!.. i did lose my libido for a couple of months and yes my breasts went up a whole bra size and they were so sore!!
its definitely yasmin that is causing both of you these problems. my doctor also told me to get my thyroid checked which i did and also had numerous blood tests which all came back fine.
ive now been off this pill for 5 months and i am feeling much better. i am just getting back my energy and finally the heart palps and anxiety is easing up..... it gets harder around the time i ovulate and the week of my period but its easier than the first two months.
i can not stress to you more to get off this pill!! its a nightmare...
lots of luck to you both
chrissy xoxox

Results are in....
all normal beside my iron is low....
doctor thinks the natural tablets that help regulate female hormones may have masked the progesterone levels (at least he believes me.....lol) but its reassuring to know that sugars, thyroid,etc are ok.
blood pressure still 130/90 still telling me i need to lose weight (i am on low gi diet at the minute) and trying as hard as i can i put on 15kg on yasmin and now weigh 90kg so understand blood pressure rises with weight but hey i see some larger than that ladies with no blood pressure issues so i know this is a definate yasmin legacy .and considering i had normal blood perssure on yasmin in the beginning and its only rises its largest when i was off it.
Question for ny ladies that gained weight with yasmin , did the blood pressure decrease naturally or did u lose weght and it decreased.

thanks in advance
Lisa

Can someone please tell me if they have experienced extreme hair loss after getting off the pill??? does anyone know if it gets better, does it grow back. I have been off the pill since June 18th, i have already had my period twice, that means the pill is getting out of my system. My hair is the problem, my thyroid is fine and so are my hormones, someone please let me know :(

Hey everyone!
I am about to lose hope....I don't know what to do anymore, i am super stressed out, i have been off the pill since july, and my hair falls out more and more each day. It is very very noticable, i got regualar blood work and my hormones are back to normal and so is my thyroid. I am only 21 and this does not run in my family, everyone has thick pretty hair, and i did too until now! You can see my scalp from all sides..i feel hopeless! someone please help me, does it get better, does hair grow back to how it was before? my doctor is useless and couldn't give me an answer! HAS ANYONE GONE THROUGH THIS???? Am going to be bald???

Hey voicesi,

My internist is a super doctor. when I didn't get my period and I went to my gyno, he denied the fact that it's due to the bc and came up w/ all sorts of excuses. He sent my with my thyroid results to an endocronlogist. Luckily I checked w/ my internist before I spent all that time and money at the endo. He said my thyroids are perfect, and the minute i said i came off b/c he said it takes 6 months to detox-its absolutely normal how i feel and that i shouldn' take vitex but provera.
I understand you totally with the weight issue. I was also a dancer and how do you expect me to go on stage with that disfiguring-figure, excuse the pun.
I will definitely update you on how that pill is going. I have two close weddings next week and nothing fits so I'm all the more desparate. Keep posting voice, i'll definitely be back w/ an update.
Take care,
Sherry

I was on Yasmine for about 6 months. I started having hair loss about 2 months of taking the pill. I've never had such an experience while on birth control pills. It was bad enough that I'm off this pill and won't take another pill again after this experience. I called my Dr. to notify of my sympton and was told hair loss is not a sympton listed in the insert with yasmine and to see my primary doctor to have my thyroid checked out. I did that and my thyroid was fine. I do believe it was this pill. After a month off this pill my hair loss seems to be slowing down--I just hope it grows back! I did not feel very good while on this pill!

Before anyone goes on another synthetic drug to balance out the side effects of Yasmin, you might want to consider herbal options. I'm trying vitamin B6 and St. John's wort for depression, kelp for thyroid balance, and parsley tea to bring on my periods when they're supposed to come. Taking herbal medicines should be done with careful consideration just like pharmaceuticals (sp?) but maybe a little less risky. If anyone else has tried this route to de-tox, please share your experiences!

THANK GOODNESS for this site! I've been taking Yasmin for almost 3 years, ladies. I absolutely have to be on the pill, though. One reason is, a man can just look at me cross-eyed and I'll get pregnant. I have 3 lovely kids now I don't want to have any more.

I also have to be on the pill, because all the women in my family (including myself) have horrible PMS, cramps and general depression. During our periods the depression can become quite extreme. I took notice after reading this site that, I have been consistently depressed for about 2 years now and thought it was just genetic. My first year on Yasmin was great. That's why I took it - VERY LITTLE OR NO PMS, it claims.

About a year ago, I went to get a physical and had my thyroid checked. The doctor told me, "Maybe you're just one of those people who needs more sleep." I do like sleeping.... just not all day! With Yasmin, I've noticed I will wake up and need to go back to bed just 2 hours later, in addition to feeling hopeless.

I know trying find the right BCP is like playing Russian Rulet for some of us. I am 37 and, until I can just worry about menopause, I need to find something to prevent pregnancy and all the other undesireable side effects.

HAS ANYONE FOUND A PILL or OTHER SOLUTION THEY ARE AT EASE WITH?

Thanks ladies,
Melody