Yasmin and ups and downs

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!

Hi.. I have been researching birth control pills for a while now, as I knew I wanted to take them for acne and irregular periods. The doc gave me yasmin so I narrowed my googling and got a bit of a scare, after all the discussions I've read it almost seems now that it has a life of it's own.. it is a "DEMON PILL" that "RUINS LIVES" and it's "NOT WORTH IT" .................. but as someone who has never been on birth control at all before I'm trying not to be convinced that it will do nothing but make my problems worse, and I think I'd like to put it out there that you only hear the negative in places like this and all potential side effects ARE already listed right in the package. Everyone is different.. so I'll continue to try to read comments by girls who have been on it for as long as me.. So far it's only been a week, but already some girls describe horrific side effects of which I've experienced NONE. Maybe it's mind over matter lol I'm quite determined to have this work for me. Anyway just saying to anyone like me who is reading these.. if it's been prescribed to you don't be afraid to try it just because it didn't work out for someone else, NOT saying horrible side effects don't happen, it's very clear that they do.. but don't let the negative convince you so easily that all of a sudden it's all yasmin's fault that your life sucks.. try believing it might make it better!

Thanks Jasmine
Iam almost 4 months off and still having such a hard time with not feeling like myself and the mood swings

Sarah
Dejay is still having alot of the ups and downs as well
Lexapro is making her tired
She has good days and bad days
But we are both afraid we will never return to ourselves

Sarah

I cant get on the other site from home

Well alot of people said I seem better but in actuallity in some ways yes some ways no

I still have not returned to work as tasks overhwelm me even the simpliest things
i also have issues with bad mood swings

I have bad thoughts every few days and it terrifies me!

I still seem to walk in a fog not feeling like me
But the ups and downs are the worst I cant seem to get a plateau or a even time of it
I will be sad than upset than agitated than ok than feel like me
I feel like I have PMS almost everyday

The scary thoughts are like I will just drift off and get really sad out of the blue out of no where
And last night I was talking to my sis and she was upsetting me and I got really agitated than I just felt like leaving my home and just going far away I didnt do it but I really felt it and stopped myself

I have never ever had bad thoughts of dying or leaving or running away
It scares me

Dear kim!!

I feel so much with you, let me send you a big hug over the internet!!

I know how it feels, when doctor's keep telling you "it's all you and not the pill", I've heard that so many times.... But what could be a better proof for the horrible effects of that pill than thousands of women, who know it better???

And I also went through those "ups and downs", one day thinking "hey, I feel better today, I think it will all be ok soon" and the other day hit by a truck thinking "OMG everything starts again". What helped for me is writing down everything in a diary. I've done that since August 2005, just to see, WHEN those ups and downs are happening. Perhaps that might help some of you, too!?? It helps to discover, if there is a correlation between your cycle and your upcoming problems!! In my case I always got worse around ovulation and when my period should start (well, didn't have one for about 1,5 years after stopping Yasmin, until August 2006!!).

I completely understand your problems with your job. I hadn't been able to work, too, but thanks god my boss was very patient and gave me all the time I needed, although I think for him it also was not easy to understand, what is going on. You can't really say "Well, I'm ill, and I have ........" There's simply no name for our illness. And that's what sounds so strange to other people. You can't say "I have a broken leg" or "I have a flu" or something else....

Someday I started calling it "hormonal problems" to everyone who asked me about my illness. And I think that's how it's explained best.

Well, you also told you had tried some progesterone without any help. How long have you been off Yasmin now? After reading hundreds of posts here and in other forums I found out, that it might not be good to interact your hormones again too shortly after getting off Yasmin.

Your body definitely needs time to get its own balance back and I think it might not be good to interact again with something hormonal. I know this needs so much patience but please remember: It's worth it!!

And I'm so sure, that you're daughter one day will get back her mum, just as she was before that nightmare!!!

Keep on posting Kim and everyone. I think that's the only thing that might help!!!

Big hugs to you all and best wishes
Silke

Hi Lisa!! Good to hear you again!! :)

Well, I'm doing pretty fine, thank you. I hope you also get better every week!??

I still got those ups and downs, but not as severe as they were about half a year ago. Everything gets lighter every month.

But I still didn't get my normal period again. The first and last after getting off Yasmin was in March 2005!! I've never had any problems with my period before Yasmin!!

But some good news: The weight is FINALLY decreasing!! Since February I loose about 1 kg (about 2 pounds) every month. That's not too much, I know. But I don't do anything different than before and nevertheless the weight is going down!! So I think that this is another sign for getting back to normal. My metabolism seems to normalize finally month by month!!

I still got weeks, where I don't feel very good, I feel tired then or a little weak and dizzy. But the symptoms get lighter every month and the "bad weeks" don't last as long as they did a few months ago!!

I decided many months ago to give my body the time it needs to recover from this "Yasmin-Shock". And every doctor I talk to about that stuff tells me, that I definitely WILL need more time to get back to normal again. It's not only a "cold" or the flu we're all going through here.

Today I sometimes feel my muscles fasciculating again. That always happens, when I didn't take my magnesium supplements for too long (the last one I took about 2 weeks ago... shame on me!!). So that's another sign, that my body still needs help to work normally.

Yasmin has definitely caused a total lack of minerals and vitamines in my body over those long years which is now very hard to compensate again...

So you're absolutely right, Lisa!! The first and most important thing everyone whith those "Yasmin problems" should do, is taking some supplements to help your body!! Especially magnesium and B-Vitamines seem to be very important things, especially for the nervous system and your metabolism.

Lisa and everone out there, keep us updated!! Looking forward to "read" you again!!

Best wishes and big hugs!!

Silke

Hi Everyone it's Hill.
I've been off Yasmin exactly 10 weeks and 1 day. I have been feeling really well. Almost back to my old self again. Just to update. I went off in the beginning of my new cycle. I think I took two pills. Then I immediatly got my period.

I got it again exactly 28 days later for about 3 days. Last week I started spotting a little bit every day, not much though. I thought that was my period, since the last one was short. Although mon, I got what I can only imagine is my real period and I have had it since. I am pretty tired and kinda just down right now or blah. I don't feel quite myself. A bit dizzy and weak etc. I know it's because of my period but just wanted to see who else went through this, after being off of it so long. Because last month I was fine. I guess I'll have my ups and downs.

I haven't had any numbing in my arm and face for a long time, however I had it a bit this morning very slight. I guess this is again normal from what I have read here.

Also I know I have posted this before, but I really need help in losing the weight I gained in the past 6 months before I stopped Yasmin.

I am taking women's one a day every day, vitamin E as well as Vitamin B b/c I readsome where that helps regulate periods. I take yoga 1-2 times a week, run 2 times a week and walk or hike 1 day a week. I really thought the weight would fly off, but it seems as if i'm getting bigger and bigger and my skin isn't as firm.

Any suggestions?
Thanks so much
Hill

Hi Tammy, I had exactly the same symptoms that you are having while I was on Yasmin. I also was very nauseous, similar to when I was pg and I had leg pains (SCARY). I took all caffeine out of my diet and I am drinking water every day. It is helping. I unfortunately am also taking EffexorXR 37.5 to control my anxiety which is elevating my BP as well.

Hawkhillmom, I am 36 and am off of all BCP since late Jan 2006. I agree with Hill that I too am better off without them. I had the same type of attack that you did and I can only correlate it to the Yasmin that I was taking. I am so out of balance right now, it is unreal. I also have 2 kids that I need to take care of. I am seeing a nurse practitioner on a regular basis (I live in NJ, USA) and she is helping with my meds. I have my ups and downs with anxiety levels, but I pray that there is a light at the end of this tunnel!

You both should speak with your doctor about the side effects that you are experiencing.

Hugs to all of the ladies here and thank you all for your posts.

Hi Hill!!

Don't worry too much about that fact. There will be much more ups and downs until your hormones are completely back in balance again!! I've been off Yasmin for about 1 YEAR now and in my case (I had taken that poison for over 5 YEARS!!) I fear it will take even longer than 1 year to be completely healthy again... I didn't get my period since easter 2005, so my hormones are still totally out of whack.

And every few weeks all of a sudden I feel worse (joints are aching, muscles are aching, I feel nauseous and a little bit dizzy) and then better again. It feels as if my hormones are running like a rollercoaster at the moment!! But I definitely know, that when I'm feeling worse again, it's just the hormones and the withdrawal effects of Yasmin and that's how I pull my self forward, looking forward to better weeks that surely are ahead again!!

But believe me, after reading every little new post on this site every day during the last year I know, that 6 weeks without Yasmin is not really long!! Most of the women felt already better there but then went up the hill again and had bloating and anxiety and so on. There is definitely a connection between your cycle and the symptoms you have mentioned.

I think after watching all the posts here I can say, that those women, who finally got their normal periods every few weeks again, feel better earlier than those like me, who still have problems with that!!

Especially the bloating (my ring, that I've been wearing for about 5 years now doesn't come off my finger since about August 2005, only now I can move it a bit easier, so it seems the bloating finally goes back step by step) is definitely brought on by that hormone imbalance after Yasmin!!

So just try to be patient and wait and see. I promise: Better times are ahead and after every setback there will be less symptoms and every month you will feel a little bit more normal!! Don't worry, I know what I'm talking about!!

All the best to you and every lady out there still in Yasmin recovery!! God bless you!!

Silke

Hi guest 13001, Hi sherry, hi everybody!!

Well, thanks at first to sherry for reporting your experience with the water pill. I'm so sorry, that it didn't work for you. You said you were only one week on it; should it help within such a short time? I would wish for you, it would help maybe after taking it longer because I'm at my wits end at the moment, too and really know what you're going through!! I feel terrible!!

Looking into a mirror is absolutely horrible for me, going out for shopping or even do some garden work if some of my neighbours are in their gardens, too, seems to be so frightening for me because I'm so ashamed about how I'm looking now and I don't want anyone to see me in such a shape...

I really have gained about 20 pounds after getting off Yasmin within 3 months!!!! I swear I wasn't eating more or doing anything different than before. Don't know what to do now, because I look like I'm pumped up with tons of water and all this doesn't seem to go away....

To Sherry:

I've been on Agnus Castus for nearly 2 months now but I can't say that there are really big noticable changes in me. Ups and downs just like before Agnus Castus, the water didn't go away and the mood swings and anxiety neither. But it all got less month by month just like the months off Yasmin before Agnus Castus.

Well, many women and doctor's say, that you have to take this medicine much longer (about 3 - 4 months) to feel some really noticeable changes. So I think I'll give it another chance and take it 2 months longer. It didn't do any harm to me so far, so what have I got to loose??

After lots of research in the internet I'm now taking other supplements, too. At the moment such like potassium, Magnesium, zinc (can help to bring your normal cycle back!) and b-vitamines (very important for nerves and muscles!). Yasmin can cause a lack of these minerals and vitamines (caused by the diuretic in Yasmin!!) and too low levels of all that can cause the muscle fatigue, anxiety, depression and so on. All the withdrawal effects off this horror pill... So perhaps it maybe another chance.

Many women I've met in the net got a prescription by their gyn of Agnus Castus combined with zinc, selen and b-vitamines which should help to get your hormones back in balance and lessen all the other symptoms. Well, it's a little hope, so I'll just try it!!

But deep in my heart I just feel, that it will take much more time for me, than it already did, to get back to a normal life... I really had been taking this shit much too long...

So please every woman, every girl out there: If you have the SLIGHTEST doubt about how you're feeling on Yasmin and if there is just ONE little side effect: THROUGH YASMIN AWAY IMMEDIATELY and search for another birth control. There are so many ways to do that; the little positive effects of Yasmin (well, my skin had really gotten better, that's all... wow!!) are not worth risking your health or even your lives in such a heavy way!!! I still don't know, if I will ever get back to a normal life, on some days I still just can't believe that I would...

All the best to everyone out there and keep us updated, "After Yasmin Sisters"!!! It helps so much!!!

Big hugs and greetings to all of you!!

Silke

I decided to go on Yasmin after being on Ortho-TriCyclen for 4 years. While I was not disatisfied with Ortho, I did have my ups and downs each week of my cycle. One week I felt great, the next I would want to eat everything in sight, the next I was puffy. moody and bloated, the next I was on my period for 7 days! I was sick of never feeling the way I did the 1st week - like me! So I switched to yasmin believing the low dose of hormones would stabilize my "Cycle". It did - But my face broke out terribly! I have struggled with acne all my life and have always been on prescriptions meds to help it, but for the past year, It had been great - Until Yasmin. So - after trying Yasmin for 3 months, I went back on Ortho. The one thing I LOVED about yasmin was that my period only lasted for 2 days! That was great - But my face was awful. I'd rather bleed for a week than have bad skin - but that's just me!