Yasmin and weight gain

I have been taking Yasmin for a little over a year now. I had really bad mood swings and was extremely emotional during the first month, but ever since then I have had no problems. My period is a lot shorter and lighter, I have no cramps, and my skin has almost completely cleared (and it was really bad before). However, my breast size did not increase whatsoever, and seeing that I am A cup, I would have loved that. Reading all these comments makes me wonder why I did not have that side effect! Besides that, I didn't have any weight gain or notice any other problems! Hope this helps!

I've been on Yasmin for maybe 2 cycles, before I went to my doctor yesterday to see if I could stop it mid cycle.

side effects that I noticed (or had pointed out to me).
-severe mood swings, severe decrease in libido, general fatigue and depression, vaginal dryness, soreness, itchiness, it feels almost painfully tight?, my tits became monsters that increased at least a cup size that wanted to escape my shirt (my boyfriend appreciated this part, but they were very painful), general bloatiness/weight gain, binge eating (I normally don't have much of an appetite for anything, and forget to eat in between, school and work)

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

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

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

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

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

I wonder if you realize you are talking to over 4000 users will all the same or similar symptoms....when addressing a mass of people who agree upon the negative aspects of this Synthetic HORMONE. Just wait until the time when you start getting the palpitations, (as a completely fit young person like me) Then tell me how great you feel. if this wasn't serious and in suspicion, we wouldn't have googled it and made an account just to be able to contribute to complaining. if we wanted to attribute our negative health issues to something rather than owning up to them, we surely wouldn't reach out to strangers to do it, but rather be satisfied with that idea in our head, as our reasoning, as you suggest. Say what you wish about Us complainers, I can only THANK GOD that I had enough side effects to become fed up with it truly enough to say goodbye AFTER 6 YEARS of troubles including tiredness, weight gain, depression, anxiety, palpitations (scary flip flop ones ...and super fast out of no where ones....exercise ones and sitting in my bed ones....Irritability and lack of interest in life in general) This is my first month off in 6 years and i had no period, so i came on to google it....and come to find out there are zillions of women having trouble on LOTS of sites if you type it in google. I hate to tell you dear, but just because you are having a great result with it in ONE aspect after a short time, doesn't mean your hair wont fall out too when you finally decide to stop like the rest of us. I can only hope mine wont. and again, I reiterate, this many people cant be wrong. I hope the best for you and for gods sake, get OFF the shit.

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

I am 26, last December i was diagnosed with endometriosis. I was on yaz and doing pretty well for 7 months, no mood swings, normal sex drive, no weight gain. Then all of a sudden month 8 my period came 2 weeks late and didn't stop for 4 months! With in those 4 months i was given a ton of birth control to try and stop my bleeding. Yasmin was the last one. It took about a month but then my periods stopped and was normal after that. It has been a lot lighter. That has been the only good part. I still get severe menstrual cramps and every month i get more and more depressed. I have no desire to be with friends go to work or anything i love. I get the worst mood swings, sometimes i feel like i am going to walk away from my marriage, my great marriage! Literally i tur so dark and loose desire to work, clean , work-out...anything. Im very concerned this is because of this pill.

I'm 22 years old and I have been on Yasmin for 3 years. The first year it was fine, but the next year I began getting panic attacks which I never even believed in until I had one myself. I've had severe anxiety that is uncontrollable and doesn't allow me to sleep at night. Let's not even talk about the emotional mood swings during my period. My boyfriend knows when it's that time of the month because I'm not myself. I will cry over things that would never make me cry in a million years. I'm mean and moody and then 20 minutes later I feel bad, but then I'm crabby again. Weight gain has not been a problem for me only about 3-5 pounds, but my breasts did go from a large B to a D. My boobs definitely do not fit my body. I have noticed a lot of hair fall but I just thought it was normal. I too have had problems with my potassium levels as I would get leg cramps in the middle of the night so I began drinking Gatorade and eating bananas every morning which has helped. I love being on birth control because it helps me plan accordingly, but I just don't feel like myself anymore. I am always hungry and am never full. I literally have to tell myself out loud that I'm done eating because it doesn't trigger for me. I have had a stomach ache nearly everyday of being on the pill. I became addicted to TUMS which only made it worse. I thought it was stress related which it might be, but I literally do not go to the bathroom for 4 or 5 days and it is soooo painful. Another thing is that I have no sex drive. I really have to prepare myself for it otherwise sex does not even occur to me. My boyfriend thinks I'm not attracted to him, but I AM! We just moved in together and you would think it was "freedom" but I'm just motivated to have sex. This is not normal for a 22 year old healthy female with an extremely hot man.

Anyway, I just went to the doctor and told her I was interested in Yaz. She gave me a few sample packs which I will begin next week. I'm hoping for the best and I truly do believe that birth control is a trial and error process. Everyone's bodies are different and you need to find the one that works best for you! I will write again once I know how Yaz works out.

-MCL

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

... I just want to say that I did not have a bad experience with Yasmin or Yaz (I had been on both). I took Yasmin for about 3 years and Yaz for about 2 years. The only thing that has been rough is actually stopping it... the first month Yasmin-free, nothing much changed, aside from some weight gain (only about 2-3 lbs or so), but my period was still pretty much the same... HOWEVER, month two... what a train wreck! Spotted for 4 days, thought I was pregnant, but oh, no... my period arrived with a vengeance four days late, and it totally brought me back to those high-school days when it was so heavy, I was self-conscious of leaking! I have also gained another couple of lbs, which I can only attribute to stopping the pill because I have become very active since the beginning of the summer, and have been cutting down on food portions. So, we;ll see what happens... but if anyone else has experienced weight-gain after coming off of the pill, I'd love to know.

Otherwise, no issues! Yasmin seemed to work well for me.

I'm 21 yrs old and have been on Yasmin for about 3 years, I've loved it - well I thought I did. I have been with my boyfriend for 2 years now, and this past year has just been really hard. I'll love our relationship one day and the next not be able to stand it and I love him more than anything. Over the past year I've experienced extreme mood swings, anxiety, haven't been able to handle stress - I've been breaking out in rashes at least once a month and really think it's because of this pill. I've also lost a lot of weight in the past year, I've been getting headaches everyday some to the point that I have to go to sleep because I can't think it's soo bad, I've had no motivation to do anything I have always, up to this point, loved doing. I've tried many anti depressants and have been off of them for about 2 years now, and have been thinking of going back on them because of the thoughts and feelings I've been experiencing. I thought it was just me, maybe there was something wrong with me? I've been on this pill for so long, who would've thought that it's just now causing these symptoms?
Yesterday I layed out by the pool for about an hour and when I got inside I noticed all these bumps on my arms that itched really bad, but they also hurt, so this morning I googled "sun bumps" and found that it can be cause from birth control pills, so then I googled "side effects of Yasmin" and I found this site. I am absolutely amazed at how many other women are experiencing exactly what I've been going through! I cannot believe that doctors don't bother mentioning all of these side effects to you, I'm absolutely terrified to go off of them because of the weight gain and also the mood swings I will more than likely experience. I got on the pill so I would have a normal period and it's really helped in that aspect, the craping isn't as bad, but the mood swings have definitely gotten worse.
I have called and left a message with my doctor to speak with her about what I've been going through now that I have a pretty solid idea that it's being caused from this pill.

My experience with Yasmin was decreased aggression, mood stability and increased breast size. when I stopped taking the drug, I had an increase in aggression, less fatigue and no weight loss.

My T-3 levels are fine. My blood work is fine. Not many headaches. My mood became more depressed when I stopped taking Yasmin.

Not sure if I am suited to take the drug. So, I am starting Yasmin again to see if I notice side-effects. My estrogen levels were low prior to starting Yasmin the first time. So, I am wondering if my testosterone is a bit too high, and if Yasmin levels me out so to speak.

I think those with normal estrogen levels, prior to taking Yasmin, are badly affected by Yasmin. I wonder if those of us, with lower natural estrogen levels are as badly affected by Yasmin.

Will let this site know in a few months.

ALSO get this pill from Canada - ******
It costs $22 and it is the exact same packaging, etc.

Hope this helps

I was put on Yasmin for perimenopausal symptoms. I took it for three years. For the first two I had no issues at all. Then I began having intense anxiety/panic issues, dizziness and worsening migraine headaches. My doctor advised me to get off of the pill due to a chance of stroke related to the migraines. Since then the anxiety has greatly improved but I am gaining weight like crazy even though I'm eating less. For the first four months after stopping the pill my migraines were horrible and occurred about half of the month. Now its starting to level off as my own hormones start kicking in. I am having my adrenals tested as my doctor feels there is an issue there but no direct link to Yazmin to this. I know the weight gain is related to me going off the pill. I wouldn't recommend this pill to anyone.

My jaw dropped after reading all of these posts. I started on Yasmin 3 weeks ago. I've never really been on BC's before, so I thought that my headaches, numbness and fatigue were just because of school. I finally connected the dots and looked on the internet to see if it was the Yasmin or if i was just crazy. I am so thankful to have found this website. I wish it was in the paper or advertised. Doctors should not even be able to prescribe this drug.

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...

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 took dianette for acne for 18 months then asked my gp if there was an alternative..i was unhappy at my weight gain...i took Yasmin for 3months and in the 3rd month i had a constant headache..it peaked and became quite severe with a sickness but only if i laid on the left side of my head..i went back to my gp and she has now told me i can never take the pill again due to the risk of DVT...THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE..i have taken dianette for ages without any side effects but Yasmin made me feel sick all the time and i was very depressed...anyone been the same...my acne is starting back and i am gutted,,,,cant go out of the house

Ive only been taking this pill for appx. 3 weeks..... its my first bc pill...... ive noticed weight gain, ive recently noticed ive been in an extremely bad mood,... and i am naturally a light hearted upbeat person...... but my biggest concern is...... my loss in sex drive..... i naturally have a HUGE sexual appetite and it has withered down into a non existent state..... this pill SUCKS

I love Yasmin! I've been taking it for over a year now (I'm 31). I have little to no pms, super light periods, perfect skin, and no weight gain from taking this. My only complaints would be that I do get mild, dull headaches in the temple areas of my head more often than I ever remember. They're not bad though, and they don't ever last long. They're just annoying. Also, I noticed my period doesn't show up til day 4 of the placebo pill, which can be a little nerve wracking.

My 3 close friends, 2 sisters and a sister in law of mine all take Yasmin and none of us have ever had any major complaints about it. :)

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

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

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

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

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

:-(

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

Migraines (with Aura), slight weight gain, loss of sex drive, hair loss and mood swings.

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

I 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 thought Yasmin was great. I took it for about 3 years. I had light periods, no pain, no weight gain. I wanted to try Yaz, though, because I can get quite emotional before my period. I've been on it for about 5 months now and have had painful periods, headaches before my period, breakouts on my face, and weight gain. So I am switching back to the Yasmin. I think everyone reacts differently and pills aren't for everyone so you just have to shop around and try different ones before you find the one that's right for you. I took Ortho-Novum in my late teens, early-20's and I gained weight from that, too.

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

LADIES, I'M HAPPY I'VE FOUND THIS SITE JUST RIGHT BEFORE I TAKE YASMIN. WOW WHAT A RELIEF. OKAY, HERE'S THE BEST ADVICE I COULD GIVE. I'VE TAKEN THIS CONTRACEPTIVE PILL FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS AND THE ONLY SIDE EFFECTS ARE: HAD MORE FACIAL HAIR BUT IT'LL GO AWAY EVENTUALLY. A LITTLE NAUSEA--JUST A LITTLE. A LITTLE INCREASE IN APPETITE BUT NO WEIGHT GAIN IN THE FIRST YEAR(I GAINED WEIGHT AFTER MY SECOND YEAR). A LITTLE DECREASE IN SEXUAL DRIVE, BUT NO PALPITATIONS, NO MAJOR SIDE EFFECTS. HERE'S THE BEST PART. THE BENEFITS: VERY CLEAR SKIN. TAKE NOT, VERY VERY CLEAR. THE COMPLEXION IMPROVES AS WELL. MY DRY SKIN ON ELBOWS GOT BETTER(I THINK). BREASTS BECOMES FULLER. THE NAME OF THE PILL IS DIANE35. IT'S WORTH A TRY. AGAIN, I THOUGHT WITH YASMIN I COULD LOSE SOME WEIGHT BUT WOW THESE SIDE EFFECTS THAT YOU LADIES HAVE SAID ARE NOT WORTH IT! TNX

Where to start! I started Yasmin in Sept. of 2005. So I've been on it 2 and a half years. Things were fine for a while. It did what it was supposed to do, including no weight gain. That's how its been marketed here, so that's why i got it. Nothing has happened all of a sudden. Its all creeped up on me very slowly. Headaches, pressure in my sinuses, tiredness...all pretty simple. But here's the thing. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and put on Prozac. The Prozac didnt help. I came off it. Now here's the more troubling symptoms I've experienced. Heart Palpitations, squeezing in my chest making it hard to breathe, increased fear and anxiety (which cause heart attack-like symptoms which can more commonly be described as a panic attack). I've had my finger on the 911 buttons several times in the last 8 months. Now I'm discovering the joy of incontinence. Do you have any idea what its like to be in the store buying groceries and then all of a sudden there's a puddle of number 2 around your shoe? I do. I'm 23. Abdominal pain, stomach distension, constipation followed by diarrhea. Hair loss. Cold feet. LOSS OF SEXUAL DRIVE! My God!

I've said all this to my doctor. He ran blood for everything, there's nothing wrong with me medically. X-rays, mri's, cat scans, ekg's. Nothing nothing nothing. I changed doctors and told the new doctor my story. He figures that because i was put on Prozac for depression, that I must have developed Hypochondria (aka extreme paranoia and a belief that I'm terminally ill). Not true, I know its not terminal, i just need to be put on a new pill. My husband and I have regular sex, he's allergic to latex, and even those non-latex condoms. We're not ready for babies yet, so I dont know what to do. But if this helps someone else, then taking the time to write this was worth it. And as a side note, if you're on the pill and have the choice, and your doc wants to put you on prozac...Don't do it. Try switching your pill first.

I think It is wonderful...I don't understand why everyone can blame a little birth control pill. Come on now, is everyone honestly reading what they wrote it sounds ridiculous. My acne has cleared up and I haven't gained any weight except for the weight i put on myself not because of the pill. That whole weight gain thing all depends on you. I have headaches...but they are just headaches I had them before I started birth control -their not gonna disappear. Mood swings -we're woman like I said about the headaches- had mood swings before- their not gonna disappear... Thats all I got--- think about what your saying before you write it.

I'm thankful I found this site. I haven't experienced weight gain or acne. I have been on the pill for 2 months. But, it has made me feel extremely moody, very emotional and my contacts are blurry. I have crying fits for no reason or I get extremely upset like a flash. My family noticed a change immediately. I am switching to ortho tri cyclen lo.

I was on Yasmin for 1 year know and let me tell you it has been crazy. Acne my cheeks are always red and look like I had a bad rash, Blurry vision could not where my contacts. I went to the eye doctor got my RX change and still had the same problem. My hair is so thin and just shedding like crazy. And the worst of all is the damn weight gain I have a personal trainer 3 times a week and even on Weight Watchers and really watch what I eat and cant even lose 10 pounds. I came off of it this week and going through some terrible migraines know. But dealing with It. I just had to come off of it before I became bald and blind.

Its the absolute worst. I had been on Yasmin for 2 years and my Dr. switched me to Femcon. I cant even explain. After two years I finally felt like myself again. Yasmin gave me crazy head ached, anxiety, and intense emotional moods swings for no reason. My friends though I was loosing it. Now Ive been on Femcon for 6 months and its amazing. Theres no weight gain, MUCH better skin, and no breakthrough bleeding. I think Femcon is the miracle pill! Plus my breast grew one full cup size with no weight gain. : ) I'm telling you its a miracle!

HI my name is Jennifer, I am 27 years old, I went for my annual check-up on January 9 and I was telling my doctor that I was having headaches and feeling nausea a week before my periods and so she changed me to Loestrin 24 which I hate and yesterday was my last pill Thank God, and so now they switched me to Yaz which I start on Sunday and I am so scared of taking it because I have read so many things about women having horrible side effects such as blood clots in the lungs, acne, weight gain, vision loss and other side effects, I have gotten to the point that I want to call my doc again and get back on ortho tri cyclen but I have not even started Yaz I do not want to seem crazy! Can someone help me cause I am already freaking out and I have not started taking them yet please help!
Jennifer

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

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

I am only 20 and I am confused having read all these complaints about Yasmin. The thing is that the pills have been prescribed by my doctor because of a low-progesterone level and a high-testosterone level. He says this is the only way I can regulate my hormone levels. I am now having some side-effects like depression,headaches.And it's only been the second day of taking Yasmin. Could anyone help me?

I was on it for five months and stopped to prepare for pregnancy. I started immediately experiencing the following: vaginal dryness, loss of sex drive, nausea, depression, hair loss, weight gain, heavy periods, stomach cramps, vaginal odor, mood swings, panic attacks, heart palpitations, neck pain. I am so blessed that my husband did not leave me!

As others have pointed out, BCs affect everyone differently. Before my children, I took Ortho Tri-Cyclen without incident. Loved it. Then after my children, I had a tubal ligation and was not on BC for over 7 years. But due to the onset of adult acne and extremely oily skin, I asked my GYN to put me on Yasmin to clear up my face and chest. What a disaster that was!! The first two months were OK, but the next five months were agonizing. My symptoms included significant weight gain (15 pounds), larger but painful breasts, sleeplessness, anxiety, anger/irritability (more than my normal septic self), heavy spotting between periods, slight vaginal dryness and an unpleasant body odor. I quit the pill this past September out of sheer frustration. The interesting part was that I did not tell my husband that I quit taking them and he asked me about a month later if I was still taking them. I answered no and he said that he could tell because now I smelled and tasted "normal". So ladies, be aware that aside from the anger issues, your partner may be suffering in other ways. I'd rather have blemished skin than deal with the side effects. And now that I have been over 3 months free of BCs (I am not taking any chances with trying others), I lost almost ten pounds and all of the weird smell. My period is longer than I'd like but has gone back to normal and although my skin is still very oily, I have found a facial product to combat the acne. Email me if you liked because there is more to this story than I have time to write.

I'm wondering if weight gain is one of the side-effects. I haven't been experiencing all the other things talked about -- maybe I've been a bit more emotional than normal, but nothing extreme. However, I have gained weight and I think it may be a side-effect. Has anyone else had this issue with this pill?

I used Yasmin for almost 3 years between 2004 - 2007. I loved it....my periods were regular, I had little acne, and I hardly had any PMS. Then I got pregnant (after stopping the Yasmin!) with twins and delivered them in late November 2007. I was so happy to know that I just knew which type of birth control I wanted to use, I had a great experience while on Yasmin so of course I would go back to it!

BAD IDEA! 4 weeks after the babies were born I started the pills. Mind you, I had a great pregnancy and lots of help at home...no post-partum or baby blues here. I started the pills on 12/23/07 and by 12/25/07 (Christmas Day) I was feeling majorally depressed, having emotional outbursts, having irrational thoughts....I felt alone and as if no one cared about me. I secluded myself and had suicidal thoughts. I thought about leaving my family and living in a hotel. I would get so mad at the littlest things....I almost threw a chair at my husband and tried to punch a hole in the wall. I cussed family members out. I was so irrational. I felt like a crazy, psychotic woman and all in less than a week. This was NOT me.

I quit the pill after the first week, realizing that this pill was causing all these side-effects. I called my OB and spoke with the nurse who told me what I was experiencing couldn't be from the Yasmin - those weren't common side-effects. I told her that I was 1 day Yasmin free and felt like a completely different person...I was myself again. She tried to tell me that maybe I was experiencing post-partum depression and I decided then to just make an appointment to talk to my OB (about Yasmin & his nurse!).

I have an appointment next week and am curious as to what he will say. I know it was the Yasmin and I am glad that I found this website & that I am not alone!

I lost my job, my family, my dog, I'm dying, THANKS YASMIN...good lord some people on here are blaming every *** problem on the pill, come on now...going from a size 2 to a size 12, UMMM HELLO...how long would you let yourself gain that much weight, before STOPPING the pill??? Good lord..I understand that the pill isn't right for everyone, but it amazes me how long people continue to take something that isn't doing them any good.

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?

Yasmin to me is exactly what everyone else is saying, I finished my last pill 3 days ago and I will NEVER go back. I have been the absolute nastiest women for the last 2 months, crying, depressed, tired, heart racing, hair falling out, weight gain, metallic taste in mouth, acne,which I thought Yasmin was supposed to help with etc. I just hope that I can get back to my normal self soon. I go to the doc tomorrow, I 'll see what she says, I am literally scared to try another birth control. AL though I remember being on Tri-cyclen for 4 years and never had any of these symptoms. I think they should take Yasmin off the market!! I am so glad I am not the only one going through this crap, Obviously there has to be a better pill out there, this is crazy, everyone is complaining about the same crap with this crazy pill

My daughter has been taking Yasmin for about 3 months now and is a totally different person. She is moody, negative, hurtful, argumentative, and basically very angry. I have never seen her like this and was wondering if it could be caused by this pill or is it just a normal 16 year old growing up stage. I have been targeted and feel very lost as how to help her. Has anyone else had these types of side effects? I thought the pill was supposed to help PMT not aggravate it. Please help me help my daughter!

I was a size two before Yaz, my appetite increased and I went to a size 12. I had no idea what was going on, I was always hungry and irritable. If my boyfriend left for work I would cry or if I didn't get my way I would throw temper tantrums. I would feel extreme nausea and migraines. I totally disregarded this, because it did make my period lighter. When I am not on birth control I have severe cramps and nausea. It is just something you have to ask yourself. cramps for a week, or extreme weight gain with the risk of heart disease and such. I took it for 5mos. and then I quit. my breast size went down 3 cup sizes and my weight is going back to normal without any physical activity. I feel happier, I have more energy, and I am not as hungry anymore.

My story is long....I have been taking Yasmin for almost 2.5 years, since having my son. About 8 months after starting the pill we relocated to another state. About 6 months after that I began having shortness of breath and anxiety. I thought it was due to our relo, which was all positive but still those things can be stressful. My doctor thought it was anxiety and prescribed Zanax. I rarely took them...seemed like the anxiety subsided. A few months later I was back at my doctors office with extreme nausea and this crazy burning sensation down my arms and on my chest. I was diagnosed with H Pylori and treated for that and then had an endoscopy and found I had mild chronic gastritis. I was on Prevacid and then finally prescription Zantac for that. I went a few months and then the shortness of breath returned and I began having heart palpations. I then went back to my doctor. My heart rate was elevated so she sent me over to a cardiologist. He said my heart was fine. I then came down with a stomach virus, which is what I thought at the time, and ended up not taking my pill for 2 days and then began menstruating. I stayed off of it for a month and continued to have this terrible burning sensation on my skin. I started a new pill pack the next month and that's when the real hell began. I woke up around 1:30am with severe nausea and heart palpations. My husband took me to the ER - they said it was due to my stomach. I went back to see my GI doc she said that my stomach didn't cause that. I went to see my doctor b/c my GI doc thought it might be my BC pill because it just started happening after taking it again after being off of it for a month. I was sure it was the BC so I immediately stopped taking it. I had yet another period. Since stopping it, now it's been 14 days, I have had one anxiety attack after another, chest pains, shortness of breath, the burning skin, headaches, and major nausea. I can't eat or sleep. I can barely function. All my blood work, adrenal gland and thyroid tests are perfectly normal. No signs of anything wrong with me. I went to see my doctor today for a follow-up, she told me bluntly that I was mental! It was all in my head ! The pill could not cause this and I need to see a physiotherapist. I have never felt so bad physically in my life and then been kicked in the teeth so hard all in one day. I know all this is due to this drug. There is no other explanation. I am not crazy but I have a lot of people who believe I am. I am amazed at how the medical community is so uneducated and have become drug pushers and have forgotten problem solving. Thank you all for reading my story. I pray every minute that I will get through this and be normal again. All I want to do is enjoy the Christmas holidays with my family without being sick. That my friends is my Christmas wish. Best to all of you.

I stopped taking Yasmin about 6 months ago. Since stopping Yasmin, I have started to get migraine headaches around my cycle and they are progressively worst. Has this happened to anyone??

I have had bad skin since my teens (I am 30 now) and started taking Yaz (a lighter form of Yasmine) in February. I noticed I had gained a small amount of weight (5 pounds) but Yaz didn't do a whole lot for my acne. I got onto Yasmine in June and there are both pros and cons to this bcp. Pros: clear skin that makes me feel attractive and confident, regulated moods, lighter & shorter periods. Cons: I gained 10 pounds that I cannot lose, severe bloating, water retention, gas, night sweats & I cannot sleep through the night anymore. The worst is the weight gain. I work out 5 days a week & do an hour of cardio each time & it does nothing. In this case, though I love my clear skin, the cons outweigh the pros and I have discontinued my use of Yasmine. My sister is on Yasmine, has very very few side effects and loves it. Just goes to show that every woman's body, even in the same family, is different.

I took Yaz for 7 days. In that amount of time, I began experience the most horrific symptoms I have experienced in my life. They included: chest pains, nausea, vomiting, arm pain, and the feeling of imminent death (these caused me to go to the emergency room since they are classic heart attack symptoms for a woman); leg and arm weakness; lethargy; migrane; panic attacks; severe insomnia, diarrhea, and vision problems that caused my contact lens perscription to change and night time vision had profound halos when driving, etc. I was literally unable to stomach any normal food portions I was so nauseous. I normally run 3 miles and could not even make it to the gym for weeks. I was afraid to stay home alone with my 4 year-old and 17 month-old for fear something would happen to me while they were in my care. At the ER they found low potassium levels (which makes no sense given Yaz has a potassium sparring diuretic component). In another blood test, I had elevated iron, which I have never had previously.

I am 35 and have been on bcp's periodically for 12-15 years. I have never had any of these symptoms prior to this experience. I have never had anxiety, depression, or any other underlying health condition. I immediately stopped taking the pills once I made the connection. So far, my recovery has been slow, but at least it is improving. I resent that my ob/gyn and internist both said that the pill would be out of my system in 24 hours. The effects are clearly long lasting (I am approximately 7 weeks off of Yaz).

Finally, my eye doctor, of all people, said that he has seen and heard of people having problems similar to mine and that it was understandable that I would have anxiety when I felt like I was dying from a heart attack. No one perscribing this medication bothered to tell me of the diuretic component or any component that was going to affect depression. I am attorney and have always thrived under pressure, not turned into a panic attack ridden mess like this medication caused.

As for the previous post who stated these are common symptoms described by women, at 35, I know the difference between my normal body function and the hell that began when I started taking Yaz. Unless you have experienced this, then you clearly would not understand. I appreciate that Yaz and Yasmin have worked well for some, but that clearly has not been my personal experience. So, I write this not to discourage someone who has had a positive experience, but to provide support for anyone else who has suffered like I have.

I think maybe you all need to consider - The side affects you mention could be because you are a woman!! The following side affects that women search for and try to find answers for are all typical symptoms that I have had all my life as a woman. Whether on birth control, off birth control, pregnant or not. My life circumstance, relationship, age all make a difference. At any given time I could blame these symptoms on "birth control" but I don't think it is that simple.
-anxiety/mood swings/erratic behaviour
-headaches
-weight gain
-cramps, water retention, swelling etc.
Anyway, I suggest you all try to be reasonable and consider other possible causes of your symptoms? Exercise, eating right, relaxation, relationship building, all of these things can eleviate MOST of these symptoms. By the way, been on Aviane and switched to Yasmin, no difference, sex drive is actually increased, feel good not symptoms if anything , better now and had serious cystic acne and is now gone.

I thought I was alone in all this. I have been on Yasmin for about 2 years now. I have severe endometriosis and tend to get ovarian cysts and my doctor suggested I try it because she said the progesterin in this pill helps to inhibit cyst formation. Reading all the postings makes me feel relieved about how I have been feeling because maybe it IS the pill, but also makes me feel like what should I do or take instead? All the mental anguish described by others here is what I too have been experiencing. The depression, sometimes extreme anxiety, not wanting to go out or even be around others, the weight gain and lethargy. Well, I think I need to do more research and/or just take my chances and go back to my other BCP. Thanks everyone for sharing!!