Yasmin and wonderful life

I am a 26 yr old newly married woman and have been using Yasmin for 7 months.

I've experienced really sharp breast pain and sore calves occasionally whilst on the pill, but also have seen benefits of using this contraceptive - lighter, more regular periods, clearer skin and less greasy hair (these use to be big problems for me). I haven't had any severe mood swings either, as some have mentioned of having.

I think with all contraceptives there will be good and bad side effects - just depends which brands you can cope better with.

Just wondering if Yasmin can cause infertility if you take it for too long??

Apart from the mood swings and terrible irritability (which I have experienced with most contraceptive pills I have tried) Yasmin gave me uncontrollable, incurable THRUSH. It first started about three months after starting Yasmin and I had it for 8 months straight until I went off Yasmin. Within weeks the thrush subsided. It was HELL. I was at the doctor every month, using creams, taking oral anti fungals. But within a week of ceasing treatment, I would get that dry, irritated feeling for a day followed by the itch and every other depressing symptom of thrush. Each time I would be in tears. I was swabbed for EVERY STD imaginable just in case, but (thankfully) all clear. It was horrendous and I am disappointed that neither my GP or Gyno could identify Yasmin as the problem. I also asked my Gyno if Yasmin could be causing the depression I was experiencing and he said not likely that it was probably some other underlying issue which baffled me as I have a wonderful life in all aspects. I have just started using the NuvaRing after not being on hormonal contraceptives for over 3 years. I am about to rip that out too! I cannot use hormonal contraceptives, not if I, and the people around me want to live a happy and harmonious life. Poor husband will have to wear the trusty old condom until we've had all our kids and he goes in for the snip!

Well, I'll share my story with you, and feel free to comment or ask any questions. I had been taking Yasmin for about 3 years. For the majority that time, I was in college (UCLA) while my long term boyfriend and family were back in the Bay Area. I was extremely depressed, which I presumed to be because I missed my boyfriend, and school was very difficult, etc. However, I had terrible anxiety, to where whenever I went to class, walked the campus, etc, I would have trouble looking up, for fear of making eye contact with others. To ask a question in class made my heart race. I would get terrible lumps in my throat that I could not get rid of. I used to be really outgoing, friends with everyone. But at UCLA for two years, I barely made new friends (maybe 3-5), blaming it on being too busy with my studies. Pretty extreme anxiety. As a child, I was a gymnast and suffered from OCD at one point, probably due to the anxieties of a very strict, mature schedule at such a young age. I guess I've been anxious in some way or another during my whole life, however I feel it was WAY worse during the course of being on Yasmin. I have also suffered from depression in my life, but the worst times were during high school, and during the past few years while on Yasmin. I am not saying I blame Yasmin for these things, but I definitely think it made them worse. I also have been having terrible mood swings, crying spells (to where I felt like I was going crazy), and not feeling like “myself”. I did take a break from the pill after I broke up with my boyfriend, and felt WONDERUL, woke up in a great mood, ready to take on the day, instead of forcing myself to try to start the day happy (which rarely worked). It has been a CHORE to be happy and grateful for my wonderful life (family, friends, good job, own apt., dog) for the past few years.

I stopped taking Yasmin 3 days ago (Sunday the 13th was my first day off of it) and already feel more normal, balanced and myself. Happy, hopeful, more relaxed. Of course this could be “placebo effects”, but I now myself really well, am very in tune with my emotions, etc., and I definitely feel different. I am not rhuminating either, which was another effect.

Does anyone have a similar story? Thanks! -Cassie

Hello ladies,

I was on Yasmin for 2 1/2 months and went off it about two weeks ago. I suffered severe anxiety/panic attacks and horrible depression. I would react to simple events in my life by crying, vomitting and not sleeping for days at a time. My question is how long will it take for my system to be clean?

I'm much better now that I'm off the pills but I still feel deeply sad from time to time for no reason. I have a wonderful life with a supportive network of family and friends. When will I stop having these feelings of sadness?