Yaz and anxiety

I have now been on Yaz for about 9 months and the for first 3 months everything was okay. However, since that time I have become moody, had horrible leg cramps (esp. at night or while working out), have cried at little things, have anxiety, and overreact to almost everything. I want to thank everyone for sharing your stories because this just solidifies everything that I have been feeling and I'm going to get off of it today.

I am in the 5th month of taking Yaz. My dr put me on this because I was complaining that I didn't feel right as I am getting older. I am 36. I was on triphasil and was starting to feel more intense symptoms during my periods. Heavier bleeding, cramping, extreme moodiness and of course, migraines. Dr thought Yaz would help and switched me. The first couple of months were fine. Then I started having anxiety, Occasional blurred vision. I have felt "wrong" for a long time now. The worst has been "constant" migraines. I have taken some sort of over the counter medicine every single day for months now. A friend told me her doctor took her off Yaz after her blood pressure sky rockited. I decided to check mine and sure enough it was way over what is considered high. That explains a lot!!! I have stopped taking this pill. It made everything so much worse.

I just began doing research on Yaz because I just got married and my sex drive is completely, totally, unequivocally GONE. I'm 25, and I've been on it for about six months. How depressing! My body will not lubricate at ALL or respond to ANY kind of touch. My husband has developed a complex, thinking it's him. :(
After a while I began to think it was the Yaz. I've developed urinary tract infections out of nowhere; I never used to get them.
I'm getting off this pill ASAP because what's the point of birth control if you don't have sex anyway??
I feel really terrible for all of you women with mental side effects, because I know exactly how you feel. However, I've had an opposite experience. Positively, it increased my breast size and cleared up my skin. However, I was already suffering from mental illness previous to starting Yaz. I have Bipolar disorder with added anxiety issues. I was on a regimen of daily Lamictal with occasional use of Xanax for anxiety. My attacks had gotten so bad that I had to go to the emergency room. After a time, I leveled out and decided to stop taking medication because it made me feel flat. I began feeling anxious again, and it was around that time that I started taking Yaz. For me, someone who was ALREADY suffering, Yaz completely turned me around. I have never felt happier, more secure, and more normal mentally in my entire life. My moods are fantastic, I have a huge amount of energy, and I feel like nothing can stop me. It's not mania, though, as I have none of the pathological side effects. I'm just really really happy. I will miss the mental benefits of not taking Yaz, but to me, losing the intimacy with my new husband has just not been worth it.

This can be a great benefit to someone who is perhaps bipolar, but I think if you're healthy mentally to begin with, it can have the opposite effect.

Glad to find that I'm not the only one!

I was on Yaz for a year and a half, but I just stopped taking it two and half weeks ago. I'm already starting to feel better. I had quite a few symptoms creep up while I was on it and I guess I just attributed them to other things until recently. The first couple months I was on Yaz, it seemed great. I didn't gain any weight, my periods were lighter, my moods seemed relatively stable. But then about nine months ago I started getting frequent heart palpitations and anxiety. My doctor saw me three or four times about it and couldn't pinpoint what was wrong. (It didn't even occur to me to ask if Yaz could possibly do that.) Around the same time, I started to get bad muscle fatigue and muscle cramps. My muscles felt sore and tired during the day for no reason. And sometimes at night I would wake up yelling because of sharp cramps in my calves. And over the last year, my moods became horrible. I lost my patience completely and became really weepy and depressed at other times. And my sex drive was totally gone. Then very recently, I started getting horrible completely debilitating headaches like I'd never had before.

But the thing that finally made me realize that Yaz might be effecting me this way, was that I actually felt BETTER right before my period, during the four days of the inactive pill. During these days - the days when most women feel moody and fatigued - I actually felt like my old self. I did a bit of research and quickly realized that Yaz is likely responsible for quite a few of the negative feelings I've had the last year and half.

I'll report back after I've been off of it for a couple months and I know it is completely out of my system.

I was put on Yaz because of my severe PMS. After nine days I started getting very strong symptoms, many the very symptoms I started taking Yaz for in the first place. It was too early in the cycle to be the "regular" PMS. Many of the symptoms I listed below I get regularly but not as strongly, and they have not been remotely this bad for years. I stopped taking Yaz after freaking out for 48 hours. I was told to stay on them for at least 3 months, as a trial, and I was really motivated because I really suffer from my PMS - almost every month I feel like I get into a depression - but there is no chance in the world I will continue taking that pill.
Tiredness
Sudden feelings of worthlessness
Sudden feelings of intense anger
Sudden feelings of anxiety
Sudden feelings of deep sadness
Tension head aches
Crying uncontrollably and for no obvious reason
Tension in jaws/clenching of teeth
Tension in shoulder/neck area
Feeling unable to cope with work
Feeling unable to communicate with anyone
Shortness of breath
Not able to sleep (though tired)
Very strong heart beat
Numbness in skin
Much lower energy
Eating extreme amounts of chocolate/cookies

I started taking Yaz since January. I did have to stop taking it, however, when my mother's health insurance dropped me on my 22nd b-day. The first three months I experienced were somewhat positive. I think a lot of it had to do with the expectations I had for this pill to be wonderful and altogether amazing. When I finally got health insurance again in April, I couldn't wait to start taking it again. This time, the experience was much different. My skin, which had started getting worse while I was off the pill, stayed relatively the same. I still get the kind of pimples I used to get when I was wasn't taking it. I started noticing a few months ago that my hair was falling out...!!! I couldn't believe it. It's localized in the frontal region of my hair line. It makes me very self-conscious and worried. In addition to these exterior symptoms, I have noticed I have uncontrollable anxiety. Most of the time, it's hard for me to stop panicking about every minuscule detail of my life. When I'm not excessively anxious, I'm depressed. I don't want to do anything but sleep. I often feel hopeless and worthless. Probably the most disturbing thing that has happened to me during this whole ordeal is two days ago, out of no where, this strange feeling came over me and all I wanted to do was kill myself. I have NEVER had a suicidal thought in my life. It made me sick to my stomach and panicked. I've always been slightly anxious, but I feel like this is exacerbating things to an extreme degree. I'm so glad to read that I'm not the only one.

I've also experienced some of the other symptoms mentioned by other women (inexplicable hunger, etc.) I've also been experiencing chest pain when I run to the point I need to stop running for a moment.

I'm done with Yaz.

I am so glad to have found this website. Similarly to others, I thought that I was going crazy. I have been taking Yaz for 3 months, but I am stopping today! I have had many side effects including MOOD SWINGS, anxiety, snapping at people for no reason, spotting, decrease in sex drive, difficulty staying asleep, tightness/tingling in upper left arm, warmth in groin area, breast tenderness and nausea. If this pill causes such severe side effects for so many people, why doesn't the FDA remove it from the market? Argggggg

I am 30 yrs old, have been taking YAZ for a little less than one year. Loved it at first, my PMDD seemed a lot better, my skin cleared up. (I had adult acne) The decreased sex drive was immediate and after a couple of months I noticed the stomach pains, headaches, and extreme hunger in the mornings as well as shortness of breath and occasional dizziness. I even went to my regular doctor for an inhaler due to the shortness of breath. Since I started this pill to now I've gained a lot of "solid" weight that seems very hard to lose. I've gone from a size 4 to an 8. The only benefit has been that my skin is a lot clearer but as soon as I take the last pink pill in the pack my face breaks out again. This past month I've had horrible mood swings. My anxiety is worse than ever and I overreact to the smallest things. I can't stand myself and feel like a crazy person. While the thought of having acne again makes me very sad, I will no longer take YAZ.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED RESTLESSNESS, HYPERNESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, HEADACHES AND VISION PROBLEMS SINCE I STARTED ON THE YAZ, I WONDER IF IT IS THE MEDICATION OR JUST ME

I had switched from Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo to Trinessa, and Trinessa was making my OCD and anxiety go through the roof. I was thinking that Yaz would be the best choice for me. I decided to talk to my doctor, and she gave me a month trial to see if I liked it or not. I messed up my pills a little bit, so I was late starting. I took my last placebo pill and finally started. It's been a lot of very light bleeding, and brownish discharge. This is my main annoyance with the pill. My periods are normally mildly heaving and last about five to six days. This period has been very light, almost non existent, and I am currently on day two. I have also experienced some mood swings, fatigue, and anxiety.
I will be switching back to Ortho this week.

I'm 22 years old and have been on YAZ for 1.5 years. I was originally on Yasmin and was fine but my Gyno suggested that for my body type and slight anemia I was taking more estrogen than necessary, so I agreed to try YAZ. I was excited at first, hoping it would help with my mood swings (which were not as severe as experienced with those who have PMDD). Everything was fine (clear skin, light periods, etc) until I noticed that in the past few months I was getting severely emotional (which is the complete opposite from the kind of person I am). For a while I thought it was just a phase and something that would pass but it has gotten progressively worse, to a point where I have become overly sensitive, crying with out reason and was experiencing anxiety. All out of the ordinary and very scary. Since I am an active healthy individual with no other medical concerns or on any other meds I realized that I may have been suffering side effects from the YAZ. The mood swings were particularly worse on days leading to the placebo pills and into the first week. I have been off of it for the past three days and will talk to my Gyno on Monday to either go back to Yasmin or try something new. Of course it will take up to a month for the YAZ to be processed out of my body.

Honestly it was a scary experience and it was good to know that my sudden bouts of sadness and anxiety wasn't all in my head. While YAZ may not be for me I know people who have not experienced any side effects while on YAZ. So if you are considering it I would suggest giving it a try but keep track of any changes in mood or side effects.

I have also noticed that people who were actually suffering from PMDD have like their experience with YAZ and women without PMDD have seemed to experience it while on YAZ, of course this is simply an observation and nothing else.

I WISH I had done research on Yaz earlier!!!!! I have been taking it for probably the last 10 months. At that time, I moved to a new city with my fiancee, started a new job that I hate... and becoming more and more depressed and anxious. I blamed it all on life changes. It eventually got so bad that I would lock myself in a bathroom and cry, snap at my fiance for EVERYTHING, snap at my daughter.. I was just this horrible woman and I couldn't control it. I would see myself being SO unreasonable but there was nothing I could do to stop it. I really felt like I was going crazy. I started seeing a Psychiatrist a few months ago and he put me on Wellbutrin. It helped the depression but not the anxiety or moodiness. So, last week he put me on Lexapro.
Finally, I'm starting to put 2 and 2 together and seeing that all my issues started as soon as I started taking YAZ!!! Not to mention, I have been having horrible skin allergies since I started as well. I can't believe I didn't make the connection sooner!
So now i'm off of Yaz and on 2 antidepressants, upset that I started something that I probably didn't need to, and don't really know how to get off them.
What really upsets me is that the doctors either don't make the connection or don't believe it. I am going back in in a couple of weeks to talk to my gyn about other birth control options...

I am getting married this month and I started taking Yaz a few months ago. The immediate effects I noticed were horrible heartburn, fatigue, moodiness (I mean there were points where I hated EVERYONE), anxiety and headaches. Eventually my body evened out and the heartburn went away, but the appetite did not, I craved sugars and could easily keep up with my fiance on food intake, it was sorta embarrassing, but I realized I had to eat more carb oriented foods to not have bad side effects (heartburn). Well I packed on a solid 8 pounds and needless to say that didn't make me very happy, and I decided to go off of it. I feel like a veil of darkness has been removed from me, I have energy, I'm not miserable, I don't hate everyone or get angry for no reason, and I don't stay up all night worrying about nothing. Everyone is different, so for some people this pill may work great. But, if you're on this pill I just recommend that you be very careful, you may not even realize the change in yourself until you stop taking it.

I was on Yasmin and then YAZ for about 5 years and started when I was 19, and am now 24.

ON YAZ: I got a lot of urinary tract infections, had mood swings, depression, snappiness, and anxiety. I also felt swelling and occasional bruising in my legs ( started when I was 23). I stayed really thin and never felt bloated (5''7 120). I also never got pimples.

OFF YAZ: I have actually gained a few pounds and I KNOW its from going off the YAZ because it happened almost instantly. (5"7 126) YAZ does have a diuretic in it, so it really does help with the water retention. I feel bloated for the first time in my life. I broke out a little bit on my face and back. However, my mood swings have gone away, and my depression and anxiety have been almost non-existent. I am so much happier! I no longer feel swelling and bruising in my legs. My Urinary tract infections are gone as well.

Overall, I am a little bit chubbier, and have a few more pimples. But- I am happier, less irritable, anxiety free, and generally have a better, healthier outlook on life. The swelling in my legs and UTIs have also disappeared.

Any suggestions on a new BC?

I originally started YAZ about two years ago primarily to help with irregular or extended periods. I went off for about 8 months and had very light if any periods until about two months ago when my symptoms started back up. I went on YAZ for a month and my first week on the white or placebo pills the bleeding was extremely heavy. I'm sorry if this is graphic but I went to sleep for 5 hours with a tampon in and woke up soaked in blood. I freaked out and went to the ER and was told this is a normal side effect of this pill. Just prior to this I experienced:

terrible migraine headaches
brain fog
loss of focus
inability to think and communicate clearly
increased sensitivity to sound
terrible anxiety around people
mood swings- I didn't realize this until reading everyone else's posts

From my hospital visit I also learned my blood pressure was extremely high which could be a result of this pill.

I am so thankful to everyone on here that were so brave and kind to share their stories. I hope my post will be just as helpful.

thanks,

S

I'm just in shock.
I can't believe that this sort of thing can go on.
My experience is all over this page. And the seven after it.

I graduated high school with a 99 GPA and was at the top of my class.
I was accepted to medical school along with my admission to college.
I started Yasmin at the same time.

All of a sudden I was getting classic migraines multiple times every month.
Soon, Yasmin became Yaz. Okay, fair enough, nurse says to switch, I'll switch. Yaz is said to be safer.

Time goes by... I'm irritable, I've lost my sex drive, I'm dragging myself out of bed in the morning if I get to classes at all, but I miss lots of them.
My GPA falls from a 4.0 to a 3.6.

I had to come home last semester because of how sick I was. Nurse says that the doctor wants me off Yaz because of the risk of classic migraines.

Liver enzymes were screwed up - fatty liver at 20?? - and cholesterol is backwards. My heart races a lot, too.
My anxiety is out of control and I'm depressed for the first time in my life.

I've been off Yaz since November of 2008 and still haven't had a period.
Additionally, I still haven't MET my gynecologist, despite asking repeatedly if I can see her.

Now she's ruled out PCOS and all other causes and wants me to "jump start" my period with more synthetic hormones.
This feels so wrong.

I have IBS, nausea, back pain, and abdomen pain. This is all just too much. I'm disillusioned with the medical field now and am having a hard time accepting that I wanted to put myself in a position in which I'd have to either perpetuate the problem or fight it. It doesn't make sense.

There needs to be a lawsuit, and now.

I think most of this is all in your heads. It does state clearly in the booklet though that you will have less of a sex drive. But being depressed and all is all own thing. Maybe if you start thinking that its making you happy you will feel happy....

I had a horrible experience as well, but I found a wonderful site to help me recover. I encourage you to check it out. http://www.createforum.com/yasminsideeffec/viewforum.php?f=1&mforum=yasminsideeffec

I started using Yaz about two weeks ago because my sis had given me sample from her doctor months ago. Well 5 days ago I had to get taken from my home for having a severe panic attack. I thought I was truly dieing! And all I had been doing was watching tv. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. Then I remember an incident I had months ago on her sample pack and it was a panic attack but not as severe. Millions of dollars wouldn't get me to put another in my mouth because just thinking of them last night sent me into another one and the same happened this more. They gave me anti-anxiety drugs for it but I will not be enslaved to them. I'm telling my doctors and everyone I know.

Before I had my son I had been on Orth-TriCyclen off and on for about 4 years. My periods were always normal and when I went off the Pill it was so easy to become pregnant. After my son was born in Dec. 2007, my doctor recommended Yaz. I've had all the symptoms everybody here has talked about: anxiety, depression, weight gain, very high blood pressure, no sex drive, and just overall not feeling like myself. I just attributed it to post-partum and my body trying to readjust to not being pregnant. But the biggest fear, but secret relief, was the fact that I NEVER HAD A PERIOD!!! not once!!! I think I spotted twice in the course of a year. I would like to get pregnant again in June so I went off Yaz in January. It is March and still don't have a period - don't get me wrong it is kind of nice, but I am also very worried. My doc says its normal, and to just give it time, but I still feel worried that Yaz may have messed up my fertility and I may have a hard time getting pregnant again if I don't get my period back. I haven't received any good info about this - maybe someone else is in this situation -

I AM NOT CRAZY!!!!! I literally started crying once I read the first post. I started taking YAZ 6 months ago after giving birth to my third son. I cannot believe that I have finally found an answer to my insanity. I haven't taken my pill today and I will never take birth control ever again. I cannot believe that so many woman are having life threatening side effects and doctors are still prescribing this medication! I have had horrible mood swings, no sex drive, headaches, back and neck pain, fatigue, low energy, irritability, depression, crying spells, anxiety, pain whenever I do have sex, loss of hair, and hot flashes. I truly am elated to know that finally the clouds will soon disappear and I will see the sun again.

Having panic attacks. I had a problem with these years ago and defeated the issues. Then I started getting them again over things that never used to bother me. Like going to get groceries at the same place I had been going to for years. I thought the problems I had conquered has suddenly come back. I am on my 10th month on them and had good help with pain from what the doctor thinks could possibly be reoccurence of endometriosis but if they are causing the anxiety and I am always at home because I am nervous or in a panic then I don't know what else to try.

I am a sophomore college student who just withdrew from college because of the side effects of depression and anxiety. Yaz is a horrible medication to be on and I would not recommend it to anyone. I am still experiencing the side effects and it is the worst feeling in the world. I used to be a strong, independent person who knew what I wanted out of life and loved it. After taking yaz for about 8 months I feel like I am going crazy, I am so confused, lonely, and scared to be alone because I don’t know how bad my depression might get. There has not been a night in a long time that I have not cried, sometimes even for no reason. Like I said I have taken a semester off from college in hopes to transfer closer to home because the side effects are that serious. If you're not on yaz don't take it, if you are watch for these symptoms because this is a dangerous product.

After reading some of the postings on this site made me feel a lot better. I have not even been on Yaz a month and I started to have horrible mood swings, really bad anxiety, headaches, and nausea. For the past few days I have not felt like myself at all and it sucks. My poor boyfriend has had to put up with me the last few days and he could defiantly notice the difference in my personality. I am no longer taking Yaz or any other birth control because I'm afraid I'll just have to go through the same emotional roller coaster again.

somebody help! the first year on yaz was great but then started the HORRIBLE panic attacks. they never ended. i was in bed for 3 months straight literally only went to the bathroom and lost like 25 pounds. im 5 10 and weigh 107. i had severe depression, my hair was falling out, diagnosed with panic disorder, and POTS. my blood pressure would drop to 50/20 every time i stood up. all this NEVER happened before. my eyes are so dry i cant wear contacts. i have derealization/depersonalization. it soo scary. im only 20 and feel like a 60 year old. i am always tired. i can sleep at any given time. i have trouble staying awake on the road. i have been on 4 anti depressants and klonopin. i never had anxiety in my life before. i think i am going crazy everyday. i don't know what to do anymore. i finally stopped taking yaz 3 weeks ago and slightly better but still not even close to what i was a couple years ago. how could they put this pill on the market? this is absolutely horrible.

I just finished my first and now ONLY month of Yaz yesterday. After reading these boards I have found I am not crazy! Since taking yaz I have had more breakout, hair thinning, leg cramps, SEVERE constant headaches, abdominal pain, neck pain, back pain, no period at all, VERY low sex drive, exhaustion, blurred vision, very hard to drive also, anxiety, rage, depression, dizziness. Thats just off the top of my head!

I was put on this because I had abnormal uterine bleeding which had actually started to stop the day I was given yaz. But, I feel this pill will kill me before it will help me! I refuse to take it! Beware!

Yaz is AWFUL I took it for 5 months and it made me have headaches a lot, feel dizzy, diarrhea, throwing up and anxiety. It also made me feel like I didn't want to do anything and just really tired. It started making me feel really different the past month and I just realized that it was the birth control because i'm not on any other meds and that was the only other possible thing. These birth controls are not good for anybody to be taking. The FDA are using us to see what side effects it will have on us, I don't know about you but i'm not going to be there lab ratz anymore.

as anyone who has gone off yaz started bleeding like it was their period? I took my daughter of this because of all the bad side effects, moody, depressed, dizzy, listless, liked to sleep, loss of appetite, and spacing out, and would get angry at anything, she is a senior u cant be spaced out in school. this morning she had blood when she wiped, like it was her period. if anyone had this let me know please

Ive been taking yaz for almost a year. I stopped taking the pill two days ago. I am currently on a heart monitor due to anxiety/panic attacks. I felt anxiety feelings soon after taking Yaz but it was not bad enough to stop. Now it is BAD! I am (was) very healthy (mentally and physically) and happy, and have never experienced anxiety until yaz. I also have a painful lump in my lower back. I have had a MRI which showed mild disc bulge. I felt the lump in April 2008, it is now 11/2008 and it is still there. I wake up stiff and in pain. Doc thinks its a muscle issue. I"m starting to think it is the Yaz. I also have had no sex drive, very dry and painful sex. Yeast infections and bacteria infection which I have never had. I cannot sleep. I am struggeling every day to be normal. I feel totaly out of control. I do not recommend Yaz. I cannot wait to be me again!

Don't take Yaz! My girlfriend has a cousin who was taking YAZ! She was doing great until one day she had to be rushed to the hospital! She had severe bleeding in her brain and also a blood clot that no surgeon would agree to operate on. Since she had to be on medications she had to stop all other meds, except Yaz! She kept getting sick and having severe issues that seemed life threatening! The doctors said she could go any day! And she is in her early 30's. Finally she just stopped taking Yaz! It has been a few months since she stopped taking Yaz the nightmare drug! Knock on wood she is now about 80% better. She ihas a lawyer and is in the process of suing! Please post here if you have heard of similar situations caused by YAZ! The product while it helps some people with the cramps, and a few other things, is not good!!!

Hi ladies! I started Yaz in June 08 after taking Ortho-Tricylcen-Lo for 6 years (It wasn't treating my cramps or mood swings anymore). The first month was bad. I had mood swings, breast tenderness, lower back pain, anxiety, weight loss, and no sex drive. I didn't attribute this to the pill, I associated it with a very, very emotional and difficult experience that was currently occurring in my life. By the second month, I put 2 and 2 together, and realized it was Yaz. I am a pharmacist, so I am well aware of the types, mechanisms, and incidence of these side effects. I knew that these side effects usually disappear with time after the body adjusts to a new/different form of progestin. By the third month, all of the side effects had subsided, except for the inability to gert aroused, which is very unusual for me! It wasn't so much the lack of interest, but the lack of physical arousal ("getting wet"). I almost got off the pill just because of that, but I decided to tough it out just to see what happens. By the fourth month everything is back to normal and I feel great. I lost a little weight, my breasts don't get swollen and tender during the third week (like a tricyclic pill), a don't have unusual mood swings, and my period is average in length and heaviness. It was a bumpy road, but that is to be expected when you mess with the body's natural balance. It takes time to recalibrate hormones, during which time you will not feel yourself! Weird stuff will happen! I think Yaz is a good drug and patients should stick with it for at least 5 months ( or at the digression of your physician of course), unless you experience a side effect that alerts you to a serious problem (severe leg cramps, difficulty breathing, or suicidal ideation). As for the fact of it being "new and unstudied", that's not completely true. Yasmin is a higher dose of the same drugs as Yaz and it has been around practically forever. This is an excellent forum, but don't be scared off or expect a cure-all from a low dose hormone. Good luck!

Does no one realize that this is normal for MOST BC. The low sex drive is normal! Mood swings.... normal. It can take up to 6 months for the meds to get out of your body once you stop taking them. I would suggest getting on a non hormonal birth control. Does no one read the side effects to Meds before they start taking them?

I am only seventeen and i have been experiencing horrible anxiety. I have only gained a couple of pounds but every time im with my boyfriend i don't want him to touch me because i feel so self conscious about my body, then all of a sudden i'll start crying. Why? i don't know. And i will randomly be so angry that i just have to scream and punch a pillow. This is horrible i feel depressed and im normally never like this. Bad Pill.

I have just recently began taking Yaz and am starting to experience side effects. I am in my third week, and am having a lot of anxiety, heart palpitations, mild headaches and shortness of breath. Sometimes I feel dizzy and I take them at night so that I do not experience the nausea that I know comes along with bc pills. I am on them because of my hormones being out of whack but I think I would almost rather deal with that than all of these symptoms. I think it's time to contact my OB/GYN and get off of these things...

I have posted my symptoms for about a week, I am HAPPY to say that I have only been off of YAZ 12 days and have already experienced some improvements. Im am sleeping again, and eating normally, the emotions have calmed down a little, I am still experiencing the cloudiness in the head, and a lil anxiety, and my stomach is still messed up occasionally. however I am able to get through the day without feeling like I am a completely Crazy person. I was only on it for a month, and I have never felt this way in my life, I heard that it will take about two months to completely leave your system, so everyone experiencing the effects of this EVIL drug, hang in there it will get better with time, you all are in my prayers. God Bless

I have felt over the past month, (the first time i have ever been on the pill) that I was losing my mind. I have had anxiety, depression, mood swings. I have also been clumsy, forgetting everyday things, feeling like I was in a daze, tired, oh its been horrible. I just hope this stuff leaves my system and I get back to normal.

I have PMDD and have been taking Yasmin for about a year with wonderful results. It's like I got my life back. On a whim almost 2 months ago at my yearly exam I asked if my Dr. had any samples of Yasmin because I was nearly out. She didn't and said I could try Yaz which she had samples of. I took them for 1 month and 1 week but I had to stop...I felt so irritable and hateful, I cried at the drop of a hat, I want to eat everything in the house, I'm exhausted and have lost what sex drive I had. The only positive thing about it for me was the 2 1/2 day period with no cramps. But I was miserable with anxiety and mood swings. I have stopped taking it about 4 days ago and am slowly feeling more calm and will go back to Yasmin However...every body is different and what works for one may not work someone else so I'm not saying Yaz is bad...but these affects are happening to some of us out there sp it may not be right for everyone!

I am so glad I found this page! I am 16 and have been taking Yaz for a month and a half.. the first month I felt great. I was loosing weight and getting shorter, lighter periods. About a week or two ago I started feeling pressure throughout all of my head and I just didn't feel like myself, so I suspected a head cold or an ear infection. At the same time I was also experiencing SEVERE panic attacks to the point where I thought I was having a heart attack and might be dying. These would sometimes last until 4:00AM and cause me to loose a whole night's sleep. Finally I had my mom make me an appointment with my primary physician. I had an EKG done, which came back normal, and my doctor put me on the handihaler. The panic attacks, anxiety, and paranoia had all continued. Almost a week has gone by since and I had another severe panic attack just last night... needless to say, after finding this website my mom has already called my OB/GYN and scheduled an appointment to change my BC pill. I took my last Yaz pill day before last and don't plan on ever taking anymore. I never thought that something as simple as a birth control pill could do this to a person.

nausea, headache, anxiety, hairloss, hairloss, oh yea; major hairloss, light headed. I was on yaz for 3 months, all side effects had went away except for the hair loss. I stopped taking the pill mid pack, i was scared of losing my hair. My Dr. said to go back on my pill, that the hair loss would get worse if I went off. My Dr.also told me that the pill was most likely not the cause of my hair loss and that if I stayed on the pill it would eventually correct itself. I went back on the pill after being off for only 2 weeks. This is my first week back on the pill and I think I am losing my mind, and my dinner. I remember this feeling only lasted for a few weeks the first time I took the pill. At this point, I just want to keep my hair, so I am back on the pill and just started using Nixion products. I will keep you posted. The side effect that never went away was yaz made my oily skin dry. On the positive, I lost weight, and my small breasts grew a cup size. Any advice on the hair situation?

I am a 38 Yrs old and I took myself off Yaz 2 nights ago after being on it for 2 weeks. I still need to call the gyno and inform her. My personality completely changed, my moods terrible, snappy and extremely short fused, i think i'm officially banned from the dunkin donuts at the end of the street after yelling at them for screwing up my order-normally i'd let it go and just get it fixed, no patience whatsoever. I'd never been on birth control before, and I'll never go on it again after this experience. I didn't even want to be with myself. I can't believe my boyfriend didn't dump me after Sunday. The side effect i find odd and worrisome the most is, and I still have, pressure in my head and throat and tongue, it's dissipating as of today but started last Thursday (about a 1.5 weeks on the yaz). Has anyone else experience the head pressure?

I was on YAZ for only 7 days before I felt suddenly and completely crazy! On the Yasmin site there are several women complaining about YAZ side effects and asking if anyone is interested in starting a lawsuit. I feel there is enough severity and consistency in the complaints to start one. I don't believe a medication should be on the market that causes so many so much distress. If I could just save one women and her family from what we've gone through I would be willing to put quite a bit effort into it. Please respond to me or one of the women on the Yasmin site if you too think your suffering was enough that no one else should have to go through it. I read the side effects very carefully as I always do but I don't remember any that warned you may lose emotional stability. I had no history of such severe, or unmanageable anxiety, depression... . Please help us take this drug off the market, Imagine how many other women are suffering but either not looking on this site or stopping to share their stories.

I am 20 years old and have been on Yaz for a year now. Before the Yaz I was on OrthoTriCylcen Lo for 3 years and tried a few others that didn't do well for me at other times. My Gyno prescribed me Yaz because I had heavy bleeding and intense pain every time my period comes, and I have been known to be very moody. I have a past medical history of heart problems and GI problems. My Gyno said Yaz could also help the anxiety from those issues. The first month into the Yaz I noticed horrible nausea, I couldn't eat anything, major stomach pain, headaches, very lethargic, back pain, leg pain, and increased anxiety. I went back to my Gyno about a week later because my pain was so bad and my bleeding was heavier and MORE painful. She said to give it a few months so my body can adapt and everything will be better. She then said that my other side effects (like nausea and back pain and anxiety) were unrelated and I needed to see my primary care physician. My mom told me to stop using the Yaz, but I decided I wanted to keep trying it. So no I see my primary physician once a month because I am so "sick." I am on like 10,000 meds to try and help everything. Even he doesn't think it could be the Yaz. There are days where my pain levels are so high that I cannot sleep or get out of bed. I have had blood work, MRIs, Sonograms, Colonoscopys, Ultrasounds, etc.. I am so tired of this. At this point I feel like the doctors think i'm a hypochondriac. I have an apt to see my gyno again (for the 5th time), i'm printing out this page and showing her i'm not crazy!

I have only been on this pill for a week and the side effects have begun to drive me crazy and I mean that literally!! On my way to work this morning I had a panic attack, I've never had anything like that before. I started to cry while eating breakfast and then in return I just became angry. My poor boyfriend has had to deal with me as well.... I'll be so nice to him and then 20 minutes later I'm completely angry about life and him and everything he does! He could do the littlest thing and I'm so upset. My doctor switched me to this from orthotricylin because I have really bad ovarian cysts and she was hoping this would help...obviously not! I went to the health center at work and talked to them about it, and said that there was no way this could be related to Yaz...because Yaz is supposed to be the latest and greatest thing and make it so you have no mood swings...that is completely wrong. I also never had problems with nausea, now every morning it takes me 3 hours to not feel nauseous and to be able to even eat just a piece of toast.
I have been trying to get ahold of my doctor to see if I can stop taking the pill now because I do not think I can go through 2 more weeks of this or I believe I will be single and crazy!
Please if you have stopped taking this pill, how long did it take you to be a normal woman again?

I have been taking Yaz for about 6 months. I am astounded at this website. I never even thought that the symptoms I have been feeling could be attributed to my BC. I am 38 and overweight. BC is a necessity for me and I changed to YAZ for headaches. At first, the headaches were better, but now I am having them quite frequently. I am also having mood swings and anxiety about things that normally wouldn't bother me. Added to the fact that I have been diagnosed with acid reflux and take Zantac and Aciphex, I am beginning to wonder. I am going to call my gyno tomorrow and see if I can make a change over the phone. I doubt it, but maybe. Thanks for all of your posts. K

At first, Yaz was fine. I had been on Yasmin for 3 years, and switched to Yaz. I had no side effects from Yasmin. This is my 4th month on Yaz, and I've had a multitude of side effects. The first month, no period at all, second month, lighter period, but it started late and I was BLOATED and CONSTIPATED for the whole period. Third month, my vision is getting worse, I have ridiculous headaches, insomnia and anxiety. I started my 4th month of pills (hoping that my body just needed a few months to adapt to the new BC) and this has been by far the worst month ever!!! I've been on my period for 2 weeks now, even though I've finished a whole week of hormone pills, and I'm BLOATED LIKE CRAZY. It will not go down! And my mood swings are out of control. Any little thing will make me loose my temper, or I'll start crying and ask my husband a million times if I'm fat. My headaches are worse, insomnia is worse and now I'm sensitive to light. And I'm carrying around an extra 5 pounds on my butt that I didn't want. Plus, it's a load of crap that Yaz helps with cramps. Now it just feels like one person is kicking me in the stomach instead of two (which really is no different). This is just my experience with it, and I'm sure some people do great, but would recommend doing research on other pills before committing to Yaz.

I have been off YAZ now for almost a month.
I still have anxiety, but nowhere near as bad.
Did you know YAZ can cause upper repertory infections? I had 2 at one time. I thought it was just the cold season. And if Getting a PAP once a year isn't bad enough, YAZ can cause your test fail. in other words you have to have another. YUP! All from the YAZ most of this is on their site and on the listed warnings and side effects. For me YAZ meant Anxiety I stopped taking it one week into my 6th month. I feel a bit better everyday.
I just hate to think that I got put on Zoloft and Xanax because of my BCP
and now I have to battle getting off the pills to feel like me again. I have done a lot of research and talked to a lot of people. Its not just YAZ its many other birth controls. well... there are always condoms.

This is by far the worst pill I have ever taken. Before Yaz I was on Nordette, Ortho Tri cyclen and Alesse. I saw the commercials and got sucked into trying this pill. All I can say is proceed with caution. I ended up taking this pill for the unhappiness 8 months of my entire life. I had problems with other pills causing weight gain (Nordette, Ortho Tri cyclen) or acne (Alesse). However, those symptoms are mild compared to what Yaz inflicted on me.

I have always been described as happy go lucky and Yaz gave me extreme moodiness, panic attacks about my future and life, and major depression. I did have the best skin of my life and lost about 5 lbs but I was an emotional MESS! I would cry at the drop of a hat and find fault in everyone and everything. This symptom didn't start right away but each month I was on Yaz got worse. My friends coined my "alter ego" "she devil." I almost felt possessed at times on this pill. I finally realized it was the pill and not life causing these problems when 3 of my girlfriends had the same problems and got off and the problems went away.

Prior to having this experience I thought people tried to blame too much on the pill but my experience showed me just how much these can mess with your body. I switched back to Alesse 5 days ago and it's like I am a different person--even my skeptical boyfriend noticed the change. As for the acne, I am going to go to a dermatologist to address that. I will be happy to have a few zits as opposed to being a crazy woman.

Proceed with caution on this pill and watch your moods carefully. Just because you've been on it for a few months doesn't mean you're safe. The majority of my emotional disorder started about 5 months in. I do have some girlfriends that like this but most have found it to bring out "she devil".

Hello again.
I thought I would give an update.
I was on my 7th day of a new pack of YAZ I just stopped taking it. Called my Doctor gave him a heads up. He did say it could be the cause of or agrivating my anxiety. It's getting better slowly, its been a week since I have been off of them. I have been talking to alot of friends, I have learned that this isnt uncommon. Not just for Yaz but many other birthcontrols. Rage, panic attacks ect. All caused from their birthcontrols. If anyone else is having horribly anxiety, call your doc and switch off the yaz and get something that works better for you. Hell being pregnant is better than this!

I cannot thank you people enough for writing about yaz. At first I was on yasmine. I was completely fine, I probably gained 5 pounds but that was it. I was on that pill for almost 2 years. I switched to Yaz because I wanted shorter periods. I immediately gained almost 15 pounds. I became extremely depressed for no reason. I started having sensitivity to light and pain behind and in my eyes. I was on it for about 3 months, now I have stopped taking birth control altogether. It has only been a week or so but I'm starting to think this birth control really messed me up. I have had panic attacks before, but I know what triggers them and probably had them once a year. It was something I could deal with. Now I have been off the pill for a week and have already had 3 severe and a couple less severe panic attacks. I literally cannot leave my house without triggering some sort of anxiety or fear. For right now, I can't live the life I want to. I am 19 years old, I've been trying to get a job and I go to school. The fear and panic in me is so severe, I do not know if I can even drive right now. On Monday, I'm going to my doctor to tell her what this did to me. Good luck to all of you out there.

My 17 year old daughter started taking Yaz, and before she finished the first pack she was going crazy. Severe anxiety, overwhelming feelings, depression, aggression, and finally crying jags, the last of which lasted 2 hours with anxiety, when we finally put 2 and 2 together! What a nightmare week, as things escalated. She also was not thinking rationally, I think because of the anxiety. Of course NONE of this is mentioned on any Yaz list of side effects or any WebMD type pages on the internet!! Damn Big Pharma. They can say anything in the TV adds, the FDA does not regulate them. Luckily, it wore off in 24 hours.