Yaz and yasmin

i started taking yaz in June because ive tried almost every other birth control pill, and patch and my mood and depression seemed to be only when i was on one of these. I wanted to go on that mirana IUD however my doctor told me i shouldn't because i have not had kids, im not married and im only 19 however it seemed anything i tried gave me the same side effects. So they put me on YAZ instead, at first it was great shorter periods, little to no cramps, but now 5 months and i hate it. I live with my boyfriend now and when before my sex drive was high I have ABSOLUTELY NO SEX DRIVE LEFT AND IM ONLY 19, WHAT HAPPENED TO IT. And whats worse my moodiness has come back for example at the store today i lost it and started crying when they didn't have the coat i wanted to buy. I couldn't control myself i completely lost it. i don't know what to do with myself anymore. My emotions are worse then ever before i want them to put me on something that has no hormones my body cant take it. can anyone give me any suggestions.

I have been on Yaz now for a little over a year. I'm only 18 and I'm always exhausted and sore. My whole body aches almost all the time. Like most others on Yaz, I've been having really bad headaches on and off. I just found out today that the maker of Yaz is actually being sued because Yaz is such a dangerous drug. Exact words from the article: "ATTENTION: YAZ YASMIN PRESCRIPTION DRUG NEWS, On October 3, 2008, the United States government ordered the manufacturer of YAZ/YASMIN, a powerful birth control pill, to stop advertising that misleads the public regarding the value and safety of this drug. If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack, stroke, blood clot, or death after using YAZ/YASMIN, please call right now. SERIOUS INJURY LAWYERS"

That's an article from Phillips and associates...Apparently this isn't such a safe BC.

I have taken my 15th tablet this morning.

I already knew i was sensitive to new products, and if a small percentage of people have side effects, I'm likely to be one of them.

I browsed through the potential side effects on a my fact sheet and then put the paper away and focused on the positive effects i was looking forward to. I was keen for improvements of any sort!

Well here i am on day 15 and had to start googling to see if it is my imagination or something else.

I commend those women who stick it out for 3 months, but i just can't risk waiting around for an improvement or for it to settle.
I can handle the mid nausea that comes and goes, even the breast swelling, which has been quite extreme. I got a rash -acne like - on my face, initially my face became abnormally greasy too- like i had olive oil on my face! But the following is just not on. i can cope with physical issues, but not mental ones.

1. Moods- Depression and irritability - what a change- I am angry, nasty -want to leave my husband, say mean things to my young children. Don't care about my kids. No warmth. Feel overwhelmed by usual tasks like housework. Feel really negative about everything in my life. Feel sorry for myself for anything that is not positive or terrific. Don't feel motivated, don't care. Resent things that normally i would just go ahead and do.

Foggy brain- can't think clearly

My husband has clinical depression so this is not helpful- two of us being self centred can't work.

Anxiety- unbelievable. I'm like another person- I allow irrational negative thoughts take over. Each day is different, some worse than others.
I've been tempted even a week ago to ask for anti-depressants for anxiety and depression when i saw my doctor for something else. i thought I was going mad.

Fatigue,- some days i just don't want to do anything.

Sleep- a couple of unexplained nights of insomnia and really negative stressful dreams.

Probably other symptoms.

Everything described is an extreme and unbearable change in me, and this effect took place probably with 24 or 48 hours (I didn't keep a diary unfortunately, but the symptoms began almost immediately.

I wish it was a good experience but i am not willing to wait and see what my mental health will be like in a month or two. Not with young kids who need a mum. I just took a herbal laxative to hopefully flush out the Yaz I took this morning. No more for me.

I know birth control pills affect everyone differently, this is what happened to me. I started taking Yaz in January after being on Yasmin for 6 years (I had severe abdominal pain on Ortho Tricyclin and Yasmin gave me immediate relief. I had PMDD the last 6 months I took Yasmin and asked to switch to Yaz after seeing commercials on it, other than that I had no problems being on Yasmin for 5 1/2 years). The second month of Yaz, my PMDD went away, I felt normal and loved being on Yaz. I haven't had any weight gain, have mild cramping about a week before my period starts and my period is about 4-5 days and I hardly get bloated but I get a severe headache the day my period starts. The last 3-4 months, I've noticed I've had no energy but still try to exercise, I feel so tired no matter how much sleep I get, at times I don't feel very alert and have to focus hard when driving, have bouts with feeling depressed, and occasional constipation. I didn't have any vaginal dryness but often felt like I didn't have the energy to have sex. I had a blood screening last month which came back normal, this month I noticed my hair seems thinner. I suspected Yaz was the problem then I knew for sure after I found this website. My OB/GYN called in a new prescription for Yasmin today, I'm hoping that will help again - at least until I see him in a couple months, and that the PMDD symptoms do not return.

Agree with the earlier post -- read the drug insert that comes with your Rx! Majority of these side effects are well-known. Blood clots are a very well-known potential side effect of hormonal birth control -- non common but certainly devastating if it happens. Chances are good that these individuals have a genetic tendency toward abnormal clotting. The only good news for these gals is that they've had a warning (it's likely to happen again).
Re sexual dysfunction, it is a VERY common side effect of all hormonal BC. But especially with Yasmin and Yaz -- the form of progestin in these BC pills has anti-testosterone action which is great for acne but lousy for your sex life. Unfortunately, you might not be able to have clear skin AND libido.
For those with serious mood disorders on the pill, consider non hormonal forms of BC -- copper IUD inserted by an experienced clinician is worth considering.
And gals in your 40s, guess what? PMS often gets worse with age and then slides right into perimenopausal symptoms (did u know 10% of women never stop having hot flashes?!). Normalizing with BC pills is an option, but the sexual side effects are even worse for us older gals.

i want my body back!! i've been on b/c for the past 4 years. 3 Yasmin 1 yaz. i feel so stupid that i did not notice what it was doing to me . my side effects were no where as bad as everyone else's, but one thing is for sure, i have NO SEX DRIVE AT ALL!! I feel so bad for my husband. For the past three years i have been totally against having sex and always have to force myself. this is not normal for a 26 year old old who has a wonderful, good looking husband who i love with all my heart. my chest gets sore a lot as well. i just want to get off of these pills already so i can be myself with out chemicals interfering in my life. we're going to try condoms for a while until my husband can go in for a vasectomy. i wish there were more birth control options out there that won't screw u up.

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!

I'm a 22 year old newlywed and Yaz has been a nightmare. I was on Diane when I was 16 for a year for cysts on my ovaries, and after my period became regular I stopped it... Cysts came back at 19, took Yasmin, and cleared up again, it also helped with my acne. I wanted to get back on the pill for birth control purposes before my wedding, so I started September 2008. The wedding was in December 08, and about a month later, the side effects started to show up. My eyesight (previously 20/20) had gone back 2 points. I was always very slim, but I immediately noticed my bloating, and by the third month, I had gained 15 pounds. I became a miserable mess, irrationally emotional and anxious. But the major side effect of this poison as I like to call it was something that affected my marriage. Before the pill it'd be very very easy for me to get aroused/wet/in the mood/. Now I am dry, no amount of foreplay will get me wet, and this has lead to bigger repercussions. Due to the dryness, there was of course a sharp pain with intercourse. After trying for so long, and growing more frustrated, I developed a condition called vaginismus, where the vaginal muscles involuntarily clench up and become tense right before intercourse. No amount of trying and coaxing and trying to relax will help, this has become another condition altogether that needs treatment and therapy. I was becoming more and more emotional due to the buildup of these side effects. and geting even more frustrated by my doctors telling me its the 'best pill around'. I decided to stop the pill on my own cold turkey. I was on Yaz from Sept 08 till July 09 and I'm slowly getting my old self back. Its a process that takes time, but this was the best decision I've made. Nobody deserves this kind of distress over a stupid pill. As others mentioned, my period was a lot lighter but with a different and dark, sludgy consistency on the pill. I'm about to start my second natural period off of Yaz and I don't care that my periods are heavier and more natural now, with PMS discomfort. I'd rather live with that than unnatural hormones that almost ruined my life.

DON'T TAKE THIS PILL!!!!

Talk about an enlightening site. I am so thankful to have found this site and everyone's posts. I was on Yasmin then switched to Yaz the moment it was released. I switched because of low libido, fatigue and other symptoms possible associated with the Yasmin. So, I think it's been 3 years now and I guess things have come to a head because my sex drive is non-existent and I have now missed 2 periods (3 pregnancy tests - all negative), all I want to do is sleep, dizziness, and lower abdominal cramping to the point where my internists tested me for Celiac disease and other digestive problems. Tests turned up negative. So, after calling my gyno, and explaining my symptoms to the nurse, another missed period, and neg preg test, she suggested I take some time off of BC. She also said that one of the side affects of BC are low libido. Well, I think I'm going to take my chances, because I feel so dried up inside, not feeling sexual is causing major problems with my boyfriend. I have an ultrasound scheduled this week to rule out cysts or blockages possible causing the lower abdominal cramping. But my big question... HOW LONG BEFORE MY LIBIDO RETURNS? Can anyone give me some assuring words that I'll want sex again?

Hi all. I was on Yaz for over a year. After about the 9 month, and an international move I noticed my mood swings and emotions were out of control. I attributed this to the move, but after about 3 months realized that this could not be it. I became irritable, cried a pin drop, and had zero energy. I felt like I had no control over anything. I started doing research and have had great success with Yasmin. It has the same dosing as Yaz but only 21 days.

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!

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 started taking Yaz 3 weeks ago and I am feeling very sick, this headache wont go away ,stomach pain that's constant and dizziness and diarrhea I did not have this pain before, it just started when I started taking Yaz I should have research this Birth Control before I started taking it .Does anyone know how long it takes for this Birth control to be out of your system.

I have just spent the last hour reading some of the post about Yaz. I have yet to read one that states she is diagnosed with PMDD and that is the reason for her dr. putting her on Yaz. Yaz is not only a birthcontrol pill but also effective tool in treading PMDD. PMDD is the more life effecting sever side effects of your menstral cycle. Some of the side effects people are experiencing on Yaz are those that I suffer with on a regular basis. You see I have been diagnosed with PMDD. I suffer every month for at least 7 - 10 days before my period starts. I literally hate human contact during this period. The slighest thing makes me uncontrollably irrate with things from fuzz on my carpet to the site of my husband. I experience svere road rage. Have absolutley no desire to do anything but eat and sleep. These side effects make life for everyone around me pure hell. Once my cycle starts they subside. I literally turn into cruella deville every month. I have been put on other antideppresants for the treatment of PMDD with no good results. I gladly welcome nasuea, headaches and break thru bleeding versus no sleep for days on end, halluctinations, memory loss, and flat affect all symptons I experienced on Prozac the most common treatment of PMDD. Not only do I suffer from PMDD but I have horrible horrible monthly periods consisting of major bledding with excessive clotting. I go thru 2 40ct. boxed of tampons each month and a box of maxi pads too. So if a headache is the price i have to pay for a few months I say bring it on. Any dr will tell you and the pamplet that comes with Yaz state that you may suffer some side effects until your body becomes adjusted to the new medication. You can't just pop one pill and say whalla my life is perfect now. I just started Yaz this week and so far no symptoms listed on this site have i experienced. Maybe some people need to be more patient. Medications are like diets, they don't all work and they were not intended to be overnight miracle workers. I will keep and eye on this site and further update with any success and or non success I have with this med. Remember talking a med used to treat an ailment that you don't have can make you suffer from worse side effects.

I was on Yasmin for over 4 years with no problems. It actually helped me lose weight, lessen my HEAVY flow and decrease my cramps. I originally started it for the fact that my periods usually lasted over a week. I loved this pill. At my last exam, my gyno prescribed Yaz. I didn't notice much of a difference, though I still loved Yasmin and my doc gave me the option of going back at any time. After reading this forum, I notice that maybe my headaches that I never get I had a lot of after starting. This side effect did not last long, maybe two months. I had a positive experience. Everyone's body reacts differently, so i'd say give it thre months and see how you do.

I am here b/c I've been having crying spells with very light (at first no) periods. I've been on Yaz for about 4-5 months and I don't know if it's causing it. I've reviewed my life and don't really have any particular reason to be crying... great family, good life, good job, etc. so... why the crying. I'm here trying to find out if this might be a side effect. The good side? I'm not as irritable as I was before YAZ, while taking Ortho-tricyclen.