Yaz and yasmin

I was on YAZ for about 4 months. And like all medications, i gave it time. In the beginning i experienced a lot of nausea, fatigue, headaches, and severe diarrhea. And instead of clearing my skin, it made my skin absolutely terrible. i stuck it out in hopes that my body would change, and begin to get use to the hormone but it didn't. I have been having GI issues August, have been through a Colonoscopy, and everything came back normal. Ever since stopping this pill, my body has felt so much better overall, but the GI issues are still there which concerns me greatly. Has anyone else ever experienced this? My bowel movements have changed completely, and all of the specialist i have seen, say that the pill wouldn't do this. I do not believe it. I believe that the pill has messed up my GI tract so much, that i can't have a normal bowel movement. I honestly do not recommended this pill to anyone. I am 18, and to be experiencing what i am especially going to school, is so not fun. Could YAZ have been the cause of all of this?

Who honestly thought Yaz would make me so emotionally unstable that the love of my life would soon bring me to the point of appearing in court fighting a restraining order?? wow i thought i was pretty much effed for life, i tried lexapro, effexor, ativan, adderall, xanex, wellbutrin and u know the usual bs. At the point of seeing a stranger in my reflection with no one left to tell i just stopped caring about even taking yaz and soon after i fell like i was slowly waking up. Please i am 22 years old i let yaz control 2 years of my precious youth dealing with over barring spilling emotions from hell STOP taking the legal pink pills that rapes you of your soul!!!! i would rather have 5 kids in 5 years then have to resort to that fucked up point of devastation ever ever again!!!

i just wanted to let you know tha I am a RN. I have been on YAZ for 3 months only. In this time frame, I have had severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and back pain. I at first blamed it on the hormones but now attribute it to bad side effects from YAZ. I have already had my Gallbladder out when I was 18 yrs old (side effect of BC pills). Anyway, my doctor just sent me for an upper GI and small bowel follow through....but, I think that it is all related to YAZ. The MD thinks I am just being a "know it all" nurse, but I have research this med. I have lost 12# in 3 months (bonus), lol....but I am sick of being sick...my husband thinks I am a big complainer, but its real and it hurts. I would have been in the ER also, but being a nurse, I am a little more stubborn to go to the hospital. I did go one night because the pain was sooo bad but the wait was 3 hrs and I vomited 3 times while waiting, The pain was now tolerable so I left! I have 5 days left of YAZ, I was going to try to last out the rest of the pack, but after getting severe pain, again, tonight....after eating soup only all day and throwing it up...I am DONE WITH YAZ. I am stopping cold turkey...the body will regulate itself. I want to feel better. I hope once this stuff clears my body, I will feel better once again! Good luck!

I thought i was losing my mind, i started YAZ 22 days ago and since i started severe fatigue & no sex drive., My skin also has started to break out plus i have on & off cramps. I have to find another BCP!!

I was on Yaz for 3 months starting in Aug.2008. Within the 3 months I was in the emergency room 4 times for severe Pain with my kidneys, and twice for my galbladder. I also got pregnant the last month I was on Yaz.

I am 17 Years old. I began YAZ two months ago. I'm usually very athletic, outgoing, fun, and EXTREMELY energetic. Since I began YAZ my life has been turned upside down. I HAVE HAD MY PERIOD FOR THE LAST MONTH STRAIGHT! I felt like I was going insane, I'm so grateful to know that I'm not the only one. I wish I could have found all of this out BEFORE hand, my symptoms are just like everyone elses. Im depressed, cry over everything and anything, I'm angry ALL the time, have no energy, fight with my family and boyfriend over EVERYTHING. I feel like SHIT. Can I just get off of it? Or do I have to talk to my doctor or finish 3 months first? I don't know what to do :'(

I have been on Yaz for almost two years - I quit last week. I was put on it after being diagnosed with PMDD and, for the most part, it helped a lot and I thought it was the answer to all my problems. After the first year I was on it though, my symptoms started to return and worsen. I started having severe anxiety issues. It was as if my body couldn't process the stress in my life anymore (which was no more than any other college student with a medium-heavy workload) and its only reaction was to go into full-fledged panic mode. I experienced a steep drop in my self-esteem to the point where I'd sit and look out at everyone else wondering how it was that they could find so many things to be happy about. My life is pretty great - no severe illnesses, functional family, graduated with a degree, great friends, great church - and I couldn't think of any reason to be happy. No one should have to consciously and objectively list things to be happy about and then try to convince themselves that they just forgot about them. I found that I'd rather be alone than be with even my closest friends and family members. It was the sad version of my angry PMDD anti-socialness. Anyway, months of chronic stress and depression led to a panic attack last year that took me nearly two months to recover from (nausea; tingling sensations in my arms, legs and face; lack of appetite; tightness in my chest; trouble sleeping, etc...) and the sensation of detachment that comes with a panic attack has only recently begun to subside. This detached feeling lends itself well to having a cruddy memory. I'll look at pictures from a year ago and not remember what has happened between now and then - it feels as if those pictures are just from the other day or the other week. I don't really remember the semester of my panic attack. My memory feels second-hand, like someone told me about it but I never really lived it myself. I sometimes have moments where I just forget where I am when I'm driving to my sister's house, 15 minutes away. It only takes about a minute to regain my sense of direction and remember what street I'm on - but it's a scary minute! I don't think that all of my experiences were caused or made worse by the pill (I hope not, since when I actually need birth control for birth control purposes I'll have a hard time finding a low enough dosage that doesn't screw me up), but I'm going off of it to see how I feel on my own. I'd rather be mad for a week every month and combat it with more exercise, music and a fleet of vitamin B12 than be sad all the time.

I've been on Yaz for 3 months now and have had lower back pain , and major stomach pains that I'm keeling over in pain I did some research on this pill and see all these comments and lawsuits oh my god .. I went to my doctor and she said that birth control don't cause these kind of side affects and she thinks it could be an ulcer and she put me on meds for an ulcer and I'm waiting for blood work results before I go for a scope I don't know what to believe or if I should stop taking the pill and see if this pain goes away any suggestions out there email me at ******

I just started my second month of Yaz, and this last week or so I have been experiencing side effects, such as; mood swings, irritability, loss of patience, sudden crying fits, and headaches. I think it is too soon to notice any weight change, but I am just not happy with myself. I have read through the posts, and I am happy that all of you have posted, but I haven't seen anyone talk about other options. I am wondering if anyone else has been given any recommendations. I have been on Yasmin in the past (high school, I am now 24), but never experienced these side effects before. The pill does clear up my mild acne, but only until I hit the last four pills. Not a concern of mine, I would rather not be so moody and irritated all of the time. Can these side effects happen so soon? I thought that it took longer for birth control to be in your system. Any comments back would be great. As of today, I am off Yaz, and have scheduled an appointment with my gynecologist to discuss further options.

i started taking it in January, for mild acne. Initially it worked wonders on my face, but eventually like three months ago I started feeling extremely depressed. I was not happy with myself and appearance, which ultimately lead to having a problem with eating. Every time I get near food my stomach cringes and I get nausea. I just got off the pill but was wondering if anyone has ever experienced this feeling. Beside my loss of appetite, I have secluded myself and have become more and more depressed. I thought it would get better but it hasn't. It has just made everything worse and more complicated. It has affected relationships with friends and family. Has anyone else felt the same way?

I am 22 and was on ortho tri cyclen off and on for 5 years. I really had no issues with that, and only started taking yaz because my doctor gave me some free sample packs. I was interested in shorter periods. Now after taking yaz I am desperate to start taking my old pills again. My symptoms include:
weight gain
extreme mood swings (to my husband, I'm sorry)
extreme depression
feelings of worthlessness
extremely strange cravings (I will eat maple syrup right from the bottle or eat half a pizza)
tiredness
headaches
absolutely no sex drive

The good news is that my face is very clear. But personally clear skin is not worth being so mean to everyone in my life. I really do not forsee myself continuing use of yaz.

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 was on Yaz for about 2 years or so. I decided to take a break from it and then decided to look up the side effects. I found this site and another one like it. I can't believe I didn't know all the problems I was having could be from this pill.
After reading about all the side effects I decided to get off it completely.
At first when I was on it, I was great. My major adult acne FINALLY went away. No other B.C. pill worked for that. My moods right before my period were so much better.
I had been depressed a lot and this pill seemed to help a great deal.

Then about a year into the pill, I developed major food allergies. I figured out I can't eat anything with soy (or only very small amounts). I had always been lactose intolerant, but now I can hardly eat any milk products at all. Dairy and soy products completely dry me all up. I can't breathe anymore. My eyes are always dry now, especially when I wake up in the morning. I sleep with a humidifier and the Breathe Right nose strip every night now. My chest is a lot tighter and my upper back hurts a lot now. Not sure if that is related to Yaz or not.
I also have asthma, which was well controlled for years, but now it seems this pill has made me a lot worse.
I also had heart palpitations, dizziness, and severe fatigue. The fatigue seemed to come on in the last year. I could still go to work, but got so tired easily. When I got home I just wanted to do nothing. If I slept all night, it still felt like I didn't sleep at all when I woke up in the morning.
My sex drive in the last year was piratically nothing as well. That among other things ended my long term relationship.
I thought all these things were due to getting older. I'm only in my late 30's.
I also had severe headaches all the time. I thought my head was going to explode.

I've only been off the pill for just over a month, so I hope things improve.
I feel my energy is slowly coming back and the headaches are getting less frequent.
Thanks for all of you on this site and others I have read.
I think it has saved my life.

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'm 39 years old and in 2006 i suffered a heart attack while taking Yasmin birth control. In 2007 I had my gallbladder removed. The events happened one year after the other. The heart attack in July of 2006 and the removal of my gallbladder in July of 2007. I never new that this could be from taking Yasmin. I was shocked when the doctor told me i had a heart attack. I'm thinking no way, I'm to young. The only reason why I took the Yasmin was because I have suffered from acne all my life and since I didn't want anymore kids why not use the Yasmin for both. Never in a million years would i think this would have given me all these problems. I now have high blood pressure and I'm still suffering from depression.

Hello ladies:

I just wanted to mention to those of you who have experienced terrible side effects from Yaz that there is a website called the "Yasmin Survivors Forum" (if you type it into your search engine it will come up in the results list). There, women who have taken Yasmin OR Yaz share their experiences with side effects and symptoms, offer advice and answers to questions you may have, share their experiences coming off of Yasmin or Yaz, and offer their support. It is a great site with lots of information that may help you. Look forward to seeing you there.

Best of luck and good health,
M.

I'm sorry so many have had such negative experiences with YAZ/Yasmin. Mine has been nothing but good. No other pill has worked for me with regard to my PCOS, painful cramping, bloating, etc. and I've been on it over 4 years. When my insurance wouldn't cover the cost I tried others as a substitute, and none worked half as well. On any other pill my periods were so painful, that cramps woke me up in the middle of the night. I pay out of pocket for it because it's the only pill that has really helped me...and I tried 4 or 5 others, all with no benefit/relief for my painful periods and PCOS.

As for mood swings/depression, I was/am already on a daily low dose of paxil, so perhaps that preempted any mood effects like those described by some. All I know is, this pill works for me when nothing else has and the only real negative side effect I have from it (if you can call it that) is increased urination from the diuretic to counteract bloat. Can't say I mind so much.

I'm sorry it's not been the same for others. :(

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 started taking YAZ for PMDD two months ago and it has helped so much. It has seemed to mess with my menstrual cycle, though. The first month I took it my period started on the second day of the white pills, I had light spotting a couple of days before that and now I am on my 2nd month and I am on my third day of white pills and no period and no spotting.. no sign of period so far. I seems to be messing up my cycle... ugh!

Any thoughts anyone?!

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.

Hello,
I have been on Yaz for a little over a year. I have experience a few side a affects, which has me on the path to changing my birth control. Since I was 18 I was on Othro Novum, last year I decided to try Yaz to help me with my mood swings during my period. I have notice I have gained about 8 pounds this year. I have been working out for the last month and my weight has not moved. I went on that website for yas and weight gain. Thinking okay limit my calorie in take and workout. That has not work. Recently, I have been having BAD migraine headaches. I had a migraine headaches the entire week before my period and during the week of my period. I went to a neurologist earlier this week and he prescribed me migraine medicine and told me to get off the YAZ. Oh yea and decrease sex drive. Sex is thing from my mind. So, now the question is what do I go on now. I am 26 and I didn't have this many problems on my previous birth control. I thought about Yasmin but I hear you can have a decrease in sex drive with that too. So what do you go on then?????? lol

I have taken YAZ for over a year now and have recently stopped after running out. I have recently started gaining weight, becoming moody, but I have noticed that I have a lot more energy where as before I was sluggish and had a very hard time getting out of bed. I would get up late and take a nap in the afternoon. It got bad enough that I was running late to work, and was not able to get up to attend class on time. Lately I have been up early and have stayed up all day. I wish the weight gain would go away being that I've gained about 20lbs in 3 months and I feel hungry all the time.
My big problem is that my period has been about a day in length or non-existent (I know lucky me) but I have never had this problem. My period has been regular since it started 12 years ago. I take pregnancy tests every month being that it makes me nervous that I could be pregnant and they come out negative. The doctor doesn't seem concerned and says it'll start again. Im curious if anyone else has experienced this problem in stopping bc because this is the first time I have ever stopped taking pills. It makes me nervous as to whether I should be seeking different health care being that I am still young and have not had children yet.

I am so glad I decided to look at side effects of Yaz tonight. I have been on it for 4 months and have gone through hell the last 4 months. I attributed my depression and mood swings to losing my job, which I loved very much, and having to go back to waiting tables, which I don't love. But in the back of my head I knew that I would normally be able to weather this kind of thing with poise. Instead I've been crying myself to sleep almost every night, been short tempered with my daughter and husband, and had zero sex drive. When breakthrough bleeding happened again (I've had it every month), I called my doctor. She is switching my pill in 10 days, but after reading all this, I wish it were tomorrow. Anybody on this pill who has experienced any kind of life change (emotional, mental, physical) since taking it should request to be switched. As patients on a voluntary prescription like birth control, we have the right to switch whenever we choose. You don't have to wait 3 months!

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'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 have been on YAZ for over 2 years now. The previous bc that I have used in the past were Ortho tri cyclin which was awful, I was close to severe, obvious depression and Yasmin in which I was fine with. For the first couple of months on YAZ I was extremely emotional. However, I felt as though my hormones regulated and was fine with the drug I'd say until the past year. This entire time I have been wondering why I have been...
1.) Hot flashes in my sleep (I'm 26).
2.) Always tired. ALWAYS.
3.) Lost my sex drive.
4.) Experiencing horrible headaches.
5.) Most upsetting to me, lack of interest in life,nothing makes me happy or excited.
6.) Knee and neck joint pain.
Normally I am easily excited and love life with no lack of energy.
I am happy to see that I am not the only one experiencing all of these symptoms. I have been wondering if this is linked to my bc and if I would be better off stopping.
My doctor on the other hand has told me, the past two times I've questioned her, I don't think you should stop your bc just keep on and see if it changes. Thanks for nothing doc.
Thanks to all of you I know I'm not falling apart.

I was on Yaz for 5 months, and didn't realize the side effects were creeping up on me until I caught a stomach virus that just kept lasting and lasting.

I became increasingly anxious, nervous, and irrationally fearful. My heart rate soared up to 110 just sitting (it is normally in the 60s), I could not eat for several days and lost 9 pounds. My ears felt full and sometimes painful. I had shortness of breath, dizziness, and some chest pain. I felt constantly "overstimulated" and could not handle any amount of stress.

I have only been off of this pill for a little over a month, but I believe I am starting to get better. There IS a lawsuit for this drug, so please do a search for Yasmin Survivors Forum and find the thread titled Newest Lawsuit Info Feb 2009 if you have also experienced side effects like these.

Has anyone heard of a lawsuit that is being filed against the makers of Yaz? I used this pill last year and it was freaking awful (see my post on May 10, 2008). I am not the type to stay quiet when angry. I have made complaints about my former doctors who refused to listen to me about this pill. I sent complaints to the doctors, called the clinic's/hopital's patients advocates departments and I've also written complaints to the Missouri State Board of Healing Arts. It's not the doctors' faults that this pill is so terrible. However, I do think doctors need to realize that health care is a partnership between patient and doctor and need to listen to their patients' worries and concerns. Trust me, what I did was definitely a step in the right direction. Once my family doctor found out I reported him to the state and that I made a complaint to his office manager/patients advocacy administrator he called and left a message on my answering machine. He was so nervous and you could hear it in his voice, he couldn't even recite the phone number where he wanted me to reach him (I saved this message for entertainment purposes). Anyways, like I said before, if anyone knows of a lawsuit being filed I'd like to know. I'm going to go search for information now. Thanks!

Has anyone been on Yasmin, if so what are the side effects you have faced? I recently started it and i've had a headache of and on it's not bad but i'm a little worried. My appetite has increased but that's the most i've seen so far, yur answers will be deeply appreciated.

YAZ BELLY!! anyone else got it? I have been on this pill for 9 months now & about to switch back to ortho novum product. Within the first mth of Yaz I developed a very round (almost menopausal or pregnant shape) lower belly. It has increased over the past 8 months to a ridiculous size that no pants fit but go figure....no weight gain for 7 months. How does ones shape change that much with no weight gain?? I actually am diligent on diet & workout 3 - 6 days a week. Have looked the same for 2 years til Yaz. Now I have to size up due to the belly & rollover. Also past 3 months I started to experience ovary pain that has become significantly worse. Ob/gyn brushed off my issues at first & passed me on to GI. I have had every stomach test & all good! Remarkable they say! So back to GI to switch this week. The only plus of this pill has been a much improved complexion & actually unlike the rest of you...increased sex drive. All I want to know is I am the only one with Yaz shape belly??

I've been on Yaz for about two years. I stopped at one point, because it makes me miserable, but wasn't menstruating after six months (and definitely not pregnant) so my doctor convinced me the Yaz would make me better. Who knows - maybe it just takes more than six months for the 'brain fog" side effect to go away, but I agreed to go back on it. I exercise daily, and I've always been a healthy eater and still am during the day, but after this pill I just want to shove junk food in my face all night or anytime something is stressing me. On Yaz, the wind blowing the wrong way can stress me. Still exercising, but gluttonous, I've gained 20 lbs. I don't remember what having a sex drive feels like, and I've lost all ability to be a patient and upbeat person. I have a B12 deficiency from the pill, and possibly vitamin D as well...the D is fun, because occasionally the joints in my feet and hands swell up, eliminating my ability to function normally, and I get hives. Thanks, Bayer!!

I have been on Yaz for almost two years. The first year was convinced it was a miracle pill because all my PMDD symptoms disappeared. Since April of this year I have been walking up around 5 am and throwing up. I am on day six of my January pack and have had diarrhea or vomited in the morning. I know 100% I am not pregnant because I use the Yaz as directed and condoms. However I since bc convinces your body your pregnant I think I am experiencing morning sickness. I have talked to several doctors, a nurse, and a pharmacist about this issue and they all think it is highly unlikely I could be experiencing a side affect after having none for so long but I think they are wrong. I have a big training event a t work coming up in February and don't want to go off bc or start another because I'm scared of the PMDD getting bad. HELP!

I have been on Yaz for three months, first two were okay, not I totally feel prego, morning sickness, sore breasts, moodiness, weight gain, odd bowels. I tried to talk to my OB Tuesday and she got a page in the middle of my appt. Babies don't wait. She said to keep taking it she'd see me in month. AHHHH I can't do this, I totally broke down to my hubby last night and he said to stop it now. I have two beautiful girls, am 26, and am crazy!
Yaz has made me feel like my gestational diabetes is back, my head hurts often, I am cramping, lower back pain, irritably, want to sleep all the time, am short tempered with my kids....this is nuts!!!! Trying to get ahold of my doctor again, might just go back to my childhood family doctor. Good luck, I was on depo before my second child and had a horrible reaction to it too, even miscarried after I had been off of it for a year and still hadn't had a period. Birthcontrol stinks, I feel like I am poisoning my body, and why, so I don't have another baby. So I am experiancing, nausea, headache, stomach cramps, depression, crazy feelings, irritability, fatigue, sore breasts, decreased sex drive, morning sickness.
Good luck with your decisions.

i am 17 years old and i have been on birth control for over 2 years,,
for the first 6 months i was on Yasmin && then my doctor wanted me to have a less hormonal birth control and switched me to yaz the only side affect was little weight gain...
i have depression but i never considered that it would be a cause of my birth control.
sometimes it gets bad... but my doctor said it was just an imbalance of serotonin in my body
my mom is extremely scared b.c she doesn't want me to have the dangerous side affects that she has recently been hearing about Yasmin... but are yaz and Yasmin the same?
i have been becoming increasingly worried about the birth control im on now.. i want to have children when i grow up. but after hearing that death could be a result of the birth control im on... im only 17 im just a kid...
im extremely scared now... although i haven't had any of the side affect i have read here.. im still extremely nervous especially since i have been on the drug for so long...

just found out
that the birth control im on could cause

* Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
* Pulmonary embolism (PE)
* Stroke
* Heart attack
* Death
* High blood pressure
* Heart disease
* High cholesterol
* Overweight
* Liver cancer
* Gallbladder problems
* Diabetes

is this true? could i really die?... im terrified right now

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.

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!!!

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.