Yasmin and bloating

1. Blood Pressure 180/120 resulting in an emergency room trip
2. Weight gain of 25 POUNDS! Most/all of which was water and came off within the first week of being off from Yasmin.
3. Bloating and extreme water retention. See # 2.
4. Severe leg muscle cramping and foot pain
5. A mental feeling of not caring and general fogginess
6. Complete loss of libido
7. Acid reflux (probably from the diuretic in Yasmin)
8. General weakness in my muscles (there were times that I could barely open a revolving door).

I was on Yasmin for a year. I have been off for one month. I am still on blood pressure meds, but they don't think the Yasmin is out of my system. Has anyone else gotten hypertension from Yasmin and if so, how long did you have to be on blood pressure meds?

Some of my symptoms are getting better after a month, and some are not. If anyone is reading this to decide whether or not to take Yasmin, please don't. You may not have any symptoms right away and you may think you feel great, but that is the scariest part. When symptoms come on gradually, you hardly notice them until you are in the hospital emergency room.

ok so reading all this just CAUSED me to have a panic attack. i've been having bad depression and mood swings and anxiety and today i was having really really bad stomach cramps and bloating and i can't concentrate and now i'm freaking out. i'm a pretty bad hypochondriac anyway, and now i'm afraid i'm going to have a stroke or something.

i'm sorry if this is really rambly i just wanted to go ahead and post something while i was freaking out to give an example of the anxiety issues caused by this....
:(

i've only been on it for a month and a half now and only have a week left of this pack but after that week i'm quitting. just to make sure my period timing is normal...

oh by the way about me: i'm 17, i've been with the same guy for almost a year, nothing has changed drastically in my life , i'm not as big of a moron as i seem like from this post, i have normal bodily functions , i exercise regularly, i'm pretty healthy, and i normally don't have nearly this bad of emotional issues and don't cry as easily as i have been.

I have been on Yasmin for 4 years now and I only recently started to question if some of the things that I have been experiencing are related to this pill. After reading your comments here, I'm more convinced then ever! I am a relatively healthy 31 year right now but for over a year now I have had a terrible ongoing ache in the back of my right thigh, just above my knee. I went to a vein specialist who just wanted to inject me to reduce the vein and "hoped" that it would help resolve the pain. He said that I had reticular veins and that they can be painful but as I understand it, you can get pain in your deep veins, which can result in deep vein thrombosis and even pulmonary embolisms (very life threatening). I have also had terrible ongoing headaches that last me 3 days at least once per month. I've always suffered from migraines so I didn't necessarily connect these headaches to the pill. I have absolutely ZERO sex drive. It's like I have to force myself to do it and it fills me with anxiety to even "gear up" for it. I have vaginal dryness, which can be very frustrating during foreplay and painful during sex. I had previously always been pleased that Yasmin resolved my 10 + year battle with painful cystic back acne. I have beautiful, clear skin on my back since I started taking Yasmin. I have also experienced fairly normal periods (for me). I used to have debilitating cramps and periods so heavy that I would wear a tampon and double my pads (with wings) so that I could live through the first part of the day at work without completely breaking through and bleeding through my pants. They would last for 5 - 7 days but with the pill I have more normal periods, manageable cramps, minor bloating, and still a heavy flow but not nearly as bad as before. I have always had good cholesterol levels and low triglycerides until 4 years ago when I started the pill. Since then I have had 2 blood tests where my cholesterol has skyrocketed and my triglycerides are triple the "normal" range. I eat healthier now then ever before and I regularly exercise as well so I cannot explain my cholesterol change, nor can my doctor (after showing a food diary of mostly fruits, veggies, limited whole grains, lean meat and optimal water). He told me to "go on a low carb diet" and "stay away from "sugars". I can't explain it either, I am always thirsty. I drink almost a gallon of water a day. I have this constant craving for a beverage and dryness if I'm not consistently sipping on water. My eyes are always dry, so dry in fact that it makes me feel tired or like I just want to close them to give them a break. I just started using eye drops, which has helped. Also, I'm tired, very very tired. It's summer so my energy is better only because I force myself to go workout, which always makes me feel better. I must say though, all in all, I have some concerning symptoms that seem to be prevalent throughout the blog but I've also had some positive effects from Yasmin. My concerns and your comments however are enough to take myself off the pill (Yasmin and all others) to try and live with my natural hormones instead of the synthetic in the pill. I think the potential risks outweigh the rewards. Thank you all for sharing and helping me in my decision making process.

I would become a complete wreck two weeks before my period. I started noticing that it would become worse and worse as i reached 27.. I would not be able to concentrate i would feel that the world was coming to an end, i hated everyone , i took time off of work to sleep in, i hated myself. This was two weeks before my period. the other two weeks I was a happy goal oriented positive person.
I contacted my aunt whos a premed student and asked her what was wrong with me. I knew it wasn't PMS because my symptoms were so overpowering. She told me that I probably had PMDD and to take YAZ (birth control) .
Its my third month on it and I can not begin to tell you how happy i am she recommended this pill to me. Only side effects I ve had have been a little bloating and back pain... all worth having my sanity back.

Hi ladies,

I just finished my last pack of Yasmin on Thursday because I felt I was pumped with hormones. I googled "coming off the pill Yasmin" and came across your comments.
I was originally put on Yasmin by my Doctor as I had put on a few pounds. I lost that weight with exercise (can't diet) but I have never lost my DD breasts (I was a C cup before Yasmin) and I've a tummy which when I bloat the week before my period, I look pregnant!
I've been experiencing a lot of the negative side effects of Yasmin over the last year and I was beginning to think I was going mad.
I suffer from very bad headaches, water retention, bloating and loss of sex drive.
In the last 2 or 3 months I'm now suffering with nausea, leg cramps, sore breasts, anxiety and feeling down.
As most of these symptoms have occurred in the last year, I just got fed up. I've been on the pill for 14 years (on and off), and on Yasmin for at least 6 years. I'm now 32, I'm married and would love a child.
I feel by coming off this pill, my body will settling into a routine before I hopefully conceive.
So glad I found your comments and I'm not alone in how my body feels.
Thank You.

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

I was on Yasmin since 2001. I LOVED it, it was great for me. At the end of 2006, I read about Yaz and asked my doc to switch me and so he did. I developed hives and cystic acne all over my face and back. It was terrible, and I thought it would get better but it got worse. So after 3 months of Yaz i went back to Yasmin. I currently have no health insurance and have been paying out of pocket for it. EXPENSIVE! but worth it. I never had any negative side effects while on Yasmin. It actually was beneficial for me, cleared up my skin, no more ovarian cysts, lighter periods and little cramping. For me Yasmin works great. Until I had to stop taking it 2 weeks ago, everything was rosy. I moved from NYC to Upstate NY, 300 miles away, and transferred my prescription for Yasmin. When it ran out last month, I called my doctor in the city to request a refill and he declined without me going to visit him for an exam since it has been over a year, which is ethical but BAD for me, because it's not convenient or cost effective for me to get to my doc 300 miles from here. So I went to Planned Parenthood and they refused to prescribe Yasmin for me because I checked the box in the health history that asked if I have ever had a history of headaches. I have gotten tension headaches for years but none in the last few years and they told me that because I checked the box they can;t prescribe anything with estrogen in it to me. I was so mad, I walked out without my exam. I called my doc in NYC and am taking the train down for an appointment this week. Unfortunately, I have to spend a month off Yasmin. I have been on one pill or another since 1993, so I know what works for me by now, and Yasmin has been a GODSEND. I am currently a disaster. I have developed severe cramping and bloating in my abdomen, which is normally flat as a pancake thanks to working out a ton, I am ravenous and want to eat EVERYTHING, I am moody and have developed a few large painful acne cysts on my face, and so far it's only been 2 weeks off, 3 if you count the placebo pill week. I want to kill someone. I am totally miserable. My mood was level all the time on Yasmin and I never had acne and my ovarian cysts had ceased. Did I mention that I am miserable? I am experiencing extreme fatigue as well. I am actually considering going to the county clinic tomorrow just because I can't take it anymore. I'd sooner take the morning after pill (which Planned Parenthood gave to me to take before they gave me a script for some stupid progestin-only pill) to trigger my period, which I think I am going to do, and order a month of Yasmin through an online Mexican pharmacy, just to get this nightmare to cease. I'm going to go do just that right now. I can;t take it anymore.

I CANT STAND YASMIN!!!!
I've just completed one month of pills and I'm losing my mind!

After Just one week of being on this pill, I noticed I was completely irritable, and on edge with everything.
As well my breasts were so sore and by the time I was done my first pack I'd gone up a come size, as well I feel like i've gained a tonne of weight, I just feel bloated everyday.

I only started Yasmin becuase My previous birth control slowly took away my period. I was on Lo-Estrine and after about 5 months my period was smaller and smaller until gone, so my doc put me on Yas, and now i have an awful period.
never had such uncomfort in my life, bloating and mild cramping, which sucks as i've never had a cramp! I HATE THIS PILL!!!
I would never recommend it!

after getting my period at normal intervals for the first five months after i quit taking Yasmin, i stopped getting it. has anyone else had this reaction? it's now been three months since i last got it, and in addition i've been experiencing cramps and bloating almost constantly for the past month as though i were about to get my period (though so far i haven't). plus I'm thirsty all the time. does this sound familiar to anyone?

Ok, here is my deal. I am 22 years old and have been on Yasmin since I had my son in 2004. I have IBS, and now that I think back, until I have been on my pills, its gotten worse. I recently went to the doctor this week because of the inability to get enough sleep or good sleep. I wake up often in the middle of the night, am always tired and never have enough energy to deal with my 3 year old. I get saddened very easily. Get down on myself quite a bit. My doctor has prescribed me zoloft. I don't know what to do. If someone should have any opinions please contact me at ****** same email.

Amanda I think we should all keep an open mind. As women we know our bodies and definitely know when something is not right. I have been a ballet dancer for almost 17 yrs. I was young, happy, very active and when i was 19 I started Yasmin to regulate my period. My first three cycles were the worst, I am talking about nausea, headaches, tiredness(did not feel like dancing anymore was just too tired),vaginal dryness that lead to yeast infections terrible mood swings right down to bloating and fatigue. However after the first three months my body adjusted nicely and i was fine. I had been on Yasmin for 2 1/2 yrs and finally stopped a month ago when the symptoms become worse. Instead of PMS my doctor diagnosed me with PMDD instead of mood swings i was depressed(really) my face started to break out and i could not understand what was going on. I finally went to my doctor and he took me of Yasmin completely and I am now on Diane 35. Again my symptoms are back and they are worse but I know my body has to adjust to the pill. To you Amanda be careful what you say. Every woman biological make up is different and we all respond to medications differently.

37 yr old wife/mother of 2. I consider myself level-headed, analytical and have a strong Christian belief. I am a runner & healthy for the most part. (Gotta have the pizza & chocolate right?) That said...6 cycles on Yasmin28 for hormone regulation, stopped due to price doubling. Thinking about picking it up the next month at maybe a differ pharmacy but decided to do a little research on the side effects. Lightbulb/Ah-Ha moment.

Apparently the gradual changes I had been going through I have found others to be experiencing as well. I just completed a 2 week gentle body detox and called the health food store for some hormone suggestions. She told me to research "Vitex" aka "Chasteberry". I am now taking Standardized Vitex to recover from BCP as well as helping to naturally regulate extreme highs/lows (previous to Yasmin28). Because I am a "why??"-type, I explained away symptoms to stress/life's demands, not making a connection to medication. I was expecting Yasmin to help create the balance.

Most of the the following was progressively getting worse over time: Insomnia leading towards daytime problems of daily sluggishness/no-care hygiene, strong & frequent headaches unlike that of usual seasonal sinus issues, No sex drive (my hubby is a stud muffin & great guy too), eyesight worstened/blurry even to watch tv (not normal for me), legs hurt often but thought it was lack of REM sleep?, "moodiness" even when PMS was no where in sight on the calendar, bouts of sad/depressing/hopelessness thoughts which turned me to prayer for help. I was not feeling right to run (sporatic miles) so I don't know if jump in weight gain can be blamed on BCP or not. Digestive issue with soy became a Major problem, I'd look pregnant even if eating a little. Soy is in A LOT of stuff, read labels if bloating is a problem for you. I am more on the low sodium side so I knew it wasn't from that. I question if Yasmin escalated the results of a few stressful moments in my life - OR could it be that there would've been no stressful reactions/symptoms/effects if I had NOT been on Yasmin. I'm a firm believer in drinking water and a daily food-based vitamin and the power of prayer for help. I say this because dehydration and nutrient-lacking diets can reak havok and mask unexplained health issues.

It's a Godsend that I quit Yasmin, will not return to synthetic hormones. Since quitting? Fluid retention/edema elevated. With a late 1st period I lost 6 lbs of fluid/urine in 1 hour, 2 more lbs within the next few hours. I reluctantly started taking Direx, which is helping. I am on the backdoor of "Aunt Flow's" house for the 2nd time. I started running 3 miles regularly again, libido better, vision not as blurry-ok to watch tv (weird isn't it?), insomnia is slowly getting better. Overall I am not a moody, just some PMS which we all control the best we can right? I am smiling/laughing more again. After 3rd cycle I want some bloodwork done to check levels.

Wow, I am thankful for insightful websites like this one! I do agree Yamin28 should be taken off of the market. Let's educate the caring doctors with facts on our side effects. Maybe they will be more reluctant to prescribe Yaz (1 month on that was enough) and Yasmin. Pharmaceutical companies may listen up if sales are down.

As I read through these posts, I had mixed feelings between thinking they were a little too whiny (please, no offense) to too many memories sweeping back in.
Here is my story... I was on Yasmin for a few years, a few years ago, from ages 18-21. I am now 26. I'd always been active and in shape, no major health problems. At 19, I started to get weird leg pains, tingling and numbness. It got much much worse. Long story short, I had two herniated discs in my lower back which was causing pinched nerves. I had steroid injections localized to my herniations. At this point my adrenal gland stopped working, my face swelled up like a balloon and I lost a ton of weight. Eventually, I had surgery on my back, but went to specialist after specialist to figure out what was going on with my non functioning adrenal gland. We figured that somehow the steroids had gotten into my bloodstream, which doctor after doctor told me was next to impossible. They were ready to do a write up in a medical research journal about my case. Eventually my 3rd Endocronologist (sp?) FINALLY told me to get off Yasmin. Somehow, this small bit of information was missed. My adrenal gland eventually kicked back into shape, my bloating went away and I finally and slow got healthy again.
So... coming back to Yasmin. After reading this site and continuing research on the effects of an influx of potassium, all of my symptoms lead straight to this source. The potassium increase caused the face swelling, muscle spasms, possibly even the nerve weakness (Only speculating, could have caused the herniation.) , from what multiple web sites state.
I must say that this is all speculation; however, light bulbs have just gone off in my head.
I was considering getting back on Yasmin because I now live in Thailand and they offer this pill. I have been on the NuvaRing and I love it, but I cannot find it here. If Yasmin was the cause of what happened to my body or not, I will not take my chances. Most of the symptoms listed by other women are effects of increased potassium. Please research this fact to become more informed about what is happening with your body. It helped me. I hope my story will in effect, help someone else.
And, I'd love to hear if anyone else had something similarly severe...

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

I have been on this for 1 month. The first two weeks was fine then I started feeling bloated big time. I do exercises for my stomach and I know I have good core muscles and I can't hold my stomach in. I'm not working right now need to be looking for work but I have been waiting for the bleeding to stop and the bloating to disappear. I am getting off of this. All of the head problems people are having are due to the extra drug in Yaz that deals with moodiness. I have been on tons of different anti- everything and usually it takes at least 3 to 4 weeks to adjust to your brain. If not it's not for you. I am completely off of meds now because I took the steps to freedom in Christ in a book called Breaking the Bondage by Neil T Anderson. I took ortho tri-cyclene before years ago and it did great compared to this stuff. Taking something to help with moodiness just causes a person to be numb to their feelings. The feelings don't go anywhere the pile up and that's why you find yourself at times crying uncontrollably. The only way to heal these things is to face them and the only one that can take that pain from you is Jesus. I know I tried everything. Exercise and changes in your eating habits will help with period problems. Water water water will help with acne.

Here is a new one...I have most of the above mentioned as well, mainly stomach upset..but has anyone else had problems or extreme bloating from IV narcotics or painkillers?? I broke a rib and went to ER..they gave me IV Dilaudid, another time I went to ER for severe strep throat given same IV painkiller..both time after about 10 minutes I bloated up like I was nine months and my lips turned blue and cold..I thought i was having a heart attack. Very painful...I thought it was because I no longer have my gall bladder...ER docs said that is no correlation....is it the YASMIN??? Anyone??

Hi all! I just began taking YAZ two weeks ago and things were fine up until two days ago. I started experiencing itching on several parts of my boy an last night, realized I had hives on my waist at my back, near my underarms and have serious itching all over the rest of my body including the palms of my hands. Please, please, please if anyone reads this an has had similar side effects, please let me know. Furthermore, I did not take the pill last night as I knew this could be the only thing causing these issues. Does anyone know the reprecution of stopping the pill mid month? Please let me know and thanks for your help!

I have been on Yasmin on and off for about 5 years and never had any trouble until recently. In fact, I thought it was the most amazing pill- no side effects! I recommended it to all of my friends and family. Recently my sister had to get off of it after being on it for 2 years due to bloating and heavier/uncontrolled periods. I have been progressively getting more and more bloated. I'm barely fitting in my bras now and feel like a whale! I usually get on and off birth control and this is the first time that I've been on the Yasmin consistently for 2 years. It seems like 2 years is Pivotal for people- that the symptoms progress over time or start showing up around 2 years if you don't take a break from it- which I really do not get! I go to the GYN soon and will talk with her but I think the answer is just getting off of it for a few months to take a break. The other pills give me awful side effects right up front. Has anyone switched to another bc pill and had success? I'd love suggestions....

I noticed I didn't put my side effects. They are "Charlie horses" or leg cramps, I don't eat like I use to, back pain, tingling shoulders, neck pain, bloating out of this world, chest pains, and heart palpations. The bad thing is I called my local health unit and they told me to continue taking the pill. What should I do?

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

Up until today I thought I was seriously going crazy. I have been taking Yasmin for about 2 years but I took a break from it for about 3 months. I just started taking it again in September and it has been going really downhill from there. Since I began taking it again my moods have gone out of control, nauseous, NO sex drive( and when my fiance would want to I would tell him to leave and that all I wanted to do was go to sleep), cramping, bloating.. etc..I have been doing poorly in school because I had been feeling depressed with the relationship between my boyfriend and i. My boyfriend encouraged me to medically smoke marijuana when I had pain from cramps and it has surely helped me. I know that I could choose to continue to feel like crap all the time or to figure out what is wrong with me. Finally I got online and wanted to see what everyone else was feeling while being on Yasmin. I had every effect that every other upset woman had. Finally I know what it is... YASMIN. I will stop taking Yasmin once this month is over. Thank god

I was on Yasmin for 4 months. I HATED IT!!! What is the point of being on birth contraol if you never are able to have sex? I was constantly bleeding after the 1st month. It was as if I had my period for 3 striaght months - every single day. And not just spotting, heavy flow. I was depressed, miserable and in so much pain. I had constant cramps and back pain. I went to the ER 2 times because of this and I was told the 1st time that it was just my body's way of getting used to a different pill. After I was on it for 3 months, I went to the ER a second time because I was in so much pain and bleeding so heavily, that I could not get out of bed. I actually had to wear Depends, pads were not nearly enough! The dr at the ER the 2nd time told me that he has had a ton of cases with girls on Yasmin with the same problem and to stop taking it immediatly. About 3 or 4 days after I stopped taking it, everything was back to normal - Thank God! I was extremely hesitant to try another pill after that, but I decided to give Ortho Tri Cyclin Lo a chance and I love it. No random bleeding, no cramps and my periods are always light. Yasmin should be taken off of the market. I have a bunch of friends who tried it and went through the same problems I did.

I have had some of the same symptoms described above, but they seem to have increased since I went off just days ago. I'm hoping they decrease in the next few weeks. I'm just so happy to be off of them, and I'm hopeful that my normal figure and state of mind will return. The last year and a half has been an emotional roller coaster.

Right now, three days off of the pill, I am so bloated it is painful. I know it's not constipation since that is happening regularly. What doesn't happen after "elimination" is relief. I am having constant abdominal cramping and bloating. It's awful...I have gained four pounds in as many days which is WAY more than I'm usually capable of.

The very first day off of the pill I had to call in sick to work with throwing up and other fun stuff. I thought at first that it was a 24 hour bug...but now I don't know.

Why do women get bullied into taking these products? It's been 40 years now and the best we still have is the pill? I'm going to take my chances I think with my natural mood swings and pregnancy.

(SIGH) well, with great relief i can say i'm not alone in the war against BC pills and side effects. the weirdest things started happening to me when i began taking yasmin - the 1st night i got my period after taking it i has THE WORST period pain EVER!!! so bad that i popped a mersyndol and no lie, within 30mins my sister was driving me to the emergency ward - i literally thought i was dieing. Anyway, turns out i had a MONSTER of an anxiety attack and a (viral) ear infection at the same time... GREAT!

at the time i had no idea what was causing my 'so called' spazo attacks - i just thought i had some horrid ear virus which would last a couple of months and clear up (the docs agreed). when it didn't start clearing up i started seeing docs on a regular basis, paying thousands for all sorts of tests even did the whole allergy testing thing thinking i'm seriously intolerant to something but to no avail... 4 years later and i'm still struggling with the following symptoms: dizziness (and i mean ALL the time), it's more like being lightheaded not so much dizzy spells, nausea, bloating, sore throat, tired/no motivation, weight gain 8 kgs in 3-4 yrs, i'm 29 (female) so i guess my body thinks it about to have babies... pressure headaches, ear ringing, my sex drive has packed up and left town, blah blah blah, i could go on... anyway, last month i went off yasmin (only cos i ran out) and spent 4 weeks al'natural. i got my period only a couple of days last and last sun i went back to the doc for gen exam and thought while i'm here i'll get a script for yasmin again... took my 1st pill on mon just gone - i can't tell you how rotten i've felt this week, i just thought it's prob pms or something no joke, everything has come back new and improved - now the dizziness is worse 10 fold, the bloating horrid... i've had a headache for 3-4 days now, constantly running to the loo. i feel like a TOTAL wreck!!! my husband thinks it's just women's stuff... pfffffft!!! he noticed i've been edgy all week and keeps asking 'what's up with you' and me thinking it's pms or something kept saying 'nothing honey' - well thanks to everyone who posted here i now know better!

oh, forgot to mention, after having my HUGE panic attack, the doc prescribed by 5mgs of lexapro daily and i've been taking that for almost 3 yrs - not sure if that's even good for my poor body...? helps with anxiety but purely masks the symptoms, hasn't cleared up - even the psychologist gave up cos she couldn't work out what was causing the anxiety... PFFFFT doctors... honestly!

good luck to everyone and head up guys, i know it's a painful process but eliminating the cause can take FOREVER and still i may neveer know what caused it...

I change to Yasmin three weeks ago, but I totally regreted. I have lost my appetite I just want to be drinking water. I feel dizzy sometimes because I haven't eat properly.I spend more time on the toilet at night that on my bed. Everytime I urinate I feel cramps on my uterus. My nipples and breast are always sensitive and painful. I feel that I am going to give birth (bloating) pain in my uterus, cramps and pain on my back. When I have sex I feel that my husband has spines on his penis it hurts and burns so bad. besides that my sex mood is going to hell. Do not mentioned my mood swings I can not stand no one. Sometimes I feel not talking to no one I even quit my telemarketing job. I feel sleepy, tired and always yawing anywhere anytime. One day I slept until 3 pm, my husband thought I was sick since I didn't want to get up from bed. When I have the chance to eat immediately has to come out, my bowl moments are like I been taking metamucil in every meal. Honestly Yasmin is WORST than Otrho-Low. I belived that there is no contraceptive good for our body.

I've also had so many problems that I never realized until recently were related to Yasmin. I'm so angry at myself for not realizing sooner. I started taking Yasmin about 3 years ago because I was on Ortho Cyclen for a long time and stupidly thought maybe I'd try something new. Ortho was great, the only reason I switched is because I like to run my packs together and skip periods and I was starting to have breaththrough with the Ortho. BIG MISTAKE. I've had nothing but issues since, and I consider myself a stable, normally functioning woman. Since staring Yasmin 3 years ago, my libido has completely dried up. In fact I can barely let my sweet hubby touch me, let alone initiate it. We're starting to argue constantly because things irritate me that never did before. I've had mini anxiety and panic attack symptoms, blurry vision, foggy head feelings, and weird inner ear pain with occasional ringing I never had before. The worst part is, shortly after starting this terrible drug I developed IBS when I'd never had it before. Now I literally run for the potty after every meal. I cannot even lead a normal life anymore. I've struggled off and on with depressive type feelings, but for the most part have been able to muster through. Some days I am just so fricking tired though I can barely get out of bed. Oddly enough, I also get very hungover from even small amounts of alcohol....(also unusual for me)

More recently I have developed increasing chest tightness and palpitations. I am only 33 and have been checked out and they say nothing is wrong, except for my BP which always used to be very low, and has risen steadily over the last 3 years. I have also experienced significant bloating to the point most of my clothing no longer fits, despite the fact that I eat little given the IBS. My thyroid has been tested and is fine.

Finally, my hair has gone from great spirally curls that I loved to limp, weird half staright, half frizzy. I've never had this ever before. You literally could see this happen over the last few years as new hair grew in, it pushed the curls out and left this behind. I actually blamed my hairdressers and went from salon to salon before I put it all togehter!

I stopped Yasmin 2 days ago as I have had enough. I want to take something though so I started Seasonale, but this will be it. I'm giving it 6 months and if things aren't better I'm done with hormonal BC. I think with so many women who have had serious problems on this pill, you'd think they would listen. My GYN said no way it could be the Yasmin causing the IBS, but Yasmin does increase serotonin levels and the number one side effect of serotonin is diarrhea...so I think it is the cause!!

Mixed review. Although I have only been taking Yasmin for two weeks, I am pleased to say that it has yet to cause a migraine. My previous experience with the pill, otho-trycyclen lo made me suffer every morning.I also packed on a few pounds with that pill.

The Bad: This pill -(Yasmin) exhausts me.I'm so tired, that I had to convince myself for seven minutes to write this review. Constantly fatigued, and then depressed because I'm tired and don't want to have sex with my boyfriend-(this is blasphemous, my boyfriend is a stunner) It's a vicious cycle.

Do not take this pill with Advil. I went completely numb, and my B/P dropped to 81/67. I had to smoke to get it back up.

Definitely more moody. Overall, I feel very blah. Less attractive, which makes the libido take a nose dive.Vaginal itching. Everywhere itching, actually. Painful intercourse. Feel like a virgin again. Teared up here and there, sobbed over yonder.

Itching. Not quite sure if it's because I reside in San Francisco-where mold and allergens are plentiful, or if it's the pill.

Bloating? Let's see....Felt bloating in the abdominal region for the first week, now it's subsided. I really think the major flaw in this pill is that it drains you of all energy so then of course you feel ugly, depressed, less sexual and fat.

If I get a migraine, this pill is history. I think I'm gonna give it an earnest three month try.

Why am i at home writing this? Its Saturday Night! Oh yeah, I'm too tired.

I am a 32 yo Mother to 4 children. My ONLY purpose for taking Yasmin was to control the severity of my periods. After the fourth child my periods became so heavy, crampy and unbearable that I had to do something. I have been on Yasmin for a little over a year now and all I can say is had I known then what I know now...I wouldn've said to hell with that!!!

Mood Swings, I mean my god ladies, they are awful, my husband of 10 years never once called me a Bitch and now I hear it all the time it seems, the weight gain was off and on. My metabolisim slowed to a stop basicaly, my hair started to fall out of my head and found itself on my face. The sobbing for no reason (at a dog commercial ladies..a dog commercial) constantly being tired, then not being able to sleep when i knew I was exhausted.

My libido was non exsistant which caused termoil in my marriage for a period of time. There was nothing I could do. I felt so helpless. Out of control, sad, sick, and in general just BLAH!

Secondly the medication was supposed to help reduce the severity of my periods and make them shorter..HA HA HA HA HA!! That's the biggest joke. They are still the same now as they ever were. 8-9 days, filling a super pad within and hour and a half, having to wear both tampons and pads just to go out in public. I have had no pills for a week. I quit cold turkey so to speak and I have had spotting lots of spotting, headaches, and bloating associated with nausea. I am glad that I am off of the Yasmin pill and I'll never go on Yasmin again!

I would love to know of a lawsuit pending against them, so that I could be returned all the money I spent in copays, to feel worse than I did before I started taking it.

Thank you Ladies! I was up in the middle of the night last night researching YAZ because I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I woke up shaky, heart racing, sweating. It just wouldn't go away. Almost got my daughter and husband up to take me to ER. Then I read all the entries in this blog and was convinced it was the BCP. I got into see a doc in the am. She wasn't my normal doctor, so all I wanted was an overall check. She did EKG, blood and just an overall check -Normal. However, I did have a high pulse. That fluctuates throughout the day anyway, but again it was fast even at rest into the next day. I asked her if YAZ was the cause for this and she said probably not because I was only on it for 1 week. I had switched from being on OrthoTriCyclen. I switched because of depression, long periods, bloating, cramping... I might as well had been on no BCP than OTC. The strange thing was I had been on OTC for 5 years prior to having my first child (3 years ago) and loved it! Which makes me think your body chemistry is always changing. Anyway, my first week on Yaz was MISERABLE! I had constipation, dry mouth, exessive urnation, deydrated eventhough drinking 8 glasses of H2O a day, shaky muscles, muscle fatigue, muscle cramping, low libido, sweating, hot at night, loss of appetite, feeling cloudy in the head- like I hadn't slept for a couple of days, but not tired and then finally the heart issue. I went off of it and I slept like a champ last night. I think I still must have some residual hormones in my body but am convinced it will go away in the next week or so. I wanted to mention at the doc's office when I asked her about the potassium increase that could happen with YAZ, she had no idea that was a side effect. So, she wanted to find out more and had a little book, like a mini phone book, full of all the drugs and their side effects. She got to the page and was astounded by the number of side effects for a BCP. It took up a whole page of the book. She told me she had not seen so many side effects for a BCP ever! I got my potassium checked and it turned out fine. But, if you do have muscle issues go get that checked, b/c potassium is a big component to muscle health. What is odd is sister is on YASMIN and loves it! as well as many of her friends. She told me I would have really sore breasts the first couple of months, but that was about it.

I started Yas about 4 months ago for excessive bleeding, cramping, pms symptoms and homonal imbalance. My Gyn said it would help with all these things. On my first couple months on the pill I thought it improved my mood swings, and my bleeding drastically decreased and I had almost no cramping. I did have a couple migraines and some nausea in the beginning. I have had a real problem with weight gain, cravings and bloating. I increased my exercise but can not seem to loose the weight I gained when I started Yas. I am 40 and this was never a problem for me before. For about the last six weeks, I have had depression and extreme irritability. I've also had brown spotting in between periods. I'm going to stop taking the Yas.

EVERYBODY REPLY TO THIS Let's see exactly how many women have had negative side affects from Yasmin. Just reply with the sideaffects. I see lots of posts and was wondering how many women are out there sharing similar problems. So me.... migraines, extremely horrible mood swings all from taking yasmin for 8-9 days next..........? lol

I have just come across this site, while looking to find out why I have been experiencing heart palpitations for the past two months - out of the blue!!! and usually "exercise" induced. I had some tests and have been told they are Premature Atrial Contractions "PACs". I started taking Yasmin in April, after having tried others over the past year (tri-cyclen lo and alesse) which did not work for me as the progestin was not strong enough. I am in my 40s and never took the pill before. Yasmin was great, it significantly reduced my "physical" pms (severe inflamation, severe bloating, severe sore breasts) which I experience for 2-3 weeks a month. However, sometime in mid to late June, I started getting palpitations/tremors out of the blue. The first episode freaked me out and lasted for about two weeks. At first I thought it was allergy medication mixed with my thyroid med, which can happen - but I cut out the allergy meds and still got them. They seem to come about 6hrs to a day after I fexercise/figure skate and they last from 2 to 5 five days. It's very irritating and nerve wracking, and I feel very agitated. I am also out of breath more than usual when walking up stairs, a little light headed and have some tightness in the chest. My legs also are weak, which makes no sense given my exercise regimen. I then lowered my thyroid replacement from .125 synthroid to .100 - too much thyroid med can cause some palpitations. Anyone who has mistakenly taken a second thyroid pill having forgotten that they already took one will understand. Even with the lower dose I am still getting the palpilations. I am totally at a loss as to why all of a sudden this is happening to me (perhaps perimenopause??). I have had the odd flutter here and there in my live, but nothing like this. It just doesn't make any sense ag ll. Can one's health just change like this overnight?. I am otherwise healthy, slim, have "lower" blood pressure (apprx 100-90/70-60)I skate 3 to 5 times a week, I have a full time job and yes I do push myself, but this is getting ridiculous. The only thing I can attribute it to is the Yasmin, ... but my symptoms only started after a few months not instantly, whereas it would seem that most of the the women here noticed the side effects faster. I hate to stop the Yasmin because I will have to return to pms "hell", but I suppose I will give it a try to see if the palpitations subside. At this point, I have been offered a low dose "beta blocker" and have refused. I am stunned to think that all of a sudden I have heart issues, especially since my Dr has always kidded me my that I will never have heart problems with my blood pressure. I will stop the Yasmin tonight and post another message in a few weeks one it is out my system. Here's hoping it is the Yasmin.
KarenSkaterGirl

I've been taking Yasmin about four years...and about a year ago, I kept remarking that I think Yasmin changed its formula because I experienced terrible water retention (at least 6 pounds every month) and psychotic mood swings two weeks before my period. Originally, I started taking Yasmin to restart my periods which I lost for 3 years, supposedly due to weight loss (I lost 40 pounds in four months). But after I gained 20 back, still no period. This is when I started taking Yasmin and within 30 days it gave me a period like clockwork. I was fine for a few years, though very reclusive, which I thought was my depression - I do have a history of it. Funny, while taking Yasmin, I attributed my moodiness to PMS not depression. Since February of 2007, I have gained 10 pounds and my breasts have increased a cup size. As a result, my gyno and my shrink decided I should take Yasmin straight through so I didn't get PMS, or a period for that matter. The only reason I'm not depressed anymore is because I take Wellbutrin and Clomipramine. So now I don't get the pychological symptoms anymore -- just the bloating, constipation, huge boobs (they were big before) and general annoyance. To think it could have been the Yasmin all along! When every doctor told me I was insane...getting older...body changing...bipolar! One I finish the last pill, I'm taking matters into my own hands and kicking Yasmin to the curb. I would seek a Dr.'s help, but I'm sick of them shrugging me off. I'll report back. *Fingers crossed.*

I just finished week 2 of Yasmin and the side effects hit me hard about 3 days ago! Anxiety, heart palpitations, moody, tired, nauseous, headache, did I say moody? My appetite is out of control too! I will not be continuing with this pill. Thank goodness I found this site, as well as another forum - Otherwise, I would have chalked it up to stress in general (I'm a SAHM of 3 children). It got so bad today, I thought about going to the ER!

oh my god - i started to take Yasmin 6 months ago - I have recently had unexplained backache, nausea, salt cravings, mood swings, bloating, a metallic taste in my mouth, ok bigger boobs but its not worth the side effects is it!

Im stopping today!

Well I finished my first month of Yasmin and things are starting to improve. I almost quit it half way through.
I did experience break through bleeding, bloating in the beginning, cramps, backaches, increase in appetite and extreme breast soreness and an increase in breast size. My first period was very light (3 days) with minimal cramps. The bloating went away, along with the backaches. My breasts are still sore and enlarged and I am hoping and praying that they go back to normal after the three months. I have to admit that my skin is much clearer, I am 31 and have suffered from mild adult onset acne for about 6 years. I have gained a few pounds but I believe that this is my body adjusting to the hormones and I will lose it soon. My appetite has increased but I make sure that I eat very small meals more frequently and I drink a lot of water.
Remember, hormones mimic pregnancy, so weight gain and breast soreness isn't unusual.
My advice is to give Yasmin at least 3 months for your body to adjust. All BC's have side effects. Yasmin is promising and the fact that it helps with clear skin is a bonus. Just hang in there!

wow i red all your stories now i started thinking iv been on yasmins for 7 months and my body just did a big change. my chest is always sore and tender head aches dizziness a loud rin tone in my head that is driving me nuts now this big problem with anxiety and panic disorder i am 29 and on so many medicaations for heart burn asthma inhailers and pills for anxiety and depression . every thing happened so fast with the anxiety depression which i never had before gas like you would not beleive bloating weight gain after i read all your stories can bc do this to your body do you think all this anxiety and panic disorders and stomach problems and foggy head loud sounds be from a bc after i read your stories i will be stopping them and going to see my doc thanx alot and good luck with you all.

Hello, I am in the middle of my 2nd month on Yasmin. I switched to Yasmin from Orthrotricyclen-lo, since that pill made me feel unpredictably angry, edgy and depressed, along with other negative side effects. Overall, i feel much better now. My moods and body have stabilized. I had some side effects the 1st month which were, stomach cramping, bloating and a headache or two, but now those have gone away. My only concern is that now, my libido has decreased quite a bit and i know this is not me, but the yasmin. If i still feel like this by the end of the 3rd month i will most likely go off the pill all together because this isnt worth being on if i dont have normal a sexual drive, like i used to.

I posted yesterday a response to a message from another woman. I have stopped birth control before and it caused me to begin my menstrual cycle early. I had been thinking about not taking YAZ anymore as I was convinced it was making me feel crazy and not myself. I felt out of control hormonally and that my brain and emotions were not connected. I was very moody and would be come depressed and anxious for no reason. I also felt like another person both physically as well as emotionally... I was exhausted all the time and felt like I lost my self confidence. I felt I was missing out on my life. I stopped taking the pill last night. I will let you know what the side effects I have experienced are. I am calling my DR. this morning to check to make sure I am not putting myself at risk by stopping the pill. I think I am doing the right thing for me. I think it would be best to call your Dr. and ask.
Also item to note: YAZ is used to treat the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), such as anxiety, depression, irritability, trouble concentrating, lack of energy, sleep or appetite changes, and feeling out of control. PMDD can also cause physical symptoms such as breast tenderness, joint or muscle pain, headache, and bloating or weight gain.
I feel like this describes my symptoms to a tee.

Hi all...WOW, hard to believe that so many of us are experiencing similar side effects.

I started taking Yasmin almost 2 1/2 weeks ago. Two days after I started taking it, I noticed I was starting to get nauseous, brief sharp shooting pains in my abdomen just under my left rib and sometimes a wee bit of a burning sensation in the same area. These sharp but brief pains occur anywhere from 4 times to maybe 15 or 20 times in a day and I almost NEVER when I am just sitting still or laying down. These pains are almost always in the same spot so I find it hard to believe it could be from gas although I AM much gassier. Wouldn't gas pains travel? I find I am burping alot and just generally gassy feeling. The other thing I noticed is that I dropped 8 pounds in the first 5 days of taking Yasmin. WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?

I pretty much have to continue taking BC because my doctor put me on them to see if they would stop my epileptic seizures which occur only when I ovulate. We are testing to see if stopping ovulation will stop the seizures. They think it is all related to peri-menopause. I'm 48. Sheeesh. Does anyone else have these sharp intermittent shooting pains under their ribs???? This is scaring me.

I am a 34 year old and have been taking Yaz for almost a year.

I had some minor side effects until this past month when everything came apart at the seams. I do not know if yaz is the culprit - but the number of women with the EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS as me listed here SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME.

My "minor" sude effects were the following:

* No period for 5 months
* No sex drive (was not the case before taking Yaz)
* Panic attacks / anxiety (no history fo this. My doc has now put me on Zoloft.)
* Bloating / weight gain
* Brown blotches (like age spots) on one side of my face

This is NOTHING compared to the last month of my life. Basically my life has sucked for the last month. Roughly a month ago my symptoms started with a red rash on the left side of my face and pain in my left ear that led to a migraine that has not gone away at all. (The pain level goes between a 5 and 10, but never lower than a 5.) The rash went away in 2 days, but my ear still hurts today (a month later).

My vertigo began roughly 5 days after the onset of my rash and ear pain and has been non-stop since. I've taken phenergan, valium, etc. - but they are not working. I get spinning/dizzy every time my head moves (up, down, left, right) and with up and down eye movement. It seems like my migraine pain intensifies when my vertigo hits me. If I lie completely still - I have no vertigo - but my migraine is still there. To make matters worse, I have become very disoriented, like I am in a fog all of the time. I am only 34 years old and feel like I am losing my mind. I cannot remember simple words at times and have a tough time completing sentences.

All of these symptoms coincide exactly to the day I began a new packet of the birth control pill called YAZ (Yasmin). I had taken this brand of pill for a year, and though it has worked (not pregnant) I have had some minor side effects up until the last month. The biggest side effect is that I have not had any period at all for the last 5 months. I have also had anxiety (no past history) and have no sex drive (not my normal self.) I stopped taking the pill about a week ago - after reading literally thousands of people with the same side effects I am experiencing on a website called medications.com (My neurologist also told me to stop taking it.)

I am NOT having ringing in my ears or loss of hearing. I mention this because I know other ailments have these as symptoms.

I have already been seen by my dentist, physical therapist, ENT, 2 neurologists and a gyn. So far - they are not helping. I have even been hospitalized for 5 days and all they really did was try and dope me up to sleep and had me take a very potent anti-migraine drug called DHE that must be administered over a 36 hour period via IV. Guess what? It did not work.

The most scary thing is that even though I get severe vertigo any time I move my head (even to the point of waking me up while I sleep) - NOT A SINGLE DOCTOR EVEN MENTIONED I MIGHT HAVE BPPV ( BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO) and they did not test for it at all. They were all interested in treating my month-long migraine with anti-migraine drugs. They all swore up and down that my vertigo was related to my migraine. They also said my fogginess was because I was "tired and sick" and many migraine sufferers are that way.

After my husband and I searched the internet and found dozens of websites, we are pretty much convinced that I have BPPV. We are going to get in front of a vestibular specialist ASAP.

So you know, I have been through a CT scan, two different MRIs, basic blood work on my white cell counts, thyroid levels, potassium, etc.

They have ruled out a sinus infection, brain tumor, pituitary tumor, stroke, blood clots, etc. They have simply treated me with anti-migraine medication - and it has been worthless. I have taken Topomax, Frova and DHE (the drug mentioned above) and my migraine is still there. These drugs have not helped one bit. My neurologist swore that the DHE would do the trick. Guess what? He was wrong.

I discharged myself from the hospital yesterday and am now at home.

I just want my normal life back. I cannot drive, work, take care of my family, etc.

My two biggest questions are:

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BPPV CAN CAUSE MY MIGRAINE? The reason I ask is that the doctors all think that the migraine is causing my vertigo. All along they have been treating my migraine (with zero success) and have been giving me valium and antivert to simply mask my vertigo (no success there either.) No one has tried to really diagnose and treat my vertigo. Is it possible if I get my vertigo fixed my migraines will disappear?

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL PILLLS CAUSING BPPV? I saw woman after woman on medications.com have the same symptoms of vertigo, migraines and brain fog while taking the birth control pill Yasmin. I also know that my avalanche of symptoms eerily coincided with my first pill from a new pack. If they are related, I am most interested in what to do to get my hormones back on track in an effort to stop my vertigo.

This is all driving me crazy. A month ago I was absolutely normal. Now I am 100% disabled. I just want my life back.

Please help!

I've been on Yasmin for about 8 months. After another totally neurotic night of fighting with my boyfriend and waking up this morning totally depressed, lying in bed crying for over an hour on a Saturday morning, I figured it was time to google Yasmin and read up on side effects.

What a relief to know I'm not crazy! Since I started Yasmin in the fall, I've lost all desire to do anything productive that used to bring me joy, like gardening, reading, etc. I have HUGE anxiety issues right now that seem to cause completely irrational behavior. I snap at people and often want to do nothing but lie in bed with the covers over my head. I can't tell you how many times in the last month I've felt like I hate everyone. This is NOT me.

Also, my breasts swelled immediately upon taking this pill, which I actually like! So at first I thought Yasmin was great. I do get a lot of bloating and back pain right before my period - and fatigue, depression, anxiety and loss of sex drive. Now that I'm reading up on it, I don't Yasmin is for me - although it may be great for somebody else.

I was proscribed Yasmin for acne problems but straight away, I experienced nausea. I didn't take a liking to it at all because it constantly made me want to vomit all the time. But still, I was willing to trial it to treat my acne. After about a month of using it, the vomiting sensation didn't go away. Does anyone else experience the same problem? Finally, I gave it up altogether and switched to Diane35. I found Diane35 a much better treatment for acne without the vomiting side affects.

I have been on Yaz for over 2 and 1/2 months, and during this time I have been bloated, gassy, pain in my stomach, vomiting, diarhea, headaches, etc. I have been to the ER once and they said they couldn't find anything wrong. I get well, put some weight back on, and just when I'm better I get all those symptoms again. The only thing that has changed in my life is the addition of Yaz. My son and husband are not getting sick, so its nothing anyone can catch. All my doctor can tell me is to take Nexium. I've never had an acid problem in my life. So today I took matters into my own hands and I've stopped taking the Nexium and the Yaz. I'll update later with how I'm feeling. Thanks for all the posts validating my concerns on Yaz.

Should I take Yasmin??

I have had a yeast infection for four straight years! THe doctor put me on yasmin yesterday after being on ortho-tri-cyclen LO for 7 years!! Now I am worried with all these side effects. I am getting married in 2 months and I don't want to be on my period at my wedding because of the bloating and my dress not fitting. But I am worried about my periods getting messed up while being off the pill but I am also worried about having a stroke or all the others that everyone has mentioned! What do you think?????

Hi everyone i just started taking yasmin a week an a half ago and was told by the doctor that this is the best one out there for people wanting less side effects. Previous to this pill i was on levlen ed for about 1 1/2 years and i had
: weight gain, depression, anxiety, crying constantly, mood swings, bloating, IBS, severe reaadtions to caffeine i had to change to caffeine free soft drinks and water

as soon as i went off this pill i lost 5 kg in 2 weeks i really want to know if yasmin is ok to take or should i just stick to nothing because im seriously worried about having these symptoms again the weight gain especially!

any success stories on this pill or anything would help me make up my mind

hey everyone i'm sorry to hear about all of your side effects. i came across this site just to pass some time and read about yasmin because i've been on it for about a year and a half, but i havent really experienced anything out of the ordinary. after reading these side effects i started to relate certain things in my life to possible side effects, but i think it may be me being paranoid since i've never thought of anything until right now while reading this.. and it is not extreme side effects, just occasional headaches or something, which very well could happen on their own not related to the medicine.

i just wanted to reassure people that dont have side effects (or people who are worried that they could get side effects) that everyone does not react to the pills the same way. you could get side effects at any time, but if everythiing is going well, there is not much reason to change. there are side effects to every medicine. my mom had switched to a different pill and gotten dark spots on her face, which haven't gone away, but her dr. switched her back to necon like before and she has been ok since then.

for people who are just starting yasmin, its normal to get spotting in between periods for the first few months and i know that i do not get my period until i am on my 4th day of 'reminder' pills. it doesnt come the 1st day after i am finished with the pills with the hormones in them. also, it usually lasts for about 4-5 days, with the last 2 or 3 days being light. i dont experience any cramping or intense PMS symptoms, just some slight bloating or tenderness, which happened before i was on the pills. it did get rid of my cramping and cleared up my skin (i did not have severe acne, just a some occasional pimples that rarely occur now).

i hope that helps a little bit if anyone had questions who was just starting it. i recommend not thinking that this pill is horrible right away, because everyone has different problems, but of course go to the doctor if side effects get bad like some of the women have posted on here.
best of luck

I recently got off of Yasmin after being on it for 3 1/2 years. While I was on it, I got yeast infections often but I had no other symptoms. However, I have been bloated and constipated for the entire month I have been off of it. I have also gained 5 pounds this month!

I've been on Yaz for 1 year now. I've been in a deep depression since September ( 6 months on Yaz) for which I've had to seek treatment. It took 4 months to get me straightened out on medications and still daily I struggle with it.

Also I've noticed right shoulder pain, weight gain (60 pounds), no libido, chronic fatigue, bloating with horrible gas.Is all of this from the Yaz or is it my depression or what? I'm having a really hard time sorting thru all of this.

I'm so thankful to have found this site. I have been taking oral contraceptives sinc the age of 17. I'm now 30. I've never had any problems, but approached my new GYN several months ago about switching to a "better" pill since I noticed was getting more cramps and a heavier flow after taking Ortho-tricyclen for 5 years. Prior to that I hadn't had any major issues. I began taking Yasmin in October...starting this January, I've been experiencing multiple stomach issues...gas, bloating, pain...all the time. Already having had GI issues, I went back on my old medication and made an appt with an internist after having diarrhea every day for about 1.5 months. She switched me to new GI meds for GERD. I also complained of my fatigue, weakness, lack of motivation, hair loss, headaches, irritability and some symptoms of depression. She checked me for hypothyroidism and that came back negative.

On my drive home I felt defeated and racked my brain for what could be the cause of all this. Being a mental health clinician, I immediately started thinking of any emotional issues that might be the root. Then I realized that the difference in the last few months was Yasmin. I made an appt with my GYN, and unfortunately, she didn't believe that this may actually be causing these side effects. I even told her of websites such as this, in addition to (DUH) the manufacturer's own publication. She tried saying it might be Seasonal Affective Disorder. She reluctantly agreed to switching me back to Ortho upon my request.

Although I feel like I'm getting nowhere with my (suerly overpaid) physicians, I find validation here and truly believe that, despite the manufacturer's contention that this pill is "the one" that doesn't cause these side effects, it's all relative. We're all unique and our bodies react differently to different things. Thanks again for the posts!