Yasmin and heart palpitations

im 17 and started Yasmin when i was 14 maybe 15, it made me so sick, id start throwing up about 8 hours after taking the pill, and that would last for about 5 hours, (like having mild food poisoning). I got heart palpitations every minute or so for days on end, and unbearable depression. I was the happiest person until i started taking this pill, and its so bad that i couldn't enjoy my life properly. Now im tiny, like really really thin mums worried i have anorexia, and although my life is perfect (great friend, good grades, nice boyfriend), I cant enjoy any of it properly. I went off it about four months ago and my happiness returns now and then like it used to be three years ago, but my mind feels so fuzzy and sort of disorientated, and i cant seem to convince myself of things properly. I was wondering if these things get better and better or am i stuck like this???
plz help xxx

I have been on Yasmin since 6 weeks after having my baby, and he is now 5 months. Since then, i have noticed some strange things going on, and until finding this site i just thought it was my body still adjusting to having a baby. But I have been VERY emotional, and can snap at my husband very easily. I also have been having heart palpitations and it will almost take my breath away, and i feel like i could pass out. I thought it was low iron and went to the doctor, and they said they couldn't find anything wrong. I also have been losing my hair. I kept telling everyone how bad my hair is falling out, and my husband is just amazed at how much because he has to clean out the shower drain everyday because of it. Also my skin has been itching me like crazy. And now i really think its because of this pill!! What would be a better choice? I defiantly don't want to get pregnant again this quick, but i don't want to have to go through all of these symptoms, especially if they are going to get worse.

Hi guys. I am so glad I found this site. I am 29 and I have been on Yasmin for four years. In the last few months I have toned up and shed a few pounds and all of a sudden last week I got home and felt a tightening in my legs that I had never felt before. Then a tingling in my left arm and I had trouble swallowing and breathing. I am a very healthy person so I freaked out and went to the ER for the first time in my life. After the blood work, EKG, MRI and stress test they told me I was normal, except for low potassium levels and mentioned that I should go to a neurologist. I also thought I must be allergic to something but all the foods I had been eating were the same as before. Well it happened again tonight so I went online because there was no way I was going to spend more money in the ER to have them tell me it was nothing. After reading all the comments on this page I realized it is amazing how many other symptoms that I didn't realize also correlated to the pill. My hair has been falling out at the root like never before and I just recently developed troubles with eating tomato based foods. I haven't been sleeping good lately either and I started crying uncontrollably for no reason. Well I am throwing away my Yasmin and I can't believe that the doctors in the ER aren't mentioning the side effects of this birth control.

I was put on Yasmin not for birth control but for the beginning of fertility treatments. I was on Yasmin only 1 months. After about 2 days I started getting symptoms. I called the Pharmacist and my fertility doctor and they both told me the pill wasn't the culprit. But after the 20th day I just couldn't take it anymore I went off of it. After starting Yasmin I had TERRIBLE Panic attacks, Anxiety ( still have to this day two months later), Heart Palpitations, leg cramps, boobs hurt, breathing trouble ( still to this day), HORRIBLE thoughts, adrenaline rushes all hours of the day, tingling in my hands and feet, my mind feels fuzzy, no appetite, no sex drive, depression, crying fits for hours, I felt like i was going insane.... You name it I had it. I stopped the pill two months ago and I still have the horrible anxiety/attacks, feel like i cant breath properly, OCD about my breathing.

I went to the hospital and got checked for blood clots in my lungs, legs, Asthma test, EKG, blood tested, was put on heart monitor all came back normal. I have started seeing a therapist, on depression meds and none of it is working. I feel like this pill has ruined my life and i wasn't even trying to stop life i was trying to help create it.

Here i am two months after stopping the pill and yes some of the stuff has went away but i still suffer with Anxiety from the time i wake up in the morning till the time I go to bed at night. And sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety. My head is getting a little clearer and I am not as depressed as before. But I am just praying that this anxiety goes away. I have NEVER been a person who can't handle stress or gets anxiety/panic attacks and since it started it hasn't stopped. I am so very weak, muscles ache so much which i think is from the anxiety attacks and the muscles tightening.

So if you have this... you are not alone! I am suffering with it everyday. It is so debilitating I cant do much. Has anyone else had this months after stopping Yasmin?

I CANT BELIEVE THAT I CAME ACROSS THIS WEBSITE.I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN THROUGH.I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH YOU AS WELL......I HAVE BEEN ON YASMIN FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS NOW. JUST RECENTLY IN JUNE I NOTICED AN INCREASE IN MY BLOOD PRESSURE, I WAS EXPERIENCING CHEST PAIN, HEART PALPITATIONS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS. I AM A HEALTHY 22 YEAR OLD ,WITH NO MEDICAL PROBLEMS. I NEVER HAD ANXIETY OR PANIC ATTACKS THIS HAS JUST BEEN BROUGHT ON ME OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.... I HAVE BEEN TO THE ER 4 TIMES SINCE JUNE... I FINALLY WENT TO MY OBGYN AND THEY TOLD ME TO GET OFF THE PILL... I HAVE BEEN OFF SINCE SUNDAY I DO HOWEVER KNOW THAT IT CAN TAKE A MONTH FOR A HORMONE TO COMPLETELY LEAVE YOUR BODY, SOI IM HOPING TO SEE SOME GOOD CHANGES... IM THANKFUL FOR FINDING THIS WEBSITE AND IM GLAD TO KNOW I AM NOT GOING CRAZY! FOR ANYONE THAT HAS STOPPED TAKING IT... ARE YOU NOTICING GOOD CHANGE?

I posted about a year and a half ago about how Yasmin was doing all the things described by many. Lost my hair....zero sex drive...and if we DID have sex...It was the most painful experience ever....heart palpitations.....severe anxiety attacks for the first time ever in my life...and even suicidal feelings. I got off of it as I quickly realized I was essentially poisoning myself with this awful drug. And got a non hormonal IUD. The IUD has been excellent. But I must say...I have never truly stopped getting the panic attacks. They still come and go. I've tried detox teas....even seeing a therapist to help with it. I'm not on any anti anxiety drugs...I've been meditating and doing yoga to help with it. But honestly.....I wonder sometimes if I'll ever get my pre-Yasmin body back. :(

Wow ~ I am so happy that I came across this website tonight. I started taking Yasmin a year ago and I am calling my doctor's office tomorrow to get off this pill! I initially started my search on WebMD's symptom checker because I am so frustrated with never feeling right! When I came across all of these stories, it started to piece everything together and I couldn't believe that I never thought my problems could be caused by my birth control pill!! I am 29 years old and have always been a very healthy woman, which is why I have been so frustrated because I KNOW that something is not normal with the way I have been feeling ~ this is what I have been experiencing for the last year, with some of the symptoms getting worse over the last 6 months: constant waves of nausea (everyday!), heart palpitations, anxiety, diarrhea, gas, stomach problems, hot flashes, complete intolerance to the heat, dizziness, headaches, sore calves, sore breasts. I had told my doctor about the stomach issues, the nausea, the heart palpitations, and she actually prescribed Xanax because they were all symptoms of anxiety (which I couldn't believe that I had because I am in the best possible place in my life now!) ~ but that is beside the point. I am now starting to believe that anxiety should not be the diagnosis, but a symptom of being on Yasmin!! I hope I can update this posting in a few months with great news after I switch to something else!

I am so relieved to have stumbled across this site and if I can help another woman who feels awful on this pill, then that'll be a good thing. Here we go: been on Yasmin for two weeks and already I have: constant heart palpitations - 24 hours a day; hair has started falling; rash on face that's coverable, only thanks to Dior; waking every night with the palpitations and needing the loo; constant period. I'm binning the packet and going au naturel. Best of luck girls.

I have been taking Yas for about a year and a half... but since the start of my last pack, I've noticed that about an hour to hour and a half after I take my pill I start getting heart palpitations. My heart thumps really hard about every other beat. Why would this start now and what could it be? I haven't talked to my doctor about it yet, because I first I thought it may have been my caffeine intake but it still happens right after I take my pill...

Hi Guys

I am taking Yasmin since May 2006. I have been suffering from chronic daily headaches since March 2006 and wondered if Yasmin could be a factor in this? For my headaches I have tried so many different things and not been successful and hadn't looked at the possibility that Yasmin could be a problem until I started to google it. What do you guys think? Could Yasmin be adding to my problem of chronic daily headaches? Cos I have the headaches all the time.

Any responses would be greatly appreciated!

Regards
Warda

i'm a 21 year old girl, i've been on YASMIN for about 3/4 years, i have been through almost every pill you can think of. I was put on Yasmin because i had cysts on my ovaries, heavy bleeding and migraines.... ok in the beginning it was hunky dorry, but now its become really terrible. we have a heart condition in the family so last night talking to my dad explaining to him what i was feeling thought i was having a heart attack i had such bad heart palpitations, i had sharp shooting pains which felt like they were going through my heart, my chest closed up and i couldn't breath... my hair is falling out by the hand fulls, my moods are terrible my family doesn't even want to be around me, i'm paranoid i lost my boyfriend because i was so paranoid.... i have depression, i wake up every morning feeling nauseous, i have had the flu 23 times this year it has effected my immune system very badly. at least 3 times a month i have a migraine which keeps me in bed for about 3 days. out of all the pills i have ever tried this is the worst. i have never felt so rotten in my life i cant wait to come off after seeing all of your comments, i'm going to the gyne today. if i can help anyone PLEASE come off this pill it will cause more damage than anything else.

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.

Oh! And Furthermore, Lest I forget to register MY formal COMPLAINTS about Yasmin...
i was a healthy 160 pounds when i started taking Yasmin 6 years ago (about) I now weigh about 218. 60 pounds in 6 years for me =( I attribute some of that to Yasmin...
also~ signature heart palpitations, depression, moodiness. exhaustion crept up on me over time, worrying about everything, being tired but not being able to sleep, (these all contributed to my lask of ability to exercise overly much....palpitations during exertion are very scary....
horrible overall experience. Just got off, going back to condoms as a 31
year old woman! (tells you how bad the pills are) Will never take ANY pills ever again in my life and really think these pills should be taken off the market. in this site alone you will find over 4000 threads on the topic of bad Yasmin side effects....google it and Im sure you will find tons more, Get off this pill if you value your heart and your hair! and spread the word.... I wish you all the best and pray this isn't something even worse than we realize, or that the damage is not irreparable. =(

Yaz has completely destroyed my health. Before I started taking Yaz I had a blood test done and my doctor told me I was the healthiest patient he had. However about 10 months after I started taking Yaz I began having nausea, right shoulder pain and became very gassy. I went to the doctor and they told me I had gallstones which is a side affect of birth control. I took another blood test and had high triglycerides and high cholesterol levels. I did not have any of this until after I pill. I eat very healthy and am only 23 yrs old. Things have only gotten worse because now I have heart palpitations and low blood pressure (another side effect) that became so severe it sent me to the E.R. I feel like my heart is going to explode daily. I DO NOT recommend Yaz to anyone.

Wow..this makes me feel a lot better reading all of this. I have been off of Yasmin for about a year now but am still feeling the side effects. When I was on it I felt fine at first & was extremely excited about finally being on BC. Then about a month into it I started getting extremely bad heart palpitations and tingly body and arms. My heart would race and I thought I was about to have a heart attack everyday. I consulted my gyn/ob about this and she stated it was "normal side effects of the pill." I told her I was concerned that I had a blood clot or something else extremely severe. She convinced me it was all normal & I would be EXTREMELY ill and in the hospital if that was the case. I told her it was interfering with my life on a daily basis but she didn't seem to believe me. My boyfriend had also noticed I had been acting extremely anxious, moody and depressed and became concerned. It got to the point where he couldn't even touch me when I was at home since I was having STABBING chest pains on a daily basis. I couldn't even move & I would have really bad heartburn all the time. I went to the doctor a couple of times because I thought I was seriously having a heart attack...Stabbing pains- tingly arms and legs, extreme anxiety...my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't breath and then my heart felt as if it would pop in and out when I took a breath. My doctor said it was normal side effects as well so I told myself I was just the crazy one once again. I went to the doctor about a month later when things got worse..this whole time thinking that Yasmin had nothing to do with it and found my blood pressure was 160/90!!! My doc said it should have been about 120/70. I started blood pressure medication but the heart palpitations did not stop so eventually I stopped with Yasmin. Things have gotten better but it has still left me with permanent damage. My anxiety is still a problem and my blood pressure is still sky high...even on meds. I never had any problems before any of this...now I have major problems for life because of this drug. I know they warn you of issues prior but NO medication should do this to ANYONE. I also gained about 20 pounds when I was on the pill and when I got off I lost about 15 pounds in 2 days..I lost equilibrium in my body and felt sick with all of the sudden weight loss....Is anyone considering a Class action lawsuit against this company? & why are the doctors covering up the side effects of this drug? I know they get paid for referring people to certain drugs but this is SCARY...keep me updated.

I'm 29, have been on birth control pills for 10 years, and switched to Yasmin about 2 years ago. I a small varicose vein in my right within 2 months of switching, but didn't think a relationship between my vasculature and the pill existed. I can now trace the entire vein from my right hip to my ankle. In the 2 years since starting Yasmin, my ankles and lower legs swelled heavily...but at very random times. It often began at the start of the 7-day sugar pill regime and finished by the time I started a new pack. I assumed that the estrogen withdrawal going into the sugar pills was too much for my body to handle and that the diuretic effects of Yasmin were obviously absent during that time. I also noticed leg cramping, heart palpitations, and I started waking up in the occasional hot sweat in a drenched bed.

So, after making sure that my heart and kidneys were healthy, my gynecologist prescribed continuous hormone Yasmin and claimed it as the "ultimate solution". For 4 months, I have skipped the sugar pills for each pack and started new packages immediately. I have not had a period since, and the edema has continued (still at random) and has become exponentially worse. In the last few weeks alone, the vein in my right leg has become massive, my legs are so distended by the end of the days on which they swellI that I can't fit into pants which are otherwise loose, I am noticing other large veins "surfacing", little veins are breaking everywhere, and I can now see most of the blood vessels beneath the skin in both legs. My primary care physician told me I have chronic venous insufficiency...a diagnosis I'm not okay with. I'm very worried...the changes and ensuing damage have happened way too quickly to be venous insufficiency. I am going to ween myself off of the pill, but don't know what the next step should be. Endocrinologist? Another OB/GYN? Anyone have ideas or similar experiences to share....

Heart palpitations, dizziness, migraines, fatigue, no sex drive, weight gain, panic attacks. Saw cardiologist was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse however i don't think the doctor ever saw this on my echocardiogram. All of these symptoms appeared after being on yaz for over a year. I am stopping Yaz at the end of this pill pack..any idea how long it will take to get back to normal?

Both my 19 year old daughter and my 30 year old step daughter were put on Yasmin. Both began having heart problems. The eldest had heart palpitations, a racing heart and dizziness. The doctor discovered that her potassium level had shot up and her magnesium was down. They put her on magnesium to help control the racing heart. It helped, but then she became pregnant and had to lower the dose. The 19 year old has had the worst side effects. She was fine on ortho tricyclene, but when her doctor switched her to Yasmin her blood pressure shot up to 170/118. She began having chest pain. We pulled her off the Yasmin, but she has continued to have uncontrollably high blood pressure. The doctor ran several tests and has found no underlying cause as of this writing. She began taking 5 mg. of Norvasc, but was increased to 10 mg. to manage the high blood pressure.

Hi all,
This is my third posting. I've been off of Yaz for two weeks and wanted to let you all know that I'm feeling pretty great. Headaches are gone, dizziness has mostly dissipated, mood is fantastic. Anxiety has diminished, heart palpitations are gone, and sex drive is back to where it should be. I'm having some joint aches and pains but it's hard to say if that's from the pill or just general wear and tear from working out. But I'm very optimistic! Best of luck to you all. My advice is if this pill works for you, great, stay on it. But if it's making you miserable, you have choices, and you should go off and try something new. Like my doctor said, there are tons of birth control pills out there, and you just want to find one that works for you and makes you happy. And if your doctor isn't telling you this, find a new doctor!
Good luck! I'm going back to orthocyclen next cycle.

I'm 21years old. i took Yasmin for a year because i have PCOS. but had to get off of it because i could no longer afford Yasmin. i have been off of Yasmin for a year. i always thought that the problems i was having was due to PCOS. i was reading the side effects the other girls had with Yasmin. and its sounds just like the problems i have had. i had pain on the right side of my head it lasted for about 2 weeks. i wonder what it was but didn't think much about until now. about a week ago i woke up and my neck was hurting so bad i could not move it i took a pain pill and it did help a little. i thought it was the way i slept that night but its still hurting not as bad. i started losing my hair on head my 3 week on Yasmin , and started growing more chest hair ,neck, chin, lip hair on the 4 week, pain in my chest sometimes and pain in my arms and legs and almost like move met like someones kicking inside of my stomach but i not with child done had i test ran i feel very mad all the time anything upset me i get really pissy at time and its been like that since my 1 weeks on Yasmin has anyone else had any this happen to them

I am 20 yrs old, very healthy and never had a problem until 6 months after being on Yasmin. I never linked being on this BC and my side effects but I have been off of Yasmin for one month and seeing results. My side effects are subsiding, still have some relapses but nothing compared to what I went through. My side effects were nausea, lethary, weakness, irregular periods, chest pains, irregular breathing, weird heart palpitations, and Panic attacks, and depression. I have never been an anxious or depressed person so those last ones really threw me off. Now being off of it, I am returning to normal, still not completely normal which sucks, cause I was full of energy and a happy person. I really hope that I can be normal again and hope all this gets out of my system.

I started on Yasmin a year ago because I believed the TV advertising. I had no noticeable side effects for several months, then began heart palpitations, anxiety attacks in the middle of the night, crying for no reason, severe headaches, and my blood pressure, which has always been low, skyrocketed to as high as 160/130. I asked my gyn if Yasmin could be the cause and he said maybe, so I took myself off it. I had to go on blood pressure medication, but I'm hopeful that after that poison pill is out of my system I can get off the meds. The doctor's office called yesterday to say my cholesterol was so high they wanted me to go on medication for that. I last had cholesterol checked in Nov, and it was fine. I've been off yasmin for two weeks and already feel more hopeful and less anxious.

I am so relieved to come across this forum. I have been on Yasmin for about 3 years. After reading several postings here to my husband, we were both horrified to hear that I wasn't the only one having strange issues without a clear cause. I too have had heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable mood swings, inability to concentrate at work or deal with normal work stress, back pain, trouble falling asleep, low sex drive, and most recently, horrible depression. I have been to psychiatrists, allergists, chiropractors and physical therapy - all to try to find the cause. I have just gone off the pill, and have noticed improvement so far, and am very excited to see it hopefully improve. Hopefully I will be able to find a hormone-free birth control, instead of dealing with this. I can't believe doctors do not discuss these possible symptoms with their patients. I never would have thought bc pills would cause anxiety, depression, etc. A huge thanks to all of you for your candid comments... and helping me find an answer to my life-altering side affects!!!

I started taking Yasmin 14 months ago and came off it about 2 wks ago and my mood has improved A LOT! I was crying all the time and felt depressed. I put this down to a break up with my boyfriend which was particularly painful but now I feel that the pill had a lot to do with it. About 3 months ago I developed heart palpitations after a night out and have had them regularly ever since. I'm having frequent panic attacks and am convinced that this has to do with the hormones in the pill. Just seems a bit weird they came on all of a sudden and didn't 'develop' over time while taking the pill. Has anybody else had a sudden onslaught of heart palpitations and panic whilst being on Yasmin? I can't wait for it to be completely out of my system! I've read it can take up to three months! S x

Where to start! I started Yasmin in Sept. of 2005. So I've been on it 2 and a half years. Things were fine for a while. It did what it was supposed to do, including no weight gain. That's how its been marketed here, so that's why i got it. Nothing has happened all of a sudden. Its all creeped up on me very slowly. Headaches, pressure in my sinuses, tiredness...all pretty simple. But here's the thing. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and put on Prozac. The Prozac didnt help. I came off it. Now here's the more troubling symptoms I've experienced. Heart Palpitations, squeezing in my chest making it hard to breathe, increased fear and anxiety (which cause heart attack-like symptoms which can more commonly be described as a panic attack). I've had my finger on the 911 buttons several times in the last 8 months. Now I'm discovering the joy of incontinence. Do you have any idea what its like to be in the store buying groceries and then all of a sudden there's a puddle of number 2 around your shoe? I do. I'm 23. Abdominal pain, stomach distension, constipation followed by diarrhea. Hair loss. Cold feet. LOSS OF SEXUAL DRIVE! My God!

I've said all this to my doctor. He ran blood for everything, there's nothing wrong with me medically. X-rays, mri's, cat scans, ekg's. Nothing nothing nothing. I changed doctors and told the new doctor my story. He figures that because i was put on Prozac for depression, that I must have developed Hypochondria (aka extreme paranoia and a belief that I'm terminally ill). Not true, I know its not terminal, i just need to be put on a new pill. My husband and I have regular sex, he's allergic to latex, and even those non-latex condoms. We're not ready for babies yet, so I dont know what to do. But if this helps someone else, then taking the time to write this was worth it. And as a side note, if you're on the pill and have the choice, and your doc wants to put you on prozac...Don't do it. Try switching your pill first.

Hi all, I was on Yasmin for close to two years until I had heart palpitations that prompted me to get off of it immediately. I also dealt with many side effects mentioned in other posts, but my heart condition was a scary wake-up call. I am still dealing with the heart palps after being off of it for over a month.

HEART PALPITATIONS
After a year on Yasmin, I developed heart palpitations. They first began occurring at night, while lying in bed, then progressed to the point that my heart no longer had normal beats. My heart was fluttering constantly. My OBGYN said that arrhythmia due to Yasmin is "impossible", and a $1,200 work-up by a noted cardiologist ruled that my problem was due to "emotions". Just 10 days after quitting Yasmin, my heart beat returned to normal, and I have not had one heart palpitation since.

Hello, I am 26 and this is my first time on a bc. My doctor Prescribed it to me to help me with my pms, cramping, and acne. It seems to be working for the cramping and heavy periods. I'm not too sure if it is actually working for my pms or if i have just been dealing with things in a better way. My acne hasn't changed at all, if anything i feel that it has gotten a bit worse. I experienced horrible horrible headaches and nausea the first month. The second month was a little better, and now the third is a lot better. Ok but now the reason that i am here is that i have been experiencing bad constipation to the point where i have developed hemroids. I have always had a few problems with my bowels but never this bad! Before Yasmin i was pretty regular with no trouble. I haven't changed anything in my diet or life other than started Yasmin. So I think its being caused by the pills. I'm on my last week of my third pack. If anyone else has experienced can you please let me know. If it is the pills, I'm not going to start on a fourth pack! Oh 1 more thing, has anyone experienced sudden heart palpitations because of the pill? It used to happen more during the 1st pack and has subsided a bit but still happens at times. It really freaks me out because it will happen over and over again when it does. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hey, I was on this pill for 3 years and over the last year and a half I have had chest problems, developing into heart palpitations over the last couple of months, I had to have a heart monitor on for a week and had the results today, my heart is perfectly healthy it was in fact the YASMIN tablets!!
So today my doctor has changed my pill and said I should notice a difference in the next month or so.
Not only was I having chest problems and heart palpitations, I have been told I was so snappy and grumpy, I was tired most of the time, always felt weepy and generally down in the dumps.
My advice, try this tablet as it may be different for you but a lot of people on here have had similar symptoms.
GOODBYE YASMIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(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'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!!

Do Not Take YASMIN. I do not want any other woman having to go through what I have and by the sounds of it, hundreds- thousands of you already have. I, like many of you was a bubbly, warm and happy person who loved life and with the addition of YASMIN a SEVERELY debilitating depression followed. I never stopped crying. I woke up crying, I went to bed crying. Anything at all would start rivers of tears that never stopped. I was ridden with excruciating panic attacks on a constant basis and almost drove myself to the hospital about 3 times a week. Heart palpitations, or what felt like that, were not unusual and my heart was constantly racing. So fast that I felt constantlyyyy anxious. I was not myself. I knew my true self, and this was not it... so what did I do? STOPPED TAKING IT.. immediately. just one day i threw the rest of the cycle in the trash and I have not looked back since. YASMIN is what is causing these same symptoms in you and you can get back to your normal self with just one.. easy.. step. ENDING your attachment to it. Good luck to everyone, just be strong, you'll be alright.

I was on Yasmin for 3 years, at first I thought it was a perfect fit for me - I had shorter, less painful periods. Over the course of the next 2 years I had CHRONIC Urinary tract infections and yeast infections. I mean like 10 a YEAR. My gyno didn't know what was wrong (I'm meticulous about cranberry juice, cleaning, etc) and prescribed me a antibiotic. I had to take one pill after intercourse. Well, apparently 1 was enough to throw off the balance and I'd end up with a yeast infection.
In addition to all that I TOTALLY lost my sex drive. I've been off the pill now for 4 months and I'm still waiting for it to return.
I wouldn't reccomend this pill to anyone.

i encountered this site when i specifically searched for yasmin side effects. i could not believe it when i have read all the posts and how relieved i was to realize i wasn't dying or that i wasn't crazy. for the last 2 years i really wondered what was wrong with me, and i spent a fortune trying to find out to the extent that i underwent tumor marker tests last year for my thyroid. i was losing weight erratically, my migraine attacks were severe i literally became an invalid for a week. i haven't slept a goodnight's rest in 2 years, and only last week i thought i was sufferring a heart attack. all along i attributed it to stress at work, stress over my 2-year custody battle over my kids, and many other things. i did yoga, did a lot of meditation thinking i might be emotionally imbalanced. i wake up in the morning wanting to die, i wake up in the middle of the night with this god-awful feeling every time, and i thought that i might be one of those perenially depressed. i really took a good look about my life last week when i was down with severe migraine, nausea, body aches, heart palpitations, diarrhea and depression. what was causing this? nothing in my life, not with work, my kids are with me, i have a wonderful guy who puts through my moods and horrible temper, and a friend said the operative word, hormones. and bingo. this site came along. i came off yasmin 3 days ago after reading the posts. called my trusted doc from home and she confirmed this to be true. i am now sufferring heavy bleeding, i ache all over, and have teriible migraines. i read about withdrawal symptoms but not much. i hope i feel better soon. i wish that more doctors will know about this. and more women. this drug destroys lives.

26 years old/on YASMIN for one year.

I'm sorry you've all experienced so many negative side effects on YASMIN. Everybody is different and it's important to find the pill that's right for you. Ten years ago I tried the BC that comes in the form of a shot in the behind once every three months, and it made to throw-up and gain weight after just one dose. I never took another dose, but it was a year before my body went back to normal. So i know what it's like to have your body disagree with BC.

After ten years I decided to go on the pill again, and I was extremely nervous. I even had a couple different prescriptions filled and then backed out of taking them. Finally, one year ago, I started taking YASMIN. I experienced ZERO NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS. And I immediately felt better than I had in years. I have always had severe anxiety and have been hospitalized for panic attacks and heart palpitations. My last panic attack was on the second day of taking YASMIN, and I have been anxiety free for a year. Okay, well.. I do get anxious sometimes; life can be stressful. But i don't feel like my hearts going to explode, and I don't get dizzy, shaky, nauseous, or any of those other terrible sensations.

I have had many other positive effects:
My periods are lighter. I only have cramps every couple of cycles which are very mild (before I needed a hot pad and some pain meds). But the biggest change for me has been my mood. I am finally happy. I feel like a normal person for the first time, and EVERYONE notices a difference in the way I look and behave.

I'm not telling anyone to take YASMIN. And if i had even one of the terrible side effects some of you have mentioned I would have stopped the pill before finishing the first pack. I just thought you might like to know that if you do find a pill that's right for you, it can greatly improve your life and overall happiness. Be smart, do research, and most importantly- LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!
.

2 weeks ago I switched from Microgestion FE to Yasmin. I thought my slight pms would disappear with yasmin. What has followed has made my slight pms feel like a walk in the park.

5 days into the first week I had terrible nausea, heart palpitations and anxiety. A few days later started the body aches everywhere. i felt like i was actually dying. I found this website and went off the pill after 11 days, within 1 day I was so much better and almost totally better by 2-4 days.

A week later they gave me Yaz samples. Started those 4 days ago. I was vomiting this afternoon and now have seriously bad cramps in my hips and legs. i feel like i got hit by a truck. i have to assume its the pill, since it's so similar to the yasmin. what is strange is that i tried a pack or two of yaz a year ago with no problems that i recall. And although i am having the anxiety and mental side effects these physical ones are not something i am manifesting. I am not sure if my body has changed, or like another posted mentioned a reformulation. Never had side effects to bcps before either.

Hi Everyone,
I am a fourth year medical student and recently I started having horrible panic attacks, I feel like crying all the time and I actually feel depressed. I am a "hypochondriac" generally (I guess it comes with the territory of knowing about different diseases out there), but I have been feeling like I am going crazy. I started Yasmin in November of 2006 and I was fine for a few months. Lately, with stress at school and exams, I started feeling like I've just crumbled. I get anxiety/panic attacks (the latest one was at the movies), horrible heart palpitations, nausea, I am sweating, I can't sleep, I feel this knot in my stomach. It's horrible. I thought it was me cracking under pressure, but I was never like this before I started Yasmin. Recently, I was placed on an antidepressant because everyone assumed it was depression, but after reading this post, I really think it might be the pill. I got off it a week ago, so I hope I will see a difference. Thanks guys!!!

Hi. I just wanted to let everyone know what has happened since I stopped taking Yasmin 4 days ago. (I only took it for 2 months.) I'm still having heart palpitations, feeling of a lump in my chest, and still a bit dizzy at times. My ears kind of feel like when I'm on an airplane coming in for a landing when the dizziness comes around. I'm also still having an occasional urge to cough. I still have shortness of breath and it's very noticeable when I'm talking and saying a long sentence. I thought the symptoms would really decrease but it seems to come and go. I feel the palpitations more frequently during the evening hours. I don't know why that is though. All of this makes it really hard to concentrate a work. I was reading one blog that said to take extra magnesium and zinc. Has anyone tried that and is it effective?

Wow, I'm so glad I found this website. I am not an anxious person, so when I began feeling really anxious and having heart palpitations it was really unusual for me, but I figured it was something situational. I never suspected Yasmin. I wanna go off of it, but am concerned about the side effects people have had in going off. Can anyone share how long it took to feel "back to normal" after going off of it, and anything that helped in the meantime. Thanks so much.
LT

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 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!

So I'll refer to today as Hell Day, the day when all the horrible symptoms of my birth control pill attack me at once and I literally cannot take it. I had this exact same thing happen when I was on the nuvaring, and I stopped it immediately. I'm willing to sacrifice having 100% safe sex if it means I don't have to feel like I'd rather shove a knife through my brain than exist. It's only my second month of Yasmin, and I'm feeling more fatigued than ever before in my life. I feel so horribly depressed. It's beautiful outside and I was lying on the grass, thinking only about being DEAD. I'm not one to be depressed. The only other time I've felt this awful was my third month into the Nuvaring. I specifically asked my doctor for something that wouldn't make me depressed, nor gain weight. Well, I gained about 5 pounds that won't come off no matter how hard I try, and the depression is just getting worse and worse. I'm stopping this pill tomorrow.

Other symptoms included:
*Initially: a sharp breathing pain under my left lung
*Weird, small rash on my leg
*Would rather be in bed than do anything
*Overwhelming feeling of loneliness, questioning self-worth, etc.

Hello!

I was on Ortho-tri-low for 7 or 8 years (I am currently 27) and began taking Yasmin about a year and a half ago at the suggestion of my new doctor.

At first, things were great! My skin had always looked fine, but Yasin made it perfect - even better then my old pills. Slowly, however, symptoms of somethinh darker took over but I never suspected Yasmin until I found this site.

I had attributed my new horrible, moody, AGGRESSIVE personality to stress (got engaged in September, switched jobs - high pressure job etc.). I come from a family who sees sickness as weakness adn I basically took full responsibility for my temermental flaws and ignored the horrible physical symptosm as well. I had MAJOR anxiety, heart palpitations, dizzyness, depression etc. Teh last straw was about a month ago when my periods had lasted almost 5 weeks. I FREAKED out - (cancer? fibroids? Ahhh!) - not to mention weight gain.

I'm not usually a person who runs to the doctor about every little thing, but the prolonged period urges me to actiona dn in teh process I foudhn this site. So I did what I thought was sensible: I stopped taking Yasmin that very day.

WARNING: if you just stop Yasmin out of no where, you may experince what I experienced: thyroid problems. Sure, this means nothing to you as a healthy girl just bopping through life - but MAN does it suck when something's wrong with yoru thyroid. I've been off Yasmin for 2 weeks now and my skin is so dry, I look like a snake (Where is my beautifulk skin frm Yasmin!? I miss it!)

I've decided to never take that evil medication again, skin be damned. Already I'm feeling better because the depression has wanned, but my insomnia is out of control. I forgot what's it's like to be NORMAL and happy - soooo glad I've got that part back. My wedding is in 4 months so hopefully I'll be all the way back to my old self soon.

Anyone else experienced this horrible dry skin thing? No amount of lotion helps. I've even tried Neosporin all over, to no avail.

Hi Ladies,

Just to let you know I'm feeling great, 2 months off of Yasmin now. My sex drive continues to improve, my magnesium when last checked was 2.1 (vs 1.7) and the heart palpitations, arrythmias, and chest pressure have disappeared. I still take blood pressure medication, but I know now that with time I will be able to get off of those.

I forgot to mention in my earlier posts that I've gained almost 20 pounds since I got on Yasmin. I now have to try to lose them, hopefully before I end up pregnant (!!!).

I congratulate all of you that have made the decision to get off of yasmin. Remember what my specialist told me a few weeks ago: "DON'T TAKE ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES. FIND ANOTHER MORE NATURAL WAY". Remember he also said that he doesn't let his wife take them.

I know not everyone has a negative reaction, but for those of us who have it is encouraging to know there are doctors out there that support us and believe us. If no one else, we believe you. Stay strong, you will get better.

IPJ

i just found this site. I went off of yasmin three days ago. My fam. dr. asked to stop taking it immediately when i went in for chest pains. She said she's had others on yasmin come in with chest pains. So i have stopped (against the advice of my gyno ) and i feel so strange! i feel really sick and i just snapped at my kids today like never before, i think i scared them. what is happening? I feel like throwing up every two minutes, ZERO energy, headache and this is after stopping it and i'm bleeding like crazy. Anyone else go thru this? does it get better ? please tell me it does.

This whole past year i felt like crying ALL of the time and i attributed it to stress. Heart palpitations and chest pain almost every day. This is all new to me are there any other sites out there on this? thank you!!

andrea

Dynastar:

I had the heart palpitations, rapid heartbeat, decreased sex drive, and some anxiety. I feel better since coming off in all areas.

I think the people that have had problems coming off felt ok while they were on it, but I'm not sure. Don't worry, no matter what you'll be healthier for getting of Yaz. I've been told it can take 3-6 months for the effects wear off, but everyone is different. I feel better 1 month later.

IPJ

I was on Yasmin for 1.5 years and YAZ for 7 months. I am getting off the pill after this pack...only 6 more pills.
I am terrified of what will happen when I stop.
So far my side effects are:
Melasma
heart palpitations
anxiety
rapid heart beat for 15 mins. or more (this happens randomly)
chest pressure
NO sex drive

Hi,

You name it, I had it. Fatigue, Headaches, Racing heart, palpitations, chest pain, naseau, sleeplessness, melasma. This is the second time this has happened to me. The first time was in 2003 on Ovcon. My gyn then put me on Aviane, a generic brand with lower hormone levels. A year later I went to and endocronolic specialist, who decided to put me on Yasmine, not sure why, but like so many people, I did as I was told (blind trust). I just this month reached the climax of my symptoms and decided to see a doctor. Just as someone else posted, the first thing they said was ANXIETY. They said I have been on Yasmine to long to just now start feeling side effects. I gave a rundown of everything I was feeling and they sent me for blood work.

Results are I am enemic. I have an iron deficiency. This I knew from my younger years. What I am curious about, is whether or not Yasmine has an effect on the level of iron in your blood. Can it worsen your enemia?

Hi everyone,

An update for you about my magnesium. I went to a kidney specialist yesterday (my doctor thought I might have kidney issues because my magnesium level was not increasing even with supplements). He was perplexed as to why I was there and basically told me that my magnesium levels were not low enough to be considered for any kidney problem (YAY!!!). He also said that he wasn't convinced that my heart palpitations were caused by my magnesium levels. He asked a little bit about my history and when I told him I was off of Yasmin, he said "GOOD. Find another form of birth control. I won't let my wife take any oral contraceptive". We continued our conversation and I thanked him, expressing how good it was to hear that from a doctor, since most of my friends think I'm paranoid. He repeated the warning to not take oral contraceptives and we ended the visit.

SO, basically I think my heart palpitations have been Yasmin/Orthocyclene related all along. I will wait to see how my body feels in a few months. Also, he said my magnesium levels seemed fine to him and they won't increase with oral supplements because it's very badly obsorbed, and if anything I would get diarrhea instead. (don't want that....)

I'll keep you posted... on the road to better health, I can feel it already! I'm so excited to get that validation from a doctor!

Took 2 Yasmine BC pills and stopped immediately,
after only 2 pills I am still feeling the side effects a few days after,
symptoms including, headaches, soreness behind the eyes,
pain in the legs, nauseus, light stools, emotional, extremme fatique, heart palpitations and for the first time no sex drive,
water retention, sore breasts... Can anyone suggest a better
BC pill???