Yasmin and hot flashes

I was put on birth control when I was 21 years old and I started with Estrostep FE for irregular and very painful periods. 9 years later, after complaining of unusually light periods and horrible hot flashes I was switched to Yasmin to see if that would make a difference. I was fine with the Yasmin for about 6 months but then I came down with what I thought might have been a stomach virus. I was fine until June of that year when I came down with what seemed to be another stomach virus. I found this odd as I had not had a stomach virus since I was eight years old, but I seemed to have contracted two within six months of each other 22 years later. By the time July hit, I was experiencing these "stomach viruses" just about every other day. I would have horrible acid indigestion and the sensation of needing to vomit (but I never would) which would send me running for the bathroom for hours at a time just in case I did. For over a year I sought the advice of doctors and had been theoretically diagnosed with the following: stress (always the first one), acid reflux disease, IBS, and gastroparesis. I have gone through an endoscopy, gastric emptying scan, colonoscopy, two ultrasounds, two CT scans and an MRI. Drug wise I have been put on Prevacid, Compazine, Zofran, Zegerid, Imipramine, Reglan, Levsid, and Erythromycin. I now am buried in medical bills and the whole thing has caused me to miss a month of work without pay. I also was struggling to eat and, at one point, had dropped 25 pounds which is very frightening for someone with my tiny frame. The mental anguish was unbearable and I was actually at the point of welcoming a diagnosis of cancer just because it would have been answer. The idea to stop taking the Yasmin actually came from a fifteen minute conversation during a birthday party with an obstetrician. Within two weeks of stopping I was absolutely fine. I gained all of the weight back in record time and am once again a person who rarely ever needs stomach aids (in three months I've only taken two tums). Stopping the Yasmin made absolute sense because the nausea episodes would only occur between 9am and 2pm (weird, just like morning sickness) and my thyroid levels were all over the place. One blood test would show them as normal and another would show them as sky-high. I questioned my ob-gyn why she said my blood tests were normal when my thyroid levels were actually twice the normal level. She merely shrugged it off as being "normal because of the Yasmin". No wonder I never felt well! I've been off Yasmin for three months now. I've only gotten one light period that lasted for three days. It was over a month ago and it took almost two months to happen after stopping the Yasmin. I don't know if I'm sterile because I have heard cases of girls becoming infertile after long-term use of the pill (any kind). I am definitely interested in joining a class action lawsuit because I don't feel I should be the one stuck with all of these bills. Has anything been officially started yet?

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 just came back from my GP and I am off work now until the end of the week and it's all because of Yasmin. I decided to go on the Pill as I started a new relationship and was told by my friends that this was the best pill available on the market. My doctor put me on it as well but from day one it's been a disaster. I am very thirsty, it makes me go to a bathroom every 20 minutes, I became very moody, irritated and almost depressed. And this is only after 6 days of taking it!. My breasts are very sore, I feel completely out of place, hot flashes and mood swings.I feel like a zombie. I cried in a bathroom at work today. I cried in my manager's office today as she wasn't sure what was going on with me. Thank God, she was very supportive and understanding. It was her who encouraged me to stop it straight way. The doctor I went to see today said to me the same thing - to get off it straightway. Hopefully I will become a normal person soon. I will be trying another type of contraception but will never go back on the pill again. In six days it turned me from a happy person into a person that I can hardly recognize as myself. And from reading all the comments which have been posted here, it makes me think that it's not worth it. I will be trying another method of contraception but will not be messing up with my body again. The price to pay is too high.

Hey every1,

I just started to take Yaz this past Sunday July 6th '08 and it is now July 10th. I started to get on the 2nd day these weird hot flashes, feeling sweaty, anxious (more than I normally get) and developed this weird calf and Left side leg pain, also my whole left side like my whole arm and I feel crazy about this pain b/c only a year ago i was in a bad car accident and was hit on my driver side as a head on collision to me, so now i feel confused as if i don't know how to distinguish whether it's my accident pain (that will never go away like arthritis) or if it is this Yaz pill. I am very concerned, and being that I am like a hypochondriac (a nervous mess; a disorder characterized by a preoccupation with body functions and the interpretation of normal body sensations, also a constant worrier and negative thinker) I feel much concern for this issue. I even feel like going to the hospital just to make sure and for my sanity.. Help!

I was on Yasmin for a number of years and had chest pains. I also have 2 red "dots" on my hair line that formed about a year ago. I noticed my hair thinned out too. I never made the connection that it could be related to the Pill. I also had frequent headaches, but would just take some Aleve and be on my way.
Anyways, I went off in February, and it is now June, and I still have no period. I've seen the gyno, tried to take Provera, and nothing is working to help me get my period. I ended up getting some bloodwork done. My estrogen levels are extremely low (like someone that is in menopause). I AM ONLY 25!!!! I am guessing it is related to coming off Yasmin somehow. Please contact me if you have similar things, as I am now getting all the symptoms of menopause (severe hair loss, night sweats, hot flashes, uncontrollable moods).

Doing an article on Yasmin, INFO WANTED on Side Effects that occur after you stop taking the pill

Hey okay so I'm doing an article on Yasmin, the side effects that occur when you stop taking the pill, and would like more information on it. I would like to interview ex users of the pills that have experienced either hair loss, lack of period, severe headaches, and just about anything that resulted. I need to write this article ASAP! All experiences are helpful. I too used to be on the pill, and ever since I stopped taking it my cycle has been out of whack. Please contact me either via email gator924@ufl.edu or through AIM: lipsfullbittin or via phone: 786-239-8751.

While most people know some of the side effects of taking the pill, few know the side effects that occur when you stop taking it. It would be a helpful article to any users or future users of the pill, don't you agree?

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!!

I am a 32 yr old mother of 4. Started taking Yasmin after a try with an IUD (bad chioce). I was on Yasmin for 6 months. In that time I devolped night sweats, hot flashes, my hair started falling out, total lack of sex drive (which had never been a problem), along with sleep issues (lying in bed so tired, but my mind racing and not being able to fall asleep), then being so tired all day. I finally stopped Yasmin when I devolped open sores in my mouth. Thinking that all the other symptoms were related to life stress, getting older etc. So I went to my Primary DR and was told that they though I might be in premature menapouse. At 32! After many test/blood work came back negative, I started to pin point it to the Yasmin. I have been off for 5 months now, and this is my first cycle where I havent spotted for 5 days before starting, along with my PMS much more managble. I am angry that I almost medicated myself for depression/anxitey when all I needed was to go off the pill.
So here is giving you all hope that it is getting much better for me. My hair has started to grow back in, along with a general sence of happiness again. My "menapasual" symptoms are also going away!

I started taking yasmin 1 month ago, I started arguing with my husband, picking fights, everything irritated me, hot flashes day and night, headache, snapping at people, an extreeme pain in my ankle lasting 5 seconds 2 to 3 x a day to the point of yelling until it subsided. I have been off the pill for 1 week and the pain is gone, feeling much better, like normal again.

I am so glad that I found this site, and I don’t feel like I’m going crazy anymore! I’m 22 and had been taking Yasmin for 2 years. About two months into taking Yasmin I began having unexplained migraines for days that would not go away. I was prescribed medication for my migraines, and it didn’t help. Then, I became depressed and would cry about everything. I also became moody and would yell at everybody for no reason at all. I was also tired all the time and was constantly having hot flashes. I also had terrible nausea and vomiting with Yasmin. I vomited almost every night for two months! The worst symptom of all though, was panic attacks that almost put me in the hospital one time. I finally looked up the side effects of Yasmin and thankfully found this site. I have been off Yasmin for two weeks now, and already I feel like myself again! I have more energy, and I am no longer moody or sick to my stomach. I have also not had a migraine and I even feel more clear headed. Yasmin destroyed my relationship with my fiancé and I’ll never get that back. Hopefully, other woman will see this and stop taking Yasmin before it ruins their relationships. I thank all of you woman who shared your stories! I felt so much better after reading them.

OMIGOD!!! I totally thought I was going crazy too and I have only been on yasmin for 2 months! I have been unbelievably miserable, or have wanted to cry for no apparent reason. I have super bad cramps, and crazy migranes as well. I haven't been able to sleep, been getting hot flashes (and i am only 22), and been overall exhausted. I get dizzy really easily, and my sight keeps blurring. I have also suffered from nausea, heartburn, diarrea, and have been super depressed. I am going to the doctor tomorrow to get off this pill. It isnt worth ruining my 3 week old marriage over, that is for sure!

Hello Yasmin Sufferers out there, I have currently been taking Yasminfor four months exactly, I started my cycle today which means that I would start to take my new pack of pills come this Sunday, except I have most definately decided that I am going to stop. Especially after reading all of these posts and have come to the realization that all of my health problems seem to be Yasmin driven. I will now list the long list of symptoms that I have expierienced over the last four months:

Water retention, dry mouth, dehydration ( also note: drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day), blurred vision, shaking, headaches, backaches, crying at the drop of a dime, moody, irritable, constipation, nightsweats, coldsores, breast tenderness, as well as numbness in legs. I also have naturally thin hair, but have noticed that my hair has become thinner. I have also gained 10pds.

I am 24 years of age and have been taking this pill for four months. When I was younger I took Ortho Tricyclin for years and gained approx: 60pds. I went off of that pill and dropped the weight almost immediately along with changing my nutrition completely. So, it wasn't just the pill. I then stayed off of the pill for years, and was absolutely fine. Last year I tried to take Yasmin, I went on the pill for one month and withing the 1st week gained 8pds, I stopped taking it after one month, because I am so weight conscience because the pill had made me gain weight in the past.

I tend to have moderate adult acne. I went to my Dr. for an acne treatment, and he suggested the Birth Control Pill. He suggested Yasmin because of the water pill which is in it. This time my Dr. convinced me that I did not give the pill enough time last time and should give it three months minumum.

So, I have given it four months and the symptoms seem to be getting worse as well as the weight gain, and irritability.

I have also felt depressed and wondered if have been depressed which I have never had thoughts of in the past.

One thing that Yasmin has done well for me has been clearing up the acne, which was what I wanted to stop, but after enduring all of these other symptoms, I would rather have adult acne in trade for all of these.

Like I mentioned above I took my last pill last Saturday because that was the end of my pack and I do not plan on starting a new one this Sunday. I can only hope that I do not get any negative side effects when coming off of the pill.

I hope that this helps you ladies out there looking for info and highly recommend researching a birth control pill extensively before taking it.

Wishing you all the best of luck, thank you all for voicing your symptoms as I didn't even realize that these were all pointing to one problem.YASMIN.

I am happy to have found this site. I have been on Yasmin I believe about 3 years. I am educated in the insurance industry, so I should have known better. I really thought I was going crazy. My mood swings have been horrible for a long time. I am snap at my family just saying everyday things. I sound angry even when I am not. I know I am doing this, but can not control it. I get terrible headaches, muscle stiffness, nausea, exhaustion, and I have gained weight. I also have issues with severe anxiety and wake up in a panic sweating at times. I got hot flashes out of the blue. I have come to the conclusion I need to be off of this pill immediately and I believe that I will start to feel better. I will keep you posted.

I am so relieved to have found this site, like many of you I thought I was going crazy. I had just been to lunch and nearly cried because I didn’t’t like anything on the menu (and am usually fussy, but serious this is just being nutty). I have been taking Yasmine for just over a week and have been so depressed, tired, moody, my weight is out of control, but most of all just feeling like there is nothing to wake up for. I am usually full of life and driven to achieve, but recently I have not wanted to ever bother to get out of bed. I was going to wait until the end of the packet but now I am going off Yasmine ASAP.

i have been taking Yamine for about a month and a half, after being on a generic pill for a couple years. I didnt know if these symptons i was having was caused by yasmine, but now i think it may be. I have been getting lightheaded, blurry eyes, shakiness, hot flashes..almost like a panic attack, and i have become very dehydrated, even though i have been drinking alot of water. I even went to the doctors for these symptons and they still don't have an answer, so i think it may be yasmine.my newest sympton as of yesterday is chest pain. also i feel like my heart is beating fast all the time, and i feel fatigued way too often, which is causing me to eat more, becauase i am starving way to often, and if i don't eat i feel like i am going to collapse. Also my sex drive has gone to non-existant- is that common? I workout all the time, and eat pretty healthy, so i don't know what else these symptons could be coming from. Is anyone else experiencing these sympons?

Hello, I'm a 27 yr old, married female, who has been on BC for about 9 years. I started Yasmin about 5 years ago, and just got off of it 2 weeks ago.

I never realized how NEGATIVELY it effected me. Some of my side effects were: cysts in my breasts, severe hot flashes, tingeling of my hands etc, I've been hospitalized for heart palps, and chest pain...And I NEVER slept through the night. Not 1 night! UNTIL now of course...Imagine!

I just decided to come off the pill b/c 1. I'm married now, and 2. I wsa so tired of taking meds. I feel AMAZING now! I sleep thought the night, no more panic attacks, or feeling anxious. I'm still a little hormonal and have some hot flashes, but nothing like I used to. And, the week I'd be off the pill and have my period, I was in SUCH a better mood...the second I'd go back on the pill, I'd be so cranky and defensive, I'd feel sick to my stomach- and my eyes were SO dry! Esp. that first week getting back on it- man, it was brutal.

So now, my cysts in my breasts are gone, I'm happy, pain free, and able to sleep though the night!

This is such a great site...I think that different meds work differently on each person, but with Yasmin, there are a LOT of cases in which the effects are not healthy, or worth it! Good luck to all hoping to get off this pill- you'll feel like a different person~

Best,
M

Lauren- May 2005 through August 3, 2007: The following is my daughter’s story which I put on paper so that she could bring it with her to the gynecologist in case I couldn’t be with her. I didn’t want her to forget anything. Someone suggested that I post it to a website:
The most recent issue seems to have started when she first went away to college in the fall of 2005. She came home one weekend with a stomach virus (vomiting, nausea), but it seemed to never completely go away. She was taken to the ER a few times, just to be treated for dehydration and sent home because there was 'nothing wrong with her'...Over the next few months she seemed to constantly feel sick, nauseous, fatigued, and get a lot of headaches. We took her to her primary care doctor, who did blood work and treated her for heartburn, acid reflux, etc.. During this time, she actually had appendicitis and had her appendix removed. After that she continued to feel sick. So we moved on to the gastroenterologist who ran many tests: cat scan endoscopies, more blood work, and were told that they couldn't find anything wrong. Then we started with a nutritionist to help her eat healthier and hopefully reduce the nausea which subsided occasionally but never let up. Nothing there helped. Then it was back to another gastroenterologist with no results. Over this time, anxiety was hitting her big time. She was finishing up finals in her first year of college and was constantly skipping classes because she was too nauseous to get out of bed for her 8:00 classes. Home for the summer - no relief. She decides she couldn't go back to her college for her 2nd year so she enrolled in community college - not exactly the plan, but at least she was on course with her classes and doing well. Still stressed and nauseous, we started with the neurologist who prescribed many medicines and ordered an MRI, which showed nothing (no problems, not no brain!). Back to the primary care doctor who finally diagnosed her with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which fit the current symptoms of nausea, severe diarrhea while vomiting and the finale: passing out. So, back to the state college for 2nd semester of sophomore year. But the medication for IBS was making her too sleepy to get through the day, so she discontinued it. The symptoms had subsided a bit but towards the end of the school year got worse again - just in time for finals, again. During that semester at school, she sought counseling at school which seemed to help her stress level, but she still had daily ‘melt-downs’, so the therapist sent her to a psychiatrist for meds. The doctor started her on the lowest dose (25mg) of Zoloft. As she started to feel a bit better, they increased the Zoloft over the next few months until she was at 100 mg. Home for the summer, the symptoms came and went, but about 2 weeks after she started the 100 mg, she confided in me that she was feeling depressed and actually had thought of 'not caring if she died'. We immediately took her to the psychiatrist upstate who had treated her at school and whom she had seen once since she left school. (She had also continued with the cognitive therapy at the college.) The doctor told her to start weaning off the Zoloft, but start Seraquel (another seratonin-based drug). She also said she was going on vacation and Lauren needed to be seen often as she switched medications, so she advised us to find another psychiatrist closer to home to monitor her progress. So the new doctor put her on Wellbutrin, continued to wean her off Zoloft, and continued her on the Seraquel. He also ordered blood work and a fasting glucose-tolerance test (all of which came back normal/negative). The symptoms got severely worse over the next 2 weeks: constant nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, fainting. On Monday, she spoke with the psychiatrist and he told her to stop all meds. We continued to believe that the recent symptoms were caused by either the psychotic meds themselves, still in her system or the withdrawal of the meds. By Tuesday night, she had been vomiting for almost 24 hours and I had to take her to the ER, not because I thought they could figure out what was wrong, but to re-hydrate her because she was becoming dehydrated. After 7 hours, and more blood work, x-ray, EKG, she was released and proceeded to get nauseous on the way home at 4AM. BUT, a very nice nurse came in while Lauren had fallen asleep and asked me why my daughter was on so many meds. I basically told her the above story and she asked me when Lauren started on birth control pills. I told her that I took her to my gyn. in May of 2005, before she was going off to college and we told him about the terrible menstrual cycle (heavy bleeding and 1 day a month home with cramps all through high school) and he put her on Ortho-tricycline low. At her 3 month check, she told him she was losing large amounts of hair. He changed her contraceptive to 'Ov-con 35'. In November, she complained of nausea and he switched her to Yasmin. She has been on it ever since. The nurse asked me if I was aware that every symptom that Lauren has had since October of 2005 could be a side effect of oral contraceptives!! She told me about a book to buy, written by Dr. John Lee about hormones and imbalances. She told me not to stop the b.c. pills abruptly, because since they are synthetic hormones, and with what her body was going through, it might put her into an hormonal chaos, similar to a full-blown menopause! So we are now reading the book, waiting to do saliva- testing and trying to see a gyn. to help us. Her own gyn. has a personal family emergency and is on a temporary leave of absence (as we found out when his office canceled her yearly check-up twice in the last 10 days). We are trying to get her in with one of the other doctors. She cannot start a 3rd year of college still feeling ill!
Added to the above is the fact that my husband’s sister called to see what was going on with Lauren after she got a phone call from her mother. It turns out that my niece, Heather (age 23), has been making the rounds with the doctors and having testing done (MRI, blood work, etc.,) because she has been nauseous and passing out. Guess what medicine she is taking…..Yasmin!

This is the list of most of the medicines (besides the 3 oral contraceptives) that she has been on during the last 27 months because of the side effects of Yasmin, and no doctor suggests she stop her oral contraceptive pills for a few months!
Prochloroperaz (5mg), Topamax (25mg), Prevacid (30mg), Zofran (4mg), Omeprazole (20mg), Amitriptyline (25mg), Amitriptyline (50mg), Inderal (60mg), Propranolol (10mg), Amitriptyline (10mg), Sertraline (Zoloft) (25mg), Sertraline (Zoloft) (50mg), Metoclopramide (5mg), Sertraline (Zoloft) (100mg), Seroquel (25mg), Wellbutrin (150mg), Dicyclomine (10mg), Compazine (severe reaction: Extrapyramidal), and other anti-nausea meds in 4 trips to the ER (one due to the reaction to Compazine!)

yasmin worked great for me in that it cleared up my skin, lessened my bad mood swings, and made my period a lot lighter. i did gain weight though. i recently stopped it and for about a week i'd feel nauseated at the sight or smell of food. eating made it worse. i also would have my temperature rise up on me a lot. it felt like hot flashes and i'm only eighteen! i lost five pounds after stopping yasmine.

First, I don't really like taking BCPs and have avoided them like the plague in the past. After giving birth to my first child this past December I had some complications. My doctor tried to fix the complication with BCPs, not Yasmin, and apparently they worked. I was recently prescribed Yasmin by my doctor as I am SO not ready to get pregnant again. I only took the pills for 5 days and then stopped, at my husband's request, and for my personal quality of life. I am not sure if the pills are the cause of my symptoms or not as I was only on them for 5 days but here they are. I woke up every morning with a headache, a nagging headache that did not go away. I had terrible nausea and hot flashes. The worst thing happened on the 5th day. I was shopping with my mother at a store that I have frequented when I had a terrible reaction. I had vision problems and felt as if I was going to faint. I have never had this feeling in the past when visiting this store, it was a sensitivity to the lighting, I think?

I quit taking the pills 5 days ago. Yesterday I started my second period for the month which may be my own fault for stopping so abruptly. At least I hope that is the cause and it isn't something more serious.

I have been on Yasmin21 for 10 days. As soon as I started taking them I noticed that I was feeling different. Spotting came first and has not stopped for the 10 days I've been using them. A couple days ago I started noticing that my breats are severly tender to the point where just walking hurts them. I feel bloated and like I need to eat every couple of hours. Just yesterday I noticed my feet were looking kind of swollen and my leg has cramped up real bad which resulted in limping today. It also changed my mood from the usual happy to on the verge of tears. My sex drive is also gone and I was wondering if this happened to any other women. I decided to stop taking them until I can see a doctor in hope that he will prescribe me a different pill or another method of birth control. I will not be going back on this pill and I am still a little bit sketchy about going on any other birth control pill. All in all this pill made me feel terrible inside and out.

I really don't think anyone too young should take this product. I have only taken it for about 3 days (I know I probably sound like a hypocondriact because I haven't waited long enough to see if the side effects subside) but even in the first couple of days I felt really weird. I felt like I was sick with mono or something. I felt really tired for the first half of the day and then at night I was awake. My change in mood has made me feel a little out of it. Also my acne got much worse just in 2 days. Instead of it just being a bad it was like every new pimple was beneath the surface of my skin. I also take doxocyclin with yasmin but it doesn't seem to do much. I also feel really lathargic and odd. Very tired and my head just seems to be floting.

I know I have only been on this for 3 days but, I have work to do and I can't let this pill bring me down in that. I have to be alert and know whats going on in order for me to do my job. I don't want to be someone who still has side effects long after just starting to take this pill.

I can't say much else but I that I don't want to risk my sanity for this. I really don't think I need it now. I am only 15 and I just want other young people to be aware of the side effects. Although I was not perscribed Yasmin for pregnancy reasons, just know that taking this so early may cause problems. Anyway, good luck to all and I hope whatever BC you choose it is right for you and your body!

Where do I begin??? I have been taking Yaz for six months. Migraines! The worst migraines ever, I cannot function for one full day and sometimes more, the pain was so intolerable.

Hives! For the past two months, I keep thinking that I had a food allergy; even my doctor diagnosed it as that. After going to the allergist, I was told that I have developed an allergy to the Yasmin pill. No part of my body has been discriminated with this medication. Hives from the top of my head, in my eyes, right down to the bottom of my feet! This has been the worst experience of my life with this pill.

Fatigue to the extreme! I fall asleep sitting up and never feel rested. Yaz has caused me to go up two cup sizes so far, I went from being a 38C to a 40DD and I can't fit into anything. My boobs are sore a lot.

Weight gain, at least 20 pounds heavier. Nausea; Indigestion; Diarrhea & Constipation; Decreased Sex Drive; and Mood swings; Uncontrollable Rages; Severe body aches; Hot Flashes/Chills; Crying Spells; Blurred Vision; Lack of Concentration; Trouble sleeping; Dizziness; Shaking; Restlessness mainly after 9pm when I should be winding down to go to bed; Terrible night sweats; Never ending cravings for junk food; Inability to cope with stressful situations; Feeling of being inadequate; Can’t concentrate; Gassy; Hate family & partners; Irrational.

I am due to start my third pack of YAZ, and I am getting off today. My dr. gave me a three month trial after I switched from ortho-tricyclin low because I had break-through bleeding. I realize with any contraceptive there are going to be side-effects, but this is ridiculous... I have had extreme fatigue, I am sleepy all the time. I also feel like I cannot think clearly, like my head is clogged or something. I also feel very anxious and this feeling like I am going to pass out. Also my eyes feel very dry and unfocused. Nothing is worth feeling like this, and it is very obvious that all these symptoms are coming from this pill. I am scared to try anything else!

hi guest 38916.
hot flashes are very common whilst getting off yasmin,i had them monthly for quite a while,you could try some agnus castus,that is meant to help regultate your hormone balance and it may also help with the anxiety,valerian is also great for anxiety, the fact that you are so young is on your side,hopefully your body will bounce back quite quickly,it seems to take longer the older you are and the closer to the perimenopause you are,it takes us older ladies(although i am only 32!) a little longer to get our hormones behaving themselves again.

If anybody KNEW how relieved I am to read these messages.... you guys just don't know! I stopped taking yasmin 2 weeks ago because I gained 30 pounds on it in one year. I have stretch marks, total loss of confidence, everything. THEN, when I read your messages I was so relieved to find out that a lot of women got anxiety from them too. For the past year I have been nothing but anxiety. My heart beats fast, I felt short of breath almost everyday, I couldn't drink a cup of coffee without getting palpitations and jitters for an hour, I felt fatigue everyday, I couldn't even have a normal workout routine because I would get tired after 10 minutes. And the WHOLE time I thought it was something else. I had no idea that it could have possible been yasmin because everybody told me it was too low of a dose to do anything. I'm so glad I'm off of it but I'm getting hotflashes and I'm only 19. I hopoe it will be over in a few weeks so I can be normal again. By the way, did anybody else get hotflashes while getting off of Yasmin??

severe hot burning sensations from my upper back to stomach after one week of using. been off Yasmin for one month .... still having hot flashes

I was on Misoprolol and told to take birth control pills in order to regulate my menstrual cycle. I have also been on thsi pill in the past as a method of birth control and to shrink ovarian cysts. It did not work when it came to shrinking cysts. I was told I was part of the small percentage of women for whom that function did not work.

I am also on 5mg of abilify. I have never been more "hormonal" in my life. I am extremely irritable getting, hot flashes and emotional. This is not normal for me. I have informed my doctors and they have since told me to stop use of Yasmine. If I were not on the Abilify, I think my condition might be worse.

Hi Sarah (Flowerbabies, 10/02),

Thanks for your response to my question (nightowl, 10/02). I've been away from home/computer for a couple of weeks, so I haven't had a chance to read your response before today. As you suggested, I'm reading all the other site postings about Yasmin and I'm amazed at the amount of problems people are posting. It's not always clear in each case the extent to which Yasmin may be the cause of these concerns. Still--if there are so many problems, why do doctors routinely prescribe this medication? I realize that big Pharma stands to make money from Yasmin, but there are other pills.

Also, your question about why I've been prescribed Yasmin at my age is a reasonable one. I've asked as well. I'm not a good candidate for HRT (is anyone really a good candidate for that?) because my mother had (and survived) removal of an estrogen-receptive breast tumor. So, apparently, "low-dose" contraceptives are a good alternative for perimenapause and menapause symptoms when the usual HRT is not an option. I have stopped taking the Yasmin and will live with the symptoms. I've increased my calcium/magnesium intake to prevent bone loss. I'll research the alternatives you suggested. Meanwhile, my sleeping has improved a lot, despite the hot flashes (which at this point are minimal for me). Thanks again. nightowl (by day!)

Hi, I was searching on the internet for potential emotional and hormonal side effects to Yasmin because I started taking it 2 weeks and 2 days ago, noticing immediate changes in my physiological and emotional state. The advice nurse of my OBGYN stated that my side effects seemed extreme in comparison to the stated side effects the company warns against. I am so glad to have found other women experiencing similar things.

From the beginning I have experienced nausea daily. I developed severe cystic acne within the first week. My appetite shrunk considerably. I began feeling some shortness of breath and have consistent sleep disturbance. I feel as if there is some type of electric current running through my legs. I guess we could call that anxiety. My body temperature has shifted drastically and out of nowhere I have hot flashes but am only 29 years old. My emotional state is in constant flux. I can be laughing one moment and crying the next.

At the start of the 2nd week I woke up in the middle of the night, looked at my fiance, and decided I wasn't in love with him. In fact, I wanted him to get away from me completely. It was at that point I realized that the only change in my routine had been the addition of Yasmin. I am highly irritable and headaches come on daily towards the end of the day.

I was advised to at least finish this first month cycle if not a full three months. I have just this week to get through before the placebo pills kick in. I will be switching back to Levlen which was good to me for 14 years. I only switched because I had been on the same pill for so long but I am convinced now that if your hormonal balance is right, one should not mess with that. I hope I will not have much transition time before feeling normal again. In addition, I hope that some of these drug companies start disclosing the potential emotional and physiological side effects to changing one's hormonal balance.

I took Yasmin for a number of years with no side effects, actually with beneficial side effects, of making my periods more manageable (the pills helped reduce hot flashes, nausea and cramps). Then I tried to go off by transitioning onto a lower dose pill, but had some side effects, and went back on the Yasmin after 2 months. Now, it's been AWFUL. I figured I'd give it a month for my body to readjust, but I don't think that's going to happen. I have suffered from: morning-sickness type nausea every day (for 5 weeks) except during the last week of my last cycle, when I wasn't on the pills, diahrrhea, which only probiotics reduced (still a problem, but not as bad), exhaustion, achy legs and back, and shooting pains in my abdomen. Also the dry mouth that others have mentioned has been bad.
I don't know why it would work so well for so long and not work now! Has anyone else had this happen to them while switching back and forth? I also have a high breast cancer risk, and even though all the studies say there's no link between oral contraceptives and breast cancer, I have wondered - how can I take estrogen, which feeds breast cancer, without it increasing my risk?
Heidi

This is my first month on Yasmin - I just started taking my inactive pills so expecting my period any day now. Anyway, last week I spent one day vomiting and couldnt even hold my head up (figured it was a 24-hour stomach bug), but now I have unexplainable hives/rash on my arms, back and stomach. I too have low sex-drive and hot flashes now and often feel like there are bricks being piled on top of my chest. Calling my gyno tomorrow to see what she says about it.

Hi
I started taking Yamin 3 weeks ago because I have terrible cramps due to having endometriosis. My doctor said to take Yasmin continuously (without taking the placebo) so I don't have a period. I thought I was being a hypercondriac but I am suffering from headaches, nausea, I gag once in awhile and now I have calf pain. After reading these notes from all of you I am wondering is this going to get better once my body gets used to it or will I be feeling worse. Plus I am extremely tired and I was wondering if anybody feels that too. I am at a loss because without something I can't function with all my severe cramps. I am not sure to switch pills or keep going to see if things get better. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Lynn

THANKS SILKE......
i needed to hear from you so bADLY I WAS FEELING SO DISTRESSED. I still feel low today on day 7 and was wondering if it was ever going to get better, im also having the hot flashes again which worried me.

I do not have your email address to mail you privately, do yo mind emailing me at
****** with it.

god bless you
lisa

My side effects weren't as serious as some of yours but they have subsided now that I have stopped taking it.

I had the hot flashes where I would suddenly be sweating like crazy. My breast size also increased by two sizes and they were constantly tender and sore. I had crazy mood swings and emotional out bursts, I am now planning on getting a copper IUD. No more hormones for me, ever.

Hello Everyone,

I've been taking Yasmin for 8 months now and have had major weight gain... 115 to 160. My blood pressure has gone up and I contribute that to becoming stressed or depressed even easier then I would normally (the weight gain makes me even more depressed). I'm seriously considering to stop taking Yasmin and go from there. The only other time I've ever been this large was when I was pregnant so there must be a hormonal connection. I still occassionally have hot flashes.

Thanks for everyones post,

Tammy

Blueberry-
I suggest that you speak with your doctor (although my doc will not admit to the correlation of the symptoms that I had and my being on Yasmin). The hot flashes may get worse (mine did) as you take more Yasmin. You may develop other symptoms as you take more pills.
Please refer to some of the posts below in this forum. Yasmin does some serious things (havoc) to your system.
I am waiting to have my second pd since stopping Yasmin. Since my pd is getting closer, I am having more hot flushes/flashes and am much more anxious and shaky.
I took Yasmin for about 5 months, then off for a month then on for 8 or 9 more.

Gina - YES, I am still lightheaded and dizzy! It only lasts 1-2 seconds, but it is there. I too gave up both the occasional glass of wine and Diet Coke to "detox" myself. Seems like it is helping a little. I am not back to myself, not even close. I guess that the Paxil CR is helping too.

I am seeing a nurse practitioner this Thursday. Let's hope that she has some answers for me. This has been a nightmare for me. I just KNOW the Yasmin is to blame, it HAS to be.

Take care everybody!

Good afternoon-

I just started taking Yasmin two days ago. I have never been on bc before. My doctor recommened Yasmin for my PMS. Well, last night I woke up with severe lower digestive problems and hot flashes. I was unable to fall back asleep. Today, my heart is racing. Is this normal? Is my body just adjusting to the hormones? I am not sure if I should continue it or not. If this is a 'normal' I guess I will stick it out. If not, I would rather get off of it now.

Hi everyone. I have been taking Yasmin for 2 1/2 years and have been fine. But...recently, I am having horrible hot flashes. I'm 27-years-old and a newlywed. I have a history of endometriosis. Has anyone experienced hot flashes?

I was taking yasmin for 7 years and just stopped it in nov 2005. The 1st month I was off it I got my period normally. Then I got my period in Jan a week early. Now I have not bled for 39 days and cry all the time. I cry at anything. The pharmacist told me that for every year I was on the pill it will now take a month for each year to get back to normal. So this means it will take 7 months for me to get back to normal. I am only 27 and I am having hot flashes and get some spurts of high blood pressure. It was 150/100 the other day and then went back to normal. Now, I wish I had my period. I never in a million years thought I would say that!

Hill-

I had the same chest pains. Sometimes it felt like it was in my lungs, sometimes, it felt like it was my heart, and sometimes I couldn't tell where it was coming from it just hurt. Everyone kept telling me it was panic attacks. I'm sure I had a few of those too as I have had an amazing amount of anxiety since starting Yasmin, but I knew it was something more. I take a baby asprin everyday to make sure I don't get clots. I have had ekg's and chest x-rays and nobody has found anything. I have had major fatigue, dizzy spells(almost blacked out), stomach pains...the list goes on. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone. I will tell you that I have been off the pill for about 5 days now and I still have a lot of anxiety but some of the chest pain has gone away. I'm hoping it continues to get better and fast!

Chrissy-

I too had the heart race thing. Although my heart only got up to 120 bpm. At first it would just pound really hard and feel like it was going to jump out of my body. Then it would get faster and faster. When it seemed to subside the chest pain would come. It really freaked me out. I've been really afraid of blood clots. I had some weird sensations in my legs.

Guest-

I have had the worst hot flashes that have not gone away yet. One minute I'm cold the next minute I am so hot and I am stripping off sweatshirts and things trying to cool down. It's the worst! I did also gain weight, but not sure how much of it was the pill and how much was me not working out anymore because I have been so fatigued.

Hope this helps all! Five days off the pill and counting! :)

I have been on Yasmin for over a year and thought it was wonderful considering I have had a long battle of finding the right bc. Two weeks ago I woke up in a Panic Attack and couldn't explain it. Now I am dealing with severe depression and severe anxiety. I have been having a low grade fever and hot flashes everynight and everyday. It has been cold at night, but I have the fan on high b/c I get so hot during the night time. I thought I was going crazy and was going to have my Dr. run some tests on me. I came across this site and realized I am not the only one feeling this way. It's not me, it's the Yasmin that is making me feel this way. Thanks so much. I am going to stop taking it the pill today and notify my doctor.

ldf319-

I am right there with you on the bedsoaking night sweats and hot flashes, I am 24 years old and have only been on Yasmin for 3-4 months. I've had problems with other bc's but nothing like this. I actually didn't start getting any of the severe symptoms until I was in the 3rd month, but have had major anxiety and stress syptoms since I've been on any bc method. I probably wont go back on Yasmin but I do need something because I don't want to get pregnant or use alternative methods. What is everyone else using instead???

I was on Yasmin for 5 years. Ages 20-25. During that time, i had bed-soaking night sweats and hot flashes. I also had ulcerative colitis- a pre-existing condition which was exacerbated by this poison.
In June, after nearly 5 years, my hair started to fall out. That was it for me. I went into an extreme downward spiral of depression. Not to be vain, but I was devastated. In August 2005, exactly 5 years to the month, I stopped taking it.
I completely lost my appetite and cried for a week. Since then I have felt MUCH better but am SOOOOO hungry and have gained about 6-10 pounds. My hair is finally starting to grow back!! And i'm just generally calmer. No more sweating either. HOWEVER, i never had a zit in my entire LIFE until going off of Yasmin. I dont even know what to do with them.
I've only gotten my period twice in the 6 months since going off of Yasmin and both times, my cramps were not as bad as when I was on it. How ironic.
I plan to have bloodwork done soon just to make sure everything is ok but was told by my doctor that it can take a year for the pill to be completely out of your system.
Please let me know if anyone is having similar experiences. Anyone been off for longer than 6 months?
And why do women have to be the guinea pigs for drug companies to experiment on? I'm sure they did a lot more tests for the side effects of viagra before they would allow a man to take it.

I too was having many of the same things other women listed here. I thought I was losing my mind and had physical sympotms as well (night swaets, hot flashes and migrains). Just the other day I searched and what a relief to find this site. Now I know I am not alone in this and that it was the pill. I had wondered if it was but my doctor also said it was unlikely to be the cause. Yuck. I was 3 days into a new pack whan I found this site. I stopped them that day. I have been on Yasmin for a year. I hope it does not take too long to leave my system, but I feel better just knowing that this was the cause of all these things. I am so grateful for finding this site.

Abby

I have been on Yasmin for 1 month now. I have bled every day for this month and am constantly dizzy. I have hot flashes all day long with nausea. I am 30 years old and feel like I am going through menopause. I hate this pill.

I have been taking Yasmin for 2 1/2 months now. I take only the active pills. I have never taken bcp's before and am only doing it to treat endometriosis. I have been spotting everyday, feel nauseous, daily headaches, ACNE (never had this in my life), and have tender swollen breasts. Am I really supposed to put up with this for 3 months before calling my doctor? That's ridiculous! Women put up with WAY too much pain and inconvenience! I am waiting for my doctor to call me back right now. I'm sure he'll try switching me to another pill...then I guess I wait another 3 months to make a judgement. At least all this daily pain (oh, did I mention hot flashes? Well, I had them worse before anyway) is better than debilitating pain from enometriosis. There's got to be a better way!

7/18/05
My daughter was given Yasmin for cramps. She had taken it for about a week and the nausea continued to get worse. She began to have hot flashes, extreme sweating, flushing, which I believe was her blood pressure. She would have episodes of her vision blacking out. She felt awful! She could not sleep at night, even taking sleeping pills. Her legs would jerk at night, which she never had happen before. She was extra sesitive about things. When I found these postings, I was actually excited to see that other women were experiencing the same thing. I could not wait to tell my daughter. She has not take Yasmin for a week now, and most of the symptoms have gone away. I also read that Yasmin is on the Black Triangle List in Germany and that it should not be taken. That was the final straw. Good luck to those of you trying to come off of it.

Post your symptoms since stopping Yasmin!!!

Hey everyone it's Kay21 here and I just wanted to post my 3 month off Yasmin update. Because stopping the pill is a hard decision, I figured we should all post are updates here to help/support those who are planning to stop or who have recently stopped Yasmin.

I have been off of Yasmin since April 17. As some of you already know, I was experiencing horrible side effects while on Yasmin for 3 years (particularly stomach problems, vaginal dryness, muscle cramps, increased blood pressure and heart rate and anxiety).

The first 1 month off of Yasmin was okay. In fact, I felt the best I had ever felt in a while. My blood pressure and heart rate decreased and the migraines and muscle cramps went away. But when I hit the 2 month (8 week) mark, I felt HORRIBLE. I was severely depressed and anxious. I was crying all the time and felt a severe sense of DOOM! The physical symptoms also started to become problematic. The acne increased and I started growing more facial hair. The worse symptom, however, was that I started losing a ton of hair. I would lose stray hairs all day (probably about 200 a day). Since I have hit the three month mark, the hair loss has gotten MUCH WORSE! Now I am losing CLUMPS of hair all day. I have seen several doctors about this. Some say it's because of stress and a few (a derm, GYN and endo) say that hiar loss is common after stopping bcp. I have already loss about 1/3 of my hair.

I am also really concerned, because I have not had a period since April 22. So my doctor has put me on provera for 10 days to induce a period.

For those who have stopped Yasmin, what have your symptoms been (i.e. increased acne, weight gain, anxiety, etc.). Has anyone experienced hair loss? How long did it take to get a period???

Thanks...

I am in my 4th month of taking Yasmin. It was reccommended from a girl that I know at work and also my boyfriend's sister takes it. I have heard lots of good things about it. I started having anxiety problems, hot flashes, headaches, and I even tried to wear my new contacts, but I can't...it's like my eyes rejected them or something, and this is a side effect listed in the information packet that comes with a new package of Yasmin...about 2 months ago. I was taking Nexium for the first 2 months while on the pill and I assumed that it was the combination of both. Well, I started feeling better with my indegestion and stopped taking the Nexium. My hot flashes went down by half. (I would normally have about 3 or 4 a day.) Now, it's about 1 or 2 day, or every other day. After stopping the Nexium, I started getting antsy, depressed, crying at the drop of a hat, crying because I lost a dern poker hand with my boyfrend, anything and everything made me upset. I haven't experienced that for about 2 weeks now. Now, in the 4th month of taking Yasmin, my breast have become tender...very tender. Even my nipples hurt. I have this pulling sensation in my abdomen. I don't know whether I'm pregnant or what. I've never been before, so I don't know what I should feel like. I also have Fybroid Cysts Disease. I've experienced that for about 5 years now, but I haven't had any problems with new ones for about a year or so. Anyway, I was reading the other ladies' postings and I'm wondering if my side effects are from this pill. I'll probably go to the doctor next week if my breasts are still tender and if I have this pulling sensation in my abdomen. I will post again and give an update on what the doctor about all of the above and y'all's postings, too. Thanks and I hope everyone gets back to normal! -Melissa

Anyone having problems with being warm/hot all the time? or having hot flashes while taking Yasmin