Terrible Side Effects on Yasmin Birth Control

I started taking Yasmin to regulate my periods and combat PCOS about 2 1/2 years ago. At first everything was fine. I even lost weight. Then my body started to rebel against itself. I didn't know these problems were connected to Yasmin until just this weekend. I thought I was aging 10 years in just the last two.
They have found a lump in my breast believed to be a cyst,
I have never been one to sweat, but now I can't do anything without overheating, then come the headaches, and sometimes chest pain
Weight loss is impossible and I am actually gaining weight,
My gallbladder has been removed because it was full of stones, infected and the infection was spreading to my liver
Now to top it off my perfect eye sight is now becoming quickly increasingly blurry.

Does anyone have a suggestion for an alternative to Yasmin?
Is my body going to go back to normal?
Will my eyes quit causing me so much irritation?

Yes, please beware of this pill. I took it for just over half a year and had serious eye problems. Yasmin gave me bilateral acute uveitis (inflammed uvea in both eyes), which started out with blurred vision and redness of both eyes. My ophthalmologist could not figure out what was causing it, so I went to a really good doctor who told me to stop taking the birth control pill. My eye problems are now completely gone, I'm no longer depressed and it's such a relief. You never know how much you appreciate your eyes until something like this almost takes your vision away!

My side effect was that i developped darkening of the skin on my face, different spots, i couldnt beleive it when i looked up the side effects!! On my forehead and under my nose, im switching now after i saw my dermatologist and he told me to stop takin them!! Hoping it will clear up now!!:S

I was on yasmin for a year and 3 months. At first I had extreme mood swings and would cry for no reason at all. I was about to switch birth control when it seemed to get better. However, over time I developed depression..I did not want to do anything with friends, I would irrationally get angry at my husband, and I was always exhausted no matter how much I slept. My mind started to feel "foggy" and I cannot always remember or process information like I should. I felt like my depth perception was off and was constantly walking into the corners of walls, counters, etc. I started to develop other health issues such as extremely dry itchy skin and problems digesting meat (which may or may not be related) My sex drive became very sporatic and I never knew if I would be able to be in the mood. I also starting getting painful veins on my legs which was the last straw. I took myself off of it yesterday and went to the doctor today. She just prescribed the nuvaring to me saying it should have less side effects but I just finished reading how horrible people's experiences are with it and think we will just use condoms and give up on pumping my body full of hormones! I am going to see if all these strange symptoms are gone by next month and see if it was really my birth control or not.

I felt I should share my story, even though it is quite lengthy, since it is similar, and every story helps those who are still unsure.

I went on birth control at the age of 15. I tried several kinds, but all of them made me nauseous. I was on Mircette the longest, and seemed to be doing fine. Then around '03/'04 I started seeing a new ob-gyn, who told me that my problem was that I had a low tolerance for estrogen, and that was what was making me feel so nauseous. She said there was a new type of pill specifically for women like me called Yasmin that had very low doses of hormones. I was excited about starting the new pill, and did right away.

I continued taking Yasmin until about a year ago, when I switched to the generic of Yasmin, Ocella, due to the fact that my insurance didn't cover Yasmin and it was becoming expensive. On the Ocella, which I took for two months, I felt bloated like I had a basketball in my stomach, constipation, and other issues. I was told by the pharmacist that I was probably allergic to the additives that are sometimes in generic pills. So I decided to find out which birth control was covered under my prescription plan, call my gyno, and switch.

My gyno called in Loestrin Fe, but they filled it with the generic, Microgestin. I took this for approximately 3-4 months, and felt absolutely terrible, with panic attacks, crying, sleeping problems- the whole bit. So I thought that I should go back on Yasmin, no matter what the cost, and attempt to regulate again.

I went back on Yasmin six months ago, and though some of my symptoms have improved over how I felt on Microgestin, I am still a mess at times. I have moments when I am anxious and moments when I am absolutely joyful. I get really angry over little stuff, irritable and snappy. Then I get weepy and feel terrible about being snappy. Then I'm happy again. It's an emotional rollercoaster. I was never like this before- my moods were even, and I handled stress well. And I was always pretty happy-go-lucky.

Physically, I have ear fluttering/clogging/pressure/popping/pain. I'm getting fairly frequent migraines, which I never had before more than once a year. I, too, have numbness on the right side of my face in which it feels like my eyelid is swelling, neck stiffness and pain, and numbness of fingers and arm. I went to the ER a while back because I thought something was severely wrong due to symptoms of dizziness (vertigo) and right-sided numbness. I have severe TMJ and jaw pain, which I didn't have before, and allergies, which I also never had before. I have heart palipitations and sometimes random chest pain under or to the side of my breast. All of these symptoms have started to occur in the last six months after going back on Yasmin.

I encourage everyone who has posted here to go to the Yasmin Survivors Forum- type it into your search engine and it will come up. There, you will find many women who have experienced the same problems while taking Yasmin. It's a wonderful and reassuring resource for those who have had terrible side effects.

Good luck to all...

I have used Yasmin for a whole month and just completed the cycle and boy am I glad it's done! Now That I have my period I am looking for better methods of birth control. My experience with Yasmin was horrible. I felt rapid heartbeats, palpitations, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, headaches, unable to concentrate, dizziness,forgetfulness and blurred vision. Although it was nice to have very clear skin, I'll take the zits thank you. I am definitely not going back to Yasmin, ever, even if it means getting pregnant. BTW I almost forgot to mention NO sex drive whatsoever with Yasmin. In fact, I couldn't stand my when my husband would get near me. Life is not supposed to be this way. It's not worth it.

I already have four kids and it looks like I might have to go back to my old method, Nova T iud. NO HORMONES! I used it for 5 years and had to take it out because it expired and I was tired of heavy periods. Why can't they invent something with minimal side effects?

I have used Yaz for like two years now, almost regularly. I started using it because of my acne, and it really did the job, my skin was radiant and so. this july was the last time I used it, in august my periods came after 32 days (my cycle is 26 days as a clock). My sex drive is very low; since then, i have had a terrible hair loss, too, still am. I also had an exam in october so I think my hair loss can be from stress too, althought it has been two months now from my exam, my hair loss should have stopped. Can anyone help me with this, any ideas? Did anyone have my problem and if so, will my hair loss stop? please, this thing is driving me crazy, my hair was so beautiful, and now it's half of what I had 4 months ago

I started taking Yaz about 5 months ago, despite dangers I had heard about it. It did wonders in the first month to help my mood swings and control my appetite. However, each month since, I have gotten an new, negative side affect. It started with migranes clustered around ovulation and pre-menstrual time, and excessive pain & lumpiness in my breasts. On occassions, I started seeing spots and having blurred vision. It seems my joints (especially shoulders and knees) injure very easily, and I have developed arthritis-like symptoms (perminant swelling & pain) in 2 of my fingers...I'm only 35!!! Last month, my inner ears started clicking and popping, and haven't stopped since. And in the last 2 weeks I am having really strange leg cramps that are quite persistent. After reading so many comments from women experiencing the same things, I am stopping taking Yaz immediately.

Have you suffered injuries from using birth control Yasmin?
I would recommend you to contact qualified legal representation today to evaluate your possible legal rights.

I was put on yaz to clear up my acne when I was 22 years old. It did wonders! It cleared up my face within 4 months. I got off of it after my face cleared up and now am back on it. I don't have any of those side effects. Sometimes blurred vision but I do wear contacts. Other than that, it's working just fine for me.

After reading all of these posts, I can't believe I never thought about Yasmin for the cause of all these problems I've had in the past 2 years... which is when I started Yasmin. I went on the pill to help clear up my skin because of acne. It did help clear it up, but it's not worth all the other side effects that I have experienced. I've felt like I lost myself and I've known for a while that something was not right.
I've experienced: loss of energy, depression, uncontrollable mood swings, chronic headaches and migraines, loss of vision (some mornings I wake up and I can't see anything), dizziness, hair loss (My hair used to be long and thick. Now they're thin, unhealthy and won't grow.), zero sex-drive, spotting, yeast-infections, sweating, anxiety..... A lot of these side effects are on the posts that I've read tonight. I have no answers for them. I'm 21 years old, I'm healthy!!... I'am getting off this pill tonight and I will update my results in one month.
Thanks for the posts!

Rachel

Women who have experienced negative side effects from the birth control Yaz or Yasmin can fill out a form describing details of their case, and will be contacted by a lawyer to see if they are eligible for compensation.
I have received compensation and you can. Only for US citizens.
Fill Form Here -> ***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed

I have been on Yasmin for about 18 months now. I'm 36 yrs old.
I changed from Femodene- as requested by my GP, due to bad skin symptoms. I have PSOS.
*BEWARE OF THIS PILL*

On starting Yasmin I had lots of bleeding in between my 'period' time and my skin became worse. I nearlly went back to GP but looked on internet and read that you stick with it for at least 3 months. So I decided to do this. My skin did clear up. Not a pimple in site! Hurrah! For the first time in years I didn't have skin like a teenager! Plus my bleeding regulated.

However, I have since suffered these side effects.
1) Once I started to catch the sun on my face, skin pigmants started to appear. Some of them were large patches on my cheeks and forehead, Like big patches of freckles - but much darker. I became quite conscious of them.
2) Really BAD migranes, all on on side of my head. No over the counter painkillers will get rid of them. They can last for 4-7 days. My vision is really effected too.
3) I have put on 1 stone in weight! I've tried to get rid of it by eating well and excersing - but no weight is shifting!
4) Feeling of anxiety/palpatations.
5) My skin is now really bad again. I seem to have develpoed ecxma too(which i have NEVER had in my life). Skin has lots of little blisters and spots, not just on my face, but chest, back, thighs. Can't even go swimming at mo - as so bad.
6) Bleeding between 'periods' again (for last 4-5 months now).

SO I'M HEADING BACK TO GP TO GO BACK ON FEMODENE.

I have taken Yasmin for 2 years but I don't have all those bad side effects as mentions by most of them.My sexual life is pretty good and my libido( my sexual desire is very great & wonderful) My breast is getting more firm which i believe it is one of the side effect,but its great my dear husb love it so much.I don't put on weight but having a well maintained body shape.I am 43 years old and i monitor my blood pressure every now and then,and its great thanks God my bp is pretty good.

Hi,
I have been on Yasim for four years now and to be honest I am scared to go off of it. It took me a year to get used to yasim, I had horrible mood swings to the point where I felt like I was going crazy and horrible mood swings. Since being on yasmin I have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, however I wouldn't doubt that it's because of the pill. I'm scared to go off of the pill because I really don't want to have to go through the adjusting stage again where I feel crazy because I'm not taking. To be honest I think the pill is way too strong, at least for me. My plan is to stop taking it after my next cycle, as I suppose it's better to get off of it sooner than later.
Thanks for the post they were really helpful and good luck to all takign yasmin.