Yasmin & Yaz Survivors

Joined: 14 Feb 2010 Posts: 3 : Location: Oly, WA Items

I am 29 years old and have been on some form of birth control since I was 19. I started taking Yazmin in January or February of 2007. I have always been healthy and active, eating the right foods working out, etc. November, 2007 I went to the emergency room due to rapid heart beat and lightheadedness. They did ecgs and monitored me for a while, determining I was having an arrhythmia or palpitations and told me to go home and take it easy for a few days - thinking I may have over done it at the gym. I followed up with my ob doc a couple days later and she did the typical blood work and said everything looks fine and that was that. As time went on I noticed small things like feeling nausea, lightheaded, cold and tired a lot but just figured it was "one of those things" and over looked it. In August 2008 my ob doc switched me from Yazmin to Ocella I guess to save money. In May of 2009 I had another episode that brought me to the ER. My heart was racing and I kept feeling like I was going to passout, that feeling you get with you are going to throw-up and your head gets all tingly and sweaty palms. They again did ecgs and all that, more blood work, etc. and said I now had atrial flutter and to follow up with a cardiologist. I followed up with a cardiologist and did stress tests, ultrasounds of the heart, more ecgs all to determine I had perfect heart function and health, it just went too fast at times (tachycardia), so he too told me to just take it easy on caffeine, etc and I should be fine. Time went on and I was feeling fine for the most part, a little bit of nausea, lightheaded feelings now and then but nothing everyday. On December 10, 2009 I stopped taking Ocella to start thinking of having a family. On December 18th I had an episode where I felt like I was going to faint/passout, lightheaded, palms got all sweaty, heart racing. I laid down and relaxed for a while and I felt fine. These same episodes kept happening close to a week apart for the next few weeks, symptoms getting more severe each time. January 2, 2010 I went to the ER again with the same symptoms, only they were not going away by lying down. They said I had Supervanticular Tachycardia and Virtigo from the lightheadedness. I went back to the ER January 4th and they admitted me due to the same symptoms only getting worse. After chest x-rays, MRI for my brain and over night monitoring of my heart functions, they still had no idea what was causing my symptoms. It is now half way through February and doctor after doctor and test after test, they have no idea what the problem is. I have been told I have anxiety or panic attacks (just like most people on here have been told!). If I stand up for too long more than a minute sometimes, my heart goes rapid, it even happens when I am laying down, I am lightheaded constantly. Just last week I had a meeting with a local doctor who specializes in hormone therapy and metabolic health. I feel like this is going to be a positive fresh outlook - she was the first doctor I have seen who was interested in digging deeper than just the "normal" blood tests and she seems to believe in the negative effects these pills have on our system and that your body is in need of sever repair.

I was so happy to see the posting going over all the vitamins and other nutrition information. I know my post is a bit long, I really wanted to share with anyone who may relate or gain something from it. There is a bright side to this and I hope to see mine soon! I hope we all see them soon Very Happy

!!

Wishing you all a better tomorrow!
~Oceangirl8

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:07 am

Dear meshively,

I am happy you found this forum, we will all do what we can to lead you through some possibly horrible days. Just be strong and know that you are going to get better.

I never had the stomach ache as you are describing, except for when I went on Ocella for one month. But all stomach issues are horrible, and it even warns you for it on the package. Strange that your doctors wouldn't even think of it - but on the other hand, I am not surprised.

All your symptoms are so "normal" though. And that is why I can say that you will get better! For me all my symptoms became even worse during my first and second month off the pill but after that everything started to clear up and I am feeling much better already after 4-5 months.

Please read my nutrition recommendation post as I think they will help your recover much faster than if you don't take anything.

Regarding your question about birth control alternatives to use... well after something like this happening to you maybe you should consider not taking anything with hormones - for the rest of your life... You may not feel that right now, as I am sure you are freaking out about what is going on, finding out why, and then worry about becoming pregnant... But once you have calmed down a little I recommend you to learn more about non-hormonal options, and really there are a few of them out there. I for the moment use the Sponge and pull-out and it is working very well. I am aiming to only use the sponge during my fertile days once I trust my cycles, but that will be another few months before that happens.

For now let's focus on getting you out of this hell. Be prepared that it is not going to be easy, but it will get better. And we are ALL here for you. If you need to post 5 times a day or just check back every now and then that is up to you, we are all different.

I wish you much LOVE and hope for a speedy recovery.

xoxo
Helena

Joined: 26 Sep 2009 Posts: 598 : Location: NJ Items

Stella:
I'm in the same boat- I've also got some bad hairloss happening, now into my fifth month off the pill. I also have the acne on my chin, chest, and a little on my back/neck area. It's really frustrating, especially the hair loss, because I've always had very thick hair, and now it's unbelievably thin. I'm also still having some minor mood swings, but mainly a bit of anxiety or weepiness here and there. I wish you good luck, too! Keep us updated!

gettingbetter:
Thank you for sharing your story. I saw many similarities in it- I also had those terrible stabbing pains in my head that would literally take my breath away when they happened. They were truly terrible.

I still have right-sided numbness that has been diagnosed as trigeminal neuralgia and migraine aura (the doctors can't seem to figure it out, and frankly I don't trust them anyway), but I think it has something to do with my nerves being temporarily damaged. But who knows?! As you said, this is strong and powerful poison.

I've also cut out the caffeine and made other adjustments, but I can definitely sympathize with the anxiety, as well. I'm in my fifth month off, and I still get anxiety at times. To me, the anxiety is the worst. But your post was reassuring and I thank you very much for it, and for helping us to feel better. Your kind words mean so much, and I send hugs.

SugarnSpikes:
I'm so sorry to hear of your panic attacks and anxiety. I know how terrible it is and I really feel for you and send you a big hug. One thing I will say though, is just try to remind yourself that you're off the pill now, and so it can't hurt you anymore. That helped me when I first came off of it. Just think of it as the more distance you put between yourself and that pill, the better you will feel. You're on a path towards healing now, and we are all on the journey with you.

The dizziness and anxiety and things you are experiencing are common, and remember that they are temporary- you will not feel this way forever. And in the meantime, we're here for you.

And don't ever apologize for talking about your experiences, that's what this forum is for. We're here to listen and help and support you in any way we can. You post as often and as much as you feel you need to. I'm sending you luck and positive thoughts. Keep us updated.

meshively:
I also experienced stomach issues from this poison. I was diagnosed with IBS, but the doctors also wanted me to go for Upper GI X-rays because I was getting debilitating acid reflux, which I never ever had before. I was put on lots of acid reflux medications, such as Nexium and Axid, but they didn't do a whole lot to relieve my symptoms. I also experienced additional bloating and stomach problems when I switched to Ocella for a few months. The pharmacist told me at the time that it's possible to be allergic to the additives in Ocella since it's a generic brand, and so that could have been a contributing problem. But the pill is obviously poison, anyway.

I'm so sorry to hear about the mood swings and depression. I can relate- I also experienced mild depression, and even five months off I still have bouts of sadness out of nowhere. But it is improving, and it helps to remember that it's the hormones, not you. The best thing you can do is come off of it, and my advice would be not to start another hormonal birth control, but to use a natural method. The ladies here can help you with that if you decide to do that.

We're all here to help, so please don't be afraid to ask! I wish you lots of luck. Keep us updated.

OceanGirl8:
I also had similar issues. I used to get lightheaded, hot and sweaty, and nauseous out of nowhere sometimes, and have to sit down. I was also very active and I've always eaten healthy- lots of veggies, etc. I had terrible heart palipitations, and my vision would often go black upon standing up. I could never figure it out, either. But I do know that I haven't had anything like that after being off it now for almost five months. So I'm really hoping that your symptoms improve the longer you're off of it.

I'm glad to hear that you found a doctor that's interested in you and your problems, as well. So many of us have had doctors that are uncaring and all-too-willing to hand us a prescription for anti-depressants and shuttle us out the door. I hope that this doctor listens to you and helps you like you deserve.

And don't worry about your post being long- that's what this forum is here for!! Share as much and as often as you feel you need to. We're here to support you. Keep us updated!

Love, luck, and hugs to all of you:Meagan

Joined: 15 Feb 2010 Posts: 11 : Location: Delaware Items

Ladies - I can not tell you how I feel like a weight has been lifted reading the posts on here. I have been taking Yaz since fall 2007 - prior to that I was either nursing or pregnant since 2001. My gyn put me on Yaz since I was having some PMDD issues. At first - things were great! Then this past fall, I started to have weird symptoms. My heart palpitations were worse, I was achey, I had a hard time sleeping at night, I felt like I was in a fog, difficulty breathing from time to time and I was having panic attacks. I was afraid to go to sleep at night because I thought I would die during the night. I have some shoulder pain that I thought was just me getting older. Then at the beginning of this month I ran out of pills. And it snowed. So I couldn't get some for three days. I got some more, started back on and WHAM! Panic attacks, irrational fear! Yuck! And I felt like I was under a cloud. I would feel bad at night and when I wake up and then the anxiety would ease during the day. No wonder, since I take my pills at night. I'm not taking one tonight and look forward to feeling better in the days to come.

Joined: 15 Feb 2010 Posts: 2 : Location: New Zealand Items

Hi

I have only been on yaz for 2 weeks. I have always worried about things unneccessarily, but over the last week or so it has become almost uncontrollable. I feel so anxious. I have seached on the internet and found this site. It helps to know that maybe its not just me.

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 7:50 pm

Oceangirl8,

Your story is overwhelming but not unfamilliar. I really hope getting you some good supplements can help you out a lot. At least help speed up the recovery for you. I wish you all the best.

jujuharb,

I know what you mean. There is no way to describe that feeling when you realized that you are not alone - and that you can actually talk to someone about this that will not look at you like a crazy hypochondriac. I hope you will get better very soon, just know that you might see some ups and down to reach the true you. We are here for you to assist and to be a shoulder to cry on. Please look over the supplement recommendation post and hopefully that will speed up your recovery.

teepee,

I truly hope all what these pills have done to you in your two weeks will be gone with the wind! Be strong.

Good Luck ladies!
xoxo

Joined: 26 Sep 2009 Posts: 598 : Location: NJ Items

jujuharb:
Welcome to the forum. I know exactly how you feel. When I first found medications.com and this forum I think I actually cried tears of joy. I felt like we all felt before finding this forum: "Is it just me?" "Am I going crazy?" "Am I a hypochondriac?". Of course the answer to all of those questions is a big fat NO, but it takes a forum like this to reassure and comfort you. I'm glad to hear that it's provided that for you, and I hope it continues to provide you comfort in the future.

I'm so sorry to hear about the anxiety and fearful feelings- I can completely relate. I also feel more nervous at night (since that is when I took them as well), but it is slowly but surely starting to fade now. I am sure that you will be feeling better in no time. And in the meantime, we are all here for you! Feel free to post as much and as often as you want, and update us as to how you are feeling!

teepee:
Welcome to the forum. Don't think that because you were a worrywart before it has anything to do with how you're feeling now. I was always somewhat of a worrier myself, but these pills took it to a whole new level. This is not you, it's the pill. I'm so sorry that you're experiencing anxiety- I know how terrible that is, trust me. I still struggle with it sometimes, but it's gotten a lot better since I've been off the pill. Remember that what you're going through is temporary and you will get better. In the meantime, we're all here for you. Please feel free to post as much as you need to, and update us as to how you're feeling!

Love, luck, and hugs:
Meagan

Joined: 15 Feb 2010 Posts: 2 : Location: New Zealand Items

Thank - you misspkm and MeaganJ. It is comforting to know that it's not just me. I am shocked that these pills have affected me so much in such a short time.

Joined: 30 Jan 2010 Posts: 2 : Items

I have a 19 year old daughter who took Yasmin for 3 mths. From the second month in she suffered anxiety and depression - for the first time in her life. Two weeks after stopping it on my advice she started with PSAS /PGAD symptons overnight and still has them two months later. These unrelenting physical feelings of swelling, fullness in gynae area have deepened her depression. We are still waiting for referral to a gynocologist. Has anyone else suffered this as a withdrawl from Yasmin pr heard read of anyone who has?

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:39 am

Dear rows1,

I had to look up what you were describing (I am horrible with abbreviations in the English language). I have not heard anyone here with these symptoms when coming off the pill. But I do see a connection:

Her body is definitely going through a period where her hormones are all over the place. And it sounds like her testosterone might be over the charts high. But this you can only know for sure by a blood test.

I don't know if your daughter are taking any supplements but there are a few I would like to recommend for her:

Vitamin D3 about 5000 IU per day with food. This is probably the greatest supplement available to man kind! And it should be illegal not to take it.

Iodine - You can find Iodine in Kelp supplementation. 150-300 mg per day. This can help your thyroid that in turn can regulate your hormones.

If this does not help I would also try something called DHEA, 25 mg per day, which is a hormone that "transfers" into whatever hormone your body needs.

On top of that I also want to recommend Fish oil, Magnesium and calcium.

Even though I did not suffer the same withdraw symptoms as your daughter I can tell you that all my symptoms became a lot worse during my first two months off - really worse.

I hope the supplements I mentioned can help your daughter to feel more like herself again. Let me know if I can assist in any other way.

Wish you all the best
~Helena

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:46 am

Stella-

I have those little bumps on my chin area coming off yasmin. I have been off almost 16 months. I want to say the showed up when I stopped taking it. They lasted 11 months post yasmin! I just woke up one day and noticed they were not there anymore. Before yasmin, I had perfect skin, like a doll. Now I have these dry skin patches on my face with dark spots. This is the pits!

Gettingbetter-

I'm glad to read your post. I am getting to the 1.5 years off yasmin point and do feel better. The worse for me was the first 6 months off. It was the worst! I was so tempted to go back on so I wouldn't have to deal with the symptoms. However, I did not. I don't think I'd be alive today if I would have continued with yasmin. There were days coming off yasmin, I didn't care if I were to not wake up the next day. That's how bad I felt. I still have my good and bad days, but not like the first 6 months off. This has been a long, very slow process.

Ladies: These were the side effects I had on yasmin:
Insomnia, allergies, food intolerances, asthma attacks, chest pain, IBS, dizziness, extreme thirst, frequent urination, thin hair, dry skin, easy bruising, anger, heart palpatations, anxiety, neck tension, nausea, dry heaving, weight loss, bloated and swollen stomach, edema in legs, twitching muscles, severe calf pains, ringing in ears, sore throat, frequent nose bleeds, no sex drive and dryness, brittle nails, carb intolerance, poor night vision, dry eyes, extremely tired, fatigue, brain fog.

These were the side effects coming off: Dizziness, allergies, food intolerances, major hair loss for 7 months, nausea and heaving, indigestion, edema in ankles and legs, blurred vision and contact intolerant, fatigue to where I can't workout and I used to every day, skin breakouts, a lot of weight gain, crying-moodiness, headaches, breast tenderness/pain.

That's all I can think of right now... I tried so hard to erase this horrible experience thus far Crying or Very sad

Luna

Joined: 26 Sep 2009 Posts: 598 : Location: NJ Items

rows1:
I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter, and I send her a big hug! Anxiety and depression are absolutely awful, but since she (thankfully) took your advice and stopped taking it, she is on the path towards healing now. It takes time and patience, but she will get there, and it helps to remind her that it's only temporary- she won't feel this way forever.

Also, look at the thread called "Advice/Recommendations" as well as the "Nutrition Recommendation" post that misspkm posted here on the forum. Besides those threads, please tell her that she is not alone and we are here if she needs us. Feel free to PM me, even.

I did not/do not have swelling in the gynae area, however, I have experienced swelling feelings in my lymph nodes and right side of my face. Apparently, this could possibly be part of a migraine aura (but who really knows what this pill does to us) so I'm thinking that what your daughter is experiencing is different. However, even though I haven't personally experienced it, I can tell you that this pill does some strange things to our bodies. Hormones control everything, and obviously, your daughter's hormones are still in the process of regulating coming off of the pill. As I said, this will take time, because the synthetic hormones need to leave her body first, and then her natural hormones have to take over again.

So patience is key, and in the meantime we are all here. Please feel free to post as often and as much as you need to. I wish you and your daughter the best of luck.

luna:
Thanks for sharing your side effects again. Once again, it helps to hear from someone who has been off awhile. I'm now in my fifth month off and I have to remind myself that I was on it a long time, so it's going to take a while to get regulated!

Hope you are well!

Love, luck, and hugs:
Meagan

Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 22 : Items

I was on Yasmin/Ocella for about 4 years (and other BC for about a year prior to that) and have now been "clean" for about 2 and a half months. I felt great while I was on the pill. I didn't have any noticeable side effects that I linked to the pill. During this time, I developed extreme anxiety regarding driving. I used to be fine driving anywhere, then I suddenly (it truly came out of nowhere) felt very uncomfortable driving on highways. That escalated to the point that, as of a few months ago, I could not comfortably drive 5 minutes on a somewhat busy road with traffic lights. It was debilitating. That was my first clue that something was changing with me, but I didn't connect it to the pill until much later.

Other side effects I experienced include:

Hair loss - gradually, I lost about 1/3 of my hair volume. I still have not gained it back.
Anxiety - in general, not just regarding driving.
Dramatically increased blood pressure - it has now returned to normal.
Dramatically increased triglyceride levels - I have an extremely healthy diet, have never been overweight... so this was a complete surprise. I have not yet gone for a blood test since coming off of the pill.
Shortness of breath
Tightness in chest
Vision disturbances
Lightheadedness
Disorientation

I could go on, but that's all that's coming to mind at the moment.

Now that I'm off, I'm waiting/hoping for my periods to regulate. Before going on birth control, many years ago, I had a longer cycle of about 35 days. I had my first non-pill induced period 38 days after the last, and now it's been 40 days since that one and I'm still waiting (while being highly paranoid that I'm pregnant...). I don't like this waiting game.

Joined: 26 Sep 2009 Posts: 598 : Location: NJ Items

hazel:

I just wanted to write you a quick note and tell you that I experienced the same things, but what caught my eye was the increased trigliceride levels re: your cholesterol. I find that interesting because I also had dramatically increased triglyceride levels, and I also have always eaten healthy (lots of veggies, no fast food, etc.) so that came as a shock to me. Just wanted to share that.
Love, luck, and hugs:
Meagan

Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 22 : Items

MeaganJ:

That's very interesting! It seems to be one of the more uncommon side effects, from what I've heard. I've always eaten an extremely low fat diet, and once I saw my levels, I cut back to practically a no fat diet, and still the levels were incredibly high. I'm excited to see how they've improved next time I get a blood test. I have a feeling they'll be much, much better, especially considering the vast blood pressure improvement I saw only a month off the pill.

I was speaking with my best friend, who was on Yasmin and then Yaz (still on it, but considering getting off) and she also has elevated blood pressure and triglycerides.