Yasmin & Yaz Survivors

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

Maria:
Thanks! Smile

Yeah, I'm getting closer to getting my period so I'm expecting some weird moods and such. I just hate the weepiness and anxiety the most! Mad

I'm glad you went to get blood work, just to rule everything out. At least it will put your mind at ease. And good job with the temps!! That's awesome! Keep up the good work!! Very Happy

Gracie:
I know! I was confused by the sudden deletion, too. Very strange. I'm sad that all of the old posts are gone, because as you said, there was a LOT of valuable information there. But I'm glad it's back and hopefully we can get it back to something close to what it was. As long as we can provide some sort of relief and reassurance to these ladies!

How are you doing, Gracie? Let us know!

Love, luck, and hugs to all:
Meagan

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

Oh, and I forgot to mention-

To all:

I think that you all know that I go onto medications.com every now and then to post a message urging the girls to come to our forum. I only tell the girls who seem like they really need some help, so that they can come here and hopefully feel better and share their experiences.

Well, oddly enough, I checked my email this morning, and the support staff on medications.com erased like 4 or 5 of my messages urging girls to come here, for no reason!!

Usually they delete them if you request it or if there are spelling errors, personal info, etc. But there was nothing like that, they just deleted it!

This makes me mad Mad

because I want these girls to have a place to go! Grrr.

Well, I sent the support group a message asking them why it was deleted and if I get anything back I'll let you ladies know. Just thought that was interesting and worth mentioning.

Love,
Meagan

Joined: 21 Feb 2010 Posts: 48 : Items

First I want to thank the creators of this forum, the old and new and thanks for bringing it back! This forum has helped me more than I can write in words, I would be so lost without it! As everyone else has said, I thought I was going crazy!! This pill has put me through the worst and hardest time of my life these past few months! I was on Yaz for a year and a half... I don't have PMDD and am not sure why I was put on it anyway. At first I noticed I became a little bitchy right before my period like it gave me PMDD but it wasn't a big nuisance and my periods were so short I forgot about it and stopped noticing it. In October, I started having overwhelming anxiety and chest pains along with frequent yeast infections and I noticed my periods were lasting longer and I started having horrible cramps which I hadn't had in years. I went to the gyno to check out why I kept having yeast infections and I mentioned that my periods were getting worse and she gave me a script for a new bc. I still had another 2 weeks of my Yaz pack. The next week, I had my first panic attack. It was a scary and horrendous experience and I had no idea why I was freaking out so bad, nothing was wrong! My mom happened to research Yaz that weekend and found information about it causing anxiety! I stopped Yaz that day. I continued having chest pains, IBS issues, anxiety, insomnia, vision changes, constant worry, and frequent crying. I got on another birth control right away but continued freaking out and not being able to control my freak outs and worry. I decided to quit birth control all together and have been off for a week now! I have been off Yaz for 4 months! I feel better emotionally and the anxiety and insomnia has slowly gone away, I'm feeling more like myself everyday. The only thing that still worries me is my chest pain. I will go a few days without and then have bad days. My bloodwork, chest x-ray, and EKG have come back normal. This has been so frustrating, it's costing so much money for all these tests and I am so sick of calling the doctor!!! I feel like a hypochondriac!! I am concerned about a pulmonary embolism since I read it is hard to diagnosis in young ,healthy women... I just want an answer and I want this poison out of me... I am so thankful I have seen a huge improvement yet my body is not back to normal yet... and I'm hoping there hasn't been any permanent damage! Any advice on chest pains? Have they gone away for those of you that have had this symptom? Thanks so much! You all have no idea what a wonderful support this has been!!

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

CWolf:

I completely agree with your feelings about the forum- I too feel like it's helped me more than words can say. I still have my times when I feel a little anxious or weepy, and when I have those moments or days, coming on here makes me feel so much better, so reassured and so "not alone". It has been a life saver.

I was on Yasmin not Yaz, but so much of my story is similar to yours. I had the same symptoms, and it was also my mom who told me it could be my birth control pill. I wouldn't wish the anxiety I initially was experiencing on my worst enemy. I had acid reflux that would make me double over in pain. The IBS was sending me to the bathroom way too much. It was awful. Like you, I feel like the more distance I put between myself and those synthetic hormones, the better I feel.

Regarding your chest pain- I notice that I get it every now and then, too, but I remembered hearing that there was a connection between fluctuating estrogen levels and chest pain. There was a whole thread about it on the old forum, unfortunately, that probably would have helped you out a lot. That's why it's so frustrating that it was erased!

In the meantime, it might help to do some research and see what you can find, but I know that several women on the old forum had posted that they found a connection between fluctuating hormone levels and chest pain after doing some research on it. I'm not sure if your hormones were tested in your blood work, but it doesn't really matter since blood work only tells us so much. What the blood work says is "normal" may not be normal hormone levels for you as an individual.

I hope this helps, and I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better. I hope you keep posting! I send hugs!

Love, luck, and hugs:
Meagan

Joined: 21 Feb 2010 Posts: 48 : Items

Thanks for your response, I will defiantly research that. I did find that the heart palps are a symptom of hormonal changes but I couldn't find anything about the chest pain but I will keep looking! Thanks so much!

Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:41 pm

Meagan,

Have you tried to send a personal message to the girls on medications.com? Maybe that would work better???

I think that they remove it because the site is not for that purpose, but just to collect personal stories on different medications. I know flowerbabies started this forum because they were not allowed to use medications.com as a forum for sending messages and checking up on each other - it was only to used for information purposes they were told. But your questions is valid! Let us know what they say.

CWolf24,
I know what you mean. This forum is a wonderful place to come to, first for support and then to support others going through the same thing. I am a little confused on your story:

Did you come to this forum for the first time now, or have you been here since you stopped taking yaz but continued to taking other pills instead?
Sorry, I am just a little unfocused right now, and might have red your post wrong.

As far as your chest pains - I had heart issues and pain for probably 2-3 months after quitting... I have only had it maybe three times in the past 2 months and they were all due to some bad stress at work.

I am sure that you will see your pain slowly go away as long as you stay off any type of hormonal bc. Start taking supplements and take care of yourself. And if you need any other support - we are all here for you.

I wish you the best in your recovery.
Many hugs,
Helena

Joined: 21 Feb 2010 Posts: 48 : Items

I've been off Yaz for 4 months and yes, I went on to another bc up until a week ago. I am now off bc. I decided to go off after I had a little panic attack a couple weeks ago and was so sick of all the effects of Yaz and I figured my body wasn't healing quickly since I was still taking bc everyday.
That's what is weird about my chest pains is I don't have them only when I'm stressed. It will be a great, relaxful weekend and my chest will just hurt! And somedays I'll be fine... Is it just another side effect or is it something more serious? Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post! and yes, I was on the old board right when I stopped Yaz.

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:21 am

CWolf24,

OK. I am very glad you finally decided to come off all types of hormone bc! It will for sure make you feel lots better sooner.

My chest pains and heart palpitations now after stopping yasmin only occur when I am experience some stress. But while on yasmin and for about 3 months after it would show up as you describe; when I was relaxed and do nothing. As a matter of fact it would most happen while going to bed or I would even wake up in the middle of the night from it. A very scary and confusing feeling. My heart would beat or hurt as if I was running for my life or something similar. So I know exactly what you are talking about! And I would say that it is all a bad side effect, but then again, you can never be sure.

I think your pain will ease a little every day, but will probably not just go away in a day or two. I would not worry too much about them (worrying makes it even worse), unless you see no improvement in a few months.

Are you taking any supplements???

Wish you all the best!
HUgs,
Helena

Joined: 21 Feb 2010 Posts: 48 : Items

I hope you are right and I will give it a couple more months to be sure! Thank you! I just got a call from the doctor saying my echo was fine too! I am so sick of all of these doctor appts!! I hate going to the doctor and I've had to go more in the past 4 months than I have my whole life!

I am taking an herbal and natural stress reducer that contains: Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothnic Acid, Holy Basil Leaf Extract, Rhodiula Rosea Root Extract, and ABGland Adrenal. I also take a probiotic, fiber, and vitamin B12, I also started fish oil today.

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:06 pm

CWolf24,

I know what you mean. I am not a doctor person either. I only went once right after I stopped to take some blood test and they did do an EKG (at it was fine off course). They referred me to go to a cardiologist but I never did. I figured what is the point if I am not having issues by the time I have the appointment...

I have been to the doctor at a few other times for my heart palpitations but never connected the dots. But just as my latest checkup the previous ones were normal too.

If you can then start taking vitamin D3 (5000 IU per day) and Magnesium, it will probably help with the heart issue alot!

Hugs,
Helena

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:34 pm

Hi ladies!

Misspkm—I agree with you about the doctor thing. I do go for yearly check ups though, just to get blood tests and etc. The only reason I went this last time was for a blood test, and unfortunately, just to get a blood test through my insurance I have to see this crack head. I could have cared less what he had to say and would have preferred to just see a nurse for the blood test. Anyway, I had the same flexibility issues you have. I want to say my flexibility started coming back after about 8 months off. I have always been into dance and yoga and have been extremely flexible, but when I stopped yasmin, it was like my legs especially were water logged and I couldn’t do anything. But now I can do the splits again. I don’t think I’m 100% back as far as flexibility, but I’m very close.

Megan—I am finding that I am going through weepy days, but only during ovulation. I get really sad, I mean to the point, I almost can’t watch the news! Everything makes me so emotional. But after ovulation, I’m not affected and am not sad, but more like angry! This is so weird. I never had pms like what I’m dealing with before either! That’s so weird that the people at medicines.com would erase your posts. They should just email you and tell you what not to write and that they will erase them, instead of just letting you keep posting and then erasing them… Don’t worry, the word gets around, so women will find their way here. I’ve been giving women (and men) leads on facebook.

Cwolf24—You are correct, this forum has helped me too. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I was off about 10 months and found this forum. I wished I would have known earlier, because I really felt like I was suffering alone. No one can understand what you are going through unless the person has been on this poison too. I thought I was going crazy. Luckily I had read all the posts on medicines.com and knew I wasn’t the only one. But when I discovered this forum, it made me feel so much better to know the healing time was long and other women were going through the same symptoms I was going through. Now that you mentioned it, I had bad chest pains too. I forgot they had gone away. I don’t remember when they had gone away. But, I was worried I was having a heart attack or something. I wasn’t sure if it was that or my lungs, so I would take albuterol for asthma. But, today I do not have chest pains anymore. They will go away… don’t worry.

Update: I am just waiting for this nausea to go away. I do feel better the next day after I workout, however, I feel bad when I’m working out. I don’t get it… I am sooo thirsty and nauseous whenever I start cardio or weights…even low impact. It seems like I can only handle yoga/Pilates right now. Also, I’ve been experiencing insomnia. This sucks! I wake up every night at 3a.m. and can’t go back to sleep!!! Uhhhhh!!!

I hope you are all feeling good today
Much luv,
Luna

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

CWolf:
You're welcome! Like I said, I really wish that we had the thread from the old forum on estrogen being linked to chest pain, because that would have helped you out a lot, but hopefully you can find something in the course of your research.

I also had an ECG and mine came out fine too, and I also hated all the doctors visits! Confused

So now I've vowed not to go to the doctor for awhile (unless it's really necessary, of course) because I'm just so sick of it and they only make me feel bad anyway. Most doctors (especially male doctors, in my opinion) have no idea what they're doing when it comes to complex hormonal issues such as this, anyway.

But I hope you're doing well, and keep us updated! Best of luck to you!

Helena:
Actually, I wasn't sending them messages to check up on them or anything like that...I was just sending messages telling them to check out the Yasmin Survivors Forum because they could get advice and support here- stuff like that. Just trying to lead them here so they have a place to go where they can feel better. So obviously, that falls under the category of using it for informative purposes.

I think the reason they might have erased the older messages is because I signed them "Meagan" and they don't like people to use real names or full names. They've changed mine a few times to "M." instead.

But anyway, hope you are doing well, Helena! Keep us updated! Hugs!

Luna:
I know exactly what you mean! I also get the weepy/oversensitive and emotional days (sometimes anxious, too) and the indifferent/irritable days. It is really weird, because like you, I never had PMS like this in my life. The physical symptoms of PMS seem to be minor for me (so far) but the emotional symptoms are ridiculous. I know that PMS supposedly worsens as you get older, but this is a whole different thing altogether. Plus, I'm only 26 so it shouldn't be this bad! Uggh.

Regarding the medications.com thing- I think the reason they did it is because I was signing my full name, Meagan, which they have corrected in the past and changed to "M.". I guess it's a privacy issue thing. They haven't erased any lately, but for whatever reason they just erased a lot last week- like 4 posts or something.

It's interesting you mention the nausea after workout thing, because I've experienced that, too. I'm working on purchasing a treadmill so that I can get more exercise (I think it would improve my moods, too), but I also get that nausea thing when I do cardio. Hmm.

I'm sorry to hear you've got insomnia, too. I had a bout of it just recently- a few nights in a row, and then it went away. That's how it seems to happen for me. And always right around the time I'm going to get my period, too. It's so annoying! Have you tried the "Sleepytime Extra" tea by Celestial Seasonings? I think it definitely helps. It's got Valerian in it, which really helps with relaxation and sleep.

Anyway, hope you feel better soon and get a good night's rest! Keep us updated! Hugs!
_________________________

Update:

I think I'm going to get my period literally like any moment now. I had a temperature drop this morning, so it should definitely be today. Last night I felt kinda anxious and had a little bit of a hard time getting to sleep, and the night before that I had some insomnia, so that's always an indicator that my period is on its way, too. I'm also all bloated. Eww.

I hope that you all are doing well, and I send you all positive thoughts, good luck, and big hugs!!

Love, luck, and hugs:
Meagan

Joined: 21 Feb 2010 Posts: 48 : Items

Thank you all so much for your help and quick responses! It makes me feel so much better!!! A couple more questions and I swear I'm done! Anyone have a little spotty vision ?? And was the chest pain on the right side sometimes too? And I can feel myself getting better but when I was on it and still a little bit I was OCD about my health, worried about everything! I've always been a worrier but not like this, it was like an obsession I guess it was because my body felt like it was falling apart at 24!!! Anyone else feel like this? Thanks again!!

Joined: 21 Feb 2010 Posts: 48 : Items

Also Luna, I have experienced bouts of insomnia too and as Megan said it does eventually regulate and it will get better! I promise!

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

CWolf:

Don't ever be afraid to ask as many questions as you want to! That's what we're all here for! Don't ever feel bad or afraid to ask anything! Smile

I do have a little bit of spotty vision in the sense that I get some floaters- black floaty things that come in and out of my line of vision. I only get them a few days here and there, and I've been told by friends and family that they're nothing to worry about. I haven't been to the optometrist in a few years though and I should probably go, and maybe you should too if you're concerned. But I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

Regarding the chest pain, mine would occur usually on the left side, right under my breast and near my underarm- I would get them rarely on the right side too. It was scary, but it has slowly started to go away now that I'm off the pill. Since you've only come off all synthetic hormones a week ago, it may take a little bit more time for them to go away. That would also make sense given the theory that fluctuating estrogen levels can sometimes cause chest pain- it's possible that the synthetic hormones were giving you larger doses of estrogen than what your body would naturally produce on its own, thus causing the chest pain. It might take a little bit more time for it to fade. I think mine didn't totally go away until about the third month off the synthetic hormones.

I also wanted to tell you that you're definitely not alone in feeling, as you termed it, "slightly OCD" about your health issues. I've definitely felt the same way, and on the old forum, there were lots of women who had felt that way, too. It was really hard not to focus intently on certain issues, whether it be the right-sided numbness (which I still experience), chest pain, or anything else that was happening. As you said, you feel like you're falling apart, in my case at 26! Confused

I've gotten better with it, too, but sometimes it's hard not to think about these things and worry. I was a worrier before, too, but not even close to this and I never ever worried about my health before this stupid pill. Mad

I find that the best thing to do is just remember that the further away from the synthetic hormones I become, the better I feel and the less symptoms I will have. Everyday away from those pills is a step in the right direction, towards healing. It takes time and patience, but there will be a day when you feel completely better, and the worry slips away. You're getting closer and closer to that day.

I hope this helps, CWolf, and in the meantime, remember that we are all here for you! Keep posting and updating us on how you're doing!

Love, luck, and hugs:
Meagan