Yasmin & Yaz Survivors

Joined: 26 Aug 2010 Posts: 1 : Items

Hi. Have any of you used Yaz or Yasmin to treat the symptoms of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)? It seems all the horror stories I've read comes from using Yaz or Yasmin just as birth control for a normal person who does not have a hormonal imbalance. This pill was prescribed for my 14 year old daughter who already suffers from some hair loss, acne and excess facial hair and no periods at all. I'm hesitant to put her on any pill, much less one with such negative side effects. Thanks so much for any help.

Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Posts: 200 : Location: UK Items

Hi and welcome,
Yes I was prescribed it for PCOS symptoms having previously been on Dianette (think its Diane in the USA) which I had to come off periodically and change to mercilon. When Yasmin came out I was told it was similar to Dianette in its action (I was always perfectly fine on Dianette and on mercilon but on mercilon the PCOS symptoms used to eventually re-appear. So the theory was that I could stay on Yasmin and that it was 'safer' than any other pill.
How wrong they were! Initially I felt ok, but gradually the symptoms most women have described here crept in, beginning with fatigue and generally being under the weather.
Anyway, due to PCOS I am now off yasmin and back on mercilon (as I am older it is hoped I might have 'grown out' of some of the PCOS symptoms. It was a very hard decision indeed to go onto another BC pill but I have to say I feel so much better.
I would NOT recommend yasmin for control of PCOS. Your daughter is very young and her hormones will still be trying to sort themselves out so it may be she can be helped through nutritional support. That is certainly the route I would try first. IF you do decide to try hormonal support then there are much safer BC pills out there than yasmin, but bear in mind that they ALL have side effects and potential risks, which I'm sure you know' anyway.

Best of luck and I really hope she feels better soon. PCOs can be miserable.
Lucia x

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:41 pm

Dear Mom2Cyster,

I am sorry to hear about your daughters PCOS - it is never a fun thing, and being such a young age it is hard to be a 'normal' teenager with these kind of symptoms.

I have not had PCOS myself but feel confident that my advice I am about to share with you might give you some more insight than what the doctor is giving you/your daughter.

I want you to look at PCOS as a symptom and not as a condition (It may sound strange) but PCOS surface for some women when there is an imbalance of hormones and that is the underlying cause to the PCOS. Giving someone birth control, which stops some natural hormone production and provides hormones that are not natural to the body, that will in the long run create some more health issues (it can mean cancer in 30 year, uterus cancer in 20 yrs, or heart issues... the list goes on) is absolutely crazy - but something that happens to many.

So PCOS alone is not the only symptom your daughter has from this hormonal imbalance as you describe hair loss (sign of excess estrogen), acne and facial hair (which could be a sign of excess testosterone)...

...Don't know if you have already figured it out by my saying those things, but do you see what hormone she is clearly missing / have a huge deficiency in??

- Progesterone!

I am hesitant to say, but I think your daughter can be 'cured' from her symptoms and get her period if you both learn what benefits she could gain from using progesterone cream. It might sound scary to exchange one hormone supplement (yasmin/yaz) to another, but they are completely different!! I am no expert so I need to refer you to a book I recently had the privilege to read - that I think every woman should read, no matter how old she is. I even made a separate thread about it here on the forum. http://www.createforum.com/yasminsideeffec/viewtopic.php?t=993&mforum=yasminsideeffec This book is important for the educational purpose of why progesterone is a good suggestion, and how to use it as it should be used with care. I am sure you will find MANY VALUABLE answers to questions you didn't even knew you had both for your daughter and maybe even yourself.

There is a cure, but it is NOT taking birth control!

The book I want you to read is called 'What your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause' (and please do NOT get caught up by the word premenopause... that is not what is important in this book - it is the overall message about hormone balance that is important!) Author John R. Lee - Read it dear Mom2Cyster, read it for your daughters sake.

Wishing you the best, and PLEASE keep us updated.
Many hugs to you and your princess!

Joined: 04 Sep 2010 Posts: 1 : Items

Hi,

I just want to say I agree completely with Lucia: your daughter is very young to be prescribed the Pill. The Pill was developed for grown women (i.e. women that have already passed puberty stage).

Even doctors that -completely ignorant & stupidly in my opinion- write out prescriptions for the Pill to women as it was only candy, are usually very hesitant to give them to girls in puberty.

Why ? Because in puberty the body initiates a higher output of female hormones that ensure development of secondary characteristics (such as breast development etc.). Additionally, these female hormones play an important role in several feedback loops. For instance, large doses of female hormone are known to close the "groeischijf" (Dutch word, sorry don't know the correct word in English, but it is the bit in your bones where growth occurs). In plain English it means that if you give a highly dosage Pill to an adolescent girl, she stops growing. This is virtually non-reversible. Your doctor should know about this, and discuss these things with you when suggesting the Pill for a teenager.

My thinking is equal to the reactions of the other posters: The Pill has many negative effects, and really is a last resort go-to. Even then, sometimes it can even be better to live with some symptoms than to suffer all the negative consequences of this synthetic pill. Even then, Yasmin really is one of the worst Pills all together.

The condition you describe is more common in girls that have a bit more weight or, alternatively, are fairly skinny. It seems that being in the normal weight range has some buffering effects. So if your girl is a bit too skinny or weighs a bit more, it may help the progression of this syndrome if she could (very gradually, otherwise it taxes the body even more) move towards a healthy weight. Physical exercise can also help some (cardio + muscle strength), but often you need to persevere with a work out plan for several months before you start to see an effect. (It depends on different variables, such as her initial condition and how frequent she trains.) Try to get her to listen to her body: if she over-trains it will only have adverse effects (such as injuries or over exhaustion). Nice and easy does it best.

Hope your girl does well,
& big hug to you,
Hanne

Joined: 27 Feb 2012 Posts: 1 : Location: Eugene, OR Items

I was prescribed the Pill when I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 15. I had had an eight+ month period and was severely anemic at only 3.6 iron level. Yaz has been a miracle for me! I have regular periods with only occasional severe pain, but I was prescribed pain killers to alive this, my acne is fading rapidly and my hair ha stopped falling out, and it has been only seven months! My iron level is now 13.2 and I was even able to fulfill my goal of giving blood. I have had no real side affects from Yaz which is amazing because I am the Queen of medication side effects and this is the first time there have been none. I hope your daughter is doing better now like I am and I sympathize with her. PCOS sucks, but Yaz is one of the best treatment options.

Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Posts: 200 : Location: UK Items

Erica Elizabeth - I just wanted to warn you that for me too it at first seemed a 'miracle' the side effects came on extremely gradually so much so that I didn't connect the two until several years of taking it!

Please be careful - you may feel great right now as the PCOS is under control but the yasmin WILL catch up with you eventually. I have been where you are!

Take Care.
x

Joined: 03 Feb 2012 Posts: 67 : Items

Agree with Lucia.

Coming OFF Yaz is more than difficult than being ON it.

Joined: 05 Jun 2010 Posts: 271 : Location: Texas Items

Not sure if you are still checking this forum, but please do not put your daughter on birth control pills.

First of all, it will not treat PCOS, it will only suppress symptoms. Actual treatment means healing and the pill will definitely NOT do that. In fact, it will likely cause other side-effects. I went through complete HELL while on birth control pills. I went from a healthy, happy young woman to one who was tormented with over 40 side-effects. It was horrible enough at 21, I cannot imagine dealing with it at the age of 14.

There is no way of knowing who will have side-effects from the pill, but they are well-documented and numerous. It is not worth the risk.

I would consider a naturopathic doctor to actually treat the PCOS.

I wish you and your daughter all the best.

Joined: 19 May 2011 Posts: 193 : Location: Canada Items

Texas is totally right on. I too was so healthy before the pill, so much energy and life and I had a life and after taking the pill, I have none of this but slowly coming back after 3.5 months. Maybe she could try Vitex.