Yasmin & Yaz Survivors

Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 1 : Items

Hello everyone,

I'm 20 years old and stopped taking Yaz about 6 months ago. I did go on Nuvaring for a couple months after that with no problems but went off of birth control all together in May.

Since May, I've had these problems:

-Severe weight gain: about 10-15 pounds if not more. This is especially strange since there has been no change in exercise habits and I have a healthier diet than I have ever had before. Starting in May, I started eating right, stopped drinking soda and eating fatty and fried foods since I left school, but I have been gaining weight instead of losing it.

-Hair loss: at first I thought it was just normal since I have long hair, but I cleaned all the hair out of my brush two days ago and this morning it was completely full of hair again. My hair comes out in the shower (about 15-20 strands each time I run my hands through my hair) and I'm finding it everywhere.

-Irritability and short temper: I cry or get angry at the slightest thing, no matter how irrational and have severe mood swings. I've never been like this before I started or stopped taking Yaz.

-Mild depression: I've never felt this low in my entire life. I'm not motivated to do anything and don't even want to go out with my friends most of the time, I just want to stay at home and sleep and feel so lazy. I've never felt like this before and it was so sudden, I didn't even feel this way in May and as soon as I stopped the birth control, I felt this way.

-Extreme fatigue: I am constantly lethargic and tired, unmotivated and feel sloth-like. No matter how many hours I sleep or how rested I should be, I'm not. I didn't feel like this before Yaz either.

All of these things started when I went off of Yaz. Now I'm the heaviest and most miserable I've ever been. Only one pair of my jeans fit me. All of the clothes I wore at school just 3 months ago are too small. Diet and exercise aren't helping. Someone please help me.

Should I go back on another form of birth control besides Yaz with a lower dosage? Are these side effects going to go away? How long before these problems go away? Will I lose this weight? How long before I feel like myself again?

I'm sorry for such a long post, but I really need answers and some help. Thank you for reading this and please if you have any information or insight, let me know. Thank you so much.

-Damsel in Distress

Joined: 08 Jun 2010 Posts: 66 : Items

I suffered from all of the above whilst being on yasmin, I am suffering from some of the above now im off yasmin. Its hard but I would stay off it and try to see this through, everyone is different so no one could probably say how long you will suffer for. x

Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 69 : Location: NYC Items

I went off Yaz at the end of September 2009 and 2 months later I was also suffering from a lot of the symptoms you listed above. The depression and anxiety were really bad for the first 2-4 months and slowly decreased. I'm still suffering from hair loss but it was slowed down drastically from what it was in the beginning.

I would also suggest staying off the pill and let your hormones balance themselves out.

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

Hello Damsel in Distress:

Welcome to the forum. I'm glad you found us, and I hope that we can help and reassure you in the coming weeks and months.

Although you've been off of the Yaz for 6 months, you've only been off of birth control entirely for nearly 4 months. This is not a very long time, since many of us were still experiencing symptoms at that time. The fact that you switched from one to another and then came off might also have something to do with the fact that you're symptoms are lingering.

Generally, it takes approximately 1-3 months for synthetic hormones to leave your system, and then another 3-6 months for your own, natural hormones to take over and regulate. These are just general guidelines, though, and they are different for everyone. Some women feel better after only a few months, and for others it takes longer. It all depends on the individual woman.

Regarding the weight gain- many women are not aware that Yasmin and Yaz contain a diuretic called "Spironolactone" (you can look it up if you like). I'm not sure how long you took the Yaz, but when you take it for any length of time, our bodies get used to the diuretic, which at the time gets rid of excess water weight. However, once we stop taking the Yasmin or Yaz, we no longer get rid of the excess water weight and become bloated. This could be at least partially responsible for your weight gain. Water weight can easily add five pounds at least. So that would be the first issue- making sure that you are drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day, both to get rid of the excess water weight and to flush your system of toxins.

Second, my recommendation regarding the weight gain would be to visit the "Nutrition Recommendations" forum, written by our resident expert, misspkm, for information on nutrition, vitamins, and supplements. Getting started on a good nutrition and supplement regimen will help you to recover faster and may also help you to lose weight.

Finally, for good measure, I would have your thyroid tested if you haven't already. It's a simple blood test,, though it may not be accurate since you've only been off of synthetic hormones for a few months. But many of your symptoms sound like they could be hypothyroid, and a simple blood test can confirm this. It's up to you whether you would want to wait another few months for more accurate results, since most likely all of your hormones right now are out of whack, not just your thyroid hormone.

Regarding your moods- the best thing you can do right now is go easy on yourself. Realize that this is a process that is going to take time and patience. When you find yourself feeling low, sometimes the best way to boost your mood is with some sort of exercise to boost your endorphins. Even if it's just 20 minutes of aerobics, or some mellow yoga, it helps to boost your mood a little. Also, make sure to do things that you enjoy right now, and take time out for yourself. Even if it's just watching a movie or taking a nice hot bath or getting a manicure- whatever it is that makes you feel good and makes you feel happy. Right now you need to make time for yourself to recover and realize that it's okay if you feel a little low sometimes- we all do. So try not to be hard on yourself right now- you're going through a healing process.

One thing I want to say is please do not go on more synthetic hormones. They will only make your situation worse, and although the decision is ultimately up to you, all of the women here will tell you that after their experiences with Yasmin and Yaz, they will never go on another hormonal birth control. The risks outweigh the benefits, and your health is the most important issue.

I hope that this helps, and please remember that we are all here to help you through this. Always feel free to ask questions or to just come on here to vent- that's what we're here for! And keep posting to update us on how you're feeling. In the meantime, I wish you the best of luck, send positive thoughts and hugs, too.

Love, luck, and hugs:
Meagan