Yasmin/Yaz - scary side effects

molliemamato3 · 01-11-2007, 12:27 PM

Not trying to freak anyone out here, but I feel like I should share this info.....

I had a horrible experience with Yasmin. It could be that I was on it for almost two years. Maybe if you're not on it long term, you'd be fine. Not everyone has these problems on it I'm sure, but Yasmin is on the "worst pills" list.....

The first six months on Yasmin were great - I lost weight, my boobs got bigger, my periods were regular. Then I started having horrible stomach aches and diarrhea so bad that I could barely leave my house. I had high bp, severe heart palps, and panic attacks for the first time in my life. I am not overweight either - I was 135 lbs when all this was going on. Yasmin has a newer type of synthetic progesterone that some people don't tolerate well. It also has a diuretic that can mess up your potassium (VERY scary) and magnesium. Please be careful with these bcp's ladies and pay attention to your bodies. If you start having symptoms you've never had before - it's probably the pill. If you've never been depressed and all the sudden you are, chances are you need to stop taking it. Here are a few links...it makes me so angry that this particular pill is still being prescribed because it is pure poison....

http://www.worstpills.org/results.cfm?drug_id=732

http://www.medications.com/go/se/Yasmin

http://www.steadyhealth.com/YASMIN_B...on_t72331.html

http://www.aphroditewomenshealth.com...r=89931&page=4

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32194

http://www.acne.org/rate_item.php?item_id=165

mattsgirl7484 · 01-11-2007, 02:03 PM

Oh my gosh! Thank you for posting this. Now I understand what happened to me when I tried to go back on Yasmin. I'll deffinately not try it ever again.

JosieFB · 01-14-2007, 06:14 PM

Yasmine and YAZ work very well for some people, and seem especially suited to those of us with PCOS. If has the equivalent of 25mg of Spiro in it. That is a very very small amount of diurectic. It is a postassium sparing diurectic, meaning that the potassium does not flush from your body from the diurectic effect. That can be a good thing. Low postassium is as dangerous as high potassium. You should have your postassium checked periodically when taking Yasmine, YAZ or Spiro and avoid eating tons of high potassium food or taking potassium supplements.

Some people have gotten blood clots and died taken Seasonale. My legs swelled up while taking Loestrin. Ortho Tri Levlen gave me morning sickness. Those of us who take any kind of medicine need to be very tuned in to our bodies and be assertive with our doctors don't seem right. Most doctors will work with you to find the BCP right for you.

guineapig · 01-17-2007, 12:35 AM

I agree, certainly different pills for different folks. But doctors do need to advise patients on any Yasmin-family drugs to watch the potassium intake--no Gatorade, bananas, strawberries, potatoes to excess. Personally Ortho Tri made PCOS worse & Desogen & OrthoCept made me batty. Tricyclen just made me puke 24-7.

Leopassion7 · 01-17-2007, 01:46 AM

wow! ok, I'm on yaz...so I will def. be on lookout. However, I have been dx w/ Major Depression Disorder...and I'm fat so perhaps I will fare different,

WILDSISSY · 01-17-2007, 12:31 PM

I finally had to stop taking Yasmin for similar reasons. When I first started Yasmin I was a raging lunatic for the first 3-4 months.. I could go into a major rage if something didn't go my way or something was said and I didn't take it the way it was meant.. it was horrible for me, friends, family, etc. I couldn't control anything. In the past bc pills always helped my acne and with all my hormones being out of whack I figured it was worth it. My acne never cleared up on Yasmin and eventually I was having problems with potassium. I would get tingly fingers, muscle aches, and I couldn't feel the bottoms of my feet one morning. I was gulping gatoraide and eating banana's on the days that I felt like this just get things back to normal, and that was usually the only 2 things that could/would help me. Eventually I could tell my bp was up and I was getting strange headaches. I was at the end of a cycle one month and just never renewed my pills.. I just couldn't take it any longer.

kid? · 01-20-2007, 07:13 PM

I actually had no problems with yasmin, for the one month I was using it. Yaz however.. I'm on my 5th pack..

I think I started this symptom.. frequent urination

and a not quite diarrhea, but getting there..
I'll be swicthing to yasmin, and see if this will happen again

JosieFB · 01-20-2007, 09:13 PM

kid?, Yaz and Yasmine have exactly the same ingredients except Yasmine has a higher dose of estrogen.

kid? · 01-21-2007, 04:17 AM

JosieFB, maybe the change will change something...

celticchrys · 02-18-2007, 12:47 PM

The doctor put me on Yaz, because it's supposed to be good for women with PCOS. I've already tried and given up metformin because of severe side effects no matter what I ate and even if I only took it in the middle of meals.

I'm finishing my 3rd month of Yaz, and I have had excessive bleeding. The doctor said to give it at least 3 months to see if things got sorted. They haven't.

I am also having the side effects on libido, with zero past history of any problem in that area.

It's not worth it. Exercise and regular checkups will have to do for me.

JosieFB · 02-18-2007, 06:10 PM

celticchrys, it sounds like you might need a pill that has higher estrogen to stop the bleeding. Yaz is actually supposed to make your period shorter, not longer. There are other BCPs that are good choices for PCOS. I believe that Ortho Cyclen (not tri-Cyclen) is supposed to work well for PCOS. Check out the sticky at the top of this board "Great sites on choosing a BCP".

guineapig · 02-19-2007, 04:06 AM

I know docs think met is the do all end all of life, but for me it turned my life into living hell. I got fat, acne, lost hair, and was tired 24/7. I quit met and instead found the herb DCI (d-chiro-inositol) and for me it finally straightened out AF, lost a few, and stopped shedding. Got bfp on 3rd month and have DD now. I just wanted to say there's other alternatives to met--herbs, as well as the drugs Avandia, Actos, Byetta, Orlistat, and more.

Sounds like YAZ is a little too low in estrogen for your body. Maybe the sister pill Yasmin? It has 35 mcg of estrogen, YAZ has 20. Progestin is the same.

CRAZYGEMINI · 07-21-2008, 04:45 PM

Even Though I Have Read Many Negative Comments About Yasmin, Yasmin Has Actually Been A Blessing In My Life. I Have Suffered From Pmdd Since I Was 18 And Being On Yasmin Helps Me Control My Emotions, My Bloating, And Has Saved My Relationship! My Advice To Everyone Having Bad Side Effects - Find A Birth Control That Is For You. Yasmin And Yaz Is Not For Everyone - Just Like Any Other Birth Control Out There.

mtbeacongrl · 07-22-2008, 11:33 PM

I took Yaz for less than 3 weeks. I took Provera to get my period and started the Yaz right on time. My period would not end extremely heavy. Large clots which also had bad cramping. I called the doctor almost daily for 3 weeks before they finally took me into the office. My iron was terribly low...to the point where they had me taking double doses of iron pills. I was told to take Yaz because of it's benefits to PCOS. I don't beleive that this would be everyone's experience but if you have had trouble with other birth controls I would definitely keep an eye out on this one.

amkoutsouris · 07-28-2008, 01:39 PM

I just went off Yasmin after 5 months to TTC. (Didn't want to get preggers before wedding). Now I'm not ovulating and I gained 10 lbs. I miss that diuretic. I hope that I am regular next month, because I was definitely ovulating before Yasmin.