Yasmin and Yaz Birth Control Lawsuits Mount Against Bayer

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AboutLawsuits.com PLEASE GO TO THE SITE FOR FULL INFORMATION:http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/yasmin-and-yaz-birth-control-lawsuits-mount-5062/News and Information about Personal Injury LawsuitsToday's Sunday, February 21st, 2010RSS| Contact a LawyerHomeLatest NewsLawsuitsRecallsInjuriesAbout Yasmin and Yaz Birth Control Lawsuits Mount Against Bayer Published: July 24th, 2009 • Comments: 177 Contact a LawyerSubmit information about a potential case to be reviewed by an attorney. cforms contact form by delicious:daysA growing number of lawsuits over Yaz and Yasmin have been filed throughout the country against pharmaceutical giant Bayer, alleging that women suffered serious and potentially life-threatening injuries after using the birth control pills. Yaz and Yasmin, which are both manufactured by Bayer, are combined oral contraceptives that contain ethinyl estradiol, long used in oral contraceptives, and drospirenone, a new type of progestin that is not used in any other birth control pills approved in the United States.The Yaz and Yasmin birth control lawsuits all contain similar allegations that the warnings are inadequate because they do not properly indicate that the use of drospirenone increases the risk that women may suffer a variety of side effects, such as:StrokesHeart attacksPulmonary Embolism (PE)Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)Cardiac ArrhythmiasGallbladder DiseaseKidney FailureSudden DeathDrosprenone can increase blood potassium levels, potentially resulting in a condition known as hyperkalemia, which is known to disrupt heart rhythms and potentially lead to death. Individuals who have pre-existing kidney, liver and adrenal disease could be particularly susceptible.Over 50 reports of Yasmin or Yaz deaths were reported to the FDA between the first quarter of 2004 and the third quarter of 2008, according to some of the complaints. The deaths involved women as young as 17 and included cardiac arrests, pulmonary embolisms and strokes, with elevated levels of potassium in the blood frequently reported.Earlier this month it was reported that four new lawsuits over the birth control pills were filed in federal court, with three in Ohio and one in Wisconsin. This week, another 7 suits were filed in the Northern District of Ohio. All of the complaints allege that side effects of Yaz or Yasmin were a factor in the plaintiffs’ injuries.The number of state and federal Yaz birth control lawsuits has increased this year, following a third warning by the FDA that Bayer’s advertisements and marketing for the birth control pills are false and misleading. FDA warning letters indicated that Yaz ads made exaggerated claims about the drug’s benefits, and downplayed or did not mention important side effects. As a result of pressure from the FDA and states attorneys from several states, Bayer agreed to spend $20 million on a corrective advertising campaign.Tags: Bayer, Birth Control, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Heart Attack, Pulmonary Embolism, Stroke, Yasmin, YazThere Are 177 Comments So Far • (Add Your Comments)Comment by Jessica on 24 July 2009:well this kinda makes me mad since when i started taking yaz ive had 6 kidney infections and a kideny stone and my doctor said there was no way that my birth control was the reason well im getting it switched as soon as possible i have been sick with these infections for over a year and its messing with schoolComment by Carol on 24 July 2009:I had Bloodclots in my lungs a few weeks ago frm Yaz. while I was hospitalized 2 other youg girls came in for blood clots due to Yaz. I hope this drug can be taken off the market before more people die or suffer like I did.Comment by Betty on 24 July 2009:My wife is in Guayaquil and has taken this product. She had to have surgery on her wrist for vien thrombosis.Comment by Trish on 25 July 2009:I have been taking Yaz for 2 years and not yet had a problem with it. I think it all depends on the person taking it.Comment by Kristin on 29 July 2009:I had my first child in October 2007, did not go back on birth control until after breastfeeding, after the new year when I went back to work. I was on yaz for a few months and feeling very moody and tired and all of a sudden had major back pain, near my left lung. After 2 days of pain I had to be driven to an urgent care due to the fact I could not move because of being in such severe pain! I was given a shot in my hip for the pain and told I had pneumonia and given pain pills and antibiotics. After another 2 days, and not feeling any better, I woke up in the middle of the night vomiting, having night sweats even though to the touch I was ice cold and feeling very anxious and irritated. My husband drove me to the emergency room at about 3 am and the doctors did a CT Scan to check my chest and lungs. Thats when I found out I had a Pulmonary Embolism at the age of 25, and right before Christmas of 2008. I was hopitalized immediately and for one week. I had every test imaginable to check for a genetic disorder or whatever else could have caused this problem for someone my age. The culprit…YAZ BIRTH CONTROL! I had to be on blood thinners for 6 months, go to the doctor every 2 weeks for blood test, completely change my lifestyle! I missed work, had to leave work early, missed out on my wages and used up a big portion of my FMLA and sick time and vacation time at work. This birth control pill should definately be taken off the market, it is not safe for anyone, I have heard more horror stories than positive stories from this pill!Comment by Teri on 29 July 2009:I have been taking Yasmin for approximately 6 years and haven’t had any problems. I hope not too. I would have to say that I agree with Trish and think it depends on the person taking the pill.Comment by Tallasa on 29 July 2009:I have taken Yasmin and had some side effect such as bloodclots, while on the pill . When I stop taken them my bloodclots got worst Other side effects I had were bad head aches,wait gain,bladder infections and still suffer from these side effects today.Comment by Tallasa on 29 July 2009:I had very bad bloodclots when taken Yasmin and now that Iam off them it is worst.Comment by ashley on 30 July 2009:i love this product. It is the best pill I have ever tired for cramps. I have not had a side effect yet and it’s been over a year. Do not pull this product, I don’t know what I would do. Some people just need more side effects written on the medication.Comment by Dan on 1 August 2009:Lawyers will look for any deep pockets to sue over. The key question is what is the incidence of these side effects with other oral contraceptives and in the general population. Anecdotes like those posted are of interest but do not constitute proof of anything. Post-hoc ergo propter hoc does not prove causation!Comment by Sara on 1 August 2009:I took Yaz for almost 4 years. For over three years the pill was wonderful!!! I had a light period and almost no cramps at all. Then i started getting really sick. I would vomit at least 3 times a week. I felt so tired. I ended up with two tumors in my breast. The doctor said it was most likely from the yaz but i didn’t switch pills. One day I was shopping and my chest started hurting as well as my arm. I kept getting sharp pains down my face and eyes. It was the worst i have ever felt!!! I should have went to the hospital but didn’t…. i laid on the couch for days after that! I have been to the doctor I don’t know how many times now to figure out whats goin on with my body. My gallbladder is not in good shape…plus i have to have surgery to remove the tumors!!! YAZ should be removed from the market!!! It might take you months to see side effects or YEARS!!! I thought people were crazy for saying bad things about MY miracle pill but trust me its not a miracle at all!!!!Comment by chaadra on 1 August 2009:i was taking yaz for over a year and i have been suffering from depression and mood swings i have also been getting cyst i have had to go through numerous blood test and antibiotics tring to find a way to stop the cyst from coming back untill i was told that they were caused by a overage of homones and for me to stop taking yaz but i still get even though i am no longer using yaz the only way to stop them from coming back is to have surgery to remove the gland thats creating them this really sucksComment by Samantha on 1 August 2009:I started taking Yaz birthcontrol in December of 2008. I swithed from the Depo shot. In February of 2009 I had emergency surgery to get my Gallbladder removed. I had several Gall stones. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I had severe acid reflux. I went to the emergency room and waited for several hours before going back home because my husband had to go to work and we have a 2 year old daughter. Later that day everything was fine. The next night it happened again. Then I knew it was something more serious. So I drove back to the emergency room. The did all kinds of test. CT scan, ultrasound. Come to find out I had Gall stones and my Gall bladder was very inflamed. I had emergency surgery that day. I am better now and still taking the Yaz but now I’m afraid something else might happen.Comment by Lena on 6 August 2009:I have been taking yaz for almost a year and nothing has happened to me. I’m kind of scared now though and I think I’m going to talk to my doctor about this.Comment by Mary on 8 August 2009:I took Yaz for 5 months. The worst I have ever felt! I had the chills all the time, at night I would sweat profusely, I had constant headaches, fatigue, and moodiness like perpetaul PMS . I was prescribed it for PMMD and was told it would help curb those several days prior to my period that I felt very crabby, tired, hungry and sad. Instead, I felt worse . I cried quite a bit and didn’t know why. I also had bladder and yeast infections all the time. Since I have been off of it for 6 months, I just found out I have a tumor in my Uterus during my yearly exam. I have never had any tumors, nor have any of my family members. I am getting testing done to see what is going on. I am afraid that it will grow bigger as it is the size of a dime now. I had nothing wrong one year ago. It is causing me pain and it is also causing me to be tired and I still get headaches even though I am off the Yaz. I knew after I was on Yaz that I wasn’t feeling right . I woul d not recommend this birth control method to anyone.Comment by Kaylia on 10 August 2009:I agree with Lena. I have been on Yasmin for 2 years and haven’t had these traumatic issues but I have had very bad headaches. In February, I had headaches to the point of migraine pain without the light sensitivity. I saw the doctor multiple times and we tried a lot of medications. After about 4 months, we said it was stress and lack of sleep. I still ge them and just say I must be stressed but I now I’mthinking it might now be stressed. Has anyone else noticed a big drop in sex drive?Comment by Brandi on 13 August 2009:I was told and hailed that Yasmin would be so great by my OB/GYN (I have PCOS so it was supposed to be a helpful miracle pill) and about a month after starting it I noticed a pain in my left shoulder, like in the joint. Thinking I had bursitis I went to my doc and got meds, but then I started having chest pain and it felt like my lungs were sticking to my ribs everytime I exhaled. It was sharp pain and I couldn’t breathe much. I wanted to cry out the pain was so bad but that only made the pain worse. I went to the ER and they gave me a shot of morphine which the nurse desribed as “one of the largest doses she’s ever given and she’s been there for years”. The morphine toned down the pain for all of about 30 minutes. I could’nt lay on my back because of the pain so when I got home I had to sit in the recliner and sleep upright. During this time my leg starts hurting as well until one day I was sitting at work and noticed it swelling. It was also getting increasingly difficult to walk on it. To make a long story short I was at the ER 3 times before anyone found out I had a blood clot in my leg and then multiple blood clots in my lungs. Thank you YASMIN, you caused me great pain but I guess I should be greatful I wasn’t killed like the other, god bless their souls, 50 women this drug has killed due to these issues. My life is worth something, I am not a number. I am not a paycheck for Bayer…..they need to understand they are killing people.Comment by Keri on 13 August 2009:Kaylia, I’ve experienced a lot more headaches on Yaz and have also noticed a big drop in sex driveComment by Loretta on 14 August 2009:I was prescribed Yasmin back in 2002 to treat polycystic ovaries, and took the bcp for 2 years before being diagnosed with a DVT in my right leg in Oct. 2004. I was hospitalized for 7 days while on heparin (blood thinning) therapy. About 7 or 8 months prior to this hospitalization, I had to have my gall bladder removed due to gallstones. I now have poor circulation in my right leg and edema.Comment by Juanita on 25 August 2009:I just as mad because since I started taking Yaz, I have several kidney infections, and UTI, not to mention that no one acknowledge that I was pregnant until my tube burst and I ended up have emergency surgery.Comment by Julie on 25 August 2009:This is all so confusing. I just got out of the hospital after 6 nights that included a stay in the ICU, and a diagnosis of PE….blood clots in the lungs. I was aware that blood clots were a risk of being on oral birth control, but had no idea my risk was maybe 6 times greater being on Yaz (according to research quoted in an article on this website.) I read all the information that comes with Yaz, and it did not say I was at a greater risk for clots than any other oral birth control. However, I was at great risk and I am lucky to be alive. I hope no one else suffers from the dangerous side and potentially fatal effects of Yaz.Comment by denise on 25 August 2009:i was on yaz for about 4 months. it caused depression, mood swings and hair thinning. these are just the symptoms that i noticed. i stopped taking it as soon as i realized it was the culprit. now i believe it has also caused a slight slur in my speech. i’m very angry that more of the side effects weren’t revealed. drug companies need to be honest about the drugs they’re pushing. people are dying, and suffering from ailments that they don’t have to suffer from.Comment by Valerie on 26 August 2009:My daughter took Yaz and she had to have her gallbladder removed and was hospitalized when her heart was showing signs of swelling she was fainting and had shaking spells, and very bad migraines, they found a ASD in her heart that had to be fixed because it was growing larger and causing her heart to swell, she was seventeen at the time all the doctors said birth control couldn’t be a factor.Comment by MaryJane on 27 August 2009:I have been taking Yaz for just about 2 and a half years now. In that time I have been admitted to the hospital 3 times for what the doctors were calling anxiety and panic attacks. “I’m not anxious”, I told them, “My chest hurts and I’m having a hard time breathing”. It felt like someone was blowing up a balloon inside my chest. They tested me for cardiac enzymes to make sure I wasn’t having a heart attack, which I wasn’t, but, they never even said anything about a PE which I brought up several times since I work in the medical field.Since beginning Yaz I have gained 40 pounds, I have been 10 times more moody and irritable, I have had anxiety that I never had before, I get frequent chest pains and within an hour of taking them, I get heart palpatations. Recently I have noticed that I also have a small lump in my breast and from research I have found that it is probably due to th overload of hormones in my system. I find my self crying all the time, feeling lightheaded and even have trouble talking too. Almost like my brain isn’t picking up on what I need to do. I don’t think I have had any strokes, even TIA’s, but one never knows until a CT has been taken and a TIA is so small that sometimes it can’t be detected. I have frequent chest pains and numbness in my arm as well as jaw and neck pain too. I am tired all the time, have trouble sleeping and sometimes I feel like my blood pressure is so low, that I can’t even get out of bed or off the couch. Take this pill off of the market, it is dangerous!Comment by Deahna on 2 September 2009:In October of 2003, I was prescribed YAZ to help reduce my extremely heavy menstrual cycles. On February 20, 2004, I had suffered a thrombosis, blood clots in my brain. I was 34 years old, non-smoker, and had just been engaged in December 2003. Miraculously I survived, without any side-effects. Finding out that mine was not an isolated case, makes me realize how fortunate I am, no side-effects what so ever and I am still here to write about it. I am filing my law-suit against Bayer today………Comment by Sheri on 8 September 2009:I have been taking YAZ for appx. a yr. and a half. Ever since then I have been very tired, i have devolped numerous breast lumps, i’ve not been sexually involved, & i have the worse pms than I ever had. So my ob told me that the next time I am seen for my yr. exam she is going to switch my birth control. That is in about 1 week. And I can’t wait. Hopefully I can get something that will work with me better. Good Luck…Comment by Hope on 9 September 2009:Wow! I thought that my ‘miracle’ was great, but I am really reconsidering it right now! If it has killed 1 person, that’s one too many. This drug has over stayed it’s welcome, and needs to be banned! I am going on a new BC tomorrow!Comment by nicky on 10 September 2009:i had extreme menstrual cycles that left me home & in terrible pain. My doc prescribed yasmine. i felt so much better. shortly after my breast’s hurt so badly like i had been punched! i started to have what my mom called “panic attacks” but i never had anxiety. My stomach was the worst i was in & out of doctors offices & hospitals but no one knew why i had terrible diarrhea & vomiting. Finally a doctor diagnosed me with crohns disease yet I’m on medication for that but i have no relief. I’am shocked no doctor thought to ask about my birth control pill. why my gyn never told me the ricks for the medicine he prescribed. I’am now on ocella thinking i was lucky it now comes in generic. I will be having a long discussion with my gyn of why i wasn’t told the risks are 6x more likely with this birth control then others. currently i’am in so much pain everywhere, ranging from migraines, to swelling knees… My doctor will have alot to answer for & i want to switch my birth control. As well as have my gallbladder checked. So sorry so many women have died all because we live in a country fueled by money & power. Shame on the doctors & the pharmaceutical companies!!!!Comment by Sharon on 15 September 2009:My daughter has been taking Yaz for 3yrs. It did help with PMMD, I was the one she usually screamed at. It also slowed the heavy periods and cramping at times. She has had thinning hair after taking Yaz. Lately she has had breakthrough bleeding (she calls it) 3 weeks of periods. This has made it impossible for her to go for her yearly pap. This spring she had a severe kidney infection. She has never has a problem with kidney disease in the past. The Dr. wanted her to be admitted at the hospital. She is a college student and can’t miss class, she refused. I am seeing from the past comments that she has a pattern here along with some of the other ladies. She stopped taking the Yaz and is able to go this week to her Gyn to check on another form of PMMD medication and birth control.Comment by Lori on 17 September 2009:OMG!!! I can’t believe what I’m reading!!!!! I have been on YAZ for 2 1/2 yrs because of heavy periods and of course to not get pregnant. Loved it at first but lots of mood swings, soooo tired all the time. Recently, never having any trouble with my gall baldder before, instantly had an attack at home (thank god). I seriously thought I was having a heart attack! My chest hurt, pain and numbness in my right shoulder/arm. Worse than labor pains! Rushed to ER. Did blood work and found that my liver enzymes were elevated. ER doc said, probably caused by the YAZ especially since I had never had any problems before. Great! So he ordered ultrasound and they found tons of gall stones and I have to have surgery!!! We are in the process of moving and I have trouble with my knee and need surgery on that too. I just don’t have time for this! The pain is severe and I’ve had several attacks since the ER visit. Can’t even get into a surgeon for consultation til’ Oct. 2. I can’t believe how severe some of the things are that are happening. I’ve also been getting migraines here and there too and now I know why! So sadComment by Christina on 18 September 2009:I have been on Yaz for a year now and ever since I have been taking it, I have been getting all these weird things happening to my body. I am 28 years old and my heart feels like it fluttering and I can’t breathe. I also developed a cyst on my right overy which is being watched to see if it may be cancerous or not, kidney pains, body aches and loss of hair and circulation in my legs. All of these symptoms are too muchand are being followed up with the doctor. Rest asure I am never taking any birth control pills againComment by Paulina on 18 September 2009:I’m 26, and since I was 14, I have been taking birth control. At 24, I stopped for a year, and then decided to start taking them again. My doctor prescribed Yasmin. 2 months after starting the pills, I was rushed to hospital with a pulmonary embolism that nearly took my life. 2 weeks in emergency care, I was diagnosed with 2 pulmonary emoblisms, one in each lung and dvt in my right leg. The clot broke from under my knee and went straight to my lungs. This pertifying experience caused enormous amounts of pain, rehabilitation, I couldn’t go back to work, I was constantly being poked and proded by needles, morphine and coumadin. One year later, I am still recovering. I am not able to take ANY birth control pills, I go for regular followups, and my decision to get pregnant in the future comes with a ridiculous amount of care and specialization, so I am told. I would not wish this upon my worst enemy. Within 4 hours of experiencing chest pain, to sitting in a hospital bed was all it took to change my life. Never, will I take breathing for granted again. I was prepared to say goodbye to my family in the hospital, and had shocked the doctors that I in fact lived through a clot 3.3 cm long. To all of the women, especially young women who are thinking of birth control, stay away from Yasmin, or it could take your life.Comment by Patricia on 20 September 2009:I’ve taken this drug for over 4 years with no bad side effects at all.My liver levels are a bit high though, don’t know if Yaz is the causeor one too many glasses of wine in the evening. I’ll be smart and look into it further. But I have been very happy with Yaz.Comment by Christine on 21 September 2009:It only took 16 days on YAZ to change my life. At 55 I was bleeding heavily from a very large fibroid. My gynecologist prescribed YAZ to stem the bleeding. I felt so ill from the pill that I stopped it but not before it did it’s insidious damage. I continued to bleed and while I was in hospital from blood loss, they found DVT and PE. I now have an IVC filter and spend far too much time managing my health. I have devastating nosebleeds from the blood thinners. I’ve spent 2 weeks in hospital and had 7 ER visits since March. And it only took 16 days on YAZ.Comment by Sandra on 22 September 2009:Do not take YAZ, YASMIN, or OCELLA. They are deadly. My daughter is 19 left yesterday for WWU. She had been taking YAZ for about 2 years with no side effects, in May of this year right before her graduation she woke up with a severe migrane, then proceeded to vomit. She has never had a migrane in her life, we thought she had the flu, her symptoms kept getting worse migraines, vomiting, blurry vision, dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations, low low blood pressure, high heart rate, (the following came around the 2nd month) sore kidney area, sore up under her rib cage, loss of vision in right eye. She also had cysts that were on both ovaries, she had removed, (I believe YAZ causes ovarian cysts also) all of these symptoms came in succession, we thought she just had the flu at first, but then it got to the point she couldn’t get off the couch or out of bed. Ironically, she had gone off of her birth control for about 2-3 weeks…boyfriend left for Alaska, she started with the migraines weakness and vomiting, went back on birth control thinking the illness might be womping PMS or something and then she got progressively worse. She has been off of all chemical birth control 4 weeks this Thursday and slowly her symptoms are going away, she went 5 whole days with out throwing up last week. After going through everything we have over the last several months I would NEVER have my girls on birth control again. In conclusion her gynecologist agreed with us that YAZ, Yasmin, Ocella, cause tiny blood clots in the system and when my daughter lost vision in her right eye we took her off bc. Liz now uses a diaphragm. Stay completely away from these products!!!!!!Comment by Mary on 23 September 2009:i was on the depo shot for 5 years I switched to yaz two months ago.When I first switched to yaz the first several weeks I felt sick to my stomach but after that I have not had any side affects not even a period.Comment by Sheri on 24 September 2009:I have been on yaz for a little over a yr.after my ob decided for me to switch after having breast lumps and cysts. I had just renently gotten off of it because of all of the side effects that I have been having including: some loss of eye sight, breast lumps, breast cysts, tiredness, heart palpatations, horrible pmdd etc. This birth control is horrible for me. And now I am afraid to take any other contraceptives.Comment by connie on 25 September 2009:I am looking for info because I have very bad aching legs yes I am on yaz i also have a cyst on my ovary. After reading these posts I am off this pill. I have gained weight and am tired constantly.thought it wasstress.Comment by Savhanna on 25 September 2009:I was put on yasmin back in 2003 till 2008 i was always having major stomach issues but no doctors ever knew what was wrong till one day i ended up in the ER in May of 08 with stabing pain and i had to end up having my gallblader removed because it was brown and all sludgey. Then in Aug. 08 I was dignosed with Addisons Disease (Adrenal Insufficiency) and we all well family wondered how i ended up with this well i have done some research and talked to other people that has addisons and they also say that they were on yasmin to and that is causes adrenal issues. I have been in and out of the hospitals more then i bargen for and more medical bills then i bargen for to!Comment by Cathy on 25 September 2009:I was recently prescribed YAZ to treat my PMS symptoms. I started taking it last Monday (21 Sep 09) and by Friday (25 Sep) I felt terrible. I have never been a heavy bleeder nor have I had clots but during the few days I was taking this pill the bleeding was severe and the clots were huge. Thank god I Googled for more information on this drug. Other symptoms I experienced were difficulty breathing, palpitations, throbbing in my left leg, several tics in my face. I can’t believe this drug is available for sale especially here in Australia where pharmaceutical laws are more stringent than anywhere else in the world. I will be having words with my doctor in the coming days and I will never take contraceptives again. I prefer to put up with my PMS every month for a day or two than die.Comment by missy on 26 September 2009:I took yaz for about 1 1/2 years. I would get awful mood swings, headaches, sore throat, coldsores and no sex drive. I just figured it was from being a new mom and being tired. The last thing was about 4-6 weeks ago I got what they call petichae (little pinpoint broken blood vessles all over my body). THat was the last straw. I stopped taking the pills mid pack and i can’t believe how much better I feel. I feel a lot more happiness etc. I saw my doctor last week for the spots and I am waiting for the results of the blood work to see if there is something wrong. She did not think it was related to the pills. I was thinking since so many people have had blood clots why would it not possibly be caused by YAz. Glad to be off Yaz and will not recomend it to anyone.Comment by Ashley on 27 September 2009:Ive been on Yaz for about 5 months now. my periods have not regulated any, and now this month its been over a week and im still bleeding very very bright red, havent noticed any clots though. I have been crying for no reason for the past few months, my back tends to hurt alot. and as far as my sex drive goes, its fine its just alot harder to have an orgasm than it used to be.sometimes it feels i have pins and needles in my face, and my sides hurt real bad, and i cannot stand the cold. in a couple weeks i am going to have my tubes tied, I am not going to ever want to be on any for of pill shot iud or anything all contain the same horemones. none is better than the other. I have my 2 kids and I am happyComment by morgan on 28 September 2009:I was 17 in 2007and got on YAZ for my acne. I was on it for 3 months and one day I woke up with shortness of breath. I didn’t know why so I waited 4 days until the pain was unbearable. I went to the ER and was diagnosed with a PE. They were going to send me home with Lovenox and Coumadin until a Pulmonologist revisted my CT scan. Turns out the clot was much larger than they thought and I was ambulanced to ICU at another hostpital in Houston. I was there for 5 days, I had to have a central line, an arterial line and there was talk of doing open heart surgery to remove the clot. They delivere TPA, a clot busting drug through my central line, but it did not work..so I had a heparin drip. Once out of ICU, I stayed in the hospital for another 7days while they tried to regulalte coumdin levels. It never worked so I was put on Arixtra injections similar to Lovenox, I had to do them myself everyday. After 6 months of that I was put on coumadin for another 6 months. I have had multiple hematologist and pulmonologist visits and i only get 30 function in my right lung due to the damage. I will never take birth control again…I still have acne and my life was forever changed.Comment by Amanda on 29 September 2009:I took other types of birth control for awhile until i heard about yaz.So I then took yaz for at least two years. I found myself with alot of head aches and very tired all of the time no matter how much sleep i had gotten. I stoped taking it and my probems that existed dissappeared. I also about i want to say 4 or 5 months ago noticed a few strange dots on my upper stomach under boob area. Now there’s a colony of them. They look like sun spots but sun doesn’t hit that area and i wore one pieces growing up. I saw a yaz comercial about a hour ago and everything just clicked.Comment by Melanie on 1 October 2009:PLEASE DONT TAKE YAZ….I have been taking the pill since April 2009, one morning I noticed a LUMP on my neck, it was the size of a marbel…within 7 days it grew to the size of an EGG. I went to the ER and the did blood tests, CT SCANS, MRI’s, Ultrasounds and everything came back normal. I was admitted for 2 weeks and was give anti-boitics for a swallen Lymph Node infection. The lump never went away with the meds…so I had to have surgery to remove it. The doctors could not tell me why this happen to me. I went home continued taking my YAZ Pills and in August the migrains headaches started.now the lump has come back, just 3 months later. I have now been told to discontinue use of the pill and will be going for more tests….I am sure I will be having surgery again. PLEASE DONT TAKE THESE PILLS they cause serious problems.Comment by G on 4 October 2009:My friend’s 18 year old daughter died from a pulmonary embolism one month after starting Yaz. This is tragic and should have never happened.Comment by angel on 5 October 2009:i been taken this for 2 months & i broke out in a rash all over my neck, stomach, & back .. i also have these hard lump things on my legs .. this yaz shit is nasty … i just dont want to have kids ,, im 19 years old n never had any problems with anything .. im gonna sue the shit out of u people if this shit gets worst .. i feel sick everyday !!!Comment by Alison on 5 October 2009:I have been on Yaz for about 2 years now. For the past year I have had problems wih shortness of breath, heart palpatations, violent mood swings, my thyroid was “over acting” causing all kinds of horrible symptoms, my heart pounds out of my chest and I sweet instantly within seconds of any activity. After reading what everyone else has to say, I’m never taking this pill again. This pill needs to be taking off the market ASAP!Comment by amber on 5 October 2009:i had used yasmin for several years and started having bad kidney infections and when i went to the doctor they did some tests and i was diagnosed with intersticialsystitis witch means i have holes in my bladder. I had to miss my entire senior year of high school and missed out on a lifetime of memories. i also suffer from high blood pressure, very high white blood count and potassium problems. my doctors still are piecing together all of my issues. So my suggestion is to follow your gut and dont always listen to your doctor if your sick keep going till you get answers. I am also unable to have kids now. which we dont know if there is a side effect to the drug or not but we are investigating it.Comment by Jennifer on 6 October 2009:I took the Yaz birth control pill for four months in 2007. My breasts then started to be so tender I could not even wear a seat belt. I began to feel lumps in my chest and found I had a large fibroadenoma that was recommended by two different doctors to be removed. I was only twenty-two, and never had any health problems before. I had surgery to have it removed, and thankfully it was only a benign tumor and not cancerous as they did not know that for sure until after my surgery. I immediately stopped taking the pill because I know my body, and I know it changed after I had started taking it. I have not had any returning fibroadenomas since.Comment by Vickie on 6 October 2009:Has anybody else lost their vision? I took YAZMIN for about 6 months and ever since my vision has been terrible. I use to see just fine but when i went in for my check up about a year ago my eye doctor said i was legally blind. Just wondering if anyone else had this problem?Comment by Angela on 7 October 2009:Just stopped taking YAZ. Had used an IUD, had it removed, was off all birth control for 4 months, then started YAZ about two years ago. Since then I have battled with depression, anxiety, kidney infections, extreme fatigue and arthritis-type pain. Recently my chest has been hurting and I get stabbing pains down my arms and legs. I have no insurance and only have a regular OBGYN that I see. One day everything I seemed to hear or see got me thinking about heart problems. My friend mentioned seeing an ad about a lawsuit for people using YAZ. I googled YAZ and could not believe what I was reading. With all the problems related to this pill I cannot believe it isn’t being recalled and the public warned. I am interested in finding out if my health problems are a result of this birth control pill. My condolences to all who have suffered because of this pill.Comment by Cari on 8 October 2009:OMG!!!! My Dr. just wrote out Yaz for me!! Didn’t know a law suit was going on!! Thank you for sharing all of your stories!!! I will NOT take this birth control! Reading this page saved me alot of pain and possibly my life!! I hope others will read this page and find info before taking this dangerous pill. I’m so sorry that lives have been lost and others in pain.Comment by Rere on 8 October 2009:I have been using Yasmin and Yaz for years now, and I do notice I feel depressed a lot. I do get terrible back pain, also after starting on yasmin for the very first year or so, I went for my annual check up and was told about some abnormal cell growth, however not much was done by my doctor for that, all I was told was that it could be stress that caused it. I recently went back for my most recent check up and after having to call and call and call to get my results, the nurse finally made time to answer her phone and all she had to tell me was that I had some CIN 2 and needed to do a LEEP, to call and schedule a time to do it. That was it, not even a few minutes to explain to us who don’t know medical talks. However, after using Yazmin, I was put on Yaz and currently still using it. But like some other posts said, when you try to stop using it, it really makes you very sick, with the headaches, weight gain,depression and pains throughout your body. So its like we’re trapped.Comment by Ami on 8 October 2009:im a 20 year old college student, and i started taking YAZ the day after i graduated from high school. The side effects of nausea, headaches, and tiredness were strong at first but my obgyn said tht was normal the first three months. Now 2.5 years later ive had an inflammed gallbladder, (they removed it within the first 8 months of taking YAZ), ive had PE and didnt even know what it was.., im SO SO SO tired and weak..doctors keep telling me to drink ensure?, i have severe migranes, and IN the past TWO months my right arm and right legs have been going NUMB.. this expereince has been so scary for me..i dont want to take any kind of birth control ever again.Comment by Teresa on 9 October 2009:I have been taking Yaz for over 2 years now. I get frequent headaches which I always thought were sinus related. My legs hurt alot and recently feel very weak along with myhands and arms. Was told I have high cholesterol since starting this and an under active thyroid. Acid reflux which they say is the cause of upper right sided pain right under my shoulder blade. Very irritable and anxious and complete loss of sex drive. I thought alot of this was from aging effects but after learning of all these reports and deaths I am totally freaked out that most of this is from taking Yaz. Going to consult my doc. about this.Comment by Liz on 10 October 2009:I have PCOS and had severe hormone fluctuations. Before I went on YAZ, I was bleeding so profusely with such tremendous pain during that time of the month, that I was going to get a hysterectomy. I am 37 years old and have never smoked or drank in my life. I exercise regularly. However, my hormones were so wildly fluctuating, that I was experiencing “male pattern baldness,” as well as a whiskery mustache and beard that I had to shave every day. I was a mess. My gynecologist asked me to try YAZ before I opted for a hysterectomy. I have been on YAZ for a year and a half and I feel like a real woman for the first time IN MY LIFE. I bleed very little, if at all, and I never experience cramps or debilitating pain in my legs and back like I used to every single month. For me, this has been a MIRACLE. I can laugh and walk and enjoy my life. I used to be completely confined to my bed during “that” time of month and felt miserable all of the time the rest of the month. After becoming more educated about YAZ, however, I will have my GYN carefully monitor my blood levels and watch for any potential side effects.Comment by Jasmin on 10 October 2009:I have been taking yaz since I was 18, I just turned 21.I have had no side effects at all. My acne got better. I feel better with my mood swings. IS THERE A PILL THAT IS OK TO TAKE? ARE ALL THE SAME?Comment by Hillary on 11 October 2009:I took Yaz For only 3 months and now i have to have both ovaries removed due to very large cysts. I just learned that yaz could be the reason. not to mention i have headaches backaches i throw up all the time and im exhausted every day. I was going to have children but now i can’t and i am only 20 years old. I will be sueing!Comment by J.J. on 11 October 2009:This is ridiculous! Why is this pill even still out! For everyone that has posted about issues thank you. Im gettin mine changed Thursday…any suggestions?Comment by kayla on 12 October 2009:i have been taking yaz for almost 2 years i would say. I been seeing tv ads on tv about yaz being a bad drug and its scaring me because ive been trierd alot, sad, body pains every where, no motavation to do anything im only 19 and i feel so old, i dont no if i should keep taking it?Comment by Tanya on 12 October 2009:July 29 08 I had been on yaz for about 4 months. Thought I had sprained my ankle,lots of sweeling and pain. Went to the ER when the pain persisted they said you have a strain and to stay off of it. 2 weeks later i was in ICU for PE bi laterial/saddle the clot moved from my calf to my lungs I was 28. Had a 15 month old lil boy, that i didn’t get to see for 5 days because I was on my death bed. I will be on bloodthinners for the rest of my life thanks to the yaz..Comment by Tanya on 12 October 2009:Also was diagonsed with DVT, and gained alot of weight while on yaz. I had been on bc before I got pregnant and never had any problems with side effects…Comment by Anita on 14 October 2009:I can’t believe this! I just filled my second month’s prescription of Yaz and really believed this will be the perfect contraceptive.I have been on Triphasil for 12 years and started to have bad side effects, went of the pill for 8 months and after going for my yearly check up the doctor prescibred Yaz!The only things I have noticed so far was trouble sleeping, tired and irritated arms arms and legs.Now WHAT are we suppose to use?????Comment by Ryann on 14 October 2009:I was perscribed YAZ last week. I have been taking it for a week and a half and I already got a UTI, which I have never had before. Did not know about all of this, doctors should let us know info like this, im getting off that BC!Comment by Carie on 14 October 2009:In April 06, I was sitting in the chair watching tv when all of a sudden I could not breath. I tried and tried to catch my breath but just could not. So I went to the ER when they discovered I have Pulminary Imbolisum which were blood clots in each lung. I had been taking yasmin from about 01-06. Yasmin was great for me until this. I lost lots of work, had to get my blood drawn every 2 weeks for about 6 months. To this day if I cant catch my breath I feel like there is something wrong with me. I ended up staying in the hospital for a week. I currently have to take asprin for the rest of my life and because of the clots I can never take birth control again. Which from this I became pregnant about a year later. Now I have a son and can not ever take birth control pills. I love my son very much but because of yasmin I had my son sooner than I wanted. Please take this drug off the market, I would not wish this on anyone!!Comment by nat on 14 October 2009:I started Yasmin in 1997 and took it for about 6 years. After my second child, I began taking it again with no problems or side efects. Because of insurance reasons, i had to switch to YAZ. While on YAZ, i was very moody, had night sweats, depressed, and at one point thought i was having a nervous breakdown. I stopped taking it and it took about a month or 2 to get back to feeling normal again.Comment by Veronica on 14 October 2009:I took yaz for about 6 months last year. I had alot of fatigue, anxiety, one episode of chest pains. I never went to get an examination. But I was wondering if anyone knew if you should go get checked out if you have ever taken it, or just if you are currently taken it and experiencing symptoms?Comment by emma on 14 October 2009:I am shocked to read all of these comments. I was watching TV and saw an ad about the lawsuits being filed regarding Yaz and Yazmin. I am 36 yrs old and have been taking Yaz for about 2 yrs. I love it, but I have been noticing for some time now that I feel like my heart flutters and I get sharp pains in my breasts, i also spend alot of time going to the bathroom every night so I am sleep deprived. I have also been noticing that my legs feel tired like I am not getting enough circulation in them. When I read all these comments, I realized that this pill may be my problem. I am going to stop taking it to see if these symptoms conintue or stop. Thank you for all the postings.Comment by Michele on 15 October 2009:I am 35 years old and in good shape. I have been on bc pills for a total of 18 years. After 7 years of Yasmin, I was switched to Ocella, and was on it for a year. For about 8 months, I had severe dizziness from morning until night. It had been so bad, that a few times, I started to fall in the hallway at work and co-workers would help me. I couldn’t imagine what it was but it seemed to get worse very quickly. With the dizziness came very bad hot flashes and chills. My stomach would feel queasy. I retained up to 6 pounds of water per day. My whole body puffed up. I had headaches, had trouble walking and was in so much pain all over my body. I could barely get to work everyday. I kept telling the doctors I felt “toxic”. I had horrible acid reflux and nothing would make it go away. I went to many, many doctors for months, went through several tests and lots of money for these tests, and they kept telling me they did not know what was wrong – maybe fibromyalgia, etc. Every test came back ok. I also gained about 15 pounds in a year. I took myself off of the birth control (gut feeling it was that), and I am happy to say it’s been 5 months that I have been off of it, and I am almost COMPLETELY rid of all the things I listed above. Within 4 days I started to feel better. This pill needs to be pulled off the market!Comment by Cally on 17 October 2009:Any type of birth control can cause these side effects.For all the girls who smoke while on yaz and posted a comment your chances go way up so you really shouldnt post a comment unless you decided to stop smoking while on this birth control.Comment by Tammy on 17 October 2009:My 14 year old daughter has been on Yaz for six months which was prescribed by her dermatologist for acne. The acne did improve; however, about a month after starting, she had major mood swings, uncontrollable crying spells, and was diagnosed with depression. She was put on anti-depressant, but continued to be depressed and suicidal. She attempted suicide with a drug overdose about a month ago. Her MD suggested taking her off Yaz. She has been off it for a week and on a different BC pill that is supposed to also be good for acne. Her mood is so much better. She seems like herself again. Now we believe that the Yaz had to have contributed to the depression.Comment by Natasha on 19 October 2009:Kayla i am feeling the same way as you. i am 19 also and i am ALWAYS tired. I completely lost my sex drive and i have been having a lot of body pain, mostly in my upper back or right shoulder. My friend recently had to have her gul bladder taken out and she is on YAZ. she had no idea that YAZ might have had something to do with it until i told her earlier today. she is checking into it now. I am not sure weather to get on a new birth control because yaz is my 4th birth control! and i just am so confussed on what else i would take and on what to do.Comment by Jared on 19 October 2009:My wife took Yaz and started to have seizures, however after we took her off it she has had a seizure about once a month even thou she no longer takes it. He abdomen cramps and she shakes a little and cant breath for about 20-40 secons then than the muscles let loose and she hyperventolates for about a minute afterwards. has anyone else had these effects from Yaz birth control ?Comment by Kayla on 20 October 2009:You all are rediculous bllod clots and stroked can be caused by a numerous amount of crap that we put into our bodies. I have used this birth control for 10 years and have never had a problem with it. I think you all are over reacting. i think you are letting yourself think your tired or having pains for no reason but acually your looking for an excuse to complain.Comment by Alicia on 20 October 2009:Wow..I cannot believe so many other women have experienced what I went through for almost THREE YEARS!! When I first started taking Yasmin back in 2005, I too thought it was the “miracle pill” since i had been on many different birth control pills in the past. The first couple of days I was on Yasmin I got really sick but thought maybe I had the flu or cold and didn’t think anything more of it. I started losing weight very fast which was nothing to complain of since I had always wished to loose weight that fast! Now that I look back, I should have immediately gone off these pills because of what happened afterwards. I slowly started to get more and more sick…until one night I woke up with an awful gallbladder “attack”. i had to go to ER and do all of these tests only to find that my gallbaldder (with no prior problems) was not functioning properly and I also had a few gall stones. I had never had surgery in my life, but had to be scheduled for gall bladder removal. After struggling with the pain, the lethargy, the sickness & diarrhea, I thought my prayers would be answered once my gall bladder was removed. No such luck..after the surgery I become even sicker..I almost lost my job and I was depressed all the time. I couldn’t leave the house for longer than an hour without getting sick. I did tons of research, asked over and over again if maybe my birth control pills were the reason I felt so awful and felt like I was basically DYING. Time and time again I was told NO and that they would run more tests..finally Dec of 2008 I decided to get off of the birth control pills and see for myself. I felt helpless and stuck like nobody in the medical profession could help me! Within months, I felt my body start to “detox”-I got random hot/cold sweats throughout day, became randomly dizzy and irritable…my sex drive slowly started to come back. I literally felt like I was detoxing from a drug. Within 6-12 months I felt so great..my energy was back, I wasn’t getting sick, I felt like a brand new person (back to my old self again) I was so thankful and figured I just had an “allergic reaction” to the pills. Slowly I started hearing of more women who experienced similar things and I urged anyone who was on the pill to be careful and shared my experience. Now I am reading this website only to find out it is a HUGE PROBLEM and this pill, as well as anything like it, needs to be pulled from the shelf! I agree that maybe there are you lucky ones out there that may not et any negative side effects, but why risk it? Later down the road, years from now, you may end up with one of these HUGE health problems and it will be harder to tie it back to the pill once it has been so long with no prior problems. Just get off of them now and save yourself the pain,tears,money and time..it will take months or years off of your life like it did mine. Good luck to you all.Comment by Dianne on 25 October 2009:After taking Yasmin birth control for four months in 2003, I developed cysts on my overies. I knew something was wrong with this pill. I gained 20 pounds which my doctor dismissed as me eating more. I said it was the ethinol estrogen in the pill. I still have cysts on my ovaries and had I not gotten off the pill when I did, I feel there would have been more complications.Comment by Amber on 26 October 2009:I have been taking Yaz since May 2009, I have not had any side effects yet, and thought the product was great!Now I am scared. Maybe it does depend on the person taking it.Comment by lisa on 26 October 2009:I started to take Yaz when I was 19. I am now 21 and just stopped 2 months ago. Over the past two years I have experienced migranes soo severe I have had to be put on Imitrex. I have gone to the hospital with a very severe bladder infection and I always get UTI’s. I feel there has to be some connection to this drug and all these symtoms since everyone else has had similar ones. Since I have been off I have had my period for 8 days and severe cramps.Comment by Melissa on 26 October 2009:I am 36 years old. I had been on Yasmin since a few years before my 13 yr old son was born.(but stopped when tried to concieve, and while pregnant of course.) And then again after my 9 1/2 yr old son was born. I had to have my gall bladder removed. I had unexplainable migraines, and dizziness-vertigo. A few years back, I switched to Yaz, to help with PDD, and Acne. My Acne became worse, it is not only on my face, but all over my body. My mood swings have become violent. Had constant thoughts of suicide, constant crying, drop in sex drive, major weight gain-(90 lbs. in the past year) I have insomnia, still have migraines, and dizziness-lightheadedness, some bouts with vertigo. (Had to have 2 non-cancerous tumors removed, 1 from my neck lypnode and one from my left armpit lympnode) I have also found that my eyesight is rapidly getting worse. I have a hard time trying to find the right words to say. I have constant back and shoulder problems. And for the first yearish of taking Yaz, for no reason, my ankles kept swelling up even if I hadn’t been on them all day.But this past week, on Thursday, I woke up with Diarreah, had that all day. When i was saoking in the tub, i started feeling very dizzy and nauseous (flu like). I hurried up my bath, when, I went to shave my right arm pit, I had felt a lump in my right breast. So I decided to do an exam. I found that lumpin my right breast, and several in my left breast. Well, As the day went on I became sicker. And at about 3am I was sleeping on the couch, so I wouldn’t get my hubby sick by sleeping in the bed(besides, I have insomnia) All of the sudden, I could not breath. I went from breathing just fine, to having almost no lung capacity in a split second. You could here a high pitch whistle sound each time I breathed out,(the little breathe I could take). I have asthma, but this was 100 times worse than asthma. My inhaler wouldn’t even help! It was harder than trying to breathe through a coffee stirrer straw. Thank god the house phone was right there, I prtessed the intercom button, to ring to the bedroom phone for my hubby’s help. He was going to call the ambulance, but we used my son’s neubulizer machine treatment 4X, to help(sort of help) it took a good hour for it to subside. Then my hubby took the day off because I was ill, and he was worried, at about 9am, I was laying in my bed, breathing just fine and it happened again. Nothing helped, only the NB Treatment a bit, and it lasted about 1/2 hour this time. My hubby to me to the ER. They ran blood work, an IV. Cardiogram. By then, my lungs were clear again, because, I was breathing fine again. (of course, it didn’t happen while I was at the ER) They tested me for the swine and seasonal flu, had neither. My lungs really hurt, up under my ribcage area in the lower lungs. But they said, it must be Heart burn or acid reflux. I did not agree. they said everything came back normal, no fever, and they weren’t going to do a chest X-ray because my chest sounded clear. I told them they should, but they didn’t, they said it was more than likely an anxiety attack. I know darn well it couldn’t have been. I was very calm and relaxed both times before I went to the ER when it happened. my kids were in bed, nothing to aggitate me. Just Bam! All of the sudden! And then after up to an hour it was back to normal. Well, ever since, i have come home from the hospital, It has happened several times. Today is Monday, only a few days after. My hubby and I had to cancel our Anniversary plans because of it. I have an apoitment with my doctor in a few hours. Wish me luck. My husband told me last night, that he saw the ad on TV about the YAZ lawsuits, and that i need to look into it. Wow! Am I glad that I did! I wonder if this breathing problem is blood clots/ Pulminary Embolism? The ER could have caught it if they took an X-Ray. They didn’t even ask my medications. Maybe they would have had a red flag go up, if they knew I was on YAZ?Comment by Kristin on 26 October 2009:I haven’t been able to afford my birth control (Yaz) this month and I noticed today that after being off of it for a couple of weeks I had a huge sexual tension rise up in me the past two days. I never wanted sex while being on this birth control, but now its almost like I’m in heat. As far as other side effects I’ve had freqent headaches recently, but nothing else thank God. At least not so far, and I’ve been on yasmine for a few years and then Yaz for about 4 years. I hope nothing happens. I develpoed a Thyroid problem, but I may stay off of this pill to be safe! And have a sex life again!Comment by Gwen on 27 October 2009:After 4 months I would have chest pains, shortness of breath, pain down my left arm, shoulder blades tight, heart palpitations, pain in my legs that kept me up all night, headaches. I had stomache problems, diarea, moody and depressed.After extensive tesing and multiple specialist. Doctors diagnosed me with allergies, acid reflux, never figured out the leg pains. At 6 months I stated throwing up stomache acid and bile between 2-4 am almost everyday. Doctors and pharmacists insisted since I was past the 3 month symptomatic period on yaz it cannot be the yaz, however I was on NO OTHER MED! They had no explanation for the randowm vomitting. Well, I stopped using yaz against doctors orders and all problems dissapeared. 5 months off yaz and I developed a new problem of cysts on my ovaries that now the same doctor said yaz can cause cysts when you go off of it!Comment by Kim on 28 October 2009:I’ve been taking yaz for about 5 months and havent noticed ANY of these side effects, except for the fact that I cry a lot easier than I used to. Now im really scared after reading all these horrible things..I think im going to go off it :\Comment by nicole on 28 October 2009:i have been taking yaz for almost 2 years and have not had any problems but now that i have been reading bout it and looking into it, it makes me scared to continue to take it… I hope that nothing happens to me since i have been taking it so long..Comment by Wendy on 28 October 2009:I started taking Yasmin after my son was born. I remember it was featured on NBC’s Today Show. A doctor talked about how low the side effects were with this wonderful new pill. Even with insurance, it cost me more than my old pill, but I decided to try it anyway. My acne got much worse on Yasmin, but other than that, it seemed to work fine. I used it for several years, and finally I stopped taking it because I started developing large dark spots on my face called Malasma. When I stopped taking the pill, they gradually faded, but still want to show up again when I go out in the sun for any length of time. I am glad that I did not suffer some of the more terrible side effects (even though the melasma is bad enough), but I feel that the medical community really let a lot of women down. I remember my gyno going on and on about how wonderful this pill was supposed to be. Who can you trust?Comment by jen on 29 October 2009:I went on this POISON Yasmin for a year then went off after I gained weight. I proceeded to lose so much weight after I went off that I lost 40 pounds by doing nothing different over the course of three months. I got so skinny people became concerned but there wasn’t anything medically wrong with me. However, I also didn’t have my period for over a year after quitting Yasmin. I went to the gyno concerned but after a Progesterone test (which I failed) he suggested I just try going back on again with Yaz this time. I had my periods again of course but not on my own. They were hormonally controlled. After two months, I started craving food and getting anxious and stuffing my face as a way to cope with the mood swings and stress. This is was so not like me. Then I started to get horrible bloating and constipation. I had to use laxatives regularly to have any movement. After gaining 30 pounds and suffering in severe with the constipation, I decided it had to be the pill so I went off again. No surprise, I haven’t had a period for 6 months since I’ve been off and while the crazy mood swings have gone away, I’m still having really bad GI problems. I have a sharp pain in my lower left bowel and I’m chronically constipated. After seeing doctors and running blood test which all ended up normal they still don’t know what’s wrong even though I tell them it’s because of this pill. My gyno thinks I’m crazy, my GP thinks I’m crazy, and now I have a GI who thinks I’m crazy. IT’S BECAUSE OF YASMIN/YAZ!! This is POISON. Do NOT take this or give it to you kids. I’m just praying I can heal the pain and the constipation soon because I’m starting to limp and all the doctors have told me to do is eat a different diet. I’ve been eating cooked fruits and veggies for almost a month now because that’s the only thing I can eat without severe pain. And I’m a 24 year old healthy girl who exercises every day. I am beyond amazed this crippling drug is still on the market place.Comment by OLG on 29 October 2009:My 27 year old granddaughter started taking yaz 2 months ago. Today she is in the hospital in critical condition with a stroke. The right side of her skull has been removed to allow her brain to swell. in three days her hospital bill has exceeded $500,000 with no end in sight. We are just praying she will survive. My sisters 42 year old best friend died earlier this year from a blood clot that went to her heart. She had been taking yaz for 2 months. There is something wrong and you bet this drug should be removed from the market. I encourage anyone taking this drug to quit immediately.Comment by Joanna on 31 October 2009:My heart goes out to all of you here – your lives have forever been altered. I’m not sure why this product is still available, especially when it is not a potentially life saving med, such as Tysabri for MS. And JJ – There is no birth control pill that doesn’t have potentially bad side effects – but none after such a seemingly short time. Switch to condoms for birth (and disease) control – or if you are with a guy you can trust try using the rhythm method and/or a diaphram. And please, ladies, when your doctor perscribes anything for you check how long the drug has been on the market and what people say about them. Drugs are more high tech now – but they don’t go through the rigorous testing mechanisms they once did.Comment by lisa on 31 October 2009:i took yasmin and yaz over the course of he last 2 years and neither one of them made me feel good. I felt horrible!, yes it depends on the person and how it affects you. I never felt the way I did on either one of these two. I felt like I was having a stroke!. I do not recommend them or any other b.c.p. I do not take any of them anymore.Comment by Lindsey on 1 November 2009:I have taken Yasmin or Yaz for over 8 years with no side effects. This is the ONLY birth control that didn’t make me sick, if this were taken off the market, I don’t know what I would do (not use BC, I suppose). I think it depends on any underlying conditions or predispositions to kidney, liver or heart problems that are made more evident after taking a drug that will increase potassium levels in some. This is clearly stated in the warnings. When I first started the drug my clinician clearly laid out all the risks and told me that I should have my liver and kidney functions monitored at least once a year. I have been compliant with this (having the blood work done when I go in for my yearly exam). I suspect that clinicians might not being doing their due diligence in advising patients about the risks or following up with the appropriate tests. I would hope that clinicians and users of the drug do their own due diligence instead of blindly blaming the drug industry, and taking a drug off the market that has worked so well for many women.Comment by Yoko on 1 November 2009:Has anyone gotten pregnant while taking Yaz?Comment by Lori on 2 November 2009:ANY medication can cause side effects, and we, as patients, enjoy the FREEDOM to make the decision to either take it or not take it—nobody is holding you down and shoving it down your throat. ALL birth control pills have risk of blood clots, DVT’s and pulmonary embolism which are greatly increased if you smoke. Plus, if you are experiencing side effects, then why do you continue to take the medication? QUIIT TAKING IT, instead of trying to jump on the bandwagon of a lawsuit for some quick $$$. There are side effects associated with ANY medications out there—some people get them, some people don’t. The thing is, lawyers put commericals on TV to create mass hysteria and get people to jump on the “class action” lawsuit, so they can make millions and the people involved in the suit get $20. A case can be made for any medication on the market, whether over the counter or prescription–and nobody is forcing you to take it. Some women just CAN’T TAKE ORAL BIRTH CONTROL PILLS!!! So, find another method of birth control and get over it. Women claiming to have gained 40 pounds have a bigger problem than being on Yaz or Yasmin—they have a problem keeping their mouths closed and not putting food into it. If you take something and you don’t feel good on it, then stop taking it!! Simple as that. Yaz and Yasmin happen to be some of the best oral birth control pills out there today, and they are not without side effects, just like anything else. I’ve seen someone have an anyphylactic reaction to Bacitracin ointment, so the most benign product can affect people with side effects and allergies to the product. You can’t blame the manufacturers of YAz and Yasmin—the risk and benefits are clearly stated in the in-box pamphlet, and if you didn’t read it, then you’re stupid. Everybody should be informed about the medication they take, and a large part of being informed is being pro-active in your own care, not depending on someone else to “educate” you because that isn’t their job. Any woman that smokes while on oral contraceptives is stupid, because smoking while on oral contraceptives is a HUGE risk for blood clots. You have to be your own advocate and take responsibility for your own health, make informed decisions and not try to blame somebody else or some other entity (such as a drug company) for a side effect that was clearly explained as a risk.Comment by Andrea on 4 November 2009:I liked this medication, initially. With many infertility issues, it seemed to resolve pain, bleeding, bloating,etc. However, I suffered a SERIOUS TIA. It came with out warning. I am a very healthy person, I run upwards of 3 marathons a year and triathalons in between. I feel it was from the YAZ, which I had been taking for 3 consecutive years. Of course, I had read the warnings, as with any drug. But where I didn’t have any family history, or personal history of stroke or blood clots, these were discussed with my physician. It was devastating to my health, it was expensive to resolve, as the medications to resolve a stroke are very expensive, even with insurance. Not to mention, testing and Doctor appointments. It could have been more serious for me, and my four children, who were with me.Comment by Tobi on 4 November 2009:This is freaking me out .. I’ve been taking Yazmin and then Yaz for hmmmm 6 years maybe … I had my gallbladder removed a year into taking the BCP, I have had bronchitis … and I am battling it again .. and I was just dx’ed with poor circulation in my legs .. I am FREAKING OUT here .. I just saw a commerical for the lawsuit … Now I wonder is this why I’ve been ill for the last 4 + years???? I was about to start a new pack instead I am going to see my dr.. I am not taking those anymore ..Comment by Laura on 9 November 2009:I have been taking Yaz for about a year now and I haven’t been having any problems. I started reading everyones comments on here and I’m starting to put the puzzle pieces together. I have been getting headaches lately and crying for no reason. And for about 4 months I kept getting UTI’s on and off so it makes me wonder. Its scary considering the fact that I’m almost 19 now and wondering if something is going to happen to me to where I’m unable to have children later on down the road. So I’m going to talk to my doc and get off the pill.Comment by Lila on 9 November 2009:I would like to just extend my sincere empathy for all of you here (and the many more) who have suffered such intense and extreme side effects from this birth control product. No one should have to go through the pain that many of you have had. I was compelled to write after I read what LORI wrote above – my first thought was that she must work for this company in order to have such a cold hard stance when so many women have been traumatized through the use of this drug. How sad is it that someone can even argue this by saying that all medications have side effects and you all should just deal with it and get over it. The medical field can be very intimidating and when Dr’s are giving you information and assuring you that this pill is a great thing – and they have several degrees qualifying them to make these statements – it is very difficult for women to take their health into their own hands. We rely on experts in any field to provide us with information that we do not have. It is obvious that there is a significant problem with Yaz and Yasmin and laying blame on the consumer in this case – in my opinion – is completely unwarranted. And I am sure that any woman on this blog would much prefer to have her months or years of health back – their gall bladders, ovaries back rather than make money off of a lawsuit. However these lawsuits are raising awareness to a very serious problem in women’s health and just like many drugs in the past that have come before yaz due to serious side effects, birth defect etc….I believe Yaz should be taken off the market. I just wish all of you HEALTH AND WELLNESS and again am so sorry that you have had to suffer so horribly.Comment by Kathleen on 9 November 2009:I have been on Yaz for just under a year now. It has been wonderful. I have had no side effects different from any other pill. My blood pressure has gotten lower, but nothing in the “low blood pressure” range, just lower than it used to be. Maybe just to be sure when I see my doctor next I will have them check my potassium levels.I have not noticed lower sex drive than I had on any other pill. I used to have SERIOUS headaches, migraine level, and now I don’t.So, all in all I am happy on it, but I certainly will want to have the potassium checked to make sure. I used to take spironolactone (the medicine that the get the progestin from in Yaz, drosperinone) when I was in college for excessive hair growth in male-dominated areas. Never had any issues while I was on it.Comment by Kathleen on 9 November 2009:Lori November 2 – Whoa, your comment about women with severe weight gain is pretty out of line. Some women who go on oral contraceptives experience extreme weight gain with no change in diet. So, your statement “they have a problem keeping their mouths closed and not putting food into it” is a bit harsh! Most of the women who go off the pill after the severe weight gain do lose the weight, but not without a lot of heartache in the meantime.Comment by Nicole on 10 November 2009:I was on YAZ for some time prior to figuring out what was causing all my symptoms. I am 25 and have had more doctor visits than a 95 year old lady. I was aware of the side affects however they were the main ones with any birth control. I did not realize that after shortly starting this medication I developed extreme weight loss (over 15 pounds…which is alot for a women of 5′6” at 120 pounds prior to weight loss), fatigue, and the worse symptom adrenal insufficiency. I also developed dehydration which became worse each month causing me to go get IV fluids once a month. I think the worse thing was the doctors who thought I was losing weight on purpose and not drinking. Doctors refused to believe that no matter how much I drank I could not hydrate myself. September of 2009 I became very ill and having a seizure at work (besides other things) and having to be transported to the ER. I received IV fluids 3 times in the span of 2 weeks. The dehydration kept getting worse no matter how much I drank. I went off YAZ and thought I would be better if I took nothing since I was unsure what caused all this. It has been 2 months now and almost all my symptoms have gone away. I am able to maintain my weight, I am able to stay hydrated, I have started to make my own cortisol, I have more energy, etc. The only bad thing is my cramps are back to being a pain in my butt and the decrease appetite 2 weeks prior to my period are back. But I will have to learn to live with it. YAZ is a beneficial drug for some and not for others. Every consumer should educate themselves prior to taking any medication or vaccine to determine if there are potential dangers. Good luck to all who are taking it. And good luck to those coming off of it. Thanks to me believing what I saw on TV I am now in medical bill debt and have some lingering problems due to it….but I still have my life which some have lost from this drug.Comment by Sheridan on 10 November 2009:I’ve been on Yaz for about a year. I had MAJOR PMDD and Yaz has helped that A LOT. I haven’t experienced any negative side effects and I pray to God for those who have. I don’t think I am going to quick taking YAZ but I will talk with my doctor about these concerns.Comment by Del on 10 November 2009:I’ve been on Yaz for 3 years now due to PMDD and cramps that made me bedridden. I was just fine. Started taking them in my Sophomore year in high school. I took a 6 month break from the pill and gained weight, gained laziness, and sore muscles.I truely believe it does depend on your original symptoms. If you truely do have PMDD and crippling cramps, then you should talk to your doc about taking Yaz. If you are just a whiney woman who feels like their period is a big deal when it’s really not or just want it to get rid of the acne… then you are probably not the patient for Yaz.Everything depends on the patient and if your doc isn’t good enough to check and prescribe other pills if you’d be better off with other pills than you should go shopping for a new doc.Some women truely aren’t physically able to handle oral contraseptive birth control and need to accept that they need condoms, Clearasel, and ibeprofen with some hot liquids.Comment by jessy on 10 November 2009:I started taking Yaz 3 days ago… Now I stopped and going to call my gyn after all I’ve read. My Gyn recomended it for the strong pains i get while on my period. I guess I’ll ask of another alternative pill I can get for these.Comment by Allison on 11 November 2009:Over the last few years, I have been on the patch, and have tried a few different birth control pills and it seemed that nothing was really working for me. Finally, my Doctor put me on the Yaz birth control in July of 2009. Yaz was very effective at first. I was having less moods, cramps, and less migranes. All of a sudden in November 2009, which is recently, I have been having severe headaches, vomiting, dizziness, and night sweats that almost involve panic attacks. I’ve noticed that along with my headaches, I have been more irritable as well. I am beginning to wonder if this pill is not good for anyone? As I read all the comments above, I wonder if I am being affected by Yaz as these other people are? I am kind of afraid to get off of Yaz because I do not want to get worse headaches. I do not know what to do. But this pill is life-threatening to me. I am only 18 years old and this is scary stuff!Comment by Lauren on 11 November 2009:I have been o. This medicine for almost three years. A few months ago I started having deep chest pains that would go away after 15-30mins. After looking into it it could be the pills. I’m not going to take these pills anymore after hearing about other young women having such big problems. Is there anything else for birth control that people have found works better for them. It’s sad that drug companies do not have to do much topass I throuh the FDA. Plus the fact that Their commercials took so lo g to be taken off the air for not explaining the side effects.Comment by Angela on 12 November 2009:I took Yaz for 3 years after being on it for two years i was rushed to the ER b/c my co-workers thought i was having a stroke…at first the ER told me it was Migraines keep in mind that i was 21 at the time and had was super healthy! and i followed up with a dr. the next day and he re-diagnosed me with panic attacks….i also get UTIs all the time and yeast infections all the time*I lose my peripheral vision then it all goes blurry my blood pressure drops and i have a panic attack…. after reading all of the comments i stopped the Yaz its been one week so we will see how it goes.But i would never ever recommend this median to ANYONE I SWEAR THAT THIS MEDICAN HAD CAUSED ALL MY PROBLEMS!!!HOW MUCH MORE HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING!!!???Comment by Cor on 13 November 2009:I’ve been taking Yasmin for 6 months and I haven’t experience any side effects.I just noticed that I have once in a while rashes on both of my shin.I started to worry about this pill when I recieved an e-mail from a friend so I decided to ask my doctor about it.She gave me the reassurance but im still scared of the possible side effects of this pill.Comment by Nikki on 15 November 2009:I have been taking YAZ since Feb 2007 due to heavy bleeding, bad cramps, mood swings, and headaches. I was truly amazed at the difference it made. In Oct 2008 I started to have tenderness and a numb like feeling around the bottom of my left rib. The Dr. could not find anything wrong with me after doing an x-ray. I feel it from time to time, but ignore it. Also have been getting extreme migraine type headaches again and spotting the last couple of months. I do get some chest pains from time to time, but have been thinking it’s just stress. I am 37 and am now a little scared from reading these posts. My husband is deployed right now and I think I’m going to stop taking the YAZ to see if I feel any different. I am glad I looked up YAZ to see what came up!Comment by felicia on 17 November 2009:I’ve also had a a kidney infection while using Yaz. I’m going to switch immediatelyComment by Alex on 17 November 2009:I was on Yaz for four months and stoped taking it due to a weight gain of 25 lbs and just feeling crummy all around. I didn’t know for sure that it was the pill, but I decided that I didn’t want to be on ANYTHING until I knew what was going on with me. My general health deteriorated so rapidly that I thought I must have cancer or some other terrible disease. I was exhausted, started having severe panic attacks and depression, had a cyst the size of a golf ball on my thyroid and had to have a biopsy, severe pain in my muscles and joints (espeically my left shoulder, wrists, knees and ankles) cold hands and feet, brown patches on my skin, heart palpitations, memory loss and a severe vitamin D deficiency. After months of doctors appointments and numerous tests, I’m finally on the up swing. I’m only 28 and have always been healthy so I couldn’t understand why I suddenly sunk into this health funk. At least I know now. I’m going on a year of stopping this pill and I’m still building back up my vitamin D levels, still have cold feet and still trying to get my panic attacks under control. I’m so happy I listened to my gut and stopped taking this pill against everyone else’s advice (Dr, hubby, etc). I hope this list of symptoms helps someone else who may be going through something similar.Comment by Jennifer on 17 November 2009:This is the only birthcontrol that has ever worked for me. No cramps shorter periods clearer skin and it balances my weight. I took it from 03 to 05 then from 06 to 08 never had any side effects. As for the potassium problem i stopped eating bananas cause i knew about increased potassium levels with the BC. People need to read the booklet before they actually start taking any medication. I am currently on the generic for seasonal and it sucks!Comment by Jill on 19 November 2009:I recently got blood work done and have abnormally high levels of iron. Does this have anything to do with Yaz? Yaz says it reduces the release of iron, I am having experiencing that but its having a negative affect on my health.Comment by Joey on 19 November 2009:I live in Canada, and I just came back from my new doctors appointment. She had prescribed Yaz for my birth control to help with light acne and inconsistant periods, and also worried about drop in sex drive from taking other birth control. I had thought there was some controvercy about this product, she’d never heard any of it. I took a couple months samples from her, but I’m not even going to touch it now and I’m going to see about a different doctor, too. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories, you may have saved a lot of people, me included!Comment by Dr. Jensen on 23 November 2009:For those of you who said that it has not given you problems and that it just depends on the person………Remember that the women who developed these complications were fine prior to their hospitalizations also. Your health is your responsibility. Please research any drug prior to taking it.Comment by Ann on 23 November 2009:I just went to my doctor to ask about switching and he pretty much dismissed all my concerns, because i heard about the dangers of this medicine on t.v. needless to say i’m finding a new doctor…I haven’t had any physical symptons, but i have more mood swings than a menopausal women hear lately…Comment by Lisa on 23 November 2009:My 18 year old daughter has been taking yaz for her severe acne for a year and a half now. She seems to be doing fine and her acne has cleared up, but this month she found a lump in her breast that was diagnosed as fibroagenoma (sp?). It’s not a dangerous condition, but after reading these posts I wonder if it wasn’t yaz that may have caused it. I don’t feel comfortable with this pill. I think I’m going to take her in to have a talk with her doctor about the medication and possible alternatives.Comment by Amanda on 24 November 2009:Thank you so much for everyones input and experience with Yaz. My heart goes out to those who have suffered the dangerous side effects. I was also prescribed Yaz last week and today is my 2nd day on the pill. After reading this I will be calling my OBGYN asap!! Tonight was my last pill. What really upsets me is the fact that when I asked my OBGYN about the lawsuits and dealths she blew it off like it was no big deal!! I bet she wouldn’t use it herself! So confused!!! I will be getting married in may 2010 and would like to find a BC that works without the horror stories!! Thanks to everyone!Comment by Brittney on 24 November 2009:Ever scince I’ve taken Yaz, my breathing has changed dramatically. I seem to constantly have a hard time breathing. It’s really scarry….Comment by Mia on 24 November 2009:I’ve had no problems taking Yaz but just as a pre-caution, I am switching to something else.Comment by N.R. on 25 November 2009:I began taking Yaz about a year ago. In June of this year, I began to suffer from some respiratory issues. I was given antibiotics and was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. The antibiotics did nothing for me. I continued to have respiratory issues thru Sept. In mid Sept. while at work, I began experiencing shortness of breath and a slight pain on my right side, near my chest. I work part-time, so I got off at noon. I drove myself home to prepare myself to spend the night in the ER. I went home, took a shower, washed my hair and packed a small bag. By then the pain was so severe that I knew I’d be admitted. I got dressed and when I attempted to tie my shoes, I couldn’t- the pain was so severe that I could not move. It literally felt like I was being stabbed in my side. Long story short, my mother drove me to the ER and after a CT scan and EKG, I found out I had multiple blood clots in my lungs….pulmonary embolism (PE). I spent a few days in ICU and then about 8 more days in post ICU.A filter was inserted thru my groin area to prevent more clots from traveling to my lungs. I am on blood thinners and every time I get any pain near my chest area, I panic. I literally took my last Yaz pill the night before I was admitted. I recently found out that most people die within 30 minutes of PE symptoms, so if you have any of these symptoms, get to a hospital fast!!!I’m 34 years old and besides condoms and spermicide creams that are inserted vaginally, I can never use or take any form of birth control for the rest of my life. I don’t drink or smoke and I live a fairly healthy life. I had every blood test under the sun and my doctors said it was defnitely the Yaz pills.Since my ordeal, I have been absent-minded and depressed. Sometimes it’s even hard to get out of bed. My doctor will be removing my filter in 2 weeks and I’m so afraid that this may happen again.I have already hired an attorney.Good luck to all who decided to take this pill!!Comment by Michelle on 28 November 2009:I was taking Yazmin for 5 years and just switched to YAZ this year. I currently have no complaints. Could it be that the depression and headaches are more of life’s stresses, such as financial or relationship issues? I know alot of people that want to put blame on something rather then face reality.As far as the medical conditions, such as blood clots, that very well could be a side effect of the pill, as it effects everyone differently.Comment by michelle on 28 November 2009:Also, for all the years I have taken the pill, there has been warnings of all these side effects, you just have to READ!!! People do not do their research and now they want to take it to court?!?Comment by Sandy on 29 November 2009:I have been taking YAZ for SEVERE cramping for 2 1/2 + years now. I can say that my periods have been less severe and cramping is to a point that I can deal with it. I saw a commercial for the lawsuit and it I immediately stopped what I was doing. For the last 2 years I have been dealing with SEVERE DIZZINESS, I have been dealing with weeks and months straight of feeling like I am on a tilt a whirl. II just woke up with it one day and it never left…I have spent so much time and so much money on seeing every type of specialist, from ear nose and throat doctors to neurologists. I live in a community where I have a large supply of DRs that deal with every type of illness. I have heard nothing but “I am so sorry, we have no idea what is wrong with you”. After reading these posts, I am DONE taking this pill. I am hoping after 2 years of dealing with this “Vertigo” it will finally be gone. Has any one else had severe dizziness?Comment by Monica on 29 November 2009:I am 28 years old and have been taking yaz for almost 3 years now and didn’t think I had issues with it. For the last few months I have had severe dizzy spells which doc thought was vertigo but after blood work realized I have a thyroid problem and that may be causing my dizzy spells. I have appt. with an endocrinologist next week so I will know more then about my thyroid and what issues are related to that. After reading this, I think maybe some of my issues may be related to the pill. I have severe headaches, always tired, terrible mood swings, minor chest pain lots of leg pain and leg cramps, low labido (if any), lots of uti’s (at least 6 the last 3 years). I am not sure if all my symtoms are related to Yaz but I will stop taking it to see if I notice a difference. All birth control pills as well as any other medicatin has side effects, we should all make ourselves aware of them before agreeing to take it. I know I will read info before I put something in my body.Comment by Krissy on 30 November 2009:I have been on this pill for about 1 1/2 years now, I am now 35 years old, at first it was ok then I started getting chest pains and then a few months ago I had my first abnormal EKG. For the past year or so I have had abnormal beelding, spotting, a period one day then gone the next and always when I should start I do but lately my periods are so heavy, I even went to the ER a couple of months ago. They thought I had fibroids but nothing showed up on the ultrasounds, they said they felt a small growth maybe a cyst?? Now I am left with over $1000.00 in bills! My ob/gyn keeps stating that YAZ is perfectly safe but after reading all of this I am going off of it. Better safe then sorry. Ladies we need to start promoting vascetomies-reversable! Also my legs have been itching like crazy and the doctor has no explanation for it. Has any one had itchy legs on YAZ???Comment by Elizabeth on 2 December 2009:I started taking Yasmin years ago and when Yaz came to the market I started taking, this making it a total of 7 years I have been taking both OCs. I was brought onto these pills for not only the low estrogen dose but for moderate acne. I have not had any side effects so far. After learning about all these law suits this past summer, I spoke with my Doctor and he reassured me I am using the right pill for me. I am fortunate to not have PMDD, Blood Clots, or any Heart irregularities. If I did I would make sure to do all my homework in learning about any drug I would start taking. Remember Doctors may have the degree but they do not know everything. You need to protect your vessel and learn everything that is going on with your body. Don’t just take the Doctors word, do your homework.Comment by Stephanie on 2 December 2009:This is so crazy because I’ve been on yaz for three years and I have had severe headachs for years that make me very sick and dizzy. I have bad mood swings and I have been having very bad chest pains. I’m going to see my doctor tommorrow and I hope to find something better out there.Comment by Lauren on 4 December 2009:My doctor recommended Yaz, and I think it was just because they have a huge supply that they want to sell. I’ve been on it for about a year. Over the months, I became very depressed for no reason at all, so depressed that I was having thoughts of suicide, which I have never had before. The worst part is, there was NO REASON. I’m finishing up this pack and then I’m done for good. I’m extremely paranoid now. Every day it’s something new, I constantly have these crazy thoughts of having cancer, diabetes, stds, etc. Relatives have told me I need help and I’ve gone nuts. I blame the birth control, I’ve never been this way.Comment by Lori on 5 December 2009:I was only on YAZ for about 3 weeks and started having pain and tingling in my leg. My doctor refused to believe it was from the pill. I stopped taking YAZ and the pain went away a few days later. Go figure!This pill is not safe and you can bet, if it was killing MEN, it would be off the market by now.Comment by Terri on 7 December 2009:Took yaz for three months…ended up in the emergency room with three deep vein thrombosis clots in my leg and multiple bilateral pulmonary emboli. Lucky I lived. Called my ob/gyn and he said he believes I was just one of the very few patients that had a problem and that it is a good medication. My sister works at a dermatologist office and last week one of their patients taking yaz for acne died at 32 years old from a pulmonary embolism. Their office is immediately switching any of their patients taking yaz to a different medication. I am not sure even all the doctors out there realize how many of their patients are having problems. Oh, and now I have just started having problems with kidney stones…which may have also been a side effect of yaz as well.Comment by brielle on 7 December 2009:i was on yaz for a year. I never thought i was myself. I was always so emotional crying and fighting with everyone never happy or just bi poloar almost. Ive been on over 5 birthcontrols and this one actully worked for me without bleeding and cramps. MY SKIN WAS PERFECT!!! never break out. thats the thing i miss the most. other than that i kept fainting. I fainted 5 times and had to be rushed to the ER. My OBGYN later told me that it makes u loose all ur water weight more than any other birthcontrol and you become dehyrated. Also that the girls being in the ER for heart attacks. I didnt listen and was very stubborn im 17 and if i ahve perfect skin and bigger boobs and its working guess what ill take the risk. But the last time i fainted and i felt like i was going to die and i took every test there is nothing was wrong and as soon as i got off yaz i havent fainted once or even felt that way. Funny thing is two of my frirneds happned to them now and their on yaz. Alot of my friends still are on it and nothing happens to them but it catches up to you and later on i wouldnt take the chance if its doing all this to girls already its something serouis.Comment by brielle on 7 December 2009:oh and just so some of you know my mom was on yasim and she had vertigo on it so it does become a case if your on it and cant handle it which happens with the dizziness and stuff.Comment by Jen on 11 December 2009:I don’t understand why some of you are still taking Yaz or Yasmin if you think it is causing you so many problems. There are so many other kinds of birth control pills out there! It’s all trial and error…try a different one!Comment by Sarah on 11 December 2009:I was just wondering, I have been on YAZ for about 2 or 3 years, and before that I was on Yasmin for about 1 or so. I am only 21 years old and has already had to get surgery for endometriosis which was found all behind my uterus, but I constantly have pain in my ovaries as well as frequent migraines. Does anyone know if YAZ has anything to do with creating endometriosis? or at least pain in the ovaries? And now my pap smears show disfigured cells.Comment by Ashley on 14 December 2009:I started taking Yasmin when I was 19 years old. A couple of years later I started having real bad pains, which turned out to be my gallbladder. I went to the doctor to get checked out, and my gallbladder was full of stones so they had to do surgery to remove it. Funny how I started having problems after I started taking Yasmin.Comment by Tee on 14 December 2009:After taking YAZ for a little over a year my symptoms are severe headaches, thinning of hair, gall bladder surgery to remove large stone and gall bladder, depression, pain in kidneys, large cists on ovaries (detected by CT scan), irregular heart beats, palpatations, chest pain, shortness of breath ( I was breathing into a paper bag every day), constantly tired and ran down and absolutely NO sex drive. I too thought this was going to be my “magic wonder drug”. And at first it was because my periods had stopped and that was the reason my doctor prescribed YAZ. It also cured my ongoing breast tenderness. All of these symptoms happen over a period of time and you don’t realize they are all connected to that pill. Pay attention to all of your symptoms and my advice to you would be to stop taking the pill unless you love hospitals and surgeries and huge doctor bills. Not to mention it could even cause you death.Comment by Jen on 14 December 2009:I have been on YAZ for about 6 months and have been experiencing a lot of symptoms as previous people have commented about. I get very emotional and cry about anything that triggers a sad emotion. I use to get straight A’s all the time but this semester it was harder to because I had to fight the depression and lack of ambition to do much, not to mention the daily fatigue. I also experienced a loss in sex drive, constant headaches, and body aches as well. The most alarming symptom I have are severe chest pain and many heart palpitations. My vision was spotted and I felt numbness in my legs and arms. I did research on what I was feeling and thought the only explanation was stress. Which I knew seemed a bit odd because I have been much more stressed out than the stress that I currently experience.Some people for the product say “you should do your research” and “your health is your responsibility.” Really? Because I for one was NOT warned about the dangers. I always knew that there were possible side effects for any medication but I would not expect such dangerous and common side effects in such a popular birth control pill. I was aware of YAZ’s side effects but did not know the symptoms to…oh let’s say, a PE that then could result in death. Also, I pay for a doctor for a reason. I go to them for their professional opinion so I don’t end up in a hospital because of medication they prescribed to me. I’m a college student. Not a doctor. I’m getting off this pill today and I hope I do not get a PE before the holidays. I wish my doctor had told me what I have read in these comments and to know to stop taking it if I have any of these symptoms. Well, now I know to take a doctor’s advice and instruction with caution. My heart goes out to all whose life has been affect by this pill.Comment by Lisa on 15 December 2009:Oral contraceptives of all types can cause clots that caused so many of the tragic conditions many people have had. However, being pregnant puts a person at a high risk of clots as well so a person who clots on the pill may have clotted if she became pregnant. Also, if a woman has a clot, they are not to take ANY estrogen containg products after that which is in all pills, hormone replacement etc. Don’t want to to minimize major complications that people have had but there are risks and benefits of lots of things. Most people do well though statistics don’t make you feel better if you are the one hit with the condition.Comment by Sandra on 17 December 2009:Search for the horrible consequences of ANY drug and you’ll find them…blaming the manufacturer or your doctor for your own ignorance or laziness is unfair. It’s like signing a contract without reading it and then suing your lawyer. There is more print information provided with a contraceptive prescription than there is with most prescriiption drugs! I’m sorry it resulted in serious side effects for some, but take some responsibility for yourself and learn to read or ask questions!I took Yaz for several years as a contraceptive and treatment for PCOS. After my first child was born last year, I had to change contraceptives while I was breastfeeding. When I stopped nursing, I called my doctor and REQUESTED that she put me back on Yaz (the other pill made me miserable). After just 1 week, my muscle aches are gone, mood swings improved, I’m sleeping better, acne is diminished, and weight loss is easier. Be informed and make you can make informed choices!Comment by Cynthia on 18 December 2009:I have been on Yaz for 2 years, not for Birth control as I have had a tubal; but I use it to help control sever PMS symptons. I has worked wonderfully. It also cleared my mild acne to the point,I no longer have to use acne medication from my dermatologist, The side effects and risk of using Yaz are not different than any other birth control pill that has ever been on the market. I think each individual should be able to choose whether they want to use it or not along with their health care provider. I would hate to see this medication pulled from the market,Comment by Naomi on 26 December 2009:Alot of these experiences sound horendous and your absolutly right in ceasing these medications if you even have the slightest thought that something isnt right. My experience with Yasmin has been positive i used to suffer terrible period pain which is now ceased and it keeps my skin clear which is great. I am suprised that alot of people think Yaz and Yasmin are the same A friend of mine took Yaz and like many people here she had nothing but bad things to say about it.I think when a drug comes onto the market any sort of drug there will always be the awful fact that a number of people will have a severe reaction which may lead to death i guess it just doesnt suit some people. But i do think Doctors need to be very diligent with their patients using any sort of BC as it is widely known that PE and stroke are very real side effects of the BCP. I also believe that these incidents are higher in women who smoke or are over 35.Comment by Angel on 27 December 2009:I have been on Yaz for two years and I have never had a problem with it. I almost never get cramps, and I remember that the first six months I had it I was always so amazed at how much better I felt (my periods were a lot worse before). I’ve never noticed any side effect except mood swings, but that is a side effect of periods, not of Yaz. I am sorry that people have had trouble with this birth control but I hope the rest of us who want to can continue taking it.Comment by T'Anna on 30 December 2009:Whoo, I have been on Yasmin for 3 years. I lost my insurance in August of 2008. So I switched to Ocella omg I had yeast infections I’m guessing anyways terrible burning and itching, could have been other stuff, I don’t know! I took Ocella for about 3 months before switching back to Yasmin I gained 20lbs in TWO months !! My SEX LIFE is so bad, I haven’t had sex in 3 months & I’m married, I have a great husband.I have bad chest flutters at night. As well as rapid heart beats from time to time, it feels like my heart is going to run out of my chest. I still take Yasmin, because I don’t have insurance, I would rather pay the $80 then pay $200.00 or WAY more. For woman thinking about taking Yaz, Yasmin, or Ocella, Please consider are comments these are not lies!! I’m very scared, I don’t know what the doctor is going to say.Comment by ashley on 31 December 2009:About 2 years ago I started taking birth control the first kind was yaz.. I liked it in the beggining but more because I was 18 and had a serious boyfriend..but about a month and a half after i started taking it everything changed. I cried all the time, I fought everyone, I slept constantly, I had no sex drive what so ever, I was extremly depressed and almost lost every relationship I had. About 3 months after that I decided I needed to go back to the dr and change it. I started something else which was fine i felt normal again no crying no fighting no anything it was a relief. But about 4 months ago I was diagnosed with IGA nephropathy, the begging stages of kidney failure. I was tole there was no cure I will live with this every day of my life waiting for my kindey to fail completly. I was also told the only thing that may slow the progress is a steriod which causes many many complications trying to get pregnant, could affect a fetus, and any children I may have in my future. I am 20 years old and have dreamed of having a large family. now i have to decide wether I want to start my family now and hopefully be able to have a child while i am able to, or wait and not take the medication and hope my kidneys are not damaged too much to carry a baby, or take the medication and hope one day I have a baby. I am not sure if YAZ is the cause.. I wasnt on it for very long, but i just dont know. does any one have a story like this let me know please.Comment by Ali on 3 January 2010:I was on YAZ for about 6 months and things were going pretty good with it. Though the last two and1/2 months I was on it i was getting terrible migraines and very weird and painful stomach pains by my rib cage and the sides of my stomach after it not going away and finding out that i wasnt pregnant ( thank god). I started blaming it on the pill and my mother and boyfriend convinced me to stay off it for awhile to see if that was causing me problems. i’ve been off it for a month and all my pains and migraines have stopped. I would be cautious with this pill.Comment by Rita on 3 January 2010:Maybe, just maybe…it seems to be that younger people (under 35-40) are affected by this more. I don’t know. I was put on Yasmin at 40 and do not think that I could make it without it. My PMDD (diagnosed) was uncontrollable. I missed work and lot of life until this drug. PMS is still not a walk in the park, but sooo much betterr. Maybe it it’s related to age? I don’t know?lComment by Jody on 4 January 2010:I find all of these comments very interesting. As a 31 year old woman who has been on birth control for 16 years, I’ve tried many different pills over the years. I suffered from migraines throughout most of my college years, but they subsided afterward–I chalked them up to stress. I was on Yasmin and probably switched to YAZ approx 3 years ago. I definitely noticed a decrease in my sex drive and being more tired–I had attributed this to aging. Maybe not? More recently, I’ve been experiencing frequent migraines and have had my current headache for 11 days now with no relief in those 11 days. In addition, I have experienced frequent dizzy/vertigo spells. An MRI of my brain shows ischemic changes (hopefully just from migraine and nothing more significant). Now, I work in the medical/laboratory field, and I’m not going to blame YAZ, but the scientist in me thinks I should stop taking it to see if my symptoms subside. I will speak with my doctor about this and see what she has to say. I wish those of you who’ve experienced some horrible side effects all the best in your health!Comment by Nic. on 7 January 2010:I’ve been only taking yaz for a little over a month now and i get terribly sick each morning. I’ve missed days of school because of the vomiting and unexpected fainting.Comment by Chrys on 9 January 2010:About three years ago, I was prescribed Yaz by my gyne, as I had began to have bleeding that was irregular (I had had a uterine embolization a few years earlier and my periods had stopped – yipee). I went to my doc that referred me to an OB that in turn precribed Yazz birth control pill to regulate my cycle. I remembered how horrible the uncontrolled bleeding was so, I reluctantly went on the pill. The first period was horrible. I was in so much pain, was nauseous, I had a $250. co pay so did not go to emergency. Anyway I called my OB office on the Mon. am, the receptionist and then nurse told me “anything can happen in the first 3 months as your body gets used to the pill, so wait”. The next few periods weren’t as painful, but I didn’t feel well. I felt horrible but figured it was a trade off from hemmoraging beyond my control and predictability of a cycle, at least I was becomming regular. The second month I began having excrutiating pain in my legs at night. These leg cramps happened almost every night, and woke me up. It was like a charley horse. I would have to get out of bed and stand on my legs as much as it hurt to stop the spasm. This continued – I looked for stuff on the web for side effects but couldn’t find anything, so blew it off. I went back for my yr check up. Long story, I stopped taking Yazz and no leg cramps, althugh I am not convinced a breast cyst and other issues are not a result of Yazz. I did not put it together at the time, that the leg cramps which could have been a DVT) was due to Yazz.Comment by Jamey on 16 January 2010:I was on Yasmin for about 2 years and noticed above all, a severe decrease in sex drive. I cried all the time, felt very depressed, and suffered from fatigue. None of these symptoms existed prior to me taking Yasmin. I discussed these issues with my Gyno who told me my problems were not from the birth control. I decided anyway to switch to Nuvaring, but about a year later, I stopped birth control all together with hopes that my sex drive, energy, and positive outlook on life would return. Things slightly improved, however, brown spotting on my chest, stomach, neck, and inner thighs still exist and have spread. Severe leg pain has developed and while I am currently being treated for a thyroid disorder and fibromyalgia, I have a feeling that birth control negatively impacted my sex drive, which has never returned. I am an otherwise healthy 28 year old female who exercises regularly and eats a healthy diet. I do not recommend that any female ever take birth control. It’s not worth the risk. Practice safe sex but use other methods that a pill.Comment by sandy on 18 January 2010:I hate this pill… I’ve been taking it for 1 1/2 months… Suffer from headaches, real bad mood swings, really tired all the time, can’t sleep, depression, and ever since I started I’ve had really bad cramps and my breast hurt a lot. Also have been bleeding for 3 weeks…Comment by Sara on 22 January 2010:In November of 2009 my Doctor recommended I use the Yaz birth control pill,In December 2009 I started to actually feel pregnant,every symptom of pregnancy I had,nausea,throwing up,went from a size D cup to a size DD,My breast were engorged and hurt, including Leaking milk from my breasts,headaches,..I decided to stop taking the Yaz due to the fact when December 27th came and my menstrual was due I did not have a menstrual. Every pregnancy test came up negative,including the blood test at the doctors office,and I had also gained 12 pounds within a month. Around January 17th all my symptoms seemed to magically dissapear,and finally my menstrual started as of today January 21st,2010….Oh yea and I just magically lost 5 pounds almost overnight also…After this experience on the Yaz birth control pill I believe it is a unsafe pill that needs to be tooken off the market. After investigating more into this pill and finding this website,I feel very sorry for the many women that have had so many problems with this and I also feel for the many women who have died while using this pill…Comment by Cassie on 22 January 2010:I took Yaz for a year and a few months but stopped taking it because it made me feel like crap and did not help with my cramps at all. A few months after I stopped taking I became really sick and under went several tests. It took 6 months for the to figure out that my gallbladder was not functioning as it should. I lost a ton of weight (I am not very big in the first place), I was unable to eat, I was extremely dizzy and barely made it through my Senior year of college. Right before I had surgery to get the gallbladder removed, my blood pressure dropped to dangerous levels and I should have gone to the hospital. It was one of the most horrible and painful year of my life and would never want anyone to go through what I went through. Do not take this birth control!Comment by Christine on 23 January 2010:My daughter went on Yaz in August of 2009. On January 20, 2010 she was diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs and one in her leg. She is 18 years old. There is no history of blood clots in our families and she is on no other medications. As of today, January 24, she is still in the hospital on 2 blood thinners.Comment by Cristina on 24 January 2010:I have been on Yasmin since April 2005. I was on it for 2 years then took a break in 2007 for 6 months because I split up with my boyfriend and therefore did not need it. Started again in April 2008 and have been on it ever since. Have had no side effects in all this time and it has made my skin amazing and period pains less intense. I take it in the Uk though, don’t know if that makes a difference?Comment by Frank on 24 January 2010:Bayer is a heinious company. Everyone go to YouTube and search “Bayer factor eight”. Factor eight is a vaccination for hemofeliacs. KNOWINGLY tainted with the AIDs virus, Bayer and the FDA released the product and injected hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. This is not a joke! Search it.Comment by Stacey on 25 January 2010:I personally think that the drug company should not be caught up in this suit i think it’s the doctors that should be responisible for not checking the blood levels on a reg basis since hmm yaz clearly states that a doctor should be checking potassium levels i took yaz for 3 months after i had cancer to help with PMDD and discovered I was pregnant so please do not think i’m a fan of it. I just think it’s wrong to grab the pitch forks and torches and go after bayer lets go after the doctors for not doing there part here.Comment by Emma on 26 January 2010:I was on Yasmin for 5 years. I didn’t think I was having any serious problems with it. But, looking back on things now after reading this, I did suffer with really intense migraines every month. My dr. told me it was menstral migraines. If everybody else on this pill is doing the same thing as me, thats what it was. I have 2 children, my first child was concieved while I was taking a different BC. My dr. told me I was very fertile to have that happen. After I had my first, I immediately started taking yasmin. I tried getting pregnant for years after taking that pill and couldn’t. It made me stop ovulating. It was 2 years later that i finally ended up with a second child. This is not something to be taken lightly. When people are warning you about it, take their advice and stop using the product. Don’t be stupid about it! There are many other forms of BC to take now days. It’s not worth it!Comment by Amber on 26 January 2010:I am 19 years old and I was on yaz birth control for about a year. In november of 2009 I got really sick and went to the hospital I was told I had pneumonia. they gave me a shot and sent me home with medicine I took the medicine and still 2 weeks later I wasnt any better I was actually worse. I couldnt move, I could not catch my breath, My head hurt and I could not stop coughing it was horrible. So I decided I had enough and went back to the hospital were they gave me a ct scan of my chest and they found out I had 4 pulmonary embolisms in my lungs!!! I was in the hospital for a little over a week because it took them about 3 days to stabilize me bc my oxygen was low and my heart rate was in the 170’s. They ran all kinds of test and they say it came from yaz birth control. I had to give myself shots in my stomach for about a month and now Im on coumadin and have to go every week to get my blood work done. What kind of life is this for a 19 year old girl YAZ BIRTH CONTROL NEEDS AND SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE MARKET NOWComment by Elinora on 28 January 2010:wow..reading about all these stories TRUELY makes me sad and im literally on the verge of tears! deaths? strokes? PE’s? these type of symptoms are dangerous and deadly, especially for young girls who just want to find a bc method to help with skin or pmdd, and pregnancy of course. I started to take YAZ in september of 2009 becaouse my skin had broken out REALLY bad with cystic acne. although my skin cleared up after about 3-4 months, i did notice i was depressed more than usual, i cried a lot and had serious mood swings. thinking back now, i was really sad. in the summer of 2009, i noticed two patches of dry skin on my left leg. at first i thought it was just “dry skin” and that some good lotion would take of it. i was wrong. it has progressively gotten worse and the rash, which i recently found out from a dermatologist, it called “lichen striatus”. i have NEVER had this before and neither has anyone in my family. the pattern runs from the bottom of buttock all the down to my ankle. its quite ugly and only recently has it slighty started to clear up b/c of a vanishing cream the dr prescribed me. i strongly believe YAZ is the cause of this. the whole time i was on YAZ, I had horrible, horrible headaches which came out of nowhere and would sometimes last for days. in addition, right before going off the pill (i stopped at the beginning of november 2009), i had two episodes where i experienced shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness and blurred vision. my heart was beating so fast, i was truely scared for my life. it felt like i was going to faint, but i didnt know why this was happening to me. some other effects i noticed where random sharp pains in my abdomen. i am so glad that i stumbled across this website because i was considering getting back on YAZ, reason being my skin has started to slightly breakout again (Im hoping its just stress through). after reading the heartbreaking testimonies from some of the ladies above, I will not get back on YAZ and I would never recommend this bc pill to anyone. i jus hope i can find a form of contraceptive that will halp control my acne. does anyone have any suggestions? I thank God that i have not experienced some of the life-threatening/life-altering effects that some of these ladies have experienced, but my heart goes out to them and to the familes that have lost a loved one…Comment by Tania on 28 January 2010:I was on Yaz for 2 years. At first I thought it was great because I was less moody and it helped with the acne. I started to feel to loose my sex drive, I thought it must have been me & my husband losing our drive for one another, but as soon as I stopped the pill, I was happy again and sex has never been better. I feel lucky that I have not got any of the other worse conditions some ladies have got. I feel sorry for them and only wonder why this pill is still on the market?Comment by elinora on 29 January 2010:correction: i began YAZ in September of 2008 and stopped in November of 2009….Comment by brittney on 29 January 2010:i just started taking yaz and i had no idea about how bad it was. I started throwing up and get really bad headaches. I think that if this can kill you they need to take it off the market asap. Serious this is messed up.Comment by Mildred on 31 January 2010:I have been on Yaz for almost a year. It has helped my pmdd and pcos a lot. I can actually lose weight if I eat healthy instead of before my hormones were regulated when it didn’t matter what I did. I had very painful acne that throbbed around my chin and mouth from my hormone imbalance and started to lose my hair. After taking Yaz I feel so much more like a women, I have regular periods which was never the case in my entire life only when on bcp before, my skin is softer and I feel great. I do still get chin hair growth but it is what it is. I tweeze and it is so easy and less embarrasing without the acne there to magnify my hormonal imbalances. I have noticed for the past half year since being sexually active on it that I constantly have a yeast infection but that could also be because I am vegan (no dairy) so the ph level is off. I am vegan because everyone in my family gets type 2 diabetes (what most people with pcos end up getting because the hormonal imbalance ups the insulin). I take fish and flax oil and even though my boyfriend smokes and I would love too (smoked since I was 15) I don’t because of the blood clot possibility. I do get pains in my chest but I have gotten them since I was a teenager and regularly since before other birthcontrol and yaz. I love having a waist and being able to maintain my weight and am not embarrassed of my acne. Being 30 with acne is the worst. So, besides the yeastiness down under, I feel good and so much better than before. I think Yaz has helped correct my hormonal imbalance which would be there no matter what thanks to genetics. I do get worried and my gyno asked me last week if I wanted to go off yaz and try some other bcp and I am afraid to. A dermatologist years ago prescribed spironoloctane which has the same hormone that yaz has that people says encourages the clotting ans that was the only other time my acne started to clear up. I need that hormone!Comment by Alyssa on 3 February 2010:Reading these have really helped me.I was on YAZ for a yr. and was fine for most of that…but I started noticing issues with my body over the past few months. I’ve been really moody, tired more often, my stomach has been killing me with pains off and on. Like it will randomly come on and hurt so bad. And then later I’ll be fine. And my periods have been so off. I’ve been short of breath. But my stomach has been the biggest issue with me…I haven’t gone to the doctor yet…but is anyone else feeling something like this?If so have you gone to the doctor and what’d you find out???I’m nervous it could be something serious because I know this isn’t right.Comment by Jamie on 4 February 2010:I just got out of the hospital after having an abdominal infection from a burst ovarian cyst. The doctor is recommending that I go on Yaz since I have had adverse reactions to many other oral contraceptives including nausea, acne and loss of sex drive. I also get debilitating period cramps every month due to my cysts. It is really tempting to go on Yaz. I visited this page in an effort to find out more about he possible risks and side-effects of Yaz. My one problem? Many women are posting their stories with HORRIBLE spelling using words like “tooken”. It is really hard to take these stories as fact when the women telling them seem very uneducated.Comment by Erin on 5 February 2010:I started taking yaz on sunday. I first started having problems sleeping. I would take the pill at night. I fall alseep at 10pm and wake up at 130am. I have done that everyday this week. I then on tuesday started noticing tingling in feet. On wednesday, My rt foot has gotten a litle number with tingling and electic shocks. I was so upset. I then realized to look up on web md. There it was the rare side effects. I contacted my pharmicist and he gave me copy of the side effects. I talked to nurse today and advise me to take an asprin. I dont have any now so have to go to store. Gyn dr said even though all the talk about yaz that it is safe. I think not. If you have bunch of people complaining than it is not safe. In my case, I didnt take this long term. IT took couple of days to notice the symptoms.Comment by Laura on 6 February 2010:I’m really mad that my gyno never talked to me about the negative things that could happen!!!!….. I think I’m going to stop taking YAZ, but… I’ve read alot of stories about people having hair loss after stoping…. I already have VERY thin hair, but its manageable….. I’m only 19 I cannot afford to be losing my hair!!! Is there anyone who has stopped taking it, and NOT had hair loss?…I think YAZ has been the culprit of my SVT (superventricular tachycardia) … and irregular/fluttering heartbeats… As well as m anxiety, depression, mood swings, I could go on and on.Comment by Amy on 7 February 2010:I am on Yaz continuously (I haven’t gotten my period since January 2008) because of my endometriosis and I have had no problems with it. It controls my pain levels and yes I have gotten at least 3 kidney stones since I started it but I will take kidney stone pain over my endometriosis pain anyday. I am glad to be on Yaz.Comment by Amy on 7 February 2010:And I know that if this pill could harm me, my OBGYN surgeon would not have me on it. He has done so much for me in the past 5 years (I am 20) and I trust him so muchComment by Nancy on 7 February 2010:I’ve been on Yaz and Yasmine for years. I’ve also had intense headaches for years. I’ve been to a dozen differn’t doctors who couldn’t find anything. My breasts hurt so bad that even sitting up out of bed about made me cry. I was dizzy and light headed. Blurred vision. Yeast infections every single month. Sex drive was completely gone.My mood swings were awful that I’m almost to the point of rage, then sobbing the next second. I forget simple things, and sometimes feel like my mind can’t keep up with my words. I had panic attacks. Chest pains. I had no energy. I was depressed. And now am having gallbladder issues. I stopped taking the pill a couple months ago, and the headaches, the dizziness, the mood swings have all stopped.Is there a website I can go to for the class action lawsuit? I’ve been searching the internet, but I’m not sure which one I need to go to for sure.Comment by Berenice on 9 February 2010:OMG!Then I’m not the only one! I stopped using Yasmin 7 months ago! Because I had trouble breathing at times. And about 4 months ago, I began having KIDNEY PROBLEMS… and I never did in my life! I just could not explain why? So many infections, and kidney pains.I don’t want anything to do with BIRTH CONTROL ANYMORE!Comment by Alyssa on 9 February 2010:Laura…you asked if anyone has taken Yaz and not had hair loss.I was on it for a yr. and still have thick hair…none goneComment by Catherine on 9 February 2010:I have been on Yaz for a little over three years. I have always been a fan of this pill until recently. I have expierienced really severe breast pain, lumps in my breast, shortness of breath, hot flashes, sharp abdominal pain accompanied by blurred vision and hot flashes (I am only 31, so i should not be having hot flashes just yet!). Recently i have had a great deal of bleeding between periods. I read through most of these above posts, and I have made the decision to stop taking it immediatly. I am not even going to finish this pack of pills. I think the side effects tha i am having are bad enough, I do not feel the need to add blood clots or embolisms into the mix. Many thanks to all of you who have posted. You helped me to make an educated desicion.Comment by LeeAnn on 11 February 2010:I was taking Yaz for about 1 1/2 years and loved it. My mother is a nurse and advised me to go off Yaz from all the things she was hearing. I went off Yaz and am now on a different birth control pill. It’s not the same as Yaz. I wish they could make Yaz better so it didn’t have so many bad side effects!!Comment by Laura on 11 February 2010:Alyssa, how long have you been off of it now? ..I’ve been off it a little over a week now, no hair loss (yet) .. however, I’ve had a constant headache, extremely tired all the time, I dont feel like doing ANYTHING…. and worst of all, I feel hopeless… Like I just cant get in a good mood…mood swings, crying episodes.. Also wokeup this morning with horrible chest pain. I’m so afraid these symptoms won’t stop soon…if they don’t I’m sure its going to destroy my previously great relationship with my boyfriend of 2 and a half years… I just want it to stop, I start a new job Monday and I’m afraid I won’t even be able to get out of bed…Comment by rachael on 12 February 2010:I started to take yasmin then switched to yaz. I have been taking them for a total of 5 years. I was diagnosed with gallbladder disease in which my gallbladder was severely inflamed and had to be removed. I have suffered from quite a few kidney infections and I have terrible pain in my back and abdomen most of the time. I am almost certain this came from the two birth control pills. I am currently taking yaz but plan to switch to something else. I am not sure what to do about this and how to prove that yasmin and yaz caused this.Comment by Alisha on 17 February 2010:Hi. I am 24 and have not had a period for over a year. My husband and I are trying to conceive so my gyn wanted to get my period started and he put me on YAZ 2 weeks ago. Since I have started taking this I have been bleeding nonstop and have been having pains in my legs and breasts. Plus I am now on antibiotics for a UTI which I have never had before. After seeing what everyone is saying I think I am going to talk with my doctor about getting off of it now.

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