Contraceptive pill advice- anyone else taken Yasmin?

[Dotty]

Hello,

I am in my 3 month of taking this pill and am a bit bemused by it so wondered if anyone else had any experience of it. So far it has made my skin look loads better (the reason I switched to it in the first place) and my boobs huge which is great. However, I have had breakthrough bleeding (very light) during the first week of every month as well as bleeding during the pill-free week. Added to this, I took the last 2 packets back to back as I wanted to avoid having a period altogether and have bled almost constantly ever since (exactly what I was after..! )

I realise I need to go to the doctor and discuss this but I can't get a sodding appointment for about 2 weeks. In the meantime, does anyone have any experience of this pill? I'm not sure if this is something that is likely to settle down since it's only been 3 months or whether it is likely to continue. For vanity reasons I would very much like to continue with it but the constant bleeding is driving me crazy. It is not like normal menstrual bleeding, more just spotting, but has been daily for the past 2 weeks which is proving to be quite an effective contraception all by itself.

Has anyone else taken this and experienced anything similar?

[Korill]

Hi Dotty - I haven't taken it, but I have whack of pamphlets on it here at work for practitioners. It can take three months to adjust to the pill, but unfortunately for Yasmin bleeding and spotting is an actual side-effect of it so it may never get better or go away.

You also have to stop taking it 4 weeks prior to any long plane rides as well. Now that is interesting. I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon at work deep in the Yasmin information vortex.

[AliciaMongoose]

I bled constantly on Yasmin but lost weight and got bigger boobs. Unfortunately the bleeding was too much to handle and made me feel tired all the time so I stopped taking it. Having said that, every contraceptive pill makes me bleed constantly so it might not be just down to Yasmin.

[Florin]

I've no direct experience, but the contraception expert at my last GP surgery really didn't rate Yasmin and would usually prescribe Celeste for women with skin problems (or Dianette, but you are not suppposed to take that long term).

[Dotty]

Thanks Korill, that's interesting. If it's an actual side effect rather than just a settling down thing then I don't think I want to bother with it any more. Not even the boobs are worth that. I should probably try it beyond 3 months if thats considered a normal period (ho ho) of adjustment though.

I'd not heard the plane thing but I know there is increased risk of DVT with most pills, so it makes sense. Thank you for pointing it out.

[Suds]

I took Yasmin for a short time and hated it. I had spotting and felt nauseous most of the time.

[Dotty]

I bled constantly on Yasmin but lost weight and got bigger boobs. Unfortunately the bleeding was too much to handle and made me feel tired all the time so I stopped taking it. Having said that, every contraceptive pill makes me bleed constantly so it might not be just down to Yasmin.

Thanks Alicia. I took Microgynon for years and never had any problems with bleeding so I know I can avoid it it. My skin was always awful in the week before my period though, which I got fed up with. I have been more tired than normal but I started a new job with longer hours around 3 months ago as well, so it's difficult to draw any real conclusions there.

And thanks Florin, I am off to google Celeste. I may suggest it as an alternative when I go back in a couple of weeks.

I'm glad I don't get nausea too, that sounds awful Suds.

[Rebel Pebble]

My brief experience yonks ago on Celeste suggests it is just as rubbish for bleeding when stringing two pill packets together but doesn't have the constant breakthrough bleeding.

[Dotty]

Thanks Rebs. And there was me thinking that running two packs together was supposed to STOP the bleeding. Clearly not! Although it did with Microgynon; perhaps I should stop being vain and just go back to that.

[Rebel Pebble]

Thanks Rebs. And there was me thinking that running two packs together was supposed to STOP the bleeding. Clearly not! Although it did with Microgynon; perhaps I should stop being vain and just go back to that.

Well that's the thing, it really depends on the pill. I was forced onto Celeste as a result of the stupid pill scare (just to illustrate how long ago this was). I'd never had a problem with Marvelon, the pill I was on before. I ended up coming off it wholesale after 4 months of Celeste but I'd never been ravingly happy on the pill in general anyway, it was just the final straw - being able to skip a period was the only benefit that I saw in it by then.

[Cosmopolitan]

I'm on Yasmin and it's definitely a pain for break through bleeding. It's my only criticism though. And to be honest, it did stop after 3 months or so. I do feel much better on it than on any other pill though. And I never heard about the long plane flights.

[Disco]

I loved Celeste but was never able to run two packets alongside because of the breakthrough.

[wendy james]

I never had any problems with Cilest (if that's what we're talking about?) and breakthrough bleeding with 2 packets run together, though it did start with a third packet.

[Rebel Pebble]

Yes, that's probably the correct spelling Wenderbee. I'm running on 14 year old memory here.

[wendy james]

There could have been two though

Sorry Dotty, can't help you with the Yasmin thing though.

[Lovely Me]

I took Yasmin years ago but IIRC had to stop because of the bleeding. Same for Marvelon. The only pill I got on with was Dianette - didn't make me bleed, skin was amazing. I took it on and off for over 7 years (and my mother took it for almost 20 years).
I really sympathise Dotts, it can be so hard to find the right pill.

[Hazey_Jane]

I've been taking Yasmin for about 3 or 4 years now and never had any problems with it although it isn't as great for my skin as Dianette- my acne would be totally gone in 3 days- but the mood swings I got when taking Dianette were not worth taking it for that either, I'd fly off the handle at the slightest irritation. Never had any bleeding with any pill except for the "period", even when running packs together.

What's Cilest like? Does that help with acne and do you get mood swings with it?

[purple_dress]

I take Yasmin and have never had any problems with it. I've had bad problems on other pills though, so I think they really do affect people very differently. 3 months should be enough time to see how it's going so I'd definitely go to the doctor soon and discuss.

[Estrella]

I loved Celeste but was never able to run two packets alongside because of the breakthrough.

WDS.

Cileste

[Estrella]

I loved Celeste but was never able to run two packets alongside because of the breakthrough.

WDS.

Cileste was pretty good for me apart from the inability to skip a period.

I came off it due to migraines and took the mini pill for a couple of months before getting a Mirena.