"Yasmin Has Cost More than My Health"

Los Angeles, CA"I'm hopeful that by describing my symptoms, I might save another woman's life," says Janet (not her real name). "I don't smoke or drink or do drugs but I did take Yasmin birth control for two years, until I was diagnosed with deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) that almost killed me."

"About two months ago I had tightness in my chest and trouble breathing but my doctor just thought it was an anxiety attack," says Janet. "Soon after I got home, I had a pain in my upper arm and a shooting pain to my hand, then numbness, like signs of a heart attack or carpal tunnel syndrome. I phoned the ambulance and was rushed to ER. I had a blood test and ultrasound and they found a blood clot between my upper arm and neck—it could have gone to my heart, lungs, or brain. I was diagnosed with DVT that same day. The pain was so horrendous, it was beyond imagination. I was terrified.

"The doctor in ER read my chart and saw that I had listed Yasmin as one of the medications I was taking. 'Are you still on Yasmin?' he asked. 'Stop taking Yasmin right now and never again take any other kind of birth control pill.' I was admitted for about a week and they put me on blood thinners. I was told by the doctors that if I wanted to live, I had to do exactly what they said—I didn't want to die! I am very grateful to the doctors and the paramedics for saving my life.

"I have to take the blood thinners at the same time every day, and avoid all foods with Vitamin K, such as broccoli and any green vegetables. I am such a healthy eater and exercise regularly—now I can't even eat a salad while I am on these blood thinners. And it isn't over…

"Now I feel very weak and suffer other side effects. As soon as I was discharged I had a horrendous pain in my lower back—I had kidney stones. I went back to the hospital and had an ultrasound surgery that broke up the stones. My blood level was very low so I had to be watched for about another week. I was losing blood from my catheter—it looked like blood only at first then blood mixed with urine (I took photographs, just in case I need evidence). There is still blood in my urine and that also scares me.

"Then they did more tests and found gallbladder stones. One doctor said my gallbladder would have to be removed. This has been a nightmare and I have been crying a lot—the stress is overwhelming. I am in my early 40s and have my whole to live, but now I have so many health problems, all because of Yasmin. As well, I'm a straight-A student and I am unable to go back to school. I'll probably lose an entire year, so Yasmin has cost more than my health.

"If you are on Yasmin, get off it, go to a doctor and request a d-Dimer blood test to help determine if you have a blood clot. Get an ultrasound and any other tests that will determine whether you have a blood clot or any other serious side effects, like kidney or gallbladder problems."

If your test results show that you have a blood clot, go straight to the ER. And after you recover, speak with an experienced Yasmin and personal injury lawyer.