# A new symptom since starting Birth Control



## hangingin (Sep 7, 2002)

I've noticed that since starting Yasmin I seem to have more yeast in my stool. I dont know if this is coincidence or not, also the pain is very different and real severe but it may not be directly related to Yasmin.The great news is that I am sometimes able to expel gas which I was never able to before and I do have a bm each day, still with tons of laxatives, however the pain is real severe. I still think it may be too early to tell if the Yasmin is causing this weird pain, because I had severe pain 24/7 before. I am so confused and so much want to get well or at least know how to control manage the pain but it doesnt seem to work depsite all the relaxation, exercise, meditation, hypnosis.This is a kind of last resort for me.


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## Bewitched (Jul 24, 2002)

Laxatives really take their toll on the body.Mine will never be the same because of my 7 year laxative abuse.I am also in pain everyday and pretty much homebound.I wish i had an answer for you.you are not alone.If the pain is worse for you on Yasmin and it doesn't get better after a week,i think you might want to call your doctor and ask if you should stay on it.I hope you feel better soon!Wendi-


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## hangingin (Sep 7, 2002)

Wendi,wasnt your pain/cramping worse for the first 2 months, but eventually kind of evened out. I just heard from a friend of mine who doesnt have IBS or any stomach problems, that even she got cramping until the hormone situation evened out. Does this make any sense? Its just that I dont want to go back to where I was with no hope for the future and dont know what to do. Cant even get a GI to treat me because they say my situation is too severe.


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## Bewitched (Jul 24, 2002)

The pain during the first week was the worst of it.After that, it improved until i got my period.That first period was still painful.After the first month things got much better as far as the pain goes.Everybody is different though,it may take up to three months on the pill to get the full benefit.It just depends on how unbalaced your hormones are.I notice with each period that it keeps getting better.My hormones were pretty unbalanced to start with.I had terrible pain and hardly any bleeding before the pill.I would only bleed for one day a month and be in major pain for a week!Now since i started the pill i get a normal period that lasts about 4 days and the pain is not nearly as bad as it was.Hormones are a tricky thing to understand because what works well for one may not for another.It's trial and error until you can find the right bc pill.-Wendi-


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## linesse (Sep 18, 2000)

Hi Hangingin!Yeast? How do you know it is yeast?


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## hangingin (Sep 7, 2002)

linesse,Please excuse the graphics. There's all kind of white stuff coming out with my bm's kind of like cotton,which I never had prior to taking the pill. When it comes out its the only time I have some kind of pain relief after bm's otherwise they are so painful.







I have to be patient with Yasmin and wait out the three months for things to balance out. Sometimes its tough when in so much pain, but I really have a good feeling about it and I really believe its going to be worth the wait. I guess patience is not one of my virtues.


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## hangingin (Sep 7, 2002)

Linesse, Bewitched,I dont know if its me or Yasmin, but the last few days I have been more hungry than usual ... but I mean, starving. I wonder if the estrogen or something in it could effect insulin levels?I'm still in so much pain, I dont know what to do, but I guess I would be anyway. I still cant wait for things to balance of for me, but this hunger is driving me mad and if I eat extra the pain and constipation gets much, much worse.Lately I've also been so irritable and uptight and overly emotional ... is this "normal" when starting Yasmin?


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

Hormones DO affect the way your body handles glucose. I've noticed I get hypoglycemic far faster when I'm menstruating. And hubby the EMT says most calls he's been on for a hypoglycemic diabetic female was when she was menstruating. The pill fools your body into thinking it's sort of pregnant, so that can have all sorts of effects. I don't remember eating more when I was first on it but I remember morning sickness from the pill and gaining about 5 pounds from starting the pill. But about half that was in my breasts, I figure







PLEASE tell your doctor about this white substance you are seeing in your stool. Save a sample of it if you have to, and don't be afraid to give your doc a good graphic description. If this white stuff is not mucus and especially if the pain is worse, this could be a sign of something serious that you need to talk to your doctor about soon. Don't ignore potentially serious symptoms just because you happened to start the pill at the same time. And please call your dr the next day he or she is open, ok?


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## hangingin (Sep 7, 2002)

After nearly 5 years of trying to tell the doctors how much pain I am in, that I am bedridden and housebound, nobody believes me, so I dont even discuss it anymore.I think I just have to give this 3 months to see how it goes. My stomach has teached such a bad state that it has become extremely sensitive to everything, including and especially medication. I cant find a doctor who believes me. I'm hoping in the long run that this will help and that my system will get used to it. Yasmin apparently has much less side effects than other Birth control pills as I believe the estrogen and progestin doses are lower and have a different molecular structure.I must learn to take control of my cravings, I think that is contributing to a lot of the symptoms I am having and definately increasing the pain, bloating, constipation etc, not to mention making me more depressed.Thanks so much for your support and feedback ... really do appreciate it.


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## SarahJ (Dec 7, 2002)

I was wondering if birth control pills might trigger or cause IBS. I was perfectly healthy until a couple of months after I started taking Levlen. I wonder if this is coincidence, or related? Anyone else have a similar experience?


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## zigmissus (May 19, 1999)

Both BC pills and HRT made my IBS worse, AND triggered immense yeast problems. There's a great book called "The V Book" that was just published. (I highly recommend it to women who have chronic infections and other "female problems.") The author, Dr. Elizabeth Stewart, explains that yeast binds to estrogen. Post-menopausal women almost never get yeast infections unless they are on hormone replacement. Pregnant women (high estrogen levels) get them all the time. However, in my experience, IBS tends to get BETTER during pregnancy, which must mean some other factor is at play.


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