Hi-- i have a question for any women out there who are taking Yasmin birth control pills. My doctor recently prescribed them for me, and i'm going to start taking them on March 1st. I'm at my goal weight, not looking to loose, just maintain, and i've read some recent articles that Yasmin can promote weight LOSS? Has anyone had this experience, or have people had the more typical weight GAIN/food cravings? Any other side effects? thanks!

I have taken Yasmin since last year. I asked my doctor for it because I heard about how it helps to you to lose weight but it didn't work. My doctor told me it probably wouldn't work. It has a mild diuretic effect so if you did lose any weight it would just be water weight and probably only the amount you would retain around your cycle. The only side effects I have had from it is more regular periods. The pill I took beforehand had me having my period every other month. You may get middle of the night leg cramps from loss of potassasium from the diuretic, but my Pharmacist said just to be sure to drink extra water if that happens. If you are following the Atkins guidelines of drinking 8 glasses of water a day you shouldn't get leg cramps. I hope this helps. Others may have had other experiences with Yasmin. This is just my experience.

Isn't that the one that is also suposed to help clear skin?

yeah, but i think other bc pills might help with that too?

myagenda-- when u say it didn't work, did it cause weight gain or food cravings? I want to do maintenance right and am worried about these cravings that are mentioned on the web

I take Yasmin on a 3 month cycle. In other words, when I finish one pack, I go right into the next one. That way, I only have a period every 3 months. My doctor has approved this. Lots of doctors do...they say it really isn't necessary for a woman to have a period every month.

Anyway, the mild diruretic really helps me with swelling that I normally have in my ankles, but I don't know that it's helped in the weight loss department.

The "weight loss" phenomenon that is attributed to Yasmin is it's tendency to make your period easier with less bloating/water retention.

What I mean by it didn't work is that I did not lose any weight, water or otherwise. It doesn't make me crave any foods either that I can tell. Before Atkins though I always craved high carb foods whether I was on the pill or not. The only thing that stops my cravings is Atkins. ATKINS RULES. As for clearing skin according to my Pharmacist, most pills help with that but most haven't been cleared by the FDA to advertise that as a benefit. Something about the expense of the tests to show the FDA proof. I guess if they went through that expense the price of the pills would go up.