I had taken yaz, a hormonal birth control for 5 years when I started experiencing spikes in my blood pressure. I am only 30 years old, and I eat a healthy diet. I have no family history of blood pressure problems, and I am not obese. All of a sudden I started experiencing bouts of shortness of breath, like I could not catch my breath from just sitting on the couch. I also developed chest pains. IT FELT LIKE TORTURE!

I stopped taking the birth control pills after having an ambulance called for me and 2 ER visits. Each month right around the time I was supposed to get my period, the shortness of breath would get worse (it also tended to get worse at night). I could not sleep laying flat as I felt like I was suffocating. At this point I realized that each time my blood pressure spiked, I would feel short of breath. My normal blood pressure used to be 120/80 (I ran long distance) now my blood pressure hovered between 135/95 and 150/100.

There were psychological problems too. I started having irrational fears that I might die that day. That I need to be around people who could possibly help in case I collapsed or had a medical emergency. This had gone on for about 9 months since I stopped taking the pills, and I am finally starting to feel normal. The shortness of breath is about 90% gone, and my psychological issues have gone away.

The doctors that I went to could not find anything physically wrong with me after doing many tests including MRI of my lungs. They all tried to tell me it was anxiety and I need to take anxiety meds. I told them no way this is anxiety and no way am I going to take anti-anxiety drugs.

In addition to the problems I experienced, I have read through multiple online message boards of women saying they had huge blood clots after taking birth control drugs. They ended up in surgery or on blood thinners.

For the women experiencing similar symptoms I want to tell you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Things will get better eventually, just stay strong and keep moving forward. You are not crazy, and don't let the doctors bully you into taking drugs you don't need.