Yaz birth control pill are used to prevent pregnancy or to treat pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a mood disorder related to the menstrual cycle. Although most of the side effects of Yaz birth control pills are mild or temporary, there is a potential for serious side effects to occur. Women should discuss all of the potential risks or side effects of Yaz with their doctors before using the pill.
Common Side Effects
Common side effects that can occur when using Yaz birth control are upper respiratory infections similar to the common cold, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, vaginal discharge or yeast infections, breast tenderness and breakthrough bleeding according to the product information sheet for Yaz. These side effects are usually temporary and will subside in the first few months of using the pill. However, if any of these symptoms are particularly bothersome or last longer than three months, talk to your doctor.
Potentially Serious Side Effects
If you experience high blood pressure or cholesterol, fluid retention, heavy vaginal bleeding, depression or changes in mood after starting to use Yaz birth control, you should call your doctor as soon as possible. These symptoms may indicate a more serious medical problem. In addition, you should be on the lookout for specific side effects that sometimes can signal that a dangerous medical problem may be present. Pain, cramps or swelling in a leg or foot may be caused by a blood clot in that leg. Vision loss or changes may be caused by a blood clot in the eye. Difficulty breathing, sharp chest pain or coughing up blood can be a symptom of a lung blood clot. Speech or vision changes, numbness or weakness in a leg or arm can indicate a stroke. Breast lumps may indicate breast cancer. Pain or a heavy feeling in the chest can indicate heart problems or a heart attack. Finally, unexplained rash, itching, hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing or wheezing may indicate an allergic reaction to the medication.
Serious Side Effects
Using oral contraceptives is not without serious risk. Although very rare, severe complications can arise and it's important that a woman understand the risk before making the decision to use Yaz. Drugs.com and the Yaz product information sheet both list serious risks to include stroke, heart attack and blood clots and clearly state that smoking may increase these risks. Also, benign but dangerous liver tumors can also occur, although this is rare.
Other Side Effects
Unlike many other birth control pill, Yaz includes Drospirenone, which can raise the levels of Potassium in the body. Although this side effect is usually inconsequential in otherwise healthy women, women with liver disease, kidney disease or adrenal gland disorder should consult their doctor before taking Yaz. In addition, women may experience other side effects not commonly listed for Yaz. Any unusual side effect from this pill or being concerned about any symptom should warrant a phone call to your doctor. Also, reporting side effects to the FDA is also encouraged at (800)FDA-1088.
