What is yaz pills

Potassium is a dietary mineral critical to the function of nerve and muscle cells, including those of the heart and circulatory system. In addition, Yaz should not be used by people with:. For people taking direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C , Yaz is not recommended because ethinyl estradiol has been associated with liver complications. Progestin-only pills may be a more appropriate choice if you are being treated for hepatitis C and desire an oral contraceptive.

The FDA notes that some studies have shown a three-fold increase in blood clots among women who take combination oral contraceptives COCs that contain drospirenone, whereas other studies have found no increased risk. Even so, the FDA asserts that the risk of blood clots from the pill is very low, and is much lower with COCs than in either pregnancy or in the postpartum period.

Combination oral contraceptives have both synthetic estrogen and progestin, making them different from progestin-only birth control pills , like the "mini pill. Combination pills are monophasic where the active pills all have the same dose or multiphasic where the dose in the active pills varies by location in the cycle. Yaz is monophasic, with 24 active pills and 4 inert pills. Other monophasic oral contraceptives include:.

Yaz comes in a blister pack of 28 pills: There are 24 light pink pills containing the active hormones, and four white pills that are inactive placebos. Yaz is taken once daily with or without food. It should be taken at the same time every day, preferably after the evening meal or at bedtime. The pills can be started in one of two ways:. If you experience stomach upset after taking Yaz, try taking it with food or your evening meal.

Side effects of Yaz are typically mild to moderate and tend to resolve within two to three months as your body begins to adjust to the hormones. If these symptoms don't resolve within a few weeks or impact your quality of life, contact your healthcare provider to see if another oral contraceptive may work better for you.

Maintain contact with your healthcare provider and notify them if you note any of these signs or symptoms. High blood sugars and depression can become life-threatening, as can any fluid retention severe enough to cause shortness of breath.

The combined use of Yaz and certain medications can lead to excessively high levels of potassium, known as hyperkalemia. Symptoms of hyperkalemia range from vomiting and heart palpitations to chest pains and respiratory distress. Additionally, Yaz causes changes to the cervical mucus and uterine lining. It can make the cervical mucus thicker which makes it harder for sperm to reach the egg.

It also makes the uterine lining thinner. Thus, on the off-chance that ovulation does occur and the egg is fertilized, a thinner uterine lining makes it harder for the egg to attach to the uterine wall. Yaz birth control pills differ slightly from most other combination hormonal birth control pill brands. Unlike other brands which require you to take hormone-containing pills for 21 consecutive days, those on Yaz need to take hormone-containing pills for 24 consecutive days.

This means that you will have to wait four days before beginning a new pack. One active tablet of Yaz contains 3 mg of drospirenone progestin and 20 mcg of ethinyl estradiol estrogen. Always use barrier contraceptives such as the condom or the female condom to prevent the spread of STIs. Yaz helps reduce acne because the progestin, drospirenone, blocks these acne-causing androgens.

Furthermore, according to Bayer , estrogen-containing hormonal birth control pills like Yaz also tend to increase levels of sex hormone binding globulin SHBG in the blood. This can also help reduce acne because SHBG is capable of binding, thereby deactivating androgens like testosterone.

All drugs can cause side effects. Some of these are more common and may go away after a few days. Others are more serious. These side effects can require medical care. Be sure to consider all side effects when choosing a drug. Yaz and Yasmin cause the same side effects. The pills contain different amounts of hormones, though, so how often you experience the side effects may vary.

The serious side effects for Yaz and Yasmin are similar. These side effects are rare in healthy women. They include:. An interaction can cause you harm or keep the drug from working well. Certain drugs may interact with all birth control pills, including Yaz and Yasmin.

For instance, they may keep the birth control pills from working well to prevent pregnancy. Examples of drugs that may interact with Yaz or Yasmin include:.

If you take any of these drugs with Yaz or Yasmin , you may need to use an additional birth control method. They may increase bleeding between periods or increase your potassium levels. You need to consider your overall health when choosing a drug. If you have a condition or disease, a certain drug may make it worse. The effects of Yaz or Yasmin would be the same on any medical conditions you have.

Other side effects of Yasmin include premenstrual syndrome PMS and stomach pain or discomfort. Yaz and Yasmin can also cause serious side effects such as blood clots, heart attack, and stroke. Blood clots can also cause other serious events such as thromboembolisms where the clots become lodged in a blood vessel. Thromboembolisms can include a pulmonary embolism PE in the lungs or a deep vein thrombosis DVT in the legs.

High blood pressure, gallbladder problems, and liver disease are other adverse effects that may occur from contraceptive pills. These effects can be life-threatening. Talk to your doctor if you already have high blood pressure, clotting problems, or a history of liver tumors before starting birth control. The risk is still relatively low according to one report from CMAJ.

However, the risk is still there which has led some countries like France to pull coverage for the pill. Yaz and Yasmin interact with the same types of drugs.

Herbal products or drugs that affect the liver enzymes, especially the CYP3A4 enzyme, can have an effect on contraceptive pills. Drugs like phenytoin and carbamazepine induce the CYP3A4 enzyme and decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills.

Inhibitors of the CYP3A4 enzyme such as ketoconazole and diltiazem can increase the level of Yaz or Yasmin in the body. Other medications used to treat HIV can also affect the levels of estrogen and progestin in the body. These levels can change how effective the contraceptive pill is. Although antibiotics have been reported to affect oral contraceptives , it is still debated whether antibiotics have a significant impact on oral contraceptives. Most healthcare professionals still recommend using a backup contraceptive method if you are prescribed an antibiotic.

Because both Yaz and Yasmin contain drospirenone, they come with a higher risk of blood clots which can lead to cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. Women over 35 years old who smoke should not use Yaz or Yasmin.

Smoking cigarettes has been shown to increase the risk of blood clots and adverse effects when using combined oral contraceptives. Yaz and Yasmin contain drospirenone, which can increase the potassium levels in the body. These pills can increase the risk of hyperkalemia, or higher than normal potassium. Therefore, potassium levels should be monitored in women who are also taking other medications that might increase potassium.