Brand Name

Yaz {Bayer Healthcare}

Generic Name

drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, pronounced dro SPY re known and ETH in il, ESS tra dy ol

 

What is Yaz?

Yaz is a birth control medication, used to prevent pregnancy. Yaz is a combination medication which has female hormones that prevent ovulation and cause changes in your cervical mucus and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and also harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. You may also be prescribed Yaz to treat moderate acne if you are a female at least 14 years of age, and if you also wish to use birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. Yaz is also used to treat the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) like anxiety, depression, irritability, trouble concentrating, lack of energy, sleep or appetite changes, breast tenderness, joint or muscle pain, headache, and weight gain.

Yaz may also be used for purposes not described in this medication guide.

 

Key Facts About Yaz

Some drugs may make Yaz less effective in preventing a pregnancy, including antibiotics, hepatitis C medications, HIV/AIDS medications, seizure medications, or barbiturate sedatives. You should tell your doctor about all of the other medications you take.

Yaz does not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS. The only way to prevent these diseases is to use a condom. If your sexual partner develops HIV or a sexually transmitted disease while you are using Yaz, or if you have any change in sexual relationships you should tell your doctor right away.

You may need to use back up birth control, like a condom, when you first start using Yaz or if you miss a dose.

Yaz can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby, and it may also slow breast milk production. You should not use Yaz if you are breastfeeding a baby.

If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or are breastfeeding you should not use Yaz. The hormones in Yaz can cause birth defects.

 

Before You Take Yaz

If you are allergic to ethinyl estradiol you should not use Yaz.

If you have a history of uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, a blood-clotting disorder, circulation problems or a previous heart attack, stroke or blood clot caused by a birth control pill you should not use Yaz.

Do not use Yaz if you are pregnant or if you have recently had a baby.

If you have had diabetic problems with your eyes or kidneys, unusual vaginal bleeding, liver disease or liver cancer, severe migraine headaches, if you smoke and are over 35, or if you have ever had breast or uterine cancer you may not be a candidate for a Yaz.

Tell your doctor if you have severe migraine headaches (with aura, numbness, weakness, or vision changes), jaundice caused by pregnancy or birth control pills, diabetes, an underactive thyroid or gallbladder disease before using Yaz.

Tell your doctor before starting treatment with Yaz if you have depression, seizures or epilepsy, tuberculosis, a history of irregular menstrual cycles, toxic shock syndrome, or easy vaginal irritation.

Let your doctor know if you have a history of fibrocystic breast disease, lumps, nodules, or an abnormal mammogram before using Yaz.

If you have varicose veins, high cholesterol or triglycerides, or if you are overweight inform your doctor before beginning treatment with Yaz.

 

Yaz Drug Interactions

You should inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• ACE inhibitors
• AIDS or HIV drugs
• antibiotics
• barbiturates like phenobarbital (Solfoton)
• bosentan (Tracleer)
• dantrolene (Dantrium)
• hepatitis C drugs
• rifampin
• seizure medications
• St. John’s wort
• tizanidine (Zanaflex)
• tranexamic acid (Cyklokapron, Lysteda)
• tuberculosis medication

Other drugs you take that are not listed may interact with Yaz. You should tell your doctor about all of the medications you use. This includes prescription drugs, vitamins, supplements and herbal products, and over the counter medications. You should not begin taking a new medication without telling your doctor first.

 

Directions for Using Yaz

Use Yaz exactly as your doctor has prescribed you to. Do not use it in larger or smaller amounts or for shorter or longer than recommended. Yaz comes with patient instructions for you so you can use this medication safely and effectively. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully.

You will take your first Yaz pill on the first day of your period, or on the first Sunday after your period begins. You may need to use back-up birth control, like a condom, when you first start using Yaz.

You should take one Yaz pill every day, but no more than 24 hours apart. When the pills run out you should start a new pack the following day. You may get pregnant if you do not take one pill each day. Be sure to get your prescription refilled before you run out of Yaz.

The Yaz 28 day birth control pack will contain 4 “reminder” pills to keep you on your regular cycle. Your menstrual cycle will normally begin while you are using these “reminder” pills. You will begin taking your next pack of Yaz pills the day after you have finished your last white “reminder” pill, regardless of whether your menstrual cycle has stopped or not.

It is normal to experience breakthrough bleeding, especially during the first 3 months of treatment with Yaz. Tell your doctor if you have bleeding that is heavy or continues daily throughout the month.

If you become ill with severe vomiting or diarrhea you should use back-up birth control.

Store Yaz at room temperature and away from both moisture and heat.

If you miss one active, Yaz pill, take two pills on the day that you remember. Then take one pill per day for the rest of the pack.

If you miss two active pills in a row in Week 1 or 2, you should take two pills per day, for two days in a row. Then you will take one pill per day for the rest of the pack. If this occurs you should use back-up birth control for at least 7 days following the missed pills.

Missing two active pills in Week 3, or missing three pills in a row during any of the first 3 weeks will make the rest of your pack ineffective. You must throw out the rest of your current pack of Yaz and start a new pack the same day, if you are typically a Day 1 starter. If you normally start on a Sunday you should continue taking pills from your current pack, and start your new pack on Sunday. When Sunday arrives throw out your old pack. Be sure to use back-up birth control during this time.

If you miss two or more pills, you may not have a period during that month. However, If you miss a period for two months in a row you should call your doctor as that might be a sign that you are pregnant.

If you miss one of the 4 “reminder” pills, it is fine. Continue taking one pill a day on your schedule, but throw out the “reminder” pill that you missed to avoid confusion. You do not have to use back-up birth control if you miss a reminder pill.

 

Yaz Side Effects

Contact your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• allergic reaction including breathing difficulties, hives and swelling of your face, lips, throat or tongue
• breast lump
• chest pain or a heavy feeling with pain spreading to your arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating and a general ill feeling
• clay colored stools
• depression symptoms
• headache that is severe or sudden
• jaundice or a yellowing of your skin or eyes
• nausea and upper stomach pain
• numbness and weakness that is sudden, or on one side of your body
• pain and swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs
• pattern or severity change in migraine headaches
• swelling in your hands, ankles or feet
• urine which is very dark
• wheezing and cough along with rapid breathing and coughing up blood

Less serious side Yaz effects may include:

• appetite and weight changes
• bloating
• breast pain, tenderness and swelling, possibly nipple discharge
• contact lens problems
• darkening of facial skin
• decreased libido
• dizziness
• freckles
• hair growth that is increased
• mild headache
• loss of scalp hair
• mild nausea
• nervousness
• stomach cramps
• tired feeling
• vaginal discharge or itching
• vomiting

It should be noted that this is not a complete list of possible side effects of Yaz. You should contact your physician for a complete list and medical advice regarding these effects.

 

Yaz Description and Dosing

Yaz is available in blister packs of 28 film-coated tablets in the following order:

24 light pink tablets each containing 3 mg drospirenone (DRSP) and 0.02 mg ethinyl estradiol (EE) as betadex clathrate

4 white inert tablets

The 24 active pills are light pink, round, unscored, film-coated and debossed with a “DS” in a regular hexagon on one side.

The 4 inert pills are white, round, unscored, film-coated and debossed with a “DP” in a regular hexagon on one side.

If you believe that you have overdosed on Yaz you should seek emergency medical help immediately.

 

Ingredients in Yaz

Yaz contains drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol as the main active ingredients. There are 24 light pink active film-coated tablets each containing 3 mg of drospirenone and 0.02 mg of ethinyl estradiol stabilized by betadex as aclathrate and 4 white inert film coated tablets.

The inactive ingredients in the light pink tablets are lactose monohydrate NF, corn starch NF, magnesium stearate NF, hypromellose USP, talc USP, titanium dioxide USP, ferric oxide pigment and red NF. The white inert film-coated tablets contain lactose monohydrate NF, corn starch NF, povidone 25000 USP, magnesium stearate NF, hypromellose USP, talc USP and titanium dioxide USP.

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