Side Effects of the Yazmin Birth Control Pill
The Yaz birth control pill may have side effects of which women should be aware.
Common Side Effects During Clinical Trials
The U.S. National Institutes of Health reports the most common adverse events reported with use of Yasmin during the clinical trials were abdominal pain, acne, allergic reaction, asthenia (weakness), back pain, breast pain, bronchitis, cystitis (bladder infection), depression, diarrhea, dizziness, dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain or discomfort), emotional lability (emotional instability), flu syndrome (influenza), gastroenteritis (inflammation of the lining of the intestines), headache, infection, intermenstrual bleeding (bleeding between periods), leukorrhea (vaginal discharge), menstrual disorder (irregular or missed periods), migraine, nausea, nervousness, pharyngitis (inflammation of the back of the throat), pruritus (itching), rash and upper respiratory infection, sinusitis (sinus infection), urinary tract infection,
vaginal moniliasis (yeast infection), vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina) and vomiting.
Most Common Side Effects Present During All Clinical Trials
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals reports the most frequent side effects that were noted in all Yaz clinical trials include abdominal pain, accidental injury, asthenia (weakness), breast pain, depression, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps), emotional lability (emotional instability), headache, menstrual disorder (irregular or missed periods), nausea, sinusitis (sinus infection), suspicious Pap smear, upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, vaginal moniliasis (yeast infection) and weight gain.
Common Side Effects Reported With Use
According to the Drug Watch website, common side effects associated with Yasmin include breast pain, change in menstrual period, changes in weight or appetite, contact lens problems, freckles or darkening of facial skin known as melasma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased hair growth, loss of scalp hair, migraines, swelling of hands and feet, tenderness or swelling, or unexplained vaginal bleeding and vaginal itching or discharge.
Serious Side Effects
The Drug Watch website reports that patients taking Yasmin should immediately consult their doctor if they experience these symptoms, which indicate the development of serious complications: cough with blood, lumps in breast, pains or heaviness in the chest, difficulty seeing or speaking, dizziness or fainting, fatigue, weakness, appetite loss, mood swings, nausea, numbness in arms or legs, lower-leg pain, severe headache, tenderness or severe pain in the stomach, shortness of breath, sleeplessness, reduction or loss of sight, vomiting or yellow skin or eyes.
FDA Safety Labeling Changes
In April 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved safety labeling changes for Yasmin (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) tablets. The summary of the change involved thromboembolism, the formation of a blood clot that breaks loose and is carried by the blood stream to plug a vessel in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), brain (stroke), gastrointestinal tract, kidneys or leg. The labeling informed consumers that among women who used the product Yaz for one to four years, the relative risk of thromboembolism was similar for users of Yasmin to that for users of other combined oral contraceptive products.