See also Warning section.
Before using Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to ethinyl estradiol or drospirenone; or to other estrogens or progestins; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: adrenal gland problems, stroke, blood clots (such as in the legs, eyes, lungs), untreated/uncontrolled high blood pressure, abnormal breast exam, cancer (especially endometrial or breast cancer), diabetes that has caused kidney/eye/nerve/blood vessel disease, severe headaches/migraines, heart disease (such as heart attack, chest pain), heart valve disease, irregular heartbeat, kidney problems, liver problems (such as liver tumor, active liver disease), history of yellowing eyes/skin (jaundice) during pregnancy or while using birth control pills, unexplained vaginal bleeding, high cholesterol or triglyceride (blood fat) levels, depression, swelling (edema), gallbladder problems, obesity.
If you have diabetes, Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg may make it harder to control your blood sugar level. Check your blood sugar level regularly as directed and share the results with your doctor. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of high blood sugar such as increased thirst/urination. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication or diet.
Tell your doctor if you just had or will be having major surgery, or if you will be confined to a chair or bed for a long time (such as a long plane flight). These conditions increase your risk of getting blood clots, especially if you are taking hormonal birth control products. You may need to stop Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg for a time or take special precautions.
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg may cause blotchy, dark areas on your skin (melasma). Sunlight may worsen this effect. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, sunlamps, and tanning booths. Use a sunscreen, and wear protective clothing when outdoors.
If you are nearsighted or wear contact lenses, you may develop vision problems or trouble wearing your contact lenses. Contact your eye doctor if these problems occur.
It may take longer for you to become pregnant after you stop taking birth control pills. Consult your doctor.
Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg must not be used during pregnancy. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately. If you have just given birth or had a pregnancy loss/abortion after the first 3 months, talk with your doctor about reliable forms of birth control, and find out when it is safe to start using birth control that contains a form of estrogen, such as Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg.
Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg passes into breast milk. This may affect milk production and may harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using this product and each time you get a refill. The leaflet contains very important information on when to take your pills and what to do if you miss a dose. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Take Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg by mouth as directed by your doctor, with or without food, usually once daily. Pick a time of day that is easy for you to remember, and take your pill at the same time each day, 24 hours apart. Taking Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg after your evening meal or at bedtime may help decrease stomach upset and nausea.
Follow the package instructions to find the first tablet, start with the first tablet in the pack, and take them in the correct order. Do not skip any doses. Pregnancy is more likely if you miss pills, start a new pack late, or take your pill at a different time of the day than usual.
Your pill pack contains 24 pills with active medication (with hormones). It also contains 4 reminder pills (without hormones) at the end of the pack. Take one active pill (with hormones) once daily for 24 days in a row. After you have taken the last active pill, take a reminder pill (without hormones) once daily for 4 days in a row unless otherwise directed by your doctor. You should have your period within 3 days after you take the last active tablet in the cycle during the fourth week of the pack. After you have taken the last inactive tablet in the pack, start a new pack the next day whether or not you have your period. If you do not get your period, consult your doctor.
If this is the first time you are using Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg and you are not switching from another form of hormonal birth control (such as the patch, other birth control pills), take the first tablet in the pack on the first Sunday following the beginning of your menstrual period or on the first day of your period. If your period begins on a Sunday, begin taking Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg on that day. For the first cycle of use only, use an additional form of non-hormonal birth control (such as condoms, spermicide) for the first 7 days to prevent pregnancy until the medication has enough time to work. If you start on the first day of your period, you do not need to use back-up birth control the first week.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about how to switch from other forms of hormonal birth control (such as the patch, other birth control pills) to this product.
Nausea, vomiting, headache, bloating, breast tenderness, swelling of the ankles/feet (fluid retention), or weight change may occur. Vaginal bleeding between periods (spotting) or missed/irregular periods may occur, especially during the first few months of use. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor promptly. If you miss 2 periods in a row (or 1 period if the pill has not been used properly), contact your doctor for a pregnancy test.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg do not have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor right away if any of these serious side effects occur: unusual changes in vaginal bleeding (such as continuous spotting, sudden heavy bleeding, missed periods).
Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg may rarely cause serious (sometimes fatal) problems from blood clots (such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, heart attack). Get medical help right away if you experience: sudden shortness of breath, chest/jaw/left arm pain, unusual sweating, confusion, coughing up blood, sudden dizziness/fainting, pain/swelling/warmth in the groin/calf, tingling/weakness/numbness in the arms/legs, unusual headaches (including headaches with vision changes/lack of coordination, worsening of migraines, sudden/very severe headaches), slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, sudden vision changes (such as partial/complete blindness).
Get medical help right away if any of these rare but serious side effects occur: lumps in the breast, severe stomach/abdominal pain, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin, mental/mood changes (such as new/worsening depression, suicidal thoughts).
A very serious allergic reaction to Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Click here to view a more detailed list of Yazz side effects.
Refer to the product package information for advice on missed doses. You may need to use back-up birth control (such as condoms, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
If you often forget to take your pills as directed, contact your doctor to discuss switching to another form of birth control.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg include: aromatase inhibitors (such as anastrazole, exemestane), raloxifene, sodium tetradecyl sulfate, tamoxifen.
Drospirenone may raise your potassium blood level. Tell your doctor if you are regularly taking other drugs/products that can also raise your potassium level (including potassium supplements/salt substitutes, ACE inhibitors such as enalapril/lisinopril, angiotensin receptor blockers such as losartan/valsartan, heparin, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen/naproxen, potassium-sparing "water pills"/diuretics such as spironolactone/triamterene).
Some drugs may cause hormonal birth control to work less well by decreasing the amount of birth control hormones in your body. This effect can result in pregnancy. Examples of these drugs include griseofulvin, modafinil, rifamycins (such as rifampin), St. John's wort, drugs used to treat seizures (such as barbiturates, carbamazepine, felbamate, phenytoin, primidone, topiramate), HIV drugs (such as nelfinavir, nevirapine, ritonavir), among others. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Tell your doctor when you start any new drug, and discuss whether you should use additional reliable birth control. Also tell your doctor if you have any new spotting or breakthrough bleeding, because these may be signs that your birth control is not working well.).
Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg can affect the results of many laboratory tests. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use Yazz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) 3/0.02mg.