WARNING ABOUT YAZ BIRTH CONTROL PILLS

i have to agree with what everyone is saying about yaz. my best friend has been taking it for a year and so i finally decided to take her advice and take it. well the past 3 months have been hell for me. first it interacted with my beta-blockers for migraines and caused a major depressive spell, and then i stopped the beta-blockers thinking that's what was causing it, and then a month later i started feeling depressed again. so after some discussion my boyfriend and i decided i would stop the yaz and see if i got better, which this is my first day off the pill and i don't feel as foggy or sad as i did yesterday, or even this morning when i woke up. hopefully things will only get better from here. BE CAREFUL!!!!!!

Is there a way to get a message to you outside of this. I know they take out e-mail adreeses you put in.

I am researching the net for cases of blot clots and YAZ. I was hospitalized 9months ago for a large blood clot in the main vien of my liver. I am now on blood thinners for life. Still today, 9months later, I take a handful of meds for chest pain. I am finding some very bad things about YAZ, blood clots in peoples lungs, blood clots that have killed woman in the their 30's. I even found one that was affect at age 21. This is serious and there may be a lawsuit against the company in the near future.
Just wanted to spend the word...be careful with that drug.

i dont know what you are talking about. i have been taking yaz now for a year and i have no problems. i have been on birth control since i was 15 and when i found out there was something to help my PMS i was there asking my doctor about it. i am 18 now and i have no problems with it. i have no PMS and no acne, ever! i have not felt any pain that would be caused by the birth control. maybe all of you girls have had a previous problem and the yaz is just bringing it to your attention. you cant blame the drug that you CHOSE to take on a problem that you are having with your health. yaz also warns people that clots may occur, so thats listed right there so maybe you should of had yourself checked out before going on this pill. smoking, also doesnt help, so if you smoke, maybe you should think about that being a problem too...how about you think of other things to blame, like yourself and your lifestyle before blaming the company that warns you about side effects plain and simply.

Just another one to add to the list- My Stepmom (perfectly healthy non-smoking woman) was hospitalized last night because she had a stroke. Her entire right side is paralyzed and she cannot speak. The doctors have been giving her test after test and after determining that it was not stress-related (due to no bleeding), they've told the family that it was probably due to the Yaz birth control. I've been taking Yaz for 3 years now and haven't had any problems, but to come from the Doctor's mouth I think shows that it's more than a coincidence. Some people's bodies seem to be able to tolerate it, but others aren't as lucky.
I dont think a lawsuit is realistic, especially since the box warns of clots, but it might be wise to think twice before using this specific BC. My thoughts are with those of you who are going through these ordeals.

Just over four months ago I lost my beautiful sister at the age of 39 to the birth control Yaz. She left behind 3 beautiful children and a huge amount of family and friends who dearly miss her. Until August 3rd of this year my sister was a healthy vibrant young woman with still a life time ahead of her. That morning she was having a hard time breathing, I called the ambulance and within less than an hour from the time I dialed 911, she died. Since she was so young and no history of medical problems the County Coroner ordered an autopsy to be done. The report came back stating theat she died from the condition called Pulmonary Thromboembolism, blood clotting going into her lungs. That is why she was having a hard time breathing. I believe this was a wrongful death due to the use of this prescription and I want to do something about it. I realize that nothing I do will bring her back, which is what we desire the most is just to have her back in our lives. Please contact me if you or anyone you know has been affected by the use of this product. I don't know what we can do but together we may be able to do something.

To the 18 year old that is doing well on Yaz, you are just one of the lucky one's. All i have to say is if you lost someone close to you due to this pill you would'nt be thinking the way that you are. My sister was healthy and a non-smoker and she did not deserve to lose her life over this pill.
To the 25 year old who had a stroke and seeking legal counsel, did you ever find anyone that would consider a case like this?

also, to the 18 year old... I am 32, mother of 2 and pretty healthy, not a smoker and never thought something like this would happen. I collapsed at work on Monday, it is now Friday and it's the first day I can even attempt to type with both hands, although it is difficult as I lay in my hospital bed. Medics and the Er tried to tell me it couldn't have been a stroke because I am so young and no risk factors. After an MRI, angiogram an sev. other tests, they determined I did have a full blown stroke, probably after having mini strokes for several weeks. I have suffered another one since i've been here that has left my left side relatively useless.

Yes, I CHOSE to switch to this brand, but I have been on other BC brands for 10 years and was never told this brand has a higher incidence of clots! I miss my kids, my husband is forced to take care of everything and i will probably be on blood thinners for the rest of my life.

If you choose to remain on it, pay attention to your body. I was having isolated numbness (like just my left pinky would "fall asleep", my left eye would get cloudy, etc) and I didn't think anything of it, until just the left side of my tongue went numb and tingly. They think each of those episodes was a mini stroke. I didn't get a chance to see a dr. because of the holidays, with full intention of doing that after work Monday, I never had the chance. I am still waiting for one final test to rule out anything that was wrong with me before (just now coming to light). But, at this point all arrows are pointing to the yaz.

These posts have eased my mind so much! I am 39 and recently started Yaz. I have been on BCP for several years. This week I was diagnosed as having a blood clot in my leg and they are currently doing tests to see if it was caused due to a blood clotting disorder or cancer! The doctor felt that due to my age and good health, it was not normal for this to happen just due to BCP and the 12 hour car ride I just took to Disney. However, after reading these posts, I feel assured that it may be due to the Yaz. I am very interested in more information about this! Jodi Lewis

In September 2006 I suffered a blood clot in my left leg that travelled to my lungs causing a Pulminary Embolism.

I had only been taking YAZ for 6 weeks. I didn't even want to be on BCPs but earlier in the year I'd had a miscarriage and the Reproductive Endocrinologist (fertility specialist) put me on it so get my cycles back to normal. Yeah right!

Prior to them finding the blood clot I'd been having increasing pain in my left calf. It was so bad that I couldn't walk on the heel and could only walk on tip-toes on my left side. Eventually I had my hubby take me to the ER and they said that there wasn't anything wrong.

They did suggest that I stop taking the YAZ but refused to say it was the cause of any pain I was having. They suggested that I make an appt with my regular doctor, they also said that if I started having trouble breathing to call my regular doctor. I was able to get in to see a doc in my doc's office (she was out of town) the next day but he thought the worst of it was over. Honestly it seemed that my leg was getting a bit better. A couple days later I was having stabbing pains in my back and was having a very hard time breathing. I would get winded just walking across the room. I called the doc but wasn't getting a call back. Finally my hubby called and yelled at the receptionist that I was having a very hard time breathing and that the doc better call him back right away. About 10 minutes later the hospital called and said for us to come in right away for a CAT scan. The scan showed that I had TWO clots in my lungs. Luckily they were smaller clots but I was slowly dying. They started me on Lovenox shots right away to thin my blood and I've been on Coumadin ever since.

I have to go every month for blood testing and I have to take the Coumadin for the rest of my life.

Thank you YAZ!

I'm not trying to offend any one... but did anyone read the side affects before taking this prescription? I know a lot of these can side effects could come on quickly. But I know I didn't read this until I was sent an email concerning YAZ. We need to educate people of the warning signs also.

"Side effects
Nausea, vomiting, headache, stomach cramping/bloating, dizziness, vaginal discomfort/irritation, increased vaginal fluids, or breast tenderness/enlargement may occur. Acne may improve or get worse. 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 this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.Tell your doctor immediately if any of these serious side effects occur: changes in vaginal bleeding (e.g., continuous spotting, sudden heavy bleeding, missed periods), problem wearing contact lenses, dark patches on the skin (melasma), unwanted facial/body hair, swelling of the ankles/feet, weight changes (gain or loss).This medication may rarely cause serious (sometimes fatal) problems from blood clots (e.g., pulmonary embolism, stroke, heart attack). Seek immediate medical attention if you experience: sudden shortness of breath, chest/jaw/left arm pain, confusion, coughing up blood, sudden dizziness/fainting, pain/swelling/warmth in the groin/calf, tingling/weakness/numbness in the arms/legs, headaches that are different from those you may have experienced in the past (e.g., headaches with other symptoms such as vision changes/lack of coordination, existing migraines becoming worse, sudden/very severe headaches), slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, vision problems/changes.Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: lumps in the breast, severe stomach/abdominal/pelvic pain, mental/mood changes (e.g., depression, suicidal thoughts, persistent trouble sleeping), unusual tiredness, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin.A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include: rash, itching, swelling, 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.Contact your doctor for medical advice about side effects. The following numbers do not provide medical advice, but in the US you may report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada, you may call Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345."

You don't offend me, just prove my point that more people need to be aware of what this drug is capable of. I am familiar with all of those potential side effects- none of which were a problem for me... at least the ones that you are supposed to "tell your doctor about" right away. I moved straight onto the "rare" side effect of strokes (multiple) that, looking at this site, appear to not be that rare after all.

Just remember, it's difficult to talk to your doctor about these "rare but serious" side effects, if you are dead.

I'm not going to take the time to read through all 5 pages of comments, so I'm not sure if someone else has already suggested this:

I went on to the FDA's website last night, and went through the form for reporting "adverse affects" of medications.

I encourage EVERYONE on this site who has had an issue with Yaz to report it to the FDA. If enough of us start reporting the same problems, they have to do something, right? OK, maybe I'm being optimistic that a federal agency will actually do its job, but it's worth a shot.
It does take a bit of time to go through (10 minutes, maybe?), but it could be worth it if changes are made, and you can do it all online.

The site is full of government-ese, but if you head to the address I mention above, and click on the big blue "BEGIN" button on the right, it will lead you through the process... I tried to be as thorough and accurate as possible.

I am a healthy 31 year old woman who had been taking Yaz for 4 months following the birth of my daughter. On December 23, 2008, I suffered a pulmonary embolism, the size of a hot dog, and came very close to death. Since then, I have heard and read of many stories of women who have had the same or similar thing happen to them while on Yaz. Most of whom were not as lucky as I am. Please spread the message about this birth control, Yaz, as we the survivors are the only ones who can do damage control. My mother reported my issue to Bayer, the maker of Yaz, while I was in the hospital recouperating, and they informed her that basically, they didn't care. So please, anyone having an issue with Yaz, please contact the FDA.

My 16 year old was put on Yaz in the hope that it would help the cyclical fatigue episodes she suffered from. Six weeks later, she had extreme pain in her lungs. She sat in bed for five hours crying silently and unable to reach for the phone beside her bed. I noticed her car in the driveway and went to wake her up. She had a pulmonary embolism but she was so young that the doctors all misdiagnosed it. Two days later, her leg swelled up a turned blue. She was flown to the nearby Children's hospital by helicopter. The clot in her leg kept expanding. It went from below her knee to above her belly button by the time the got the grown stopped. Another inch and it would have cut off the blood to her kidneys. She spent weeks on Lovinox (extremely painful and horribly expensive) and then six months on coumadin. She had to be home schooled for a while. We are searching for any class action suit. I tried to craft this message carefully to get it past the moderator. Do you know where we can talk without being censored?