Yasmin is a combination birth control pill which is used to prevent pregnancy and in menopausal hormone therapy.
What is Yasmin?
Yasmin is a popular oral contraceptive containing 2 hormones – estrogen and progestin in various combinations, which are close to the natural sex hormones produced in the ovary of each woman. The tablets contain the estrogen component (ethinyl estradiol) and a progestin component (drospirenone), a synthetic analogue of progesterone.
Each pack contains 28 tablets: 21 active tablets each containing 3 mg drospirenone and 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol; and 7 inert tablets with no medication.
How to use Yasmin?
Take the first tablet on the first day of your period if you are sure you are not pregnant. Take 1 tablet daily for 21 days in a row, then take 1 placebo tablet daily for 7 days, and then begin the next pack. Your doctor should advise you on the best day to start your pills. Do not miss tablets. Take them at about the same time each day.
Side effects
Side effects of the drug include amenorrhea (absence of menstrual bleeding), intermenstrual bleeding, depression (change of mood or loss of sexual desire), headaches, temporary visual impairment, high blood pressure, breast tenderness, weight gain, a decrease in sexual desire.
If you experience any of these symptoms, immediately contact the doctor who prescribed you a contraceptive. You may need to stop taking the drug and choose another way to prevent pregnancy.
Some side effects disappear after the first 3-4 months of use.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately:
- blurred vision or speech;
- severe abdominal pain;
- weakness, numbness;
- nausea, dizziness, nervousness;
- severe chest pain, shortness of breath, cough;
- leg pain.
Contraindications
Do not use Yasmin if you have any of the following conditions:
- existing or suspected pregnancy;
- breastfeeding period or up to six months after delivery;
- liver disease;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system (thrombosis, stroke, heart attack, etc.);
- active smoking;
- age 35 years and older;
- diabetes (progressive or long-established);
- severe headaches (migraine);
- high blood pressure (hypertension);
- breast cancer (now or in the past);
- liver tumors.
Interactions
The effectiveness of combined oral contraceptives may decrease if you are taking other medications at the same time.
Drugs that reduce the contraceptive effect of Yasmin:
- anticonvulsant drugs (phenobarbital, carbamazepine, phenytoin, etc.);
- antibiotics (griseofulvin, rifampin, ampicillin, tetracycline).
If you use the above-mentioned drugs, you should use additional means of preventing pregnancy (for example, a condom). If you have any doubts about drug interactions, consult a doctor.
What if I miss a dose?
- If you missed one active pill, take it as soon as you remember, the next one is taken at your normal time, even if it means taking two pills a day. Despite the fact that the probability of pregnancy is negligible, you should use an additional method of preventing pregnancy (for example, a condom) until you have menstruation. If the delay does not exceed 12 hours, additional precautions are not required;
- If you missed two active pills, take two pills immediately, the next two pills are taken the next day. For example, you forgot to take the pills on Saturday and Sunday, then you should take two pills on Monday and two on Tuesday. In this case, you may have spotting. Use an additional method of protection until you have the next menstruation;
- If you missed three active pills or more, use an additional method of protection immediately. You should think about using another contraceptive, as the subsequent omission of pills can lead to adverse effects;
- If you miss any of the inert pills at the end of the pack, throw them away and continue taking contraceptives at your usual time.
Safety precautions
Yasmin requires self-discipline and self-control for daily use. The drug cannot be used during pregnancy and lactation. If pregnancy is detected or suspected while taking the drug, you should stop taking tablets immediately and consult a doctor. However, extensive epidemiological studies have not revealed any increased risk of developmental defects in children born to women who took ethinyl estradiol/drospirenone pills before pregnancy or in the early stages of pregnancy. Each missed tablet increases the risk of pregnancy. The effectiveness of this drug may be reduced by taking certain medications. The ability to conceive may not return to you immediately (usually 2-3 months after taking the last pill). But remember that pregnancy can occur immediately after drug withdrawal. When on the pills, you need to visit a gynecologist every 6 months. Hormonal contraceptives do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.