Yaz/Yasmin/Ocella Side Effects: How Does Yaz Cause Pulmonary Embolism (PE)?

Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella are popular contraceptives (birth control pills). These drugs are marketed under different names, but are chemically the same. Unfortunately, these pills have been linked with serious and deadly side effects.

The side effects from Yaz / Yasmin / Ocella include:

• Heart Attack

• Stroke

• Pulmonary Embolism

• Deep Vein Thrombosis

• Gallbladder Disease

What Is A Pulmonary Embolism (PE)?

Pulmonary embolism (commonly referred as "PE") is an obstruction of the pulmonary artery or one of its branches by a blood clot (referred to medically as a "thrombus"). The symptoms and signs of PE vary from person to person and additional testing is necessary to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of PE.

Common symptoms or signs of PE include the following:

• Shortness of breath or needing to breath rapidly (dyspnea)
• Sharp, knife-like chest pain while taking a deep breath (plueritic pain)
• Coughing or coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
• A rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
• Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
• Crackling or wheezing when listening to the lungs
• Decreased breath sounds while listening to the lungs
• Accentuated pulmonic component of the second heart sound and jugular venous distension

Why Does Yaz/Yasmin/Ocella Cause Pulmonary Embolism (PE)?

The problem primarily lies with the key chemical ingredient, Drospirenone. Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella combine estrogen with a synthetic progestin called Drospirenone. No other contraceptive (or birth control) pills contain Drospirenone. The combination of chemicals in Yaz has been reported to increase the risk of blood clots by more than 600%.

Blood clotting is a normal bodily function. This function normally stops blood flow from cuts and creates scabs to stop bleeding. This function repairs damage to the skin and other body tissues. However, the chemical combinations in Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella can cause abnormal blood clotting. This results in blood clotting when it is unnecessary and inside the blood vessel, vein or artery.

When the abnormal blood clot breaks off from the site where it formed, the blood clot (medically called an "embolus") travels through the veins or arteries and can become lodged in the pulmonary artery, which supplies blood to parts of the lung. The clots blocks the vessel and prevents blood from reaching the lungs. The pulmonary embolism (PE) prevents the uptake of oxygen in the blood and prevents the delivery of oxygen to the brain and body.

A blood clot that becomes lodged and blocks blood flow to the heart will cause a heart attack.

A blood clot that becomes lodged and block blood flow the brain will cause a stroke.

Why Yaz/Yasmin/Ocella Are So Dangerous

Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella are particularly dangerous because they have been marketed to young women with misleading advertising and false claims. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent several letters to Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for what the FDA called "misleading" advertising claims it found "particularly troubling" because they served to "undermine the communication of important risk information, minimizing these risks and misleadingly suggesting that Yaz is safer than has been demonstrated by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience."

In addition, Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella have been targeted to young women as a means to reduce acne or reduce premenstrual symptoms. In fact, some doctors have prescribed these drugs for non-sexually active girls as an acne fighter alone.

Learn More

You can learn more about the serious side effects of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella and find out what to do if you or a loved one have suffered any of these dangerous side effects at this Yaz/Yasmin/Ocella informational and safety web site.