Group Warns Women About Yaz Side Effects

Washington, DCA watchdog group is asking woman who have taken the birth control pills called Yaz or Yasmin to share their stories about the side effects they have experienced while taking the drug.

The US Drug Watchdog group says millions of women are using Yaz without being fully aware of the drug's potentially dangerous side effects.

"The FDA sent a warning letter to the maker of Yaz and Yasmin about its misleading advertising, the FDA notes that the side effects of Yaz/Yasmin are more dangerous than those of other oral contraceptives because the drug contains drospirenone, a progestin that can elevate potassium levels in the blood," the group said.

According to the group, Yasmin contains less estradiol than Yaz, but that particular component does not cause the drug's side effects, which include blood clots, heart attacks and gallbladder problems.

Other side effects associated with Yaz and Yasmin include nausea, stomach cramps and weight gain.

The group is hoping that woman who have experienced the drug's side effects will post their experiences on various social media outlets.