Expert: Mia - 2/16/2009

Question
I want to start off by thanking you for your time.  I am currently taking YAZ.  I have been on it for about 2 months.  It is working for me, but I just recently moved (and had a month of my birth control stolen from me before I moved...why, I don't know) and am going to Planned Parenthood in my area for the first time.  I was informed that they don't provide YAZ.  I know I need to finish my YAZ, but how long do I have to wait until I can take the new pills or can I just start after my last day of YAZ?  Are there any risks in changing as I haven't been on the YAZ too long?  Again,  thank you for your time.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Answer
Hi Laura,

Yes you can start the new brand of birth control after you finish your last pack of Yaz. There are no health risks doing this. You may experience some of the side effects of starting a new pill such as breakthrough bleeding and nausea, but these should go away after a couple months. You may also want to consider using a back-up method if you have sex during the first 7 days on the new brand. Some doctors think this is unnecessary but others recommend it to be extra cautious.

I hope this helps. If you have further questions let me know.

-Mia