Category
:
Oral Contraceptives
Brand names : Alesse, Brevicon,
Cyclessa, Demulen, Desogen, Levlen, Levlite, Loestrin, Lo/Ovral,
Low-Ogestrel, Micronor, Modicon, Necon, Nordette, Norinyl, Ogestrel,
Ortho-Cept, Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho-Novum, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Ovcon,
Ovral, Tri-Norinyl, Triphasil, Trivora, Yasmin, Zovia
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Why is Ovral prescribed?
Oral contraceptives (also known as "The Pill") are highly effective
means of preventing pregnancy. Oral contraceptives consist of
synthetic forms of two hormones produced naturally in the body:
either progestin alone or estrogen and progestin. Estrogen and
progestin regulate a woman's menstrual cycle, and the fluctuating
levels of these hormones play an essential role in fertility.
To reduce side effects, oral contraceptives are available in a
wide range of estrogen and progestin concentrations. Progestin-only
products (such as Micronor) are usually prescribed for women who
should avoid estrogens; however, they may not be as effective
as estrogen/progestin contraceptives.
One variety of the Pill--the Ortho Tri-Cyclen 28-day Dial pak--is
also used in the treatment of moderate acne in women aged 15 and
older. It is taken just as it would be for contraception.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy
Ovral(Estrogen and Progestin) Now !
Most
important fact about Ovral
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious heart-related
side effects (stroke, heart attack, blood clots, etc.) in women
who use oral contraceptives. This risk increases with heavy smoking
(15 or more cigarettes per day) and with age. There is an especially
significant increase in heart disease risk in women over 35 years
old who smoke and use oral contraceptives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
How should you take Ovral?
Oral contraceptives should be taken daily, no more than 24 hours
apart, for the duration of the prescribed cycle of 21 or 28 days.
Start the cycle according to package directions. Ideally, you
should take your pill at the same time every day to reduce the
chance of forgetting a dose; with progestin-only contraceptives,
taking the pill at the same time each day is essential.
-If you miss a dose.
If you neglect to take only one estrogen/progestin pill, take
it as soon as you remember, take the next pill at your regular
time, and continue taking the rest of the medication cycle. The
risk of pregnancy is small if you miss only one combination pill
per cycle. If you miss more than one tablet, check your product's
patient information for instructions.
Missing a single progestin-only tablet increases the chance of
pregnancy. Consult your doctor immediately if you miss a single
dose or if you take it 3 or more hours late, and use another method
of birth control until your next period begins or pregnancy is
ruled out.
-Storage instructions.
To help keep track of your doses, use the original container.
Store at room temperature.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy
Ovral(Estrogen and Progestin) Now !
What
side effects may occur?
Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in
intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor
can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking an oral
contraceptive.
Side effects may include:
Abdominal cramps, acne, appetite changes, bladder infection, bleeding
in spots during a menstrual period, bloating, blood clots, breast
tenderness or enlargement, cataracts, chest pain, contact lens
discomfort, decreased flow of milk when given immediately after
birth, depression, difficulty breathing, dizziness, fluid retention,
gallbladder disease, growth of face, back, chest, or stomach hair,
hair loss, headache, heart attack, high blood pressure, inflammation
of the large intestine, kidney trouble, lack of menstrual periods,
liver tumors, lumps in the breast, menstrual pattern changes,
migraine, muscle, joint, or leg pain, nausea, nervousness, pancreatitis,
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), secretion of milk, sex drive changes,
skin infection, skin rash or discoloration, stomach cramps, stroke,
swelling, temporary infertility, unexplained bleeding in the vagina,
vaginal discharge, vaginal infections (and/or burning and itching),
visual disturbances, vomiting, weight gain or loss, yellow skin
or whites of eyes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Why should Ovral not be prescribed?
You should not take oral contraceptives if you have had an allergic
reaction to them or if you are pregnant (or think you might be).
Avoid them, too, if you suffer from migraine headaches preceded
by an aura (visual disturbances such as pulsing lights and blind
spots, temporary numbness, and similar symptoms).
If you have ever had breast cancer or cancer in the reproductive
organs or liver tumors, you should not take oral contraceptives.
If you have or have ever had a stroke, heart disease, liver disease,
angina (severe chest pain), or blood clots, you should not take
oral contraceptives. They are not recommended for women with significant
high blood pressure. Women who have had pregnancy-related jaundice
or jaundice stemming from previous use of oral contraceptives
should not take them.
If you have undiagnosed and/or unexplained abnormal vaginal bleeding,
do not take oral contraceptives.
In addition, if you have liver, kidney, or adrenal disease, you
should avoid the Yasmin brand of oral contraceptive. It contains
an ingredient that can increase potassium levels in the body,
leading to serious problems if you have one of these diseases.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy
Ovral(Estrogen and Progestin) Now !
Special
warnings about Ovral
Oral contraceptives should be used with caution if you are over
40 years old; smoke tobacco; have liver, heart, gallbladder, kidney,
or thyroid disease; have high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, or porphyria (a blood disorder); or
tend to be seriously overweight. Caution is also advised if you
have blood circulation problems or have had a heart attack or
stroke in the past. Be cautious, too, if you have problems with
depression, migraine or other headaches, irregular menstrual periods,
or visual disturbances.
If you have a family history of breast cancer or other cancers,
you might want to consider using a progestin-only product. The
estrogen in combination oral contraceptives has been linked with
a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer during use of the
pill. If you do use a combination, chose one with a relatively
low amount of estrogen. Take high-estrogen pills (0.05 milligrams
of estrogen) only if your doctor feels it's necessary.
You should also be aware that some experts think oral contraceptives
may increase the risk of cervical cancer. This remains controversial,
however. Many doctors think other factors are to blame.
Since the blood's clotting ability may be affected by oral contraceptives,
your doctor may take you off them prior to surgery. If bleeding
lasts more than 8 days while you are on a progestin-only oral
contraceptive, or if you have no period at all, be sure to let
your doctor know. The risk of blood clots is greater with oral
contraceptives that contain desogestrel, such as Ortho-Cept.
Oral contraceptives do not protect against HIV infection (AIDS)
or any other sexually transmitted disease. If there is a danger
of infection, use a latex condom and spermicide in addition to
the pill.
If you develop a migraine or severe headache that does not let
up or keeps recurring while you are taking a progestin-only oral
contraceptive, check with your doctor. You may need to switch
to a different type of pill.
If you miss a menstrual period but have taken your pills regularly,
contact your doctor but do not stop taking your pills. If you
miss a period and have not taken your pills regularly, or if you
miss two consecutive periods, you may be pregnant; stop taking
your pills and check with your doctor immediately to see if you
are pregnant. Use another form of birth control while you are
not taking your pills.
If you are taking a progestin-only oral contraceptive and you
have sudden or severe abdominal pain, call your doctor immediately.
There is a higher risk of ectopic (outside the womb) pregnancy
or ovarian cysts with this type of contraceptive.
You should also be aware that oral contraceptives have been know
to cause rare cases of noncancerous--but dangerous--liver tumors.
In people prone to high cholesterol and similar problems, oral
contraceptives have been known to raise triglyceride levels, leading
to pancreatitis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Possible food and drug interactions when taking Ovral
If oral contraceptives are taken with certain other drugs, the
effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It
is especially important to check with your doctor before combining
oral contraceptives with the following:
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep)
- Ampicillin (Principen, Totacillin)
- Aspirin
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Barbiturates (phenobarbital, Seconal)
- Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
- Chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin)
- Clofibrate (Questran)
- Clomipramine (Anafranil)
- Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
- Diazepam (Valium)
- Doxepin (Sinequan)
- Glipizide (Glucotrol)
- Griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grisactin)
- Imipramine (Tofranil)
- Lorazepam (Ativan)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor)
- Morphine (MS Contin)
- Oxazepam (Serax)
- Penicillin (Veetids, Pen-Vee K)
- Phenylbutazone (Butazolidin)
- Phenytoin (Dilantin)
- Prednisolone (Prelone, Pediapred)
- Prednisone (Deltasone)
- Primidone (Mysoline)
- Propranolol (Inderal)
- Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
- St. John's Wort
- Sulfonamides (Bactrim, Septra)
- Temazepam (Restoril)
- Tetracycline (Achromycin V, Sumycin)
- Theophylline (Theo-Dur, Slo-bid)
- Topiramate (Topamax)
- Troleandomycin (Tao)
- Vitamin C
- Warfarin (Coumadin, Panwarfin)
In addition, before using the Yasmin brand of oral contraceptive
check with your doctor if you regularly take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs such as Motrin and Aleve, potassium supplements such as
Micro-K, certain water pills such as Aldactone, and certain high
blood pressure medications, including Avapro, Capoten, Cozaar,
Diovan, Vasotec, and Zestril.
Remember, too, that oral contraceptives may affect tests for blood
sugar levels and thyroid function and may cause an increase in
blood cholesterol levels.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy
Ovral(Estrogen and Progestin) Now !
Special
information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
If you are pregnant (or think you might be), you should not use
oral contraceptives, since they are not safe during pregnancy.
For safety's sake, switch to a nonhormonal method of contraception
if you miss a period after forgetting a scheduled dose of the
Pill. In addition, wait at least 4 weeks after delivery before
starting an oral contraceptive.
Nursing mothers should not use most oral contraceptives, since
Ovral can appear in breast milk and may cause jaundice and enlarged
breasts in nursing infants. In this situation, your doctor may
advise you to use a different form of contraception while you
are nursing your baby. However, progestin-only oral contraceptives
should not affect your milk or your baby's health.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended dosage
If you have any questions about how you should take oral contraceptives,
consult your doctor or the patient instructions that come in the
drug package. The following is a partial list of instructions
for taking oral contraceptives; it should not be used as a substitute
for consultation with your doctor.
Some brands can be started on the first day of your menstrual
cycle or on the first Sunday afterwards. Others must be started
on the fifth day of the cycle or the first Sunday afterwards.
The instructions below are for the first-Sunday schedule.
Oral contraceptives are supplied in 21-day and 28-day packages.
FOR A 21-DAY SCHEDULE
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Oral contraceptives are taken every day for a 3-week period, followed
by 1 week of no oral contraceptives; this cycle is repeated each
month.
1) Starting on the first Sunday after the beginning of your menstrual
period, take one tablet daily (at the same time each day) for
the next 21 days. Note: If your period begins on Sunday, take
the first tablet that day.
2) Wait 1 week before taking any more tablets. Your menstrual
period should occur during this time.
3) Following this 1-week waiting time, begin taking a daily tablet
again for the next 21 days.
FOR A 28-DAY SCHEDULE
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting on the first Sunday after the beginning of your menstrual
period, take one tablet daily (at the same time each day) for
the next 28 days. Continue taking the oral contraceptives according
to your physician's instructions. Note: If your period begins
on Sunday, take the first tablet that day.
FOR BOTH 21- AND 28-DAY REGIMENS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
When following a regimen with a Sunday or Day 5 start, use an
additional method of birth control for the first 7 days of the
cycle.
Progestin-only tablets should be taken at the same time of day
every day of the year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Overdosage
While any medication taken in excess can cause overdose, the risk
associated with oral contraceptives is minimal. Even young children
who have taken large amounts of oral contraceptives have not experienced
serious adverse effects. However, if you suspect an overdose,
seek medical help immediately.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
Nausea, withdrawal bleeding in females
