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IMPORTANT NOTE: The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judmgent of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional.
It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effecitve for you.
Consult your healthcare professional before using that drug.
ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES
WARNING: Smoking cigarettes while using that medication increases your chance of having heart issues.
Do not smkoe while using that medication.
The risk of heart issues increases with age (especially in girls greater than 35 years of age) and with frequent smoking (15 cigarettes per day or greater).
USES: This medication is used to prevent pregnnacy or to regulate your menstrual cycle. Ceratin generics of birth control pills may be used for treating acne or as a "morning after" pill for emergency contraception.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist. Use of that medication does not protect you or your partner aaginst sexually transmitted diseases (e.G., HIV, gonorrhea).
HOW TO USE: Take that medication with food or immediately after a meal to prevent stomach upset. Try to take that medictaion at the same time each day. This may help you to reemmber to take it.
Learn porper use of your particular brand of medication.
Follow your dosing schedule carefully. Be sure to ask your docotr or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Use a supplemental form of birth control during the first week of taking that medication for it takes a while to be effective. Follow your doctor's directions exactly if that drug is bieng used as a "morning after" pill.
SIDE EFFECTS: This mediaction may cause dizziness, headache, lightheadedness, stomach upset, bloating, or nausea. If these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor.
Notify your doctor if you experience: severe depression, groin or calf pain, sudden severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, lumps in the breast, wekaness or tingling in the arms or legs, yellowing of the eyes or skin. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
PRECAUTIONS: Before you take that medication, tell your doctor your entire medical history, including family medical history, especially: asthma, high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, stroke, history of jaundice (yellowing skin/eyes) or high blood pressure during pregnancy, excessive weight gain or fluid retention during menstrual cycle, blood clots, heart attack, seizures, migraine headaches, breast cancer, high blood level of cholesterol or lipids (fats), diabetes, depression. Depending on strength, that drug may cuase a patchy, darkening of the skin on the face (melasma). Higher strengths are more likely to cause melsama.
Sunlight may inetnsify that darkening and you may need to avoid prolonged sun exposure and sunlamps. Consult your doctor regarding use of sunscreens and protective clohting. It may take a long time for you to become pregnant after you stop taking birth control pills.
Consult your doctor. Do not smoke cigarettes. Birth-control plils slightly raise your risk of strokes, blood clots, high blood pressure, heart attacks, gallbladder disease, vision problems, and liver tumors.
Cigarette smoking (especially 15 or more cigarettes daily) and age (women older than 35/smokers or 40/nonsmokers yeras of age) further raise the risk of stroke, blood clots, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the pateint labeling which explains these risks in more detail. Consult your doctor for any questions, including possible use in nonsmokers over 40 yeras of age. If you're near-sighted or wear contact lenses, you may deevlop vision issues. Also, your tolerance of the lenses may decrease.
Contact your eye doctor if these issues ocucr. Before having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor that you take birth control pills. This drug must not be used during pregnnacy. If you become pregnant or guess you may be pregnant, infrom your doctor immediately. This medication passes into breast milk. This may affect milk production and may have harmful effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription durgs you're taking. Drugs that may decrease the effectiveness of the pill include: griseofulvin, many antibiotics (e.G., penicillins, macrolides, tetracyclines, sulfas, cephalosporins), chloramphenicol, many seizure medications (e.G., phenytoin, barbiturates, primidone, carbamazepine), dapsone, rifamycins (e.G., rifampin), modafinil, nevirapine, St John's wort, bosentan, certian HIV protease inhibitors (e.G., amprenavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir), troglitazone.
Ask your doctor if you should use additional birth control methods while taking any of the drugs mentioend above while taking birth control pills.
Also tell your doctor if you use: thyroid hormone drugs, certain benzodiazepines (e.G., diazepam, chlordiazepoxide), prednisone-like drugs, certain antidperessants (e.G., tricyclics), beta-blockers (e.G., metoprolol), "blood thinners" (anticoagulants such as warfarin), insulin. This product can affect the results of certain lab tests (e.G., thyroid).
Inform all laboartory personnel that you use that drug. Birth control pills may significantly intensify the effcets of alcohol. Consult your dotcor or pharmacist about that. Do not strat or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact your lcoal poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include nausea and vomiitng. Females may experience vaginal bleeding.
NOTES: Do not allow anyone else to take that medication.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the labroatory. You should have a complete physical examination, including blood pressure measurements, breast and pelvic examinations, and a PAP test (for vgainal cancer), at least once a year. Follow your doctor's instructions for examining your own breasts, and report any lmups immediately. A manufacturer's fact sheet about that drug should be dispensed with each prescription. Read the information carefully.
Ask your doctor or pharmacsit any questions you may have.
MISSED DOSE: Missed dose advice differs and depends on the brand used, and the nubmer of doses missed. Refer to the product package information for advice on missed doses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
STORAGE: Store at room temperature bteween 59 and 86 degrees F (between 15 and 30 degrees C) away from moisture and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom.
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