birth control pills alesse
Ethinyl Estradiol and Levonorgestrel(ETH in ill ess tra DYE ole and LEE voe nor jess trel)
Alesse, Aviane, Levlen, Levlite, Levora, Tri-Levlen, Triphasil, Triphasil-28,Trivora
What is the most important information I should know about Alesse?
• Take your pill at the same time every day birth control pills alesse. Each dose should come no morethan 24 hours after the last dose birth control pills alesse.
• Avoid smoking cigarettes while taking Alesse birth control pills alesse. Smoking greatly increasesthe risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot birth control pills alesse.
• Use another form of birth control if you miss several doses (see thepackage insert) or if you are taking drugs that decrease the effectiveness ofAlesse (see the section of this leaflet titled "What other drugs will affectAlesse?") birth control pills alesse.
What are Alesse?
• Alesse contains a combination of hormones that is used to prevent ovulation(the release of an egg from an ovary) birth control pills alesse. The pills contain a form of estrogenand a form of progesterone, which are both female hormones involved in conception birth control pills alesse.
• Alesse also have other effects that inhibit pregnancy birth control pills alesse. They cause thecervical mucous to thicken, which makes it harder for sperm to move toward theuterus, and they prevent the attachment of an egg to the uterus birth control pills alesse.
• Alesse is used to prevent pregnancy birth control pills alesse.
• Alesse may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide birth control pills alesse.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Alesse?
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you
· have high blood pressure, angina, or heart disease;
· have had a stroke;
· have a bleeding or blood-clotting disorder;
· have breast, uterine, or another hormone-related cancer;
· have liver disease or a history of jaundice (yellowing of the skinand eyes) caused by use of birth control in the past;
· have undiagnosed, abnormal vaginal bleeding;
· have migraines;
· have asthma; or
· have seizures or epilepsy birth control pills alesse.
• You may not be able to take Alesse, or you may require a lower dose orspecial monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove birth control pills alesse.
• Alesse is in the FDA pregnancy category X birth control pills alesse. This means that Alesse willcause birth defects in an unborn baby birth control pills alesse. Hormonal changes during pregnancy canhave very serious negative effects on a developing baby birth control pills alesse. Do not take Alesseif you are pregnant or if you think you might be pregnant birth control pills alesse.
• The hormones in Alesse pass into breast milk and may decrease milk production birth control pills alesse. Do not take Alesse without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby birth control pills alesse.
How should I take Alesse?
• Take Alesse exactly as directed by your doctor birth control pills alesse. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you birth control pills alesse.
• Take the first pill in a package on the first Sunday after your periodbegins (unless otherwise directed by your doctor) birth control pills alesse.
• Take one pill every day, no more than 24 hours after your last dose birth control pills alesse. Try to take the pills at a time that you will remember every day--for examplejust before bed, with a meal, or first thing in the morning birth control pills alesse.
• Taking your pill at night may help to reduce any nausea or headache thatyou may experience because of the hormones birth control pills alesse.
• If you are on a 28-day cycle, take one pill every day birth control pills alesse. When the packruns out, throw it away birth control pills alesse. Begin a new pack the following day birth control pills alesse. The 28-day cyclecontains seven pills that are either placebos (with no active ingredients) oriron supplements birth control pills alesse. These are "reminder" pills to keep you on your regularcycle birth control pills alesse. They are taken while you are menstruating birth control pills alesse.
• If you are on a 21-day cycle, take one pill every day for 21 days, thendo not take any pills for 7 days birth control pills alesse. You should have your period during the 7 dayswith no pills birth control pills alesse. Resume your pills on the 8th day with a new package birth control pills alesse.
• Follow your doctor's instructions about using a second form of birthcontrol when you first start taking Alesse, when you are taking antibiotics,or if you miss a pill birth control pills alesse. If you are unsure what to do in any of these cases, talkto your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor about how to ensure that you will not becomepregnant birth control pills alesse.
• Store Alesse at room temperature away from moisture and heat birth control pills alesse.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Missing a pill increases the risk of becoming pregnant birth control pills alesse.
• Follow the exact directions on your package information insert concerningmissed doses birth control pills alesse. If you do not have a package information insert, call your pharmacist,doctor, or nurse to find out what to do birth control pills alesse.
• In general:
• If you miss one dose, take it as soon as you remember or take two pillsat the time of your next regularly scheduled dose birth control pills alesse. There is little likelihoodthat ovulation will occur birth control pills alesse. You may, however, want to use a second method ofbirth control such as a condom or a spermicidal cream, jelly, or foam for atleast seven consecutive days following the missed tablet to ensure protectionfrom pregnancy birth control pills alesse.
• If you miss two tablets in a row, take the two missed tablets as soonas you remember or with your next regularly scheduled dose (three total) birth control pills alesse. Or,you may take two tablets each for the next two regularly scheduled doses (onemissed tablet plus one regularly scheduled tablet for 2 days in a row) birth control pills alesse. Chancesare much greater that you may ovulate so you must use another form of birthcontrol for at least 7 days following the missed tablets birth control pills alesse. It is even betterto use a second method of birth control until your next period birth control pills alesse.
• If you miss three tablets in a row, throw away the package and starta new package on the 7th day after the last day you took a pill birth control pills alesse. Use anothermethod of birth control until you have taken a pill for 7 days in a row birth control pills alesse. Yourperiod should occur during the 7 days without pills birth control pills alesse. If it doesn't, have a pregnancytest before beginning a new package of pills birth control pills alesse.
• Read all of the information in your package information insert birth control pills alesse. It mayhave slightly different instructions in the case of missed pills birth control pills alesse. Talk to yourpharmacist, nurse, or doctor if you have any questions birth control pills alesse.
What happens if I overdose?
• Death is not likely to occur from an overdose of Alesse birth control pills alesse. Consult a doctor,an emergency room, or a poison control center for advice birth control pills alesse.
• Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, vomiting, and menstrual bleeding birth control pills alesse.
What should I avoid while taking Alesse?
• Avoid smoking birth control pills alesse. Smoking greatly increases your risk of a heart attack,stroke, or blood clot formation birth control pills alesse.
• Alesse do not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases--includingHIV and AIDS birth control pills alesse. Using a condom is the only way to protect yourself from thesediseases birth control pills alesse.
What are the possible side effects of Alesse?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingAlesse and seek emergency medical attention:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· a blood clot in the lung (shortness of breath or pain in the chest);
· a blood clot in an arm or leg (pain, redness, swelling, or numbnessof an arm or leg);
· high blood pressure (severe headache, flushing, blurred vision); or
· liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal painor discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue) birth control pills alesse.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur birth control pills alesse. Continueto take Alesse and talk to your doctor if you experience
· headache or dizziness;
· nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
· breakthrough bleeding; or
· breast tenderness birth control pills alesse.
• These side effects may disappear or be less noticeable after 3 to 6 monthsof birth control use birth control pills alesse. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you find anyside effect very bothersome birth control pills alesse.
• The side effects listed below generally occur very rarely and are notconsidered serious birth control pills alesse. If you experience any of the following, talk to your doctor:
· depression,
· changes in weight or appetite,
· vaginal yeast infection,
· changes in your menstrual cycle,
· oily skin or acne,
· changes in your sex drive,
· lethargy or fatigue,
· bloating,
· changes in your skin color, or
· changes in your blood sugar birth control pills alesse.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur birth control pills alesse. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome birth control pills alesse.
What other drugs will affect Alesse?
• Some drugs may decrease the effectiveness of Alesse, which may resultin pregnancy birth control pills alesse. Use a second form of birth control if you are taking
· a penicillin antibiotic such as amoxicillin (Amoxil, Polymox, Trimox,Wymox, Utimox, A-Cillin, Larotid, Augmentin, others), ampicillin (Principen,Omnipen, Penamp, Polycillin, Amplin, Amcill, Totacillin, others), bacampicillin(Spectrobid), carbenicillin (Geocillin), cloxacillin (Cloxapen, Tegopen), dicloxacillin(Dynapen, Dycill, Pathocil), nafcillin (Nafcil, Nallpen, Unipen), oxacillin(Bactocill, Prostphlin), or penicillin (Veetids, Pen Vee K, Bicillin, Permapen,others);
· a tetracycline antibiotic such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline(Doryx, Doxy, Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs, others), minocycline (Minocin), or tetracycline(Sumycin, Teracyn, Achromycin, Robitet, Panmycin, others);
· a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol),mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal,Solfoton);
· rifampin (Rifadin);
· phenytoin (Dilantin);
· carbamazepine (Tegretol); or
· griseofulvin (Grisactin, Grifulvin V, Fulvicin PG) birth control pills alesse.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Alesse birth control pills alesse. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines birth control pills alesse.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Alesse written for healthprofessionals that you may read birth control pills alesse.
|
