Buy Triphasil

LEVONORGESTREL (LEE-voe-nor-jess-trel) and ETHINYL ESTRADIOL (ETH-in-il ess-tra-DYE-ole)

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Birth control pills contain a combination of hormones that is used to prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). The pills contain a form of estrogen and a form of progesterone, which are both female hormones involved in conception. Birth control pills also have other effects that inhibit pregnancy. They cause the cervical mucous to thicken, which makes it harder for sperm to move toward the uterus, and they prevent the attachment of an egg to the uterus.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Oral contraceptives come in packets of 21 or 28 tablets to take by mouth once a day. To avoid upset stomach, take oral contraceptives with food or milk. Take the tablet routinely at the same time every day (e.g., after dinner or at bedtime) to help you remember to take the tablet regularly. Missing doses increases your risk of becoming pregnant. When first starting on this medicine, use an additional method of birth control until you have correctly taken 7 days' worth of medicine. If you have a 21-tablet packet, take one tablet daily for 21 days and then none for seven days. Then start a new packet. If you have a 28-tablet packet, take one tablet daily for 28 days. The last seven tablets are a different color. These tablets are not birth-control pills; they contain iron (ferrous fumarate) or an inactive ingredient. You should take one tablet daily continuously for 28 days in the order specified in your packet, starting a new packet the day after taking your 28th tablet. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully concerning when to take your first tablet (on the first or fifth day of your menstrual period or on the first Sunday after or on which bleeding begins). Take the oral contraceptive exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor. If you have recently given birth, wait until 4 weeks after giving birth to begin taking oral contraceptives. Before taking oral contraceptives, ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient and read it carefully.

Oral contraceptives may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: upset stomach, vomiting, stomach cramps or bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gingivitis (swelling of the gum tissue), weight gain or weight loss, brown or black skin patches, acne, swelling of the hands, feet, or lower legs (fluid retention), hair growth in unusual places, bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods, changes in menstrual flow, painful or missed periods, breast tenderness, enlargement, or discharge, difficulty wearing contact lenses. Some side effects can be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon, but if you experience any of them, call your doctor immediately: severe headache, shortness of breath, severe vomiting, partial or complete loss of vision, double vision, speech problems, dizziness or faintness, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg, crushing chest pain or chest heaviness, coughing up blood, calf pain, severe stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, severe depression, unusual bleeding, loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, weakness, or lack of energy, fever, dark-colored urine, light-colored stool, rash. Oral contraceptives may increase the risk of developing endometrial and breast cancer, gallbladder disease, liver tumors, heart attack, stroke, and blood clots. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking this medication.

Before you take this medication, tell your doctor your entire medical history, including family medical history, especially: asthma, high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver 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, this drug may cause a patchy, darkening of the skin on the face (melasma). Higher strengths are more likely to cause melasma. Sunlight may intensify this darkening and you may need to avoid prolonged sun exposure and sunlamps. Consult your doctor regarding use of sunscreens and protective clothing. 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 pills slightly increase 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 years of age) further increase the risk of stroke, blood clots, high blood pressure and heart attacks. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the patient labeling which explains these risks in more detail. Consult your doctor for any questions, including possible use in nonsmokers over 40 years of age. If you are near-sighted or wear contact lenses, you may develop vision problems. Also, your tolerance of the lenses may decrease. Contact your eye doctor if these problems occur. Before having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor that you take birth control pills. This drug must not be used during pregnancy. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, inform 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.

Some drugs may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills, which may result in pregnancy. 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). Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with birth control pills. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Death is not likely to occur from an overdose of birth control pills. Consult a doctor, an emergency room, or a poison control left for advice. Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, vomiting, and menstrual bleeding.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. You should have a complete physical examination every year, including blood pressure measurements, breast and pelvic exams, and a Pap test. Follow your doctor's directions for examining your breasts; report any lumps immediately. Before you have any laboratory tests, tell the laboratory personnel that you take oral contraceptives, as this medication may interfere with some laboratory tests. If you miss one menstrual period and have taken your tablets as directed, continue taking them. However, if you miss one period and have not taken your tablets as directed or if you miss two menstrual periods and have taken the tablets as directed, call your doctor and use another method of birth control until you have a pregnancy test. If you wish to stop taking oral contraceptives and become pregnant, use another method of birth control for at least 3 months after you stop taking the tablets to be sure that the medication will not harm the fetus. It may take a long time for you to become pregnant after you stop taking oral contraceptives, especially if you have never had a baby or if you had irregular, infrequent, or complete absence of menstrual periods before taking oral contraceptives. Questions should be discussed with your doctor. Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

If you miss doses of your oral contraceptive, you may be at risk for becoming pregnant. Instructions about missed doses are different for different products. Carefully read the instructions in the manufacturer's information for the patient. If you have any questions, call your doctor or pharmacist. If you miss pills, you may need to use a backup method of birth control for 7 days or until the end of the cycle.

Keep this medication in the packet it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. Consult your healthcare professional before using this drug.

WARNING:

Smoking cigarettes while using this medication increases your chance of having heart problems. Do not smoke while using this medication. The risk of heart problems increases with age (in women greater than 35 years of age) and with frequent smoking (15 cigarettes per day or greater).