Birth Control
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Ortho Tri-Cyclen Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important
information I should know about birth control pills?
-
Take your pill at the same time every day. Each dose should
come no more than 24 hours after the last dose.
-
Avoid smoking cigarettes while taking birth control pills.
Smoking greatly increases the risk of having a heart attack,
stroke, or blood clot.
- Use
another form of birth control if you miss several doses
(see the package insert) or if you are taking drugs that
decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills (see
the section of this leaflet titled
- "What
other drugs will affect my birth control pills?").
What are birth control
pills?
- 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.
- Birth
control pills are used to prevent pregnancy.
- Birth
control pills may also be used for purposes other than
those listed in this medication guide.
Who should not take birth
control pills?
-
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 skin and eyes) caused by use of birth
control in the past;
· have undiagnosed, abnormal vaginal bleeding;
· have migraines;
· have asthma; or
· have seizures or epilepsy.
- You
may not be able to take birth control pills, or you may
require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment
if you have any of the conditions listed above.
- Birth
control pills are in the FDA pregnancy category X. This
means that birth control pills will cause birth defects
in an unborn baby. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can
have very serious negative effects on a developing baby.
Do not take birth control pills if you are pregnant or
if you think you might be pregnant.
- The
hormones in birth control pills pass into breast milk
and may decrease milk production. Do not take birth control
pills without first talking to your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take my
birth control pills?
-
Take your birth control pills exactly as directed by your
doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask
your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
- Take
the first pill in a package on the first Sunday after
your period begins (unless otherwise directed by your
doctor).
- Take
one pill every day, no more than 24 hours after your last
dose. Try to take the pills at a time that you will remember
every day--for example, just before bed, with a meal,
or first thing in the morning.
-
Taking your pill at night may help to reduce any nausea
or headache that you experience because of the hormones.
- If
you are on a 28-day cycle, take one pill every day. When
the pack runs out, throw it away. Begin a new pack the
following day. The 28-day cycle contains seven pills that
are either placebos (with no active ingredients) or iron
supplements. These are "reminder" pills to keep
you on your regular cycle. They are taken while you are
menstruating.
- If
you are on a 21-day cycle, take one pill every day for
21 days, then do not take any pills for 7 days. You should
have your period during the 7 days with no pills. Resume
your pills on the 8th day with a new package.
- Follow
your doctor's instructions about using a second form of
birth control when you first start taking birth control
pills, when you are taking antibiotics, or if you miss
a pill. If you are unsure what to do in any of these cases,
talk to your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor about how to
ensure that you will not become pregnant.
- Store
your birth control pills at room temperature away from
moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss
a dose?
-
Missing a pill increases the risk of becoming pregnant.
- Follow
the exact directions on your package information insert
concerning missed doses. If you do not have a package
information insert, call your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse
to find out what to do.
- In
general:
- If
you miss one dose, take it as soon as you remember or
take two pills at the time of your next regularly scheduled
dose. There is little likelihood that ovulation will occur.
You may, however, want to use a second method of birth
control such as a condom or a spermicidal cream, jelly,
or foam for at least seven consecutive days following
the missed tablet to ensure protection from pregnancy.
- If
you miss two tablets in a row, take the two missed tablets
as soon as you remember or with your next regularly scheduled
dose (three total). Or, you may take two tablets each
for the next two regularly scheduled doses (one missed
tablet plus one regularly scheduled tablet for 2 days
in a row). Chances are much greater that you may ovulate
so you must use another form of birth control for at least
7 days following the missed tablets. It is even better
to use a second method of birth control until your next
period.
- If
you miss three tablets in a row,throw away the package
and start a new package on the 7th day after the last
day you took a pill. Use another method of birth control
until you have taken a pill for 7 days in a row. Your
period should occur during the 7 days without pills. If
it doesn't, have a pregnancy test before beginning a new
package of pills.
- Read
all of the information in your package information insert.
It may have slightly different instructions in the case
of missed pills. Talk to your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor
if you have any questions.
What happens if I overdose?
-
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 in females.
What should I avoid while
taking my birth control pills?
-
Avoid smoking. It greatly increases your risk of a heart
attack, stroke, and blood clot formation.
- Birth
control pills do not protect you from sexually transmitted
diseases including HIV or AIDS. Using a condom is the
only way to protect yourself from these diseases.
What are the possible
side effects of my birth control pills?
-
If you experience any of the following serious side effects,
stop taking your birth control pills 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 numbness of an arm or leg);
· high blood pressure (severe headache, flushing,
blurred vision); or
· liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes,
nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual
bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue).
- Other,
less serious side effects may be more likely to occur.
Continue to take your birth control pills and talk to
your doctor if you experience
· headache or dizziness;
· nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
· breakthrough bleeding; or
· breast tenderness.
- These
side effects may disappear or be less noticeable after
3 to 6 months of birth control use. Ask your doctor or
pharmacist for advice if you find any side effect very
bothersome.
- The
side effects listed below generally occur very rarely
and are not considered serious. 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 acné,
· changes in your sex drive,
· lethargy or fatigue,
· bloating,
· changes in your skin color, or
· changes in your blood sugar.
- Side
effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk
to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual
or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will
affect my birth control pills?
-
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);
· carbamezepine (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.
Where can I get more information?
Your
pharmacist has additional information about birth control
pills written for health professionals that you may read.
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