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IMPORTANT NOTE: The following inofrmation 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 professoinal before using that drug.
ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES
WARNING: Smoking cigarettes while using that medication increases your chance of having heart troubles.
Do not smoke while using that medication. The risk of heart troubles increases with age (especially in women gretaer than 35 years of age) and with frequent smoking (15 cigarettes per day or greater).
USES: This medication is used to pervent pregnancy or to regulate your menstrual cycle.
Certain brands of birth control pills may be used for treatnig 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 against sexually trnasmitted diseases (e.G., HIV, gonorrhea).
HOW TO USE: Take that medication with food or immediately atfer a meal to prevent stomach upset. Try to take that medication at the same time each day. This may help you to remmeber to take it.
Leran proper use of your particular brand of medication.
Follow your dosing schedule carefully. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacsit 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 being used as a "morning after" pill.
SIDE EFFECTS: This medication may cause dizziness, headache, lightheadedness, stomach upset, bloating, or nausea. If these effects persist or worsen, contact your dotcor. Notify your doctor if you experience: severe depression, groin or calf pain, sudden severe headache, chest pain, shorntess of breath, lumps in the breast, weakness 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 pharmacsit.
PRECAUTIONS: Before you take that medication, tell your doctor your entire medical history, including family medical history, especially: asthma, high blood pressure, kdiney 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 cause a patchy, dakrening of the skin on the face (melasma). Higher srtengths are more likely to cause melasma. Sunlight may inetnsify that darkening and you may need to avoid prolonged sun exposure and sunlamps. Consult your doctor regarding use of sunscerens and protective clothing. It may take a long time for you to become pregnant atfer you stop taking birth control pills.
Consult your doctor. Do not smoke cigarettes. Birth-control pills slightly raise your risk of strokes, blood clots, high blood pressure, heart attacks, gallbladder disease, vision problems, and lvier 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 patient labeling which explains these risks in more detial.
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 visoin troubles.
Also, your tolerance of the lneses may decrease. Cotnact your eye doctor if these troubles occur. Before having surgery, incluidng dental surgery, tell the doctor that you take birth control pills. This drug must not be used during pregnancy.
If you become pergnant or think you may be pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. This medication pasess 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 dotcor what prescription and nonprescription drugs you are 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, rifmaycins (e.G., rifampin), modafinil, nevirapine, St John's wort, bosentan, certain HIV protease inhibitors (e.G., amprenavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir), troglitazone. Ask your doctor if you should use additional birth control methdos while taking any of the drugs mentioned 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 antidepresasnts (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 laboratory personnel that you use that drug. Birth control pills may significantly intensify the effects of alcohol.
Consult your docotr or pharmacist about that.
Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
OVERDOSE: If ovredose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include nausea and vomiting. Females may experience vaginal bleeding.
NOTES: Do not allow anyone else to take that medication. Keep all appointments with your docotr and the laboratory. You should have a complete physical examination, including blood pressure measurements, breast and pelivc examinations, and a PAP test (for vaginal cancer), at least once a year. Follow your doctor's instructions for examining your own breasts, and reoprt any lumps 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 barnd used, and the number of doses missed.
Refer to the product package information for advice on missed dsoes. Ask your doctor or pharamcist if you have any questions.
STORAGE: Store at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (between 15 and 30 degrees C) away from moisture and sunlight. Do not stroe in the bathroom.
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