Estrogen and Progestin - Oral Contraceptives

Generic Name : Estrogen and Progestin - Oral Contraceptives

TradeName : Norethindrone, Norethynodrel, Ethynodiol diacetate, Loestrin, Micronor

Why it is prescribed (Indications) : Estrogen and progestin are two female sex hormones. Various combinations of these hormones are referred to as oral contraceptives or birth-control pills. They prevent the release of eggs from your ovaries and thus prevent pregnancy. Birth-control pills are more effective than any other method of contraception.

When it is to be taken :
1. Birth-control pills come in the form of packets of 21 or 28 tablets. They are taken orally once a day.
2. Get in the habit of taking your tablet at the same time every day (e.g., after dinner or at bedtime). This routine may help you remember to take your tablet regularly and prevent pregnancy.
3. Follow the instructions that come with the tablets concerning when to take your first tablet (on the first or fifth day of your menstrual periods or on the first Sunday after or on which bleeding begins).
4. If you have tablets of more than once color, be sure to take them in the proper sequence. Different colored tablets contain different ingredient and are not interchangeable.
5. In the 28-tablet packet, the last seven tablets are a different color. These tablets are not birth-controls pills; they contain either iron (ferrous fumarate) or an inactive ingredient.
6. 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.
7. If you have a 28-tablet packet, take one tablet daily for 28 days. Start your next packet on the next day. You should take one tablet daily continuously, starting a new packet the day after taking your 28th tablet.

Special Instruction :
1. During the first two weeks (of your first packet) that you take birth-control pills, use another method of birth control.
2. If you miss one tablet, take it as soon as you remember and take the next one at the regular time, even tough you may be taking two tablets in one day.
3. If your miss two tablets, take two tablets daily for the net two days. Whenever one or two doses are missed, use another method of birth control for the remainder of the packet.
4. If you miss three tablets, do not take them when you remember. Throw away any tablets remaining in the packet and start a new packet of tablets on the seventh or eighth day after you took your last tablet, even if you are still bleeding or have not had your period. Use another method of birth control until you have taken one tablets each day for 14 consecutive days from the new packet.

Side Effects :
1. Spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods, painful periods, changes in menstrual flow. If bleeding lasts for more than one week or if these problems continue after your fourth packet, consult your doctor. Your medication may need to be changed.
2. Breast tenderness, enlargement, and secretion; changes in appetite; weight gain or loss; nausea; bloating; acne; brown-colored skin spots; headache; irritability; fatigue; anxiety; dizziness; nervousness. Contact your doctor if these effects are severe or continue after your fourth packet, consult your doctor. Your medication may need to be changed.
3. Take the medication with or after your evening meal or at bedtime if you experience nausea.

Other Precautions :
1. Before you take this medication, tell your doctor your entire medical history, including family medical history, especially if you have asthma; high blood pressure; kidney, liver, or heart disease; or a history of jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes) or high blood pressure during pregnancy, excessive weight gain or fluid retention during your menstrual cycle, strokes, blood clots, heart attacks, seizures, migraine headaches, breast cancer, high blood level of cholesterol or lipids, or mental depression.
2. Before you start to take birth-control pills, tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or if you think that you may be pregnant.
3. Birth-control pills can harm a developing baby.
4. 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, notify your doctor and use another method of birth control until you have a pregnancy test.
5. If you wish to stop taking birth-control pills and become pregnant, use another method of birth control for at least three months to be sure that the medication will not harm the baby.
6. It may take a long time for you to become pregnant after you stop taking birth-control pills, especially if you have never had a baby or if you had irregular, infrequent, or complete absence of menstrual periods before taking birth-control pills.
7. This problem does not seem to be related to the duration of use of birth-control pills. Discuss this problem with your doctor.
8. Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. You should have a complete physical examination, including blood pressure measurements, breast and pelvic examinations, and Pap test for vaginal cancer, at least once a year.
9. Follow your doctor's instructions for examining your own breasts, and report any lumps immediately.
10. Tell your doctor what prescription and non prescription drugs you are taking. Birth control pills can affect the action of many drugs, and certain drugs may decrease the effectiveness of birth-control pills. Before you take other drugs, ask your doctor if you should use another method of birth control.
11. 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 and age (women older than 35 or 40 years of age) further increase the risk of stroke, blood clots, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.
12. Ask your doctor for a copy of the patient labeling which explains these risks in more detail.
13. 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.
14. Before having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor that you take birth-control pills.
15. Do not allow anyone else to take this medication.

Storage Conditions :
1. Keep this medication out of the reach of children.
2. To help you keep track of your doses, keep your birth-control pills in their original container.