|
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
| Medication |
Quantity |
Price |
Payment Methods |
Visit Online Pharmacy |
Ortho Tri-Cyclen provides you with a low daily dose
of hormones that prevent pregnancy, while actually
lowering the level of the hormone in your body that's
likely to cause acne. In clinical tests, ORTHO
TRI-CYCLEN has been clinically proven to help reduce
mild to moderate acne-nearly nine out of ten women saw
improvements in their skin.
Important Warning:
Cigarette smoking increases
the risk of serious side effects from oral
contraceptives, including heart attacks, blood clots,
and strokes. This risk is higher for women over 35 years
old and heavy smokers (15 or more cigarettes per day).
If you take oral contraceptives, you should not smoke.
Medication Information
Oral contraceptives
(birth-control pills) are used to prevent pregnancy.
Estrogen and progestin are two female sex hormones.
Combinations of estrogen and progestin work by
preventing the release of eggs from the ovaries
(ovulation) and changing the cervical mucus and the
lining of the uterus. Oral contraceptives are a very
effective method of birth control, but they do not
prevent the spread of AIDS and other sexually
transmitted diseases.
How should Ortho Tri-cyclen be used?
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 Ortho Tri-cyclen, 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 Ortho
Tri-cyclen 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.
Other uses for Ortho Tri-cyclen
Ortho Tri-cyclen may be prescribed for other uses;
ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before
taking oral contraceptives,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic
to estrogen, progestin, or any other
medications.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what
prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins,
and nutritional supplements you are taking. Be sure to
mention any of the following: acetaminophen (APAP,
Tylenol); antibiotics; anticoagulants ('blood thinners')
such as warfarin (Coumadin); atorvastatin (Lipitor);
clofibrate (Atromid-S); cyclosporine (Neoral,
Sandimmune); griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin,
Grisactin); HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir
(Crixivan) and ritonavir (Norvir); medications for
seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital
(Luminal, Solfoton), phenytoin (Dilantin), and
topiramate (Topamax); morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, MSIR,
others); oral steroids such as dexamethasone (Decadron,
Dexone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisone
(Deltasone), and prednisolone (Prelone); phenylbutazone;
rifabutin (Mycobutin); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane);
temazepam (Restoril); theophylline (Theobid, Theo-Dur);
and thyroid medication such as levothyroxine
(Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid). Before taking Yasmin,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking
angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as
benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), and
lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril); angiotensin II
antagonists such as irbesartan (Avapro), losartan
(Cozaar), and valsartan (Diovan); aspirin and other
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) such
as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve,
Naprosyn); diuretics ('water pills') such as amiloride
(Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone), and triamterene
(Dyrenium); or heparin. Your doctor may need to change
the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully
for side effects.
tell your doctor what herbal
products you are taking, especially St. John's wort.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had breast
lumps or cancer; endometrial cancer; high blood
pressure; high blood cholesterol and fats; diabetes
(high blood sugar); asthma; stroke; blood clots; toxemia
(high blood pressure during pregnancy); heart attack;
epilepsy (seizures); migraine headaches; depression;
liver, heart, gallbladder, or kidney disease; adrenal
insufficiency (for Yasmin); jaundice (yellowing of the
skin or eyes); vaginal bleeding between menstrual
periods; and excessive weight gain and fluid retention
(bloating) during the menstrual cycle.
do not take
oral contraceptives if you are pregnant, plan to become
pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant
while taking oral contraceptives, call your doctor
immediately.
if you are having surgery, including
dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are
taking oral contraceptives.
tell your doctor and
pharmacist if you wear contact lenses. If you notice
changes in vision or ability to wear your lenses while
taking hormone replacement therapy, see an eye doctor.
What special dietary instructions should I
follow?
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise,
continue your normal diet.
What should I do if I forget a dose?
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.
What side effects can Ortho Tri-cyclen
cause?
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 seious. 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
Ortho Tri-cyclen.
Oral contraceptives may cause other side effects.
Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while
taking Ortho Tri-cyclen.
What storage conditions are needed for Ortho
Tri-cyclen?
Keep Ortho Tri-cyclen 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.
In case of emergency/overdose
In case of
overdose, call your local poison control center at
1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not
breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
What other information should I know?
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 Ortho Tri-cyclen 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. |
