CONTRACEPTIVES, ORAL

Brand & Generic Names

Brevicon	NORETHINDRONE & MESTRANOL
Brevicon 0.5/35	NORETHINDRONE ACETATE &
Brevicon 1/35	ETHINYL ESTRADIOL
Demulen 1/35	NORGESTIMATE & ETHINYL
Demulen 1/50	ESTRADIOL
Demulen 30	NORGESTREL & ETHINYL
Demulen 50	ESTRADIOL
Desogen 28	Norinyl 1+35
DESOGESTREL & ETHINYL	Norinyl 1+50
ESTRADIOL	Norinyl 1/50
ETHYNODIOL DIACETATE &	Norlestrin 1/50
ETHINYL ESTRADIOL	Norlestrin 2.5/50
Genora 0.5/35	Ortho 0.5/35
Genora 1/35	Ortho 1/35
Genora 1/50	Ortho 7/7/7
Jenest-28	Ortho 10/11
Levlen	Ortho-Cept
LEVONORGESTREL & ETHINYL	Ortho-Cyclen 21
ESTRADIOL	Ortho-Cyclen 28
Lo/Ovral	Ortho-Novum 0.5
Lorestrin 1/20	Ortho-Novum 1/35
Lorestrin 1.5/30	Ortho-Novum 1/50
Minestrin 1/20	Ortho-Novum 1/80
Min-Ovral	Ortho-Novum 2
ModiCon	Ortho-Novum 7/7/7
N.E.E. 1/35	Ortho-Novum 10/11
N.E.E. 1/50	Ortho-Tri-Cyclen 21
Nelova 0.5/35E	Ortho-Tri-Cyclen 28
Nelova 1/35E	Ovcon-35
Nelova 1/50M	Ovcon-50
Nelova 10/11	Ovral
Norcept-E 1/35	Synphasic
Nordette	Tri-Levlen
Norethin 1/35E	Tri-Norinyl
Norethin 1/50M	Triphasil
NORETHINDRONE & ETHINYL	Triquilar
ESTRADIOL

Basic Information

• Habit forming? No
• Prescription needed? Yes
• Available as generic? No
• Drug class: Female sex hormone, contraceptive (oral)

Uses

• Prevents pregnancy.
• Regulates menstrual periods.

Dosage & Usage Information

How to take:
Tablet--Swallow with liquid or food to lessen stomach irritation.

When to take:
At same time each day according to prescribed instructions, usually for 21 days of 28-day cycle.

If you forget a dose:
Call doctor's office for advice about additional protection against pregnancy.

What drug does:
Alters mucus at cervix entrance to prevent sperm entry.
Alters uterus lining to resist implantation of fertilized egg.
Creates same chemical atmosphere in blood that exists during pregnancy, suppressing pituitary hormones which stimulate ovulation.

Time lapse before drug works:
10 days or more to provide contraception.

Don't take with:
Tobacco
Any other medicine without consulting your doctor or pharmacist.

Overdose

SYMPTOMS:
Drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, vaginal bleeding.

WHAT TO DO:

Overdose unlikely to threaten life. If person takes much larger amount than prescribed, call doctor, poison-control center or hospital emergency room for instructions.

Possible Adverse Reactions or Side Effects

Life-threatening:

Stroke, chest pain, Seek emergency treatment coughing blood, sudden immediately. severe headache, severe leg pain, shortness of breath.

Common:

Brown blotches on skin; vaginal discharge, itch; fluid retention; breakthrough bleeding; acne.

Infrequent:

• Headache; pain, swelling in leg (possible blod clots in leg vein); muscle, joint pain; depression; severe abdominal pain; bulging eyes; fainting; frequent urination; breast lumps.
• Blue tinge to objects, lights; appetite change; nausea; bloating; vomiting; pain; changed sex drive.

Rare:

• Jaundice, rash, hives, itch, fever, hyper- calcemia in breast cancer, intolerance of contact lenses, excess hair growth, voice change, enlarged clitoris in women.
• Amenorrhea, insomnia, hair loss.

Warnings & Precautions

Don't take if:

• You are allergic to any female hormone.
• You have had heart disease, blood clots or stroke.
• You have liver disease.
• You have cancer of breast, uterus or ovaries.
• You have unexplained vaginal bleeding.
• You smoke cigarettes.

Before you start, consult your doctor:

• If you have fibrocystic disease of breast.
• If you have migraine headaches.
• If you have fibroid tumors of uterus.
• If you have epilepsy.
• If you have asthma.
• If you have high blood pressure.
• If you will have surgery within 2 months, including dental surgery, requiring general or spinal anesthesia.
• If you have endometriosis.
• If you have diabetes.
• If you have sickle-cell anemia.
• If you are over age 35.

Over age 60:
Not used.

Pregnancy:
May harm child. Discontinue at first sign of pregnancy.

Breast-feeding:
Drug passes into milk. Avoid drug or discontinue nursing.

Infants & children:
Not recommended.

Prolonged use:

• Gallstones.
• Gradual blood pressure rise.
• Possible difficulty becoming pregnant after discontinuing.
• Talk to your doctor about the need for follow-up medical examinations or laboratory studies to check blood pressure, liver function, pap smear.

Skin & sunlight:
May cause rash or intensify sunburn in areas exposed to sun or sunlamp.

Driving, piloting or hazardous work:
No problems expected.

Discontinuing:
Don't become pregnant for 6 months after discontinuing.

Others:

• Failure to take oral contraceptives for 1 day may cancel pregnancy protection. If you forget a dose, use other contraceptive measures and call doctor for instructions on re- starting oral contraceptive.
• May interfere with the accuracy of some medical tests.
• May cause some vitamin deficiencies.

Possible Interaction with Other Drugs

GENERIC NAME	COMBINED EFFECT
------------------------	-----------------------
Ampicillin	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Anticoagulants*	Decreased anticoagulant effect.
Anticonvulsants,	Decreased contraceptive
hydantoin*	effect.
Antidepressants,	Increased toxicity of
tricyclic (TCA)*	antidepressants.
Antidiabetics*	Decreased antidiabetic effect.
Antifibronolytic	Increased possibility
agents*	of blood clotting.
Antihistamines*	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Barbiturates*	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Chloramphenicol	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Clofibrate	Decreased clofibrate effect.
Dextrothyroxine	Decreased dextrothyroxine effect.
Guanethidine	Decreased guanethidine effect.
Hypoglycemics,	Decreased effect of hypoglycemics.
Insulin	Possibly decreased insulin effect.
Meperidine	Increased meperidine effect.
Meprobamate	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Mineral oil	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Non-steroidal	Decreased contraceptive
anti-inflammatory	effect.
Phenothiazines*	Increased phenothiazine effect.
Rifampin	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Sulfadoxine and	Reduced reliability of the pill.
Terazosin	Decreases effectiveness of
	terazosin.
Tetracyclines*	Decreased contraceptive effect.
Ursodiol	Decreased effect of ursodiol.
Vitamin A	Vitamin A excess.
Vitamin C	Possible increased contraceptive
	effect.

Possible Interaction with Other Substances

INTERACTS WITH	COMBINED EFFECT
---------------	---------------
Alcohol:	No proven problems.
Beverages:	No proven problems.
Cocaine:	No proven problems.
Salt.	Increased edema (fluid retention).
Marijuana:	Increased bleeding between periods.
	Avoid.
Tobacco:	Possible heart attack, blood clots
	and stroke. If you take "the pill,"
	don't smoke.