ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN - ORDER ONLINE

ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN INFORMATION

About Ortho Tri Cyclen

Ortho Tri Cyclen estrogen and progestin combination birth control pills are to prevent pregnancy.

As you go through your normal cycle, every 28 days or so, the pituitary gland releases hormones that signal the ovaries to prepare an egg and send it to the uterus to be fertilized.

However, when you take the Ortho Tri Cyclen birth control pill, which contains two types of hormones (norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol), it inhibits this process from occurring and, as a result, no egg is released. It also thickens the cervical mucus, making it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus. So it's easy for you to prevent pregnancy.

How to use Ortho Tri Cyclen

Ortho Tri Cyclen comes with a patient information leaflet. Read it carefully and follow the instructions.

Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist any questions that you may have before using Ortho Tri Cyclen. Try to take Ortho Tri Cyclen at the same time every day, not more than 24 hours apart. If you miss a dose of Ortho Tri-Cyclen, take it as soon as you remember. Take your next dose at the regular time. This means you may take 2 doses on the same day. If you miss more than 1 dose of Ortho Tri-Cyclen, refer to the patient information that came with Ortho Tri-Cyclen. If you have any questions, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

Precautions

Smoking cigarettes while using Ortho Tri Cyclen may increase your risk of stroke, heart attack, blood clots, high blood pressure, or other diseases of the heart and blood vessels. If you have vomiting or diarrhea for any reason, your Ortho Tri Cyclen may not work as well.

While taking Ortho Tri Cyclen certain antibiotics or anticonvulsants may decrease the effectiveness of this medicine. To prevent pregnancy, use an additional form of birth control until your next period.

Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Ortho Tri Cyclen birth control pills.

If you wear contact lenses and you develop problems with them, contact your doctor. Before you begin taking any new medicine, either prescription or over-the-counter, check with your doctor or pharmacist. Ortho Tri Cyclen may cause dark skin patches on your face. Exposure to the sun may make these patches darker. If patches develop, use a sunscreen or protective clothing when exposed to the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths.

Use of birth control pills will not prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Do not use Ortho Tri Cyclen if you are pregnant. If you suspect that you could be pregannt, contact your doctor immediately.

Ortho Tri Cyclen is excreted in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you are using Ortho Tri Cyclen, check with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss the risks to your baby.

Do not share Ortho Tri Cyclen with others.

Ortho Tri Cyclen Side effects

Side effects that may go away while using Ortho Tri-Cyclen include nausea, vomiting, bleeding between menstrual periods, breast tenderness, or weight change. If these effects continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor. Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you experience persistent or recurrent abnormal vaginal bleeding, a missed menstrual period, dizziness or fainting, swelling of fingers or ankles, headache, or difficulty wearing contact lenses. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience sharp or crushing chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, sudden severe headache or leg pain, yellow skin or eyes, changes in vision, numbness of an arm or leg, or severe stomach pain. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

Drug Interactions

Tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription drugs you are taking. Drugs that may decrease the effectiveness of the birth control pills include: griseofulvin, many antibiotics (e.g., penicillins, macrolides, tetracyclines, sulfas, cephalosporins), chloramphenicol, many seizure medications (e.g., phenytoin, barbiturates, primidone, carbamazepine), dapsone, rifamycins (e.g., rifampin), modafinil, nevirapine, nelfinavir, ritonavir, St John's wort, troglitazone. Ask your doctor if you should use additional birth control methods 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 antidepressants (e.g., tricyclics), beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol), "blood thinners" (anticoagulants such as warfarin), insulin. Ortho Tri Cyclen can affect the results of certain lab tests (e.g., thyroid). Inform all laboratory personnel that you use Ortho Tri Cyclen. Birth control pills may significantly intensify the effects of alcohol. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about this. Do not start or stop Ortho Tri Cyclen or any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.

Overdose

If an overdose of Ortho Tri-Cyclen is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of Ortho Tri Cyclen overdose may include nausea and vomiting. Females may experience vaginal bleeding.

Ortho Tri Cyclen Storage

Store Ortho Tri Cyclen at room temperature and away from heat and light.

Keep Ortho Tri Cyclen and all medicines out of reach of children.