levonorgestrel-ethinyl estradiol Tablets Contraceptive: Uses, Side Effects Dose, Precaution, Warnings, Interaction

Brand name (S): LYBREL, and AMETHYST

Generic name (S): levonorgestrel-ethinyl estrad

Uses

The use of this hormonal drug combination is recommended for the goal of preventing pregnancy. It contains two active hormones, one of which is a progestin called levonorgestrel, while the other is an estrogen called ethinyl estradiol. Oral contraceptives are effective not only in preventing pregnancy but also in regulating menstrual cycles, reducing the severity of menstrual cramps and heavy bleeding, lowering the chance of developing ovarian cysts, and even treating acne. It is very important to keep in mind that This medication offers no defense against the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. like chlamydia, gonorrhea, or HIV.

The following are the instructions for the administration of the oral medication levonorgestrel-ethinyl estradiol:

Before beginning usage of this medicine and whenever you get a refill, it is in your best interest to perform a careful and comprehensive reading of the Patient Information Leaflet that was provided to you by your pharmacist. The information included in the leaflet is very important in terms of the time of pill ingestion as well as the required procedures that should be followed in the event that a dosage is missed. In the event that any questions arise, we ask that you please refer them to your physician or pharmacist.

You should take this medicine orally, in line with the directions provided by your doctor, on an everyday basis, as a general rule. Pick a time of day that will be convenient for you to keep in mind, and then make sure that you are consistent by taking your medication at the exact same time every day.

It is of the highest significance to maintain complete compliance with the dosage and administration schedule that your doctor has advised for this medicine. Follow the directions on the box to determine which tablet should be taken first, start taking the medication starting with the pill that is located at the beginning of the package, and continue taking the tablets in the correct order. A missed pill, starting a new pack of birth control pills late, or taking a tablet at a different time of day than normal may all increase the likelihood that you will get pregnant. To reduce this possibility, you should adhere as closely as possible to your prescribed regimen.

It may be helpful to take the medicine either after your evening meal or just before bed if you are experiencing stomach pain or nausea as a side effect of taking the medication. You may, as another option, choose a different time of day that is more suited to your capacity for memory, such as early in the morning. Most important is having a consistent daily routine.

routine, with a minimum of 24 hours between each dosage that you take, regardless of the dosing regimen that you choose to follow.

Please refer to the “What to Do if You Miss Tablets” page for more instructions. part of the Patient Information Leaflet if you suffer nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea within four hours after taking your pill. This section is located at the back of the leaflet. Because nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea may compromise the efficacy of the pill, it is important to ensure that you take it exactly as directed, as if you had missed your previous dosage.

Your pill pack includes a total of 28 tablets, each of which contains the actual medicine that you need to take. You should take one active tablet, which includes hormones, once per day for a total of 28 consecutive days without missing a dose. After you have finished the final tablet in the pack you are currently using, you should start a new pack on the day after you have finished the previous pack. There is not to be any time in between packets, and there are not to be any “reminder” pills, which are just placebo tablets and do not contain any active medicine. Knowing this is crucial. that the majority of women who use this drug do not have regular menstrual cycles. It is essential that you continue with the regular use of your medication as scheduled even if you have any light bleeding or spotting. In these kinds of situations, it is very important.

If this is the first time you’ve taken this medication, see your doctor. and are not transitioning from another type of hormonal birth control (such as a patch or other birth control pills), the first tablet in the pack should be taken first day of menstruation. If you are transitioning from another form of hormonal birth control (such as a patch or other birth control pills), the first tablet in the pack should be taken on the first day of your period. If your doctor tells you to start taking this medicine on any other day, it is recommended that you use an extra non-hormonal method of birth control for the first week, such as condoms or spermicide, in order to avoid pregnancy until this medication has had sufficient time to take effect. This recommendation applies only if your doctor instructs you to start taking this medication on any other day. If you start taking the medicine on the first day of your period, there is no need for extra birth control during the first week since it will effectively eliminate the possibility of pregnancy.

It is recommended that you discuss this matter with either your primary care physician or pharmacist before beginning use of this particular medication if you have been using other hormonal methods of birth control in the past (such as a birth control patch or other birth control tablets). You may seek clarification from your healthcare practitioner or pharmacist if any of the information seems unclear to you, or you can refer to the Patient Information Leaflet in case there is any information that looks confusing.

Side Effects

Possible side effects include feeling sick, throwing up, having a headache, having stomach cramps, having bloating, having breast tenderness, having swollen ankles or feet (which is an indication of fluid retention), and having your weight fluctuate. Notifying your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if any of these unwanted effects continue or get worse is something that you must not avoid doing at any cost.

It is important to be aware that while many women are taking this medicine, they may not have menstrual cycles on a regular basis. This incidence falls well within the parameters of the usual. It is possible to have bleeding or spotting in the vaginal area, particularly in the first few months of usage. Having said that, it is very necessary for you to make contact. Immediately contact your doctor if the bleeding is excessive longer than seven days.

It is essential that you keep in mind that the reason your doctor has given this medicine to you is because they have determined that the possible advantages to you exceed the potential drawbacks of taking the drug. The vast majority of people who take this drug do not report experiencing any serious negative effects from doing so.

It is possible that this drug may cause an increase in your blood pressure. Thus, blood pressure monitoring is crucial. on a regular basis and get in touch with your primary care physician as soon as possible if the results show that you have high blood pressure.

Please notify your doctor immediately if you encounter severe adverse effects, such as breast lumps, changes in mental or mood states (such as the onset of new or exacerbated depression), unusual changes in vaginal bleeding (such as persistent spotting or sudden heavy bleeding), severe abdominal or pelvic pain, darkened urine, or jaundice (eye or skin yellowing).

On very rare occasions, this medicine has been known to cause serious and, in some instances, life-threatening consequences linked to blood clots. Some examples of these issues include deep vein thrombosis, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, and stroke. In rare situations, these difficulties have resulted in the patient’s death. Please seek medical assistance immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Experiencing difficulty breathing or quick breathing

• Discomfort in the chest, the jaw, or the left arm
• Strange bouts of perspiration
• muddled thinking
• a sudden feeling of lightheadedness or fainting
• Having discomfort, edema, or heat in the groin or the leg area
• Headaches that come on suddenly and are severe
• Speaking is difficult for me.
• Suddenly shifted visual contours

Even though a really severe allergic response to this drug is not very frequent, it is vital that you get medical assistance as soon as possible if you see any indications of a strong allergic reaction, including the following:

• Rash
• Itching or swelling, most noticeably of the face, tongue, and/or throat
• Extreme lightheadedness

This list does not cover everything of the possible adverse effects of this medication. In the event that you have any side effects that are not described in this article, you should see your physician or pharmacist for further direction.

Warnings

If you are above the age of 35 and regularly smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products, you should avoid using this prescription. When using hormonal birth control methods such as the pill, patch, or ring, your chance of developing problems such as stroke, heart attack, blood clots, and high blood pressure is considerably increased if you smoke cigarettes. Among these consequences include high blood pressure. The probability of developing these serious health problems increases with both the smoker’s age and the number of cigarettes they go through throughout their lifetime. It is of the highest significance to refrain from smoking as well as utilizing other goods containing tobacco.

Precaution

Before beginning treatment with levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol, it is imperative that you inform your physician or pharmacist if you have any allergies. This is especially important if you are allergic to this medication, estrogens (such as ethinyl estradiol, mestranol), or progestins (such as norethindrone, desogestrel), as well as if you have any other known allergies. You must consider the possibilities. that this product contains inactive components that are capable of causing allergic responses or other problems. If you want further information, it is best to talk things over with your pharmacist.

Before beginning treatment with this drug, it is essential to give your doctor or pharmacist with a comprehensive account of your medical history, focusing in particular on the disorders that are listed below: high blood pressure, abnormal breast examinations, a history of cancer (especially endometrial and breast cancer), elevated cholesterol or triglyceride levels (blood fat), depression, diabetes, family or personal history of a certain swelling disorder (angioedema), gallbladder complications, severe headaches or migraines, heart issues (such as heart valve dislocation), and gallbladder complications.

Be aware that the medicine you are taking may have an effect on your blood sugar levels if you are controlling diabetes. Monitor your blood sugar. directed, and discuss the findings with your primary care provider. In the event that you have signs of high blood sugar, such as excessive thirst or urine, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. Maybe your diabetes medication, workout regimen, or eating strategy may require some tweaking after a visit to the doctor.

Notify your primary care physician if you have just had surgery, if you are expected to have surgery in the near future, or if you anticipate significant periods of immobility, such as extensive flight travel. When combined, these variables considerably raise the risk of increase the likelihood of having blood clots, and this is especially true for those who use hormonal birth control. Under these circumstances, it is possible that it will be required to temporarily stop taking this medication or to take additional safety measures.

It is imperative that you inform your dentist or doctor about any and all goods you are using before to having surgery. This includes any and all herbal remedies, over-the-counter medicines, and prescription prescriptions.

Melasma is a disorder that may be caused by taking this drug, which has the potential to cause blotchy, dark spots to appear on your face and other regions of your skin. This impact may be made worse by exposure to sunlight, making it necessary to take measures. When going outside, it is important to take precautions against UV damage by limiting the amount of time you spend in direct sunlight, staying away from tanning beds and sunlamps, and rigorously applying sunscreen and wearing protective clothes.

Individuals who are myopic and use contact lenses should be advised that while taking this drug, they run the risk of developing vision problems or having trouble with their contact lenses. Those who are farsighted should not take this medication. In circumstances like these, you should not delay in informing your eye doctor about the problem.

It is possible that becoming pregnant after stopping the use of birth control pills will need a longer than usual amount of time. If you want more in-depth knowledge on this subject, it is best to seek advice and direction from your family physician.

This drug should not be used by pregnant women at any time. Please do not hesitate in informing your doctor if have any reason to suspect you may be could be pregnant or if you have confirmed that you are pregnant. If you recently gave birth or miscarried, or had an abortion after the first three months, you should discuss effective methods of birth control with your physician. Additionally, you should ask your physician whether it is appropriate to start taking birth control that contains estrogen, like this drug, in the case that you have recently given birth, experienced a miscarriage, or had an abortion after the first three months.

It is essential that you be aware that this drug may reduce breast milk production. It is possible for a trace amount to get into breast milk, which might therefore have unfavorable effects on a baby who is being breastfed. Therefore, before beginning breastfeeding, it is important to discuss the decision with your primary care physician.

Interaction

It’s important to remember that drug interactions might affect how well your prescriptions work or increase your chance of having major adverse effects. Remember that not all possibilities exist. medication interaction is included in this publication. That being said, it is wise to keep an extensive log of every product you use, including herbal remedies and prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Your doctor and pharmacist should be informed of this comprehensive list. It is imperative that you never start, stop, or change the amount of any medication without getting your doctor’s clear consent.

Some goods have the potential to cause interactions with this drug. These include fezolinetant, ospemifene, tamoxifen, tizanidine, tranexamic acid, aromatase inhibitors (such anastrozole and exemestane), and some combination medications used to treat chronic hepatitis C (like ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir).

Certain drugs have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of hormonal birth control by lowering the levels of birth control hormones in your body. This reduction might lead to an increased chance of conception. Some of the more well-known examples are griseofulvin, modafinil, rifamycins (like rifampin and rifabutin), ritonavir, St. John’s wort, drugs used to treat seizures (like barbiturates, carbamazepine, felbamate, phenytoin, primidone, and topiramate), and drugs for HIV (like nevirapine and nelfinavir), among additional things.

As soon as you start taking a new drug, you should notify your doctor and have a conversation about whether you may need to start taking additional, reliable birth control. In addition, you should call your doctor right away if you have any new spotting or breakthrough bleeding, since these events might indicate that your birth control isn’t working as it should.

Always consider the possibility that this drug might interfere with several laboratory tests, notably blood tests for thyroid function and clotting factors, which could lead to inaccurate test findings. Therefore, it is your duty to ensure that the staff at the laboratory and all of your medical professionals are aware of your medication use.

NOTE

We advise against giving this. medicine to anybody else.

During the duration of your treatment with this drug, you should have regular complete physical exams that include both laboratory and medical evaluations (such as blood pressure measures, breast examinations, pelvic examinations, and Pap smears). These examinations should be carried out at regular intervals. Follow your doctor’s orders. gives you for breast inspection, and let him or her know right away about any lumps you see. Make sure that you keep all of the medical and laboratory visits that have been set for you. Please speak with your physician for any other information you may want.

Dose Missed: The instructions that you follow in the event that you miss a dose may change based on the precise brand of medicine that was taken as well as the number of doses that were skipped. Please refer to the information that is included in the product packaging if you need any help on how to handle missing doses. In the case that you miss a dosage of your birth control medication, it is recommended that you use another pregnancy control method like condoms spermicide, in order to avoid becoming pregnant. Do not be afraid to see your physician or pharmacist for advice if you have any questions or concerns about the medication you are taking.

If you find that you routinely have trouble following the pill schedule that your doctor has given for you, you should discuss the idea of switching to another method of birth control with your primary care physician as soon as possible.

Storage Keep this medicine at room temperature, out of the reach of direct light, and away from any moisture that may be present. It is very necessary to keep it stored somewhere other than in the restroom. In addition, make sure that any drugs are stored safely out of the reach of both children and animals.

When the product has reached its expiry date or is no longer needed, it should be disposed of in an appropriate manner. If you need assistance doing so, get advice from your local drugstore or trash company disposal in your area.