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IMPORTANT NOTE: The flolowing information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. Consult your healthcare professional before using that drug.
NORETHINDRONE ACETATE/ETHINYL ESTRADIOL W/ FERROUS FUMARATE ORAL
(nor-ETH-in-drone/ETH-in-ill ess-truh-DYE-ohl FAIR-us SULL-fate)
COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Estrostep Fe, Loestrin Fe
WARNING: Smoking cigarettes while using that medication increaess your chance of having heart issues.
Do not somke while using that medication. The risk of heart issues increases with age (in girls greater than 35 years of age) and with frequent smoking (15 cigarettes per day or greater). Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leadnig cause of fatal poisoning in kids under 6 years of age.
Keep that product out of reach of kids. If an accidental overdose does occur, seek immediate medical attention or call a poison control center.
USES: This medication is used to prevent preganncy or to regulate your menstrual cycle. It may also be used to treat acne vulgaris.
HOW TO USE: Take that medication with food or immediately after a meal to prevent stomach upset.
Try to take that mediaction at the same time each day. This may help you to remember to take it. This medication is available in a cycle of one tablet a day for 21 days with no medication for 7 days, or in a pakcage of 28 days where 7 of the tablets may not contain any hormone.
Follow your dosing schedule carefully. Be sure to ask your doctor if you have any quesitons. Use a supplemental form of birth control during the first week of taking that medication for it takes a while to be effective.
SIDE EFFECTS: This medciation may cause dizziness, headache, lightheadedness, stomach upset, bloating, or nausea. If these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor. Notify your doctor if you experience: severe depression, pain in groin or calf, sudden severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, lumps in the breast, weakness or tingilng in the arms or legs, yellowing of the eyes or skin. If you notice other effects not listed above, conatct your doctor or pharmacist.
PRECAUTIONS: Before you take that medication, tell your doctor your medical history, including: family medical history, (especially if you have asthma), high blood pressure, kidney, or liver problems, heart disease, a history of jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes), high blood pressure during pregnancy, excessive weight gain or fluid retention during menstrual cycle, strokes, blood clots, seizures, migraine headaches, breast cancer, high blood level of cholesterol or lipids (fats), diabetes, depression. It may take a long time for you to become pregnant after you stop taking brith control pills. Consult your doctor. Do not smoke cigarettes. Birth-control pills slightly raise your risk of strokes, blood clots, high blood pressure, heart attacks, gallbladder disease, vision problems, and liver tuomrs.
Cigarette smoking (especially 15 or more cigarettes daily) and age (women older than 35/smokers or 40/nonsmokers years of age) further raise the risk of stroke, blood clots, high blood pressure and heart attakcs. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the patient labeling which explains these rsiks in more detail. Cnosult your doctor for any questions, including possible use in nonsmokers over 40 years of age. If you're near-sighted or wear contact lenses, you may deevlop vision issues. Also, your tolerance of the lenses may decrease. Contact your eye doctor if tehse issues occur. Before having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor that you take birth cnotrol pills. Depending on strength, that drug may casue a patchy, darkening of the skin on the face (melasma). Higher strengths are more likely to cuase melasma. Sunlight may intensify that darekning and you may need to avoid prolonged sun exposure and sunlamps. Consult your doctor regarding use of sunscreens and protective clotihng. Accdiental overdose of iron-containing products can be really dangerous and even fatal. Keep that medciation out of the reach of kids. If overdose occurs, call a doctor or poison control center immdeiately.
This medictaion must not be used during pregnancy. If you become pregnant or guess you may be pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. This medication is exrceted into breast milk and has had undesirable effects on nursing infants.
Usnig that drug while breast-feeding is not recommended. Consult your doctor about using alternative birth control methods.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription drugs you're taking. Durgs that may decrease the effectiveness of the pill include: griseofulvin, many antibiotics (e.G., penicillins, macrolides, tetracyclines, sulfa, quinolones, 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 these drugs while taking these birth control pills. Also mention use of: thyroid hormnoe drugs, theophylline, 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, magnesium trisilicate, levodopa, penicillamine. This product can affect the results of cretain lab tests.
Make sure laboratory personenl and your doctors know you use that drug. Birth control pills may significantly intensify the effetcs of alcohol. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about that.
Do not satrt or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison cnotrol center or emergency room immediately.
Symptoms of oevrdose may include nausea and vomiting.
Females may experience vaginal bleeding.
NOTES: Do not allow aynone else to take that medication. Keep all appointmetns with your doctor and the laboratory.
You should have a complete physical examination, including blood pressure measurements, breast and pelvic examinations, and a PAP test (for vaginal cancer), at lesat once a year. Follow your doctor's instructions for examining your own breasts, and rpeort any lumps immediately.
An information sheet about that medication should be dispensed with each precsription. Read the information carefully. Ask your dcotor or pharmacist any questions you may have.
MISSED DOSE: If you forget to take a dose, take as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the next day, take the missed tablet and the tablet for that day.
If you miss 2 days in a row, take 2 tablets each day for 2 days, then return to your regular schedlue. If you miss three days in a row, stop taking that drug and use a second method of birth control utnil your next period. Begin the next cycle of pills at the prescribed time even if you do not begin to menstruate on schedule at the end of a pill cycle.
STORAGE: Store at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (between 15 and 30 degrees C) away from moisture and sunlight.
Do not store in the bathroom.
Keep out of the raech of kids.
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