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Why is this drug prescribed?
Ortho tricyclen are known also as the Pill, OCs, BCs, BC tablets, or birth control pills. This medicine usually contains two types of hormones, estrogens (ES-troh-jenz ) and progestins ( proh-JES-tins
) and, when taken properly, prevents pregnancy. It works by stopping a woman's egg from fully developing each month. The egg can no longer accept a sperm and fertilization is prevented. Although Ortho
tricyclen have other effects that help prevent a pregnancy from occurring, this is the main action.
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How should you take this medication?
Take this medicine with food to help prevent nausea that might occur during the first few weeks. Nausea usually disappears with continued use or if the medicine is taken at bedtime.
When you
begin to use Ortho tricyclen, your body will require at least 7 days to adjust before a pregnancy will be prevented. You will need to use an additional birth control method for at least 7 days. Some d
octors recommend using an additional method of birth control for the first cycle (or 3 weeks) to ensure full protection. Follow the advice of your doctor or other health care professional.
Tr
y to take the doses no more than 24 hours apart to reduce the possibility of side effects and to prevent pregnancy.
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Other medical problems
Pregnancy¡XOrtho tricyclen are not recommended for use during pregnancy and should be discontinued if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant. When Ortho tricyclen were accidently taken early in
pregnancy, problems in the fetus did not occur. Women who are not breast-feeding may begin to take Ortho tricyclen two weeks after having a baby.
Breast-feeding¡XOrtho tricyclen pass into the
breast milk and can change the content or lower the amount of breast milk. Also, they may shorten a woman's ability to breast-feed by about 1 month, especially when the mother is only partially breast
-feeding.
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Important Facts
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, Orth
o tricyclen are used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:
- Amenorrhea (stopping of menses for several consecutive months)
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (abnorm
al uterine bleeding)
- Dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual bleeding)
- Hypermenorrhea (excessive menstrual bleeding)
- Emergency contraception within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse
- Endometriosis
- Hirsutism in females
- Hyperandrogenism, ovarian
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
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Special warnings about this medication
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious side effects from Ortho tricyclen, 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 Ortho tricyclen, you should not smoke.
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Other medical problems
Breast disease (not involving cancer)¡XOrtho tricyclen usually protect against certain breast diseases, such as breast cysts or breast lumps; however, your doctor may want to follow your condition mor
closely
- Cancer, including breast cancer (or history of or family history of)¡XOrtho tricyclen may worsen some cancers, especially when breast, cervical, or uterine cancers already exist. Use o
Ortho tricyclen is not recommended if you have any of these conditions. If you have a family history of breast disease, Ortho tricyclen may still be a good choice but you may need to be tested more o
ften
- Chorea gravidarum or
- Gallbladder disease or gallstones (or history of) or
- High blood cholesterol or
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