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Ortho Tri-Cyclen Ortho-Tri-Cyclen
(Norgestimate and Ethinyl Estradiolis) an estrogen and progestin combination used to prevent pregnancy, regulate
the menstrual cycle, treat symptoms of menopause, or other conditions as determined by your
physician.How to take Ortho-Tri-Cyclen Follow the directions for using Ortho-Tri-Cyclen provided by your doctor. Ortho-Tri-Cyclen comes with a patient information leaflet that you should read carefully. 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 have any questions, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Side Effects Side effects, that may go away during use of Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, include nausea, vomiting, bleeding between menstrual periods, breast tenderness, or weight change. If they 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 Some medicines or medical conditions may interact with this medicine. Before using Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, inform your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and over-the-counter medicine that you are taking. Do not take this medicine if you are also taking nevirapine or rifampin. Additional monitoring of your dose or condition may be needed if you are taking barbiturates, carvedilol, corticosteroids, felbamate, griseofulvin, HIV protease inhibitors, modafinil, metoprolol, pioglitazone, penicillin or tetracycline antibiotics, theophylline, topiramate, troglitazone, troleandomycin, or medicine for seizures. Inform your doctor of any other medical conditions, allergies, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. Use of this medicine is not recommended if you have a history of cancer, heart or liver conditions, pulmonary embolism, blood clots, stroke, cerebrovascular disease, or smoking. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about taking Ortho-Tri-Cyclen. 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 medicine may not work as well. Taking certain antibiotics or anticonvulsants while you are using Ortho-Tri-Cyclen may decrease it's effectiveness. To prevent pregnancy, use an additional form of birth control until your next period. If you have any questions, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Ortho-Tri-Cyclen. 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 Ortho-Tri-Cyclen will not prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Do not use Ortho-Tri-Cyclen if you are pregnant. If you suspect that you could be pregnant, contact your doctor immediately. Ortho-Tri-Cyclen is excreted in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you are using this medicine, check with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss the risks to your baby. If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include restlessness, tremor, rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Missed dosage 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 this medicine. Notes Do not share Ortho-Tri-Cyclen with others. Keep Ortho-Tri-Cyclen and all medications out of the reach of children.
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