MIRCETTE DRUG INFO
HOW TO USE: Take mircette
pills by mouth. Before you start
taking these pills decide what
is a suitable time of day and
always take them at the same time
of day and in the order directed.
Swallow the pills with a drink
of water. Take with food to reduce
stomach upset. Do not take more
often than directed.
Most products (except Mircette?)
contain a 21-day supply of pills
containing the active ingredients.
Some products contain an additional
7 pills containing iron or inactive
ingredients to be taken during
the week of menstruation; this
reduces the chance of missing
the first day of the next cycle.
Most products are to be started
on the first Sunday after you
start your period or on the first
day of your period. You may need
to ask your health care provider
which day you should start your
packet.
If you are taking the Mircette?
product, most of the 28 tablets
contain active hormones. This
product should be started on the
first Sunday after you start your
period or on the first day of
your period.
Before starting this medication,
read the paper on your prescription
provided by your pharmacist. This
paper will tell you about the
specific product you are taking.
Make certain you understand the
instructions.
Keep an extra month's supply of
your pills available to ensure
that you will not miss the first
day of the next cycle.
Contact your pediatrician or health
care professional regarding the
use of this medicine in children.
Special care may be needed.
SIDE EFFECTS: Severe side
effects are relatively rare in
women who are healthy and do not
smoke while they are taking oral
contraceptives. On average, more
women have problems due to complications
from getting pregnant than have
problems with oral contraceptives.
Many of the minor side effects
may go away as your body adjusts
to the medicine. However, the
potential for severe side effects
does exist and you may want to
discuss these with your health
care provider.
The following symptoms or side
effects may be related to blood
clots and require immediate medical
or emergency help: chest pain;
coughing up blood; dizziness or
fainting spells; leg, arm or groin
pain; severe or sudden headaches;
stomach pain (severe); sudden
shortness of breath; sudden loss
of coordination, especially on
one side of the body; swelling
of the hands, feet or ankles,
or rapid weight gain; vision or
speech problems; weakness or numbness
in the arms or legs, especially
on one side of the body.
Other serious side effects are
rare. Contact your health care
provider as soon as you can if
the following side effects occur:
breast tissue changes or discharge;
changes in vaginal bleeding during
your period or between your periods;
headaches or migraines; increases
in blood sugar, especially if
you have diabetes; increases in
blood pressure, especially if
you are known to have high blood
pressure; symptoms of vaginal
infection (itching, irritation
or unusual discharge); tenderness
in the upper abdomen; vomiting;
yellowing of the eyes or skin.
Side effects that usually do not
require medical attention (report
to your health care provider if
they continue or are bothersome):
breakthrough bleeding and spotting
that continues beyond the 3 initial
cycles of pills; breast tenderness;
mild stomach upset; mood changes,
anxiety, depression, frustration,
anger, or emotional outbursts;
increased or decreased appetite;
increased sensitivity to sun or
ultraviolet light; nausea; skin
rash, acne, or brown spots on
the skin; tiredness; weight gain.
PRECAUTIONS: Visit your
health care provider for regular
checks on your progress. You should
have a complete check-up every
6 to 12 months. If you have any
unusual vaginal bleeding contact
your prescriber or health care
professional for advice. If you
miss a period, the possibility
of pregnancy must be considered.
See your prescriber or health
care provider as soon as you can.
Use an additional method of contraception
during the first cycle that you
take these tablets.
If you stop taking these tablets
and want to get pregnant, a return
to normal ovulation can take some
time. You may not return to normal
ovulation and fertility for 3
to 6 months. Discuss your pregnancy
plans with your health care provider.
If you are taking oral contraceptives
for the treatment of acne, hirsutism
(male-like hair growth), endometriosis
or other hormone related problems,
it may take several months of
continued treatment to notice
improvement in your symptoms or
condition.
Tobacco smoking increases the
risk of getting a blood clot or
having a stroke while you are
taking mircette, especially if
you are more than 35 years old.
You are strongly advised not to
smoke.
Oral contraceptives can increase
your sensitivity to the sun and
you may burn more easily. Use
sunscreen and protective clothing
during long periods outdoors.
Tanning booths should be used
with caution.
If you wear contact lenses and
notice visual changes, or if the
lenses begin to feel uncomfortable,
consult your eye care specialist.
In some women, tenderness, swelling,
or minor bleeding of the gums
may occur. Notify your dentist
if this happens. Brushing and
flossing your teeth regularly
may help limit this. See your
dentist regularly and inform your
dentist of the medicines you are
taking.
You may get a vaginal yeast infection.
If you have never had a yeast
infection before, see your prescriber
or other health care provider
to confirm the problem. If you
have had yeast infections in the
past and are comfortable with
self-medicating the problem, get
and use a nonprescription medication
to treat the yeast infection.
If you are going to have elective
surgery, you may need to stop
taking your contraceptive pills
one month beforehand. Consult
your health care professional
for advice prior to scheduling
the surgery.
Taking contraceptive pills does
not protect you against HIV infection
(AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted
diseases.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Antibiotics
or medicines for infections, especially
rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentine,
and griseofulvin; aprepitant,
a medicine used for chemotherapy-induced
nausea and vomiting; barbiturate
medicines for producing sleep
or treating seizures (convulsions);
bosentan; carbamazepine; caffeine;
clofibrate; cyclosporine; dantrolene;
grapefruit juice; hydrocortisone;
medicines for anxiety or sleeping
problems, such as diazepam or
temazepam; medicines for mental
depression; medicines for diabetes,
including troglitazone and pioglitazone;
mineral oil; modafinil; mycophenolate;
nefazodone; oxcarbazepine; phenytoin;
prednisolone; ritonavir or other
medicines for the treatment of
the HIV virus or AIDS; selegiline;
soy isoflavones supplements; St.
John's wort; tamoxifen or raloxifene;
theophylline; topiramate; warfarin.
Tell your prescriber or health
care professional about all other
medicines you are taking, including
non-prescription medicines, nutritional
supplements, or herbal products.
Also tell your prescriber or health
care professional if you are a
frequent user of drinks with caffeine
or alcohol, if you smoke, or if
you use illegal drugs. These may
affect the way your medicine works.
Check before stopping or starting
any of your medicines.
NOTES: Prescriber needs
to know if you have or ever had
any of these conditions: blood
clots; blood sugar problems, like
diabetes; cancer of the breast,
cervix, ovary, uterus, vagina,
or unusual vaginal bleeding that
has not been evaluated by a health
care professional; depression;
fibroids; gallbladder disease;
heart or circulation problems;
high blood pressure; jaundice;
liver disease; menstrual problems;
migraine headaches; tobacco smoker;
stroke; an unusual or allergic
reaction to estrogen/progestin,
other hormones, medicines, foods,
dyes, or preservatives; pregnant
or trying to get pregnant; breast-feeding.
MISSED DOSE: Try not to
miss a dose. If you do, it may
be necessary to consult your health
care professional, especially
if you are taking Mircette?.
For all products (except Mircette?)
21-day schedule: If you miss one
dose, take it as soon as you remember
and then take the next pill at
the regular time as usual. You
may take 2 tablets in one day.
If you miss two doses (days) in
a row, take 2 tablets for the
next 2 days, then, continue with
your regular schedule. Whenever
1 or 2 doses are missed, you should
use a second method of contraception
for the next 7 days in addition
to taking the pills. If you miss
three doses in a row, you should
notify your physician or other
health care professional for instructions.
You will probably need to throw
away the rest of the tablets in
that cycle pack and start over.
Another method of contraception
should be used until at least
7 doses have been taken in the
new cycle. Missing a pill can
cause spotting or light bleeding.
Make sure that no more than 7
days pass at the end of the 21
day cycle, before you start your
next pack of pills.
28-day schedule: Follow the same
directions as above for the first
21 days of the schedule. If you
miss 1 of the last 7 pills, you
can either double the dose or
skip it, but it is important to
start the next month's cycle on
the scheduled day.
For Mircette?: You will need to
contact your health care provider
for specific instructions based
on which tablets have been missed,
for how many days they have been
missed, and based on what week
of your current cycle you are
currently taking tablets.
STORAGE: Keep out of the
reach of children.
Store at room temperature between
15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86
degrees F). Keep container tightly
closed. Throw away any unused
medicine after the expiration
date.
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