ETHINYL ESTRADIOL AND NORELGESTROMIN (TRANSDERMAL)

(EH thi nil ESS tra Paint ol and nor ell JESS tro min) Brand: Ortho Evra

What is the most significant information I must know about this medication?

• Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant or if you have recently had a baby.

• You must not use this medicine if you have any of the next conditions: uncontrolled tall blood pressure, heart malady, a blood-clotting mess, circulation problems, diabetic problems with your eyes or kidneys, unusual vaginal bleeding, liver malady or liver cancer, severe migraine headaches, if you smoke and are over 35, or if you have ever had breast or uterine cancer, jaundice caused by birth control pills, a heart onslaught, a stroke, or a blood clot.

• Smoking can magnify your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart onslaught caused by this medicine, especially if you are older than 35.

• Much drugs can interact with birth control medicine, and some can create it smaller effective. Speak your doctor about all another medications you are using.

What is ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin?

• Ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin contains a combination of female hormones that prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). This medication also causes changes in your cervical mucus and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.

• Ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin are used as contraception to prevent pregnancy.

• Ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking this medication?

• This medicine can reason birth defects. Do not use if you are pregnant. Speak your doctor right away if you become pregnant, or if you miss two menstrual periods in a row. If you have recently had a child, wait at least 4 weeks till using this medication.

• You must not use this medicine if you have:

· untreated or uncontrolled tall blood pressure;

· heart malady (coronary artery malady, uncontrolled heart valve mess, history of heart onslaught, stroke, or blood clot);

· a blood-clotting mess or circulation problems;

· problems with your eyes, kidneys or circulation caused by diabetes;

· a history of hormone-related cancer such as breast or uterine cancer;

· unusual vaginal bleeding that has not been checked by a doctor;

· liver malady or liver cancer;

· severe migraine headaches (with aura, numbness, weakness, or vision changes), especially if you are older than 35;

· a history of jaundice caused by pregnancy or birth control pills; or

· if you smoke and are over 35 years old.

• To create certain you can safely use this medicine, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· tall blood pressure, varicose veins;

· tall cholesterol or triglycerides, or if you are overweight;

· a history of depression;

· underactive thyroid;

· gallbladder disease;

· diabetes;

· seizures or epilepsy;

· a history of irregular menstrual cycles;

· tuberculosis; or

· a history of fibrocystic breast malady, lumps, nodules, or an emergency mammogram.

• The hormones in this medicine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. This medicine may also slow breast milk manufacture. Do not use if you are breast-feeding a baby.

• Your risk of serious blood clot may be higher with the use of birth control skin patches than with the use of birth control pills.

How must I take this medication?

• Use exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not use more skin patches or wear them for longer than recommended by your doctor. You will apply your first patch on the first day of your period or on the first Sunday after your period begins (follow your doctor's instructions).

• Seat the patch on your skin and press it into seat firmly for 10 seconds. Create certain the edges stick well. You will wear the patch for a full week.

• Apply the patch to clean, dry skin on any of these areas: the external of your upper hand, your stomach, your buttocks, or your upper back. Do not apply the patch to skin that is broken or irritated, or to a skin area that may be rubbed by tight clothing (such as a waistband).

• Remove the patch and apply a new one on the same day every week for three weeks in a row. At the end of the third week, remove the patch and do not apply a new one for 7 full days. Your period must start during this time Do not let more than 7 days to pass till starting your following 3-week patch cycle..

• You may have breakthrough bleeding, especially during the first 3 months. Speak your doctor if this bleeding continues or is very hard.

• Check your patch each day to create certain it is sticking well. If a patch comes loose or falls off, throw it away and apply a new one. You may need to use back-up birth control, such as condoms or a spermicide, if a patch has been off for more than 24 hours. Follow your doctor's instructions.

• After removing a skin patch fold it in half, sticky side in, and throw it away in a seat where children and pets can't get to it. Do not flush a used patch down the toilet.

• If you need surgery or medical trials or if you will be on bed rest, you may need to stop using this medicine for a short time. Any doctor or surgeon who treats you must know that you are using this medication.

• While using this medicine, you will need to visit your doctor regularly.

• Store the skin patches at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Do not freeze or refrigerate. Hold every patch in its foil pouch before you are ready to apply it.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• If you forget to change your patch at the end of the week, change it as soon as you remember. If it has been 24 hours or longer since your scheduled patch change, apply a new patch and start the cycle over (3 weeks wearing a weekly patch,1 week off). Do not use extra patches to create up the missed dose.

• Missing a doze increases your risk of becoming pregnant and you may need to use back-up birth control. Follow the weekly patch schedule closely.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and vaginal bleeding.

What must I avoid while taking this medication?

• Smoking can magnify your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart onslaught caused by this medicine, especially if you are older than 35.

• This medicine will not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases--including HIV and AIDS. Using a condom is the only way to protect yourself from these diseases.

• Avoid using creams, lotions, powders, or another medications on the skin where you apply the patch, or it may not stick to your skin.

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit commodity with your doctor.

What are the possible side effects of this medication?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Stop using the patches and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

· sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;

· sudden and severe headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance;

· chest pain or hard feeling, pain spreading to the hand or shoulder, nausea, sweating, common ill feeling;

· sudden cough, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing up blood;

· pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs;

· a change in the pattern or severity of migraine headaches;

· nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

· swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

· a breast lump; or

· symptoms of depression (sleep problems, weakness, weary feeling, mood changes).

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· mild nausea (especially when you first start taking this medicine), vomiting, bloating, stomach cramps;

· breast tenderness or swelling, nipple discharge;

· freckles or darkening of facial skin, heighten hair growth, loss of scalp hair;

· changes in weight or appetite;

· problems with contact lenses;

· vaginal itching or discharge; or

· changes in your menstrual periods, decreased sex drive.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect this medication?

• Much drugs can interact with birth control medicine, and some can create it smaller effective. Adown is just a partial list of these drugs. Speak your doctor if you are using:

· acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ascorbic acid (vitamin C);

· bosentan (Tracleer);

· cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf);

· rosuvastatin (Crestor);

· an antibiotic or tuberculosis medication;

· drugs to treat hepatitis C, HIV, or AIDS;

· phenobarbital (Solfoton) and another barbiturates;

· St. John's wort;

· theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24, Theochron, Uniphyl); or

· seizure medications.

• This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over the counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

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