Proper Use of This Medicine

To make using oral contraceptives as safe and reliable as possible, you should understand how and when to take them and what effects may be expected.

A paper with information for the patient will be given to you with your filled prescription, and will provide many details concerning the use of oral contraceptives. Read this paper carefully and ask your health care professional if you need additional information or explanation.

When you begin to use oral contraceptives , 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 doctors 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.

Try to take the doses no more than 24 hours apart to reduce the possibility of side effects and to prevent pregnancy . Since one of the most important factors in the proper use of oral contraceptives is taking every dose exactly on schedule, you should never let your tablet supply run out. When possible, try to keep an extra month's supply of tablets on hand and replace it monthly.

It is very important that you keep the tablets in their original container and take the tablets in the same order that they appear in the container. The containers help you keep track of which tablets to take next. Different colored tablets in the same package contain different amounts of hormones or are placebos (tablets that do not contain hormones). The effectiveness of the medicine is reduced if the tablets are taken out of order

Dosing— The dosing schedule is monophasic. You will be taking tablets of one strength (color) for 21 days. You will also take an additional 7 inactive tablets, which are another color. Taking the last 7 tablets is not required for full protection against pregnancy but they do help to replace estrogen.

Your health care professional may begin your dose on the first day of your menstrual period (called Day 1 start) or on Sunday after your period starts (called Sunday start). When you begin on a certain day it is important that you follow that schedule, even when you miss a dose. Do not change your schedule on your own. If the schedule that you have been put on is not convenient, check with your health care professional about changing schedules. For Sunday start you need to use another form of birth control for the first 7 days.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For contraception:
    • Adults and teenagers:
      • Take 1 tablet a day for twenty-eight days. Then repeat the cycle.

Missed dose—Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label if you miss a dose of this medicine.

• If you miss 1 tablet during the cycle—Take it as soon as you remember and then take the next tablet at the normal time. You may take 2 tablets in one day. Then continue your regular dosing schedule.
• If you miss 2 tablets in a row in the first or second week—Take 2 tablets on the day you remember and 2 tablets the next day. Then continue taking 1 tablet a day and use another form of birth control for seven days after the last missed dose.
• If you miss 2 tablets in a row in the third week or
• If you miss 3 or more tablets in a row (during the first three weeks)—
  • Using Day 1 start: Throw out your current cycle and begin a new cycle on the same day. Also, use another birth control method for the next seven days after the last missed dose. You may not have a menstrual period this month. But if you miss two menstrual periods in a row, call your health care professional.
  • Using Sunday start: Keep taking 1 tablet a day from your current pack until Sunday. Then, on Sunday, throw out your old pack and begin a new pack. Also use another birth control method for the next seven days after the last missed dose. You may not have a menstrual period this month. But if you miss two menstrual periods in a row, call your health care professional.

If you miss any of the last 7 (inactive) tablets, there is no danger of pregnancy. However, the first tablet (active) of the next month's cycle must be taken on the regularly scheduled day, in spite of any missed doses, if pregnancy is to be avoided. The active and inactive tablets are colored differently for your convenience.

Storage—To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat and moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.