What is the dosage and how should it be used?
Take your birth control pills exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse or doctor to explain them to you.
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 .
Take the first pill in a package on the first Sunday after your period begins (unless otherwise directed by your doctor).
Take one pill every day, no more than 24 hours after your last dose. Try to take the pills at a time that you will remember every day, for example, just before bed, with a meal, or first thing in the morning.
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.
If you are on a 28-day cycle, take one pill every day. When the pack runs out, throw it away and begin a new pack the following day. The 28-day cycle contains seven pills that are either placebos (with no active ingredients) or iron supplements. These are "reminder" pills to keep you on your regular cycle. They are taken while you are menstruating.
If you are on a 21-day cycle, take one pill every day for 21 days, then do not take any pills for 7 days. You should have your period during the 7 days with no pills. Resume your pills on the 8th day with a new package.
Why is this medication prescribed?
What special precautions should I follow?
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?