Mircette is a contraceptive. Oral contraceptives are sold in packs of 21 or 28 tablets. If your doctor prescribes a 21-tablet pack, take one tablet daily for 21 days, followed by 7 tablet-free days before starting a new pack. If your doctor prescribed a 28-tablet pack, take one tablet daily for 28 days following the leaflet instructions. The last seven tablets in a 28-tablet pack have a different color. These tablets are used to ensure continuous daily dosing during the entire 28-day cycle and make it unnecessary to count the days between cycles. They do not contain ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel. The last 7 tablets contain iron (ferrous fumarate) or an inactive ingredient. Start the new 28-tablet pack the day after taking your 28th tablet. Use a back-up contraception method during your first 7 days on Mircette. Prescription instructions as to when to take the first tablet (on the first or fifth day of your menstrual period, on the first Sunday or after bleeding begins) may vary and should be followed strictly. Unless otherwise advised by your doctor, follow strictly your regular schedule. Do not terminate the use of Mircette without consulting your doctor first. The regular administration of oral contraceptives is necessary in order to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Contraceptive tablets should be administered with food or immediately after a meal in order to avoid stomach upset. In order to avoid missing a dose, try to take Mircette at the same time every day.
Warnings Precautions
If you have high blood pressure, angina, or heart disease; have had a stroke; bleeding or blood-clotting disorder; breast, uterine, or another hormone-related cancer; liver disease or a history of jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) caused by use of birth control in the past; undiagnosed, abnormal vaginal bleeding; migraines; asthma; or seizures or epilepsy, notify your doctor before using Mircette. Special monitoring during treatment may be required if you have any of the conditions listed above and in some cases the use birth control pills might not be recommended at all. Do not take birth control pills if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant. Birth control pills are in the X FDA pregnancy category, meaning that they are known to result in birth defects in the fetus. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may have serious consequences for the fetus. Hormones contained in birth control pills are passed onto breast milk and may decrease lactation. If you are breast-feeding, consult your doctor first before taking Mircette.
Missing a Dose
If you MISS 1 active [white] pill, take it as soon as you remember and resume your regular schedule. This means you have to take 2 pills in one day. No additional contraceptive method is required if you have intercourse.
If you MISS 2 active [white] pills in a row in WEEK 1 OR WEEK 2 of your pack, take 2 pills on the day you remember and 2 pills the next day. Follow up with one pill a day until you finish the pack. You MAY BECOME PREGNANT if you have intercourse in the 7 days following the missed pill. Another contraceptive method MUST be used (condoms, foam, or sponge) as a back-up method during these 7 days.
If you MISS 2 active [white] pills in a row in WEEK 3:
1. If you are a Day 1 Starter:
Dispose of the rest of the pack and start a new pack that same day.
If you are a Sunday Starter:
Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, dispose of the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day.
2. You may miss your period that month. This is normal. However, if you miss your period 2 months in a row, call your doctor or health care provider because you might be pregnant.
3. You MAY BECOME PREGNANT if you have intercourse in the 7 days following the missed pill. Another contraceptive method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) must be used for the duration of these seven days.
If you MISS 3 OR MORE active [white] pills in a row (during the first 3 weeks):
1. If you are a Day 1 Starter:
Dispose of the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that same day.
If you are a Sunday Starter:
Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, dispose of the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day.
2. You may miss your period that month. This is normal. However, if you miss your period 2 months in a row, call your doctor or health care provider because you might be pregnant.
3. You MAY BECOME PREGNANT if you have intercourse in the 7 days following the missed pill. Another contraceptive method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) must be used for the duration of these seven days.
Possible Side Effects
In case of side effects not described below, consult your doctor. Mild side effects are more likely to occur. In case you detect the symptoms of an allergic reaction (difficulty in breathing; throat congestion; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); a blood clot in the lung (shortness of breath or pain in the chest); a blood clot in an arm or leg (pain, redness, swelling, or numbness of an arm or leg); high blood pressure (severe headache, flushing, blurred vision); or liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue), stop taking Mircette and contact your doctor or seek medical help immediately. If you suffer from headache or dizziness; nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; breakthrough bleeding; or breast tenderness, continue taking Mircette and notify your doctor. In most cases such side effects disappear or decrease in intensity after the first 3 to 6 months of birth control use. If some of the side effects are particularly irritating, consult your doctor. Very few cases of the side effects listed below have been reported: depression; changes in weight or appetite; vaginal yeast infection; changes in the menstrual cycle; oily skin or acne; sex drive changes; lethargy or fatigue; bloating; changes in skin color; or blood sugar alterations. If you experience any of these symptoms, ask your doctor for advice. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur.
Storage
Store at temperatures below 86?° F (30?° C).
Overdose
Nausea, and withdrawal bleeding are among the symptoms of a Mircette overdose. No serious side effects have been reported following an incidental ingestion of large doses of contraceptives by small children.
More Information
Birth control pills do not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases including HIV or AIDS. In order to protect yourself from sexually transmitted disease use a condom. Avoid smoking. Smoking greatly increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot formation.
Mircette resources:
http://www.drugs.com/cons/Mircette.html
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/desest_pi.htm
http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/nda/98/20713.htm
Related posts: