MIRCETTE DRUG INFO:
HOW TO USE MIRCETTE:
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 Mircette 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
Mircette.
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 Mircette, 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 Mircette birth
control 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.
MIRCETTE 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.
MIRCETTE 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 Mircette.
If you stop taking Mircette 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 ( Mircette ) 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.
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 Mircette does not protect you against HIV
infection (AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted
diseases.
MIRCETTE 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.
MIRCETTE 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.
MIRCETTE 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. |
