• Mircette uses
• Mircette side effects
• Warnings & precautions
• Drug interactions
• Overdose
• Missed dose

Mircette instructions

Generic Name: ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel (EH thih nill ess tra DYE ole and des oh JESS trel)

Common Brand Names: Apri, Cyclessa, Desogen, Mircette, Ortho-Cept

The following product information is not intended to replace the physician's or manufacturer's instructions.

Mircette common medical uses:
This medication is used to prevent pregnancy or to regulate your menstrual cycle. Oral contraceptive products such as ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel (also called birth control pills) are more effective than any other method of contraception, but they are not effective in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Mircette contains the female hormones estrogen and progesterone that act to prevent ovulation - the release of an egg from the ovary. The hormones also lead to changes in the mucus of the cervix, making it difficult for sperm to enter into the uterus. In addition, they cause changes in the lining of the uterus, lowering the chances that an embryo will attach to the uterus and develop into a baby. When taken correctly, pills like Mircette are over 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

How to use Mircette:
Oral contraceptives must be used consistently to prevent pregnancy. Take this medication with food or immediately after a meal to avoid stomach upset. Try to take this medication at the same time each day. Take one tablet daily for 28 days in the order specified in your packet. The last seven tablets in a 28-tablet packet are a different color. Mircette has a unique dosing schedule. The first 21 white pills contain estrogen and progesterone. Unlike other 28-day pills that have 7 green inactive pills at the end of the cycle pack, Mircette has only 2 green inactive pills followed by 5 yellow pills that contain estrogen. To achieve maximum benefits from Mircette, it is important for you to take all 28 pills. Do not discard any of them. Also, remember to take the pills at the same time each day. A new 28-tablet packet should be started the day after taking your 28th tablet. When first starting on this medication, use an additional method of birth control until you have correctly taken at least 7 days' worth of tablets. Follow your doctor's instructions about using a second form of birth control when you are taking antibiotics, or if you miss a pill. Do not take more or less of this medication unless your doctor has advised you to do so. Do not stop taking this medication without talking to your doctor.

Mircette possible side effects:
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects.
If any of the following effects persist, or worsen or do not go away with time, contact your doctor:

• upset stomach
• stomach cramps
• bloating
• diarrhea
• constipation
• gingivitis (swelling of the gum tissue)
• appetite and weight changes
• glucose intolerance (increased blood sugar)
• brown or black skin patches
• acne
• swelling of the hands, feet, or lower legs (fluid retention)
• rash
• hair growth in unusual places
• bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods
• changes in menstrual flow
• painful or missed periods
• breast tenderness, enlargement, or discharge.

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking your birth control medication and call your doctor immediately:

• allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, closing of your throat, swelling of your lips, tongue, or face)
• severe headache
• shortness of breath
• severe vomiting
• partial or complete loss of vision
• speech problems
• dizziness
• weakness or numbness of an arm or leg
• crushing chest pain or chest heaviness
• coughing up blood
• calf pain
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• unusual bleeding

Contact your doctor if you notice other side effects not listed here.

Mircette precautions:

• Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects from oral contraceptive use. This risk increases with age, becoming quite marked in women over 35 years old, and is even greater for those who are heavy smokers (15 or more cigarettes per day). Women who use oral contraceptives are strongly advised not to smoke.
• Do not use birth control pills if you are pregnant or are breast-feeding. Exposure to estrogen and progestin hormones can potentially harm a eloping baby. If you become pregnant while taking oral contraceptives, you should stop taking it and call your doctor immediately.
• It may take a long time for you to become pregnant after you stop taking oral contraceptives. Discuss this issue with your doctor.
• Mircette may cause a patchy, darkening of the skin on the face (melasma). Consult your doctor regarding use of sunscreens and protective clothing.
• Oral contraceptives slightly increase your risk of strokes, blood clots, high blood pressure, heart attacks, gallbladder disease, and liver tumors.
• If you are near-sighted or wear contact lenses, you may develop vision problems while using oral contraceptives. Contact your eye doctor if these problems occur.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to estrogen, progestin, or any other drugs. Before you take Mircette, tell your doctor your entire medical history, including family medical history, especially: breast lumps or cancer; asthma, high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver heart disease, stroke, history of jaundice (yellowing skin/eyes) or high blood pressure during pregnancy, excessive weight gain or fluid retention during menstrual cycle, blood clots, heart attack, seizures, migraine headaches, breast cancer, high blood cholesterol and fats, diabetes. Tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially antibiotics or anti-infectives; anticoagulants ("blood thinners") such as warfarin (Coumadin); antimigraine medications or analgesics; benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam (Serax); beta-blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), or timolol (Blocadren); carbamazepine (Tegretol); isoniazid; phenobarbital; phenylbutazone; phenytoin (Dilantin); primidone (Mysoline); rifampin; steroids (Decadron, Medrol, Prednisone); tranquilizers; vitamins.

Mircette Drug Interaction:
Drug interactions can result in unwanted side effects or prevent a medicine from doing its job. Tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription drugs you are taking. Drugs that may decrease the effectiveness of the pill include:

• griseofulvin
• many antibiotics (penicillins, macrolides, tetracyclines, sulfas, cephalosporins)
• chloramphenicol
• many seizure medications (phenytoin, barbiturates, primidone, carbamazepine)
• dapsone
• rifamycins
• modafinil
• nevirapine
• nelfinavir
• ritonavir
• St John's wort
• troglitazone

Ask your doctor if you should use additional birth control methods while taking any of the drugs mentioned above while taking birth control pills. Also tell your doctor if you use: thyroid hormone drugs; certain benzodiazepines (diazepam, chlordiazepoxide); prednisone-like drugs; certain antidepressants; beta-blockers; "blood thinners" (anticoagulants such as warfarin); insulin. This product can affect the results of certain lab tests, therefore inform all laboratory personnel that you use Mircette. Birth control pills may significantly intensify the effects of alcohol. Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.

Overdose:
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include nausea, vomiting, menstrual bleeding.

Missed dose:
If you are taking this medication to prevent pregnancy, missing a dose increases the risk of becoming pregnant. If you forget to take one tablet, take the missed tablet as soon as you remember and then take the next dose at the regular time - even though you may be taking two tablets in 1 day. If you miss taking this medication for 2 days in a row, take two tablets daily for the next 2 days and then return to your regular schedule. In either situation, an additional method of birth control should be used until you have correctly taken at least 7 days' worth of tablets. If you miss three tablets in a row, stop taking this medication and discard the remaining tablets in this packet. An alternative method of birth control should be used at this time. A new packet of tablets may be started immediately or you may wait 7 to 8 days after the last tablet was taken to begin a new packet, depending on your doctor's instructions. You should continue to use an additional method of birth control until you have correctly taken at least 7 days' worth of tablets. Menstrual bleeding may not occur during this cycle. However, if you do not have a menstrual period for 2 months in a row, consult your doctor about the possibility of being pregnant.

Storage:
Store at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (between 15 and 30 degrees C) away from moisture and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom.

• Mircette
• How to order Mircette birth control pills
• Mircette price comparison