Logynon 21 Tablets

Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel What Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel is and what it is used for: This medicine is a combined oral contraceptive pill (‘the Pill’). You take it to stop you getting pregnant. This contraceptive contains two types of female sex hormones, oestrogen and progestogen. These hormones stop you getting pregnant by working in three ways: by preventing an egg being released from your ovaries; by making the fluid (mucus) in your cervix thicker, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the womb; and by preventing the lining of your womb thickening enough for an egg to grow in it. Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel is taken every day without a break. You take an ‘active pill’ each day for 21 days, followed by an ‘inactive pill’ each day for 7 days. The benefits of taking the Pill include: • it is one of the most reliable reversible methods of contraception if used correctly • it doesn’t interrupt sex • it usually makes your periods regular, lighter and less painful • it may help with pre-menstrual symptoms. Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel will not protect you against sexually transmitted infections, such as Chlamydia or HIV. Only condoms can help to do this. Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel needs to be taken as directed to prevent pregnancy. What you need to know before you use Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel Do not use Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel Tell your doctor: • If you have (or have ever had) a blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT), your lungs (pulmonary embolus, PE) or other organs • If you know you have a disorder affecting your blood clotting – for instance, protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin-III deficiency, Factor V Leiden or antiphospholipid antibodies • If you need an operation or if you are off your feet for a long time • If you have ever had a heart attack or stroke • If you have (or have ever had) angina pectoris (a condition that causes severe chest pain and may be a first sign of a heart attack) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA – temporary stroke symptoms) • If you have any of the following diseases that may increase your risk of a clot in the arteries: o severe diabetes with blood vessel damage o very high blood pressure o a very high level of fat in the blood (cholesterol or triglycerides) o a condition known as hyperhomocysteinaemia • If you have (or have ever had) a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’ • If you have or have ever had breast cancer • If you have ever had a severe liver disease, and you have been told by your doctor that your liver function test results are not yet back to normal • If you have ever had liver tumours • If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to any of the ingredients in this pill. Warnings and precautions: You should let your doctor know: • If you experience symptoms of angioedema such as swollen face, tongue and/or throat and/or difficulty swallowing or hives potentially with difficulty breathing contact a doctor immediately. Products containing oestrogens may cause or worsen the symptoms of hereditary and acquired angioedema. • If you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammatory bowel disease) • If you have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE – a disease affecting your natural defence system) • If you have haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS – a disorder of blood clotting causing failure of the kidneys) • If you have sickle cell anaemia (an inherited disease of the red blood cells) • If you have inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) • If you have elevated levels of fat in the blood (hypertriglyceridaemia) or a positive family history for this condition. Hypertriglyceridaemia has been associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) • If you need an operation, or you are off your feet for a long time • If you have just given birth you are at an increased risk of blood clots. • If you have an inflammation in the veins under the skin (superficial thrombophlebitis) • If you have varicose veins • If you have diabetes • If you or your close family have ever had problems with your heart, or circulation such as high blood pressure • If you or your close family have ever had problems with blood clotting • If you have the inherited disease called porphyria • If you are overweight (obese) • If you have migraines • If you have any illness that worsened during pregnancy or previous use of the Pill Other medicines and Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines: Some medicines can have an influence on the blood levels of Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel and can stop it from working properly – for example: • some medicines used to treat epilepsy • some medicines used to treat HIV and Hepatitis C Virus infections (so-called protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) • griseofulvin (an anti-fungal medicine) • certain antibiotics • certain sedatives (called barbiturates) • St. John’s Wort (a herbal remedy). How to use Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel: To prevent pregnancy, always take Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel as described below. Check with your doctor or family planning nurse if you are not sure. This pack is designed to help you remember to take your pills. Your pack contains 3 foil memo strips with 3 sets of 7 self-adhesive strips showing the days of the week. Each foil memo strip contains 28 tablets: 21 small active tablets in 3 rows (6 red, 5 white and 10 ochre-coloured tablets) and 7 larger, white, inactive tablets in the last row. Take Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel every day for 28 days: • Find the set of self-adhesive strips. Each strip starts with a different day of the week. Peel off a strip that starts with your starting day. • For instance, if you start the tablets on a Wednesday, use a strip that starts with ‘Wed’. • Stick the strip along the top of the foil memo-strip so that the first day is above the pill marked ‘start’. • You can now see on which day you have to take each tablet. • Take your pill at the same time every day. • Follow the direction of the arrows on the strip. Take one pill each day, until you have finished all 28 pills. • Swallow each pill whole, with water if necessary. Do not chew the pill. Then start your next strip Start taking your next strip of Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel the next day. Do not leave a gap between packs. As long as you take Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel correctly, you will always start each new strip on the same day of the week. Possible side effects: Stop using the product and seek immediate medical attention if you have noticed: • Signs of deep vein thrombosis: swelling of one leg or along a vein in the leg or foot especially when accompanied by pain or tenderness in the leg which may be felt only when standing or walking; increased warmth in the affected leg; change in colour of the skin on the leg e.g. turning pale, red or blue. • Signs of a pulmonary embolism: sudden unexplained breathlessness or rapid breathing; sudden cough without an obvious cause, which may bring up blood; sharp chest pain which may increase with deep breathing; severe light headedness or dizziness; rapid or irregular heartbeat; severe pain in your stomach. • Signs of retinal vein thrombosis (blood clot in the eye): symptoms most commonly occur in one eye: immediate loss of vision or painless blurring of vision which can progress to loss of vision. • Signs of heart attack: chest pain, discomfort, pressure, heaviness; sensation of squeezing or fullness in the chest, arm or below the breastbone; • Signs of a stroke: sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; sudden, severe or prolonged headache with no known cause; loss of consciousness or fainting with or without seizure. • Signs of blood clots blocking other blood vessels: swelling and slight blue discolouration of an extremity; severe pain in your stomach (acute abdomen). • Signs of a severe allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat. • Signs of breast cancer: dimpling of the skin; changes in the nipple; any lumps you can see or feel. • Signs of cancer of the cervix: vaginal discharge that smells and contains blood; unusual vaginal bleeding; pelvic pain; painful sex. • Signs of severe liver problems: severe pain in your upper abdomen; yellow skin or eyes (jaundice). How to store Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel: • Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children. • Do not use Ethinylestradiol, Levonorgestrel after the expiry date shown on the strip. • Do not throw away any medicines down a drain or into a bin. Ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicines you do not want. This will help to protect the environment. A valid prescription should be available upon delivery