PRECAUTIONS:
Before you take Ortho Tri-Cyclen, tell
your doctor your entire medical history,
including family medical history, especially:
asthma, high blood pressure, kidney disease,
liver heart disease, stroke, history of
jaundice 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 level
of cholesterol or lipids (fats), diabetes,
depression. Depending on strength, this
drug may cause a patchy, darkening of
the skin on the face. Higher strengths
are more likely to cause melasma. Consult
your doctor. Do not smoke cigarettes.
Birth-control pills slightly increase
your risk of strokes, blood clots, high
blood pressure, heart attacks, gallbladder
disease, vision problems, and liver tumors.
DRUG INTERACTIONS:
Tell your doctor what prescription and
nonprescription drugs you are taking.
Drugs that may decrease the effectiveness
of the pill include: griseofulvin, many
antibiotics (e.g., penicillins, macrolides,
tetracyclines, sulfas, cephalosporins),
chloramphenicol, many seizure medications
(e.g., phenytoin, barbiturates, primidone,
carbamazepine), dapsone, rifamycins (e.g.,
rifampin), 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. This product can affect
the results of certain lab tests (e.g.,
thyroid). Inform all laboratory personnel
that you use this drug. Birth control
pills may significantly intensify the
effects of alcohol. Consult your doctor
or pharmacist about this. Do not
start or stop any medicine without doctor
or pharmacist approval. |