How to Take 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. This may help you to remember to take it regularly. Oral contraceptives come in packets of 21 or 28 tablets. If you have a 21-tablet packet, take one tablet daily for 21 days and then wait 7 days (no tablets) before starting a new packet. If you have a 28-tablet packet, 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. These tablets do not contain ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel; they contain iron (ferrous fumarate) or an inactive ingredient and are used to permit continuous daily dosing during the entire 28-day cycle. This eliminates the need to count the number of days between cycles. 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 the directions on your prescription label carefully concerning when to take your first tablet (on the first or fifth day of your menstrual period, or on the first Sunday on or after bleeding begins). Take oral contraceptives exactly as directed by your doctor. 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 Warnings and Precautions

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have high blood pressure, angina, or heart disease; had a stroke; a 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. You may not be able to take birth control pills, or you may require special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Birth control pills are in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that birth control pills are known to cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can have serious negative effects on developing baby. Do not take birth control pills if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant. The hormones in birth control pills pass into breast milk and may decrease milk production. Do not take birth control pills without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Missed Dose of Mircette

If you MISS 1 active [white] pill:

1. Take it as soon as you remember. Take the next pill at your regular time. This means you take 2 pills in 1 day.

2. You do not need to use a back-up birth control method if you have sex.

   If you MISS 2 active [white] pills in a row in WEEK 1 OR WEEK 2 of your pack:

3. Take 2 pills on the day you remember and 2 pills the next day.

4. Then take 1 pill a day until you finish the pack.

5. You MAY BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills.

   You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) as a back-up method for those 7 days.

If you MISS 2 active [white] pills in a row in WEEK 3:

1. If you are a Day 1 Starter:

   THROW OUT 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, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day.

2. You may not have your period this month but this is expected. 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 sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) as a back-up method for those 7 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:

   THROW OUT 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, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day.

2. You may not have your period this month but this is expected. 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 sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms, foam, or sponge) as a back-up method for those 7 days.

Possible Side Effects of Mircette

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking the birth control pills and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; 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). Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take the birth control pills and talk to your doctor if you experience headache or dizziness; nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; breakthrough bleeding; or breast tenderness. These side effects may disappear or be less noticeable after 3 to 6 months of birth control use. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you find any side effect very bothersome. The side effects listed below generally occur very rarely and are not considered serious. If you experience any of the following, talk to your doctor when it is convenient: depression; changes in weight or appetite; vaginal yeast infection; changes in your menstrual cycle; oily skin or acne; changes in your sex drive; lethargy or fatigue; bloating; changes in skin color; or changes in blood sugar. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

How to Store Mircette

Store below 86° F (30° C).

Mircette Overdose

Serious ill effects have not been reported following acute ingestion of large doses of oral contraceptives by young children. Over dosage may cause nausea, and withdrawal bleeding may occur in females.

More Information on Mircette

Avoid smoking. Smoking greatly increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot formation. Birth control pills do not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases including HIV or AIDS. Using a condom is the only way to protect yourself from these diseases.

Disclaimer

This Mircette drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.