SEASONALE INFORMATION
Seasonale Uses
When you're not on the Pill, every month your body prepares for the possibility of being pregnant. An egg ripens, is released (this is called ovulation), and the uterine lining builds up to nurture the egg if it's fertilized. When you don't become pregnant in a given month, you have a menstrual period because your body needs to shed the uterine lining.
But when you're on a birth control pill, you are not ovulating. So each month, your body doesn't thicken the uterine lining very much or need to shed it.
Instead of a true menstrual period, you get a "pill period" that happens each month when you stop taking birth control pills that contain hormones.
Note
The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that use of Seasonale is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. Consult your healthcare professional before using Seasonale.
Taking Seasonale
Take 1 pink Seasonale tablet daily for 84 consecutive days. Follow with 7 days of white inactive Seasonale tablets.
Begin taking Seasonale on the first Sunday after the onset of menstruation. If menstruation begins on a Sunday, the first pink tablet is taken that day. Withdrawal bleeding should occur during the 7 days following discontinuation of pink active Seasonale tablets.
Seasonale Side Effects
Serious as well as minor side effects have been reported with the use of hormonal contraceptives. Serious risks include blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, especially in women over 35 years.
Seasonale Precautions
The risks associated with Seasonale are similar to those with all birth control pills. Most side effects are not serious and those that are occur infrequently.
The convenience of fewer planned menses (4 per year instead of 13 per year) should be weighed against the inconvenience of increased inter menstrual bleeding and/or spotting. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious side effects, especially if you are over 35. Women who use birth control pills such as Seasonale should not smoke.
Some women should not use birth control pills, including women who have blood clots, certain cancers, a history of heart attack or stroke, as well as those who are or may be pregnant.
If you are a heavy smoker and over age 35, you should not take Seasonale.
Oral contraceptives do not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Seasonale Drug Interactions
Changes in contraceptive effectiveness associated with co-administration of other products:
Anti-infective agents and anticonvulsants
Contraceptive effectiveness may be reduced when hormonal contraceptives are coadministered with antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and other drugs that increase the metabolism of contraceptive steroids. This could result in unintended pregnancy or breakthrough bleeding. Examples include rifampin, barbiturates, phenylbutazone, phenytoin, carbamazepine, felbamate, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, and griseofulvin. Several cases of contraceptive failure and breakthrough bleeding have been reported in the literature with concomitant administration of antibiotics such as ampicillin and tetracyclines. However, clinical pharmacology studies investigating drug interaction between combined oral contraceptives and these antibiotics have reported inconsistent results.
Anti-HIV protease inhibitors
Several of the anti-HIV protease inhibitors have been studied with co-administration of oral combination hormonal contraceptives; significant changes (increase and decrease) in the plasma levels of the estrogen and progestin have been noted in some cases. The safety and efficacy of combination oral contraceptive products may be affected with co-administration of anti-HIV protease inhibitors. Healthcare providers should refer to the label of the individual anti-HIV protease inhibitors for further drug-drug interaction information.
Herbal products
Herbal products containing St. John s Wort (hypericum perforatum) may induce hepatic enzymes (cytochrome P450) and p-glycoprotein transporter and may reduce the effectiveness of contraceptive steroids. This may also result in breakthrough bleeding.
Missed Seasonale Dose
If you MISS 1 pink active Seasonale pill:
1. Take it as soon as you remember. Take the next Seasonale pill at your regular time. This means you may 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 pink active Seasonale pills in a row:
1. Take 2 Seasonale pills on the day you remember, and 2 Seasonale pills the next day.
2. Then take 1 Seasonale pill a day until you finish the pack.
3. You COULD BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you restart your pills. You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms or spermicide) as a back-up on the 7 days after you restart your Seasonale pills.
If you MISS 3 OR MORE pink active Seasonale pills in a row:
1. Do not remove the missed pills from the pack as they will not be taken. Keep taking 1 Seasonale pill every day as indicated on the pack until you have completed all of the remaining Seasonale pills in the pack.
For example: If you resume taking the Seasonale pill on Thursday, take the pill under Thursday and do not take the missed Seasonale pills. You may experience bleeding during the week following the missed pills.
2. You COULD BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex during the days of missed Seasonale pills or during the first 7 days after restarting your pills.
3. You must use a non-hormonal birth control method (such as condoms or spermicide) as a back-up when you miss pills and for the first 7 days after you restart your pills. If you miss your period when you are taking the white Seasonale pills, call your healthcare provider because you may be pregnant.
If you MISS ANY of the 7 white inactive Seasonale pills.
1. Throw away the missed Seasonale pills.
2. Keep taking the scheduled Seasonale pills until the pack is finished.
3. You do not need a back-up method of birth control.
FINALLY, IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SURE WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE PILLS YOU HAVE MISSED
1. Use a BACK-UP METHOD anytime you have sex.
2. KEEP TAKING ONE PILL EACH DAY until you contact your healthcare provider.
Seasonale Overdose
If Seasonale overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.
Precautions
Do not share Seasonale with others for whom it was not prescribed.
Do not use Seasonale for other health conditions.
Keep Seasonale and all medications out of the reach of children.
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