What is the most important information I should know about levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive?
This medicine will not terminate pregnancy if the fertilized egg has already attached to the uterus.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking levonorgestrel if you regularly use medication for seizures, tuberculosis, or HIV/AIDS. Certain other medicines can make levonorgestrel less effective.
What is levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive?
Levonorgestrel is a female hormone that can cause changes in your cervix, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.
Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive is used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or failure of other forms of birth control (such as condom breakage, or missing 2 or more birth control pills).
Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive?
You should not use levonorgestrel if you are allergic to it.
Do not use this medicine if you are already pregnant. Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive will not terminate a pregnancy that has already begun (the fertilized egg has attached to the uterus).
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking levonorgestrel if you regularly use medication for seizures, tuberculosis, or HIV/AIDS. Certain medications can make levonorgestrel less effective as an emergency form of contraception.
Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive is not intended for use as a routine form of birth control and should not be used in this manner. Talk with your doctor about the many forms of birth control available.
Levonorgestrel may slow breast milk production. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive is not approved for use by anyone younger than 17 years old.
How should I take levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive?
Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive must be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex (no later than 72 hours afterward).
Call your doctor right away if you vomit within 2 hours after taking this medicine. Do not take a second dose without first asking your doctor.
Visit your doctor within 3 weeks after taking levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive. A doctor should confirm that you are not pregnant, and that this medicine has not caused any harmful effects.
If your period is late by 1 week or longer after the expected date, you may be pregnant. Get a pregnancy test and contact your doctor if you are pregnant. Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive will not terminate pregnancy if the fertilized egg has attached to the uterus.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Since levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive is used as a single dose, it does not have a daily dosing schedule.
What happens if I overdose?
Because this medicine is supplied as a single tablet in an exact strength, an overdose is unlikely to occur when the levonorgestrel is used as directed. Do not take more than one tablet at the same time.
What should I avoid while taking levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive?
Levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive will not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases--including HIV and AIDS. Using a condom is the only way to protect yourself from these diseases. Avoid having unprotected sex.
What are the possible side effects of levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor or seek emergency medical help if you have severe pain in your lower stomach or side. This could be a sign of a tubal pregnancy (a pregnancy that implants in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus). A tubal pregnancy is a medical emergency.
Common side effects may include:
- mild stomach pain;
- breast pain or tenderness;
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
- headache, dizziness;
- feeling tired; or
- changes in your menstrual periods.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive?
Certain other medications can make levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Do not take levonorgestrel without telling your doctor or pharmacist that you are using any of the following medications:
- efavirenz (Atripla, Sustiva);
- rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, IsonaRif, Rimactane); or
-
seizure medication --carbamazepine, felbamate, fosphenytoin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with levonorgestrel, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.
Where can I get more information?
Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.01. Revision date: 1/11/2018.
