Ortho Evra (Ethinyl Estradiol / Norelgestromin)
Evra Patch
0.6mg/6mg Patch (Extended Release)
Prescription required. Product of UK/EU. Shipped from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ortho Evra is also marketed internationally under the name Evra Patch.
To comply with Canadian International Pharmacy Association regulations you are permitted to order a 3-month supply or the closest package size available based on your personal prescription. read more
Ethinyl Estradiol / Norelgestromin Information
(eth' in il) (es tra dye' ole) (nor el jes' troe min)
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious side effects from the contraceptive patch, including heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes. This risk is higher for women over 35 years old and heavy smokers (15 or more cigarettes per day). If you use the contraceptive patch, you should not smoke.- Open the foil pouch by tearing it along the edge.
- Peel apart the foil pouch and open it flat.
- Use your fingernail to lift one corner of the patch and peel the patch and its clear plastic liner off the foil liner. Sometimes patches can stick to the inside of the pouch; be careful not to remove the clear liner as you remove the patch.
- Peel away half of the plastic liner. Avoid touching the sticky surface of the patch.
- Apply the sticky surface of the patch to the skin and remove the other half of the plastic liner. Press down firmly on the patch with the palm of your hand for 10 seconds, making sure that the edges stick well.
- After one week, remove the patch from your skin. Fold the used patch in half so that it sticks to itself and dispose of it so that it is out of the reach of children and pets. Do not flush the used patch down the toilet.
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Before using ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin contraceptive patch,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to estrogens, progestins, or any other medications.
- tell your doctor if you are using any other type of hormonal birth control, such as pills, rings, injections, or implants. Your doctor will tell you how and when you should stop using the other type of birth control and start using the contraceptive patch. Do not use any other type of hormonal birth control while you are using the contraceptive patch.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: acetaminophen (APAP, Tylenol); antibiotics such as ampicillin; anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin); antifungals such as itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole (Nizoral); ascorbic acid (vitamin C); atorvastatin (Lipitor); clofibrate ; cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin, Grisactin); HIV protease inhibitors such as indinavir (Crixivan) and ritonavir (Norvir); medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenytoin (Dilantin), and topiramate (Topamax); morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, MSIR, others); oral steroids such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisone (Deltasone), and prednisolone (Prelone); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); temazepam (Restoril); theophylline (Theobid, Theo-Dur); and thyroid medication such as levothyroxine (Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially products containing St. John's wort.
- tell your doctor if you have recently had surgery or if you are on bedrest. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a heart attack; a stroke; blood clots in your legs, lungs, or eyes; chest pain due to heart disease; cancer of the breasts, lining of the uterus, cervix, or vagina; vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods; hepatitis (swelling of the liver); yellowing of the skin or eyes, especially while you were pregnant or using hormonal contraceptives; a liver tumor; headaches that happen with other symptoms such as weakness or difficulty seeing or moving; high blood pressure; diabetes that has caused problems with your kidneys, eyes, nerves, or blood vessels; or heart valve disease. Your doctor will probably tell you that you should not use the contraceptive patch.
- tell your doctor if you have recently given birth or had a miscarriage or abortion and if you weigh 198 lbs or more. Also tell your doctor if anyone in your family has ever had breast cancer and if you have or have ever had breast lumps, fibrocystic disease of the breast (condition in which lumps or masses that are not cancer form in the breasts) or an abnormal mammogram (x-ray of the breasts). Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had high blood cholesterol and fats; diabetes; asthma; migraines or other types of headaches; depression; seizures; scanty or irregular menstrual periods; or liver, heart, gallbladder, or kidney disease.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while using ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin contraceptive patch, call your doctor immediately. You should suspect that you are pregnant and call your doctor if you have used the contraceptive patch correctly and you have missed two periods in a row, or if you have not used the contraceptive patch correctly and you have missed one period.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin contraceptive patch. Talk to your doctor about this as soon as your surgery is scheduled because your doctor may want you to stop using the contraceptive patch several weeks before your surgery.
- tell your doctor if you wear contact lenses. If you notice changes in your vision or ability to wear your lenses while using ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin contraceptive patch, see an eye doctor.
- you should know that when you use the contraceptive patch, the average amount of estrogen in your blood will be higher than it would be if you used an oral contraceptive (birth control pill), and this may increase the risk of serious side effects such as blood clots in the legs or lungs. Three studies were done to learn more about this risk. Two studies found that women who used contraceptive patches were more likely to develop blood clots than women who used oral contraceptives. The other study found that women who used contraceptive patches were no more likely to develop blood clots than women who used oral contraceptives. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using the contraceptive patch.
- irritation, redness, or rash in the place where you applied the patch
- breast tenderness, enlargement, or discharge
- nausea
- vomiting
- stomach cramps or bloating
- weight gain or weight loss
- change in appetite
- brown or black skin patches
- acne
- swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- hair loss
- bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods
- changes in menstrual flow
- painful or missed periods
- vaginal itching or irritation
- white vaginal discharge
- difficulty wearing contact lenses
- sudden severe headache or vomiting
- speech problems
- dizziness or faintness
- weakness or numbness of an arm or leg
- sudden partial or complete loss of vision
- double vision
- bulging eyes
- sharp or crushing chest pain
- chest tightness
- coughing up blood
- shortness of breath
- calf pain
- severe stomach pain
- sleep problems, mood changes, and other signs of depression
- yellowing of the skin or eyes
- unusual bleeding
- loss of appetite
- extreme tiredness, weakness, or lack of energy
- fever
- dark-colored urine
- light-colored stool
- rash
The content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Patients should not use the information presented on this page for diagnosing a health-related issue or disease. Before taking any medication or supplements, patients should always consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional for medical advice or information about whether a drug is safe, appropriate or effective.