Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo FAQ
Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo is an oral contraceptive, which is the fancy name for birth control pill. Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo is different from Ortho-Tri Cyclen in the fact that it has a lower dose of hormones than Ortho-Tri Cyclen does. This is thought to diminish the side effects that may occur when you take pills with higher hormone doses.
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What is Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo?
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Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo is a pill that you take to prevent pregnancy. Your doctor may also prescribe Ortho-Tri Cyclen to help you have more regular periods, with a lighter flow and less menstrual cramping.
How Does It Work?
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Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo keeps you from ovulating. If you don't ovulate, the ovary does not release an egg, and if you don't release an egg you won't get pregnant. Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo does this by releasing estrogen and progestin, in low doses, into your body. Further, it also changes the uterine lining so that it is less likely to allow a fertilized egg to implant and thickens cervical mucus so that sperm cannot travel through the cervix as well.
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How Effective Is It?
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When you take Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo exactly as you are supposed to, which means taking the white ones first, the light blue ones next, then the dark blue ones, then the green ones, you have a 99 percent chance of not getting pregnant.
The first 21 pills have varying hormone levels in them while the green pills have no hormones at all. For this reason, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo is considered to be a tri-phasic pill. It is very important that you take the pills in their correct order.
What Are Some Side Effects?
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All birth control pills have side effects and this includes Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo. Some of them are nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps or bloating and changes in acne. It may get better; it may get worse. If these continue after you have been on the pill long enough for your body to adjust, usually three to six months, you need to see your doctor.
When Using Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo, When Should I Call My Doctor?
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You need to call your doctor as soon as possible if you have vaginal bleeding that is continuous or begins suddenly and is very heavy or if you miss a period. You should also report any unusual growth of facial or body hair, as well as any swelling of your ankles or feet.
Dark patches on the skin, called melasma, should be reported to your doctor. Additionally, if you are a contact lens wearer and begin to experience problems with wearing your contact lenses, you should tell your doctor.
Do not wait to call your doctor if the following symptoms appear. Rather, go straight to the emergency room if any of the following occur: you are suddenly short of breath or begin coughing up blood, you have pain in your chest, jaw or left arm, which can be a signal of a heart attack, or you suddenly feel dizzy or faint.
If the calf of either of your legs starts hurting, swelling, feeling warm or if you have these symptoms in your groin area, you should seek immediate medical care. These may be signs of a blood clot forming. Likewise, weakness on one side of your body, slurred speech or vision problems may be signs of a stroke.
These are only some of the more serious side effects; others can also occur.
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