Levlen

Levlen is generically known as ethinyl estradiol or levonorgestrel. Levlen is a combination birth control drug.

Uses

This medication is used to prevent pregnancy. It may also be used for other medical conditions as directed by your doctor. This drug works by stopping the ovulation, changing the cervical mucus and altering the uterine lining.

How To Use

This medicine must be taken orally as directed by your pharmacist or doctor, generally once in a day. Select a particular time and take this medicine at the same time daily so that it is easy for you to remember. It is necessary to take this medication in the same way as prescribed by the doctor.

Side Effects

Some of the most common side effects observed during the use of Levlen are given below:

• Breast tenderness
• Acne
• Increased appetite
• Changes in weight
• Changes in libido
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Hair loss
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Unusual spotting
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Abnormal bleeding

Get immediate medical attention is any of these adverse side effects are observed:

• Skin rashes
• Itching
• Hives
• Trouble breathing
• Tightness in chest
• Swollen face/lips/tongue/throat
• Leg pain
• Breast lumps
• Breast discharge
• Variation in urinal volume
• Change in vaginal discharge
• Slurred speech
• Vision disturbances
• Blood in cough
• Confusion
• Heaviness in chest
• Depression
• Dark urine
• Fainting
• Lack of energy
• Light-colored stools
• Persistent headaches
• Weakness
• One-sided numbness
• Missed periods
• Mood swings
• Mental changes
• Persistent dizziness
• Severe abdominal pain
• Trouble breathing
• Vomiting
• Yellowing of eyes or skin

Contraindications

Levlen is contraindicated in patients having the following conditions:

• History of breast cancer, severe blood clots (such as in legs, lungs or eyes), blood clotting disorder, some blood vessel disorder like bleeding in brain, stroke or heart attack.
• Allergy to any inactive ingredient of Levlen.
• Chances of developing some heart disease like heart valve problems or irregular heartbeats or severe blood clots.
• Chest pain because of angina.
• Liver disorder, liver cancer or tumors or a history of jaundice during pregnancy.
• Some types of migraines or headaches.
• Uncontrolled or severe heart pressure.
• Endometrial, vaginal or cervical cancer.
• Undiagnosed unusual vaginal bleeding.
• Diabetes affecting blood circulation.
• If you have undergone surgery.
• High cholesterol levels, abnormal mammogram.
• Irregular menstrual cycle.
• Gallbladder disorders, lump in breast, high lipid levels.
• Lupus, chorea, epilepsy.
• Pancreatic problems.
• Hypercalcemia.

Levlen may make you feel dizzy. This effect may worsen if you take this drug with alcohol. Do not operate machinery or drive during the use of this drug.

Pregnancy And Levlen

Do not use this medicine if you become pregnant. Avoid the chances of pregnancy while using Levlen. Some traces of Levlen are also found in the maternal milk. Avoid breast-feeding during the intake of Levlen.

What Type of Pill is Levlen?

Unwanted pregnancy can be prevented with the help of Levlen. It works as a birth control medicine that can be consumed by the women to prevent unwanted pregnancy. It helps in the prevention of the ovulation process in a woman so that the pregnancy can be checked. Also it helps in the alteration of the cervical mucus and also in some cases helps in changing the lining of the uterus. This medicine contains a combination of hormones that finally helps to check the pregnancy.

Levlen generally contains two hormones namely progestin and estrogen. The releasing of the egg during the menstrual cycle in a women can be prevented by the consumption of this medicine. The main task of the medicine is to prevent the sperms from reaching the egg. It therefore helps to make the vaginal fluid thicker so that during the time of the intercourse the sperm does not reach the egg and initiate the process of fertilization that can cause pregnancy in a woman. The drug successfully changes the inner lining of the uterus causing the fertilized egg, if any during the process of intercourse, to flow out of the body. The fertilized egg does not gets attached to the uterus and hence expelled from the body preventing pregnancy. Levlen also helps to decrease the blood loss and helps to make the periods in women less painful. It successfully helps to reduce the chances of occurrence of the ovarian cysts in a woman. It also at times helpful towards fighting the acne problems. Other implications and advantages of using the medicine is that the medicine prevents the transition of the sexually transmitted diseases from the partner like HIV and gonorrhea during the time of the intercourse.

Persons suffering from blood clot problems are often advised not to consume the medicine. Doctors should check the patient’s history to check if the patient is allergic to the drug. Also for the woman who is expecting pregnancy, it is strictly prohibited to consume the drug. This might result in miscarriage and can lead to further complications in e woman. Persons suffering from liver diseases and high blood pressures can experience severe chest pains if the medicine is consumed without prior approval from doctors. It is also not suitable for smoking individuals. It has been seen that for persons smoking regularly more than at least 15 cigarettes per day, the consequences can prove to be fatal if not supervised.

How Do I Take Levlen

It is advisable to consume the Levlen after the consumption of a full meal. This helps to relief any problems that can arise after the consumption of the medicine. The medicine can be taken only after a gap of 24 hours after consuming the first medicine dose. Health conditions such as vomiting and diarrhea can set back the proper effects of the medicine if not taken in a proper streamlines manner. Generally the pack comes in a 21 pills pack and after the completion of a pack it is always advisable to visit a doctor and get a confirmation from his end for the continuation of the usage of the drug further.