Ovral L – Is it Safe? Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

What is Ovral L?

Ovral L is a primary medicine which is used in combination for the purpose of contraception.

• It is mainly used in the prevention of pregnancy which can be orally administrated.
• This drug is manufactured by Pfizer Ltd.

Ovral L – Is it Safe? Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

What is the Generic name(s)?
What is its composition?
How does it work?
What are its uses?
How effective is this medicine?
Is it addictive?
What is the dosage?
What if I miss a dose?
What to do in case of overdosage?
Can I drive after taking it?
Can it be taken on an empty stomach?
Can it be taken with food?
Can I take it with alcohol?
What are the side effects?
Does this medicine has any drug interactions?
Precautions
Is it safe to use if I am pregnant?
Is it safe to use if I am breastfeeding?
Can this medicine be given to children and infants?
Is this medicine available as over the counter (OTC) product?
Frequently asked questions
Reference

What is the Generic Name(s)?

Based on the active ingredients, the two generic names of this drug are Levonorgestrel[1] and Ethinyl Estradiol[2].

What is the Composition?

This Ovral L drug is made up of two active ingredients such as

• Levonorgestrel – 0.15 mg
• Ethinyl Estradiol – 0.03 mg

How do Ovral L works?

Ovral L works according to the active ingredients present in the drug.

Levonorgestrel: This drug work is to prevent the fertilization[3] process which means it inhibits entry of sperm[4] into the egg. Then, it also involves in inducing the change in the level of hormones which is used in the prevention of pregnancy[5].

Ethinyl Estradiol: Estrogen is the pregnancy hormone which is normally produced in the body. This ingredient works by involving in the replacement or replenishment of this hormone to prevent the unwanted pregnancy. It binds with the receptor of estrogen[6] which enters into the nucleus of the cell.

What are its uses?

Ovral l is generally prescribed to treat and prevent the following conditions such as,

•  Contraception[7] (prevention of unwanted pregnancy)
• Emergency pregnancy (where the first dose of the tablet should be taken within 72 hours to 120 hours after unprotected intercourse and the second dose could be taken 12 hours after the first dose)
• Hypogonadism[8] in female ( used to treat the deficiency of sex hormones secreted by some delayed formation of some glands)
• Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
• Cancer treatment (breast cancer[9] or prostate cancer[10])

How effective is this medicine?

Ovral l due to the capacity of the active ingredients present is rapidly and nearly completely absorbed by the tissues and cells in the body after oral administration. The effect of this medicine is observed to reach its peak within 2 to 3 hours. Also, this is said to remain active within the system for about a week.

Is it addictive?

No, Ovral l is not addictive. The active ingredients with which this drug is composed have not been reported to have any habit-forming properties. Hence, these tablets are not proved to have addiction[11] or dependence effect on the person.

What is the Dosage?

The dosage of this drug is available as 0.03 mg/0.15 mg which should be taken regularly according to the instructions given by your physician.

What if I miss a dose?

Ovral l is not like other usual drugs which are used in the treatment of the conditions. But Ovral L is indeed a contraception tablet which is used in the prevention of pregnancy. If you miss a dose of this drug, it is considered safe to seek advice from your physician immediately for further instructions. The guidance may vary depends upon the day you missed the dose (which is according to the menstrual cycle). Sometimes, you may need to consume extra dose to equalize the missed dose. Looking at these things, it is not good to miss a dose of this drug as it may result in increased risk of undesirable pregnancy.

What to do in case of overdosage?

Apart from the guidance from your physician, it is not advisable to consume overdosage of this drug. This may increase the effect of allergic reactions[12] or could cause nausea[13] or vomiting[14] along with heavy or unusual vaginal bleeding[15]. So, it is considered to consult your doctor immediately as soon as possible if you consume overdosage of this drug.

Can I drive after taking it?

No, you should not drive after taking these tablets. Consumption of this drug may cause sleepiness, dizziness, drowsiness or tiredness at sometimes. So, it is advisable to avoid driving vehicles or operating any heavy types of machinery after taking this drug.

Can it be taken on an empty stomach?

Yes, it can be taken on an empty stomach. It is based on the instructions given by your physician.

Can it be taken with food? 

Actually, it can be taken with or without food. It depends upon the guidelines given by your physician according to your medical conditions.

Can I take it with alcohol?

No, it cannot be taken with alcohol. At sometimes, alcohol interaction with this Ovral L tablets may lead to the worsening of the side effects and the allergic reactions.

What are the side effects?

Some of the major and some rarely found minor side effects are mentioned below,

• Severe pain in the abdominal region
• Nausea or vomiting
• Heavy bleeding during the menstrual cycle
• Spotting of blood or bleeding between the periods (menstrual cycle)
• Formation of a blood clot
• Stroke
• Increase in weight
• Change in the texture of the breasts
• Symptoms found as in flu
• A headache
• Dizziness or drowsiness
• A migraine
• Vaginitis
• Abdominal cramps
• High blood pressure (Hypertension)
• Acne
• Diarrhoea
• Change in libido
• Pain and feeling of tenderness in the breast
• Back pain
• Depression

Does this medicine has any drug interactions?

Yes, this medicine can cause harmful conditions in human health when it interacts with the following drugs:

• Amprenavir
• Bosentan
• Carbamazepine
• Phenytoin
• Prednisolone
• Warfarin
• Tranexamic acid

This drug can also interact with some medical conditions such as,

• Intracranial hypertension (having a pre-medical history of increased high blood pressure around the brain with symptoms such as Headaches and blurred vision)
• Liver diseases (such as jaundice and its symptoms such as yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Edema and Retention of fluid
• Disorders of the eye (having a pre-existing medical condition in the eye and usage of this drug may cause the blocking of blood vessels with loss of vision either completely or partially)
• Heavy or abnormal vaginal bleeding (occurs due to the longtime consumption)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• An estrogen-dependent tumour (due to the abnormal secretion of this hormone)
• Hepatic neoplasms (having a history of liver tumours)

Precautions

Some of the precautions and warning which has to be followed while taking this drug is listed below,

• Always let your doctor know if you are allergic to any one of the active ingredients present in the drug.
• Avoid this drug if you in your pregnancy period or planning to get pregnant in the future.
• Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding the child before taking this drug.
• Consult your doctor regarding the usage of this drug during the menstrual cycle. This may increase or decrease the bleeding during the period for at least 5 days (if it lasts long more than 5 days, inform your doctor immediately).
• This drug cannot be used against or to protect from any Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) like AIDS, Gonnarrhoea, etc. during unprotected sex.
• These tablets may result in the weight gain which would lead to the condition of obesity in some persons.
• As this is contraception tablets, these are used in regards to the clinical condition of the person. If you are about to undergo surgery, stop consuming this drug before four weeks before surgery process. After the surgery, you should not take this drug for about two weeks (the duration also depends upon the type of surgery process).
• Consuming this drug for a long period of time may increase the risk of infections. So, consult your doctor if you ever experience the infections while taking this drug.
• Long time use of this drug may also result in increased symptoms of depression. Hence, it should be consulted with your doctor if you have any pre-medical history with depression and if it is, monitor the changes in your mood and behaviour is necessary.
• Avoid smoking while taking this drug as it increases the effect of cardiovascular diseases (it occurs especially in the persons whose age is greater than 35).
• Increased formation of blood clots may occur if you consume this drug for a long time.
• It may also result in jaundice and the drug should be discontinued if the symptoms of jaundice such as yellowing of the skin and the eyes appear due to its harmful effect in liver and gall bladder.
• Consult your doctor regarding the drug interactions and avoid taking it with herbal or vitamin supplements.
• Always let your doctor know about your pre-medical history and current health condition.
• Avoid this drug if you are suffering from diabetes condition. It is because consuming this drug may increase the level of blood sugar.

Is it safe to take if I am pregnant?

No, it is not safe to take if you are pregnant. As this medication is used in the prevention of pregnancy, this is highly not recommended if you are in your pregnancy duration. It may cause life-threatening side effects or death in the foetus.

Is it safe to take if I am breastfeeding?

No, it is not safe to take if you are breastfeeding. It is because sometimes the effect of active ingredients would result in dangerous effects in infants. So, it is not recommended if you are feeding the infant and consult your physician to use another contraception tablet depends upon your medical or clinical conditions.

Can this medicine be given to children and infants?

No, this medicine should not be given to children and infants.

Is this medicine available as over the counter (OTC) product?

Yes, this medicine is available as Over the counter (OTC) product.

Frequently asked questions

What is the price of this drug?

A pack of this drug which contains 21 tablets costs about Rs. 70.

What to do if there is an allergic reaction?

The allergic reactions are severely reported due to the consumption of this Ovral L tablets. If you ever experience the allergic reactions, it is advisable to seek the medical emergency help from your physician as soon as possible. Here is the list of such allergic reactions,

• Troubled breathing or troubled swallowing
• Swelling in the body parts especially in the face, lips, tongue, eyelids, hand and feet.

What if I take an expired drug?

This contraception drug when expired, will not possess the efficient potency to prevent the unwanted pregnancy. Also, it may increase the severeness of the side effects.

How can I store this drug?

This drug is usually stored in the room temperature which is between 15 degrees to 25-degree Celsius. Do not keep this drug in the refrigerator or in a deep freezer (which contains the cold temperature) unless it is mentioned specifically in the packet. Avoid keeping this drug in the bathroom.

Ensure that this drug is kept away from children and pets. It could cause some harmful effects in their health. It is not safe to flushing these tablets in the toilet or in the sink which would result in contaminating the environment and risking of human health.

What are the substitutes of this drug?

Another drug which can act as the substitute for this drug is Mala D which is manufactured by Deys Medical.

Can this drug be stopped abruptly?

No, this drug should not be stopped abruptly. Stopping the consumption of this all of suddenly would lead to the increase in the risk of getting unwanted pregnancies.

Are there any specific food items to be avoided while taking this drug?

No, there are no specific food items to be avoided while taking this drug.

When to avoid this drug?

This drug is better to be avoided if you any one of the following medical conditions,

• Allergic reactions’
• Liver disease
• Pregnant or planning to get pregnant
• Breastfeeding
• Heart disorders or blood vessels disorders
• An estrogen-dependent tumour
• Stroke
• Breast cancer
• Abnormal or heavy vaginal bleeding

How to take this drug?

This tablet should be swallowed whole. Do not crush, break or chew it as it may lose its potency sometimes. Avoid stopping consumption of this drug abruptly as it may fail to prevent the unwanted pregnancy. Be sure that you completed the drug dose due with the course of treatment. So, avoid stopping this drug without the instructions from your physician.

Take this drug according to the advice given by our doctor. Swallow this tablet with or without a glass of water. Do not take this drug in high dosage than the dosage prescribed by your doctor. Always consult your doctor if you experience any side effects by consuming this drug.

Reference

Wikipedia page on Pregnancy

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