Evra Patch (Ethinylestradiol / Norelgestromin)

Drug Class:	Commonly Known As:	Category:
	Evra

Evra Patch (Ethinylestradiol / Norelgestromin) - Side Effects, Precautions, and Contraindications

What side effects can Evra Patch (Ethinylestradiol / Norelgestromin) cause?

Common side effects include:

Spotting or bleeding may occur between your periods during the first few months of wearing the patch. However, if this continues after the third month, check with your doctor.

Mistakes in using the patches can also cause spotting or light bleeding

Breast tenderness
Headache or migraine

You may take painkillers such as Paracetamol to manage headaches

Unable to tolerate contact lenses
Weight changes, mood swings
Acne, skin itching or skin irritation

Consult your doctor about any symptom that becomes bothersome.

Using a combined hormonal contraceptive medication increases a woman's risk of developing blood clots compared with a woman not taking any combined hormonal contraceptive medication. The risk of developing a blood clot in a vein is highest during the first year. Other risk factors of developing blood clots include smoking and obesity. However, blood clot formation is rare and the doctor would have evaluated and weighed its benefits over risks before making the recommendation.

Report to your doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Any unusual sudden cough
Severe pain in the chest which may reach the left arm
Change in your speech, including slurring of words
Change in your senses of hearing, smell or taste
Breathlessness or difficulty in breathing
Unusual, severe or long lasting headache or worsening of migraine
Dizziness or fainting
Severe pain in your abdomen
Severe pain in legs or swelling in either of your legs
Weakness or numbness in any part of your body

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
Difficulty in breathing
Itchy skin rashes over your whole body

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.

Before taking Evra Patch (Ethinylestradiol / Norelgestromin) , what precautions must I follow?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.
You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
You have a history of or current medical conditions such as liver problems, stroke, clotting disorders, heart diseases, migraine headaches, epilepsy (fits), diabetes or cancer.
You are a smoker. You may be advised to stop smoking when using Evra®.
You are going for an MRI scan. You may need to remove the patch during the scan.

What food or medicine must I avoid when I take Evra Patch (Ethinylestradiol / Norelgestromin) ?

Some medications including antibiotics and antifungals may affect how the medication works or be affected by the medication. Please inform your other healthcare professionals about this medication which you are taking if you are seeing them for other medical conditions.