Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo (ethinyl estradiol / norgestimate)	Medroxyprogesterone	Norethindrone	Enter another drug to compare

Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo (ethinyl estradiol / norgestimate)

Medroxyprogesterone

Norethindrone

Prescription only

Prescribed for Ovarian Cysts, Endometriosis, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Birth Control, Gonadotropin Inhibition. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Prescription only

Prescribed for Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Endometrial Hyperplasia - Prophylaxis, Amenorrhea, Birth Control, Endometrial Cancer, Endometriosis, Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy, Gender Dysphoria... View more

Prescription only

Prescribed for Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Endometriosis, Amenorrhea, Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy, Birth Control. Norethindrone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

More about Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo (ethinyl estradiol / norgestimate)

More about Medroxyprogesterone

More about Norethindrone

Ratings & Reviews

Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo has an average rating of 6.2 out of 10 from a total of 357 ratings on Drugs.com. 46% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 26% reported a negative effect.

Medroxyprogesterone has an average rating of 4.5 out of 10 from a total of 2474 ratings on Drugs.com. 30% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 51% reported a negative effect.

Norethindrone has an average rating of 4.9 out of 10 from a total of 1573 ratings on Drugs.com. 33% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 45% reported a negative effect.

View all 357 reviews

View all 2474 reviews

View all 1573 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Mood swings (28.9%)
Weight gain (23.8%)
Nausea (22.4%)
Acne (19.3%)
Cramps (17.9%)
Depression (17.1%)
Headaches (13.2%)

View all Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo side effects

Bleeding (43.0%)
Weight gain (21.8%)
Cramps (17.4%)
Spotting (16.1%)
Mood swings (14.6%)
Depression (12.6%)
Acne (9.1%)

View all Medroxyprogesterone side effects

Bleeding (22.1%)
Weight gain (18.4%)
Acne (18.2%)
Cramps (18.2%)
Mood swings (14.9%)
Spotting (11.6%)
Sore breasts (11.3%)

View all Norethindrone side effects

Drug Class

Contraceptives

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic approved

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

We could not find an exact match for this medicine. Try searching the Price Guide directly.

Quantity	1 mL
Strength	150 mg/mL
Per unit^*	$25.66 - $43.41
Cost^*	$25.66 - $43.41

View all Medroxyprogesterone prices

Quantity	28 tablet
Strength	0.35 mg
Per unit^*	$0.72
Cost^*	$20.23

View all Norethindrone prices

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Dosage Forms

Oral tablet

Intramuscular suspension
Oral tablet

Oral tablet

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

N/A

401 hours

10 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category X Not for use in pregnancy

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 496 drugs are known to interact with Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo:

75 major drug interactions (195 brand and generic names)
372 moderate drug interactions (1389 brand and generic names)
49 minor drug interactions (527 brand and generic names)

A total of 254 drugs are known to interact with Medroxyprogesterone:

43 major drug interactions (113 brand and generic names)
203 moderate drug interactions (651 brand and generic names)
8 minor drug interactions (56 brand and generic names)

A total of 266 drugs are known to interact with Norethindrone:

60 major drug interactions (163 brand and generic names)
193 moderate drug interactions (656 brand and generic names)
13 minor drug interactions (63 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Grapefruit juice may increase the blood levels of certain medications such as norgestimate. You... View more

No known alcohol/food interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Grapefruit juice may increase the blood levels of certain medications such as norethindrone. You... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

N/A

June 18, 1959

April 21, 1982

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

More Information

Patient Resources

Medroxyprogesterone uses

Norethindrone uses

Professional Resources

Prescribing information

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo Alternatives Compared

See also:

Eligard

Provera

Botox

Depo Provera

Lupron Depot

Sprintec

Zoladex

Ortho Tri-Cyclen

Leuprolide

Medroxyprogesterone

Further information

Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo Alternatives Compared

See also:

Further information

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