Elinest Side Effects

Generic name: ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 23, 2024.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Elinest Side Effects associated with ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Elinest.

Applies to ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel: oral tablet.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and does not cause unwanted effects. Your doctor may also want to check your blood pressure while using this medicine.

Although you are using this medicine to prevent pregnancy, you should know that using this medicine while you are pregnant could harm your unborn baby. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor right away.

You may be pregnant if:

• You do not take the pills regularly and missed a menstrual period.
• You missed 2 menstrual periods.

If you suspect that you may be pregnant, stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away. You may have a higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy if you get pregnant while using this medicine. An ectopic pregnancy can be a serious and life-threatening condition. It can also cause problems that may make it harder for you to become pregnant in the future.

Do not use this medicine together with medicine to treat hepatitis C virus infection, including ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir (Technivie®, Viekira Pak®).

This medicine will not protect you from getting HIV/AIDS, herpes, or other sexually transmitted diseases. Tell your doctor if you or your partner begin to have sexual intercourse with other people, or you or your partner tests positive for a sexually transmitted disease. If this is a concern for you, talk with your doctor.

You might have some light bleeding or spotting when you first start using this medicine. This is usually normal and should not last long. However, if you have heavy bleeding or the bleeding lasts more than a few days in a row, call your doctor.

Do not use this medicine if you smoke cigarettes or if you are over 35 years of age. If you smoke while using ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel combination, you increase your risk of having a blood clot, heart attack, or stroke. Your risk is even higher if you are over age 35, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or if you are overweight. Talk with your doctor about ways to stop smoking. Keep your diabetes under control. Ask your doctor about diet and exercise to control your weight and blood cholesterol level.

Using this medicine may increase your risk of having blood clotting problems. Check with your doctor right away if you have pain in the chest, groin, or legs, especially the calves, difficulty with breathing, a sudden, severe headache, slurred speech, a sudden, unexplained shortness of breath, a sudden loss of coordination, or vision changes while using this medicine.

Using this medicine may increase your risk of having cancer of the breast or your reproductive organs (eg, endometrium, ovaries, cervix). Talk with your doctor about this risk. Check with your doctor immediately if you experience abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the stomach, dark urine, pale stools, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

Check with your doctor immediately if blurred vision, difficulty in reading, or any other change in vision occurs during or after treatment. Your doctor may want an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) to check your eyes.

This medicine may increase your risk of having gallbladder disease. Check with your doctor if you start to have stomach pains, nausea, and vomiting.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. The results of some medical tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (eg, St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of Elinest

Along with its needed effects, ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel:

Other side effects of Elinest

Some side effects of ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to ethinyl estradiol / norgestrel: oral tablet.

General adverse events

The frequency of the reported side effects is unknown, however, an increased risk of the following side effects has been associated with the use of oral contraceptives: thrombophlebitis, arterial thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis, hypertension, gallbladder disease, hepatic adenomas, carcinomas, or benign liver tumors.^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Frequency not reported: Breakthrough bleeding, spotting, menstrual flow changed, amenorrhea, cervical erosion change, cervical secretion change, decreased lactation, vaginal candidiasis, premenstrual syndrome, cystitis-like syndrome, vaginitis, dysmenorrhea^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Frequency not reported: Mesenteric thrombosis, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominal cramps, bloating, colitis, pancreatitis^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Frequency not reported: Hepatic adenoma, hepatic carcinoma, benign liver tumor, breast carcinoma, carcinoma of reproductive organs^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Frequency not reported: Thrombophlebitis, arterial thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, hypertension, cerebral-vascular disease with mitral valve prolapse, venous thrombosis, varicose veins aggravated^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Frequency not reported: Hemolytic uremic syndrome, sickle-cell disease, hemolytic uremic syndrome^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Frequency not reported: Temporary infertility following discontinuation, breast tenderness, breast enlargement, breast secretion^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Frequency not reported: Gallbladder disease, cholestatic jaundice, Budd-Chiari syndrome^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Frequency not reported: Depression, nervousness, libido changed, mood changed^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Frequency not reported: Anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions^[Ref]

Other

• Frequency not reported: Edema/fluid retention, weight increased, weight decreased, reduced tolerance to carbohydrates, corneal curvature steepening, contact lens intolerance, congenital anomaly, porphyria, serum folate decreased^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Frequency not reported: Cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis, migraine, headache, dizziness, exacerbation of chorea^[Ref]

Ocular

• Frequency not reported: Retinal thrombosis, cataracts, optic neuritis^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Frequency not reported: Lupus-like syndrome^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Frequency not reported: Appetite changed, glucose tolerance decreased, serum folate depressed^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Frequency not reported: Pulmonary embolism^[Ref]

Renal

• Frequency not reported: Renal function impaired^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Frequency not reported: Melasma, allergic rash, hirsutism, loss of scalp hair, erythema multiforme, erythema nodosum, hemorrhagic eruption, acne, urticaria, angioedema^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Elinest side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

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