Information About the Alesse Prescription Pills for Birth Control

Alesse Use

Alesse is an oral contraceptive that's used to prevent pregnancy.

How Alesse works

Alesse prevents pregnancy in two ways. First it stops the ovary from releasing an egg. Secondly it prevents the man's sperm from entering the uterus

How to take Alesse

Use the Alesse pill pack dispenser to administer doses. Each pill pack contains 28 pills: 21 'active' pink pills (with hormones) followed by one week of reminder 'light-green' pills (without hormones). Take one dose per day. When you finish a 28-day cycle begin a new one. Remember before you start taking Alesse decide what time of the day you want to take your pill. It's important that you take your dose at the same time every day. If you feel sick to your stomach, do not stop taking Alesse. This problem usually goes away as your body gets adjusted to the medication.

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Alesse precautions

Certain drugs like antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of Alesse. Therefore, if you are taking antibiotics, use backup contraception like condoms or foam. While you are taking Alesse, avoid smoking cigarettes. Smoking increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot. If you are pregnant or you think you may be pregnant do not take Alesse. Alesse is in the FDA pregnancy category X, which means that it will cause birth defects in unborn babies.

What to tell your doctor

Before taking Alesse, tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions: high blood pressure, angina, heart disease, a history of stroke, bleeding or blood-clotting disorder, liver disease, a history of jaundice, abnormal vaginal bleeding, migraines, asthma, seizure disorder, or a hormone-related cancer (e.g. breast, uterine). You may not be able to take Alesse or you may require special monitoring during treatment if you have any of these conditions. Also, it's not known whether or not the hormones in Alesse pass into breast milk. Therefore, consult with your doctor before taking this medicine if you are nursing.

Alesse side effects

While taking Alesse, be sure to discuss any concerns you might have with your doctor. Most side effects associated with Alesse are not serious enough for you to stop treatment. In clinical studies the most common side effects reported were nausea, vomiting, weight gain, difficulty wearing contact lenses, bleeding between menstrual periods, and breast tenderness. These side effects, especially nausea and vomiting, usually subside within the first 3 months of use.