Safyral

Generic name: Drospirenone, Ethinyl Estradiol, And Levomefolate
Drug class: Contraceptives

Usage of Safyral

Safyral contains a combination of drospirenone, ethinyl estradiol, and levomefolate. Drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary) and also cause changes in your cervical mucus and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. Levomefolate is a type of B vitamin that helps prevent a rare birth defect that could occur in a baby if pregnancy occurs while taking birth control pills or shortly after stopping them.

Safyral is used as contraception to prevent pregnancy.

Safyral is used in women who choose to use an oral contraceptive as their method of contraception, to raise folate levels to lower their risk of having a pregnancy with a rare type of birth defect (known as a neural tube defect).

Safyral side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic Reaction to Safyral: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using Safyral and call your doctor at once if you have:

signs of a stroke - sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance;

signs of a blood clot - sudden vision loss, stabbing chest pain, feeling short of breath, coughing up blood, pain or warmth in one or both legs;

heart attack symptoms - chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;

liver problems - loss of appetite, upper stomach pain, tiredness, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

increased blood pressure - severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears;

swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

a change in the pattern or severity of migraine headaches; or

symptoms of depression - sleep problems, weakness, tired feeling, mood changes.

Common Safyral side effects may include:

nausea;

breast tenderness;

headache; or

breakthrough bleeding.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Safyral

Taking Safyral can increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack. You are even more at risk if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or if you are overweight. Your risk of stroke or blood clot is highest during your first year of taking Safyral. Your risk is also high when you restart this medicine after not taking it for 4 weeks or longer.

Smoking can greatly increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack. Your risk increases the older you are and the more you smoke. You should not take Safyral if you smoke and are over 35 years old.

Do not use if you are pregnant. Stop using Safyral and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant, or if you miss 2 menstrual periods in a row. If you have recently HAD a baby, wait at least 4 weeks before taking Safyral.

You should not take Safyral if you have:

an adrenal gland disorder;

kidney disease;

untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure;

heart disease (coronary artery disease, history of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot);

an increased risk of having blood clots due to a heart problem or a hereditary blood disorder;

circulation problems (especially if caused by diabetes);

a history of hormone-related cancer, or cancer of the breast, uterus/cervix, or vagina;

unusual vaginal bleeding that has not been checked by a doctor;

liver disease or liver cancer;

severe migraine headaches (with aura, numbness, weakness, or vision changes), especially if you are older than 35;

a history of jaundice caused by pregnancy or birth control pills;

if you smoke and are over 35 years old; or

if you take any hepatitis C medication containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (Technivie).

To make sure Safyral is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

heart problems, high blood pressure, or if you are prone to having blood clots;

high levels of potassium in your blood;

high cholesterol or triglycerides, or if you are overweight;

depression;

liver or kidney disease;

underactive thyroid, diabetes, gallbladder disease; or

a migraine headache.

The hormones in Safyral can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Safyral may also slow breast milk production. Do not use if you are breast feeding.

Relate drugs

How to use Safyral

Usual Adult Dose for Contraception:

1 tablet orally each day. A patient should begin taking either on the first day of the menstrual period (Day 1 Start) or on the first Sunday after the onset of the menstrual period (Sunday Start). The patient should begin the next and all subsequent 28-day regimens on the SAMe day of the week as she began the first regimen, following the same schedule.

Warnings

Do not use Safyral if you are pregnant or if you recently had a baby.

You should not take Safyral if you have: an adrenal gland disorder, kidney disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary artery disease, circulation problems (especially with diabetes), undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, liver disease or liver cancer, severe migraine headaches, if you also take certain hepatitis C medication, if you will have major surgery, if you smoke and are over 35, or if you have ever had a heart attack, a stroke, a blood clot, jaundice caused by pregnancy or birth control pills, or cancer of the breast, uterus/cervix, or vagina.

Taking Safyral can increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack.

Smoking can greatly increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack. You should not take Safyral if you smoke and are over 35 years old.

What other drugs will affect Safyral

Other drugs may interact with drospirenone, ethinyl estradiol, and levomefolate, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Some drugs can make this medicine less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

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