Generic Ovral is an oral contraceptive. Oral contraceptives are commonly known as \"the pill\".

Generic Ovral is also known as a birth control pill. Birth control pills contain a combination of hormones that is used to prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). Generic Ovral contains a form of estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) and a form of progesterone (norgestrel), which are both female hormones involved in conception. Estrogen and progesterone regulate a menstrual cycle, and the fluctuating levels of these hormones play an essential role in fertility.

Generic Ovral also has other effects that inhibit pregnancy. Generic Ovral causes the cervical mucous to thicken, which makes it harder for sperm to move toward the uterus, and they prevent the attachment of an egg to the uterus.

Generic Ovral works by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary) and causing changes in the mucus of the cervix, which makes it difficult for sperm to penetrate and for an egg to implant.

Generic Ovral prevents pregnancy by inhibiting the release of the hormones LH (Leutinizing hormone) and FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone) from the pituitary gland in the brain. LH and FSH play key roles in the development of the egg and preparation of the lining of the uterus for implantation of the embryo. Norgestrel also makes the uterine mucus that surrounds the egg more difficult for sperm to penetrate and, therefore, for fertilization to take place. In some women, Norgestrel inhibits ovulation (release of the egg).

Generic Ovral should be taken daily, every 24 hours, for the duration of the prescribed cycle. Start the cycle according to package directions.

Taking your pill at night may help to reduce any nausea or headache that you may experience because of the hormones.

Generic Ovral is to be taken every day for a 3-week period, followed by 1 week of no Generic Ovral ; this cycle is repeated each month.

1) Starting on the first Sunday after the beginning of your menstrual period, take one tablet daily (at the same time each day) for the next 20 days. Note: If your period begins on Sunday, take the first tablet that day.

2) Wait 1 week before taking any more tablets. Your menstrual period should occur during this time.

3) Following this 1-week waiting time, begin taking a daily tablet again for the next 20 days.

4) Follow the instructions from your doctor about using a second form of birth control when you first start taking birth control pills, when you are taking antibiotics. If you are unsure what to do in any of these cases, talk to your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor about how to ensure that you will not become pregnant.

Missing a pill increases the risk of becoming pregnant.

• Follow the exact directions on your package information insert concerning missed doses.
• If you miss one Generic Ovral dose, take it as soon as you remember or take two Generic Ovral pills at the time of your next regularly scheduled dose. There is little likelihood that ovulation will occur. You may, however, want to use a second method of birth control such as a condom or a spermicidal cream, jelly, or foam for at least seven consecutive days following the missed tablet to ensure protection from pregnancy.
• If you miss two Generic Ovral tablets in a row, take the two missed tablets of Generic Ovral as soon as you remember or with your next regularly scheduled dose (three total). Or, you may take two tablets each for the next two regularly scheduled Generic Ovral doses (one missed tablet plus one regularly scheduled tablet for two days in a row). Chances are much greater that you may ovulate so you must use another form of birth control for at least 7 days following the missed tablets. It is even better to use a second method of birth control until your next period.
• If you miss three tablets in a row, throw away the package and start a new package on the 7th day after the last day you took a pill. Use another method of birth control until you have taken a pill for 7 days in a row. Your period should occur during the 7 days without pills. If it does not, have a pregnancy test before beginning a new package of pills.
• Read all of the information in your package information insert. It may have slightly different instructions in the case of missed pills. If you do not have a package information insert, call your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse to find out what to do.

The risk of pregnancy is small if you miss only one Generic Ovral per cycle. If you miss more than one tablet, check the product patient information for instructions.

Generic Ovral taken in excess can cause serious consequences. Seek medical help immediately.

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• vaginal bleeding (in females).

Death is not likely to occur from an overdose of Generic Ovral .

Generic Ovral Storage instructions
To help keep track of your doses, use the original container.
Store Generic Ovral at room temperature away from moisture and sunlight.

Generic Ovral Preparations:
Generic Ovral Tablets: Norgestrel 0.5 mg + Ethinyl estradiol 0.05 mg

If Generic Ovral is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered.

It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Generic Ovral with the following:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Amitriptyline (Elavil)
• Ampicillin (Principen)
• Aspirin
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• Barbiturates (phenobarbital, Seconal)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• Chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin)
• Clofibrate (Questran)
• Clomipramine (Anafranil)
• Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
• Diazepam (Valium)
• Doxepin (Sinequan)
• Fluconazole (Diflucan)
• Glipizide (Glucotrol)
• Griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Gris-PEG)
• HIV protease inhibitor drugs such as Crixivan
• Imipramine (Tofranil)
• Lorazepam (Ativan)
• Metoprolol (Lopressor)
• Modafinil (Provigil)
• Morphine (MS Contin)
• Oxazepam (Serax)
• Penicillin (Veetids, Pen-Vee K)
• Phenylbutazone
• Phenytoin (Dilantin)
• Prednisolone (Prelone, Pediapred)
• Prednisone (Deltasone)
• Primidone (Mysoline)
• Propranolol (Inderal)
• Rifabutin (Mycobutin)
• Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
• St. Johns Wort
• Sulfonamides (Bactrim, Septra)
• Temazepam (Restoril)
• Tetracycline (Sumycin)
• Theophylline (Theo-Dur)
• Topiramate (Topamax)
• Troleandomycin (Tao)
• Vitamin C
• Warfarin (Coumadin)

Generic Ovral may significantly intensify the effects of alcohol.

Most Important Fact about Generic Ovral

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious heart-related side effects (stroke, heart attack, blood clots, etc.) in women who use Generic Ovral. This risk increases with age. There is an especially significant increase in heart disease risk in women over 35 years old who smoke and use Generic Ovral.

Generic Ovral precautions if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
If you are pregnant (or think you might be), you should not use Generic Ovral, since it is not safe during pregnancy. For safety, switch to a no hormonal method of contraception if you miss a period after forgetting a scheduled dose of Generic Ovral. In addition, wait at least 4 weeks after delivery before starting an Generic Ovral.

Nursing mothers should not use most Generic Ovral, since it can appear in breast milk and may cause jaundice and enlarged breasts in nursing infants. In this situation, your doctor may advise you to use a different form of contraception while you are nursing your baby.

In addition, Generic Ovral given in the postpartum period may interfere with lactation by decreasing the quantity and quality of breast milk.

Special warnings about Generic Ovral

Generic Ovral should be used with caution if you are over 40 years old; smoke tobacco; have liver, heart, gallbladder, kidney, or thyroid disease; have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, or porphyria (a blood disorder); or tend to be seriously overweight. Caution is also advised if you have blood circulation problems or have had a heart attack or stroke in the past. Be cautious, too, if you have problems with depression, migraine or other headaches, irregular menstrual periods, or visual disturbances.

The estrogen in Generic Ovral has been linked with a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer during use of the pill. If you do use Generic Ovral, choose one with a relatively low amount of estrogen.

You should also be aware that some experts opine that Generic Ovral may increase the risk of cervical cancer. This remains controversial, however. Many doctors think other factors are to blame.

Since Generic Ovral may affect the blood clotting ability, your doctor may discontinue Generic Ovral prior to surgery. The risk of blood clots is greater with oral contraceptives that contain desogestrel, such as Ortho-Cept.

Generic Ovral do not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted disease. If there is a danger of infection, use a latex condom and spermicide in addition to the pill.

If you miss a menstrual period but have taken your pills regularly, contact your doctor but do not stop taking your Generic Ovral pills. If you miss a period and have not taken your pills regularly, or if you miss two consecutive periods, you may be pregnant; stop taking your Generic Ovral pills and check with your doctor immediately to see if you are pregnant. Use another form of birth control while you are not taking your Generic Ovral pills.

You should also be aware that Generic Ovral may cause rare cases of non-cancerous--but dangerous--liver tumors. In people prone to high cholesterol and similar problems, Generic Ovral may raise triglyceride levels, leading to pancreatitis.

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects and mortality. Generic Ovral increases this risk, especially with increasing age.

The use of Generic Ovral may be associated with increased risks of several serious conditions including myocardial infarction, thromboembolism, stroke, hepatic neoplasia, gallbladder disease, and hypertension, although the risk of serious morbidity or mortality is very small in healthy women without underlying risk factors. The risk of morbidity and mortality increases significantly in the presence of other underlying risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemias, obesity, and diabetes.

Why Generic Ovral should not be prescribed?

You should not take Generic Ovral if you have had an allergic reaction to it or if you are pregnant (or think you might be). Avoid Generic Ovral , too, if you suffer from migraine headaches preceded by an aura (visual disturbances such as pulsing lights and blind spots, temporary numbness, and similar symptoms).

If you have ever had breast cancer or cancer in the reproductive organs or liver tumors, you should not take Generic Ovral.

If you have or have ever had a stroke, heart disease, liver disease, angina (severe chest pain), or blood clots, you should not take Generic Ovral. Generic Ovral is not recommended for women with significant high blood pressure. Women who have had pregnancy-related jaundice or jaundice stemming from previous use of Generic Ovral should not take them.

More common side effects of Generic Ovral may include:

• abdominal cramps,
• acne,
• appetite changes,
• bladder infection,
• bleeding in spots during a menstrual period,
• bloating,
• blood clots,
• breast tenderness or enlargement,
• cancer of the reproductive organs,
• cataracts,
• chest pain,
• contact lens discomfort,
• decreased flow of milk when given immediately after birth, depression, difficulty breathing, dizziness,
• fluid retention,
• gallbladder disease,
• growth of face, back, chest, or stomach hair,
• hair loss, headache,
• heart attack,
• high blood pressure,
• inflammation of the large intestine,
• kidney trouble,
• lack of menstrual periods,
• liver tumors,
• lumps in the breast,
• menstrual pattern changes,
• migraine,
• muscle, joint, or leg pain,
• nausea,
• nervousness,
• pancreatitis,
• premenstrual syndrome (PMS),
• secretion of milk,
• severe allergic reactions,
• sex drive changes,
• skin infection,
• skin rash or discoloration,
• stomach cramps,
• stroke,
• swelling,
• temporary infertility,
• unexplained bleeding in the vagina,
• vaginal inflammation or discharge,
• vaginal infections (and/or burning and itching),
• visual disturbances and loss of vision,
• vomiting,
• weight gain or loss, worsening of lupus,
• worsening of twitches or tics,
• worsening of varicose veins,
• yellow skin or whites of eyes

Rare side effects of Generic Ovral may include:

• depression,
• changes in weight or appetite,
• vaginal yeast infection,
• changes in your menstrual cycle,
• oily skin or acne,
• changes in your sex drive,
• lethargy or fatigue, bloating,
• changes in your skin color, or
• changes in your blood sugar.