Cyclessa Side Effects

Serious Side Effects of Cyclessa

lumps in the breast
strong headache, feeling confused and trouble seeing, balancing, or speaking
abrupt feeling of numbness or loss of strength, particularly on one side of the body
chest tension, chest pain spreading to the arm or shoulder area, feeling nauseous, and increased sweating could be indicators of a heart attack
sudden coughing, hoarseness, wheezing, breathing quicker than normal, or coughing up blood
inflammation and redness of one or both of your legs
changes in migraine headaches
feeling depressed, having trouble sleeping, loss of strength and having mood swings
jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin), nauseousness, pain in the upper right section of the stomach, itching, urine that is dark, and clay or pale-colored stools which could be signs of liver damage
enlargement of your hands or your ankles and feet
serious allergic reaction: red or itchy skin, hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the tongue, mouth, throat, or face

Common Side Effects of Cyclessa

changes in menstrual periods, having lighter or shorter periods
loss in desire to have sex
vaginal itchiness or discharge
trouble with contact lenses such as irritation or seeing differently
minor nausea or vomiting
bloating and cramping
tender breasts, enlargement or swelling and discharge from the nipples
changes in skin such as increase in freckles or darkened skin
increase in bodily hair growth and decrease in hair on the scalp
weight fluctuations or changes in appetite

Warnings & Recalls for Cyclessa

Cyclessa Black Box Warnings

Certain patients may have an increased risk for cardiovascular issues, such as blood clotting, heart attack, or stroke, specifically those who are 35 years of age or older, or those who smoke.

Cyclessa and Pregnancy

Birth control pills are listed as FDA pregnancy Category X medicines. Do not use birth control if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Patients who have had a baby within the last month should not take Cyclessa. Let your doctor know right away if you become pregnant and are taking Cyclessa. Cyclessa may pass through breast-milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not take Cyclessa without consulting your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

General Warnings

Cyclessa should not be used by patients with the following conditions:

high blood pressure (hypertension) that is uncontrolled or is not being managed with treatments
heart disease, heart disorders or a history of heart attacks, strokes or blood clots
circulatory disorders or blood-clotting issues
diabetes that has affected your eyes, kidneys or circulation
a cancer related to hormones, including cancer of the breasts or uterus
vaginal bleeding that has not been diagnosed
liver problems, disease or cancer
extreme migraine headaches, particularly patients over the age of 35 with aura, numb or weak feelings and trouble seeing
if you have ever had jaundice due to pregnancy or contraceptives
if you are older than 35 and smoke

Tell your healthcare provider about all medical conditions you have. Ask your doctor if it is safe for you to use Cyclessa if you have:

high blood pressure (hypertension)
high cholesterol levels, high amounts of triglycerides in your blood or if you are overweight
varicose veins (swollen veins due to an accumulation of blood)
underactive thyroid
disease of the gallbladder
diabetes or any blood sugar disorder
epilepsy or any seizure-causing disorder
or have ever had abnormal menstrual cycles
a history of had fibrocystic breast disease or lumps in the breast
ever had an abnormal mammogram

Cyclessa Interactions

Other medicines may interact with Cyclessa. Be sure to tell your doctor about any medicines you are using, especially:

treatments for high blood pressure
antibiotics or tuberculosis medicines
seizure preventive medications
HIV and AIDS drugs
hepatitis C treatments
any barbiturates (sedative-hypnotics)
St. John's wort
muscle relaxers such as dantrolene
medicines for multiple sclerosis
tranexamic acid

Cyclessa Treatment and Use

Cyclessa | ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel is a hormonal medicine marketed by Merck & Co. as a method of birth control. Cyclessa may aid in the following:

maintaining a more regular and lighter menstrual period and decreasing premenstrual symptoms
reducing breakouts and acne
decreasing the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease or infection of the ovaries or other reproductive organs
preventing infertility
protecting against cancers of the ovaries or endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterine lining)
reducing bone loss

In some cases, Cyclessa may decrease the risk of an ectopic pregnancy, which could be life-threatening.

Cyclessa should not be used in attempt to end a pregnancy.

How Does Cyclessa Work?

Cyclessa prevents conception in several ways. The primary method of action is preventing the body from ovulating (producing an egg in the ovary for fertilization). Cyclessa also thickens the cervical mucus and alters the lining of the uterus to prevent the sperm from being able to travel through the uterus or attach to the uterus wall. Through these processes, the sperm is unable to fertilize the egg and pregnancy cannot occur.

Cyclessa does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

How to Take Cyclessa

Cyclessa comes in tablet form to be taken in 28 day cycles. Cyclessa should be taken once daily with a full glass of water. Do not take Cyclessa more than 24 hours apart. Follow labeled instructions on what to do if you forget a dose. Be sure to use a backup form of birth control during the first few weeks of taking Cyclessa. Each 28-day pack of Cyclessa contains one week full of “reminder” pills. Your period should begin while you are taking the “reminder” pills.

Be sure to have extra packets of Cyclessa so that when you have finished one pack you will continue with the next without skipping any days.

Let your doctor know if you have any questions or if you have forgotten to take Cyclessa for several days. If you have not had your period in two months, you may be pregnant. Call your doctor immediately if you think you are pregnant.

Other Names for Cyclessa

Brand name:

Cyclessa

Apr

Azurette

Caziant

Cesia

Desogen

Emoquette

Kariva

Mircette

Ortho-Cept

Reclipsen

Solia

Velivet

Viorele

Generic name:

ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel