Get Informed: Ortho-Cept
Active Ingredient(s)
Desogestrel with Ethinylestradiol
What does it do?
This product is used primarily as an oral contraceptive. It contains ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Jul-31 6:31 AM
- Last Data Update:
- 2010-Jul-30 9:03 PM
Other Names
- Apri
- Kariva
- Mircette
- Reclipsen
- Cyclessa
- Ortho-Cept
- Mircette-28
- Marvelon
- Solia
- Velivet
- Mercilon
- Desogestrel with Ethinylestradiol
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category
- X
Black Box Warning
This product has a black box warning relating to the increased risk of serious cardiovascular side effects in women who also smoke.
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 10 Dec 1992
- Est US Patients*
- 255,800
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Ortho-Cept or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Ortho-Cept
There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Ortho-Cept during the past year.
Ortho-Cept Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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What is Ortho-Cept used for?
iGuard is currently tracking more than 1,800 patients that use Ortho-Cept (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Birth Control | 74% |
mild
severe
|
| Irregular/Painful Periods | 29% |
mild
severe
|
| Menopausal Symptoms | 5% |
mild
severe
|
| Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome | 3% |
mild
severe
|
| Other | 3% |
mild
severe
|
How well does Ortho-Cept work?
iGuard regularly polls our more than 1,800 users taking Ortho-Cept (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 86%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Ortho-Cept outweigh the bad things.
- 7%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Ortho-Cept.
Common Side Effects of Ortho-Cept
iGuard regularly polls our more than 1,800 users taking Ortho-Cept (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
22% of patients experience side-effects on Ortho-Cept
5% of patients experience significant side-effects on Ortho-Cept
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Breakthrough Bleeding
-
Weight Gain
-
Headache
-
Abdo Pain/Cramps
-
= 10%
Global Patient Feedback for Ortho-Cept (Desogestrel with Ethinylestradiol) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I was prescribed Kariva 3 years ago for my severe PMS and just in the last 6 months have I started to experience horrible lower right abdomen pressure and pain, knife like pain in my left side, painful headaches, diarrhea, high blood pressure, weight loss, and in the last week slurred words, intense abdomen pain and faint/dizziness due to Kariva. Avoid this prescription. I ended up in ER due to it, I almost died.
24 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-10-10 03:05:06
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Your reaction reported is very severe. You should continue to seek medical followup in order to best treat the complications you have shared above.
Posted: 2009-10-30 00:01:18
Question/Comment:
I'm very close to 50 years old and started taking cyclessa about 18 months ago to help with pre-menopausal systems. It has really helped. As a matter of fact, I stopped taking it for a couple of months and the symptoms were so bad that I started again. I do take Armour thyroid meds and lovastatin for cholesterol. My thyroid is fine and the cholesterol is fine. I am concerned with the risk of blood clots forming with the cyclessa and my age. Any comments?
51 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-21 16:07:42
Question/Comment:
So far, I've only been on Reclipsen/Apri for a few months, but I feel like it's a better-than-average BCP in comparison to others I've been on in the past. It makes my periods shorter and lighter on average, and I only really cramp the first day or so. That alone makes it great in my mind. It seems to treat acne a little, though not as much as others like Yasmin (which, it should be noted, is not really good for anything OTHER than acne, and has a lot of side-effects). I would say it's somewhere in the middle in terms of hormone amounts, given that it treats acne a little better than some, but less than others, and it may effect libido a little bit, but a lot less than the ones with more hormones. Apart from that, I haven't really noticed much in the way of side-effects, and because it's so much better than the last few I've been on, it may be that it will take me a while to notice any new problems.
I would recommend this one to someone who's having problems on a different BCP, as it seems like a good balance, unlike some that might have too much or too little hormone.
25 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-12 08:46:16
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Solia for many years and starting to have discomfort in my lower right abdomen. The CT scan result indicated that I have 2cm cyst in my lower right abdomen, the doctor said that since I am on birth control pill, the cyst normally dissolved on its own. I don't know if anyone having similar experience and do I need to see gynacologist for this because I've only been seeing my primary doctor. I know the cyst causing discomfort and sometime sharp pain but nothing they can do right now but to monitor it and see if it will dissolve on its own. Thanks for all advices..
www.becaregiver.com
43 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-04-15 14:12:51
Question/Comment:
I was prescribed Kariva b/c of my extreme PMS, and painful irregular cycles. Needless to say, I also suffer with migraines.
How should I address this 'conflict of interest'?
38 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-01-19 12:13:54
Answer/Reply:
After trying many BCPs, I was prescribed Mircette/Kariva because it helps with migraines (the hormones in the 4th week). I still get migraines, but much less often. I was also prescribed Imitrex for the migraines.
36 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-03-05 21:38:53
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
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Patient Comments About
Ortho-Cept