• This medicine does not protect against sexually-transmitted diseases.
• This medicine does not mix well with some medicines. Serious reactions may occur. Check all medicines with healthcare provider.
• Please read the medication guide.
• If you have an allergy to etonogestrel or any other part of this medicine.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• If you have any of the following conditions: Active liver disease, blood clots, breast cancer, tumor where estrogen makes it grow, or unexplained vaginal bleeding.
• If you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
• Etonogestrel prevents or delays ovulation (egg release). It changes the environment so that sperm cannot fertilize the egg, rearranges the chemical balance seen in pregnancy, and prevents implantation of the fertilized egg.
• A rod is placed under the skin in the upper arm. This is a minor surgery. The rod must be replaced every 3 years.
• Keep area dry.
• Avoid heavy lifting for 2-3 days after placement.
• Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
• If you are diabetic, you will need to monitor blood sugars closely.
• Follow up with healthcare provider yearly.
• If you have a life-threatening allergy, wear allergy identification at all times.
• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Most medicines can be thrown away in household trash after mixing with coffee grounds or kitty litter and sealing in a plastic bag.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, natural products, supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or in Canada to Health Canada's Canada Vigilance Program at 1-866-234-2345.
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter, natural products, or vitamins.
Created: 2006-09-18 09:58:12.0
Modified: 2010-03-09 08:27:39.0
Lexi-PALS TM © (1977)-(2007) Lexi-Comp, Inc. All rights reserved.
• Avoid cigarette smoking.
• If you have kidney disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.
• Weight gain.
• Headache.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
• Acne.
• Mood changes.
• Vaginal irritation.
• Menstrual changes. These include lots of bleeding, spotting, or bleeding between cycles.
• Irritation where rod was placed.
• Gallbladder disease, blood clots, heart attacks, and other vascular problems can rarely occur.
• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.
• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Chest pain or pressure.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Swelling or pain of leg or arm.
• Signs or symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, nervousness, emotional ups and downs, abnormal thinking, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.
• Severe vaginal bleeding.
• Severe headache.
• Severe belly pain.
• Severe nausea or vomiting.
• Sudden change in vision, eye pain, or irritation.
• A lump in the breast or breast tenderness.
• Severe skin irritation.
• For females, if you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.
