Bayer plc
Bayer House
Strawberry Hill
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 1JA
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1635 563 000
Facsimile: +44 (0)1635 563 393
Company Web Site: http://www.bayer.co.uk
Due to regulatory changes, the content of the following Patient Information Leaflet may vary from the one found in your medicine pack. Please compare the 'Leaflet prepared/revised date' towards the end of the leaflet to establish if there have been any changes.
If you have any doubts or queries about your medication, please contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Levonelle 1500 microgram tablet
Levonorgestrel
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
- If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
- 1. What Levonelle 1500 is and what it is used for
- 2. Before you take Levonelle 1500
- 3. How to take Levonelle 1500
- 4. Possible side effects
- 5. How to store Levonelle 1500
- 6. Further information
What Levonelle 1500 Is And What It Is Used For
Levonelle 1500 is an emergency contraceptive that can be used within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if your usual contraceptive method has failed.
Levonelle 1500 contains a synthetic hormone like substance called levonorgestrel. It prevents about 84% of expected pregnancies when you take it within 72hrs of having unprotected sex. It will not prevent a pregnancy every time and is more effective if you take it as soon as possible after unprotected sex. It is better to take it within 12hrs rather than delay until the third day.
Levonelle 1500 is thought to work by:
- stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg;
- preventing sperm from fertilising any egg you may have already released; or
- stopping a fertilised egg from attaching itself to your womb lining.
Levonelle 1500 can only prevent you becoming pregnant if you take it within 72hrs of unprotected sex. It does not work if you are already pregnant. If you have unprotected sex after taking Levonelle 1500, it will not stop you from becoming pregnant.
Before You Take Levonelle 1500
Do not use Levonelle 1500
- if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to levonorgestrel or any of the other ingredients of Levonelle 1500 (see section 6).
Take special care with Levonelle 1500
If any of the following points apply to you, tell your doctor before you take Levonelle 1500 as emergency contraception may not be suitable for you.
- you are pregnant or think that you may already be pregnant; as this medicine will not work if you are already pregnant.
You may already be pregnant if:
- your period is more than 5 days late, or you have experienced unusual bleeding when your next period is due
- you have had unprotected sex more than 72 hours ago, and since your last period
You should also tell your doctor if:
- you have a disease of your small bowel (such as Crohn’s disease) that interferes with the way you digest your food
- you have severe liver problems
- you have a history of ectopic pregnancy (where the baby develops somewhere outside the womb)
- you have a history of inflamed fallopian tubes (salpingitis)
A previous ectopic pregnancy and a previous infection of the fallopian tubes increase the risk of a new ectopic pregnancy.
Your doctor may decide that Levonelle 1500 is not suitable for you, or that another type of emergency contraception would be better for you.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.
Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the medicines listed below, as these medicines may prevent Levonelle 1500 from working properly:
- barbiturates and other medicines used to treat epilepsy (for example, primidone, phenytoin, and carbamazepine).
- medicines used to treat tuberculosis (for example, rifampicin, rifabutin).
- a treatment for HIV infection (ritonavir)
- a medicine used to treat fungal infections (griseofulvin)
- herbal remedies containing St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- a medicine called ciclosporin (suppresses the immune system)
If you are worried about sexually transmitted diseases
This medicine will not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases, only condoms can do this. Ask your doctor, nurse, family planning clinic or pharmacist for advice if you are worried about this.
How often can you use Levonelle 1500
You should only use Levonelle 1500 in emergencies and not as a regular method of contraception. If Levonelle 1500 is used more than once in a menstrual cycle, it is less reliable and it is more likely to upset your menstrual cycle (period).
Levonelle 1500 does not work as well as regular methods of contraception. Your doctor, practice nurse or family planning clinic can tell you about long-term methods of contraception which are more effective in preventing you from getting pregnant.
Pregnancy
You should not take this medicine if you are already pregnant. If you do become pregnant even after taking this medicine, it is important that you see your doctor. There is no evidence that Levonelle 1500 will harm a baby that develops in your uterus/womb. Nevertheless, your doctor may want to check that the pregnancy is not ectopic (where the baby develops somewhere outside the womb). This is especially important if you develop severe abdominal pain after taking Levonelle 1500 or if you have previously had an ectopic pregnancy, Fallopian tube surgery or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Breast-feeding
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.
Women who breast-feed can use Levonelle 1500 but should take the following measures.
Very small amounts of the active ingredient of this medicine may appear in your breast milk. This is not thought to be harmful to the baby. However if you are worried you can take your tablet immediately after a breast-feed and then drain your milk with a breast pump for 6 hours after taking Levonelle 1500 and throw away the milk. In this way you can reduce the amount of active ingredient your baby may take in with the breast milk.
Driving and using machines
Your Levonelle 1500 tablet is unlikely to affect your ability to drive a car or use machines. However, if you feel tired or dizzy do not drive or operate machinery.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Levonelle 1500
Each Levonelle 1500 tablet contains 142.5mg lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
How To Take Levonelle 1500
Always use Levonelle 1500 exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
This medicine is not recommended for use in children under 12 years of age.
- Take the tablet as soon as possible, preferably within 12 hours, and no later than 72 hours (3 days) after you have had unprotected sex. Levonelle 1500 can be taken at any time in your menstrual cycle assuming you are not already pregnant or think you may be pregnant. Do not chew the tablet, swallow it whole with water. Do not delay taking the tablet. The tablet works better the sooner you take it after having unprotected sex.
- If you are already using a regular method of contraception such as the contraceptive pill, you can continue to take this at your regular times.
If another unprotected intercourse takes place after the use of Levonelle 1500 (also if this is during the same menstrual cycle), the tablet will not exert its contraceptive effect and there is again the risk of pregnancy.
What to do if you are sick (vomit)
If you are sick (vomit) within three hours of taking the tablet, you should take another tablet. You will need to contact your pharmacist, doctor, practice nurse or family planning clinic immediately for one more tablet.
After you have taken Levonelle 1500
After you have taken Levonelle 1500, if you want to have sex, and are not using the contraceptive pill, you should use condoms or a cap plus spermicide until your next menstrual period. This is because Levonelle 1500 won’t work if you have unprotected sex again, before your next period is due.
After you have taken Levonelle 1500, you are advised to make an appointment to see your doctor about three weeks later, to make sure that Levonelle 1500 has worked. If your period is more than 5 days late or is unusually light or unusually heavy, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. If you do become pregnant even after taking this medicine, it is important that you see your doctor.
Your doctor can also tell you about longer-term methods of contraception which are more effective in preventing you from getting pregnant.
If you continue to use regular hormonal contraception such as the contraceptive pill and you do not have a bleed in your pill-free period, see your doctor to make sure you are not pregnant.
Your next period after you took Levonelle 1500
After the use of Levonelle 1500, your period is usually normal and will start at the usual day; however sometimes, this will be a few days later or earlier. If your period starts more than 5 days later than expected, an ‘abnormal’ bleeding occurs at that time or if you think that you might be pregnant, you should check whether you are pregnant by a pregnancy test.
If you take more Levonelle 1500 than you should
Although there have been no reports of serious harmful effects from taking too many tablets at once, you may feel sick, actually be sick (vomit), or have vaginal bleeding. You should ask your pharmacist, doctor, practice nurse or family planning clinic for advice, especially if you have been sick, as the tablet may not have worked properly.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Possible Side Effects
Like all medicines, Levonelle 1500 can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Very common (affects more than 1 user in 10):
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- You might have some irregular bleeding until your next period
- You might have lower abdominal pain
- Tiredness
- Headache
Common (affects 1 to 10 users in 100):
- Being sick (vomiting). If you are sick, read the section ‘What to do if you are sick’ (vomit) (see page 3).
- Your period might be different. Most women will have a normal period at the expected time, but some may have their period later or earlier than normal. You might also have some irregular bleeding or spotting until your next period. If your period is more than 5 days late or is unusually light or unusually heavy, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
- You might have tender breasts, diarrhoea, feel dizzy after taking this medicine.
Very rare effects (affects less than 1 user in 10,000):
- rash, urticaria, pruritus, face oedema
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
How To Store Levonelle 1500
Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
Do not use Levonelle 1500 after the expiry date which is stated on the package after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month
Store in the original packaging in order to protect from light.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
Further Information
What Levonelle 1500 contains
The active substance is levonorgestrel. Each tablet contains 1500 micrograms of levonorgestrel.
The other ingredients are potato starch, maize starch, colloidal silica anhydrous, magnesium stearate (E572), talc (E533b) and lactose monohydrate.
What Levonelle 1500 looks like and contents of the pack
Each pack of Levonelle 1500 contains a complete treatment which is one round, white tablet with an impressed mark of “G00” on one side.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Manufacturer
or
or
Levonelle 1500 is distributed in the UK by
Levonelle is a registered trademark of Bayer Schering Pharma AG.
This leaflet was last approved in January 2010
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