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Each Prescription Request Reviewed by a Board Certified Physician
ORTHO EVRA, the first birth control patch, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). ORTHO EVRA is a once-a-week birth control option that's as effective as the Pill. It is the first weekly, non-invasive form of reversible contraception that's 99 percent effective when used correctly. You can swim, exercise, bathe, shower, and wear the patch in warm, humid conditions. And because it's so thin, you can easily wear it under your clothes.
What is ORTHO EVRA? The ORTHO EVRA birth control patch is a highly effective, weekly hormonal birth control patch that is worn on the skin to prevent pregnancy. The patch is worn for one week and replaced on the same day of the week for three consecutive weeks, with the fourth week "patch-free." ORTHO EVRA combines the efficacy of the birth control pill with once-a-week dosing. What does ORTHO EVRA look like? ORTHO EVRA is a very thin, beige, smooth patch that measures 1 3/4 inches on each of its four sides. Is ORTHO EVRA available in different colors? Currently, the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch is available only in one color, beige. Other colors, including a clear patch, are being evaluated for future development. The J&J PRD, L.L.C. tested different patch colors, including a clear patch, for ORTHO EVRA. Beige was selected because it maintained its appearance best over the seven-day wear period. How does ORTHO EVRA prevent pregnancy? The ORTHO EVRA birth control patch is 99 percent effective when used correctly. Clinical studies have compared ORTHO EVRA with birth control pills and found it to be equally effective. ORTHO EVRA prevents pregnancy the same way as birth control pills. It works primarily by preventing ovulation, which means that the ovary does not release an egg to be fertilized. ORTHO EVRA also causes changes to the cervical mucus (making it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus). How does the medicine get into my system? ORTHO EVRA is a birth control patch that keeps you from becoming pregnant by delivering continuous levels of the hormones norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol (progestin and estrogen, respectively) through the skin and into the bloodstream (this is called transdermal administration). Norelgestromin is the primary active metabolite of norgestimate—the progestin used in the #1 prescribed birth control pill in the United States. Has it been tested? More than 70,000 birth control patches have been clinically tested worldwide in more than 3,300 women to date. Are there any side effects associated with ORTHO EVRA? In clinical trials of the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch, some women experienced breast symptoms, headache, application site reaction, nausea, upper respiratory infection, menstrual cramps and abdominal pain. Are there any risks associated with using ORTHO EVRA? The contraceptive patch contains hormones
similar to those in birth control pills. Hormonal contraceptives
are not for everybody. Most side effects of the contraceptive
patch are not serious and those that are, occur infrequently.
Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood
clots, stroke or heart attacks and are increased if you smoke
cigarettes. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of
serious cardiovascular side effects, especially if you are
over 35. Women who use hormonal contraceptives are strongly
advised not to smoke. Some women should not use the
contraceptive patch, including women who have blood clots,
certain cancers, a history of heart attack or stroke, as well
as those who are or may be pregnant. The contraceptive
patch does not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted
diseases. How do I use the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch? ORTHO EVRA uses a 28-day, or four-week cycle. You should apply a new patch on the same day of the week for three consecutive weeks, for a total of 21 days. You should not apply a patch during the fourth week. Your menstrual period should start during this "patch-free" week. Every new patch should be applied on the same day of each week. This day will be your "Patch Change Day." For example, if you apply your first patch on a Monday, all of your patches should be applied on a Monday. You should wear only one birth control patch at a time. On the day after week four ends, you should begin a new four-week cycle by applying a new birth control patch. Sunday Start: Apply your first patch on the first Sunday after your menstrual period starts. If your menstrual period starts on a Sunday, you should start the patch that same day. You must use non-hormonal back-up contraception, such as a condom, spermicide or diaphragm for the first week of your first cycle. (Sunday will be the "Patch Change Day"). The birth control patch may be worn on the buttocks, abdomen, upper torso (front and back, excluding the breasts) or upper outer arm. Wear the patch continuously for seven days (one week). On Day 8 (the "Patch Change Day," e.g. this would be Sunday for a Sunday Start patient), remove the used birth control patch, discard it and apply a new one immediately to one of the four areas described above. Apply a new patch for week two (on Day 8) and week three (on Day 15), on your "Patch Change Day." To avoid irritation, do not apply the new patch to the same exact place on your skin. Do not wear a patch on week four (Day 22 through Day 28). Your period should start during this week. Begin your next four week cycle by applying a new patch on your normal "Patch Change Day," the day after Day 28—no matter when your period begins or ends. First Day Start: Apply your first birth control patch during the first 24 hours of your menstrual period. This is considered the "Patch Change Day" (If the patch is not applied within the first 24 hours of your period, you must use non-hormonal back-up contraception, such as a condom, spermicide or diaphragm for one week after starting ORTHO EVRA). The patch may be worn on the buttocks, abdomen, upper torso (front and back, excluding the breasts) or upper outer arm. Wear the patch continuously for seven days (one week). On Day 8 (the "Patch Change Day"), remove the patch, discard it and apply a new one immediately to any of the four areas described above. Apply a new birth control patch for week two (on Day 8) and for week three (on Day 15), on your "Patch Change Day." To avoid irritation, do not apply the new birth control patch to the same exact place on your skin. Do not wear a patch on week four. Your period should start during this week. Begin your next four-week cycle by applying a new patch on your normal "Patch Change Day," the day after Day 28—no matter when your period begins or ends. Where can I wear ORTHO EVRA? You can wear the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch on one of four areas of the body: your buttocks, abdomen, upper torso (front and back, excluding the breasts) or upper outer arm.
The brith control patch should not be worn on any other areas of the body. How do I apply the birth control patch? Open the foil pouch by tearing it along the top edge and one side edge. Peel the foil pouch apart and open it flat. You will see that the patch is covered by a layer of clear plastic. It is important to remove the patch and the plastic together from the foil pouch. Using your fingernail, lift one corner of the patch and peel the patch and the plastic off the foil liner. Sometimes patches can stick to the inside of the pouch—be careful not to accidentally remove the clear liner as you remove the patch. Peel away half of the clear plastic and be careful not to touch the exposed sticky surface of the patch with your fingers. Apply the sticky side of the patch to the skin you've cleaned and dried, then remove the other half of the clear plastic. Press firmly on the patch with the palm of your hand for 10 seconds, making sure the edges stick well. Run your fingers around the edge of the patch to make sure it is sticking properly. Check your patch every day to make sure all edges are sticking. How does the patch stay on? ORTHO EVRA uses clinically proven patch technology, which has a layer containing both the medication and an adhesive that keeps the patch on the skin for an entire week. When applying the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch, it is important to press down firmly on the patch with the palm of your hand for 10 seconds, making sure that the edges stick well. ORTHO EVRA remains attached and effective even when you bathe, swim, exercise, or wear it in humid conditions. In clinical trials, less than 2 percent of birth control patches had to be replaced because of complete detachment and less than three percent had to be replaced because of partial detachment. In the rare event that you need an extra patch, your doctor or healthcare professional has given you an extra patch prescription. On the "Patch Change Day," can I place it on a different area of the body? Yes. The new patch can be placed on one of the four recommended areas: the buttocks, abdomen, upper torso (front and back, excluding the breasts) or upper outer arm. Can I change the location of ORTHO EVRA in the middle of the week? It is not recommended that you move your birth control patch to a new location in the middle of the week. Attempting to change the location of a patch may cause it to become loose. How do I change my "Patch Change Day?" If you wish to move your "Patch Change Day," to a different day of the week, finish your current cycle, removing your third ORTHO EVRA patch on the correct day. During week four, the "patch-free" week, (Day 22 through Day 28), you may choose a new "Patch Change Day" by applying a new patch on the day you prefer. You now have a new Day 1 and a new "Patch Change Day". You should never have the birth control patch off for more than seven days in a row. What if I forget to change the patch? At the start of any patch cycle: Week 1 (Day 1):
You must use back-up contraception for the first week of your new cycle. You should never have a patch off for more than seven days. In the middle of patch your cycle: Week 2 or Week 3:
During week two or week three, if you forget to change your patch for more than two days, you could become pregnant. Start a new four-week cycle as soon as you remember by removing the old patch and applying a new patch. You now have a different "Patch change day" and new Day 1. You must use non-hormonal back up contraception, such as a condom, spermicide or diaphragm for the first week of your new cycle. You should never have a patch off for more than seven days. At the end of your patch cycle: Week 4:
You should never have a birth control patch off for more than seven days. What should I do if a patch seems loose, partially lifts up off my skin or falls off? For less than 24 hours: You should try to reapply it or apply a new birth control patch immediately. No back-up contraception is needed and your "Patch Change Day" will remain the same. You can reapply the patch by following these instructions:
Can I wear ORTHO EVRA in the shower or while swimming or exercising? Yes. ORTHO EVRA should be worn continuously for seven days. The patch adheres well to the skin, allowing you to perform your daily activities such as bathing, showering, swimming, and exercising without interruption. Can I decorate or cut my patch? No. To ensure the effectiveness of ORTHO EVRA, you should not write on the patch or alter the patch in any way. Modifying the patch may affect the amount of medication that is delivered through the skin and into the bloodstream, which may increase the risk of becoming pregnant. Would lotions (moisturizing lotions, tanning lotions) affect the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch? Always apply your birth control patch to clean, dry skin. Do not use creams, oils, powder or make-up on your skin where you will put a patch or near a patch you are wearing. It may cause the patch to become loose.How do I clean dirt/dark ring around the birth control patch? It is not recommended that you clean the edges of the patch prior to removal on the "Patch Change Day." Lifting the edges of the patch may cause it to become loose or fall off. Using creams, oils, or powders near the patch may cause it to become loose. On your "Patch Change Day," when you remove the birth control patch, if a small ring of adhesive is left on your skin, you can remove it by rubbing a small amount of baby oil on the area. How do I remove/discard ORTHO EVRA? When removing your used patch, simply lift one corner and quickly peel back. If a small ring of adhesive is left on your skin, remove it by rubbing a small amount of baby oil on the area. The used patch still contains some medicine—throw it away after carefully folding it in half so that it sticks to itself. Can a woman with sensitive skin use it? The ORTHO EVRA birth control patch may cause skin irritation. It is advisable to avoid placing ORTHO EVRA on skin that is red, irritated or cut. If you have sensitive skin, you may wish to consult with your doctor or healthcare professional prior to use. If mild irritation develops during use, the patch can be removed and a new patch may be applied immediately to a new location until the next "Patch Change Day". Who should not use ORTHO EVRA? Some women should not use the ORTHO EVRA contraceptive patch. For example, you should not use ORTHO EVRA if you are pregnant or think you may become pregnant. You should also not use ORTHO EVRA if you have any of the following conditions:
Tell your doctor or healthcare professional if you have ever had any of these conditions. Your doctor or healthcare professional can recommend a non-hormonal method of birth control. How do I switch from birth control pills to ORTHO EVRA? Switching to ORTHO EVRA is similar to switching to another birth control pill. If you are switching from birth control pills to the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch, wait until you get your menstrual period. If you do not get your period within five days of taking the last active pill, check with your doctor or healthcare professional to be sure that you are not pregnant before starting the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch. You should use non-hormonal (back-up) contraception, such as a diaphragm, spermicide, or condom, for one week. Does it matter which patch I use from the box? No. Each patch delivers the same amount of medication each week. Therefore, the patches can be used in any order. However, a new birth control patch must be applied on the same day of the week for three consecutive weeks. The fourth week is "patch free". This patch-free week is similar to the placebo or fourth week with birth control pills during which inactive pills or no pills are taken. Do I only need to wear the birth control patch when I have sex? ORTHO EVRA uses a 28-day, four-week cycle. You will apply a new birth control patch on the same day of the week for three consecutive weeks, for a total of 21 days. You will not apply a patch during week four. Do not skip patches even if you do not have sex very often. How long do I need to wear the birth control patch before I am protected from pregnancy? For Sunday Start, you must use non-hormonal back-up contraception (such as a condom, spermicide or diaphragm) for the first week of your first cycle only. If these instructions are followed, the birth control patch will be as effective during the first cycle as it will be in subsequent cycles of use. For First Day Start, if you apply your first patch during the first 24 hours of your period, no additional back-up is required. If you do not use the first birth control patch within the first 24 hours of your period, a non-hormonal back-up contraception (such as a condom, spermicide or diaphragm) should be used for the first week of your first cycle only. If these instructions are followed, the birth control patch will be as effective during the first cycle as it will be in subsequent cycles of use. Will I still get my period when using the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch? You can expect your menstrual period to begin a few days after removing the third birth control patch (during the patch free week). What should I do if I take other medications? Certain drugs may interact with hormonal
contraceptives, including the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch,
to make them less effective in preventing pregnancy or cause
an increase in breakthrough bleeding. Such drugs include rifampin,
drugs for epilepsy such as barbiturates (for example, phenobarbital),
anticonvulsants such as topiramate (Topamax), carbamazepine
(Tegretol is one brand of this drug), phenytoin (Dilantin is
one brand of this drug), phenylbutazone (Butazolidin is one
brand), certain drugs used in the treatment of HIV or AIDS,
and possibly some antibiotics. Pregnancies and breakthrough
bleeding have been reported by users of combination birth control
pills who also use some form of St. John's Wort. What if I want to become pregnant? When you are ready to have a baby, you should consult your doctor or healthcare professional and stop using the ORTHO EVRA birth control patch. As with other forms of hormonal contraception, there may be some delay in becoming pregnant after you stop using ORTHO EVRA, especially if you had irregular menstrual cycles before you used ORTHO EVRA. It may be advisable to postpone conception until you begin menstruation regularly once you have stopped using ORTHO EVRA and desire pregnancy. For more information, please visit www.orthoevra.com |
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