How Should You Use Levlen (Oral)

Tablet

• Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to.
• This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
• The schedule you follow for taking this medicine is different from the schedule for most other birth control pills. You will take active pills for 84 days in a row before you have a menstrual period. Your period will start during the 7 days you are taking the white inactive pills. This different schedule means you will have periods less often (about four times a year).
• Unless your doctor tells you to use a different schedule, start taking this medicine on the first Sunday after your menstrual period starts. If your period starts on a Sunday, start taking this medicine on that day. Then continue taking one pill each day in the order they appear in the package.
• The first time you use Seasonale®, you will need to use a second kind of birth control in addition to Seasonale® for the first seven days. Any time you miss taking your pills for two days or longer, you will need to use a second kind of birth control. Some other kinds of birth control include condoms, a diaphragm, or contraceptive foam or jelly.
• It is best to take your pill at the same time every day. Birth control pills work best when there is no more than 24 hours between doses. It is very important that you take this medicine on schedule every day.
If a dose is missed:
• If you miss one active pill, take it as soon as you can. Then take your next pill at the regular time. This means you may take two pills in one day.
• If you miss two active pills, take two pills as soon as you can. Then take two pills on the next day. Then go back to your regular schedule of taking one pill every day. Use another kind of birth control until you have been taking active pills for seven days in a row.
• If you miss three or more active pills, do not take the pills you missed. Go back to taking one pill every day, starting with the pill for the day you remember. For example, you may forget or miss taking your pills on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. If this happens, take your Thursday pill (do not take the three you missed) and continue with your regular schedule. Use another kind of birth control until you have been taking active pills for seven days in a row.
• You could have light bleeding or spotting any time you do not take a pill on schedule. The more pills you miss, the more likely you are to have bleeding.
• If you miss any white inactive pills, throw away the missed pills and go back to your regular schedule.