Levofem Composition, Use, Dose, Side Effect

Levofem is a drug used to prevent pregnancy. It is used before pregnancy and not after. It Is made by PT Harden in Indonesia and marketed in Nigeria by deep K. Tyagi foundation (DKT).

Levofem

Composition Of Levofem

Each blister contains 28 sugar coated tablets comprising: 21 yellow (active) tablets, each containing 0.15 mg of Levonorgestrel and 0.03 mg of Ethinylestradiol and 7 white (inactive) tablets, each containing 75 mg of Ferrous Fumarate.

Clinical Pharmacology

Levofem contains two female sex hormones, a type of oestrogen (Ethinylestradiol) and progestogen (Levonorgestrel). The primary mechanism of its action is inhibition of ovulation and other mechanisms including changes in the cervical mucus (which makes it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus) and in the endometrium (which reduces the likelihood of implantation).

Levofem also contains Ferrous Fumarate which is not a contraceptive but works as a blood-forming or repair ingredient by stimulating the formation of red blood cells (erythropoiesis).

Description

Levofem is a well-researched type of oral contraceptive and its safety has long been established. You can take levofem as long as you want and it does not cause infertility or fetal abnormalities. Full fertility returns within a few weeks of stopping levofem.

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Indications And Use Of Levofem

For prevention of pregnancy and birth spacing. It is also indicated for treating menstrual disorders such as dysmenorrhoea (painful menstruation), menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding), endometriosis, ovulation pain and premenstrual syndrome.

Dosage And Method Of Administration Of Levofem

Start on the first day of your menstrual period; take 1 tablet starting from the lower right hand corner of the pack i.e. the first yellow tablet. When you finish the yellow tablets, start the white tablets. You should take 1 tablet daily at about the same time for 28 consecutive days. If there's a delay by longer than 24 hours, contraceptive protection may be lost. Withdrawal bleeding occurs while the white tablets are being taken.

Whether your bleeding has stopped or not, begin a new pack of levofem the day after taking the last white tablet in this pack. Be sure to take all of the tablets from one pack before starting a new pack and follow these instructions again.

What You Should Do When Changing To Levofem Another Oral Birth Control Tablet

1. If changing from a combined 21-day oral birth control tablet: The first tablet of levofem should be taken on the first day immediately after the end of the previous 21-day oral contraceptive course (i.e, do not wait for 7 days). This will ensure you have contraceptive protection with your first levofem tablet.

2. If changing from a combined 28-day oral birth control tablet: Levofem should be started the next day after taking the last active tablet from the 28 day pack. This will allow you to have contraceptive protection with the first tablet of levofem so additional contraceptive precautions are not required.

3. If changing from a progestogen-only tablet (POP): The first tablet of levofem should be taken on the first day of your menses or bleeding, even if you have already taken a POP for that day. This will allow you to have contraceptive protection with the first tablet of levofem so additional contraceptive precautions are not required. The remaining progestogen-only tablets should be discarded.

Taking Levofem: Postpartum, Post-miscarriage Or Post Abortion

After childbirth, levofem can be started '21 days' after a vaginal delivery, provided that the patient is fully ambulant, is not breastfeeding and there were no puerperal (during delivery) complications. You do not have to wait for your period. Additional contraceptive precautions such as a condom will be required for the first 7 days of taking levofem, since the first postpartum ovulation may precede the first menstruation.

After a first-trimester miscarriage or abortion, oral contraception can be started immediately in which case no additional contraceptive precautions are required. If you had a miscarriage or abortion after the third trimester, additional contraceptive precautions such as a condom will be required during the first 7 days of taking levofem.

What You Should Do When You Miss A Tablet

A missed tablet is a dose of an active (yellow) tablet that is not taken for 24 hours or more.

If you forget to take 1 yellow tablet, it should be taken as soon as you remember, and one taken at the normal time (even if this means taking 2 tablets together). Subsequently, no additional contraceptive precautions are necessary.

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If you miss 2 or more tablets, (especially from the first 7 or last 7 yellow tablets in your pack of levofem), you may not be protected. You should take an active tablet as soon as you remember and then resume normal tablet-taking. In addition, you must either abstain from sex or use an additional method of contraception such as condoms for the next 7 days. When you have finished the active (yellow) tablets in the pack, discard the 7 inactive (white) tablets and start a new pack of levofem immediately.

If you miss any inactive (white) tablet, you can discand each missed tablet so you will know when to start a new pack of levofem.

If You Vomit Or Have Diarrhea

If you vomit or have very bad diarrhea within 4 hours of taking a yellow tablet; as soon as you feel better, follow the instructions in the above section about what you should do when you miss a tablet. Talk to your doctor if the vomiting or diarrhea persists or gets worse.

Contraindications

Levofem should not be taken if you have any of the following conditions: Pregnancy, allergy (hypersensitivity) to any of the ingredients in levofem, breastfeeding, sickle cell disease, personal health history or close family history of thromboembolism, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, smoking, long term immobilization (e.g. wheelchair or prolonged bed rest), obesity, migraine, severe or uncontrolled hypertension, personal health history of breast or cervical cancer, close family history of breast cancer, severe depression, hyperprolactinaemia, liver diseases or tumors, disorders of lipid (fat) metabolism, dubin-johnson syndrome, rotor syndrome.

Warning And Precautions

Tell your pharmacist, medical doctor or family planning provider if you have any medical problems or illness, before starting levofem.

Oral contraceptives should be immediately discontinued:

1. If the symptom of thromboembolism blood clots) occurs (such as sudden loss of hearing, sense of smell, taste, vision or touch; stabbing pain when you breathe. pain and tightness in the chest, sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body.

2. If you develop jaundice (yellow eyes).

3. If you notice any abnormal changes in your breasts (lump, changes in your nipple).

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If you continually miss tablets or do not take levofem as directed, consult a healthcare or family planning provider to learn how to become more compliant or consider changing to other methods of contraception such as injectable, IUD, implants, etc.

Side Effect Of Levofem

Some women experience side effects such as headaches, gastric upsets, nausea, vomiting, impaired appetite, breast tenderness, breast enlargement, slight changes in body weight or libido, depressive moods, spotting between periods, Interference with Liver functions. Most side effects should disappear after the first few packs of levofem.

Drug Interactions

Some drugs can stop levofem from working properly while some drugs become less effective or even toxic when co-administered with levofem. Drugs such as barbiturates, griseofulvin, phenytoin, St. John's Wort, carbamazepine, tranexamic acid, lopinavir, ritonavir, nevirapine and oxcarbazepine

Overdosage

Overdose may cause nausea and early withdrawal bleeding.