(Family Features) The fall season is met with many transitions, from cooler weather to time changes to more time spent indoors. Among these transitions is the immediate shift from packing beach bags for a day in the sun to packing suitcases to head back to campus for a new semester. As every student’s routine faces an overhaul this time of year, it is important to bear in mind any health needs that may come into play while away from home.
“When my patients are off to college – be it for the very first time, or as a returning student – I always remind them to keep health-related to-do’s top-of-mind, just as they would think about ordering textbooks or finding libraries on campus,” says OB/GYN Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, a paid consultant of Allergan, the maker of Lo Loestrin® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets). Please see Important Risk Information, including Boxed Warning, for Lo Loestrin Fe below.
To prepare for the upcoming school year, Dr. Richardson shares the following tips a student may not find in her campus welcome pack:
- A new city means more than just distance: If you’re adjusting to a new time zone and you take oral contraception, always factor in the time difference to make sure you are taking your pill at the same time every day. You can also have your prescription transferred to a local pharmacy. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to fill a prescription for a three-month supply.
- Take more than just class notes: Purchase a planner to help stay on top of assignments while away from home and set reminders to make doctors’ appointments while at home. Stickers are also a discreet tool you can use to keep track of your period cycle each month.
- Finding your people means more than just making new friends: Seek out all resources that will set you up for a healthy semester. Find your campus health clinic and ask to be connected to a healthcare provider in the area, stay active at your university’s on-site fitness center and get coursework support through teaching assistants who are there to answer questions throughout the semester.
- Packing supplies means more than just lunch: Your class schedule may not allow you to go back to your dorm or apartment during the day. An easy way to stay prepared is to add a cosmetic pouch or extra pencil case to your bag to stash feminine hygiene products and your birth control pill pack.
To find additional resources about available birth control options, visit KnowYourBirthControl.com, and speak to your healthcare provider to determine the method that is right for you.
What is Lo Loestrin Fe?
Lo Loestrin Fe is a prescription birth control pill used for the prevention of pregnancy. If you are moderately obese, discuss with your healthcare provider whether Lo Loestrin Fe is appropriate for you.
IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION
WARNING TO WOMEN WHO SMOKE Do not use Lo Loestrin Fe if you smoke cigarettes and are over 35 years old. Smoking increases your risk of serious cardiovascular side effects (heart and blood vessel problems) from birth control pills, including death from heart attack, blood clots, or stroke. This risk increases with age and the number of cigarettes you smoke. |
Who should not take Lo Loestrin Fe?
Do not use Lo Loestrin Fe if you have or have had blood clots, history of heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure that medicine cannot control, breast cancer or any cancer that is sensitive to female hormones, liver disease or liver tumors, unexplained bleeding from the vagina, if you are or may be pregnant, or if you take Hepatitis C drugs containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, as this may increase levels of liver enzymes in the blood.
What else should I know about taking Lo Loestrin Fe?
Treatment with Lo Loestrin Fe should be stopped if you have a blood clot, and at least 4 weeks before and through 2 weeks after major surgery. You should not take Lo Loestrin Fe any earlier than 4 weeks after having a baby, or if you are breastfeeding. If you experience yellowing of the skin or eyes due to problems with your liver, you should stop taking Lo Loestrin Fe. If you are pre-diabetic or diabetic, your doctor should monitor you while using Lo Loestrin Fe. Your doctor should evaluate you if you have any significant change in headaches or irregular menstrual bleeding.
What are the most serious risks of taking Lo Loestrin Fe?
Lo Loestrin Fe increases the risk of serious conditions including blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. These can be life-threatening or lead to permanent disability.
What are the possible side effects of Lo Loestrin Fe?
The most common side effects reported by women taking Lo Loestrin Fe in a study were nausea/vomiting, headache, spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods, painful menstruation, weight change, breast tenderness, acne, abdominal pain, anxiety, and depression.
Birth control pills do not protect you against any sexually transmitted disease, including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Please see the full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, and Patient Information which are also available at loloestrin.com.
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