Norplant
Medical Group: Sell the Pill Without Prescription »
"Nov. 20, 2012 -- Oral contraceptives should be made available without a prescription to reduce unintended pregnancies, according to a newly published opinion by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
Whether t"...
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Norplant
Norplant Side Effects Center
Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
Norplant System (levonorgestrel) Implants is a contraceptive used to prevent pregnancy. Common side effects of Norplant include headache, nervousness, anxiety, nausea, dizziness, rash, acne, change in appetite, weight gain, hair loss, prolonged menstrual bleeding, and spotting.
Dosage of Norplant is six 36 mg capsules implanted within the first 7 days of your menstrual cycle. Phenytoin, carbamazepine, and rifampin may interact with Norplant. Tell your doctor all medication you take. Norplant is intended for long-term pregnancy prevention. Avoid smoking while using Norplant. Norplant does not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. Before using Norplant tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Our Norplant (levonorgestrel) Implants Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is Prescribing information?
The FDA package insert formatted in easy-to-find categories for health professionals and clinicians.
Norplant FDA Prescribing Information: Side Effects
(Adverse Reactions)
SIDE EFFECTS
The following adverse reactions have been associated with the NORPLANT (levonorgestrel implants (unavailable in us)) SYSTEM during the first year of use in clinical trials:
| Many bleeding days or prolonged bleeding | 27.6% |
| Spotting | 17.1% |
| Amenorrhea | 9.4% |
| Irregular (onsets of) bleeding | 7.6% |
| Frequent bleeding onsets | 7.0% |
| Scanty bleeding | 5.2% |
| Pain or itching near implant site (usually transient) | 3.7% |
| Infection at implant site | 0.7% |
In addition, removal difficulties affecting subjects (including multiple incisions, capsule fragments remaining, pain, multiple visits, deep placement, lengthy removal procedure, or other) have been reported with a frequency of 6.2%, which is based on 849 removals occurring through 5 years of use. See “WARNINGS” and “PRECAUTIONS.”
Clinical studies comparing NORPLANT (levonorgestrel implants (unavailable in us)) SYSTEM users with other contraceptive method users suggest that the following adverse reactions occurring during the first year are probably associated with NORPLANT (levonorgestrel implants (unavailable in us)) SYSTEM use. These adverse reactions have also been reported post-marketing:
| Headache | Acne |
| Nervousness/Anxiety | Change of appetite |
| Nausea/Vomiting | Mastalgia |
| Dizziness | Weight gain |
| Adnexal enlargement | Hirsutism, hypertrichosis, |
| Dermatitis/Rash | and scalp-hair loss |
In addition, the following adverse reactions have been reported in clinical trials with a frequency of 5% or greater during the first year and are possibly related to NORPLANT (levonorgestrel implants (unavailable in us)) SYSTEM use:
| Breast discharge | Abdominal discomfort |
| Cervicitis | Leukorrhea |
| Musculoskeletal pain | Vaginitis |
The following adverse reactions have been reported post-marketing with an incidence of less than 1% and are possibly related to NORPLANT (levonorgestrel implants (unavailable in us)) SYSTEM use:
Arm pain
Gallbladder disease
Hypertension
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) (pseudotumor cerebri, benign intracranial
hypertension)
Insertion/removal site reactions including abscess, cellulitis; blistering;
bruising; edema; excessive scarring; hyperpigmentation; induration; nerve injury;
numbness; sloughing; tingling;
ulcerations
Migraine headaches
Ovarian cysts
Phlebitis
The following adverse reactions have been reported post-marketing and a causal relationship to the NORPLANT (levonorgestrel implants (unavailable in us)) SYSTEM has not been established:
Asthenia (fatigue/weakness)
Breast cancer
Congenital anomalies
Deep vein thrombosis
Dysmenorrhea
Emotional lability and depression, sometimes severe
Myocardial infarction
Pulmonary embolism
Stroke
Superficial venous thrombosis
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
Urticaria, pruritus
Vaginal bleeding, heavy
Visual disturbances
Weight gain of more than 10 pounds
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Norplant (Levonorgestrel Implants (Unavailable in US)) »
Additional Norplant Information
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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