What Is TriNessa?
TriNessa (norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol tablets) is a combination of female hormones used as a contraceptive to prevent pregnancy. TriNessa is also used to treat severe acne. TriNessa is available in generic form.
What Are Side Effects of TriNessa?
Common side effects of TriNessa include:
- nausea (especially when you first start taking TriNessa),
- vomiting,
- headache,
- stomach cramping,
- bloating,
- dizziness,
- vaginal itching or discharge,
- breast tenderness or swelling,
- nipple discharge,
- freckles or darkening of facial skin,
- increased hair growth,
- loss of scalp hair,
- changes in weight or appetite,
- problems with contact lenses,
- depression, or
- decreased sex drive.
Acne may improve or get worse. Vaginal bleeding between periods (spotting) or missed/irregular menstrual periods may occur, especially during the first few months of use of TriNessa.
Dosage for TriNessa
The dosage of TriNessa is one active tablet administered daily from the 1st day through the 21st day of the menstrual cycle, counting the first day of menstrual flow as "Day 1" followed by one green tablet daily for 7 days. Take without interruption for 28 days, and start a new course the next day.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with TriNessa?
TriNessa may interact with phenylbutazone, St. John's wort, antibiotics, seizure medicines, barbiturates, or HIV medicines. Tell your doctor all medications you use.
TriNessa During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
TriNessa must not be used during pregnancy. If you have just given birth or had a pregnancy loss/abortion after the first 3 months, consult your doctor about birth control, and find out when it is safe to use birth control containing estrogen, such as this medication. This medication passes into breast milk. This may affect milk production and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our TriNessa (norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol tablets) 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.
SLIDESHOW
Choosing Your Birth Control Method See SlideshowGet emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using birth control pills and call your doctor at once if you have:
- signs of a stroke--sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance;
- signs of a blood clot--sudden vision loss, stabbing chest pain, feeling short of breath, coughing up blood, pain or warmth in one or both legs;
- heart attack symptoms--chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
- liver problems--loss of appetite, upper stomach pain, tiredness, fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
- severe headache, pounding in your neck or ears;
- swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;
- changes in the pattern or severity of migraine headaches;
- a breast lump; or
- symptoms of depression--sleep problems, weakness, tired feeling, mood changes.
Common side effects may include:
- stomach pain, gas, nausea, vomiting;
- breast tenderness;
- acne, darkening of facial skin;
- headache, nervousness, mood changes;
- problems with contact lenses;
- changes in weight;
- breakthrough bleeding;
- vaginal itching or discharge; or
- rash.
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.
QUESTION
Which of the following are methods for contraception? See AnswerSIDE EFFECTS
An increased risk of the following serious adverse reactions has been associated with the use of oral contraceptives (see WARNINGS).
- Thrombophlebitis and venous thrombosis with or without embolism
- Arterial thromboembolism
- Pulmonary embolism
- Myocardial infarction
- Cerebral hemorrhage
- Cerebral thrombosis
- Hypertension
- Gallbladder disease
- Hepatic adenomas or benign liver tumors
There is evidence of an association between the following conditions and the use of oral contraceptives:
- Mesenteric thrombosis
- Retinal thrombosis
The following adverse reactions have been reported in patients receiving oral contraceptives and are believed to be drug-related:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as abdominal cramps and bloating)
- Breakthrough bleeding
- Spotting
- Change in menstrual flow
- Amenorrhea
- Temporary infertility after discontinuation of treatment
- Edema
- Melasma which may persist
- Breast changes: tenderness, enlargement, secretion
- Change in weight (increase or decrease)
- Change in cervical erosion and secretion
- Diminution in lactation when given immediately postpartum
- Cholestatic jaundice
- Migraine
- Allergic reaction, including rash, urticaria, angioedema
- Mental depression
- Reduced tolerance to carbohydrates
- Vaginal candidiasis
- Change in corneal curvature (steepening)
- Intolerance to contact lenses
The following adverse reactions have been reported in users of oral contraceptives and a causal association has been neither confirmed nor refuted:
- Pre-menstrual syndrome
- Cataracts
- Changes in appetite
- Cystitis-like syndrome
- Headache
- Nervousness
- Dizziness
- Hirsutism
- Loss of scalp hair
- Erythema multiforme
- Erythema nodosum
- Hemorrhagic eruption
- Vaginitis
- Porphyria
- Impaired renal function
- Hemolytic uremic syndrome
- Acne
- Changes in libido
- Colitis
- Budd-Chiari Syndrome
The following adverse reactions were also reported in clinical trials or during post-marketing experience: Infections and Infestations: vaginal infection, urinary tract infection; Psychiatric Disorders: mood altered, anxiety, insomnia; Gastrointestinal Disorders: flatulence, pancreatitis, diarrhea, constipation; Reproductive System and Breast Disorders: dysmenorrhea; ovarian cyst, vulvovaginal dryness; Neoplasms Benign, Malignant and Unspecified (Including Cysts and Polyps): benign breast neoplasm, fibroadenoma of breast, breast cyst; Nervous System Disorders: syncope, convulsion, paraesthesia; Eye Disorders: visual impairment, dry eye; Ear and Labyrinth Disorders: vertigo; Cardiac Disorders: tachycardia, palpitations; Vascular Disorders: hot flush; Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders: dyspnoea; Hepatobiliary Disorders: hepatitis; Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: night sweats, hyperhidrosis, photosensitivity reaction, pruritus; Musculoskeletal, Connective Tissue, and Bone Disorders: muscle spasms, pain in extremity, myalgia, back pain; General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: chest pain, asthenic conditions.
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for TriNessa (Norgestimate and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets)
© TriNessa Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and TriNessa Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
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