Short-Term Side Effects

Ethinyl estradiol / norethindrone may have some temporary side effects that occur during treatment, but will eventually diminish as the patient’s body adjusts to the medication.  The most common side effect is usually vomiting, although to a lesser extent, patients have also complained of feelings of anxiety, skin blemishes, stomach cramps, feelings of depression, instances of heavy bleeding, chronic or sporadic abdominal pain, outbreak of pimples, darkened stool and sudden change to bowel movement frequency, abdominal swelling, yeast infection,

tenderness of breast, altered interest or aversion to sexual intercourse, and sudden weight changes. There are also documented reports of rare side effects, some of which are more severe, that occur in patients who take Lo Loestrin.  These include clots in the blood vessels of the eye, blindness or pain when moving the eyes, pancreatitis, liver neoplasm, heart attack, blood clot in lungs, stroke, blood vessel obstruction due to blood clots, gallbladder disease, yellowing or skin or eyes due to bile flow issues, irregularity of menstruation, bleeding not related to menstruation, development of large hives, development of tumors in liver cells or breast, increased blood triglyceride lieves, superficial cervical ulcers, cervical discharge, sudden hair loss or abnormal hair growth, sudden change in eye curvature, focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver, and sudden changes in appetite. Consult your doctor immediately if any of these rare side effects are experienced.

Long-Term Side Effects

The most common long term side effect of taking Lo Loestrin is weight change, although this may vary depending on the patient.  Some may not experience it at all.  There should be no lingering side effects from the medication as the body tends to get used to it after some time.  Should any of the initial side effects continue, become worse, or if any new symptoms appear, consult immediately with the doctor.

How It Works

Lo Loestrin works by preventing the release of an egg cell during the menstrual cycle.  This portion of the menstrual cycle is known as the ovulation period.  The medication also makes the vaginal fluid thicker to help prevent sperm from reaching the egg and fertilizing it.  It also changes the lining of the uterus, known as the cervical mucus, to prevent any fertilized egg from attaching to it.  Any fertilized egg that does not attach to the uterus is passed out of the body.

Lo Loestrin Drug Interactions

The following medications have been documented as having an interaction with Lo Loestrin:

Absorica (isotretinoin)
Accutane (isotretinoin)
Acitretin
Agenerase (amprenavir)
Amnesteem (isotretinoin)
Amprenavir
Bexarotene
Boceprevir
Bosentan
CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil)
Claravis (isotretinoin)
Cyklokapron (tranexamic acid)
Dabrafenib
Dantrium (dantrolene)
Dantrium Intravenous (dantrolene)
Dantrolene
Etretinate
Fosamprenavir
Fulvicin P / G (griseofulvin)
Fulvicin U / F (griseofulvin)
Grifulvin V (griseofulvin)
Gris-PEG (griseofulvin)
Grisactin 250 (griseofulvin)
Grisactin 500 (griseofulvin)
Grisactin Ultra (griseofulvin)
Griseofulicin (griseofulvin)
Griseofulvic (griseofulvin)
Griseofulvin
Hemin
Incivek (telaprevir)
Isotretinoin
Lenalidomide
Lexiva (fosamprenavir)
Lysteda (tranexamic acid)
Mycophenolate mofetil
Mycophenolic acid
Myfortic (mycophenolic acid)
Myorisan (isotretinoin)
Panhematin (hemin)
Pomalidomide
Pomalyst (pomalidomide)
Revlimid (lenalidomide)
Revonto (dantrolene)
Soriatane (acitretin)
Soriatane CK (acitretin)
Sotret (isotretinoin)
Tafinlar (dabrafenib)
Targretin (bexarotene)
Tegison (etretinate)
Telaprevir
Telzir (fosamprenavir)
Thalidomide
Thalomid (thalidomide)
Tizanidine
Tracleer (bosentan)
Tranexamic acid
Victrelis (boceprevir)
Zanaflex (tizanidine)
Zenatane (isotretinoin)

Generic Alternatives

At this time, there is no known generic alternative to Lo Loestrin available in the United States.