Jolessa Oral

Jolessa Oral Warning

Smoking cigarettes/using tobacco while using hormonal birth control (pill/patch/ring) increases your risk of heart problems and stroke. Do not smoke. The risk of heart problems increases with age (especially in women over 35) and with frequent smoking (15 or more cigarettes a day).

Jolessa Oral Side Effects

Nausea, vomiting, headache, stomach cramping/bloating, dizziness, vaginal discomfort/irritation, increased vaginal fluids, or breast tenderness/enlargement may occur. Acne may improve or get worse. Vaginal bleeding between periods (spotting) may occur, especially during the first few months of use. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor promptly.

You should not have your period during the 3 months that you are taking the active pills. Instead, you will have your period once every 3 months during the week that you are taking the inactive pills. This effect is normal with this product. However, if you do not have your period while taking the inactive pills, contact your doctor for a pregnancy test.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these serious side effects occur:

• changes in vaginal bleeding (e.g., continuous spotting, sudden heavy bleeding, missed periods while taking the inactive pills)
• problem wearing contact lenses
• dark patches on the skin (melasma)
• unwanted facial/body hair
• swelling of the ankles/feet
• weight changes (gain or loss)

This medication may rarely cause serious (sometimes fatal) problems from blood clots (e.g., pulmonary embolism, stroke, heart attack). Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• sudden shortness of breath
• chest/jaw/left arm pain
• confusion
• coughing up blood
• sudden dizziness/fainting
• pain/swelling/warmth in the groin/calf
• tingling/weakness/numbness in the arms/legs
• headaches that are different from those you may have experienced in the past (e.g., headaches with other symptoms such as vision changes/lack of coordination, existing migraines becoming worse, sudden/very severe headaches)
• slurred speech
• weakness on one side of the body
• vision problems/changes

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