Desogestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol (Velivet) Tips from Pharmacists

• Set a reminder in your phone to help you take your pill at the same time every day.

• It is common to have light bleeding or spotting between periods, especially when first starting birth control pills. Tell your doctor if you have unusual vaginal bleeding that persists or recurs after you have been on the pill for 3 months.

• If you have missed some tablets of your birth control pill and don’t get your menstrual period, you may be pregnant. Even if you have taken the pill perfectly on schedule, if you miss two menstrual periods in a row, pregnancy is a possibility. Stop taking the pill, use a backup, non-hormonal method of birth control, and call your healthcare provider if this happens.

• If you have diarrhea or vomiting, the oral contraceptive may not be absorbed properly. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what to do or refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Birth control pills do not protect against STDs. Take precautions, such as using condoms during sexual intercourse, for protection against gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, genital warts, HIV infection, and other sexually transmitted diseases.