What is the most important information I should know about Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo?
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects from oral contraceptive use. This risk increases with age, especially over 35 years and with heavy smoking (15 or more cigarettes per day). You should not smoke while you are taking oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptive use is associated with increased risks of myocardial infarction, thromboembolism, stroke, hepatic neoplasia, and gallbladder disease. Although the risk of serious morbidity or mortality is very small in healthy women without underlying risk factors, the risk increases in the presence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes, or if you have or have had clotting disorders, heart attack, stroke, angina pectoris, cancer of the breast or sex organs, or malignant or benign liver tumors. Women who have or had breast cancer should not use oral contraceptives. You may experience breakthrough bleeding or spotting while taking oral contraceptives, especially during the first 3 months of use. Yo
