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Home > Drug Category > Contraceptives > Apri and Equivalent

Apri Information

Apri (desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol) is used to prevent pregnancy. Apri is a combination birth control pill containing female hormones that prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary). Apri also causes changes in your cervical mucus and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. Besides preventing pregnancy, birth control pills may make your periods more regular, decrease blood loss and painful periods, decrease your risk of ovarian cysts, and also treat acne. Using this medication does not protect you or your partner against sexually transmitted diseases (such as HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia).

Apri Side Effects

The most common side effects of Apri may include painful menstrual cramps; abdominal (stomach) pain; nausea; upper respiratory tract infections (bronchitis, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, etc.); back pain; breast tenderness; sore throat; diarrhea; vomiting; asthenia (loss of strength, weakness, fatigue); feeling of physical discomfort or uneasiness; cough; influenza (flu-like symptoms, fever); depression; migraine, severe headaches; dizziness; indigestion; vaginal irritation or infections; urinary tract infections or inflammation; lack of a period or breakthrough bleeding, bleeding between menstrual periods; weight gain; difficulty wearing contact lenses; acne; insomnia, nervousness; allergy. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the serious side effects such as:
• Changes in the pattern or severity of migraine headaches;
• Depression-mood changes, feelings of low self-worth, loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, new sleep problems, thoughts about hurting yourself;
• Heart attack symptoms-chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
• Liver problems-swelling around your midsection, right-sided upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• Increased blood pressure-severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears;
• Signs of a stroke-sudden numbness or weakness, severe headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance;
• Signs of a blood clot in the lung-chest pain, sudden cough or shortness of breath, dizziness, coughing up blood;
• Signs of a blood clot deep in the body-pain, swelling, or warmth in one leg;
• Swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet, or a breast lump; • Unexpected (abnormal) vaginal bleeding

Apri Precautions

Do not use Apri if you are allergic to desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol or to any other ingredients in this medication or if you have blood clot in the legs, lungs, eyes or elsewhere, or inflammation of the veins); have severe heart problems/complications; severe high blood pressure; diabetes with complications; known abnormalities of the blood clotting system; have very high blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels; you smoke; have migraine headaches; are scheduled for major surgery; have been advised prolonged bed rest; have jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin), severe liver disease and your liver is not yet working normally; Hepatitis C; liver tumor(s); known suspected cancer of the breast or uterus (womb) or other estrogen-dependent cancer; unusual vaginal bleeding without a known reason; loss of vision due to blood vessel disease of the eye; are pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant; inflammation of the pancreas associated with high levels of fatty substance in your blood. Before you start taking this medication, tell your doctor about your medical history, including if you smoke; are overweight; have a history of breast disease (e.g., breast lumps); have high blood pressure; high cholesterol; diabetes; heart or kidney disease; a history of seizures/epilepsy; a history of depression; a history of liver disease or jaundice; wear contact lenses; have uterine fibroids (benign tumours of the uterus); may be pregnant or are breast feeding; have systemic lupus erythematosus; have inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis; have haemolytic uremic syndrome; have sickle cell disease; have problems with the valves in your heart and/or have an irregular heart rhythm; swelling in body parts such as hands, feet, face or airway passages; have recently given birth. Tell your doctor about all the medications you take including prescription, OTC, herbal supplements and vitamins. There may be a drug interaction between Apri and other medications.

Do I need a prescription to order Apri?

Yes, a prescription is required from your physician to order Apri.