Mircette Side Effects

Nausea, bloating, and headaches are some of the side effects that have been reported with Mircette. Side effects of the medication, in most cases, tend to be minor and can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider. However, you should seek medical attention right away if you develop more serious side effects, such as chest pain, breast lumps, or any signs of an allergic reaction.

 

An Introduction to Mircette Side Effects

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Mircette® (desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol). However, not everyone who uses the contraceptive will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
 
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Mircette. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of side effects with you.)
 

Common Side Effects of Mircette

In clinical studies for most medications, one group of people receives the actual medication, while another group is given a placebo (a "sugar pill" that does not contain any active ingredients). The side effects in both groups are carefully documented and compared. As a result, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine. However, it is not possible to use a placebo in clinical trials for contraceptives, as this would lead to many unintentional pregnancies.
 
Because it is difficult to obtain much information about side effects from studies that do not use a placebo, only vague information is available about Mircette side effects. In fact, the side effects listed in the prescribing information of Mircette are actually the potential side effects of all birth control pills in general (not necessarily just of Mircette). Some of the common side effects of birth control pills include, but are not limited to:
 
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Changes in your eyes that make it more difficult to wear contact lenses
  • Bloating
  • Breast tenderness and enlargement
  • Breakthrough bleeding and spotting (between periods)
  • Headaches
  • Acne (although birth control pills can also improve acne)
  • Changes in sex drive.
     
Women are often concerned about weight gain due to birth control pills, but recent research suggests that birth control pills probably do not cause weight gain for most women (see Mircette and Weight Gain).
 
(Mircette Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;