Ocella Dosage: An Introduction
There is only one standard recommended dose for
Ocella™ (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol). As is the case with any medication, do not adjust your dosage unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
When you take Ocella for the first time, you can start it either on the first day of your period or on the first Sunday after your period starts. If you start Ocella on the first day of your period (a "day 1 start"), you do not need any backup contraception. If you choose a Sunday start, you need to use a backup method of contraception (such as condoms) for the first week. If the first day of your period happens to be on a Sunday, treat this as a day 1 start (no backup needed). If you switch from another type of
birth control pill, start taking Ocella on the day you would normally start a new pack of birth control pills (no backup necessary).
Starting at the beginning of the pack, take one tablet at the same time each day. Each pack will last for 28 days (four weeks). After you finish one pack, immediately start a new one. The first 21 tablets (which are yellow) contain the active ingredients. The last seven (the white tablets) contain no active ingredients. By taking these tablets, your body gets a break from the hormones, allowing you to have a period. Contrary to popular belief, these inactive pills do not "make" you get your period; it is the absence of the hormones that has this effect.
