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Some drugs can cut or lessen the effect of the pill, as they decrease the hormonal concentration in the woman's bloodstream, increasing the risk of unwanted pregnancy.
Check out a list of remedies that can cut or decrease the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill and the morning-after pill, even when the contraceptive is taken in pill, injection or patch form.
Medicines that should not be used together with the pill
Medicines that should not be used in conjunction with a pill are:
1. Antibiotics
Women who use rifampicin and rifabutin to treat tuberculosis, leprosy and bacterial meningitis, may have the effect of the contraceptive pill reduced, and therefore the use of some contraceptive method in these cases, should be discussed with gynecology beforehand. However, these two are the only antibiotics that reduce the contraceptive action of the pill. Understand better about the interaction of rifampicin and rifabutin with the pill.
2. Anticonvulsants
The drugs used to decrease or eliminate seizures can also compromise the effectiveness of contraceptives in the form of pills, such as phenobarbital, carbamazepine, oxcarbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone, topiramate or felbamate.
If it is necessary to use anticonvulsants, you should talk to the doctor responsible for the treatment, who prescribed the anticonvulsants, as there are already drugs in this class that can be used safely with contraceptives, such as valproic acid, lamotrigine, tiagabine, levetiracetam or gabapentin.
3. Natural remedies
Herbal medicines, popularly known as natural remedies, also interfere with the effectiveness of the birth control pill. An example of a natural remedy that interferes with contraceptive activity is Saw palmetto, which is a medicinal plant widely used to treat urinary problems and impotence. See other uses of saw palmetto.
St. John's wort, or St. John's wort, is also not suitable for consumption during the use of the pill, as it alters the hormonal concentration in the bloodstream.
So, in case of using any of these medications, even if they are natural, you should use a condom in all relationships, but continue taking the pill normally. The pill's effectiveness should return on the 7th day after stopping the drug that compromises its effectiveness.
4. Antifungals
Medicines used to treat fungi, either topically or systemically, such as griseofulvin, ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole or clotrimazole, are not indicated for women who use contraceptive pills, so if you need to use any antifungal agents, you should contact the gynecologist before starting treatment.
5. Antiretrovirals
Medicines in this class are often used to treat HIV and AIDS, the most common of which are lamivudine, tenofovir, efavirenz and zidovudine.
Thus, if the person is treated with any of these drugs, the use of the contraceptive pill is not indicated, and the condom should be used as one of the possible methods of contraception.
6. Other remedies
Other remedies that are also contraindicated when using the pill are:
- Theophylline;
- Lamotrigine;
- Melatonin;
- Cyclosporine;
- Midazolam;
- Tizanidine;
- Etoricoxib;
- Verapamil;
- Warfarin;
- Diltiazem;
- Clarithromycin;
- Erythromycin.
For women who want to use the contraceptive pill, but who are undergoing treatment with the drugs that are contraindicated, they must first contact the doctor responsible for the treatment, so that another drug can be indicated or another option of contraceptive method is considered. Learn about other contraceptive methods besides the pill.