Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo Dosage: An Introduction
There is only one standard dose of
Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo® (norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol). As always, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo Dosage for Birth Control
Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo
birth control pills come in special, circular packaging, called a Dialpak
®. Make sure you know how to use the Dialpak (where to start, which direction to go, how to get the tablets out, etc.)
Starting at the beginning of the pack, take one tablet at the same time each day. Each pack will last for four weeks (28 days). After you finish one pack, immediately start a new one. Do not wait any days between packs (this may take a little planning, since you will need a new pack on hand). The first 21 tablets contain the active ingredients. The last seven tablets do not contain any active ingredients. During this last week, your body gets a little break from the hormones, allowing you to have a period.
When you take Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo 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 Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo 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).
