Levora is a generic alternative for Nordette. It is taken for the prevention of pregnancy. The combination of estrogen and progestin prevents ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary) and causes changes in the mucus of the cervix, which makes it difficult for sperm to penetrate and for an egg to implant.
How is it taken?
Levora is available as a 28-day pack. You would take 1 tablet daily by mouth for 21 days, then 1 “reminder” pill for 7 days (this is when you should get your period). Start a new pack the day after you take the last reminder pill.
“Day 1” is known as the first day of your period. Your physician may have you start your birth control pills on the first Sunday after your period starts or on Day 1 or Day 5 of your period. You should take the pill approximately the same time every day, preferably after the evening meal or at bedtime. Use of a second method of birth control (e.g., latex condoms) for the first seven days of the first cycle of pills is recommended. You may experience spotting or light bleeding or nausea during the first three months taking the pill. If you do feel sick, do not stop taking the pill. The problem usually goes away. If it does not go away, check with your physician or clinic.
If you experience vomiting or diarrhea, or if you take certain medications (such as antibiotics), your pills may not work as well. If you start a new medication while taking birth control pills, check with your physician or pharmacist to make sure that it will not reduce the effectiveness of the pills. Use a back-up method of birth control, such as latex condoms, until you are sure.
You must take Levora exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss pills at any time, your risk of becoming pregnant increases. If you miss one pill, take it as soon as you remember, and take the next pill at the usual time. This means that you might take two pills in one day.
If you miss two pills in a row during the first two weeks of your cycle, take two pills on the day you remember and two pills the next day. Then take one pill a day until you finish the pack. Use a back-up method of birth control (condom or spermicide) if you have sex in the following seven days after you missed the pills.
Who shouldn’t use Levora?
The pill does not suit all women. If any of the following apply to you, you may not be able to use hormonal types of birth control.
- You are, or suspect that you are pregnant
- Are breastfeeding and/or are less than 6 weeks postpartum
- Are over the age of 35
- Smoke
- Have unexplained vaginal bleeding
- Have active liver disease or a history of liver tumors
- Have a history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure or some other condition that puts you at risk of a heart attack
- Have diabetes
- Have breast cancer, history of breast cancer or an abnormal growth in the breast
- Have a history of blood clotting problems
- Have cancer or history of cancer of the reproductive organs
- Have migraines or focal neurologic symptoms
Does Levora have any side effects?
Common side effects for combination birth control pills can be:
- Weight gain
- Nausea and vomiting (felt for the first few cycles)
- Dizziness
- Increase or decrease in acne
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
- Loss of libido
- Depression
- Vaginal infections
Less common but serious health risks can be:
- Blood clots in legs, lungs, heart or brain
- Stroke
- Heart attacks
- Possibly cervical cancer
If side effects persist or worsen while taking Levora contact your physician immediately. Levora will not protect you from HIV/AIDS or sexually transmitted diseases.
BirthControlBuzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, birth control types (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase birth control on-line.
For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
Dear hanna,
Also, wait and see if any of those side effects will go away after being on the pill for more than 3 months. Usually those side effects are temporary and will only stick around during the first 3 months of being on the pill.
Comment by Janine — May 16, 2012 @ 2:31 am
My wife started taking Levora on 4/6/2012 and died on 4/25/2012 of Pulmonary Thromboemboli and Uterine Vein Thrombosis. An awful trade-off. The side effects aren’t to be taken lightly. Its almost like deciding whether or not to have kids and if you want to risk this same fate. I can’t say stop taking it but now I feel some kind of way. I have a lot of neices and sisters. Be very careful when taking this pill. The hardest thing in the world was watching her go in the emergency room and not being able to do a thing about it.
Comment by Derrick — May 29, 2012 @ 2:17 am
I’ve been on Levora for almost 2 years and aside from mild cramps and a little PMS I have not had any serious side effects.
I was on Necon for 6 months and had to see a psychiatrist because it put me in a terrible mental state that led to anxious attacks and depression. Levora was definitely a better choice!
Comment by AZ — May 31, 2012 @ 2:47 am
I used Levora for one month and had to stop it. It started out great, my sex drive had increased and I didn’t experience acne or any negative side effects initially. Around week 2 I began getting nausea, which one time resulted in vomiting. I then began to feel depressed, started sleeping 10+ hours a night and by the time I was on the inactive week I literally wanted to kill myself. Thank god my husband was responsive and supportive. I’ve never experienced such extreme depression in my life and it was a terrifying experience. This was not a good pill for me. I’ll likely go back to the nuvaring and deal with the irritability it gives me around my period.
Comment by J — June 23, 2012 @ 2:18 am
Dear J,
I would advise you to stay on the pill for 3 months. These side effects may be temporary. During the first 3 months of going on the pill, your body is adjusting to the hormone levels. It takes up to 3 months for your body to adjust to the hormones. Once you get past the initial 3 months you should experience very little to no side effects.
Comment by Janine — June 25, 2012 @ 1:13 am
So I’ve been taking levora for like a year and a half, started out with te regular method then switched to 4-period-a-year system. I switched to the longer cycle at the end of 2011 and I’ve gained like 25 lbs since. Is this because of the pill? If I switched back to one period a month would the weight come off? I’ve been excersizing but I just keep getting bigger and it’s awful. Since starting the pill I’ve also noticed my stomach is much more sensitive. The first few months I was nauseous every day. It’s not bad now, but I feel really sick if I miss a meal.
Other than that, I haven’t had any problems, my acne cleared up a little and I went up two cup sizes but that could be from the weight gain.
Basically, I’m wondering if I will lose weight by going off the pill because this has turned my life upside down! If anyone has any experience please help:(
Comment by Hannah — July 12, 2012 @ 2:20 pm
This pill is HORRIBLE I have about 3 periods a month and I never miss a pill my cramping became lighter and that’s about it but this pill gave me headaches and made me very angry not depressed ANGRY I wanted to kill myself with the pain in my stomach it gave me and constant headaches lord knows why they prescribed me with this cheap high risk pill that is over priced where I live.
Comment by Erika — August 2, 2012 @ 9:46 pm
And Of course I forgot to mention it gave me massive blood clots
Comment by Erika — August 2, 2012 @ 9:48 pm
I took Levora for the first week only and stop completely..which this was 2weeks ago. now im spotting and cramping bad like if i was on my period…is this normal? how long will the spotting last?
Comment by monse — August 21, 2012 @ 1:45 am
Dear monse,
Yes this is normal. It should only last until you get your next period.
Comment by Janine — August 21, 2012 @ 10:27 pm
207. Hannah it sounds like your pregnant.. you should take a test
Comment by Ali — September 11, 2012 @ 2:41 pm
I am 28 and have been on Levora for a month now and could not figure out why I have been so depressed and emotional lately because nothing has changed in my life, but I finally figured out it is because of this pill! I have been bleeding like I was on my period since day one. Also, I gained 5 pounds and I have been the same weight since I was 18. Those side effects alone are not worth it!! It is an awful pill. I can’t imagine sticking through with it for three months like everyone is suggesting.
Comment by Vanessa — September 13, 2012 @ 11:29 am
Dear Vanessa,
You can stay on the pill for 2 more months. You should notice the side effects slowly recede during the next two months.
Comment by Janine — September 14, 2012 @ 2:39 am
So I’ve been taking Levora for 12 days now. I read somewhere that it takes a week to 1 1/2 weeks for the pills to become effective, but I had unprotected the 10th day in. Am I at risk? Should I get a pregnancy test?
Comment by Claire — September 14, 2012 @ 6:45 pm
I’ve been on Levora for 12 days now. Read somewhere that it takes a week for it to start working, and I had unprotected the 10th day in. Am I at risk?
Comment by Claire — September 14, 2012 @ 7:04 pm
I started levora 28 days ago and just finished my first pack today, I LOVE IT! I was a little nervous when I first started taking it because I did get a little nausea and had a pretty significant increase in my appetite. However, I never got sick, and I’ve only put on 5 pounds. No decrease in my libido, no spotting or irregular bleeding, my cramps (normally horrible) were almost eliminated, and my period has been so light that I almost forget that I’m on it, which again, normally my periods are awful. I never really had a problem with acne, just a few zits every now and then, since levora, I barely ever get them, and if I do they’re nothing that noticeable. Only had two pimples that were kinda bad, but I also ate fast food for three nights in a row prior to getting them. Oops. My side effects are pretty much gone, I still have an increased appetite but it’s a good thing for me. My advice is instead of worrying, just give the pill a chance. All the negative comments are from INDIVIDUAL experiences, just as my positive is based off of my INDIVIDUAL experience. You may have some side effects, you may not, it’s about your body and the way your body reacts to the hormones. Remember, you can always stop taking it if you aren’t happy with it, but give it at least a month because most of the time the side effects do go away!
Comment by Sydney — September 15, 2012 @ 3:42 am
Dear Claire,
If you have been on Levora the past 12 days and have not missed a single pill, you should be protected.
Comment by Janine — September 17, 2012 @ 1:25 am
Dear Sydney,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Comment by Janine — September 17, 2012 @ 1:56 am
hello i’ve being taking levora for 3 months i didn’t miss any of them and my last period was the 21st of september and now i am bleeding since last 6th of October the first week was heavy like a regular period but now i am still bleeding is not too much but still ( it is 10/18) i came to the States for an student exchange and i don’t know what to do my Bf is out of the country for work and coming back in 2 weeks more.
it is something normal? i stopped taking the pills since last couple of days cuz my friends back home told me that my body rejected the pills.
should i go to the doctor or just wait till see what happens i am concern cuz it’s being almost 13 days with this , thank you
Comment by karen — October 18, 2012 @ 5:13 am
Dear Karen,
Are you taking any other medications along with your birth control pills? If you are, the other medication could be interacting with your birth control pill which will cause bleeding. If you are not taking any other medications, talk to your doctor about other birth control options.
Comment by Janine — October 19, 2012 @ 1:00 am
Hey.. Ok I recently was on the Depo shot for almost 2 years I was post Togo back in septmber but I didn’t cause I been bleeding for three months straight and just wanted to get off of it cause I gained 10 pds!!! So I went October 27 to the health department to see whats wrong and they gave me BC pills (lavora) 15/30 and I am still spotting, sometimes I want b bleeding and then sometimes I am.. What do I need todo someone plz give me some advice I done been through way to many tampons!!!!
Comment by Summer — November 4, 2012 @ 2:15 pm
Dear Summer,
The bleeding can be from your body getting used to the different hormones from the depot shot to Levora pills. You need to be patient with your body and wait for your body to either go back to it’s normal rhythm or get used to the Levora pills. If you decide to stay off birth control pills, give your body a minimum of 3 months to go back to it’s normal rhythm. Make sure you do use some form of contraception (ie. condoms). If you decide to go on Levora pills, stay on the pill for at least 3 months. The bleeding should stop whichever way you decide to go with, but it may take at least another month.
Comment by Janine — November 5, 2012 @ 1:54 am
Hi!
I have a quick question. I have been taking this type of birth control pill for about a month now, and the side effects that I got on my first couple week while taking this is basically tenderness of breast and headache. The only thing I’m concerned about is that, I take my pill in the morning right when i wake up and before i do everything else and it gives me a hard time during the day just to do all the things i have to do which is now i know is a big mistake to do and preffered to take it now at night, I was wondering if I can change my time of intake the next day and then continue on the following days. Do you think it would change the effectiveness of the pill if I do that?
Comment by Mims — February 21, 2013 @ 5:36 am
Dear Mims,
The best time to change up the schedule is when you are on the sugar pills. There are no hormones in the sugar pills so you should be protected when you start the next pack of the pills.
Comment by Janine — February 26, 2013 @ 7:06 am
im 18 and this is the first bcp ive ever been on so i really dont know what to exprect…ive been on Levora for three days now and last night my thrid day i statred experiencing cheast pains and this morning and all day today im still feeling the pain in my cheast….should i be concerened its like a tight hevy feeling…is this normal??????
Comment by jen — March 5, 2013 @ 3:55 am
Dear jen,
I would advise you to stop taking Levora right away and see your doctor about the chest pains.
Comment by Janine — March 7, 2013 @ 1:28 am
I have been taking levora for about 3 weeks now and have not had bad side effects. The first three days i took levora i felt a little nausea but other than that everything is going good so far.
Comment by kat — April 9, 2013 @ 10:54 am
Dear kat,
Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us!
Comment by Janine — April 11, 2013 @ 2:06 am
I have been taking Levora for a little over six months and the spotting/cramping does not go away if you miss taking your pill exactly at the same time everyday. I am going back to lo-ogestral, which gave me no side effects. I suppose everybody is different but this one is definitely not for me.
Comment by Lisa — May 8, 2013 @ 3:26 pm
Dear Lisa,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Comment by Janine — May 13, 2013 @ 5:47 pm
I have been taking Levora for at least 12-15 years. It has been wonderful! I was bleeding very heavily before taking Levora and now I have one day of spotting. I am still taking it as I am going through Menopause at the age of 51. I never had any side-effects. It has actually gotten rid of my night sweats and hot flashes! I have not worn a tampon in years. Just light day pads (one).
Comment by Suzie — June 11, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
I just start taking Levora. I finish my first pack and is now on the second one. I just start the second pack and is like a week in to the second pack. But on Wednesday I forgot to take my pill. So when I remember that I had forgotten it was already time for my Thursday pill. So I just took both of them together. And letter that night I has unprotect sex with my boyfriend . And now I’m a little worry. Is my chance of getting pregant high??
Comment by Susan — July 26, 2013 @ 12:54 pm
Dear Susan,
Since you took your missed pill, you are still protected.
Comment by Janine — August 20, 2013 @ 4:16 pm