Norethisterone - Intramuscular

Norethisterone is used to prevent pregnancy.

Norethisterone injection is to be given intramuscularly (into the muscle of the buttocks).

Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.

The dose of Norethisterone will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the treatment timeframe depending on your response to the medication.

Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any doses. Your doctor also needs to regularly monitor your response to Norethisterone.

If you miss an appointment or miss an injection, alert your doctor or nurse. A replacement appointment or injection should be given as soon as possible.

Alert your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• current, suspected or history of cancer of the breast or genitals
• untreated endometrial hyperplasia (excessive thickening of the womb lining)
• current or history of blood clotting disorder e.g. blood clots in your leg veins, blood clots in a lung artery
• heart problems e.g. recent heart attack, angina (chest pain which occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood supply)
• recent stroke
• porphyria (an inherited disorder that causes skin or nervous system abnormalities)
• unexplained vaginal bleeding
• had a previous pregnancy where you experienced yellowing of the skin/whites of the eyes or an itchy rash
• severe diabetes
• high blood pressure
• current or history of liver disease, including liver tumours

as Norethisterone may not be suitable for you.

Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant. If you become pregnant while on Norethisterone therapy, alert your doctor immediately. This medicine may cause harm to your unborn child.

Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• mild to moderate diabetes
• high cholesterol levels in the body
• systemic lupus erythematosus (autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of certain organs in the body)
• family history of breast cancer
• asthma
• epilepsy (fits or seizures)
• migraine (severe throbbing pain or pulsating sensation usually affecting one side of the head that is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound)
• depression
• kidney disease

Let your doctor know if you are breastfeeding.

Notify your doctor if you are a smoker.

If you are going to have certain laboratory tests or an operation, including minor surgery and dental work, inform your doctor or dentist that you are using Norethisterone.

For as long as you are using this medicine, you may need to have regular physical examinations and blood tests (e.g. blood sugar or cholesterol level) to check your body's response to the medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.

Norethisterone may cause any of the following side effects: dizziness, headache, nausea, weight gain, and skin rash.

Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:

• unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting, vaginal itching or discharge
• severe headache or dizziness
• pain, swelling and tenderness in your leg accompanied by redness and warmth
• shortness of breath, chest pain, cough which may contain blood
• changes in eyesight, loss of vision, double vision
• unusual changes in mood or behaviour (being too depressed, agitated, or having compulsive and impulsive behaviour)
• yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, dark coloured urine, tiredness, swelling in the legs and ankles

Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.

Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:

• medicines for epilepsy (fits or seizures) e.g. phenobarbital, carbamazepine, phenytoin, felbamate
• certain antibiotics e.g. ampicillin, tetracycline
• medicines to treat fungal infection e.g. griseofulvin, ketoconazole
• medicines for HIV infection e.g. efavirenz, nevirapine
• rifampicin (medicine for TB, a lung infection known as tuberculosis)
• phenylbutazone (NSAID [medicine for pain and inflammation])
• St. John's wort (herbal medicine)

This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Norethisterone.

Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.

Avoid alcohol.

Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.

Protect from light.

Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.