Necon 7/7/7
Necon 7/7/7 is a type of combined oral contraceptive (COC), or birth control. Necon 7/7/7 provides different doses of hormones every 7 days to mimic your body's natural hormone production. This medication works well to prevent pregnancy, but it needs to be taken at the same time every day.
What is Necon 7/7/7?
What is Necon 7/7/7 used for?
- To prevent pregnancy
How Necon 7/7/7 works
Necon 7/7/7 is a combination medication that contains two hormones, norethindrone (a progestin) and ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen). Norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol work together to prevent pregnancy by:
- Preventing your ovaries from releasing eggs
- Changing the mucus in your cervix to make it difficult for the sperm to enter the uterus
- Changing the lining of the uterus to lower the chance of a fertilized egg from implanting into the uterus.
Drug facts
Side effects of Necon 7/7/7
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps and bloating
- Bleeding between periods
- Spotting
- Change in the flow of period
- Missing periods
Less Common Side Effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps and bloating
- Bleeding between periods
- Spotting
- Change in the flow of period
- Missing periods
Necon 7/7/7 serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Heart attack: chest pain, stomach discomfort, sweating, nausea, dizziness
- Stroke: sudden numbness or weakness in the arm, leg, or face, confusion, trouble seeing, headache, difficulty walking
- Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the leg): leg cramp, swelling, pain, muscle tightness
- Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung): cough, chest pain, trouble breathing, racing heart
The following Necon 7/7/7 side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Blood clot—pain, swelling, or warmth in the leg, shortness of breath, chest pain
- Gallbladder problems—severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever
- Increase in blood pressure
- Liver injury—right upper belly pain, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stool, dark yellow or brown urine, yellowing skin or eyes, unusual weakness or fatigue
- New or worsening migraines or headaches
- Stroke—sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, trouble speaking, confusion, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, dizziness, severe headache, change in vision
- Unusual vaginal discharge, itching, or odor
- Worsening mood, feelings of depression
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Breast pain or tenderness
- Dark patches of skin on the face or other sun-exposed areas
- Irregular menstrual cycles or spotting
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Pros and cons of Necon 7/7/7
Pros
- Works well to prevent pregnancy
- Hormones provided by the medication every week is similar to your body's natural hormone production
- Period cycle can become more regular
Cons
- Different color pills might be confusing
- Dosing is complicated if you're trying to make up for missing pills
- Risk of heart attacks and stroke
Pharmacist tips for Necon 7/7/7
- Necon 7/7/7 can be taken to prevent pregnancy, but it can't protect against HIV infections (AIDS) or other sexually transmitted diseases. Using a latex or polyurethane condom during sex can help lower your risk of an STD.
- Let your provider know all of your current medications. Certain medications, such as rifampin (Rifadin), can interact with Necon 7/7/7 and cause it to work less well to prevent pregnancy. Some medications can also raise your risk of breakthrough bleeding (bleeding outside of your period).
- Before taking Necon 7/7/7, let your provider know all of your health conditions to see if this medication is safe for you. If you have conditions such as high cholesterol levels, your provider might check your labs regularly while you're taking Necon 7/7/7 because this medication can make your cholesterol levels more difficult to control.
- Take Necon 7/7/7 at the same time every day. If you miss your pills, there's a chance that you can become pregnant. Talk to your provider or pharmacist about what you should do if you miss your pills.
- Necon 7/7/7 can cause swelling in some people, such as in the fingers or ankles. Talk to your provider if you experience swelling or have health problems that can also cause swelling.
- Talk to your provider if you experience symptoms of depression or worsening depression while taking Necon 7/7/7. Your provider might take you off this medication if you have serious depression.
- Speak to your provider before starting Necon 7/7/7 if you are breastfeeding your child. Small amounts of Necon 7/7/7 can pass into your breastmilk and might affect your baby. It can also lower the amount and quality of your breast milk. Discuss with your provider about starting Necon 7/7/7 after you have stopped breastfeeding your baby.
- Let your provider know if you experience new or worsening migraines or headaches while taking Necon 7/7/7. You will have to stop your medication if your migraine or headache doesn't go away or becomes severe.
Common questions about Necon 7/7/7
Oral contraceptives, including Necon 7/7/7, work better to prevent pregnancy than other non-surgical methods of birth control, such the injection, patch, or ring. If you take it as directed without missing any pills, the chance of you becoming pregnant is about 1%. The more pills you miss, the higher the chance you have at becoming pregnant, so make sure you take this medication at the same time every day for it to be effective (work well).
Oral contraceptives, including Necon 7/7/7, can cause breakthrough bleeding and spotting. The bleeding can vary from slight staining to a heavier flow that's similar to a regular period. This tends to happen within the first 3 months of use. Missing pills can also cause you to experience spotting or light bleeding. Let your provider know if you experience any abnormal vaginal bleeding, or if the bleeding or spotting won't go away.
Oral contraceptives, including Necon 7/7/7, is safe for most females. But some females might be at higher risk of having serious side effects because of their health conditions. Speak with your provider before taking Necon 7/7/7 if you smoke or have certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, clotting problems, heart attack, stroke, chest pain, cancer of the breast or sex organs, or liver problems or tumors. Non-smoking females over the age of 40 are also at a higher risk of getting heart problems when taking Necon 7/7/7. Speak with your provider to determine which birth control method is safe for you.
If you start Necon 7/7/7 within 24 hours of the first day of your period, you don't need to use another method of birth control. Your medication should start working right away and follow the same hormone cycle as your body. If you start Necon 7/7/7 on a Sunday after your period starts, then you would need to use another (backup) method of birth control, such as condoms or spermicide, if you have sex anytime in the next 7 days.
Necon 7/7/7 is a triphasic birth control, which means it has 3 different hormone dose combinations for the 3 weeks of active pills. The dose of estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) remains the same, but the dose of progestin (norethindrone) gets higher every 7 days, which mimics the body's natural cycle. There are other types of birth control pills that are monophasic (all active pills have the same dose of estrogen and progestin) and biphasic (two different hormone dosage combinations). Speak to your provider to see which type of birth control pills might be a good option for you.
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Risks and warnings for Necon 7/7/7
Necon 7/7/7 can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Heart problems and strokes
- Risk factors: Females over 35 years old who smoke | Heavy smoking | High blood pressure | High cholesterol | Obese | Diabetes
Smoking cigarettes while taking Necon 7/7/7 can raise the risk of serious heart problems. The risk gets higher as you get older, especially if you're over 35 years old, and with the number of cigarettes smoked. Females over 35 years old who smoke shouldn't take Necon 7/7/7 because of this risk.
Necon 7/7/7 can worsen certain health problems and raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes. These serious problems can lead to death or temporary or permanent disability. Speak to your provider before starting Necon 7/7/7 if you have heart problems or any of the risk factors listed above that would put you at risk for heart problems or strokes. Your provider can help you determine if this medication is safe for you. Let your provider know right away if you experience crushing chest pain, heaviness in the chest, sudden severe headache, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, changes in vision or speech, or weakness or numbness in the arms or legs.
Blood clots
- Risk factors: Females over 35 years old | High blood pressure | Smoking | Surgery | Not moving for a period of time | Within 4 weeks of childbirth
Necon 7/7/7 can raise the risk of blood clots. The risk of blood clots is highest in the first year of use and when you restart the medication after taking a break for 4 weeks or longer. You're at a higher risk for blood clots if you are going in for surgery, unable to move for a long period of time, or recently delivered a baby. Talk to your provider about stopping Necon 7/7/7 at least 4 weeks before and for 2 weeks after your surgery or during bed rest. If you recently delivered a baby, you shouldn't start Necon 7/7/7 until 4 weeks after delivery if you're not breastfeeding your child. Let your provider know right away if you experience sharp chest pain, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, or pain in your legs, as these could be signs of a blood clot.
Although rare, Necon 7/7/7 can raise the risk of getting a blood clot in the veins of your eye, which can lead to eye damage. Stop taking Necon 7/7/7 and let your provider know right away if you experience any vision changes or vision loss. Get your eyes checked if you experience vision changes while wearing contacts or if your eyes can no longer tolerate your contacts.
High blood sugar and cholesterol
- Risk factors: Prediabetes or diabetes | High triglycerides
Necon 7/7/7 can raise your blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels. Speak with your provider before starting oral contraceptives if you have diabetes, prediabetes, or high cholesterol. If you choose to take Necon 7/7/7 with those health conditions, your provider will monitor you regularly.
High blood pressure
- Risk factors: Older age | Long-term use | High blood pressure | Kidney problems
Necon 7/7/7 can raise your blood pressure, so make sure you monitor your blood pressure while you're taking this medication. The risk is higher in people who are older and have been taking birth control for a long period of time. Women with very high blood pressure shouldn't take birth control with hormones, such as Necon 7/7/7. Speak to your provider if you have high blood pressure and they can help you pick a different method of birth control that's safer for you. If your blood pressure rises to greater than 160/100 mmHg and can't be controlled, talk to your provider about switching to a different method of birth control. Blood pressure usually returns to normal after stopping oral contraceptives.
Risk of breast and cervical cancer
- Risk factors: History of breast cancer | Taking COCs for a long time
Study results are mixed, but there's a possibility that Necon 7/7/7 and other COCs can raise your risk for breast and cervical cancer.
Don't use Necon 7/7/7 if you have breast cancer because some types of breast cancer grow faster in the presence of estrogen, an ingredient in this birth control pill. To help with early breast cancer detection, you can do monthly breast self-checks at home and yearly breast exams with your healthcare provider. Call your healthcare provider if you notice any abnormal changes or feel lumps, pain, or swelling in your breasts.
Get medical help right away if you experience abnormal vaginal bleeding, discharge, or pain during sex, since these could be signs of cervical cancer.
Liver problems
- Risk factors: Long-term use | Hepatitis C treatment
Don't take Necon 7/7/7 if you have liver problems, such as sudden liver infection caused by a virus, severe (decompensated) scarring of the liver, or liver tumors. Although rare, Necon 7/7/7E can raise your risk of benign liver tumors. If you experience signs of liver problems, you should stop taking Necon 7/7/7 and ask your provider for a different type of birth control. Signs of liver problems can include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), along with fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, or dark colored urine. People with liver problems might have trouble breaking down hormones.
Talk to your provider before starting Necon 7/7/7 if you are taking medications to treat Hepatitis C. Medications that contain ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, can raise the liver levels and cause liver problems. Stop taking Necon 7/7/7 if you need to start your treatment for Hepatitis C. You can restart Necon 7/7/7 2 weeks after your treatment is completed.
Necon 7/7/7 dosage
Package| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 tablets | 1 package | $15.94 | $15.94 |
Typical dosage for Necon 7/7/7
Necon 7/7/7 (and its branded generics) comes in a 28-day pack. Your medication might look different depending on which branded generic your provider prescribes. Please take the medication as instructed by your provider or following the directions on the package.
There are 21 active tablets and they contain different dosages of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol. In general
- Day 1 through 7: 0.5 mg norethindrone and 35 mcg ethinyl estradiol
- Day 8 through 14: 0.75 mg norethindrone and 35 mcg ethinyl estradiol
- Day 15 through 21: 1 mg norethindrone and 35 mcg ethinyl estradiol
- Day 22 through 28: Placebo tablets (hormone-free)
The typical dose is to take 1 active tablet by mouth daily for 21 days, followed by 1 placebo tablet daily for the remaining 7 days.
How much does Necon 7/7/7 cost?
$13.46
Necon 7/7/7 contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Necon 7/7/7 will not be safe for you to take.
- Current or history of blood clots
- Health condition that makes it more likely for your blood to clot
- A history of heart attack or stroke
- Heart valve problems with complications
- Steady blood pressure over 160 mmHg systolic (top number) or 100 mmHg diastolic (bottom number)
- Diabetes with blood vessel problems
- Headache with nerve problems
- Major surgery that prevents you from moving for a long time
- Current or history of breast cancer
- Cancer in the lining of the uterus
- Tumors grows in the presence of estrogen
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding that hasn't been diagnosed
- Yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin (jaundice) during pregnancy or during previous use of the medication
- Liver problems
- Liver cancer
- Pregnancy
- Taking hepatitis C medication with ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir
