Dangerous Mixers - Drugs that may interfere with your birth control.

Naomi Piercey of Women's Health talked to Kent Holtorf, M.D., medical director of Holtorf Medical Group, which studies women's health and endocrinology, to find out which drugs should go on your watch list. Discuss these common drug examples (not all are listed) with your doctor or community pharmacist. You may need to use a backup contraceptive method, or take a higher or lower-dose pill with these scripts.

Antibiotics:

• Rifampin, used to treat tuberculosis and bacterial infections
• Tetracycline, often used to treat acne
• Ampicillin and Amoxicillin, used to treat bacterial infections such as UTIs

Anti-seizure and migraine medications:

• Phenobarbital, used to treat seizures and sometimes insomnia
• Carbamazepine, used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and sometimes ADHD and schizophrenia
• Topamax (active ingredient Topiramate), used to treat migraines and epilepsy

Anti-fungal medications:

• Griseofulvin, used to treat skin infections like athlete's foot
• Nystatin, used to treat infections like yeast infections

Anti-anxiety medications:

• Benzodiazepine

Antidepressants:

• Prozac
• Celexa
• Zoloft

HIV medicines:

• Ask your doctor about any HIV meds you may take. They can affect the hormone levels in your body, which can alter the effectiveness of the Pill.

Respiratory medications:

• Theophylline, used to treat respiratory diseases like COPD or asthma

Diabetic medications:

• Avandia

Natural supplements:

Because they are not standardized, natural supplements do not have to list drug interactions on their labels like other medications. Tell your doctor about any supplements you take before starting a hormonal birth control method. This is especially true for:

• St. John's wort, which is used to treat depression
• Some soy products

Source:
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/sexual-health/birth-control/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100254307

Important Notice: Information provided is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your community pharmacist or physician about any health care questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to health care issues.