Opcicon One-Step Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Opcicon One-Step Tablet contains levonorgestrel 1.5 mg and is an emergency contraceptive used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or a birth control failure. It is meant as a backup method, not for regular use as birth control, and works best when taken as soon as possible within 72 hours. It does not protect against HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections and will not end an existing pregnancy.

What is Opcicon One-Step Tablet

Opcicon One-Step is an emergency contraceptive tablet containing 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel. It is used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or if your regular birth control method failed. It is meant as a backup method, not for regular use as birth control.

Opcicon One-Step Tablet uses

• Prevents pregnancy after unprotected sex or a birth control failure, such as a broken condom or missed pills
• Should be taken as soon as possible, and works best within 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex
• Not meant for use as a regular form of birth control
• Does not protect against HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections
• Will not end an existing pregnancy

Benefits of Opcicon One-Step Tablet

• Significantly lowers the chance of pregnancy after unprotected sex when taken as directed
• About 7 out of 8 women who would have become pregnant do not become pregnant after taking it as directed
• The sooner it is taken, the better it works

How Opcicon One-Step Tablet works

The medicine works mainly by stopping or delaying the release of an egg from the ovary before it happens, so it usually cannot prevent pregnancy if ovulation has already occurred.

Opcicon One-Step Tablet dosage

Take the tablet by mouth with or without food. Take as soon as possible after unprotected sex; it works best within 72 hours (3 days). If you vomit within 2 hours of taking the tablet, contact your doctor or pharmacist to find out if you need to take another dose. Do not take a second dose without first asking your doctor. This medicine is not approved for use by anyone younger than 17 years old. It will not work if you are already pregnant and will not affect an existing pregnancy.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet, 1.5 mg

Side effects of Opcicon One-Step Tablet

Common

• Nausea and sometimes vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lower stomach (abdominal) pain
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Breast pain or tenderness
• Changes in menstrual periods, such as periods that are early, late, lighter, or heavier

Serious

• Severe lower stomach or side pain, which could be a sign of a pregnancy outside the womb (ectopic or tubal pregnancy) and needs immediate medical care
• Signs of a serious allergic reaction, including rash, itching or swelling (especially of the face, lips, tongue, or throat), severe dizziness, or trouble breathing

Warnings and precautions

• This medicine will not end a pregnancy that has already started, meaning the fertilized egg has already attached to the uterus.
• This medicine does not protect against HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections. Using a condom is the only way to protect against these infections.
• Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you take medication for seizures (epilepsy), tuberculosis (rifampin), or HIV/AIDS (efavirenz), since these medicines can make this contraceptive less effective and raise the chance of pregnancy.
• Do not use this medicine as a regular method of birth control; it is only meant as a backup for emergencies.
• This medicine may not work as well in women above a certain body weight, or if certain other medicines have been used in the past month.
• Within 3 weeks after taking this medicine, see a doctor to confirm you are not pregnant and that the medicine has not caused any harmful effects.
• Do not use this medicine if you are already pregnant, because it will not work and will not affect an existing pregnancy. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor right away.
• This medicine passes into breast milk but is unlikely to harm a nursing baby. It may also slow breast milk production. Talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.
• No routine renal-specific dosage adjustment is established. Significant kidney disease should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
• Patients with serious liver disease require clinical evaluation because levonorgestrel is metabolized by the liver.
• This medicine may make you dizzy, and alcohol or marijuana can make the dizziness worse. Limit alcoholic beverages while using this medicine.
• This medicine may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you know how this medicine affects you.

Storage

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat
• Store at room temperature away from light and moisture
• Do not store in the bathroom
• Keep all medications away from children and pets
• Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so
• Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed; consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company
• Do not use if the carton is open, the tear strip is removed, or the blister seal is broken or missing

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help right away if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as hives, trouble breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor or get emergency help if you have severe pain in your lower stomach or side, as this could be a sign of a pregnancy outside the womb, which is a medical emergency.
• Call your doctor right away if you vomit within 2 hours after taking the tablet, since you may need another dose.
• If your period is more than a week late, get a pregnancy test and contact your doctor, as you may be pregnant.

Alternatives

• Ulipristal Acetate Emergency Contraception
• Generic Levonorgestrel Emergency Contraception
• Plan B One-Step