Pregnancy in the life of every woman should be a real miracle, a gift of higher powers, and not stress. This contributes to the abundance of contraceptives. Unfortunately, the number of abortions from this does not decrease at all. Today we will talk about emergency contraception, which comes to the rescue when it is especially necessary. One of these drugs is Escapel. The gynecologist's reviews about him are usually good, but they often remain silent about the possibility of individual side effects. Let's talk about this in more detail today.
What does it consist of
The drug is a white or almost white tablet, flat, engraved with G00. This is a hormonal drug, each tablet contains 1.5 milligrams of levonorgestrel (synthetic progestogen). In addition, they contain starch, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, talc, lactose monohydrate.
The use of the drug requires some caution, since the hormonal background is a rather fragile mechanism that is easy to break. Consultation with a specialist is necessary before each dose of Escapel. Reviews of the gynecologist confirm that he is usually well tolerated, but there are exceptions.
Mechanism of action
This is a postcoital contraceptive that is used in emergency cases. By its action, it inhibits the process of ovulation, thereby providing protection against pregnancy. Additionally, the drug prevents the growth of the uterine mucosa and makes cervical mucus more viscous. This is to hinder the progress of sperm.
Recall that the medication should be used only as a “fire” method, when it is too late to think about other methods of contraception. Condoms, hormones, suppositories, creams, and ointments are a reliable and safe alternative to Escapel. Gynecologist reviews say the same thing. This remedy is certainly better than abortion, but it is still recommended to prevent its use in advance.
It is best to use the Escapel tool when you have a regular menstrual cycle, it is easier to calculate the "dangerous" days. If intercourse occurred on the day of ovulation, and the drug was taken two days after it, then it is likely that fertilization of the egg has already occurred, which means that nothing will interfere with its implantation. According to the instructions, the acceptable interval between proximity and taking emergency contraception is 72 hours, but the faster this happens, the higher the level of protection. After 96 hours, taking it is already useless, you are either pregnant or not.
In addition, there is a limitation on the regularity of taking Escapel. The instruction says that the frequency of admission should not exceed 1 time per menstrual cycle. But use even with such a frequency can lead to hormonal changes. Ideally, the frequency of admission should not exceed once a year.
Another point is the threat of infection during intercourse. Will Escapel help in this case? Gynecologist reviews confirm the absence of such protection, that is, you are susceptible to all diseases and infections of the genital tract. If you are not confident in a partner, it is better to use barrier methods, such as a condom.
Indications for use
When to take Escapel? The instruction says the following: the drug is prescribed if unprotected sexual intercourse has already occurred, and the onset of pregnancy for this period is undesirable.
This is not the only indication. There are times when the primary remedy is not reliable enough. For example, if you use hormonal contraceptives, but are undergoing antibiotic treatment or taking medications containing St. John's wort extract. Then once you can resort to emergency contraception (if you forgot about the decrease in the effectiveness of COCs, and proximity has already happened), and then use condoms until the end of the course of treatment. Another indication may be a condom break.
Admission Rules
It will be good to consult with your doctor before taking Escapel. Instructions for use recommend the necessary dose of the drug to be taken within 2 days after the act of intimacy. It will be 1.5 mg, or 1 tablet. Individually, the doctor may recommend splitting the dose into 2 doses: 0.5 tablets first and the second half after 12 hours. Indications for this can be poor health, young age, low body weight.
If there was an individual reaction of the body in the form of vomiting (especially if less than three hours have passed after taking the drug), then you should drink the same dose again as the first time. In parallel, it is recommended to take the medicine “Cerucal” in the amount of one tablet in order to prevent the appearance of the gag reflex and to enable the drug to act.
What else do you need to know before taking Escapel? Instructions for use indicate the possibility of using it on any day of the cycle. This is true, but only if the previous menstruation went well and on time. In other words, you must be sure that you are not pregnant today. There is no data on the pathogenic or toxic effects of the drug on the fetus, but any hormonal shift is dangerous, especially if you decide to keep the pregnancy.
Contraindications
In fact, after taking Escapel, a number of unpleasant consequences can occur, so you need to know who this drug is not suitable for. It is categorically contraindicated in women with hypersensitivity to its components. Unfortunately, this can only be established by laboratory methods, which usually do not have time, and empirically. If there is a suspicion of hypersensitivity, you can divide the dose into 2 times, 0.5 dose at intervals of 12 hours.
The second contraindication are diseases of the liver and biliary tract. This is a very important point that you need to remember before taking the drug “Escapel”. Side effects can be quite severe, so even jaundice transferred in childhood is a reason to look for an alternative.
Pregnancy and lactation are another difficult period when you should refrain from taking various drugs. The expectant mother may not yet know what the baby is and continue to be protected. That is why it is so important to monitor your cycle and before taking the drug make sure that you are not pregnant (for example, do a test). While breastfeeding, many remedies are not suitable, as they are excreted along with milk. But the young mother has not yet recovered from childbirth and is not ready for a new pregnancy, so you need to protect yourself. Non-hormonal suppositories, ointments and creams, for example, the Pharmatex medication, as well as condoms, are best suited. If an “accident” has occurred, then Escapel is acceptable. Side effects are eliminated by canceling breastfeeding for 36 hours. Be sure to express milk so that it does not stagnate.
The drug is not recommended during puberty, that is, its use by teenage girls. The hormonal background is already unstable, and taking such drugs can lead to serious weight fluctuations and other unpleasant consequences.
Harm to the body
The Escapel pregnancy pill is not as safe as it might seem at first glance. This is a serious drug, and the less often you will resort to its use, the better for your health. A single dose usually does not cause serious malfunctions, but the more often this method of contraception is used, the greater the risk of side effects and the weaker the protection becomes.
Allergic reactions may occur. They can manifest as redness of the skin, rash, itching, swelling of the face. These are quite harmless symptoms that go away by themselves and do not require special intervention. But if they persist for a week or more, then consult a doctor. Often there are complaints of nausea, vomiting, or acute diarrhea. This is how the digestive system reacts to the invasion of a synthetic drug. Pay special attention to this, as acute indigestion or vomiting can significantly weaken the absorption of the drug, which can lead to pregnancy.
From the side of the central nervous system it is very often possible to observe a feeling of tiredness, headache, dizziness. Usually these symptoms do not last more than a few days, although in exceptional cases, women complain of feeling sick much longer.
Most often, you can diagnose various complaints about problems with the genitals. During the day, pains in the lower abdomen may begin. If they are very strong, then you should immediately consult a doctor. Bloody discharge may begin, even if menstruation is still far away. The mammary glands are rude, as during pregnancy, they become very sensitive. It should be noted that early onset periods are not the only option. No less common is the reverse situation, when the cycle moves forward, the norm in such cases is 5-7 days. If the delay lasts longer, pregnancy should be ruled out.
You need to be prepared for this while taking the Escapel drug. Side effects can have a different degree of severity, in the most severe cases, contact a consultation or call an ambulance.
Use during pregnancy and lactation
The drug is contraindicated during pregnancy. Although if you exclude the first trimester, it is unlikely that a woman can doubt her interesting situation and continue to use emergency contraception. Nevertheless, the studies do not confirm the negative effect of the drug on the fetus. Therefore, if, despite the precautionary measures, the pregnancy is preserved, then you can safely bear your baby and not worry about his health.
As already mentioned, the drug is excreted in breast milk, so after taking it, you should temporarily stop breast-feeding. After two days, you can again return to the usual mode.
The drug and its analogues
Often women ask: "Is Escapel or Postinor better to use?" Both drugs contain the same dose of the same hormone, only in the case of the Postinor medication you are offered a package with two tablets, 0.75 mg each, they must be taken at an interval of 12 hours. “Escapel” is presented in one tablet, which contains 1.5 mg of active substance. It can be taken immediately or divided into 2 doses. The most important thing is not what drug to give preference to, but how fast to take it. In the case of emergency contraception, time is crucial.
Allocations after "Escapel" can have different character. In some cases, the drug leads to the detachment of the uterine mucosa, which prevents the implantation of the egg and the onset of pregnancy. As a result, in the coming days you will observe discharge, similar to regular menstruation, although it can still be far away. The tool "Postinor" is not an exception, it has the same mechanism of action. However, you may not notice any changes at all, your periods will go on in their usual time or shift by a few days. The body and its hormonal background are individual for each, therefore it is impossible to accurately predict the reaction.
special instructions
“Escapel” birth control pills are intended solely for emergency cases and do not replace regular contraception. Repeated use during one menstrual cycle is not recommended, as it can result in hormonal disorders. Most often, the drug does not affect the nature of the menstrual cycle, but it can shift for several days in one direction or another. Severe pain, too scarce, or, conversely, too copious discharge indicate the need to urgently seek medical help. The delay after Escapel for 5-7 days is not considered a pathology, but is only a mild cycle failure.
Adolescents under 16 years of age need full-time consultation of a gynecologist before prescribing the drug. Even in the event of rape, it is advisable to preliminarily undergo a medical examination. Usually it is recommended to wait for confirmation of pregnancy, but then the young mother will have to go through another stress, choosing between abortion and early birth. After emergency contraception, you need to go to the gynecologist again to pick up the most suitable method for regular protection.
I must say that pregnancy after Escapel is still possible. It depends on many factors, and one of the most important is time. The faster the pill was taken, the more likely it is to work. It is believed that a correctly taken medicine gives a guarantee of 98.9 percent, which is not so small. But the individual characteristics of the body, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, hormonal levels still play a role. In addition, it matters on which day of the cycle sexual intercourse took place. Under particularly favorable conditions (the release of a mature egg into the fallopian tube), fertilization can occur quite quickly. And while you are thinking about which drug to take, the egg is successfully implanted into the uterine wall. The drug can neither harm nor interfere with further development. Therefore, if you decide to maintain a pregnancy, then give birth to a completely healthy baby.
Overdose
If you, due to inexperience, negligence, or out of a desire to provide better protection against pregnancy, take a larger dose of the drug than recommended in the instructions, this can cause an increase in side effects. There is no specific antidote in this case, if you feel unwell, it is better to consult a doctor.
It should be noted that increasing the dose does not affect the effectiveness of the drug. You can repeat taking Escapel if you have vomiting or severe diarrhea within 3 hours after taking the first pill. Because it is highly likely that the drug is not absorbed. In all other cases, the dosage is calculated in such a way that it will be enough in excess to prevent pregnancy.
Drug interaction
There are drugs that reduce the effectiveness of the Escapel drug. Their use at the same time is permissible only as a last resort, and it is advisable to inform the attending physician. If you are undergoing treatment, and at this moment emergency contraception was required, then it makes sense to stop taking the medicine for 2 days. These are such drugs as Amprenavir, Tretinoin, Lansoprazole, Topiramat, Nevirapine, Okscarbazepine. Be careful if you use barbiturates (primidone, phenytoin), products containing St. John's wort extract. Antiviral drugs should be included here: Rifampicin, Ritonavir, as well as antibiotics: Ampicillin, Tetracycline.
To summarize
Escapel is a modern drug that helps you plan your family, even in the most critical situations, when unprotected sexual intercourse has already occurred. Such situations are very common among young people. And although this tool is not recommended for use by adolescents, its use is better than the known consequences.
If we consider the drug Escapel as an alternative to medical and medical abortion, then this is a much lesser evil. He does not give rise to a new life, in general, like all other contraceptives, but does not kill a small creature. Therefore, if your sex life does not differ in regularity, there is the possibility of random connections and you know that at the climax you won’t be able to interrupt for going to the pharmacy, it is better to have the Escapel tablet with you just in case. But do not forget that you can not often use the drug. Therefore, the next time stock up on condoms, and as an additional protection in case of rupture, you can use vaginal suppositories.