Preparation "Escapel": reviews of the gynecologist, instructions and side effects

Pregnancy in the life of every woman should be a real miracle, a gift of higher forces, and not stress. This is facilitated by 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 such preparations is "Escapel". Reviews of a gynecologist 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 it consists of

The preparation is white or almost white tablets, flat, with engraving G00. It 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 fairly fragile mechanism that is easy to break. Consultation with a specialist is necessary before every reception of the drug "Escapel". The gynecologist's testimonies confirm that he usually tolerates well, but there are exceptions.

Mechanism of action

This postcoital contraceptive, which is used in emergency cases. By its action, it inhibits the process of ovulation, thereby providing protection from pregnancy. In addition, the drug prevents the proliferation of the mucous membrane of the uterus and makes cervical mucus more viscous. This is necessary to impede the progress of spermatozoa.

Recall that the drug 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 the "Escapel" preparation. Reviews of a gynecologist say the same. This remedy is certainly better than abortion, but it is recommended to warn its use in advance.

It is best to use the "Escapel" tool when you have a regular menstrual cycle, so it's easier to calculate "dangerous" days. If the coition occurred on the day of ovulation, and the drug was taken two days after it, then the probability is high that the fertilization of the oocyte has already taken place, and therefore nothing will prevent its implantation. According to the instructions, the acceptable interval between the proximity and reception of the emergency contraceptive means is 72 hours, but the sooner this happens, the higher the level of protection. After 96 hours to take it is useless, you are either pregnant or not.

In addition, there is a restriction on the frequency of taking the drug "Escapel". The instruction says that the frequency of reception should not exceed 1 time per menstrual cycle. But use even with such frequency can lead to hormonal changes. Ideally, the frequency of reception should not exceed once a year.

Another point is the threat of infection during intercourse. Will the "Escapel" help in this case? The gynecologist's testimonies confirm the absence of such protection, that is, you are exposed to all diseases and infections of the genital tract. If you are not sure of a partner, it is better to use barrier methods, for example, a condom.

Indications for use

When to take the drug "Escapel"? The instruction says the following: the remedy is appointed 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 protection is not reliable enough. For example, if you use hormonal contraceptives, but go through a course of antibiotic treatment or take 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 COC, and the proximity has already occurred), and then use condoms before the end of the course of treatment. Another indication may be a gap in the condom.

Rules of admission

It will be good to consult with the attending physician before taking the "Escapel" remedy. Instruction for use recommends the necessary dose of the drug taken within 2 days after the act of intimacy. It will be 1.5 mg, or 1 tablet. On an individual basis, a doctor may recommend breaking the dose into 2 divided doses: 0.5 tablets first and the second half after 12 hours. Indication for this may be a poor state of health, a young age, a small body weight.

If the individual reaction of the body in the form of vomiting followed (especially if less than three hours after taking the drug), then you should drink the same dose again, as for the first time. In parallel, it is recommended to take Cerucal medication in the amount of one pill to prevent the emetic reflex and allow the drug to act.

What else you need to know before taking Escapel? Instruction for use indicates the possibility of using it on any day of the cycle. This is true, but only if the previous menstrual period has passed normally and on time. In other words, you must be sure that you are not pregnant for today. There are 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 whole series of unpleasant consequences may arise, so you need to know to whom this drug does not fit. It is categorically contraindicated in women who have increased sensitivity to its components. Unfortunately, this can only be established by laboratory methods, which usually do not have time, and by experience. If there is a suspicion of hypersensitivity, you can divide the reception by 2 times, 0.5 times with an interval of 12 hours.

The second contraindication are diseases of the liver and biliary tract. This is a very important point, which should be remembered before taking the drug "Escapel". Side effects can be quite severe, so even jaundice in childhood is an excuse for finding an alternative.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are another difficult period when one should refrain from taking various medications. A future mother may not yet know what awaits the baby, and continue to be protected. That is why it is so important to follow your cycle and make sure before pregnancy that there is no pregnancy (for example, to do a test). During breastfeeding, many protective equipment is not suitable, since they stand out together with milk. But the young mother has not yet recovered from childbirth and is not ready for a new pregnancy, so you need to be protected. Best non-hormonal suppositories, ointments and creams, for example, medicament "Pharmatex", as well as condoms. If there was an "accident", then you can take the drug "Escapel". Side effects are leveled by abolishing breastfeeding for 36 hours. Be sure to express the 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 fluctuations in weight and other unpleasant consequences.

Harm to the body

Tablet from pregnancy "Escapel" is not as safe as it might seem at first glance. This is a serious drug, and the less often you resort to its use, the better for your health. A single dose usually does not cause serious disruptions, but the more often this method of contraception is used, the more the risk of side effects increases and the protection becomes weaker.

There may be allergic reactions. They can manifest in the form of redness of the skin, rashes, itching, swelling of the face. These are innocuous enough 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. There are often complaints of nausea, vomiting, or acute diarrhea. So the digestive system reacts to the invasion of the synthetic drug. Pay special attention to this, since acute indigestion or vomiting can significantly weaken the absorption of the drug, which can result in pregnancy.

From the central nervous system, very often you can observe a feeling of fatigue, headache, dizziness. Usually these symptoms do not last more than a few days, although in exceptional cases, women complain of ill health for much longer.

Most often you can diagnose various complaints about problems with the sexual organs. During the day, pain in the abdomen can begin. If they are very strong, then you need to immediately consult a doctor. Bloody discharge can begin, even if it's still far from menstruation. The mammary glands are rough, as in pregnancy, become very sensitive. It should be noted that early-onset menstruation is not the only option. Equally common is the reverse situation, when the cycle moves forward, the norm in such cases is 5-7 days. If the delay continues for a longer time, you need to exclude pregnancy.

To this you need to be ready, taking the drug "Escapel". 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 for use 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 conducted 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 carry your baby and not worry about his health.

As already mentioned, the drug is excreted in breast milk, so that after taking it, you should temporarily stop breastfeeding. After two days, you can again return to the usual mode.

The preparation and its analogues

Often, women ask: "Is the tool" Escapel "or" Postinor "better to use?" Both drugs contain the same dose of the same hormone, only in the case of the medicine "Postinor" you are offered a package with two tablets, at 0.75 mg each, they should be taken at an interval of 12 hours. "Escapel" is presented by one tablet, which contains 1.5 mg of active ingredient. It can be taken immediately or divided into 2 receptions. The most important thing is not what drug to prefer, but how quickly to take it. In the case of emergency contraception, time plays a decisive role.

Allocations after the "Escapel" can have a different character. In some cases, the drug leads to detachment of the mucous membrane of the uterus, which prevents the implantation of the egg and the onset of pregnancy. As a result, in the coming days you will observe discharges similar to ordinary menstruation, although it may 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, the monthly ones will pass in their usual time or move for a few days. The organism and its hormonal background are individual, therefore it is impossible to accurately predict the reaction.

special instructions

Contraceptive pills "Escapel" are intended exclusively 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 is possible to shift it for several days in one direction or another. Severe pain, too scarce or, on the contrary, too abundant discharge indicate the need to urgently seek help from a doctor. Delay after the "Escapel" for 5-7 days is not considered a pathology, but is only an easy cycle failure.

Adolescents under 16 years old need a full-time consultation with a gynecologist before prescribing the drug. Even in case of rape, it is advisable to have a doctor's examination beforehand. It is usually recommended to wait for confirmation of pregnancy, but then the young mother will have to go through another stress, making a choice between abortion and early childbirth. After the emergency contraception, you need to go to the gynecologist once again to get 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 that it will work. It is believed that correctly taken medicine gives a guarantee of 98.9 percent, which is not so little. But the individual characteristics of the body, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, hormonal background still play a role. In addition, it matters on which day of the cycle the sexual act took place. Under especially favorable conditions (the emergence of a mature egg into the fallopian tube) fertilization can occur quite quickly. And while you are thinking about what drug to take, the egg is successfully implanted into the wall of the uterus. Further development of the drug can not do any harm, nor interfere. Therefore, if you decide to keep a pregnancy, then give birth to an absolutely healthy child.

Overdose

If, due to inexperience, negligence or the desire to provide better protection from pregnancy, a greater dose of the drug than recommended in the instructions, this can cause an increase in side effects. Specific antidote in this case is not present, if state of health causes fears, it is better to seek help from a doctor.

It should be noted that increasing the dose does not affect the effectiveness of the drug. To repeat reception of means "Escapel" it is possible only in the event that within 3 hours after the use of the first tablet there was a vomiting or a strong diarrhea. Because there is a high probability that the drug has not been digested. In all other cases, the dosage is calculated in such a way that it is abundant enough to prevent the onset of pregnancy.

Drug Interactions

There are tools that reduce the effectiveness of the drug "Escapel". The use of these at one time is permissible only in the last resort, and it is advisable to inform the attending physician. If you undergo a course of treatment, and at that moment emergency contraception was required, it makes sense to interrupt the medication for 2 days. These are drugs such as Amprenavir, Tretinoin, Lansoprazole, Topiramate, Nevirapine, Oxcarbazepine. Be careful if you use barbiturates (primidone, phenytoin), products containing St. John's wort extract. This includes antiviral drugs: Rifampicin, Ritonavir, and antibiotics: Ampicillin, Tetracycline.

Let's sum up the results

The "Escapel" remedy is a modern drug that helps to plan a family even in the most critical situations, when an unprotected sexual intercourse has already occurred. Such situations among young people are very common. And although this tool is not recommended for use by adolescents, its use is better than the known consequences.

If you consider the drug "Escapel" as an alternative to medical and medical abortion, then this is much less evil. He does not give birth to a new life, in general, like all other contraceptives, but does not kill a small creature. Therefore, if your sex life is not regular, there is the possibility of casual connections and you know that at the culmination moment you will not be able to break off for a trip to the pharmacy, better just have the Escapel tablet with you in case. But do not forget that you often can not use the drug. Therefore, the next time you stock up on condoms, and as an additional protection in the event of a rupture, you can use vaginal suppositories.