Green Pages Where There Is No Doctor 2011 393
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Name:__________________ price:________ for_ ______
Often comes in: 25 mg. tablets
Persons with tuberculosis being treated with
isoniazid sometimes develop a lack of vitamin B6.
To prevent this, 25 mg. of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
may be taken daily while taking isoniazid. Or the
vitamin can be given only to persons who develop
problems because of its lack. Signs include pain
or tingling in the hands or feet, muscle twitching,
nervousness, and being unable to sleep.
Dosage of vitamin B6—if problems develop while
taking isoniazid:
Take 50 mg. (2 tablets), 3 times a day.
FAMILY PLANNING METHODS
Oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
Information about the use, risks, and precautions
for birth control pills can be found on pages 286 to
289. The following information is about choosing
the right pill for individual women. (In January 2002,
we changed the groups of birth control pills in this
section. If someone you are working with has an
older version of the book, be careful not to confuse
the different kinds of pills!)
Most birth control pills contain 2 hormones
similar to those produced in a woman’s body to
control her monthly bleeding. These hormones
are called estrogen and progesterone (progestin).
The pills come under many different brand names
with different strengths and combinations for the 2
hormones. A few of the brand names are listed in
the groups below.
Usually, brands that contain a smaller amount
of both hormones are the safest and work best for
most women. These “low-dose” pills are found in
Groups 1, 2, and 3.
Group 1 - Triphasic pills
These contain low amounts of both estrogen
and progestin in a mix that changes throughout the
month. Since the amounts change, it is important to
take the pills in order.
Common brand names:
Logynon
Tricyclen
Synophase Trinordiol
Trinovum
Triquilar
Triphasil
Group 2 - Low dose pills
These contain low amounts of estrogen
(35 micrograms of the estrogen “ethinyl estradiol”
or 50 micrograms of the estrogen “mestranol”) and
progestin in a mix that stays the same throughout
the month.
Common brand names:
Brevicon 1+35
Noriday 1+50
Norinyl 1+35, 1+50
Ortho-Novum 1/35, 1/50
Ovysmen 1/35
Neocon
Norimin
Perle
Group 3 - Low dose pills
These pills are high in progestin and low in
estrogen (30 or 35 micrograms of the estrogen
“ethinyl estradiol”).
Common brand names:
Lo-Femenal
Lo-Ovral
Microgynon 30
Microvlar
Nordette
To assure effectiveness and minimize spotting
(small amounts of bleeding at other times than your
normal monthly bleeding), take the pill at the same
time each day, especially with pills that have low
amounts of hormones. If spotting continues after
3 or 4 months, try one of the brands in Group 3.
If there is still spotting after 3 months, try a brand
from Group 4.
As a rule, women who take birth control pills
have less heavy monthly bleeding. This may be a
good thing, especially for women who are anemic.
But if a woman misses her monthly bleeding for
months or is disturbed by the very light monthly
bleeding, she can change to a brand with more
estrogen from Group 4.
For a woman who has very heavy monthly
bleeding or whose breasts become painful before
her monthly bleeding begins, a brand low in
estrogen but high in progestin may be better. These
pills are found in Group 3.
Women who continue to have spotting or miss
their monthly bleeding when using a brand from
Group 3, or who became pregnant before while
using another type of pill, can change to a pill that
has a little more estrogen. These “high dose” pills
are found in Group 4.