Morning-after pill (Norlevo) and Depression Best answer on the web

Posted in: darrelrussell.com edit
07 Jan 2009
  • I am a 23 year old female living in Norway. I recently took a
    morning-after pill called Norlevo, and i'm therefore wondering about
    this: Is Norlevo a pill used in the US as well? Is it known to trigger
    minor depressions? Is this possible side-effect mentioned in the
    info-slip that comes with the pill? Thanks.


  • Too many website details, but no conclusive answer. I think the answerer should mention his answer rather than pointing answeres to various website


  • Depression is not mentioned as a side-effect neither in the Norwegian package insert (http://www.norlevo.no/Apoteker/produktinformation/) or in the Norwegian Common directory of Medicines (Felleskatalogen) (http://www.felleskatalogen.no/felleskatalogen/show.do?filename=/content/preparat-register/N/Norlevo_HRA+Pharma_83949.html).
    Howvwer, the package insert urges patients to inform their physician if they experience side effects not mentioned in the package insert.


  • huxy, the answers to all questions asked are in the parts sublime1 quoted, the links can simply be used to get more information.
    "Is Norlevo a pill used in the US as well?":
    "Searches for these on Froogle turn up no results for an oral contraceptive sold in the U.S."
    "Is it known to trigger minor depressions?":
    "Side effects of Norlevo may include...mental depression..."

    "Is this possible side-effect mentioned in the info-slip that comes with the pill?"
    "The text from the package insert for the drug Norlevo, duplicated on that site, states: (...) ...mental depression..."

    Rather conclusive answers, if you ask me.


  • cycee...

    The most common alternate names for Norvelo are NorLevo ,
    Vikela and Duofem . Searches for these on Froogle turn up
    no results for an oral contraceptive sold in the U.S.:

    NorLevo OR Vikela OR Duofem
    http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=NorLevo+OR+Vikela+OR+Duofem

    However, the active ingredient and generic name for Norvelo is
    levonorgestrel, and a search for this reveals that it is sold
    as an oral contraceptive in the U.S. under the name Plan B:

    levonorgestrel
    ://www.google.com/search?q=levonorgestrel

    Plan B is discussed on this page from the Plan B Consumers
    home page:
    http://www.go2planb.com/ForConsumers/Index.aspx

    ...and on this page from Medicine.net:
    http://www.medicinenet.com/levonorgestrel-oral/article.htm

    Neither mention depression.


    However, on the EssentialDrugs.org website, they talk about
    the MALAHYDE INFORMATION SYSTEMS and SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTRONIC
    PACKAGE INSERTS (SAEPI):

    "SAEPI is a privately funded Internet site which provides the
    unabridged text of South African package inserts (data sheets)
    as approved by the Medicines Control Council of South Africa.

    The purpose of this site is to make the package inserts for
    South African medicines freely available in electronic format."
    http://www.essentialdrugs.org/indices/archive/199706/msg00000.php

    The text from the package insert for the drug Norlevo, duplicated
    on that site, states:

    "SIDE EFFECTS AND SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS:
    Side effects of Norlevo may include...mental depression..."

    and

    "Norlevo should be used with caution in patients with a history
    of mental depression."
    http://www.intekom.com/pharm/hexal/norlevo.html#SIDE-EFFECTS

    sublime1-ga


    Additional information may be found from an exploration of
    the links resulting from the Google searches outlined below.

    Additional searches done, via Google:

    Norlevo depression
    ://www.google.com/search?q=Norlevo+depression

    "Malahyde Information Systems"
    ://www.google.com/search?q=%22Malahyde+Information+Systems%22

    "Plan B"
    ://www.google.com/search?q=%22Plan+B%22

    ...via Froogle:

    levonorgestrel
    http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=levonorgestrel

    "Plan B" tablets
    http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=%22Plan+B%22+tablets