Camila pills come in a blister pack, marked with arrows and days of the week. Take one pill at the same time each day, with water, following the arrows. You’ll take Camila continuously, with no break between strips.

You can start taking Camila any time if you’re not already using hormonal birth control. If you’re switching from something else, take your first pill on the day after the last pill in your previous pack.

If you start taking Camila on the first day of your period, you’ll be protected against pregnancy right away. If you start on another day during the month, you’ll need to use condoms or other barrier contraception to stay covered for the first 48 hours of taking it. After this, you’ll be protected.

Don’t panic, and refer to the package insert for more information. The missed-pill window for Camila is three hours, so it’s important to take your pill around the same time every day. If you’re more than three hours late taking it, it’s the same as a missed pill.

If you miss a pill or are sick after taking one, you’ll need to use extra contraception like a condom for the first 48 hours of taking the pill normally again to stay protected.

If you miss more than one pill, you should use extra barrier contraception in the meantime and ask the doctor for advice.

Not all women have withdrawal bleeding or periods on progesterone only pills. Some women may find that they have irregular spotting or bleeding between periods for the first couple of months of taking it. But this should stabilize after a short time.

If you develop heavy bleeding or have continuous unpredictable bleeding while taking Camila, you should let the doctor know.

Camila is safe to use during breastfeeding. If you’ve recently given birth, you should ideally wait for six weeks before starting Camila. You can start after three weeks if you’re only partially breastfeeding.

Camila is also known as Nor-Qd, Nora-BE, Deblitane, Errin, Heather, Incassia, Jencycla, Jolivette, Lyza, Norlyda, Norlyroc, Norethindrone, Ortho Micronor, Sharobel and Tulana.

These aren’t all still in production. Some of these pills may have been discontinued by the manufacturer and no longer be available. But if you’re looking for this formulation, it’s likely that Camila will be just as suitable for you.

Yes. There is no “Camila Low” alternative. If you are experiencing side effects on Camila, or want to find out about a higher dose to help with symptoms of PMS, you should let the doctor know. They may be able to recommend an alternative pill.

Camila is a brand of treatment made by Mayne, so isn’t technically a generic. But many people use the term “generic” to describe a treatment that is available under multiple names. There are other pills that share the same active ingredient, in the same concentration, as Camila, such as those listed above.

They both contain the same hormone, in the same amounts, so there shouldn’t be any real difference. They’re manufactured by different companies (Camila is made by Mayne while Heather is from Glenmark) so the packaging and the appearance of the pill itself will be different. But there should be little, if any, variation in how well they work.

Irregular periods are the most frequently reported side effect of Camila. Most women will find that this settles after taking Camila for a short time, but if you become concerned or if this type of bleeding continues, you should speak to the doctor.

Milder side effects may disappear after a month or two of use. But If side effects concern you, let your doctor know. You may benefit from switching to an alternative pill.

It’s rare, but some people may get severe side effects when using Camila. Go to your nearest emergency room if you notice heavy or unexplained vaginal bleeding, breast lumps, any sign of a blood clot such as shortness of breath or heat behind the calf or other side effects that may be serious.