Seek immediate medical treatment and call Poison Control. DO NOT make the person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional. Stop using the birth control pills and use alternative methods, if desired, to prevent pregnancy. The overdose is unlikely to be life threatening.

Determine the following information:

• Patient's age, weight, and condition
• The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
• When it was swallowed
• The amount swallowed
• If the medication was prescribed for the patient

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See: National Poison Control Center

A trip to the emergency room will probably not be necessary.

If an ER visit is needed, the health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The patient may receive:

• Activated charcoal
• Blood tests
• EKG (electrocardiogram)
• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Methods to make the person throw up
• Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)

Serious symptoms are very unlikely.

Review Date: 11/02/2009
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)