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drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol vs felbamate

Side-by-side comparison of drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol and felbamate. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, bosentan, felbamate, griseofulvin, oxcarbazepine, rifampin, topiramate and products containing St.

Recommendation: You should use an extra form of birth control, such as condoms, while taking these medicines together.

Drug Class
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol Combined Oral Contraceptive
felbamate Anticonvulsant
Type
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol Prescription
felbamate Prescription
Summary
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol

This medicine contains drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, which are hormones that prevent pregnancy. It also contains folate to help raise folate levels.

felbamate

Felbamate is a medicine used to treat seizures. It is usually only prescribed when other treatments haven't worked well enough due to the risk of serious side effects.

What It Treats
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol

This medicine can prevent pregnancy. It can also treat symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) if you also want birth control. This medicine can also treat moderate acne in women at least 14 years old who also want birth control.

felbamate

Felbamate treats partial seizures in adults, both with and without generalization. It is also used as an add-on treatment for seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in children. Because of the risk of very serious side effects, you should only use this medicine if other treatments have not worked well enough.

How It Works
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol

This medicine prevents pregnancy by stopping ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). It also changes the lining of the uterus, making it harder for a fertilized egg to implant. The folate helps increase folate levels in the body.

felbamate

Felbamate is an anticonvulsant, meaning it helps to control seizures. The exact way it works in the brain is not fully understood. It is thought to affect certain chemicals in the brain that are involved in seizures.

Common Side Effects
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol
  • Headache or migraine
  • Irregular periods
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Breast pain or tenderness
felbamate
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
  • Headache
FAERS Reports
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol
  • Pain 13,037
  • Injury 10,860
  • Blood clot in the lungs 9,316
  • Blood clot in a deep vein 8,390
  • Anxiety 6,996
felbamate
  • Seizure 345
  • Convulsion 124
  • Sleepiness 108
  • Condition getting worse 92
  • Tiredness 85
Serious Warnings
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol

Cigarette smoking increases your risk of serious heart problems when using birth control pills. This risk is higher if you are over 35 and smoke. Women over 35 who smoke should not use this medicine.

felbamate

Felbamate can cause a severe type of anemia called aplastic anemia. This condition is very serious and can be deadly. Because of this risk, felbamate should only be used if your epilepsy is very severe and other treatments have not worked. Felbamate can also cause liver failure. Talk to your doctor about these risks before starting felbamate.

Pregnancy
drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol

Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant. This medicine can reduce milk production while breastfeeding. If possible, use other birth control methods until you stop breastfeeding.

felbamate

It is not known if felbamate can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if felbamate passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol vs felbamate Comparison

drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol is classified in the Combined Oral Contraceptive drug class, while felbamate sits within the Anticonvulsant class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol has 48,599 submissions while felbamate has 754. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to felbamate can cause your body to process birth control hormones faster, which makes the pill less effective at preventing pregnancy.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol and felbamate - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.