nor-qd
Nor-Qd (Norethindrone) is a progestin used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Endometrial Hyperplasia, Endometriosis, Hypogonadism.
Norethindrone · by Teva Branded Pharm
Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Norethindrone
- Drug class
- Progestin
- Form
- Tablet
- Strength
- Norethindrone 0.35MG
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Brand-name
- May treat
- acne vulgaris, endometrial hyperplasia, endometriosis
- Manufacturer
- Teva Branded Pharm
- Half-life
- about 8 hours (how long it stays in your system)
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$2.83 for 30 — not your price
- FDA application
- NDA017060
What is Nor-Qd?
From the FDA label:Each white Nora-BE ® tablet provides a continuous oral contraceptive regimen of 0.35 mg norethindrone daily, and the inactive ingredients include lactose, magnesium stearate, povidone, and starch. The chemical name for norethindrone is 17-Hydroxy-19-Nor-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-3-one. The structural formula follows: norethindrone Therapeutic class = oral contraceptive. Norethindrone structural formula.
How to use
To achieve maximum contraceptive effectiveness, Nora-BE must be taken exactly as directed. One tablet is taken every day, at the same time. Administration is continuous, with no interruption between pill packs. See PATIENT LABELING for detailed instructions.
Side effects
Menstrual irregularity is the most frequently reported side effect. Frequent and irregular bleeding are common, while long duration of bleeding episodes and amenorrhea are less likely. Headache, breast tenderness, nausea, and dizziness are increased among progestin-only oral contraceptive users in some studies. Androgenic side effects such as acne, hirsutism, and weight gain occur rarely.
Warnings
Important safety information
Cigarette smoking greatly increases the possibility of suffering heart attacks and strokes. Women who use oral contraceptives are strongly advised not to smoke. Nora-BE does not contain estrogen and, therefore, this insert does not discuss the serious health risks that have been associated with the estrogen component of combined oral contraceptives. The health care provider is referred to the prescribing information of combined oral contraceptives for a discussion of those risks, including, but not limited to, an increased risk of serious cardiovascular disease in women who smoke, carcinoma of the breast and reproductive organs, hepatic neoplasia, and changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The relationship between progestin-only oral contraceptives and these risks have not been established and there are no studies definitely linking progestin-only pill (POP) use to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. The physician should remain alert to the earliest manifestation of symptoms of any serious disease and discontinue oral contraceptive therapy when appropriate. 1. Ectopic pregnancy. The incidence of ectopic pregnancies for progestin-only oral contraceptive users is 5 per 1000 woman-years. Up to 10% of pregnancies reported in clinical studies of progestin-only oral contraceptive users are extrauterine. Although symptoms of ectopic pregnancy should be watched for, a history of ectopic pregnancy need not be considered a contraindication to use of this contraceptive method. Health providers should be alert to the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy in women who become pregnant or complain of lower abdominal pain while on progestin-only oral contraceptives. 2. Delayed follicular atresia/Ovarian cysts. If follicular development occurs, atresia of the follicle is sometimes delayed, and the follicle may continue to grow beyond the size it would attain in a normal cycle. Generally these enlarged follicles disappear spontaneously. Often they are asymptomatic; in some cases they are associated with mild abdominal pain. Rarely they may twist or rupture, requiring surgical intervention. 3. Irregular genital bleeding. Irregular menstrual patterns are common among women using progestin-only oral contraceptives. If genital bleeding is suggestive of infection, malignancy or other abnormal conditions, such nonpharmacologic causes should be ruled out. If prolonged amenorrhea occurs, the possibility of pregnancy should be evaluated. 4. Carcinoma of the breast and reproductive organs. Some epidemiologic studies of oral contraceptive users have reported an increased relative risk of developing breast cancer, particularly at a younger age and apparently related to duration of use. These studies have predominantly involved combined oral contraceptives and there is insufficient data to determine whether the use of POPs similarly increase the risk. Women with breast cancer should not use oral contraceptives because the role of female hormone in breast cancer has not been fully determined. Some studies suggest that oral contraceptive use has been associated with an increase in the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in some populations of women. However, there continues to be controversy about the extent to which such findings may be due to differences in sexual behavior and other factors. There is insufficient data to determine whether the use of POPs increases the risk of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. 5. Hepatic neoplasia. Benign hepatic adenomas are associated with combined oral contraceptive use, although the incidence of benign tumors is rare in the United States. Rupture of benign, hepatic adenomas may cause death through intraabdominal hemorrhage. Studies from Britain and the U.S. have shown an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in combined oral contraceptive users. However, these cancers are rare. There is insufficient data to determine whether POPs increase the risk of developing hepatic neoplasia.
Who should not take Nor-Qd
Progestin-only oral contraceptives (POPs) should not be used by women who currently have the following conditions: Known or suspected pregnancy Known or suspected carcinoma of the breast Undiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding Hypersensitivity to any component of this product Benign or malignant liver tumors Acute liver disease
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
There have been no reports of serious ill effects from overdosage, including ingestion by children.
U.S. Poison Control: call or text 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). In an emergency call 911. From the FDA label; not medical advice.
Interactions
Change in contraceptive effectiveness associated with co-administration of other products: a. Anti-infective agents and anticonvulsants. Contraceptive effectiveness may be reduced when hormonal contraceptives are co-administered with antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and other drugs that increase the metabolism of contraceptive steroids. This could result in unintended pregnancy or breakthrough bleeding. Examples include rifampin, barbiturates, phenylbutazone, phenytoin, carbamazepine, felbamate, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, and griseofulvin. b. Anti-HIV protease inhibitors. Several of the anti-HIV protease inhibitors have been studied with co-administration of oral contraceptives; significant changes (increase and decrease) in the plasma levels of the estrogen and progestin have been noted in some cases. The safety and efficacy of OC products may be affected with the co-administration of anti-HIV protease inhibitors. Health care providers should refer to the label of the individual anti-HIV protease inhibitors for further drug-drug interaction information. c. Herbal products. Herbal products containing St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum) may induce hepatic enzymes (cytochrome P450) and p-glycoprotein transporter and may reduce the effectiveness of contraceptive steroids. This may also result in breakthrough bleeding.
How long does Norethindrone stay in your body?
The elimination half-life of norethindrone is about 8 hours — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the terminal (elimination) half-life, not a distribution phase: the label states "the mean terminal elimination half-life of norethindrone following single dose administration ... is approximately 8 hours," and its single-dose PK table gives t½ = 7.7 ± 0.5 hours (12 healthy women, 0.35 mg, fasting). Norethindrone itself is the active drug, and the label names no active metabolite that outlasts it — it is extensively reduced and then sulfate/glucuronide conjugated, with less than 5% excreted unchanged. Related point for anyone reading a different label: norethindrone ACETATE is a prodrug that is rapidly converted to norethindrone, so norethindrone is the active moiety in those products too. This label does not characterize how the half-life changes in older adults or in kidney or liver impairment — no such pharmacokinetic data is given, so no number can be quoted for those groups (the label does contraindicate use in women with significant liver disease, but that is a safety statement, not a half-life adjustment).
This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: CAMILA (norethindrone) 0.35 mg tablets — DailyMed label, Clinical Pharmacology / Pharmacokinetics.
Drug class
How this class works, per Progestins - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf.
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
See how Nor-Qd ranks — best-rated progestin for:
Dosage forms
Tablet
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Nor-Qd treat?
- Nor-Qd (Norethindrone) may be used to treat acne vulgaris, endometrial hyperplasia, endometriosis, hypogonadism, menorrhagia, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How does Nor-Qd work?
- Nor-Qd is a progestin. Progestins are lab-made versions of the hormone progesterone. Acting through progesterone receptors, they quiet the brain signals that trigger ovulation, thicken cervical mucus so sperm cannot pass, and thin the uterine lining, which together help prevent pregnancy and regulate periods.
- How much does Nor-Qd cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $2.83 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Nor-Qd?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Nor-Qd. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Nor-Qd?
- Nor-Qd is marketed by Teva Branded Pharm. You can see Teva Branded Pharm's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Nor-Qd a brand-name or generic drug?
- Nor-Qd is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Norethindrone.
- Is Nor-Qd available over the counter?
- No. Nor-Qd is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Nor-Qd come in?
- Nor-Qd is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- What class of drug is Nor-Qd?
- Nor-Qd is classified as progestin, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
- Is Nor-Qd FDA-registered?
- Nor-Qd is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA017060. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Is Nor-Qd safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Nor-Qd. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Nor-Qd?
- Nor-Qd's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: Menstrual irregularity is the most frequently reported side effect. Frequent and irregular bleeding are common, while long duration of bleeding episodes and amenorrhea are less likely. Headache, breast tenderness, nausea,… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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