Femodette

Femodette is a combined contraceptive pill that is used to help prevent pregnancy. Each pill contains a synthetic version of the hormones oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and progesterone (gestodene). Femodette is considered a low-dose oestrogen pill, each one containing 75mcg of gestodene and 20mcg of ethinylestradiol.

Each Femodette pill should be swallowed whole with water. Femodette comes in a blister pack containing 21 pills. To take Femodette, you should:

1. Start by taking a pill marked with the correct day. If it is Monday, take the pill marked Mon.
2. Continue to take 1 pill at the same time every day for 21 days, following the arrows. Do not miss any pills.
3. Take a 7-day break where you do not take any pills, and during this time, you will have a withdrawal bleed that is similar to a period.
4. After 7 days, start a new pack of 21 tablets, even if you are still bleeding. Restart on step 1 and continue this way for as long as you wish to take Femodette.

When to take Femodette for the first time

You can start taking Femodette at any time. If you start taking it on the first day up to day 5 of your period, you will be immediately protected from pregnancy.

If you start after day 5 of your period, you will need to continue taking a pill once a day and should use another form of contraception, like condoms, for 7 days.

If you missed at least 1 pill in the first week of your strip and you have sex that week, there is a chance you could be pregnant. You should contact your doctor or nurse straight away for further advice, as you may need emergency contraception.

If you take Femodette twice, it is unlikely you will experience serious side effects, but you may experience mild effects, such as feeling or being sick, or bleeding from the vagina. If you have any of these symptoms, contact your doctor.

When you stop taking Femodette, you may have some vaginal bleeding a few days after you take your final pill, and then your natural menstrual cycle will eventually return. You can also get pregnant right away when you stop taking Femodette, so you should use another form of contraception to be safe.

You may also notice that some previously managed symptoms, such as improvements in acne or heavy periods, will return to how they were before you started the pill.

Femodette is suitable for most healthy women. You can take Femodette if you:

• are under 50 years old
• are not breastfeeding or pregnant
• have never had a blood clot
• have never had a heart attack, stroke, or angina pectoris (severe chest pains)
• do not have migraines with aura
• are not allergic to any of the active ingredients
• have never had a tumour, breast cancer, or cervical cancer
• have no liver problems
• have no cholesterol problems
• do not have diabetes
• are not overweight
• do not have high blood pressure
• do not have hepatitis C

Who should not take Femodette contraceptive pill

You should not take Femodette if you:

• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• are over 35 and smoke
• are allergic to any ingredients
• have or have ever had liver tumours
• have or have ever had a blood clot
• experience migraines with aura
• have ever had a stroke or heart attack
• have or have ever had breast cancer
• have or are at risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or arterial thromboembolism (ATE)
• are due to have major surgery and will be immobilised for a prolonged period of time
• have diabetes with vascular symptoms
• have severe high blood pressure
• have severe dyslipoproteinaemia
• have or have ever had liver problems like viral hepatitis, and your liver function has not returned to normal

Femodette contains 2 hormones that work together to help protect against pregnancy in a few ways. Femodette works by:

1. Stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
2. Thickening the cervical mucus to make it difficult for sperm to reach the egg.
3. Thinning the womb lining to stop a fertilised egg implanting.

How long does it take until Femodette is effective?

How long it will take Femodette to be effective will depend on when you take your first pill. If you take it on days 1 to 5 of your period, you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you take it after day 5, it will take 7 days to be effective.

How effective is Femodette?

With perfect use, Femodette is 99% effective. With typical use, such as missing a pill or experiencing vomiting or diarrhoea, Femodette is 91% effective.

Some people may experience some side effects when taking Femodette. Some common side effects include:

• feeling sick (nausea)
• weight gain
• mood swings
• depression
• headaches
• stomach ache
• breast pain or tenderness

Uncommon side effects of Femodette include:

• being sick (vomiting)
• diarrhoea
• migraines
• fluid retention, or bloating
• change in breast size
• low sex drive
• itchy skin rash

Rare side effects of Femodette include:

• weight loss
• poor tolerance of contact lenses
• blood clots
• vaginal discharge
• breast discharge
• breast cancer
• allergic reaction
• increased sex drive
• specific skin rashes (erythema nodosum, erythema multiforme)

You can find a full list of side effects in the patient information leaflet that comes with your medication.

How long do Femodette side effects last

Femodette side effects usually improve or go away completely within 3 months as your body adjusts to the hormones. If side effects last longer or get worse, you should speak with your doctor.

What to do if you get Femodette side effects

Most side effects are mild and can be dealt with at home. You can treat:

• nausea, vomiting, and stomach ache by eating small, bland meals, staying hydrated, and getting plenty of rest
• headaches and breast tenderness by staying hydrated, taking over-the-counter pain relief like ibuprofen or paracetamol, and using a warm compress

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you experience side effects that are persistent or worsen. If you feel like you are experiencing side effects that you cannot deal with, you should talk to your doctor about changing your contraception.

If you get any of the following serious side effects, get urgent medical attention or call 999 in an emergency:

• severe allergic reaction – swelling of the hands, face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing and swallowing, and hives
• signs of breast cancer – dimpling of the skin, nipple changes, and lumps you can see or feel
• signs of cervical cancer – bloody or smelly vaginal discharge, unusual vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, and pain during sex
• severe liver issues – severe pain in your upper abdomen, yellowing of the skin or eyes, itching all over your body, and an inflamed liver
• signs of a blood clot – such as swelling and a throbbing pain, usually just in 1 leg (blood clot in the leg), sudden difficulty breathing (blood clot in the lungs), weakness down 1 or both sides of your body, face, or arm (stroke), or chest pain – this could feel like tightness, pressure, or heaviness (heart attack)

Femodette may not be suitable for everyone, there are certain medical conditions and some medications that may make Femodette less effective or unsafe.

You should not take Femodette if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Medications

Some medications may interact with Femodette and stop it working effectively or may be unsafe. You should talk to your doctor if you are taking any medications for:

• epilepsy
• HIV
• Hepatitis C, including ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir, dasabuvir, glecaprevir, or pibrentasvir
• fungal infections, such as griseofulvin
• sedation, such as barbiturates
• bacterial infections, including certain antibiotics
• low mood, such as St John’s wort

Medical conditions

Certain medical conditions may make Femodette unsafe to use. Speak to your doctor before taking Femodette if you have:

• severe liver disease
• breast cancer
• severe diabetes with blood vessel damage
• very high blood pressure
• very high levels of fat in the blood (cholesterol)
• blood clots
• migraine with aura

Femodette is a prescription-only medication that can be obtained online from a trusted pharmacy and is also available on the NHS.

Can I buy Femodette online?

Yes, you can buy Femodette online with Asda Online Doctor. You will first need to complete a short online health assessment for one of our doctors to review. You will then:

1. Place your order.
2. If approved, your order will be dispatched and sent to your home address in discreet packaging, or you can choose to collect it from your local Asda Pharmacy 4 hours after a doctor’s approval.
3. If your order is not approved, one of our doctors will contact you via your account with alternative treatment options.

We offer a quick and easy way to stay protected, and you can get repeat prescriptions, switch contraceptive pill, or take it for the very first time with us. Our doctors can recommend a pill if you’re not sure what’s best for you.

Can I buy Femodette over the counter?

No, you cannot buy Femodette over-the-counter as it is a prescription-only medication. Some pharmacies can prescribe the contraceptive pill, but you’ll still need a consultation with a trained pharmacist.

Can I get Femodette on the NHS?

Yes, you can get a prescription for Femodette from the NHS, but you will need to make an appointment with your doctor so they can assess your suitability.

There are lots of alternative pills to Femodette, some that contain similar hormones and others that contain different ones. There are also non-hormonal options available. You should speak to your doctor to help find the right option for you.

Some alternative combined pill options are:

An alternative to the combined pill is a progesterone-only or mini pill. These contain only synthetic progesterone and are just as effective. Some mini pill alternatives include:

If taking a pill is not for you or you do not want to use a hormonal contraceptive, there are other options available. These include: