Norgeston

You can take Norgeston if:

• you are not pregnant
• you do not have severe liver disease, liver tumours or jaundice
• you do not have a history of breast cancer or other types of cancer affected by sex hormones
• you do not have unexplained vaginal bleeding
• you do not have a history of heart attacks or stroke
• you are not allergic to any of the ingredients listed in Norgeston

To check if Norgeston is suitable for you, read the patient information leaflet in your pack of pills and speak to your doctor.

Norgeston can cause side effects, but they improve or clear up within a few months.

Common side effects of Norgeston include:

• bleeding or spotting in between your periods
• having no periods

Less common side effects of Norgeston include:

• headaches or migraines
• mood changes
• losing interest in sex
• feeling dizzy
• diarrhoea
• feeling or being sick
• putting on weight or losing weight

Rare side effects of Norgeston include:

• facial swelling, also known as oedema
• pelvic pain
• blood clots
• allergic reactions including rash or wheezing
• breast cancer, signs of which include any changes to your breasts, such as lumps or changes in the nipples

You must speak to your doctor immediately if you have any side effects.

You can report any side effects using the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

Does the risk of thrombosis increase?

Current evidence suggests there is no significant increased risk of blood clots when taking Norgeston.

Some medicines can interact with Norgeston pills and affect how it works. You can read more about interactions in your patient information leaflets that come with your medicines.

Before you take Norgeston, speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following:

• epilepsy medication such as carbamazepine or phenytoin
• vitamins or supplements that contain St John’s wort, a herbal remedy that helps treat low mood
• medication for HIV, hepatitis C or any other antiviral medication such as ritonavir
• medication used to treat severe vomiting, such as aprepitant
• medication used to treat high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs, such as bosentan
• medications used to treat heart diseases and high blood pressure, such as diltiazem and verapamil
• some antibiotics
• antifungal medication, such as griseofulvin
• sedatives including barbiturates, such as phenobarbital

The active ingredient in Norgeston is levonorgestrel (30 micrograms), a progestogen.

The other ingredients in Norgeston are lactose, maize starch, povidone, talc, magnesium stearate (E572), sucrose, macrogol 6000, calcium carbonate (E170), glycol montanate.

If you are sensitive to lactose or any other ingredients in Norgeston, please speak to your doctor for advice before you take any pills.

How should Norgeston be stored?

You should store Norgeston in its original packaging, below 30°C and away from sunlight. Keep Norgeston out of the sight and reach of children and animals.

How must Norgeston be disposed of?

If you want to dispose of your Norgeston pills, take them to your local pharmacy. Do not throw Norgeston pills in your bin or down the drain at home.

What does Norgeston look like?

Norgeston is a small, round and white pill.

In which pack sizes is Norgeston available?

Each Norgeston pack contains one blister strip of 35 pills.

Information on the manufacturer

The company that holds the marketing authorisation of Norgeston is Bayer plc, 400 South Oak Way, Reading, RG2 6AD.

Norgeston is manufactured by Bayer AG, Mullerstrasse 178, Berlin Germany or Bayer Weimar GmbH & Co KG, Weimar, Germany.