Noriday

Noriday is a progesterone-only contraceptive pill, also called the mini pill, that is used to prevent pregnancy. Each pill contains 350mcg of norethisterone, an artificial form of the hormone progesterone. Noriday does not contain oestrogen, so it is suitable for people who cannot use oestrogen contraceptives.

You take Noriday by swallowing 1 pill whole with water at the same time every day. You do not need to take a break. Noriday can be taken with or without food.

Noriday comes in a blister strip containing 28 pills that are marked with the days of the week. To take Noriday, you should:

• start by taking the pill marked with the correct day
• take 1 pill a day, every day, following the direction of the arrows
• when you have finished all 28 pills, start a new blister pack the next day

Noriday needs to be taken at the same time every day, so make sure to pick a time that works well for you. There is a 3-hour window of effectiveness, and if you take it after this window, you may not be protected from pregnancy.

When to take Noriday for the first time

You can start taking Noriday at any time, but if you start taking Noriday between days 1 to 5 of your menstrual cycle, you will be protected from pregnancy straight away.

If you start Noriday after day 5, you will need to use other contraception, such as condoms, to prevent pregnancy until you have taken Noriday correctly for 2 days.

What to do if you miss taking the pill

If you are less than 3 hours late taking your pill, you should take it straight away and you will still be protected from pregnancy.

If you are more than 3 hours late, you should take the missed pill as soon as you remember, even if you have to take 2 pills in the same day. You may not be protected from pregnancy and should use extra contraception for 2 days.

If you have had unprotected sex in the 2 days following a missed pill, you may need emergency contraception.

What do I do if I take Noriday twice?

Taking Noriday twice is unlikely to cause you any serious harm. You may experience mild side effects such as:

• feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)
• vaginal bleeding
• breast tenderness

If you are worried you have taken too many pills, you should contact your doctor.

What should I watch out for if I want to stop taking Noriday?

When you stop taking Noriday, you may experience some withdrawal bleeding. You may also notice that your normal hormone cycle will return, though this may take a few weeks or months and can also lead to changes in your period in the meantime.

If you do not want to get pregnant, you should use another contraception as you will no longer be protected from the day you stop taking Noriday.

Who can take Noriday?

Noriday is a suitable contraceptive option if you:

• are not pregnant
• do not have a history of breast cancer or other cancers that are hormone-related
• do not have severe liver disease, liver tumours, or jaundice
• do not have unexplained vaginal bleeding
• are not allergic to norethisterone or any of the other ingredients in the pill
• do not have a history of heart attack or stroke

Who should not take the Noriday contraceptive pill?

You should not take Noriday if you:

• are pregnant
• are allergic to norethisterone or other ingredients in Noriday
• have or have had breast cancer or other hormone-related cancer
• have or have had liver issues, including liver disease, tumours, or jaundice
• have unexplained vaginal bleeding
• have never had a period
• have or have had heart disease or a stroke
• have inflamed veins or blood clots

Noriday contains the artificial hormone norethisterone, which is a progesterone that is similar to the female hormone naturally produced by the body. Noriday prevents pregnancy by:

• thickening the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering the womb
• preventing the womb lining from thickening so fertilised eggs cannot easily implant

For some people, Noriday may also prevent an egg from being released from the ovaries (ovulation).

How long does it take until Noriday is effective?

If you start on days 1 to 5 of your menstrual cycle, Noriday is effective straight away. If you start taking Noriday after day 5 of your cycle, you will not be protected immediately, so you will need to use additional contraception, like condoms, and will need to take a pill for 2 days in a row before you are.

How effective is Noriday?

With perfect use, Noriday is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means taking your pill at the same time every day, and not missing any.

With typical use, including missing pills, taking them late, or illness, like being sick and diarrhoea, it’s closer to 91% effective. If any of these happen to you, you can reduce the chances of pregnancy by following the instructions for a missed pill, which means using condoms until you’ve been taking your pill perfectly for 2 days.

Noriday may cause side effects for some people, but they can improve or go away completely on their own after a few days to a few months.

Common side effects of Noriday include:

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

Less common side effects of Noriday include:

• sore breasts or breast tenderness
• headaches and migraines
• changes in sex drive
• high blood pressure
• mood changes
• feeling or being sick
• weight changes
• skin rash
• irregular periods

Rare side effects of Noriday include:

• blood clots
• allergic reaction, including rash or wheezing
• signs of breast cancer, such as lumps or changes in the nipples

You should stop taking Noriday and speak with your doctor, or call 999 in an emergency, if you get:

• yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
• sudden, severe pain in your chest
• sudden shortness of breath
• unusual, severe or long headache
• differences in your vision
• difficulty speaking
• feeling faint or if you collapse
• any part of your body suddenly feeling numb
• severe pain in one of your calves

How long do Noriday side effects last

Noriday side effects will usually stop or ease after the first few months of taking it as your body adjusts to the hormones. If they do not or you are finding them difficult to manage, contact your doctor for more advice.

What to do if you get Noriday side effects

You can treat most mild side effects at home until they go away. Many side effects, such as headaches, breast tenderness, and stomach pain, can be treated with over-the-counter medications, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Also, make sure you are taking your pill correctly – missing pills or taking them at the wrong times often may cause side effects to last longer, especially bleeding or spotting.

If you’re having trouble dealing with side effects at home or they persist or get worse, you can speak with your doctor about switching to another pill.

Noriday may not be suitable for everyone. For people on certain medications or with certain medical conditions, Noriday may not be effective or could be unsafe. You should not take Noriday if you:

• are allergic to norethisterone or any other ingredients in Noriday
• are pregnant
• have ever had hormone-dependent cancer (breast, cervical, vagina, or womb)
• have ever had severe or chronic liver disease
• have active liver disease or liver tumours
• have ever had pruritus or jaundice during pregnancy
• have issues breaking down fat
• have unexplained vaginal bleeding
• have never had a period
• have inflamed veins
• have blood clots
• have heart disease or have ever had a stroke

Medications

Some medications may interact with Noriday and make it less effective or unsafe. You should speak with your doctor before taking Noriday if you’re taking:

• any products containing St John’s wort
• treatment for HIV or hepatitis C, including ritonavir, nevirapine, or nelfinavir
• epilepsy medication such as carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, primidone, topiramate, or phenytoin
• antibiotics, such as ampicillin, rifampicin, or doxycycline
• antifungal medications such as griseofulvin
• corticosteroid medications, such as prednisolone
• treatment for sleep, such as modafinil or phenobarbital

Medical conditions

Talk to your doctor before taking Noriday if you have been diagnosed with or have ever experienced:

• epilepsy
• diabetes
• migraine headaches
• liver disease, tumours, or jaundice
• varicose veins
• high blood pressure
• heart or kidney problems
• breast cancer or other sex hormone cancer

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

Can I buy Noriday online?

Yes, you can request Noriday from Asda Online Doctor. To buy with us online, 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.

Using our service is a quick and easy way to stay protected against pregnancy, without having to wait for a doctor’s appointment. We can help you start a new pill, prescribe repeat prescriptions, or help you change your contraceptive pill if it’s not working for you.

Can I buy Noriday over the counter?

No, you cannot buy Noriday over-the-counter as it is a prescription-only medication.

Can I get Noriday on the NHS?

Yes, you can get a prescription for Noriday from the NHS, but you will need to make an appointment with your doctor first so they can decide if it is safe and suitable for you to take. You may also be able to access it from some pharmacies after having a consultation with a trained pharmacist who can prescribe contraceptive pills.

If Noriday is not working or is not suitable for you, there are many other options available for you to consider. Some alternatives contain similar hormones, and others contain different ones. If you want to skip hormonal contraception altogether, there are also non-hormonal options available. It is best to speak to your doctor to help find the right option for you.

Mini pills

If you are interested in trying an alternative mini pill option, you might consider:

• Cerelle or Cerazette, which both contain 75mcg of desogestrel
• Norgeston, which contains 30mcg of levonorgestrel

These pills work in the same way as Noriday but contain different types of synthetic progesterone, which some people may tolerate better.

Combined pills

If you are able to take contraception containing oestrogen, an alternative to the mini pill is a combined pill. These pills contain both synthetic progesterone and oestrogen. Combined pills may also help with symptoms like acne or period pain.

Some combined pill alternatives include:

• Microgynon 30, Levest, and Rigevidon, which all contain 150mcg of levonorgestrel and 30mcg of ethinylestradiol
• Yasmin, which contains 30mcg of ethinylestradiol and 3mg of drospirenone
• Gedarel, which contains either 20mcg or 30mcg of ethinylestradiol and 150mcg of desogestrel
• Cilique, which contains 250mcg of norgestimate and 35mcg of ethinylestradiol
• Femodette, which contains 20mcg of ethinylestradiol and 75mcg of gestodene

Non-hormonal options

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

• condoms, a barrier method that is 98% effective and is the only form of contraception that protects against STIs, so it’s advised to use condoms even if you’re using another form of contraception
• copper intrauterine device (IUD), which is more than 99% effective, needs to be fitted into your womb, but lasts for 5 or 10 years, depending on the type
• spermicide, usually comes as a gel or cream and is 79% effective when used alone, but is commonly used with cervical diaphragms or caps, making it more like 92 to 96% effective