Eloine is a low dose combined oral contraceptive pill. It is used by women to prevent pregnancy, but it can also be used as a treatment for painful or heavy periods. Eloine comes in 28 day packs. You take 1 active pill every day for 24 days and then for 4 days you will take an inactive or ‘dummy’ pill.

Each Eloine pill contains lab made versions of the hormones oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and progesterone (drospirenone). Eloine contains 3mg of drospirenone and 20mcg of ethinylestradiol. Eloine contains a lower dose of oestrogen compared to other combined pills which may make it more suitable for some women. It is a monophasic pill which means each pill contains the same amount of hormones.

Is Eloine the same as Yasmin?

Eloine and Yasmin contain the same hormones, but in slightly different amounts that work in the same way. If you have tried one of these pills and found it worked for you, the other one may be suitable too.

You can buy Eloine with Superdrug Online Doctor. You can get Eloine even if you’ve never taken it before. To buy Eloine from Superdrug Online Doctor:

• Fill out our short online medical assessment.
• One of our registered doctors will review your answers and make sure it is suitable for you to take Eloine.
• If it is, then Eloine will be sent out via the post to an address of your choice. Alternatively, you can collect it from a Superdrug store of your choice.

The service is convenient and fully confidential. All medication is sent in discreet and unmarked packaging.

How much does Eloine cost? Can you get Eloine over the counter?

No, Eloine is a prescription only medication which means you need a prescription from a doctor before you can get it from a pharmacy.

Can you get Eloine on the NHS?

You may be able to get Eloine for free on the NHS, but it will depend on local guidelines. To get Eloine on the NHS, you will need to book an appointment with your GP or NHS partnered sexual health clinic.

Eloine works by releasing lad made versions of your body’s own hormones, oestrogen and progestogen. The hormones in Eloine can help prevent pregnancy in three ways:

1. By preventing the release of an egg from your ovaries, called ovulation, each month.
2. They increase the thickness of the fluid around the neck of the womb (cervix), making it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg.
3. They also thin the lining of the womb, making it more difficult for an egg to be fertilised or implant itself there.

How long does Eloine take to work?

Eloine will start working straight away if you take it on day 1 of your period, and you’ll be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you take Eloine on days 2 to 5 of your period, you’ll need to use extra forms of contraception, such as condoms, for the next 7 days.

How effective is Eloine?

When Eloine is taken correctly, it is over 99% effective. However, it is likely to be closer to 91% effective due to factors such as missing pills, being sick (vomiting), diarrhoea, and taking medicines that can make it less effective.

Eloine comes in 28 day strips. You take 1 pill daily for 28 days. Each strip contains 24 light pink active pills and 4 white dummy pills. Each pack contains 7 stickers with the 7 days of the week for each strip of Eloine. Choose the sticker which corresponds with the day you start taking the tablets. For example, if you begin taking Eloine on Monday, use the week sticker that starts with ‘MON’.

Put the sticker along the top of the strip where it says, ‘Place week sticker here’. The first day should be above the tablet marked ‘1’. The arrows show you the order you need to take the pills. Take one Eloine pill every day, with a small amount of water if needed. You should take your pill at the same time every day.

Do not confuse the tablets. You will take 1 light pink tablet every day for 24 days followed by 1 white inactive pill every day for 4 days. You will then begin a new strip straight away, there is no gap between strips.

During the 4 days when you are taking the white dummy pills, you should have a withdrawal bleed like your period. Once you have finished your strip, you should take the following strip even if you are still bleeding.

You should start each new strip on the same day of the week and your withdrawal bleed should occur on the same days each month.

When should I start taking Eloine?

You can start taking Eloine at any time in your menstrual cycle but depending on when you take it, you may not be protected from pregnancy straight away.

You should start taking Eloine on day 1 of your period, as you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. You will not need to use other types of contraception to prevent pregnancy.

You may also start taking Eloine on days 2 to 5 of your period, but you will not be protected straight away. You will need to use extra forms of contraception, such as condoms, for the next 7 days.

Can I take Eloine without a break?

You can take Eloine back to back to delay your period, but it is a little different from other combined contraceptives, as there is only a 4 day break compared to the usual 7 day break. Just skip the 4 white dummy tablets and start the next strip straight away. If you use Eloine in this way, you may have some breakthrough bleeding or spotting.

What happens if you miss an Eloine pill?

If you forget to take a placebo or dummy pill (the white ones) then this will not affect the effectiveness of Eloine. Simply throw away the forgotten dummy pill and continue to take the rest of the pills as normal. If you miss a light pink active pill (one of the first 24) then you should do the following:

• If you are less than 24 hours late, your protection against pregnancy will not be reduced. Take the forgotten pill as soon as you remember and then take the following pill at your usual time. Continue as normal with the strip.
• If you are more than 24 hours late, then your protection against pregnancy may be reduced.

If you forget more than one tablet in the strip you should contact your doctor for advice. If you forget one tablet between days 1 and 7 of your pack:

• Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember even if that means taking 2 at the same time.
• Continue with the rest of the strip and use extra protection like condoms for the next 7 days.
• If you have already had unprotected sex, contact your doctor for advice as there is a risk you could be pregnant.

If you forget 1 tablet between days 8 and 14:

• Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember even if that means taking 2 at the same time.
• Continue with the rest of the strip.
• As long as you have taken all the other tablets correctly, your protection against pregnancy is not reduced and you will not need to take extra precautions.
• But if you have missed more than one tablet, you should use condoms for the next 7 days.

Option one if you forget to take 1 tablet between days 15 and 24:

• Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember even if that means taking 2 at the same time.
• Continue with the rest of the strip.
• Instead of taking the white dummy pills in this strip, throw them away and start the next strip (please note: the starting day will be different).

Option two if you forget to take 1 tablet between days 15 and 24:

• Stop taking the light pink active pills and go directly to the 4 white dummy pills.
• Before you take the placebo pills, make a note of the day that you forgot your tablet.
• If you want to start a new strip on your usual start day, take the placebo tablets for less than 4 days.

You will be protected from pregnancy if you follow either of these recommendations. However, if you have missed more than one tablet, you must ask your doctor for advice.

Can I take Eloine to delay my period?

Yes, Eloine is a monophasic pill. That means it delivers the same amount of hormones throughout the duration of the pack. So, you can take 2 strips of active pills back to back to delay your period.

Can I use Eloine as emergency contraception?

Eloine cannot be used as emergency contraception but you can take it back to back to delay your period.

Your doctor will decide whether Eloine is a safe option for you before prescribing it. There is no evidence that Eloine is any less safe to take than other combined contraceptive pills. 

Like all medicines, Eloine can cause side effects. Although many women will not have any, some women do.

Common Eloine side effects:

• Absent or irregular periods
• Breast pain
• Headaches
• Mood swings
• Nausea/feeling sick

Uncommon Eloine side effects:

• Acne
• Anxiety
• Breast enlargement
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Feeling sleepy
• Fluid retention
• Gas
• High blood pressure
• Hot flushes
• Inflammation of the vagina
• Itchy skin or rash
• Low energy
• Low libido
• Migraine
• Muscle aches and pains
• Pins and needles
• Stomach ache
• Stomach inflammation diarrhoea
• Sweating
• Vaginal dryness
• Vaginal fungal infection
• Varicose veins
• Vomiting
• Weight gain

Rare Eloine side effects:

• Fungal infection
• Anaemia
• Allergic reaction
• Increased blood platelet levels
• Hormonal disorder
• Increased appetite
• High blood potassium levels
• Low blood sodium levels
• Insomnia
• Giddiness
• Tremor
• Eye disorders
• Rapid heartbeat
• Nosebleeds
• Fainting
• Inflamed gallbladder
• Skin disorders
• Weight loss

What should I do if I think I’m getting Eloine side effects?

During the first three months of taking Eloine, it is common to have side effects as your body adapts to the hormonal changes caused by taking the pill. Most women find they go away after three months or become more manageable.

If side effects continue after three months, or you’re finding them difficult to cope with, you should speak to your doctor. They may suggest that you stop taking Eloine or advise swapping to a different pill which may cause less side effects. If you think you are having serious side effects, contact a doctor straight away.

Does Eloine make your breasts grow?

Breast enlargement is listed as an uncommon side effect of taking Eloine affecting between 1 and 10 in every 1000 users. However, that does not guarantee this will be a side effect for you.

Does Eloine increase your risk of blood clots?

Yes, taking any combined oral contraceptive pill is associated with an increased risk of developing blood clots. Women who use a combined pill are more likely to develop a blood clot compared to women who do not. Developing a blood clot is listed as a rare side effect of taking Eloine affecting between 9 and 12 in every 10,000 users in a year, compared with 2 in 10,000 women who are not taking the pill.

Does Eloine help with acne?

Some contraceptive pills containing ethinylestradiol have been associated with improving acne. This is because they help to lower the circulating male hormones that are associated with increasing the production of sebum and contributing to the development of spots. However, Eloine is a low dose contraceptive pill and lists acne as an uncommon side effect of taking it. So, there is no guarantee that taking Eloine will help with acne.

Can Eloine make you depressed?

Depression is listed as an uncommon side effect of taking Eloine affecting between 1 in every 1000 and 1 in every 10,000 users.

Can Eloine cause changes to your weight?

Yes, weight gain is listed as an uncommon side effect of taking Eloine. However, weight loss is listed as an uncommon side effect affecting between 1 in every 100 and 1 in every 1000 women.

Does the Eloine pill stop periods?

Taking Eloine can affect the flow and frequency of your periods. You may have irregular, heavier, lighter, painful, or absent periods. You can delay your period by taking two active strips of Eloine back to back.

Can Eloine cause mood swings?

Mood swings affect between 1 in every 100 and 1 in every 1000 women.

Can Eloine give you low libido?

A reduced interest in sex affects between 1 in every 100 and 1 in every 1000 women.

Eloine is not suitable for all women. If Eloine or any other combined pill is not right for you or you cannot take a pill containing oestrogen, you may need to use a progestogen-only pill, also known as the ‘mini pill’. Because these do not contain oestrogen, they are suitable for women who are unable to tolerate this hormone.

Medical warnings

Do not use Eloine if you have or ever have had:

• a blood clot in a blood vessel in your legs (deep vein thrombosis), lungs or any other organs
• a disorder that affects your blood clotting, like protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin-III deficiency, Factor V Leiden, or antiphospholipid antibodies
• angina pectoris or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
• a heart attack or stroke
• a migraine with aura
• liver disease or your liver function is not normal
• kidney failure
• a tumour in the liver
• breast cancer or cancer of the genital organs
• unexplained bleeding from the vagina
• an allergic reaction to ethinylestradiol or drospirenone or any other ingredients in this pill

Your doctor may advise that it is not suitable to take Eloine if you need a major operation or are off your feet for a long time. They may also advise you not to take it if you have any conditions that increase the risk of a blood clot, like:

• high blood pressure
• diabetes with blood vessel damage
• a high level of fat in the blood
• hyperhomocysteinaemia

You should not take Eloine if you are pregnant or think you might be.

Drug Interactions

The medications for the following conditions are known to interact with Eloine, making it less effective:

• Epilepsy
• Tuberculosis
• HIV and Hepatitis C Virus infections
• Fungal infections
• Arthritis
• High blood pressure in the blood vessels in the lungs

You should tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines used to treat these, or if you take the herbal remedy St. John’s Wort.

Eloine risks

Eloine may increase the risk of:

• blood clots
• breast cancer
• benign or malignant liver tumours
• depression

Can I drink while taking Eloine?

Yes, you can drink alcohol while taking Eloine because alcohol will not make it any less effective.

Can I take painkillers when taking Eloine?

Yes, you can take over the counter painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen while taking Eloine. They will not make Eloine any less effective.

Can I take Eloine when I’m breastfeeding?

It is not advisable to take Eloine when you are breastfeeding. If you want to take the pill whilst breastfeeding, you should speak to your doctor.