Cerelle is a type of mini pill that is used to stop you getting pregnant. It contains an artificial form of progesterone called desogestrel, making it a suitable method of contraception for anyone who cannot or chooses not to take oestrogen, such as anyone who is over 35 and smokes, or is breastfeeding within 6 weeks of giving birth.

Cerelle contains a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone called desogestrel. Unlike some other mini pills, Cerelle can prevent pregnancy by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg, a process called ovulation. It also thickens cervical mucus to stop sperm from reaching the womb.

How long does it take until Cerelle is effective?

If you start taking Cerelle on days 1 to 5 of your period, you’ll be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start taking it after day 5, you will not have immediate protection and will need to use an extra method of contraception, like condoms, for 2 days.

If taken correctly all of the time, the progesterone-only pill, including Cerelle, is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

However, with typical use – this includes missing a pill, taking it at the wrong time, or being sick or having diarrhoea – the effectiveness falls to 91%.

Cerelle has a 12-hour mini pill, which means it must be taken at the same time every day, but you also have a 12-hour window to take a missed pill without lowering the effectiveness. You may find that the 12 hour effectiveness window useful if you have trouble remembering when to take pills or feel you do not know a time at which you could take it regularly due to your schedule or other personal reasons.

Cerelle comes in a strip of 28 pills with arrows and the days of the week printed on the front of each strip to help you take the pill correctly. Each pill should be swallowed whole with water at the same time each day.

To take Cerelle you should:

1. Take a tablet from the top row that matches the current day of the week. So, if today is Monday, take the pill marked ‘Mon’ from the top row.
2. Continue taking 1 pill each day by following the direction of the arrows until the strip is empty.
3. Once the strip is finished, start a new strip the next day, there is no break between strips and no need to wait for a bleed.

Some people experience some bleeding while taking Cerelle, but you should continue to take your pill as usual.

What if I miss a pill?

If you forget to take your pill and it has been:

• less than 12 hours since you should have taken it – take the missed pill as soon as you remember, then take the next one at the usual time
• more than 12 hours since you should have taken it – take a pill as soon as you remember and then take the next one at the usual time, even if it means taking 2 tablets in the same day – continue taking your pills as normal but you will also need to use condoms for the next 2 days and will need emergency contraception if you’ve had sex without a condom in the previous 7 days

What should I do if I take Cerelle twice?

If you take Cerelle twice, it is unlikely to cause any harm, but you may feel sick, be sick, or have some vaginal bleeding. If you are concerned, speak to your doctor for more advice.

What should I do if I vomit or have diarrhoea after taking Cerelle?

If you vomit (be sick) or have diarrhoea within 3 to 4 hours of taking your Cerelle pill, the active ingredient may not have been fully absorbed and you will need to follow the same advice as if you had missed the pill. See ‘What if I miss a pill?’

Starting Cerelle

Ideally, you should start taking Cerelle on days 1 to 5 of your period to be immediately protected against pregnancy. If you start it after this time, then you will need to use condoms if you have sex until you have taken Cerelle for 2 days in a row.

Coming off Cerelle

You can stop taking Cerelle whenever you want to, there is no need to finish the strip, but you should wait 7 days after you last had sex without a condom to stop. You will not be protected from pregnancy from the day you stop taking the pill.

Cerelle is a prescription-only mini pill which means you will need a doctor’s approval to get it. You can request it online from trusted online doctor services or it may be available on the NHS.

Can I buy Cerelle online?

Yes, you can request Cerelle contraceptive pill from Superdrug Online Doctor by:

1. Filling in a short online questionnaire about your health and lifestyle.
2. Choosing Cerelle as your contraceptive pill and making a payment.
3. One of our doctors will review your order and questionnaire answers.
4. If approved, your medication will be sent directly to your address, or you can choose to collect it from your nearest Superdrug Pharmacy.

Getting your pill from Superdrug Online Doctor is fast and convenient; you can get it as early as the next working day without the need for a face-to-face appointment.

Can I buy Cerelle over the counter?

No, Cerelle is a prescription-only medication, so you will need to get a doctor’s approval before you can obtain it. If you are looking for a mini pill that does not require a prescription, Hana may be a more suitable option.

Can I get Cerelle on the NHS?

Yes, Cerelle is available on the NHS, but you will need to make an appointment with your GP surgery to find out if it is suitable for you and available in your area.

Like all medications, Cerelle can cause side effects, although not everyone will get them.

Common side effects include:

• mood changes
• low sex drive
• depression
• headaches
• feeling sick
• acne
• breast pain
• weight gain*

Uncommon side effects include:

• being sick
• hair loss
• vaginal infections
• difficulty wearing contact lenses
• painful periods
• ovarian cysts
• tiredness

Rare side effects are:

• rash
• hives
• erythema nodosum (painful blue-red lumps on the skin)

* Though listed by the manufacturer, more recent studies show there is no evidence of weight gain due to contraceptive pills.

You can find a full list of side effects in the patient information leaflet that is provided with Cerelle.

How long do Cerelle side effects last?

Most mild Cerelle side effects, like headaches, acne, feeling sick, or mood changes, will improve within 3 months as your body adjusts to the new hormone levels. However, if they last longer or you are concerned, you should speak to your doctor for more advice.

What to do if you get Cerelle side effects

Most mild Cerelle side effects can be managed at home in the following ways:

• headaches – stay hydrated by taking frequent sips of water and take over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen
• feeling or being sick – eat smaller, more frequent meals and bland foods, like rice and crackers, and stay hydrated
• breast pain – take over-the-counter painkillers and wear a supportive bra
• weight gain – often caused by fluid retention, but can also be managed with regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet

If you get any of the following serious side effects, call 999 or get someone to take you to A&E:

• swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• sudden severe pain in the lower stomach area

Cerelle may not be suitable for everyone.

Do not take Cerelle if you:

• are allergic to desogestrel or any other ingredients of this medication
• have or have had jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes)
• have severe liver disease
• have or might have cancer that grows under the influence of certain hormones, like breast cancer
• have unexplained vaginal bleeding

Before taking Cerelle, let your doctor know if you have:

• or have ever had breast cancer
• liver cancer
• or have ever had thrombosis
• diabetes
• epilepsy
• tuberculosis
• have high blood pressure
• or have ever had chloasma (yellow-brown pigmentation on the skin)
• depression or mood changes

Cerelle and other medications

Before taking Cerelle, let your doctor know if you are taking any prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal medications. Some medications can change the levels of Cerelle in the blood, make it less effective, or cause unexpected bleeding. These include medications used to treat or manage:

• weight loss
• epilepsy
• tuberculosis
• HIV infections
• hepatitis C
• infectious diseases
• high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs
• depression

There are several alternatives to Cerelle available if it is not right for you or if you would prefer not to take it.

Progesterone-only mini pills

At Superdrug Online Doctor, we offer the following alternative mini pills:

• Cerazette – an alternative branded desogestrel mini pill, similar to Cerelle
• Desomono – a desogestrel mini pill
• Norgeston – a mini pill that contains a different type of synthetic progesterone called levonorgestrel
• Noriday – a norethisterone-containing mini pill that has a 3-hour window

Combined contraceptive pills

If you can take oestrogen, the combined pill may be a suitable option for you. Some combined pills can also help manage acne and heavy or painful periods. They contain synthetic types of oestrogen and progesterone, which work to prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, and thinning the womb lining.

When taken correctly, the combined pill is more than 99% effective, but when typical use is taken into consideration, this drops to 91%

Some of the combined pills available from Superdrug Online Doctor include:

• Microgynon
• Rigevidon
• Yasmin
• Cilique
• Marvelon

If you’re sensitive to oestrogen, there are combined pills available which contain lower oestrogen doses, including:

• Gedarel
• Mercilon
• Eloine

Other combined contraception options

If you cannot take pills or are looking for an alternative method of contraception, there are several options available, including:

• patches – contraceptive patches, like Evra, work similarly to the combined pill but are applied to the skin each week and are more than 99% effective when used correctly
• contraceptive ring – a vaginal ring like NuvaRing is inserted into the vagina, which you can do yourself, and is left in for up to 3 weeks, and can be more than 99% effective if used correctly

If you’re not sure which contraception method is right for you, book a contraceptive pill consultation with one of our doctors so they can help you find the most suitable pill to suit your needs.

Does Cerelle stop periods?

Yes, some people find that Cerelle stops their periods completely. Other people find that it makes bleeding lighter, less frequent, or irregular because it changes their natural menstrual cycle by stopping ovulation (which means any bleeding is not a true period, if taking your pill on time).

Can Cerelle cause weight gain?

Yes, weight gain is listed by the manufacturer as a potential side effect of Cerelle. However, more recent studies show that there is no definite evidence that shows the pill causes weight gain. In some cases, it can be a sign of fluid retention and should settle down as your body gets used to the hormone changes. You can help manage your weight by adjusting your diet and increasing the amount of exercise you do.

Can Cerelle help with acne?

No, Cerelle is a mini pill and won’t usually help acne; it may even make it worse by increasing sebum production. If you are looking for a contraceptive pill that can help manage acne, the combined pill is usually prescribed because it can reduce androgens (male hormones) that can increase the chance of acne.

Can I use Cerelle as emergency contraception?

No, Cerelle is not a method of emergency contraception. If you have had unprotected sex, you should request the morning after pill or speak to your doctor or pharmacist about emergency contraception.

Can I take Cerelle to delay my period?

No, Cerelle will not reliably delay your period because its effect on bleeding can be irregular. If you are looking to temporarily delay your period, you should request period delay tablets or consider taking the combined pill back-to-back, but you should speak to a doctor before doing this.

Is Cerelle the same as desogestrel?

Yes, Cerelle is a brand name for a mini pill that contains desogestrel. Desogestrel is the generic name for the synthetic form of progesterone that is used in Cerelle and other brands like Cerazette.

Can smokers use Cerelle?

Yes, because Cerelle does not contain oestrogen, it is suitable if you smoke, especially if you are over 35. Oestrogen can increase the chance of blood clots in older smokers who use the combined pill.

How do I switch to Cerelle from a different pill?

Switching from another mini pill to Cerelle depends on which one you are taking.

If you are switching from a different mini pill – stop taking your current pill on any day and then start taking Cerelle on the next day. You do not need to use additional methods of contraception.

If you are switching from a combined pill – you can start taking Cerelle on the day after you take the last tablet in your current pill strip. If your pill strip contains inactive pills, start taking Cerelle on the day after taking your last active pill.