Femodette is a combined oral contraceptive pill, also known as ‘the pill’ that you take to lower the risk of getting pregnant by up to 99% (when taken correctly all of the time).

Each pill contains synthetic versions of oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and progesterone (drospirenone). Because Femodette contains 20mcg of oestrogen, it is a low-dose oestrogen pill and may be more suitable for you if you are sensitive to oestrogen’s effects.

Is there anything else that Femodette can be used for?

Yes, some people find Femodette can also help improve acne, control heavy, painful periods, or manage polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms.

At Superdrug Online Doctor we only prescribe Femodette as a method of contraception, however, it may help with these symptoms if you also experience them but we still suggest speaking to your GP.

Acne

Some clinical research has found that combined contraceptive pills like Femodette can improve the appearance of acne. However, it can take several weeks or months for you to notice an improvement.

Heavy, painful periods

Combined contraceptives like Femodette are effective for managing heavy periods that disrupt your quality of life. You should speak to your doctor if you are affected by heavy periods because they will advise if the combined contraceptive pill is the right treatment for you or if you should consider period pain relief.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

The contraceptive pill, like Femodette, may be prescribed if you have PCOS and experience irregular periods. However, your doctor will discuss if this is the correct treatment option for you.

Femodette works to prevent pregnancy by:

• stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation)
• thickening your cervical fluid so sperm have difficulty reaching an egg
• thinning the womb lining so a fertilised egg cannot implant itself

How long does Femodette take to work?

If you take Femodette on days 1 to 5 of your period, it will work immediately to protect you from getting pregnant.

If you start taking it after day 5, you will need to use an additional method of contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days. However this will depend on how regular your periods are, discuss your cycle with your doctor and they should provide information on use tailored to you.

How effective is Femodette?

Like all combined contraceptive pills, Femodette is more than 99% effective if it is taken perfectly. However, if you miss pills or vomit whilst taking the pills , it is likely to be closer to 91% effective.

You can make sure Femodette is as effective as possible by ensuring you do not miss a pill and that you take it at the same time every day.

If you struggle to remember to take your pill, you could try using a pill box, pill reminder app, or an alarm.

Each Femodette pill should be swallowed whole with water, if necessary.

If you take your pill with a 7-day pill-free break, you should take 1 pill at the same time every day for 21 days and as follows:

• begin by taking a pill marked with the corresponding day of the week, so if it is Monday, take the pill marked ‘Mon’
• follow the direction of the arrows on the strip, taking 1 pill every day, until you have finished all 21 pills

After you have completed the strip, take no pills for 7 days. If you have followed the instructions correctly you will most likely experience a bleed in the 7-day break.

After 7 days, begin a new pack of Femodette, even if you are still bleeding.

If you take Femodette correctly, you will start your new strip on the same day of the week every time. It can be helpful to use an alarm as a reminder if you struggle to remember to take your pill.

Other ways you can take Femodette

You can also take your combined pill in other ways, such as only taking a break every 3 months (tricycling) or taking it continuously (without a break). These ways of taking the pill are just as effective, and means you have fewer breakthrough bleeds. We recommend discussing these options with your doctor to see which may work best for you.

When should I start taking Femodette?

You should start taking your first Femodette pill in the first 5 days of your period. If you do this, you will be protected from becoming pregnant immediately.

If you start taking Femodette after day 5 of your period, you will need to use another form of contraception, like condoms, for 7 days.

What if I miss a pill?

If you miss a pill and it is:

12 hours or less since you should have taken the pill, take the missed pill as soon as you remember, even if it means taking 2 pills in 1 day, then take your next pill as normal – you will still be protected.

More than 12 hours since you missed your pill or you have missed more than 1 pill, take the most recently missed pill straight away but leave any earlier missed pills in the strip, then take the next scheduled pill as normal. You will need to use additional contraception, like condoms, for 7 days.

If you come to the end of the strip in the 7 days, start the next strip straight away without having a 7-day pill-free break. You probably won’t have a withdrawal bleed until you finish the second strip of pills. If you do not have a bleed at the end of the second strip, you should take a pregnancy test before starting another strip.

If you missed 1 or more pills in the first week of your strip (days 1 to 7) and you had sex during that week, there is a chance you could become pregnant. Contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist straight away as they may recommend taking the morning after pill.

Femodette can be bought in most UK pharmacies if you have a prescription from a doctor or from trusted online doctor services. It cannot be bought over the counter, but it may be available on the NHS.

Can I buy Femodette online?

Yes, you can request Femodette quickly and easily online from Superdrug Online Doctor.

To request Femodette, you need to:

1. Fill out a brief health and lifestyle questionnaire.
2. Request your preferred treatment and make payment.
3. One of our doctors will review your treatment request and questionnaire answers.
4. If approved, your treatment will be posted to your address or made available for collection at your local Superdrug Pharmacy.
5. If your request is not approved, one of our doctors will contact you via your account with alternative treatment options.

Can I buy Femodette over the counter?

No, Femodette is a prescription-only medication, so cannot be bought over the counter. If you are looking for an over-the-counter contraceptive pill, Hana is available.

Can I get Femodette on the NHS?

Yes, Femodette is available on the NHS, but you will need to make an appointment with your doctor or visit a sexual health clinic to see if it is suitable for you and available in your area.

Like every medication, Femodette may cause side effects.

Common Femodette side effects (affecting between 10 and 100 in every 10,000 users) include:

• feeling sick (nausea)
• stomach ache
• weight gain
• headaches
• depressed mood or mood swings
• sore or painful breasts

Uncommon Femodette side effects (affecting between 10 and 100 in every 10,000 users) are:

• being sick (vomiting)
• stomach upsets
• migraine
• fluid retention
• loss of interest in sex
• enlarged breasts
• skin rash, potentially itchy

Rare Femodette side effects (affecting between 1 and 10 in every 10,000 users) can include:

• poor tolerance of contact lenses
• weight loss
• increased sex drive
• vaginal or breast discharge

How long do Femodette side effects last?

Femodette side effects usually improve or go away on their own within 3 months, after your body gets used to the medication.

However, if you are finding any side effects difficult to manage or they last longer than 3 months, speak to your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

What to do if you get Femodette side effects

Most mild side effects can be treated at home by:

• taking over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol to manage pain associated with headaches, cramps, or breast tenderness
• drinking plenty of clear fluid to keep you hydrated and manage symptoms like headaches and feeling sick
• eating smaller, more frequent meals if you are feeling sick
• applying a hot compress to your lower abdomen to manage cramps
• exercising regularly can help regulate your mood and help maintain your weight

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

• signs of an allergic reaction (swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing, or swallowing)
• blood clot symptoms: swelling in calf or thigh, or in 1 leg, warm painful skin in one area, red or darkened skin in painful area (more tricky to see/identify in black or brown skin), swollen veins which are hard or sore to touch

Do not take Femodette if you:

• are allergic to any of the ingredients in Femodette
• have or have ever had a blood clot in your legs, lungs, or other organs
• have a blood clotting disorder
• need an operation or will be off your feet for a while
• have ever had a heart attack or stroke
• have or ever had angina or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
• have any disease that increases your risk of a blood clot in your arteries (severe diabetes with blood vessel damage, very high blood pressure, very high blood fat levels, or hyperhomocysteinaemia)
• experience migraine with aura
• have or ever had breast cancer
• have ever had severe liver disease or liver tumours

Femodette and other medications

Some medications can stop Femodette working properly, such as:

• some epilepsy medications
• some medications used to treat HIV and Hepatitis C infections
• griseofulvin
• some antibiotics
• certain sedatives
• St. John’s Wort

Tell your doctor before taking Femodette if you take any prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal medications.

Femodette and pregnancy

You must not use Femodette if you are pregnant. If you think you might be pregnant, you should do a pregnancy test before taking Femodette.

Femodette and breastfeeding

If you are breastfeeding, you should speak to your doctor or family planning nurse before taking Femodette as they may advise you not to take it. They will suggest alternative contraception which is safe to use while breastfeeding.

Femodette isn’t the only available option for preventing pregnancy. There are several different types of contraception, including hormonal and non-hormonal, available.

If you’re not sure which is right for you, you can book a contraceptive consultation with one of our doctors. Some of the other contraception methods include:

Combined hormonal contraceptives

Combined contraceptive pills

• Gedarel – combined pill that’s available in a low dose and standard dose of oestrogen
• Eloine – contains a low dose of ethinylestradiol and 3mg of drospirenone
• Mercilon – combination of low dose ethinylestradiol and desogestrel
• Millinette – combined pill containing ethinylestradiol and gestodene that’s available as a standard and low dose of oestrogen

Other combined contraception methods

• NuvaRing – a vaginal ring that’s inserted into the vagina and releases oestrogen and progesterone over 3 weeks to prevent pregnancy
• Evra patch – a patch that is applied weekly to your skin and releases oestrogen and progesterone to prevent pregnancy

Progesterone-only contraception

Progesterone-only contraception may be more suitable for women who cannot or choose not to take oestrogen. It’s also recommended for women over 35 who smoke.

There are several different types of progesterone-only contraception available, including:

• Prescription mini-pills – common examples are Cerelle, Cerazette, Norgeston, Noriday, and Desmono
• Over-the-counter mini pill – Hana is available without a prescription
• Contraceptive injections – a progesterone-only injection that’s given by a medical professional every 8 to 13 weeks, depending on the type you are given
• Contraceptive implants – a small plastic rod is inserted under the skin in your arm by a doctor or nurse and it gradually releases progesterone to stop you getting pregnant
• Intrauterine systems (IUS) – also known as the coil, the IUS is inserted into the womb and cast last for 3 to 8 years

Non-hormonal contraception

If you’d prefer to try contraception that does not contain any hormones, the following are popular options:

• male and female condoms
• diaphragms
• copper coil (intrauterine device)

Does Femodette stop periods?

When you take Femodette and have a 7-day pill-free break at the end of a 21-day strip, you will have a withdrawal bleed, similar to a period. You can avoid having a withdrawal bleed by taking 2 strips back to back without a break, but you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before doing this.

Can Femodette cause weight gain?

There is no evidence that Femodette will cause weight gain. However, some people report they feel like they’ve gained weight because of fluid retention.

Does Femodette help clear acne?

The active ingredients in Femodette can help to improve acne in some people, but it is not a specific treatment for acne. We also offer dedicated acne treatments which may be more effective.

Can I use Femodette as emergency contraception?

No, Femodette is not designed to be used as emergency contraception which works after you have unprotected sex.

Can I take Femodette to delay my period?

Yes, you can take Femodette strips back to back without a break to delay your period, but you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you do.

If you are not currently taking the combined pill, you can request period delay tablets from Superdrug Online Doctor.

Are Femodette and Millinette the same?

Femodette and Millinnette contain the same active ingredients, ethinylestradiol and gestodene and work in the same way to prevent pregnancy. However, Millinette is available with a low dose (20mcg) or standard dose (30mcg) of oestrogen. The difference between the 2 pills is they have a different price, name and packaging. They may also contain different non-active ingredients.