Mercilon is a combined contraceptive pill, which contains ethinylestradiol and desogestrel.
Order your repeat prescription for Mercilon online - our service is discreet and confidential. One of our online doctors will review your order and check whether you can continue taking your pill. Once your order has been approved, you will receive your prescription via post.
You can use your Superdrug Online Doctor prescription to buy Mercilon at any pharmacy in Ireland.
Please note, that we provide repeat prescriptions only. If you have never taken the contraceptive pill before you need to visit your GP for your first prescription.
Use our online assessment to order. A Superdrug Online Doctor will complete your prescription and we'll post it to you.
Mercilon works in the same way as any combined pill, by:
Which dosage do I need?
As with other contraceptive pills, Mercilon only comes in one dosage. You take one pill per day. If you take Mercilon as advised, it is 99% effective.
Each Mercilon pill contains 0.020 milligrams of ethinylestradiol and 150 micrograms of desogestrel. Do not exceed this dosage. Increasing the dosage does not make the pill more effective and could seriously damage your health.
How do I take Mercilon?
Mercilon is easy to take - you just take one pill every day for 21 days, then have a 7 day break. During this break you are still protected against pregnancy. You would normally have your period during the 7 day break too.
It doesn’t matter whether you take the pill with or without food but it is better to take Mercilon at roughly the same time everyday.
Try not to delay the time at which you take it. Try not to miss a dose too, as this increases your risk of getting pregnant.
What happens if I miss a pill?
If you forget to take one pill, work out how many hours have passed since you would normally have taken it.
If it is less than 12 hours from the usual time you’d take your pill, you will still be protected against pregnancy.
If it is more than 12 hours since you would normally have taken your pill, Mercilon may not work properly. In this case, use a condom or other type of contraceptive for a week. The patient leaflet contains detailed information on what to do if you ever miss a pill.
Some medications can stop Mercilon working properly. If you are prescribed any other medication, make sure you ask for your doctor’s advice on possible drug interactions.