Logynon is a type of combined oral contraceptive pill used by women to prevent pregnancy. There are two different types of Logynon available called Logynon and Logynon ED (“Every Day”).

Logynon comes in 21-day packs where you take 1 pill every day for 21 days, followed by a 7-day break.

Logynon ED is provided in a 28-day pack and you take 1 pill every day for 28 days without a break. There are 21 ‘active’ pills that prevent pregnancy and 7 ‘dummy’ pills that do not contain hormones, but help you count the 7 day break.

Both types contain the same active ingredients, lab-made versions of the hormones oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and progesterone (levonorgestrel). It is known as a triphasic pill because it is taken over a period of 3 weeks. However, some women also use it to control painful, heavy, or irregular periods.

You can order Logynon online with Superdrug Online Doctor. The process is convenient and fully confidential. Simply:

• Fill in our short online medical assessment.
• One of our doctors will review your answers and make sure it is safe and appropriate for you to take Logynon.
• If it is, we will send Logynon in the post to an address of your choice or you can collect it from a Superdrug store of your choice.

Can you get Logynon over the counter?

No, Logynon is a prescription only medication. So, you must get a prescription from a registered doctor before you can get it from a pharmacy.

Can you get Logynon on the NHS?

To get Logynon free on the NHS you will need to book an appointment with your GP, or an NHS partnered sexual health clinic. However, whether they can prescribe it to you or not will depend on local guidelines. If they are unable to prescribe Logynon to you, it’s likely they will prescribe a different treatment instead.

Yes, if you have been prescribed Logynon then it is safe for you to take. There are some possible side-effects, but Logynon is safe for most women to take and is commonly prescribed in the UK. There is no evidence to suggest that Logynon is any less safe to take than many other combined oral contraceptive pills.

Logynon works by releasing and regulating the hormones ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel. It works to prevent pregnancy in three ways, by:

1. preventing an egg from being released by the ovaries, a process called ovulation.
2. thickening the fluid in your cervix, making it more difficult for sperm to enter the womb.
3. preventing the lining of the womb thickening enough to enable a fertilised egg to develop in it.

How long does Logynon take to work?

If you begin taking Logynon in the first 5 days of your period, it will start working immediately and you will be protected from pregnancy. If you start taking Logynon after day 5 of your period, then it will not work for 7 days and you will need to use additional protection such as condoms for a week.

How effective is Logynon?

Logynon is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when it is taken correctly. However, it is likely to be closer to 91% effective if you have diarrhoea, be sick (vomit), miss taking some pills or take other medications which make Logynon less effective.

There are 2 types of Logynon available, Logynon and Logynon ED, which are taken a bit differently. It is important to double check which version you are taking.

Logynon comes in strips of 21 pills whereas Logynon ED is provided in 28 day strips. Logynon comes in strips of 21 pills, each is marked with a day of the week and is coloured differently depending on how much hormones they contain. Each pack contains 6 light brown coloured pills, 5 white coloured pills and 10 pills that look orange or yellow (ochre).

You should take Logynon every day for 21 days.

• Take your pill at the same time every day, at a convenient time you’ll remember.
• Begin by taking pill number 1.
• Follow the direction of the arrows and continue taking one pill each day in the correct order for 21 days until you have finished the strip.
• Swallow each pill whole with water if necessary.
• Once you have taken all 21 pills, you will have 7 days where you take no pills.
• Within a few days of taking the last pill, you should have a withdrawal bleed, like your period.
• You don’t need to use extra contraception during your 7-day break if you have taken your pills correctly and start your next strip on time.
• If you finished the last pill of the last pack on a Friday, for example, you will start your next strip on the Saturday of the following week.
• You should start taking your next strip of Logynon after your 7-day break even if you are still bleeding.
• If taken correctly, you will always start each new strip on the same day of the week.

Logynon ED comes in 28 day strips and the pack is designed to help you remember to take your pills. It helps you to count the 7 day break and remember to start the new pack on time. Each pack contains three strips of 28 tablets. The tablets are different colours to show the different types, and you must take them in the correct order. The stickers with the days of the week on will help you.

You should take Logynon ED every day for 28 days:

• Begin by finding the set of stickers. Each sticker starts with a different day of the week. Peel off a strip that starts with your starting day. For example, if you are starting your tablets on a Monday, find a strip that starts with ‘Mon’.
• Stick the strip along the top of the tablets so that the first day is above the pill marked ‘start’. Now you will be able to see which day you need to take each tablet.
• Take your pill at the same time every day, at a convenient time you’ll remember.
• Follow the direction of the arrows on the strip, taking 1 pill every day until you have finished all 28 pills.
• Swallow each pill whole with water if necessary. Do not chew.
• Once you have finished the strip, start taking the next strip the next day. Do not leave any gaps between strips.
• If you take Logynon ED correctly, you will always start the new strip on the same day of the week.

When should I start taking Logynon?

You can start taking Logynon at any time during your menstrual cycle. When you start taking it may affect how quickly you are protected from pregnancy. If you start taking Logynon in the first 5 days of your period, then you’ll be protected straight away from pregnancy, so you won’t need to use additional methods of contraception. If you start taking it after day 5, then you will need to use other methods of contraception for a week, like condoms .

Can I take Logynon without a break?

Yes, you can take your Logynon pill every day without a break which can help to reduce the symptoms of periods for some women and will also stop your monthly bleed. Logynon ED contains 7 dummy pills which are inactive and contain no hormones. If you want to take Logynon ED back to back, then you will need to miss out the dummy pills and start the active pills in a new strip straight away.

What happens if you miss a Logynon pill?

If you miss one pill or start your new strip a day late, take the pill you have missed as soon as possible. You should take the missed pill even if it means taking 2 pills at once. You should still be protected from pregnancy, so you won’t need to use additional protection or emergency contraception. You should continue taking the rest of the strip as normal. If your strip is due to end in the next 6 days (or if the active tablets are due to finish in the next 6 days if you take Logynon ED), you should skip the 7 day break (or dummy tablets) and continue with the next strip (or active tablets) instead.

If it has been longer than 2 days since your missed pill or you have missed more than one pill you should:

• take the most recently missed pill as soon as you remember
• leave any earlier missed pills in the strip
• take your next pill as usual even if this means taking 2 pills in 1 day

You may not be protected from pregnancy and should use extra protection like condoms for the next 7 days. If you have had unprotected sex since you missed your pills, you may need to use emergency contraception.

Can I take Logynon to delay my period?

Yes, because Logynon is a combined oral contraceptive pill and contains oestrogen, it is possible to take it back to back to delay your period.

It is important to note that Logynon is a triphasic pill, that means the amount of hormones in each pill is slightly different depending on the week. If you are taking a triphasic pill to skip your period, you should take the active pills in your strip as normal.

Once you have finished the strip if you are taking Logynon, or reached the dummy pills if you are taking Logynon ED, skip these or miss your 7 day break and start a new strip the next day. This will be day 1.

Can I use Logynon as emergency contraception?

You cannot use Logynon or Logynon ED as emergency contraception. If you have had unprotected sex, speak to your doctor immediately about an emergency pill (morning after pill).

Logynon, like all medications, can cause side effects, but they are more common during the first 3 months as your body adjusts to the hormonal changes. Although not everyone will get them, the side effects of Logynon can include:

• depressive moods or mood swings
• headaches
• nausea
• sore or painful breasts
• stomach ache
• weight gain
• breast enlargement
• fluid retention
• loss of interest in sex
• migraine
• skin rash, sometimes itchy
• stomach upset
• vomiting (being sick)
• blood clots
• increased interest in sex
• poor tolerance of contact lenses
• vaginal or breast discharge
• weight loss

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

During the first 3 months of taking Logynon, side effects are common because your body is getting used to the hormonal changes. After 3 months, the side effects should go away or become more manageable. You should speak to your doctor if they do not go away, if you are struggling to manage them, or if you have any serious side effects, even if you’ve only just started taking Logynon. They may suggest that you stop taking Logynon or swapping to a different pill that can cause fewer side effects.

Does Logynon make your breasts grow?

Breast enlargement is listed as a common side effect in the patient information leaflet for Logynon, affecting between 0.1% and 1% of users.

Does Logynon increase your risk of blood clots?

All combined oral contraceptive pills are associated with an increased risk of blood clots. Women who take a combined pill are at a greater risk of developing a blood clot compared to women who do not. Blood clots are listed as a rare side effect of taking Logynon, affecting roughly 6 in every 10,000 users, per year.

Does the Logynon pill help acne?

Research shows that taking a combined pill containing ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel, like Logynon, has reduced acne. However, the pills need to be taken for several weeks or months for visible results.

Can Logynon make you depressed?

Depressive moods or altered moods are listed as a common side effect of taking Logynon, affecting between 0.1% and 1% of users.

Can Logynon cause changes to your weight?

Weight gain is listed as a common side effect of taking Logynon, affecting around 1 out of 100 women. However, fluid retention is also listed as an uncommon side effect and can also cause your weight to go up and down. There is no clear reason to explain a link between taking the combined oral contraceptive pill and weight gain.

Does the Logynon pill stop periods?

Taking Logynon can cause spotting or bleeding between periods or they may become irregular or heavy in the first few months. However, this should stop once your body has got used to Logynon. It is possible to delay your period by taking 2 strips of Logynon back to back without a 7 day pill break.

Can Logynon cause mood swings?

Yes, changes in mood, such as low mood, are reported as a common side effect of taking Logynon, affecting around 1% of women who use it.

Can Logynon give you low libido?

A loss of interest in sex is listed as an uncommon side effect of taking Logynon, affecting between 0.1% and 1% of users. Testosterone levels can also affect your libido (sex drive). Oestrogen, which is found in the combined pill, can affect your testosterone levels and so your desire to have sex.

Logynon may not be suitable for every woman. If Logynon or other combined contraceptive pills are not right for you, you may need to try the mini pill which contains no oestrogen.

Medical Conditions

You should not use Logynon if you have or have ever had:

• a blood clot in a blood vessel in your legs, lungs, or any other organs
• a disorder affecting the clotting of your blood
• a heart attack or stroke
• angina
• a transient ischaemic attack (TIA, or ‘mini-stroke’)
• a disease that increases the risk of a clot in the arteries like severe diabetes with blood vessel damage, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides
• a condition called hyperhomocysteinaemia
• a migraine with aura
• breast cancer
• severe liver disease and your liver function tests are not yet back to normal
• liver tumours

You should also not take Logynon if you are:

• allergic to any of the ingredients
• pregnant or think you might be
• needing an operation or are going to be off your feet for a while

Drug interactions

Some medicines can interact with Logynon and stop it from working properly. You should let your doctor know if you take:

• medicines to treat epilepsy
• medicines to treat HIV and Hepatitis C
• griseofulvin
• some antibiotics
• sedatives known as barbiturates
• St. John’s wort

Logynon risks

• Logynon may increase the risk of:
• blood clots
• breast cancer
• cervical cancer
• depression

Can I drink while taking Logynon?

Yes, you can drink while taking Logynon. Alcohol will not make it any less effective at preventing pregnancy.

Can I take painkillers when taking Logynon?

You can take over the counter painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen. These will not make Logynon any less effective.

Can I take Logynon when I’m breastfeeding?

Your doctor or nurse may advise you not to take Logynon while you are breastfeeding. If you want to use a contraceptive pill while you are breastfeeding, you should speak to your doctor for advice. There are other alternatives which may be more suitable.