Lovima is not necessarily the best contraceptive option for everyone. It may not be suitable for certain women, such as those with pre-existing health conditions or those taking other medications. If you are not sure whether you should take Lovima, speak to a pharmacist or one of our online doctors. They can advise you on your options. For example, you may be able to try other pills that use a different type of progesterone if you cannot take Lovima or other similar mini contraceptive pills. Examples of these alternative types of pills are Norgeston or Noriday.
Some women may also see better results on combined contraceptive pills. This is because as well as acting as a contraceptive, the oestrogen in combined pills can help regulate bleeding and improve skin.
Drug Warnings
If any of the following conditions apply to you, Lovima may not be suitable for you. You should not take Lovima and speak to your doctor if you:
- are pregnant, or suspect you could be pregnant
- have a thrombosis
- are experiencing jaundice (yellowing of the skin), have liver disease or have been told your liver is not working properly
- have ever had a cancer that is an active sex-steroid sensitive cancer, for example breast, uterine or ovarian cancer
- have unexplained vaginal bleeding
- are allergic to any of the ingredients in Lovima. This includes if you have any allergy or sensitivity to desogestrel, peanuts, soya or certain sugars such as lactose
There are other reasons Lovima may not be right for you. These may not necessarily mean you cannot take Lovima, but you must talk to your doctor before starting Lovima if these apply to you. Our online doctors can give you advice on whether Lovima is right for you if you have:
- had breast cancer in the past
- a history of thrombosis or clotting problems
- liver cancer or other liver problems
- diabetes
- epilepsy
- tuberculosis
- high blood pressure
- chloasma (patches of yellow-brownish pigmentation on the skin, particularly on the face. If you have chloasma you should try to stay out of the sun and wear high SPF sun cream. This will reduce your exposure to ultraviolet radiation)
You should talk to your doctor if you have or have had any of the above. You may still be able to use Lovima, but your doctor will need to carefully monitor you whilst you are taking it.
Other Medications and Lovima
The following medications are known to interact with Lovima:
medicinal charcoal. This is used to treat drug poisoning or overdose. It can reduce the effectiveness of Lovima as it can prevent your body from absorbing Lovima properly
medications containing cyclosporine. These medications are used to prevent organ rejection after organ transplants. Lovima increases the effect of medications containing cyclosporine
lamotrigine. This medication is used to treat epilepsy. Lovima causes a decrease in the effect of Lamotrigine
medications in the class of enzyme-inducers. This includes those used for to treat:
- epilepsy (eg primidone, phenytoin, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, felbamate, and phenobarbital)
- tuberculosis (eg rifampicin and rifabutin)
- HIV infections (eg ritonavir and nelfinavir) or other infection diseases (eg griseofulvin)
- depressive moods (the herbal remedy St John’s wort)
Whilst using Lovima, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have taken or are going to take other medications or herbal products. Equally, if you take Lovima and are starting a new medication, you should tell your doctor you use Lovima.
Are There any Risks to Taking Lovima?
Lovima can slightly increase your risk of getting certain health problems or conditions. Not all these risks are known because Lovima is a relatively new contraceptive pill, butthe risks are generally the same or less than the risks associated with taking other combined pills or progesterone-only pills (POPs). Lovima may increase your chances of experiencing the following health problems and conditions:
breast cancer: Less people take Lovima compared to combined pills, so there is less known about the link between breast cancer and Lovima. It is believed that Lovima increases your risk of getting breast cancer by an amount similar to that of the combined pill.
thrombosis, or blood clot. Signs you might have a DVT are:
- throbbing or cramping in one leg, normally in the calf or thigh (you will rarely experience this in more than one leg)
- swelling in one leg (you will rarely experience this in more than one leg)
- warm, red or darkened skin around the painful area
- veins that are swollen or hard, and painful to touch
If you have a DVT elsewhere in the body, such as in your arm or tummy, you may experience these symptoms in that part of the body.
You should get urgent medical advice if you are worried you have a DVT.Whilst DVTs can be dangerous, they are a very rare side effect of Lovima. The risk of DVT is higher for those taking an oral contraceptive pill compared to those who don’t. The risk of DVT for people taking Lovima and other POPs has not been fully determined because less people use POPs than other contraceptive pills.
- ectopic pregnancy: this is when an egg is fertilised but implants itself in the wrong position, outside of the womb. d. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience sudden or severe pain in your stomach or lower abdomen. You must do this even if you do not think you are pregnant.
- high blood pressure: some people find that their blood pressure increases whilst taking Lovima. If this happens, seek immediate medical advice as you may need to stop taking Lovima.
- diabetes: if you are diabetic, you should speak to a medical professional before starting Lovima. This is because the active ingredient Desogestrel can affect how you control your diabetes.
- psychiatric disorders: some women experience depressed mood or depression when taking Lovima. Depression is a serious health problem, which you can read more about here. If you are feeling low and are worried you are suffering from depression, you should talk to a doctor as soon as possible so you can get the right support for you.
Can I drink while taking Lovima?
There is no evidence to suggest that you can not drink alcohol while taking Lovima, but it may make any side effects you are experiencing feel worse. If you do drink while taking Lovima, you should try to stick to the recommended intake guidelines.
Can I take painkillers when taking Lovima?
Most painkillers are safe to take while taking Lovima, but you should always check the patient information leaflet included before you do so. If you are concerned about taking painkillers with Lovima, you can always message a doctor for advice.
Can I take Lovima when I’m breastfeeding?
You can use Lovima whilst breastfeeding. It appears desogestrel, the active ingredient in Lovima, does not impact the production or quality of your breast milk. However, there have been rare and infrequent reports of desogestrel decreasing the production of breast milk.
Whilst breastfeeding on Lovima, only a small amount of desogestrel passes into your breast milk. Children who were breast-fed for 7 months whilst their mothers used desogestrel were studied until they reached 2 and a half years of age. There were no observable effects on their growth and development.
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