As with any medication, some women do have side effects, despite this not being common. These are more common in the first 3 months as your body adapts to the hormonal changes and should go away or become more manageable after this time. If they do not go away or are too much to deal with from the start, talk to your doctor. You can do this using your Patient Account on Superdrug Online Doctor.
In very rare cases, a side effect of taking Lucette is that you can develop a blood clot. The signs of a blood clot include unexplained swelling or tenderness in one or both legs, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, immediate loss of vision and stabbing chest pain. If you develop any of these symptoms you should seek urgent medical help and stop taking Lucette straight away.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
- Depressive mood
- Headache
- Nausea
- Breast tenderness
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
- Change in libido
- High blood pressure
- Being sick or having diarrhoea
- Acne, rash or hives
- Vaginal infection
- Fluid retention
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1000 people)
- Harmful blood clots
- Breast secretion
- Hearing impairment
- Allergic reaction
- Skin conditions known erythema nodosum or erythema multiforme
Does Lucette make your breasts grow? Some women report that taking the combined pill makes their breasts grow due to hormonal changes. This usually settles down after 3 months.
Does Lucette increase your risk of blood clots? The risk of developing a blood clot when you are taking Lucette is 9 to 12 out of 10,000 women, compared to 2 in 10,000 if you are not taking a combined oral contraceptive pill. The risk is low overall, but some factors can increase it. This includes family history, weight, age, whether you plan to spend a long time on a plane and whether you have just given birth. The risk is also higher in the first year that you start taking Lucette and returns to normal within a few weeks of when you stop taking it.
Does Lucette help acne? The hormonal changes introduced by taking the combined pill can reduce your body’s production of sebum, which is an oily substance that can cause acne.
Can taking Lucette cause mood swings or make you depressed? Some women report changes in mood or increased low mood when taking the combined pill but the research on this is inconclusive. If you feel this is the case for you, talk to your doctor about changing pills.
Can Lucette cause changes to your weight? Some women report gaining weight when they take Lucette but there is no scientific evidence to prove a cause.
Does Lucette stop periods? No. When you take Lucette you still get periods because you have a 7 day break during which you have a withdrawal bleed similar to your normal period.
Can Lucette give you low libido? Some women report that taking the combined pill impacts their sex drive. If you are worried that this has happened to you, talk to your GP, who may suggest trying a contraceptive pill with different hormones.
Back to top