Norgeston
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Norgeston is a type of hormonal contraceptive commonly known as the 'mini pill' or progestogen-only pill (POP). It contains an levonorgestrel, which is a synthetic version of the hormone progestogen. It’s taken by women who are sexually active but don’t want to become pregnant.
To order your repeat supply of Norgeston online, fill in our brief medical questionnaire. One of our online doctors will review your order and check whether it is safe for you to continue taking Norgeston. Choose between fast delivery and click and collect at your local Superdrug pharmacy.
To place an order, fill in a brief questionnaire. One of our doctors will review your order and prescribe a suitable treatment.
| Pack size | Price |
| 3 month course | £20 |
| 6 month course | £25 |
Prices include prescription and standard delivery.
In a hurry? Choose Click and Collect and pick up your order after just 4 hours from a Superdrug Pharmacy.
How does Norgeston work?
The active ingredient in Norgeston is levonorgestrel, a synthetic hormone that mimics a natural hormone in your body called progestogen. It stops you from becoming pregnant by:
Increasing the thickness of the mucus at the neck of your womb (cervix) which makes it harder for sperm to get through.
Reducing the thickness and quality of your womb lining to prevent any fertilised eggs from implanting.
In some women, Norgeston stops the ovaries from releasing eggs although this doesn’t happen to all women who take it.
What is Norgeston used for?
Norgeston is used for contraception - it stops women from getting pregnant. If you are using Norgeston you don’t need to use another type of contraception like a condom to avoid pregnancy, but does not protect women against sexually transmitted infections.
Taken correctly, Norgeston is more than 99% effective, which means that out of every 100 women using it, only one will get pregnant in any one year.
Who can take Norgeston?
Norgeston doesn’t contain any oestrogen type hormones and can be used by women who are unable to take the combined contraceptive pill for reasons such as:
- High blood pressure
- Obesity or being overweight
You may also be able to take a progestogen-only pill if you're over the age of 35 and if you smoke (while combined pills are not recommended in this case).
Who should not take Norgeston?
Although Norgeston is safe for most healthy women, there are some women who it might not be suitable for.
If you think you could be pregnant, stop taking Norgeston and make an appointment to see your doctor. It’s fine to take it while you are breastfeeding.
Other conditions that might make it unsuitable for you include:
- If you have ever had a severe liver disease and your liver function test is not yet back to normal
- If you have ever had a liver tumour
- If you have cancer affected by sex hormones
- If you have any unexplained vaginal bleeding
- If you have ever had a blood clot in your legs or your lungs
- If you have ever had a heart attack or stroke
- If you have had a blood clot in any other part of your body
- If you have severe diabetes with changes to the blood vessels
- If you are allergic to levonorgestrel or any of the ingredients in Norgeston
There are certain conditions that could be affected if you take the contraceptive pill - for a complete list, speak to your doctor or read your patient information leaflet. If you are affected by any of the conditions included you could still be able to take Norgeston, but with regular check ups.
How to take Norgeston
You can take your pill with or without food, preferably with a glass of water. Norgeston pills should be swallowed whole and not chewed. You will need to take it at the same time every day to prevent getting pregnant.
When to start taking Norgeston
It’s best to start taking it on the first day of your menstrual cycle, that is the first day of your period. This protects you from pregnancy immediately.
You can start taking your pill up to the fifth day of your cycle without needing to use any other contraception - unless you have a short menstrual cycle of 23 days or less. If so, you’ll need to use another form of contraception for the first two days.
If you’re not pregnant, you can start taking Norgeston at any time in your cycle, as long as you use another type of contraception too for the first two days.
If you’ve just given birth, Norgeston will protect you against pregnancy immediately if you start taking it on day 21 after giving birth. If you start taking it any later, you’ll need to use a condom or another form of barrier contraception for two days.
If you are starting this pill straight after having a miscarriage or abortion at under 24 weeks, you will also be protected against pregnancy immediately. If you start taking it more than five days afterwards you will need to use extra contraception for the first two days of pill taking.
How to take Norgeston
You can take your pill with or without food, preferably with a glass of water. Norgeston pills should be swallowed whole and not chewed. You will need to take it at the same time every day to prevent getting pregnant. Please note, product packaging may differ from the image above.
It’s very important that you remember to take your pill at the same time every day, to make sure they are effective. If you are more than three hours late taking Norgeston, you will not be protected against pregnancy and so you’ll need to use a barrier method of contraception, such as a condom, for two days (and continue taking your other pills as normal).
If you have any questions about when you should be taking your pill, speak to your doctor.
When to start taking Norgeston
It’s best to start taking it on the first day of your menstrual cycle, that is the first day of your period. This protects you from pregnancy immediately.
You can start taking your pill up to the fifth day of your cycle without needing to use any other contraception - unless you have a short menstrual cycle of 23 days or less. If so, you’ll need to use another form of contraception for the first two days.
If you’re not pregnant, you can start taking Norgeston at any time in your cycle, as long as you use another type of contraception too for the first two days.
If you’ve just given birth, Norgeston will protect you against pregnancy immediately if you start taking it on day 21 after giving birth. If you start taking it any later, you’ll need to use a condom or another form of barrier contraception for two days.
If you are starting this pill straight after having a miscarriage or abortion at under 24 weeks, you will also be protected against pregnancy immediately. If you start taking it more than five days afterwards you will need to use extra contraception for the first two days of pill taking.
You must take the pills as instructed, because if you are late taking a pill, have missed a pill completely or take them at the same time as some other types of medicine, you may be at risk of pregnancy.
Norgeston tablets should be taken every day without a break between packs. This includes when you are having a period.
What do I do if I forget to take Norgeston?
You need to remember to take Norgeston at the same time every day.
If you forget to take a pill, take it as soon as you remember, and If you’ve missed more than one pill just take the last one you missed. Then, take your next pill at the normal time, even if you have to take two pills at the same time.
If you are less than three hours late taking your pill you are still protected from pregnancy and don’t have to use any extra contraception.
If you are more than three hours late, you will need to use a barrier method of contraception such as a condom for the next two days because you may be at risk of pregnancy. Carry on taking your pills at the normal times.
If you have unprotected sex in the two days after missing a pill, the advice from the Family Planning Association (FPA) is to use emergency contraception (the morning after pill).
If you’re not sure what to do, speak to your doctor, a pharmacist or local family planning clinic.
What if I have diarrhoea or vomiting?
If you vomit (throw up) within two hours of taking your pill, it may not have been fully absorbed. Take another pill as soon as you feel well enough.
As long as the replacement pill is taken within three hours of your usual time and you take your next pill at the normal time, you should still be protected from pregnancy.
If the vomiting carries on, it can make your pill less effective. Keep taking it at the normal time but use another form of contraception at the same time. You’ll need to do this for the duration of your tummy upset and for two days afterwards.
If you have severe diarrhoea, this can affect how the pill is absorbed and also make it less effective. If you experience diarrhoea, you should use extra contraception, like condoms, during the time you have the stomach upset and for two days afterwards. Keep taking your pills at the normal time.
Each box of Norgeston contains one strip of 35 white tablets.
Each tablet contains: 30 micrograms of the progestogen levonorgestrel.
Norgeston also contains the inactive ingredients:
lactose, maize starch, povidone, polyethylene glycol 6000, calcium carbonate (E170), talc, magnesium stearate (E572), sucrose, montan glycol wax.
The most common side effects of Norgeston are:
- Changes in menstrual bleeding - irregular bleeding or no bleeding at all
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness
- Headaches and migraines
- Low libido
- Weight changes.
- Breast tenderness.
- Skin problems, like spots
- Depression
- Cysts on the ovaries
For a complete list of potential side effects, you should read the patient information leaflet that comes with your pack of Norgeston.
If you notice any persistent side effects, speak to your doctor, even if you get possible side effects that aren’t listed in the leaflet.
You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard
Ectopic Pregnancy
If you do become pregnant while Norgeston, you could be at greater risk of the pregnancy growing outside the womb (ectopic pregnancy) than women using some other types of contraception - although the risk is still smaller than that of women who aren’t using any contraception at all.
If you experience any sudden or abnormal abdominal pain along with no bleeding, or shorter or lighter than normal bleeding, speak to a doctor.
Serious side effects of Norgeston
Taking Norgeston (and any other contraceptive pill) can slightly increase your risk of having a blood clot, or thrombosis, especially in the first year of taking it. Although it’s not always serious, a clot can sometimes move up the veins and block an artery in the lungs. This leads to chest pain, breathlessness, collapse or even death, although it is very rare.
Your risk is higher if you are a smoker, in an advanced age or you are obese.
Stop taking Norgeston straight away and contact your doctor if you experience:
- Migraine for the first time, or a migraine that is worse than normal
- Unusually frequent or severe headaches
- Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision
- Sudden changes to your hearing, speech, sense of smell, taste or touch
- A pain or swelling in your leg
- A stabbing pain in your chest when you breathe
- Coughing for no apparent reason
- Pain and tightness in your chest
- Sudden weakness or numbness in one side of your body
- Dizziness or fainting.
Can Norgeston stop periods?
Sometimes, Norgeston can prevent ovulation (the release of an egg from your ovaries) which means that you won’t have a period. This doesn’t happen to all women who take it.
Some women can also find that they experience irregular periods, unexpected bleeding or spotting - especially during the first few months. Normally, these changes are nothing to worry about and don’t need to be treated. However, you should always consult your doctor when your symptoms don’t stop or worsen.
Make sure that you’re taking your pills regularly and at the same time every day too, as you could experience a little unexpected bleeding if you aren’t taking them properly.
How can Norgeston affect other medicines?
You should always check the leaflets that come with any medicines you take, over the counter and herbal medicines included. Some medicines can affect the pill, and others may not be as effective if you take them at the same time as hormonal contraception.
Medicines that can stop Norgeston from working properly include:
- some medicines used to treat epilepsy
- some medicines used to treat HIV
- some medicines used to treat serious vomiting
- medicines used to treat high blood pressure in the blood vessels in the lungs
- griseofulvin (an antifungal medicine)
- certain antibiotics
- certain sedatives
- St. John’s Wort (a herbal remedy).
Ask your doctor for advice if you’re unsure.