Qlaira is a combined oral contraceptive pill that is taken to prevent pregnancy, and can also be used to treat painful and heavy periods. Qlaira pills contain lab made forms of two naturally occurring hormones in the body, which are:

• oestrogen (estradiol valerate)
• progesterone (dienogest)

Unlike some contraceptive pills, each Qlaira pill does not contain the same amount of progesterone and oestrogen. This means the dose in each pill changes during the month. Qlaira is a quadriphasic pill, which means there are 4 hormone doses over a cycle. Each coloured pill contains either estradiol valerate alone or both estradiol valerate and dienogest hormones, in slightly different doses.

At Superdrug Online Doctor, you can order Qlaira pills even if you have never used the contraceptive pill before. Order Qlaira from Superdrug Online Doctor today by taking the following steps:

• Fill in our brief medical assessment form online
• One of our doctors will review your medical form to check if Qlaira is a safe and suitable contraception for you
• We will post your pills to your address or you can pick it up from your local Superdrug store
• We provide a safe, confidential and convenient service at Superdrug Online Doctor. We send your pills in discreet and unmarked packaging

Can you get Qlaira over the counter?

You cannot get Qlaira over the counter from any pharmacy. It is a prescription only medicine, so you need to get a prescription from a doctor before you can buy it from a pharmacy. You can get a prescription for Qlaira and buy the medication online from Superdrug Online Doctor.

Can you get Qlaira on the NHS?

You may be able to get Qlaira contraceptive pills from your local GP or NHS sexual health clinic, depending on their local guidelines. You will need to book a physical appointment with a healthcare professional to find out if you are eligible.

If Qlaira has been prescribed for you, then it is safe for you to take. Before prescribing Qlaira for you, your doctor will check your medical information to make sure it is a safe and suitable contraception for you. Although some women may report side effects when taking Qlaira, it is also as safe as some other combined contraceptive pills prescribed for women to prevent pregnancy.

Qlaira contains the two hormones, estradiol valerate and dienogest, which work in three main ways to prevent pregnancy.

1. They prevent ovulation (by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg).
2. They make the lining of your womb thinner so it becomes difficult for a fertilised egg to implant in your womb.
3. The hormones make the mucus in your cervix thicker to prevent sperm from travelling into the womb.

How long does Qlaira take to work?

If you start taking Qlaira on day 1 of your next period cycle, you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start Qlaira on any other day or after changing from another contraception, your doctor will advise you on when the pill will start to work. For some women, this might mean using extra contraception (like condoms) for the first 9 days of taking the pill, to prevent pregnancy.

How effective is Qlaira?

Qlaira has been shown to be up to 99% effective at preventing women from becoming pregnant, as long as it is used correctly. However, Qlaira is less effective if you regularly miss pills, be sick (vomit) or have diarrhoea, or if you take other medicines that may make the pill less effective. Qlaira is around 91% effective for most women when taking these factors into account.

Qlaira comes in packs of 28 pills, which contain different amounts of hormones, to be taken for 28 days. There are 26 coloured pills with active hormones and 2 white pills without hormones to be taken on day 27 and 28.

• Take each pill on the day it is marked with, preferably at the same time every day.
• Swallow each pill whole with water, with or without food.
• You should take one pill every day for 28 days and start the new pack of another 28 pills the next day without a break.
• You will usually have a withdrawal bleed like your monthly period during the last 2 or 3 days of taking the pill - around days 26 to 28.
• You should continue the new pack of 28 pills even if you still have a withdrawal bleed
• You will still be protected from pregnancy when taking the last 2 white pills without hormones, as long as you have taken your previous pills correctly and continue the next pack of 28 pills straight after the previous pack ends

When should I start taking Qlaira?

Although you can start taking Qlaira at any time in your monthly cycle, you may not be protected from pregnancy straight away. Your doctor will be able to advise you on the best time in your cycle to start the pill and when it will start to work. Usually, if you start Qlaira on day 1 of your next period cycle, you will be protected from pregnancy straight away (if you have not been taking any other contraception in the last month). If you start on any other day, you will need to use additional contraception like condoms for the first 9 days, to prevent pregnancy. If you are changing from another combined contraceptive pill, you should start taking Qlaira the day after taking your last active pill (usually after day 21). You will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you are changing from the mini pill (contains only progesterone hormone), you can switch to Qlaira any day but you will need to use extra contraception (like condoms) for the first 9 days to prevent pregnancy.

Can I take Qlaira without a break?

Qlaira pills are to be taken for the whole 28 days in your cycle without taking a break. You should always start the new pill pack straight after the previous one to stay protected from pregnancy.

What happens if you miss a Qlaira pill?

If you miss taking your Qlaira pills, you may not be protected from pregnancy. The patient information leaflet supplied with your pill pack provides more information on what to do if you miss one or more pills, depending on which days you missed, and which pills you missed.

• If you miss one pill or start a new pill pack a day late, take the missed pill immediately you remember even if you have to take 2 pills in one day.
• If it has been less than 12 hours since you missed the pill, you will still be protected from pregnancy.
• If it has been more than 12 hours since you missed the pill, you may not be protected from pregnancy. Speak to your doctor for advice on what to do next.
• If you miss taking any of the inactive white pills, you can just discard them as they do not contain any hormones. You should make sure you continue taking the rest of your pills correctly to stay protected from pregnancy.

Can I take Qlaira to delay my period?

Qlaira contains pills with different hormones which also come in different doses. If you would like to delay your period when taking Qlaira, speak to your doctor for advice on the best way to do this and stay protected from pregnancy.

Can I use Qlaira as emergency contraception?

No. Qlaira cannot be used as emergency contraception. If you have had unprotected sex and are not using any contraception, you will need to use either the morning after pill or copper IUD within 5 days of having unprotected sex, to prevent pregnancy.

Some women may experience side effects when taking Qlaira contraceptive pills. They usually improve after the first few months as your body adjusts to the hormones in the pill. Some common side effects of taking Qlaira may include:

• headaches
• stomach pain
• nausea
• painful periods
• irregular periods
• breast pain
• changes in your weight

Some uncommon or rare side effects of taking Qlaira may include:

• change in appetite
• low mood
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• dizziness
• change in blood pressure
• hair loss
• tiredness
• heart palpitations
• changes in your vision
• anxiety
• vaginal infections

The full list of all known Qlaira side effects and cautions is in the patient information leaflet supplied with your pill pack.

What should I do if I experience side effects from taking Qlaira?

The side effects of taking Qlaira are usually in the first 3 months when your body adjusts to the hormones in the pills. After this time, they usually improve or stop completely. If you still get side effects after 3 months or you are unhappy with your side effects, speak to your doctor. They may suggest you change to another contraceptive pill with less side effects. If you have a severe side effect, contact your doctor straight away.

Qlaira and other combined contraceptive pills may not be suitable for women with certain health risk factors. In such cases, your doctor may suggest using the mini pill which contains only the progesterone hormone, or a different type of contraception. The full list of all known Qlaira side effects, cautions and drug interactions can be found in the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine. Qlaira may not be a suitable contraceptive option for women with any of the following risk factors:

• Smokers
• Migraines
• Blood clots in your legs or lungs
• Heart attack or stroke
• Recent surgery
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol levels
• Unexplained vaginal bleeding
• Liver or kidney problems
• Breast or cervical cancer or a family history of these cancers

You should tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the conditions listed above before you start taking Qlaira. If you have certain medical conditions, taking Qlaira may worsen your symptoms, so your doctor may need to monitor you regularly. Tell your doctor before taking Qlaira if you have:

• diabetes
• high blood pressure
• inflammatory bowel disease (crohns or ulcerative colitis)
• sickle cell anaemia
• heart disease
• kidney disease
• depression
• breast cancer
• liver disease
• epilepsy
• any other medical condition

You may also be at risk of developing the following medical conditions when taking Qlaira:

• Blood clots - Your risk may be higher if you already have heart disease, if you smoke or are overweight. You should seek medical attention if you have symptoms of a blood clot, like difficulty breathing, chest pain, swelling or pain in your leg.
• Bleeding between periods - This may improve after the first 3 months of taking Qlaira when your body adjusts to the hormones in the pill. If you still have irregular bleeding after this time, speak to your doctor for advice.
• Breast cancer - Women who have a family history of breast cancer, are overweight or smoke, may have a higher risk of getting breast cancer when taking the pill. Speak to your doctor if you notice any breast lumps or discharge from your breast.

Qlaira drug interactions

If you are taking certain medications while using Qlaira, they may reduce its ability to prevent pregnancy. Your doctor may advise you to use extra contraception like condoms, if you do need to take these medicines. Some medications which may negatively interact with Qlaira include medicines used to treat:

• epilepsy
• TB
• HIV
• hepatitis C
• fungal infections

You should inform your doctor about all medicines you are currently taking before you start the pill. You can find the full list of all known Qlaira drug interactions in the patient information leaflet supplied with your pill pack.

Does the Qlaira pill stop periods?

Qlaira pills come as packs of 28 pills to be taken everyday without breaks. You usually get a withdrawal bleed on days 26 to 28 of taking the pill. Qlaira pills are slightly different because each pill contains hormones in different doses and they need to be taken on the marked day on each pill. If you would like to delay or stop your periods, speak to your doctor for advice on how to take the pill to do this.

Does Qlaira increase your risk of blood clots?

Your risk of getting blood clots when taking Qlaira and other combined oral contraceptive pills is small. The risk may increase if you already have certain risk factors for developing blood clots like high blood pressure, diabetes or being overweight.

Is it normal to bleed on Qlaira?

Yes. You should have a withdrawal bleed on days 26 to 28 when taking your pack of 28 Qlaira pills. You should start your next pack of 28 pills after completing the previous pack, even if you are still having a withdrawal bleed. If you have irregular bleeding in between periods, speak to your doctor for advice.

Does the pill Qlaira cause acne?

Some women may get acne when taking Qlaira pills but not everyone will get this side effect. If the acne does not improve after the first 3 months of taking the pill, speak to your doctor for advice.

Can Qlaira cause depression?

There are no current studies directly linking depression with taking Qlaira contraceptive pills. But some women have reported having low moods while on the pill. If you have symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts, whether on the pill or not, seek medical attention immediately.

Can Qlaira cause anxiety?

While some women taking Qlaira have reported having periods of anxiety, not everyone on the pill has had this side effect. If you have frequent episodes of mood changes and symptoms of anxiety, speak to your doctor for advice.

Can Qlaira cause weight gain?

Weight gain on the pill has been reported by some women. If you have noticed any unexplained weight changes and are concerned, speak to your doctor for advice.

Can Qlaira cause infertility?

Qlaira is a combined contraceptive pill, which is in the ‘reversible contraception’ group. This means once you stop taking the pill, it will not have effects on your fertility soon after stopping it. If you are concerned about infertility or getting pregnant after you stop the pill, speak to your doctor for more advice.

Can I drink while taking Qlaira?

Drinking alcohol should not stop the pill from working, although you should avoid drinking above the UK recommended weekly drinking limits.

Can I take painkillers when taking Qlaira?

You can take simple painkillers like paracetamol when taking Qlaira. If you need to take any other type of painkillers, inform your doctor first to check if it will affect the pill.

Can I take Qlaira when I’m breastfeeding?

You should avoid taking Qlaira or similar combined contraceptive pills when breastfeeding. Your doctor will be able to advise you on more suitable contraceptive options while you are breastfeeding.