Femodette

Femodette is a combined oral contraceptive commonly known as 'the pill'. Femodette contains ethinylestradiol and gestodene - artificial forms of oestrogen and progestogen.

Femodette is monophasic. This means you take a constant dose of hormones throughout your 21-day cycle, which reduces the likelihood of experiencing mood swings. Femodette can also make your periods lighter and more predictable.

What are the additional benefits of Femodette?

Femodette provides contraceptive cover if taken correctly. Femodette is primarily prescribed for contraceptive purposes, but it can also help to regulate your period and can help to reduce pain when you have your period. As Femodette supplies the same dose of hormones during your entire cycle, it reduces the risk of mood swings during hormonal fluctuations in your cycle.

Does Femodette protect against STIs?

Taking the Femodette hormonal contraceptive pill does not protect you against any sexually transmitted infections/diseases. If you've had unprotected sex, and you're worried that you may have contracted an STI, you should talk to your doctor, or visit a sexual health clinic.

Alternatively, you can take a look at some of the STI treatment options available from HealthExpress.

Femodette hormonal contraceptive pill contains both artificial oestrogen and progestogen (ethinyl estradiol 20mg and gestodene 75mg) and prevents ovulation in most women. It does this by letting the body think that ovulation has already occurred so that an egg isn't released.

The combination of hormones also prevents the womb lining from thickening so if an egg is released, it can't embed itself in the womb to grow. As a final measure, it prevents sperm from entering the womb by thickening the cervical mucous.

• Femodette should be taken on the first day of your period to provide immediate contraceptive protection. Alternatively, it can be taken up to day five of your period, but you will have to wait seven days for it to take complete effect.
• Femodette is a 21-day pill; you take it at the same time for a consecutive 21 days of each month.
• This should be followed by a seven-day break after which you should start your new strip. During the seven-day break you should be fully protected and may experience a withdrawal bleed similar to your period.

If not taken on the first day of your period, use condoms for the following seven days. Take each pill around the same time every day for maximum effectiveness. Many women set an alarm to remember their next dose. Each Femodette pill can be easily swallowed with or without drink and food. Store away from direct sunlight and under the temperature of 25°C. Double check the expiry date and patient leaflet regarding use and missed pill if unsure.

What should I do if I miss my dose?

If you happen to forget to take your pill or more than one pill in one blister pack at the usual time, follow the below protocol:

• If you have missed one Femodette pill then take it as soon as possible unless it is close to the time of your next pill. If it is nearer to the next pill than the previous time, miss it out completely and continue with the blister pack as normal. Missing one pill in one blister pack will not affect the effectiveness and you will not need further barrier protection.
• If you miss two or more pills in one blister pack, then you will not be protected at maximum effect. However, take the last missed pill as soon as you remember unless it is close to the time of your next pill. Do not take two pills in close proximity - this will not combat the mistake - and skip the missed pills. It is advised to use condoms or refrain from sex for the next seven days.

Use our interactive tool below on what to do if you miss one or multiple pills in one month (menstrual cycle). Simply click to begin.

For more information about what to do if you've missed your dosage for a significant period, it's always best to speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Femodette pills come in one standard dose. This is 20 micrograms (20 mcg) of ethinylestradiol combined with 75 micrograms (75 mcg) gestodene. This is clinically proven to be the most effective dose, whilst minimising any potential side effects.

Like most variants of the combined pill or mini pill, Femodette presents a small risk of side effects for some women, depending on their tolerance towards the hormones used in the medication.

Some of the most common side effects are changes in your menstrual cycle, headaches, nausea and breast tenderness.

These side effects do sometimes occur in first three months but tend to go away after as your body adjusts to the contraceptive. If these side effects don't go away, or if you experience anything more serious, you should speak to your doctor who may advise you to change your contraceptive pill.

You can buy Femodette online if you are over the age of 18. However, there may be some cases in which using this contraceptive is not suitable, such as:

• During pregnancy or if you are breastfeeding.

Women who may not be advised to use this contraceptive include:

• Women who are obese, diabetic, have experienced blood clotting, migraines, depression, high blood pressure or gallstones.

It is very important to mention all medical conditions or medications you are taking during your online consultation so that our doctor can make sure that Femodette is the best contraceptive for you. For further details please refer to the patient leaflet, which is included in your medication, and is also available for download towards the bottom of the page.

HealthExpress offers a safe and secure way to buy Femodette online. You need to complete a free and confidential online consultation, which is checked by one of our doctors so that they can make sure Femodette is suitable for you. Once you've been approved, we will issue a prescription, which will then be passed to our pharmacy and readied for express dispatch for free next day delivery.

If you have any queries, please don't hesitate to contact our helpful Customer Service team.