Femodette

What is Femodette?

Femodette is a combined hormonal birth control pill containing ethinylestradiol and gestodene. The contraceptive pill is one of the most reliable and reversible methods of contraception and can also help in regulating the menstrual cycle, making them lighter and less painful. Femodette also alleviates pre-menstrual symptoms.

It is available as white sugar-coated tablets in a box pack containing 21 pills each.

At Prescription Doctor, we understand that it can sometimes be difficult to get to your pharmacy to pick up your prescription medication. To order Femodette through our online private prescription service, simply fill out our medical questionnaire for our doctor to review. If our doctor decides that the medication is suitable for you, a prescription will be issued for our UK based pharmacy to fulfil.

All medicines available through our online service are approved by the MHRA and dispatched from a GPhC registered pharmacy via a next day discreet delivery.

How does Femodette work?

Each tablet of Femodette contains 75 micrograms of gestodene, a progestogen, and 20 micrograms of ethinylestradiol, an oestrogen.

The hormones work in three distinct ways to protect you from unwanted pregnancy:

• It alters the level of natural hormones and stops the ripening and release of an egg every month from the ovaries.
• Femodette thickens the mucus present in the neck of the cervix, making it difficult for sperm to reach the egg in the womb.
• It prevents the thickening of the uterus lining, making it less suitable for the implantation and growth of a fertilised egg.

Together, these mechanisms greatly reduce the chances of becoming pregnant.

How do I take Femodette?

Femodette comes in a 21 pill strip marked with the names of weekdays. Mark the first pill with the name of the day you started, and continue to take it regularly for the next 21 days. Follow the direction of arrows on the strip and take the pill at the same time every day.

After completing the 21 pills, there is a pill-free week when you take no tablets. If you have taken all the pills regularly, you will be protected against pregnancy this week. During this pill-free break, you should experience menstrual bleeding.

On the 8th day, you have to start the new pack. It will be the same weekday on which you have started the previous 21 pills pack. As long as you will take tablets regularly, the starting day for a new strip will always be the same. The next pack should be started after seven days, regardless of whether you are still bleeding or not.

Side effects and cautions of Femodette

Like all medicines, Femodette can cause side effects, though not everybody who takes Femodette will experience them. Before taking any new medicine, it is important to familiarise yourself with the associated risks and remain vigilant of any side effects or changes throughout your course of treatment.

Common side effects:

• Depressive moods or mood swings
• Feeling sick
• Headaches
• Sore or painful breasts
• Stomach ache
• Weight gain

Uncommon side effects:

• Being rick and upset stomach
• Breast enlargement
• Fluid retention
• Loss of interest in sex
• Migraine
• Skin rash, which may be itchy

This is not an exhaustive list of side effects. Further information regarding the safety of Femodette, including a more comprehensive list of side effects, can be found within the patient information leaflet enclosed with your medicine. Alternatively, you can view the leaflet for Femodette online.

Allergic reaction

Do not take Femodette if you are allergic to gestodene, ethinylestradiol, lactose or any of the other ingredients of Femodette listed in the patient information leaflet.

Femodette contains 37.155mg of lactose per pill.

Femodette contains 19.660mg of sucrose per pill.

Speak to your doctor before taking Femodette if you are sensitive to some sugars.

Sugar-coated pills can cause a spike in blood sugars, and therefore may not be suitable for people who have trouble managing their blood sugar levels.

Signs of an allergic reaction include:

• Difficulty breathing (wheezing)
• Dry, red, cracked skin
• Itchy, red, watery eyes
• Raised, itchy, red rash (hives)
• Swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat
• Tightness of the chest
• Tummy pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Do not take Femodette if you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, or are breastfeeding. For further information, speak to your doctor.

If you become pregnant while taking the pill, cease taking Femodette and speak to your doctor urgently.

Other safety information

Always read the patient information leaflet before you start taking Femodette.

Do not take Femodette past the expiry date printed on the packaging. The date refers to the last day of that month.

Do not throw away unused or expired medicine via household or water waste. Take any unwanted or expired medicine to your local pharmacy and ask them to dispose of it safely on your behalf.

Always keep medicine out of sight and reach from children and pets.

Never share your medicine with anybody else, even if they are experiencing the same symptoms as you.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do If I forget to take Femodette?

If you are less than 12 hours late in taking the pill, take it as soon as you remember. Keep taking the next pills at the usual time, even if you have to take two pills at one time. Your contraception should not be reduced when you take the missed pill within 12 hours.

If you have missed more than one pill or a single pill for more than 24 hours, your contraception might be reduced. Take the last missed pill as soon as you remember and leave the earlier missed pills. Continue taking the next pills at your regular time. If the strip finishes before seven days, start the new pack of 21 tablets without taking a usual seven-day break. You will not bleed until you have finished the next packet. Take a pill-free week break before starting the next pack.

For further protection, use condoms if you plan to have sex in these seven days. If you have missed tablets from days 1 to 7 on your pill strip and have unprotected sex, the chances of getting pregnant are more.

Missing more than one tablet can also reduce the contraception ability of the pill, so avoid having unprotected sex for the next seven days. You will be protected from unwanted pregnancy again, once you have taken the pills regularly for the next seven days and onwards.

The contraception of Femodette can be compromised if you have diarrhoea or vomiting within four hours of taking the pill. It is advisable to retake the pill if you suffer from such a problem to avoid any possibility of an unwanted pregnancy.

What should I do If I mistakenly take more Femodette than I should?

Taking more than one pill does not cause any harm, but if you feel sick, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Does Femodette affect my ability to drive or operate machines?

Femodette should not impact your ability to drive or operate machinery. If you feel dizzy or tired after taking Femodette, however, you should refrain from such activities until you feel well enough to do so.

Can I Drink Alcohol while taking Femodette?

Femodette, like other hormonal contraceptives, does not interact with Alcohol. However, excessive alcohol consumption may exacerbate any side effects you may experience or induce vomiting. If you vomit within 4 hours of taking Femodette, the contraceptive effect may be reduced.

Table of contents

What is Femodette?

How does Femodette work?

How do I take Femodette

Side effects and cautions

Frequently asked questions