Zoely Combined Pill

What is Zoely?

Zoely is a combined hormonal contraceptive pill containing two active ingredients, estradiol and nomegestrol. These hormones are similar to the naturally occurring female sex hormones; oestrogen and progesterone. Along with preventing pregnancy, the pill is useful in the treatment of irregular and painful menstruation.

When taken correctly, Zoely is more than 99% effective at preventing unwanted pregnancy.

If you are looking for safe and secure access to the contraceptive pill, Prescription Doctor can help. We offer a fast and discreet delivery service to get your treatment to you quickly and privately. Simply fill out our online questionnaire and we'll take care of the rest.

How does Zoely work?

Zoely is made up of two active ingredients, nomegestrol and estradiol. As it is a combination of hormones in a contraceptive pill, its mechanism of action interferes with the normal menstrual cycle in women.

The female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, control the release of the egg during ovulation and its implantation in the uterus. The level of hormones varies every month during the menstrual cycle. These hormones are also responsible for preparing the lining of the uterus for a successful pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilised by sperm, the hormonal levels fall, resulting in shedding of the endometrium as a menstrual bleed.

Zoely prevents the ripening of an egg and natural ovulation occurring every month. The Zoely hormones also thicken the natural mucus at the neck of the womb (cervix), minimising the motility of sperm. The pill also changes the quality of the inner uterus lining, making it less ideal for an egg to implant itself and develop.

By preventing ovulation and making it harder for sperm to travel through the cervix, the active ingredients of the Zoely contraceptive pill greatly reduce the chances of becoming pregnant.

How do I take Zoely?

Zoely tablets are a daily pill and must be taken following the instructions on the pack.

It comes in a pack of 28 tablets, having 24 white tablets and 4 yellow placebo pills.

The tablets are available with self-adhesive strips which bear a day of the week. Label the strip of tablets with the name of the day you start taking the pill. For example, if you begin taking Zoely on Sunday, mark the pill strip with a label of Sunday.

After taking 24 active tablets, you will take 7 placebo tablets to maintain the routine. Skipping these yellow tablets will not affect contraception.

If you start taking the pill on the first day of the periods, you will be protected against unwanted pregnancy straight away.

If you are taking medicine on the fifth day of the period or later, then the chances of getting pregnant may increase, if your menstrual cycle duration is less than 23 days. The efficacy of tablet in this case directly depends on the length of your menstrual cycle. In these situations, other contraceptive methods should be adopted unless you have taken the pill for 7 consecutive days.

In case of vomiting or diarrhoea after three to four hours of taking the pill, you must retake the pill during the next 12 hours.

Side effects and cautions

All medications carry the risk of causing side effects, though not everybody experiences them. Familiarising yourself with the risks associated with Zoely, and being vigilant of any side effects or changes, are important parts of your treatment.

Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

• Acne
• Changes to menstrual periods, including no or irregular bleeding

Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

• Decreased interest in sex
• Headache or migraine
• Heavy menstrual periods
• Mood changes, including depressed mood
• Nausea
• Pain in the breasts or pelvis
• Weight gain

Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

• Heaviness in limbs
• Hot flush
• Increase liver enzymes
• Increased appetite, fluid retention (oedema)
• Increased sweating, hair loss, itching, dry or oily skin
• Irritability
• Regular but lighter periods, breast enlargement, breast lumps, milk production while not pregnant, premenstrual syndrome, pain during intercourse, dryness of vulva/vagina, spasm of the uterus
• Swollen abdomen

This is not an exhaustive list of side effects. Further information regarding the safety of Zoely, including a more thorough list of side effects, can be found within the patient information leaflet enclosed with your treatment.

Alternatively, you can view the leaflet online here.

If you experience any side effects, whether listed above or in the patient information leaflet enclosed with your medicine, inform your doctor or a pharmacist for advice.

Allergic reaction

Do not take Zoely if you are allergic to nomegestrol acetate, estradiol or any of the other ingredients listed in the patient information leaflet.

If you experience the signs of an allergic reaction, stop taking Zoely and seek immediate medical attention.

Signs of allergic reaction include:

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

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Do not take Zoely if you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant in the near future or breastfeeding. Speak to your doctor for further information.

If you become pregnant while taking Zoely, stop taking the contraceptive pill and inform your doctor.

Other safety information

Always seek your doctor's advice before you buy Zoely online from Prescription Doctor.

During your online consultation, please inform our doctor of all the medicines you are currently taking including those prescribed by your doctor or bought over-the-counter, as well as health and herbal supplements.

Do not take Zoely past the expiry date printed on the packet. The date refers to the last day of the specified month.

Never throw away 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 store 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 Zoely?

If you have missed a tablet in less than 24 hours for taking the next pill, don’t worry. The reliability of the pill is unlikely to be affected. Take the tablet as soon as you remember, even if you have to take two pills in a day. Forget about the missed pill and take the next tablet at the regular time. In this instance, you do not need extra protection during sex to avoid pregnancy.

If you are late for more than 24 hours in taking the pill, it can reduce the efficacy of the medicine and increases the risk of getting pregnant. Also, when you miss a white tablet at the start or end of the blister, there will be an increased risk of getting pregnant. In these circumstances, you have to use an additional contraceptive method, such as condoms, to avoid pregnancy.

Missing a yellow pill does not have any effect on the contraception provided by Zoely tablet. The yellow pills are a placebo and have no active ingredient; therefore, the reliability of Zoely is maintained even after missing the pill. If you do not remember the number of tablets missed, you should use other contraceptive methods before starting the new pack.

What should I do if I take too much Zoely?

There are no side effects reported with the overdose of Zoely. But the impact of every medicine varies from person to person, and if you feel any severe problem, you should consult the doctor.

Can I take alcohol with Zoely?

Zoely does not interact with alcohol.

Will Zoely Impact my ability to drive or operate the machine?

Zoely has no or minimal effect on your abilities to concentrate while driving or operating any machinery.

Can I buy Zoely online?

Following a short consultation with our online prescriber, you can buy Zoely online from Prescription Doctor. Our fast and secure online private prescription service makes it simple for you to renew your contraceptive pill prescription. All medicines available through our online service are dispatched from a UK based GPhC registered pharmacy via a next-day discreet delivery, to ensure your absolute privacy when buying the contraceptive pill online.

Table of contents

What is Zoely?

How does Zoely work?

How do I take Zoely?

Side effects and cautions

Frequently asked questions

Additional resources

What's the difference between the combined contraceptive pill and the mini pill?