Logynon

Logynon is a combined oral contraceptive pill which, when taken correctly, prevents you from getting pregnant.

Logynon works by preventing eggs from being released (ovulation) from your ovaries every month; by making it difficult for sperm to get to the uterus (womb) by making your cervical mucus thicker, and by stopping the lining of your uterus from getting thick enough to allow an egg to implant in it and grow.

This contraceptive pill contains two artificial versions of the female sex hormones oestrogen and progestogen. It is these hormones which trigger the changes above which stop you from getting pregnant.

What's in a Logynon ED pack? – each calendar pack of Logynon contains 6 light brown tablets, 5 white tablets, 10 ochre-coloured (yellowish) tablets, and 7 inactive large white tablets.

• Each light brown tablet (Phase I) contains the active ingredients Levonorgestrel at a strength of 50mcg and Ethinylestradiol at a strength of 30mcg and the inactive ingredients of lactose and sucrose
• Each white tablet (Phase II) contains the active ingredients Levonorgestrel at a strength of 75mcg and Ethinylestradiol at a strength of 40mcg and the inactive ingredients of lactose and sucrose
• Each ochre tablet (Phase III) contains the active ingredients Levonorgestrel at a strength of 125mcg and Ethinylestradiol at a strength of 30mcg and the inactive ingredients of lactose and sucrose

The 7 inactive large white tablets are taken for 7 days after the active tablets have been taken, and contain lactose and sucrose, but no hormones.

Each pack of Logynon is designed in a way that helps you to remember to take your pills regularly. Each pack of Logynon contains three foil strips with three sets of seven self-adhesive strips with the days of the week printed on them. Each foil strip has 28 tablets, made up of 21 small active different coloured tablets in three rows and seven larger inactive white tablets in the last row.

It is most effective to start taking your first Logynon pill on the first day of your next period. This gives you contraceptive protection from your first pill.

One Logynon pill must be taken at the same time every day for 28 days to protect you against pregnancy. Each pill must be swallowed whole with water.

You will always start each new strip of pills on the same day of the week. Don’t take a break between packets.

If you’ve forgotten one or more pills or taken them late, make sure you read the patient’s leaflet and follow the instructions to lower the risk of pregnancy. Or you could contact your doctor as soon as possible, and they’ll be able to further assess you.

You shouldn’t take Logynon if you:

• currently have or have history of deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in the blood vessels of your legs) or pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in your lungs)
• have recently had major surgery or are about to and you won’t be mobile for some time (you should discuss this with your doctor before the surgery so that you get the appropriate advice on when to stop the pill and when you can restart it)
• have a disorder which affects how your blood clots, for example protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin-III deficiency, Factor V Leiden or antiphospholipid antibodies
• have had a stroke or a heart attack
• have a history of migraines with visual disturbances (migraine with aura)
• have or have had angina pectoris (a condition that causes severe chest pain and could indicate an imminent heart attack)
• have had a transient ischaemic attack (TIA, meaning temporary stroke symptoms)
• have type 2 diabetes with vascular symptoms
• have severe high blood pressure
• have high levels of cholesterol in the blood
• have or have had a history of liver diseases such as viral hepatitis or severe cirrhosis of the liver and have been told by your doctor that your liver function test results are not back to normal
• have liver tumours
• currently have or have a history of breast cancer
• have hypersensitivity to any of the active ingredients

Taking certain medicines at the same time as taking Logynon can stop the pill from working properly. These include:

• some medicines used to treat epilepsy
• certain antibiotics
• some medicines used to treat HIV and Hepatitis C virus infections
• an anti-fungal medicine (griseofulvin)
• some sedatives (barbiturates)
• St. John’s Wort (a herbal remedy used to treat mild depression)
• ulipristal acetate (emergency contraception EllaOne® can interact with Logynon ED, so if you need to take it, follow your doctor’s recommendations to make sure you restart taking the pill correctly)

If you do need to take any of the above medicines while also taking Logynon ED, you may need to use additional contraception such as condoms for a while. Talk to your doctor or nurse about any other medicines you’re taking.

As with all medicines, Logynon can cause side effects. Not everybody gets them though. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the following side effects.

Weight gain (but not extra body fat) -Logynon can cause some weight gain when you start taking it but this is actually do you water retention and not an increase in body fat.

Uncommon side effects (these affect between 10 and 100 in every 10,000):

• Vomiting
• Stomach upsets
• Migraine
• Fluid retention
• Loss of libido (sexual desire)
• Enlargement of the breasts
• Skin rash

Some women may also experience some bleeding between periods (spotting) in the first few months of taking Logynon. This normally stops on its own, but if the bleeding becomes heavier or starts again after a few months, talk to your doctor.

For more information on the side effects of Logynon, read the patient information leaflet.

Yes. These are:

• Levest
• Microgynon 30
• Ovranette
• Rigevidon
• TriRegol

There are several different contraceptive methods you can use. Before you make a choice, it’s best to make sure you understand each of them.

If you’re not sure taking a pill every day is the best option for you, long- acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) might work for you. These include:

• the progesterone injection
• the implant
• the intrauterine device (IUD)
• and the intrauterine system (IUS)

Each of these gives excellent contraceptive protection for several months (in the case of the injection) or even several years (in the case of the implant, the IUD or the IUS). If you’d still like more information, contact your doctor or healthcare provider.