Norgeston contraceptive pill

Norgeston is a progesterone-only contraceptive pill, commonly known as a ‘mini pill’, that is taken daily.

It contains the active ingredient levonorgestrel, a synthetic version of progesterone, a female hormone which works to prevent pregnancy.

When used correctly, Norgeston is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. Most pregnancies that occur on the pill are due to missing pills – this makes it less effective, especially if you miss multiple pills.

Levonorgestrel, the active ingredient in Norgeston, works to prevent pregnancy in 3 ways:

1. It thickens the cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to enter the womb and reach an egg.
2. It thins the womb lining making it difficult for an egg to attach to and grow.
3. In some women, Norgeston also stops an ovary from releasing an egg (ovulation).

If you start taking Norgeston within the first 5 days of your period, you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start taking it on any other day of your period, you’ll need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, until you have taken the pill for at least 2 days.

How effective is Norgeston?

If used correctly, Norgeston is over 99% effective. However, the actual figure is more likely to be closer to 92% when factors such as forgetting to take the pill or having vomiting or diarrhoea, are taken into consideration.

Norgeston should be swallowed at the same time daily, with water if needed. Take the pill as follows:

1. Take your first Norgeston pill on the first day of your period.
2. Each Norgeston blister pack is marked with the days of the week to remind you to take your pills. For example, ‘SUN’ corresponds to Sunday. Take the correctly labelled pill for the current day.
3. Follow the direction of the arrows on the pack and take 1 pill every day until the pack is empty. That means you will swallow 1 pill each day for 35 days.
4. Once you have completed the pack, start a new pack the very next day and repeat the pattern. You will not have a pill-free break between packs. Make sure to keep an eye on how many pills you’ve got left so you can order a repeat prescription in plenty of time.

When to take Norgeston

You should take Norgeston at the same time each day. Norgeston is a 3-hour mini pill, so it must be taken within a 3-hour window to remain effective. If you are more than 3 hours late taking your pill, follow the instructions under the ‘What happens if I miss a pill?’ section.

What happens if I miss a pill?

If you are less than 3 hours late taking your pill, take the missed pill straight away. Continue taking your pills at the usual time, even if that means taking 2 pills in the same day. Your contraception protection should not be reduced.

If you are more than 3 hours late or you have missed more than one pill you may not be protected from pregnancy. In this case, skip the missed pill then continue to take your pills at the usual time. You’ll need to use additional non-hormonal contraception, like condoms, for 7 days if you have sex.

Find out more about what to do if you forget to take your pill.

Yes, you can request and pay for a Norgeston prescription online. Norgeston is a prescription-only medication, so you will need a prescription from a doctor to get it. You should only request medication from a reputable online prescription service like ZAVA. Our doctors use the same criteria as the NHS to assess if the medication you requested is right for you.

Requesting Norgeston online from ZAVA is a quick, easy, and discreet process. Simply:

1. Fill out an online medical questionnaire.
2. One of our doctors will assess if Norgeston is the right medication for you based on your answers.
3. If your medication is approved, it will be posted to your address or you can choose to collect it from your local Post Office.

Can I buy Norgeston over the counter?

No, Norgeston is a prescription-only medication, so you will need a prescription to obtain it. Hana is a type of mini pill that is available without a prescription (over-the-counter) – it contains a different type of progesterone called desogestrel. Both Norgeston and Hana are over 99% effective for preventing pregnancy.

As with all medications, taking Norgeston can cause side effects, but not everyone will experience them.

Stop taking Norgeston and contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following serious side effects:

• a migraine for the first time, or worse than usual, or unusually frequent
• any sudden changes to your senses, (smell, taste, hearing, speech or touch)
• pain or swelling in your legs
• stabbing pain when breathing
• changes to your eyesight
• coughing for no reason
• tightness or pain in the chest
• feeling faint or dizzy
• severe allergic reaction (swelling of the face or lips, mouth, tongue or throat)
• signs of severe liver problems such as severe tummy pain, yellowing skin or eyes, inflammation of the liver, or itching all over the body
• dimpling of the skin on or around the breast or any changes to your nipples

Less serious Norgeston side effects include:

• absent periods – Norgeston can stop your periods, although this doesn’t happen to every woman who takes it
• bleeding or spotting between periods
• wheezing, rash, or red skin
• loss of interest in sex
• depression
• dizziness
• headaches or migraine
• feeling sick (nausea)
• being sick (vomiting)
• weight changes

How long do Norgeston side effects last?

Norgeston side effects should settle down after the first few months of taking it as your body gets used to the hormone changes taking place in your body.

If you are concerned about long-lasting side effects, talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

What to do if you get Norgeston side effects

Mild side effects, such as headaches, may be treated with over-the-counter medications like painkillers until they settle down. Staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest can also help to ease any discomfort.

In most cases, mild side effects will go on their own without any specific treatment.

If you experience any side effects that you find difficult to manage or are causing you concern, you should contact your doctor for advice.

Do not take Norgeston if you:

• are or might be pregnant
• have or have ever had liver tumours
• experience unexplained vaginal bleeding
• have or have ever had severe liver disease
• have problems with blood circulation including blood clots, heart attack, and stroke
• are severely diabetic with changes to your blood vessels
• are allergic to Norgeston or any non-active ingredients in the tablets

Some illnesses and conditions can worsen if you take Norgeston. Talk to your doctor if you have:

• ever had an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy developing outside of the womb)
• diabetes
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin)
• ovarian cysts
• or ever had pruritus (persistent itching)
• chloasma (brown patches on your face)

Some other medications can stop Norgeston from working properly, you should discuss any other medication you are taking with your doctor before taking Norgeston, including prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal remedies, including medications used to treat:

• epilepsy
• HIV and hepatitis C
• severe vomiting
• high blood pressure in the lungs
• high blood pressure
• fungal infections (griseofulvin)
• bacterial infections (antibiotics)

Norgeston is not suitable for everyone, but there are many other contraceptive options available to prevent pregnancy.

At ZAVA, we offer the following alternative mini pills:

• Cerelle: A different branded version of Cerazette, Cerelle contains 75mcg of desogestrel, a different type of synthetic progesterone.
• Noriday: An older style mini pill because it contains norethisterone, an earlier man-made version of progesterone. Each pill contains 350mcg of norethisterone.
• Hana: The most convenient mini pill because it is available without a prescription. It contains 75mcg of desogestrel.

Norgeston vs Cerazette

Norgeston and Cerazette are both examples of mini pills but they contain different active ingredients. Norgeston contains 30mcg of levonorgestrel whereas Cerazette contains 75mcg of desogestrel.

Cerazette is also a 12-hour pill which means it must be taken within 12 hours each day for it to be effective. This may be more suitable if you are struggling to remember to take your pill because Norgeston is a 3-hour pill.

Norgeston vs Noriday

Norgeston and Noriday are examples of 3-hour mini pills which means they must be taken within 3 hours of the same time each day. They are both original mini pills because they contain levonorgestrel (Norgeston) or norethisterone (Noriday) whereas newer mini pills tend to contain desogestrel as their active ingredient.