Buy Qlaira Pill Online

The Qlaira contraceptive pill is used to prevent pregnancy. It can also treat heavy menstrual bleeding in people who want to use a method of oral contraception. Qlaira is a new type of birth control which contains newer versions of artificial oestrogen and progesterone hormones, called estradiol valerate and dienogest.

Each strip of Qlaira pills contains 28 pills. There are 26 coloured tablets that contain hormones and 2 placebo pills which are taken to build in a pill-free break.

Qlaira contains 2 different female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, which means it is a combined oral contraceptive pill also known simply as ‘the pill’. The synthetic hormones Qlaira pill contains are new and are called estradiol valerate (oestrogen) and dienogest (progesterone).

Qlaira is a fourth-generation combined pill, meaning its artificial ingredients were invented more recently than those of other generations of pill. The active ingredients of Qlaira have less androgenic effect, meaning less chance of acne but also less improvement to conditions like endometriosis. Qlaira also has less oestrogen effect, meaning less change of oestrogen-related side effects like breast tenderness and headaches and less chance of benefits to periods.

Qlaira is also a phasic pill. This means the amount of hormones in the pills changes during a 28-day cycle. Most combined pills just use one dose throughout and they’re referred to as non-phasic pills. Phasic pills are supposed to match the natural hormone changes in your period cycle, but limited research shows no benefits to side effects compared to non-phasic pills.

Is Qlaira androgenic?

“The androgenic properties of Qlaira are minor. They are actually less than some other kinds of combined pills and most mini pills too. What this means is that Qlaira has less male hormone effect on your body when you take it. This results in a higher chance of improvement to acne symptoms, since acne can be caused by excess sebum produced as a result of higher testosterone.

The downside to combined pills with less androgenic effect is that the male hormone effect can cause improvements in some conditions, like endometriosis.” – Dr Babak Ashrafi, Clinical Lead for Service Expansion.

The Qlaira contraceptive pill is an oral combined pill taken by people to stop pregnancy from happening. It’s also used to treat heavy or prolonged periods that are not caused by any underlying condition or disease of the womb. At ZAVA, we only offer Qlaira for contraceptive treatment and not for treating period-related conditions in people who don’t need contraception.

Qlaira is a type of combined oral contraceptive pill that works in 3 ways to prevent pregnancy:

1. stops the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation)
2. thickens the cervical mucus, making it difficult for sperm to travel through the womb
3. thins the lining of the uterus so that a fertilised egg would find it difficult to implant itself

Although Qlaira normally stops ovulation, taking the pill doesn’t always stop periods. While the pill may stop your regular period, you can still get breakthrough bleeding, especially during the 2-day hormone-free gap on Qlaira.

The Qlaira pill works slightly differently to some other combined pills in that it has a 26 days on and 2 days off dosing regimen compared to a 21 days on and 7 days off regimen. That means when taking Qlaira, you’ll take 1 pill every day, but for 26 days you will take a pill that contains hormones and for 2 days you’ll take a pill that contains no hormones, also known as a placebo.

Qlaira is also the first combined pill to be licensed to treat heavy or prolonged periods in people who want to use oral contraception. When taking Qlaira pill for this reason you may notice:

• more regular and lighter periods
• less period pain

How long does Qlaira take to work?

How quickly Qlaira works will depend on the day you start taking it. If you take Qlaira on the first day of your period (menstrual cycle), you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start taking Qlaira pill after this time, you will need to use additional barrier contraception, like condoms, for 9 days if you have sex.

The Qlaira pill, like all combined oral contraceptive pills, is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy if it is taken correctly. However, real life data shows that the pill is actually around 92% effective. This is because of missed pills, sickness and diarrhoea, or taking other medications that reduce its effectiveness.

In a review published in 2010, it was found that the Qlaira pill is a reliable and effective method of contraception that is well tolerated. The data collected in the review found that 79.4% of people were satisfied with the Qlaira regimen.

It is possible to request the Qlaira contraceptive pill in the UK from online registered doctor services, like ZAVA. But before you buy Qlaira online you should make sure the service you are buying from is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

You may also be able to get Qlaira for free on the NHS from your GP or a sexual health clinic. Qlaira is not available without a prescription, so it cannot be bought over-the-counter.

Qlaira not only prevents pregnancy, but it has other benefits too. The Qlaira pill is also used to treat heavy or prolonged periods. That means you may experience lighter, more regular periods and a reduction in period pain.

The Qlaira pill was the first contraceptive pill to introduce a new oestrogen, called estradiol valerate. This type of oestrogen is called 17-β estradiol valerate and is chemically identical to the oestrogen produced naturally by your body.

Some research shows that the inclusion of estradiol valerate in some combined oral contraceptive pills is favourable as it may be associated with a lower risk of blood clots than other combined pills.

The dosage of the Qlaira contraceptive pill also means that there is a shorter pill free break of 2 days compared to a more traditional 7-day pill-free break. This 26 days on and 2 days off dosing regimen is the shortest available and may result in less hormonal withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and pelvic pain.

You can buy Qlaira pill online from ZAVA. To buy Qlaira online from ZAVA, you need to:

• fill out a short online medical questionnaire to tell us about your health
• request your preferred treatment and log in or create an account to make payment
• one of our registered doctors will review your answers and let you know if the treatment is right for you
• once approved, your medication will be delivered discreetly to your address or you can collect it from your local post office

No, Qlaira is not available over-the-counter. You will need approval from a doctor to get Qlaira. This is because Qlaira is a prescription-only medication and can only legally be bought in the UK with a prescription or through an online doctor service like ZAVA.

There are some mini-pills available to purchase over the counter without a prescription, such as Hana and Lovima.

When taking the Qlaira pill, always follow the directions given to you by your healthcare professional. Each pack contains 28 pills. There are 5 different types of pill in each pack, which are different colours. 4 of the types of coloured pills contain hormones at different strengths, and the white pills don’t contain any hormones.

Qlaira tablets are numbered to make it easy to see that you have taken the right pill, and there are also helpful stick-on strips in each pack to tell you on which day of the week you should take which pill. The last 2 white tablets in each pack are inactive.

It doesn’t matter what time of day you take the Qlaira contraceptive pill but it’s best to take it at around the same time every day. You can take them with or without food. Taking them with food might reduce the chance of stomach-related side effects, like nausea.

Who can take Qlaira?

The Qlaira pill can be taken by sexually-active people who are at risk of unwanted pregnancies. They can also be taken by people who have heavy or prolonged periods in order to control their symptoms.

Qlaira can only be taken by people who don’t have any other health conditions which make taking the pill risky (contraindications) or any other medications which might affect the way the pill works (interactions). For more information see the ‘Qlaira contraindications’ and ‘Qlaira interactions’ sections of this article.

When to start taking Qlaira

If you are taking the Qlaira pill for the first time, you should start taking it on the first day of your period, which is the first day of your menstrual cycle. If you start taking it after this time, you will need to use a barrier method, like condoms, for the first 9 days to protect you from getting pregnant.

If you are going to start the Qlaira contraceptive pill after having a baby, you should start between 21 and 28 days after giving birth. If you begin taking it after 28 days, then you should use condoms during the first 9 days of using the Qlaira pill.

Qlaira missed pills: What do I do if I forget to take Qlaira?

If you're less than 12 hours late taking a Qlaira pill, take it as soon as you remember and continue to take it at your usual time every day. You will still be protected against pregnancy. If you miss more than 1 pill, you may not be protected against pregnancy and you should ask your doctor for advice.

If you're more than 12 hours late taking a pill, you may not be protected against pregnancy. Take the missed Qlaira contraceptive pill as soon as you remember (even if you have to take 2 pills in one day) and check the missed pill chart in your pill pack to see what you should do next.

If you forget to start a new pack of pills, or forget a pill on days 1 to 9, use an extra type of contraception such as condoms for the next 9 days and carry on taking the pills as normal. If you have had unprotected sex in the 7 days before you missed a pill you could be pregnant, and you need to speak to your doctor.

If you miss a pill on days 10 to 17 of the packet, you’ll need to use another form of contraception, like condoms, for the next 9 days and carry on with the rest of the pack as normal.

If you miss a pill from days 18 to 24 of the packet, start a new packet straight away with the first pill and discard the old pack. You’ll also need to use another form of contraception such as condoms for the next 9 days.

If you miss a pill on day 25 to 26, take the missed pill immediately and the next pill at your normal time. You don’t need to use any extra contraception.

If you forget to take one of the white inactive pills, you'll still be protected. Just discard the missed pill and carry on with the rest of the pack and the next pack as normal.

If you miss more than 1 pill or are late starting your next packet, you may be at risk of pregnancy. You may need to consider using emergency contraception (the morning after pill) if you have had unprotected sex. You should speak to your doctor if you’re concerned about this.

If you’re sick within 3 or 4 hours of taking a pill, take another pill as soon as you feel well enough, within 12 hours of the normal time you would have taken it. Take the next one at your normal time. If you carry on being sick or you were more than 12 hours late taking the next pill, ask your doctor for advice.

If you have very severe diarrhoea which lasts for over 24 hours, keep taking your pill at your normal time, but follow the instructions for missing a pill.

For further information and detail, read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine.

If you find that you miss pills often, you should speak to your doctor about other possible types of contraception. There are long-acting types of contraception such as the implant, injection or coil, which some people prefer as they don’t need to remember to take a pill every day.

Who shouldn’t take Qlaira?

Combined contraceptive pills, like Qlaira, shouldn’t be used by people who have certain health conditions or who have higher risks of complications like blood clots. Your doctor will take into account possible risk factors like your medical history, family history, weight, age and smoking status to assess if this type of pill would be safe for you to use.

Don’t take Qlaira tablets if you’re pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking it, you should stop straight away. Qlaira pills and other combined contraceptive pills shouldn’t be used for 6 weeks after you’ve had a baby, if you’re breastfeeding. If you do need contraception after giving birth, mini pills might be a good choice.

Like any medication, Qlaira does have a chance of giving you side effects. The ‘main’ or most common side effects are listed under the ‘Common Qlaira side effects’ section.

If you notice these or any other contraceptive pill side effects, especially if they are severe or persistent, it’s worth talking to your doctor. For a full list of side effects, please look at your patient leaflet included with your medication.

The following are serious side effects of Qlaira:

Serious side effects of Qlaira

People taking the combined contraceptive pill, including the Qlaira pill, are at a slightly higher risk of developing a blood clot in a vein, the lungs or an artery, which can lead to a stroke or a heart attack. The risk is higher for smokers and people who are obese.

Stop taking Qlaira and contact your doctor straight away if you notice any of the following:

• stabbing pains and/or unusual swelling in one leg
• pain on breathing or coughing
• coughing up blood
• sudden breathlessness
• sudden severe chest pain
• migraine or severe headaches
• sudden disturbance in vision, hearing or speech
• sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• fainting or collapse
• epileptic seizure
• significant rise in blood pressure
• itching of the whole body
• yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice)
• severe stomach pain
• severe depression

You should also contact your doctor if you think you could be pregnant.

Common Qlaira side effects (affecting between 1 and 10 in every 100 users)

Common Qlaira pill side effects include:

• headaches
• abdominal pain or nausea
• acne
• loss of periods, sore breasts, painful periods or irregular bleeding (and heavy irregular bleeding)
• weight gain

You may experience irregular periods, spotting, and breakthrough bleeding when you first start taking Qlaira. If you don't have a withdrawal bleed for 2 months in a row, take a pregnancy test before you start the next pack.

You can stop taking the Qlaira contraceptive pill at any time.

If you are coming off a contraceptive pill like Qlaira because you want to get pregnant, stop taking Qlaira and wait until you’ve had a few menstrual periods before trying. Doing so will help to determine your expected delivery date more easily.

If you are coming off the Qlaira pill and do not want to get pregnant, you should speak to your doctor about alternative methods of contraception.

The active ingredients in Qlaira tablets are estradiol valerate and dienogest at varying strengths:

• 2 dark yellow tablets contain 3 mg estradiol valerate
• 5 medium red tablets contain 2 mg estradiol valerate and dienogest (2mg)
• 17 light yellow tablets contain 2 mg estradiol and dienogest (3 mg)
• 2 dark red tablets contain 1 mg estradiol
• 2 white tablets contain no active ingredients

Is Qlaira a low dose pill?

“Most combined pills use ethinylestradiol as the oestrogen hormone. In these cases, 30 micrograms of oestrogen or less is considered low-dose. The Qlaira pill uses a different oestrogen, estradiol valerate, at doses of 1mg to 3mg. But because the active ingredients are so different, this doesn’t mean Qlaira is a very high-dose combined pill.” – Dr Babak Ashrafi, Clinical Lead for Service Expansion.

Who can’t take Qlaira contraceptive pill?

Don't take the Qlaira pill if:

• you have (or have ever had) a blood clot (thrombosis) in a blood vessel of your legs, your lungs or any other organs
• you have a disorder that affects your blood clotting
• you’re having an operation or expect to be off your feet for a long time
• you have ever had a heart attack or a stroke
• you have (or have ever had) angina pectoris or transient ischaemic attack
• you have (or have ever had) a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’
• you have (or have ever had) liver disease – and your liver function still isn’t normal
• you have (or have ever had) a tumour of the liver
• you have (or have ever had) cancer or suspected cancer of the breast or genital organs
• you have any unexplained vaginal bleeding
• you're allergic to estradiol valerate, dienogest or any of the other ingredients in Qlaira

You also shouldn't take Qlaira birth control if you have any of the following diseases that may increase your risk of a clot in the arteries:

• severe diabetes with blood vessel damage
• high blood pressure
• a high level of fat in the blood
• a condition known as hyperhomocysteinemia

The tablet core of the coloured Qlaira tablets contains the non-active ingredients lactose monohydrate, maize starch, pregelatinised maize starch, povidone K25 (E1201), and magnesium stearate (E572).

The tablet film-coating of the coloured Qlaira tablets contains hypromellose type 2910 (E464), macrogol 6000, talc (E553b), titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxide yellow (E172) and/or iron oxide red (E172), depending on which colour pill it is.

The tablet core of the white Qlaira tablets contains lactose monohydrate, maize starch, povidone K25 (E1201), and magnesium stearate (E572).

The tablet film-coating of the white Qlaira tablets contains hypromellose type 2910 (E464), talc (E553b), and titanium dioxide (E171).

The combined oral contraceptive pill is not suitable for everyone. Before prescribing the Qlaira pill to you, your doctor will ask about your medical history.

You may not be able to use Qlaira if you:

• might already be pregnant
• are obese
• take certain medications, discussed in detail in the ‘Qlaira interactions’ section
• experience migraines
• or a close family member has ever had a blood clot or has inherited abnormal clotting conditions
• are diabetic
• have severe liver disease or cancer
• have a history of breast cancer in your family or cancer of the genital organs
• have undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
• are allergic to any of the ingredients in Qlaira

You should always tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications, including over-the-counter and herbal medicines, before you start taking the Qlaira pill. Also make sure that any new medications you’re starting are safe to use while on Qlaira – tell the prescribing doctor, nurse or pharmacist you’re using Qlaira.

Medications that can interact with Qlaira include ones used in the treatment of:

• epilepsy, including primidone, phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, and felbamate
• tuberculosis, including rifampicin
• HIV and Hepatitis C Virus infections, including protease inhibitors and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, such as ritonavir, nevirapine, and efavirenz and combination regimens of ombitasvir and paritaprevir and ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, as well as the regimen of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir, which may cause increases in liver function blood test results
• fungal infections, including griseofulvin and ketoconazole

And, Qlaira can interact with the herbal remedy St. John's wort as well.

There are several Qlaira alternative pills available. Some of the other combined oral contraceptive pills available are:

• Zoely – a 28-day pill, with 24 pills containing active ingredients while 4 are placebo and which contains the active ingredients estradiol and nomegestrol acetate
• Triregol – another phasic pill meant to match the natural hormone changes during your menstrual cycle
• Yasmin – a combined pill that contains different types of oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and progestogen (drospirenone)
• Rigevidon – a combined oral contraceptive which is also used to treat heavy or irregular periods
• Microgynon 30 – a 21-day pill containing ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel

If the combined pill isn’t suitable for you or you would prefer not to use contraception that contains oestrogen, then the mini pill may be an option. The mini pill or progesterone-only pill only contains one hormone, progesterone. It is ideal for anyone who cannot take oestrogen. Mini pill examples include:

• Cerazette
• Cerelle
• Norgeston
• Noriday

Zoely vs Qlaira: Is Zoely the same as Qlaira?

Zoely and Qlaira are not the same pill. They are both extended regimen pills which means they have a pill-free break that lasts for less than 7 days. Qlaira’s pill free break is 2 days while the pill free break with Zoely lasts for 4 days.

Qlaira contains the active ingredients estradiol valerate and dienogest while Zoely contains estradiol and nomegestrol acetate. Another difference between Qlaira and Zoely is its preparation. Qlaira is a quadriphasic preparation which means the hormone levels fluctuate over the 4 weeks it is taken whereas Zoely is monophasic, so the hormone levels remain the same.

Over 3,800 people have reviewed Zava on Trustpilot. Overall, they have given the service we provide an average rating of 4.4 stars. 79% of reviewers awarded ZAVA 5 stars.

On thelowdown.com, Qlaira has received 9 reviews so far with an average user rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.

Estradiol and dienogest pills have a rating of 6.6 out of 10 on drugs.com.

Qlaira pill is an effective contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy. It can also be used to treat heavy or prolonged periods. Your doctor will make sure that Qlaira is suitable for you to take and is the best choice for you. Since it’s got low androgenic activity it can be good for you if:

• you are worried about acne as a side effect or want improvements to your acne
• you don’t need a pill that improves the symptoms of endometriosis
• you would prefer a shorter pill-free break