Rigevidon

Rigevidon is a contraceptive pill that you take once a day to help prevent pregnancy. You can take it for 21 days and then take a 7 day break, or you can take it continuously.

Each rigevidon pill contains 30mcg of oestrogen and 150mcg of progestogen. These 2 hormones are similar to the ones your body naturally produces during your menstrual cycle every month.

However, rigevidon does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), so you should use condoms to practise safe sex.

You should take 1 rigevidon pill every day for 21 days. You should take the pill with water and at the same time each day.

The back of each rigevidon strip is labelled with each day of the week to help you remember to take your pill.

Once you finish your strip of 21 pills, you can either take a 7 day pill free break or you can start taking your next strip right away.

If you choose to take the 7 day break, where you do not take any rigevidon pills, you’ll get a withdrawal bleed. This may look and feel like your period. After 7 whole days of not taking any pills start your new rigevidon strip to stay protected, even if you’re still bleeding.

What if I miss a pill?

If you forget to take a rigevidon pill, take it as soon as you remember. If it’s been less than 24 hours since you were supposed to take your pill, you will still be protected.

But, if it’s been more than 1 day, you should take the pill you missed plus your next pill. Use a condom for the next 7 days for extra protection.

Missing more than 2 pills in a row means you are no longer protected and you have to use a condom for 7 days until you have taken 7 pills in a row.

If you miss more than 1 pill, or you forget a pill near the beginning or the end of your pill free break, the higher your chances are of getting pregnant.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if you miss a pill, as you may need emergency contraception, like the morning after pill or a copper intrauterine device (copper IUD).

Rigevidon works by releasing oestrogen and progestogen into your body. You need to take a rigevidon pill for 21 days in a row during a 28 day menstrual cycle for it to be effective at preventing pregnancy.

Rigevidon helps prevent you from getting pregnant by:

• stopping ovulation (an egg being released from your ovaries)
• thickening the lining of the womb so it’s harder for sperm to reach your eggs
• making your womb less welcoming for fertilised eggs by stopping them from attaching

If you take rigevidon as recommended without missing any pills, it’s 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

If you forget to take 1 or more rigevidon pills, you may not be protected against pregnancy.

A healthcare professional, like a doctor or pharmacist, can give you advice on what to do about a missed pill. Or you can read the patient information leaflet that came with your pills.

If you vomit or have diarrhoea within 4 hours of taking a rigevidon pill, you should take a pill to replace it.

Common side effects of rigevidon include:

• headaches
• nausea or vomiting
• mood swings
• changes in your sex drive
• acne
• weight gain from fluid retention
• breast pain, enlargement or discharge

Uncommon side effects of rigevidon, which are less likely to happen, include:

• changes in how hungry you feel
• cramps in your tummy area
• bloating
• high blood pressure

These side effects should improve or go away completely after you’ve been taking rigevidon for a few months. If you would like to learn more about the potential side effects of rigevidon, you take a look at the patient information leaflet.

You can take rigevidon if you want to avoid getting pregnant and you are not allergic to anything in rigevidon pills. You can also take rigevidon to make your periods more regular if you are not overweight.

You should not take rigevidon if you have:

• ever had a blood clot, such as a DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
• a blood clotting disorder
• regular migraines
• recently had surgery or are about to have surgery
• ever had a stroke or heart attack
• angina pectoris
• ever had a or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• diabetes
• liver disease or liver problems
• ever had breast cancer or cervical cancer

If you smoke and are over 35 years old, you may not be able to use Rigevidon.

You should not take rigevidon if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak with a doctor about alternative birth control methods.

Some medications that you may be taking can interact with rigevidon. This means rigevidon might not be as effective and you will be less protected against pregnancy.

Check with a doctor if you can take rigevidon if you’re already taking medications for:

• tuberculosis, such as rifampicin
• the treatment of HIV
• hepatitis C, such as ritonavir
• arthritis, such as etoricoxib
• fungal infections, such as griseofulvin
• blood pressure, such as bosentan
• epilepsy, such as primidone, pheyntoin or carbamazepine
• arthritis or pain in your joints, such as etoricoxib
• mood changes, such as St. John’s Wort, which is a herbal remedy

Rigevidon might affect how these medications work, so they might be less effective:

• lamotrigine
• ciclosporin
• theophylline
• tizanidine

There are other alternative types of contraceptive pill such as:

• other forms of the combined pill, like Ovranette and Yasmin
• the progestogen-only mini pill, such as Cerazette

There are also other forms of contraception that you can use to prevent pregnancy. These include:

• hormonal IUD
• hormonal implant
• birth control patches, like Evra
• vaginal ring
• copper IUD
• barrier methods, such as male condoms, female condoms, contraceptive diaphragm or contraceptive cap for use with spermicide

If you use them perfectly, all these methods of contraception can effectively prevent pregnancy.

You should not take Rigevidon during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. If you become pregnant or think you might be, you should stop taking your pill and talk to your doctor as soon as possible.

If you’re in need of contraception after giving birth, visit your nurse or GP to discuss your options. They may recommend that you use an alternative barrier method, like condoms.

Rigevidon is said to improve acne by a number of users however the link between the contraceptive pill and how it improves acne has not been properly researched. One of the most common side effects of Rigevidon is acne, so taking a combined pill to help clear up acne may not work for you.