TriRegol tablets

TriRegol is one of a lot of different contraceptive pills called ‘the Pill’. It contains two active ingredients:

• Ethinyl estradiol – a man-made version of a hormone called oestrogen, which is naturally produced by the body
• Levonorgestrel – a man-made version of a hormone called progesterone, which is naturally produced by the body

It works in a few different ways to prevent unwanted pregnancy:

• Prevents the body from releasing an egg each month (ovulation)
• Thickens the mucus around the neck of the womb and inside the womb, making it more difficult for sperm to swim through
• Makes the lining of the womb thinner, making it more difficult for a fertilised egg to stick to the lining of the womb (implantation)

TriRegol is known as a ‘phasic Pill’. This means that it uses three different doses to match the natural changes to your hormone levels during your menstrual cycle. Most other Pills are known as ‘monophasic Pills’: they use a single dose of hormones. Over a month, taking phasic Pills mean that you may be taking less hormones in total compared to taking monophasic Pills.

TriRegol and other contraceptive pills are used if you want to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. It can also be used if you want to improve hormone-related symptoms such as acne and painful periods.

The best way to start TriRegol is to take it on the day that your period starts. This is the 1st day of your menstrual cycle. If you start taking TriRegol between the 2nd and 5th day of your menstrual cycle, you should use a barrier contraception such as a condom for the first seven days of taking TriRegol.

You shouldn’t start taking TriRegol after the 5th day of your menstrual cycle. If it’s after the 5th day of your current menstrual cycle, you’ll need to wait until it’s ended before starting TriRegol.

You can take TriRegol at any time of the day, but you should try to take it at the same time each day. Take the pills according to the order shown on the pack until you’ve taken all 21 pills. Then, stop for seven days before you start the next pack.

You don’t need any additional contraception in the seven days that you’re not taking TriRegol as long as you’ve taken all the pills in the pack correctly.

If you have diarrhoea or vomit within 4 hours of taking TriRegol, it may not work. You should use a condom during the period you’re having stomach upset, then continue using condoms for seven days after you feel better.

Contact your doctor for advice if you want to delay your period.

Some tips and advice on taking TriRegol:

• If you don’t miss any pills, you should be starting each new pack on the same day of the week
• Some women find it helpful to set an alarm or download an app on their phone to help them remember to take the pill and to keep track of the Pill-free week
• Some women find it helpful to include TriRegol in their daily routine. For example, you can take TriRegol first thing in the morning, last thing at night, or after you brush your teeth

If your Pill is:

• less than 12 hours late, you should take your late pill now and continue taking the Pill as normal. This might mean that you take two pills in one day
• more than 12 hours late, or you’ve missed more than one pill, you might not be completely protected from pregnancy. What you need to do next depends on where in the pack you are at the moment

If you missed your pill by more than 12 hours:

• during the first week of your pack: take the missed pill now, even if it means taking two pills in one day. If you still want to be protected, use a condom for the next seven days. If you’ve had sex in the seven days before your missed pill, there’s a chance that you may be pregnant
• during the second week: take the missed pill now, even if it means taking two pills in one day. If you only miss one pill, you don’t need to use any additional contraception. If you miss more than one pill, you should use a condom for the next seven days to stay protected
• during the third week: take the missed pill now, even if it means taking two pills in one day. Move onto taking the next pack without a break. Or if you’d prefer, stop taking pills from the pack now, have a seven day break, and start the next pack of pills

If you don’t get a bleed during your Pill-free week, you may be pregnant.

Below is an example of one positive and one negative review of TriRegol, taken from the reviews at rateadrug.com:

“Best pill I've ever taken. Been on it for almost 3 years now… My libido is a bit lower, but it doesn't affect my sex life.”

“I [experienced]… nausea spells… bloating and gas.”

Trials and studies have shown that TriRegol is effective as a method of contraception.

TriRegol is fully licenced for use in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This means that TriRegol has been proven to be safe and effective to use.

Phasic Pills use two or more different doses of hormones to closely match what happens in the body during the menstrual cycle. Monophasic Pills only use one dose throughout.

Studies have shown that monophasic Pills and phasic Pills are as effective as each other at preventing pregnancy. Also, the general likelihood of experiencing side effects when taking phasic Pills compared to monophasic Pills is about the same. But, you may find that your body is more suited to one type of contraceptive pill compared to another.

Women who’ve already started their periods and:

• want to prevent an unwanted pregnancy
• are looking to improve painful, long, or heavy periods
• aren’t currently pregnant
• have no current or past health conditions that make TriRegol unsafe
• aren’t taking any other medications that could react with TriRegol

• Fill in a short online questionnaire through our Online Consultation Service about your general health and use of contraception. This should only take a few minutes to complete
• A ZAVA Doctor will review your completed questionnaire to see whether TriRegol is safe and effective for you
• If TriRegol is right for you, your order will be sent by post to your preferred address, or you can choose to collect from a local Post Office

• Acne
• Fluid retention
• Headache
• Depressive mood or mood swings
• Abnormal bleeding from the vagina
• Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
• Tummy pain
• Breast tenderness
• Weight gain in the short term
• Hair loss
• High blood pressure
• Gallstones
• Yellow-brown patches on the skin