The combined pill contains oestrogen and progestogen, and works mainly by stopping ovulation. It is highly effective when taken consistently. At Lyng Pharmacy we can supply and manage it free on the NHS under the pharmacy contraception service.
One pill daily at roughly the same time. Traditional packs run 21 days followed by a seven-day break, but continuous or extended regimens — taking packs back to back, or shortening the break to four days — are now recognised as safe and often better, with fewer bleed-related symptoms.
When starting, if you begin on day one to five of your period you are protected immediately. Starting at any other time, use condoms for the first seven days.
One missed pill (up to 48 hours late): take it as soon as you remember, continue as normal, no extra protection needed.
Two or more missed pills: take the most recent one, continue the pack, and use condoms for seven days. If those seven days run past the end of the pack, skip the break and start the next pack straight away. If you missed pills in the first week and had sex in the previous seven days, emergency contraception may be needed — come and speak to us.
Vomiting within three hours of a pill, or severe diarrhoea, counts as a missed pill.
Also avoid, or discuss carefully, with:
Headaches, nausea, breast tenderness, mood changes and spotting are common in the first few months and usually settle.
Seek urgent medical help for calf pain or swelling, chest pain or breathlessness, coughing blood, severe headache or a first migraine with visual symptoms, weakness or numbness on one side, or sudden vision loss.
Some medicines reduce its effectiveness, particularly enzyme-inducing drugs for epilepsy and HIV, and St John’s wort. Ordinary antibiotics do not — though vomiting or diarrhoea while unwell can.
1 Lyng Lane, West Bromwich B70 7RW · Mon–Fri 8:30am–6pm, Sat 9am–1pm · 0121 500 5756
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