Femodette is an oral contraceptive, birth control pill based on two synthetic hormones, gestodene and ethinylestradiol which can successfully mimic the activity of naturally-synthesised sex hormones progesterone and oestrogen, respectively. Developed and marketed in the UK by Bayer pharmaceutical company, Femodette is a 21-day pill which means that it is taken for 21 days consecutively. After that period, no pills are to be taken for seven days, prior to commencing a new cycle. As a branded medication that is 99% effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy, Femodette is used by countless women throughout the UK.

What’s on this page?

How reliable is Femodette?

As mentioned, Femodette is advertised as 99% effective when used properly. But, using this birth control pill is fairly straightforward. You will have to make sure that you don’t miss any pills and that you take them on the correct days of your cycle, while keeping the 7-day break in mind. Another thing that is important to be aware of is the fact that there are certain medications and remedies which might compromise the efficiency of Femodette, so you should be careful and use barrier contraception if the need arises to take them alongside this contraceptive pill. The substances in question are listed here:

  • Epilepsy medications
  • Bosentan
  • Antibiotics
  • HIV medications
  • Aprepitant
  • Fosaprepitant
  • Modafinil
  • Barbiturates
  • St John’s wort
  • Metoclopramide
  • Medical charcoal
  • Colesevalem
  • Ciclosporin
  • Slegiline
  • Tizanidine

How does Femodette work?

In order to prevent unwanted pregnancy, Femodette will mimic the activity of naturally-occurring sex hormones, interfering with the processes in the female body that make pregnancy possible. The first and probably most important precondition for conception is ovulation, the release of the egg cell from the ovary and its subsequent movement to the fallopian tube where it can get fertilised. Ovulation is directly tied to the activity of progesterone, so Femodette will rely on gestodene in order to trick the body into “believing” that ovulation already took place, so the egg cell will not get released.

On the other hand, oestrogen plays an important role in enabling the egg to implant in the uterine wall. So, the other active ingredient of this contraceptive pill, ethinylestradiol, will change the consistency of the uterine wall, making it much difficult for the egg to actually implant. At the same time, this synthetic hormone will increase the thickness of cervical fluids, making it much harder for sperm to reach the egg cell even if it gets released. In total, all of these mechanisms of action act in tandem to make conception 99% less likely to occur. However, in practice, synthetic progesterone alone will be effective enough to prevent ovulation at the first place, thus making secondary lines of defence de facto unnecessary.

Can I buy Femodette online in the UK?

Yes, Femodette can be bought online, but regardless of the way you wish to obtain this birth control pill, you need to keep in mind that this is a prescription-only medication and as such, it can be obtained only with a valid prescription issued by a certified medical professional. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t obtain it online! In fact, most online clinics operating in the UK today offer their customers to consult with a doctor online, most commonly through a specialised on-site app or a customised medical questionnaire that should help the doctor get a detailed insight into the patient’s medical profile and history.

With this information, the doctor can make an informed assessment of your condition and your suitability for using Femodette. If everything checks out, the medication will be sent from the partner pharmacy to the address you provided during the sign up process. Alternatively, the doctor is likely to recommend some of the alternatives that might be more suitable for you. While the doctor might prescribe you some of the Femodette analogues such as Femodene, it more likely get prescribed some slightly different combined contraceptive, such as Gedarel for example.

How to take Femodette?

As was mentioned, proper use of Femodette is absolutely crucial for ensuring maximum level of protection. With that in mind, we will present some of the most central guidelines that you should keep in mind. Of course, it is important to keep in mind that what follows is just a short overview that is to be used for illustrative purposes and cannot be thought of as a substitute for your prescriber instructions or detailed guidelines that you can find in the official patient information leaflet that is issued within every pack of Femodette.

  • Always use exactly as instructed
  • You should take one pill daily for a period of 21 days, followed by 7 days without any pills
  • You should take Femodette at the same time each day
  • Read the leaflet to learn about when and how to commence therapy, although in most cases you will start taking Femodette on the first day of your period
  • The marks and arrows on the strip to keep track of your treatment
  • If you miss a pill, consult the leaflet about how to proceed
  • Never try to compensate the missed pill by taking double dose

What are Femodette side effects?

As is the case with all prescription medication, Femodette also has a potential of causing certain side effects in women who are especially susceptible to them. Of course, not everybody using this contraceptive pill will experience them, but it is still important to get familiar with them prior to commencing treatment.

Some of the documented side effects include the following:

Common (1 in 10 women) Uncommon (1 in 100 women) Rare (1 in 1000 women)
·       Stomach ache

·       Nausea

·       Weight fluctuations

·       Headaches

·       Mood swings

·       Breast pain

·       Breast tenderness

·       Fluid retention

·       Vomiting

·       Migraines

·       Loss of libido

·       Skin rash

·       Itching

 

·       Eye problems

·       Weight loss

·       Vaginal discharge

·       Breast discharge

·       Skin discolouration

 

 

Please keep in mind that this is not a complete list of all documented side effects. For a more comprehensive overview, please refer to the official patient information leaflet that is issued within every pack of Femodette.