Cerazette

What is Cerazette for?

Please note: You can buy contraceptive pills such as Cerazette if you have already been prescribed it by your own doctor and need a repeat supply.

Please note: You can buy Cerazette online if you have had a face-to-face pill check with your own doctor in the last year and there were no issues.

Please note: We do not prescribe Cerazette if you are aged 55 or above. You will need to speak to your own doctor once you reach this age to discuss your next options for contraception.

Cerazette is an effective contraceptive pill prescribed to women to prevent pregnancy. Each pill contains a small amount of one type of female sex hormone, the progestogen desogestrel.

In contrast to combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs), Cerazette is ideal for, and can be used by, women who cannot tolerate oestrogens, and by women who are breast feeding.

How does Cerazette work?

Cerazette works mainly by preventing the release of the egg from the ovary. It also works by increasing the thickness of the mucus at the neck of the womb so making it harder for sperm to get into the womb and fertilise an egg. Finally Cerazette affects the quality of the lining of the womb so making successful implantation of a fertilised egg less likely.

Whilst most POPs work primarily by preventing the sperm cells from entering the womb, they do not always prevent the egg cell from ripening, which is the main way that combined oral contraceptive (COC) pills work.

Mini Pill or Combined Pill

The main difference between the mini-pill and the combined oral contraceptive pill is that a combined pill is comprised of two different hormones (progestogen and oestrogen), whilst the mini-pill contains only progestogen. Therefore, for you to buy a progestogen only pill, you will need to complete an online consultation with one of our prescribers.

Also, sometimes your own doctor may not view you as suitable to take a combined pill. Those women over the age of 40, or who smoke, have high blood pressure, are breastfeeding, overweight, or experience migraines, may not be suitable to take an oral contraceptive pill containing oestrogen. The mini pill is also more suitable alternative for women who are sensitive to oestrogen.

Another difference between the mini-pill and combined pill is how they are taken. Whereas the mini-pill is taken for the full 28 days of your cycle (with no 7-day break), most combined pills are taken for 21 days followed by a 7-day beak.

You can buy the mini pill off Medical Specialists® if you’ve been prescribed this previously from your own doctor.

How to take Cerazette

Each strip of Cerazette contains 28 tablets – 4 weeks supply.

Each box of medication contains 3 strips/84 tablets – 3 months’ supply.

Take your pill each day at about the same time. Swallow the tablet whole, with water.

• Arrows are printed on the front of the strip, between the tablets. The days of the week are printed on the back of the strip. Each day corresponds with one tablet.
• Every time you start a new strip of Cerazette, take a tablet from the top row. Don’t start with just any tablet. For example if you start on a Wednesday, you must take the tablet from the top row marked (on the back) with WED.
• Continue to take one tablet every day until the pack is empty, always following the direction indicated by the arrows. By looking at the back of your pack you can easily check if you have already taken your tablet on a particular day.
• You may have some vaginal bleeding during the use of Cerazette, (See side effects in the PIL) but you must continue to take your tablets as normal.
• When a strip is empty, you must start with a new strip of Cerazette on the next day - without interruption and without waiting for a bleed.

You must read the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) before starting Cerazette. The PIL will explain all about starting your first pack of medication, although you should already have been prescribed this medication before requesting it from Medical Specialists®. The PIL will also explain other information such as what to do if you are not using hormonal contraception at present (or in the past month).

If you are having problems or are unsure about how to take this medicine, you should talk to your own doctor or a pharmacist. They can give you advice on this medicine or other medicines that may be suitable.

What are the possible side effects of Cerazette?

Side effects are rare, and most people don’t get any. Possible side effects may vary from one person to the next, as with any medication. You should always read the manufacturer’s Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) before taking this or any other medication.

This will give you important instructions on how and when to take the medication, as well as any possible side effects of the drug.

How we package your order

Your medication is placed inside a plain delivery box* for protection, then sealed inside a special tamper-proof Royal Mail envelope before being dispatched from our in-house pharmacy.

• Discreet plain packaging / No mention of medication
• Our minimum sized delivery box* to protect the medication in transit is: W - 18cm, H - 6.5cm, D - 8.5cm
• Royal Mail Tracked 24 or 48 hr (UK addresses)
• Royal Mail Special Delivery Before 1pm (UK addresses)
• Royal Mail Local Collect (UK addresses)
• Royal Mail International Signed For (Overseas addresses)
• Some delivery types will require you to sign for the parcel
• Some delivery types will require you to show Photo ID for the parcel
• Find out more information about delivery types here