Mercilon This leaflet is designed to help you take Mercilon. Please read it carefully. If you still have any doubts about how to take Mercilon, please ask your doctor. Introduction There are several means of preventing a pregnancy. One of these is by taking the pill. When taken correctly, the pill has several important advantages over other methods of contraception.
N.B. The information in this leaflet only concerns Mercilon. For information on any other contraceptive pill read the leaflet about that pill. How Mercilon works You take Mercilon once a day for 21 days on the run. This provides a small amount of female sex hormones. These hormones are intended to prevent the monthly release of an egg from the ovaries. If an egg is not released you cannot become pregnant. The first 21 days are followed by 7 days when you don-t take a pill. During these pill-free days your regular 'monthly period' occurs. However, this period may be lighter and shorter than usual. How effective is Mercilon? Mercilon is one of the most reliable methods of contraception if taken correctly. To make Mercilon as effective as it can be remember:
Starting your first Mercilon pack If you are not taking the pill at present If your period has not yet begun read section 1. If your period has begun in the last 5 days read section 2 If it is more than 5 days since your period began read section 3.
If you don't have this period, consult your doctor to make sure you are not pregnant. Until the result of the pregnancy test arrives, do not take Mercilon but take extra contraceptive precautions. Read the section 'Extra contraceptive precautions' carefully.
You will not be protected against pregnancy for the first 7 days of pill taking; you must take extra contraceptive precautions. Read the section 'Extra contraceptive precautions' carefully. |
How to take Mercilon The Mercilon pack contains 21 white pills. On the day you start a new pack of Mercilon, take a pill marked with the corresponding day of the week. For example, if it is Wednesday, take the pill marked Wednesday on the upper row of the pack. Follow the direction of the arrows and continue taking one pill each day until the pack is empty - that is for 21 days in all. Take your pill at the same time each day, preferably in the evening. Swallow each pill whole, with water if necessary. Your next packs When you have finished all 21 pills, don-t take any more for 7 days. You will probably have a period during these 7 days. Start your next pack on the 8th day. Do this whether or not you are still bleeding or even if you have not had a period. Providing you take Mercilon correctly, you will always start each new pack on the same day of the week. You will not become pregnant during the 7 day break from taking the pill, as long as you have taken your pills correctly, and start the next Mercilon pack on time. When you change from other pills
Finish all the pills in your old pack. Take your first Mercilon pill the next day. Do not leave a gap between packs and do not wait for your period to begin. Continue taking Mercilon as instructed in the section 'How to take Mercilon', above. You don't need extra contraceptive precautions. You will not have a period until the end of the Mercilon pack, but this is not harmful, nor does it matter if you notice some bleeding while taking the pills.
When you have taken all the active pills in your every day pack (21 or 22 pills) start taking Mercilon the next day. Do not leave a gap between taking your every day pill and starting Mercilon. Throw away the remaining inactive pills (6 or 7). Continue taking Mercilon as instructed in the section 'How to take Mercilon', above. You don't need extra contraceptive precautions. You will not have a period until the end of the Mercilon pack, but this is not harmful, nor does it matter if you notice some bleeding while taking the pills.
Start taking Mercilon on the first day of your period, even if you have taken a mini-pill on that day. Throw away the remaining pills in the POP pack. Continue to take Mercilon as instructed in the section 'How to take Mercilon', above. You don't need to take extra contraceptive precautions. You may not have a period while taking the mini-pill, especially if you are breast-feeding. Start taking Mercilon the day after you stop taking the mini-pills. Throw away all the remaining mini-pills. You must take extra contraceptive precautions for the first 2 days of taking Mercilon . Read the section 'Extra contraceptive precautions' carefully. EXTRA CONTRACEPTIVE PRECAUTIONS When you need extra contraceptive precautions, either:
Don't use rhythm methods as extra contraceptive precautions. This is because the pill disrupts the usual menstrual cycle changes such as changes in temperature and cervical mucus. continued |
After a baby If you have just had a baby and you are not breastfeeding, your doctor may advise you to start taking Mercilon 21 or 28 days after delivery. If so, you don't need any extra contraceptive precautions. Read the section 'How to take Mercilon', above. If you have had sex in the 21 to 28 days since the baby was born you must not start Mercilon until the first day of your first period. If you start Mercilon more than 28 days after delivery you will not be protected against pregnancy for the first 7 days of taking pills. For these 7 days, take extra contraceptive precautions. Read the section 'Extra contraceptive precautions', carefully. If you are breast feeding you can still become pregnant, and so you should take contraceptive precautions. Your doctor may advise you not to use the pill- it may reduce the amount of breast-milk you produce, especially if you start taking it shortly after delivery. You might be able to use the mini-pill (POP). Ask your doctor for advice. After a miscarriage or abortion If you have just had a miscarriage or an abortion you should start taking Mercilon immediately. You are then fully protected against pregnancy and don't need any extra contraceptive precautions. Read the section 'How to take Mercilon'. What to do If your periods seem different at first This is normal when you start the pill. You will probably have less bleeding and it may be a different shade of red. You may have a little bleeding from time to time while taking the pills but this should stop within a few months. If your periods seem different, don't stop taking your pills, just mention it to your doctor at your next visit. If bleeding occurs on any of the 21 pill-taking days If you have been taking Mercilon correctly for a few months and you see sudden spotting or break-through bleeding (not seen in previous cycles), this may mean that the pill is not working fully as a contraceptive. You should consult your doctor. If you forget to take a pill THE 7-DAY RULE If: then continue to take your pills as usual. However take extra contraceptive precautions for the next 7 days. Read the section 'Extra contraceptive precautions' carefully. BUT- If these 7 days run beyond the end of your pack, start the next pack as soon as you have finished the present one. Do not leave a gap between packs. You may not have a period until the end of 2 packs but this does you no harm. Nor does it matter if you see some bleeding on pill-taking days. If you have a stomach upset or diarrhoea If you have vomiting or diarrhoea the pill may not work. Continue taking it, but you may not be protected from |
the first day of vomiting or diarrhoea. If the symptoms disappear within 12 hours after you've taken a pill, take an extra pill from a spare pack and continue with the rest of the pack as usual Mercilon should still give you contraceptive protection during this cycle. However, if the symptoms continue after those 12 hours you must take extra contraceptive precautions during the stomach upset or diarrhoea and for the next 7 days. (Read the sections on the '7-day rule' and 'Extra contraceptive precautions carefully). If your stomach upset or diarrhoea continues for some time, consult your doctor. If you have to take other medicines Several medicines may interfere with the way the pill works. These include some drugs that treat acne, epilepsy and tuberculosis and some antibiotics. Other less common medicines might also have this effect. If you are diabetic, the pill may alter the amount of insulin or other antidiabetic drugs which you need to take. You should consult your doctor for specific advice. Always tell your doctor if you plan to use other medicines. Remember to tell any doctor you consult that you are on this pill before they prescribe other medicines. If you want to skip a period Sometimes you may want to skip a period, such as during holidays, exams or other special occasions. You can do this with Mercilon but there are certain limits. To skip your period entirely, don't leave a gap between packs. Start a new pack on the day after finishing your old pack. Use the pack in the normal way for 21 days. During the use of the second pack you may notice slight spotting or breakthrough bleeding but you will still have full contraceptive protection provided you have not forgotten any pills. Start your next pack of Mercilon after 7 pill-free days. If you miss a period If you have taken all your pills correctly you are very unlikely to be pregnant. Take your next pack as normal. If you have not taken them correctly, or if you miss a second period, see your doctor at once. If you are having an operation. treatment for varicose veins or have to stay in bed If you are planning to have an operation, surgery to the legs or medical treatment for varicose veins that will mean Iying in bed afterwards, it may be best for you to stop taking the pill at least four to six weeks beforehand. You will need to take extra contraceptive precautions. If you have an accident, emergency surgery or long illness that means Iying in bed for some time your doctor may advise you to stop taking the pill. You will need to take extra contraceptive precautions. You can usually start taking the pill again two weeks after you are fully mobile. Ask your doctor for advice. What to do If you smoke Smoking increases the risks to your health and increases some of the risks of taking the pill It is best to stop smoking anyway. Older women, who continue to smoke, may be advised to change to another contraceptive method. If you want to have a baby If you want to have a baby you should stop taking the pill it is not harmful to get pregnant straight after this. However, it is helpful to wait until you have had two periods before you try to get pregnant. This makes it easier to work out when the baby is due. You can use another contraceptive method such as a cap plus spermicide or a condom until then. Occasionally regular periods do take some time to return, but this is rare. Important tips
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More about Mercilon You may find some of the medical words used difficult to understand. If so ask your doctor or a medically qualified member of your family planning clinic to explain. Absolute contraindications (Reasons for not taking the pill) Your doctor will decide whether there are any medical reasons why you should not take the pill. Therefore you should inform your doctor about your state of health. Mercilon is a 'combined' contraceptive pill, because it contains two hormones, an oestrogen and a progestogen. Don't take Mercilon if any of the following apply:
or
If you develop any of the conditions above whilst you are taking the pill, stop taking it and see your doctor immediately. Relative contraindications If you have any of the following conditions your doctor will tell you whether you can use the pill. If your doctor agrees to prescribe the pill, you should ask for regular check-ups during the time you take it. If any of the following conditions apply, or if you have any of them at present and they get worse, your doctor may advise you to stop taking the pill. y if the risk of having blood clots (thrombosis) in the veins is increased, by, for example, a major operation or during long-term immobilisation or severe varicose veins.
Warnings and precautions Medical supervision/consultation When you are using the pill, you should arrange for regular check-ups by your doctor. He or she should pay special attention to your blood pressure and your breasts |
and give you a regular examination of the pelvic organs (including a cervical smear). Consult your doctor promptly if any of the following happen:
Adverse reactions Various adverse reactions have been associated with contraceptive pills that contain oestrogen or progestogen. They can be classified as mild, more annoying or serious. if any signs or symptoms appear that make you think that you may have a serious adverse reaction, you should stop using the pill and consult your doctor immediately. Mild reactions A variety of complaints have been reported in women who use the pill. However these complaints are not necessarily caused by the pill. They are not normally dangerous and are not likely to damage your health.
More Annoying Reactions During the first few months, while your body is adjusting itself to the pill, some bleeding may occur between your periods, especially if you use low-dose pills. This may be just slight staining ('spotting') which may not even require a pad, or heavier 'break-through' bleeding, which looks rather like a scanty period and requires sanitary protection. In either case keep taking the pill. The bleeding, which usually stops in a day or two, is not serious and will not harm you. It does not mean that the pill does not suit you or that the pill is not giving you contraceptive protection. it may simply mean that your body is adjusting itself to the pill. Occasionally the following conditions may occur.
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A rare disease called Sydenham's Chorea.