Lucette

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Lucette is a combined contraceptive pill which contains synthetic versions of the female sex hormones ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. The hormones in the pill work by preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg.

These hormones also increase the amount of mucus in the neck of your womb (cervix) which makes it difficult for sperm to get through and reach an egg. The quality of the lining of your womb is also affected so that if an egg is fertilised, it won’t be able to implant itself, preventing pregnancy.

Lucette is more than 99% effective (less than 1 woman per year will become pregnant whilst using Lucette) when used correctly.

But because taking a pill every day on time can be difficult, Lucette is 91% effective when taken “typically”.

Combined pills like Lucette are more effective than condoms and diaphragms, but less effective with typical use than long-acting hormonal contraception (LARC) such as the progesterone only implant, injection, and IUS and copper IUD.

Lucette is used to prevent pregnancy in sexually active women. Because taking the combined contraceptive pill can also result in lighter, less painful and more regular periods, it’s sometimes prescribed for women who experience heavy, painful or irregular periods.

In women who need contraception and suffer from PMS (premenstrual syndrome), PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) or acne, combined pills like Lucette may help to lessen some of the symptoms of these conditions. In women who take combined pills, there’s a lower risk of endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancer.

Women who want to prevent pregnancy without using a barrier type of contraception such as a condom. However, Lucette won’t protect you against STIs.

You shouldn’t take Lucette and should use another type of contraceptive if you’re over the age of 35 and smoke (or have given up in the last year) or if you’re over 50.

Don’t take Lucette if you’re you are allergic to any of the ingredients in it or if you:

• are pregnant, have given birth recently, or are breastfeeding a young baby
• have a history of blood clots (thrombosis) in your lungs, legs, or eyes, or anyone in your family has had a blood clot
• have had a heart attack or a stroke
• have ever had breast cancer or have a high risk of breast cancer
• have an irregular heartbeat or angina
• have a genetic condition that makes your blood more likely to clot
• have experienced migraines with aura
• have a history of high blood pressure
• have had any oestrogen-dependent growths
• have experienced abnormal vaginal bleeding
• are obese

You may not be able to take Lucette, and should discuss it with your doctor, if you suffer from:

• liver problems
• kidney problems
• gallbladder conditions
• porphyria
• problems with your heart valves or heart muscle
• high cholesterol
• diabetes
• SLE
• immobility
• hereditary angioedema
• inflammatory bowel disease
• or have had an organ transplant, major surgery or weight loss surgery

There are other conditions that might mean you will have to take extra care if you use Lucette. For the full list of conditions, see the leaflet that comes with your medicine. You may still be able to use Lucette but just need regular checkups with your doctor.

If you start taking Lucette on the first day of your period, you won’t need to use an extra form of contraception. You can start taking Lucette up to day five of your cycle and you will be protected from pregnancy, unless you have a short menstrual cycle (a period every 23 days or less) or an irregular cycle, in which case you should use condoms for the first 7 days.

If you’re sure you’re not pregnant, you can start taking Lucette at any other time in your cycle, but you won't be protected from getting pregnant straight away so you’ll have to use another form of contraception for the first seven days if you have sex.

You may be able to start taking Lucette 21 days after giving birth as long as you’re not breastfeeding. You should talk to your nurse or doctor about when it’s safe for you to start taking Lucette after giving birth. You’ll need to use condoms or another type of contraception for the first 7 days if you have sex.

If you’ve just had an early miscarriage or an abortion, you’ll be protected against pregnancy if you start taking Lucette straight away. If you don’t start using it for 5 days or more, you won’t be protected and you’ll have to use a condom or other form of contraception at the same time, for the first seven days of taking your pill.

If it’s your first time using Lucette it’s possible that you might experience a little spotting, breakthrough bleeding, or even miss one or more periods. If it doesn’t settle down, or you don’t have a withdrawal bleed for two months in a row, take a pregnancy test before starting your next pack. If you continue to have bleeding irregularities (bleeding whilst not on your pill free break after 3 months or bleeding after sex at any point) see your GP.

Like all medicines, Lucette can cause side effects. Not everyone will experience side effects from taking these tablets.

Although weight loss is often listed as a side effect by manufacturers, there’s no evidence that combined pills like Lucette make you put on weight.

Blood clots are a more serious complication which can be associated with taking the combined pill. Women using Lucette (and other pills containing drospirenone) have a higher risk of blood clots than women using most other combined pills. But, this risk overall remains low in healthy, non smokers under the age of 35. In one year blood clots will be diagnosed in:

• 2 in 10,000 non pregnant women who aren’t using combined contraception
• 5 to 7 in 10,000 women using a combined pill which contains levonogestrel, norethisterone or norgestimate
• 9 to 12 in 10,000 women using a combined pill containing drospirenone, gestodene or desogestrel

Women who take a combined pill also have a slightly higher risk of breast and cervical cancer, heart attack, and stroke. You should seek medical attention immediately if you notice:

• stabbing pains or unusual swelling in one of your legs
• pain on breathing or coughing
• coughing up blood
• breathlessness
• severe chest pain
• migraine or severe headaches
• breast lumps, breast pain, nipple discharge or skin changes
• bleeding after sex or between periods or abnormal vaginal discharge
• a disturbance in your vision, hearing or speech
• weakness or numbness on one side of your body
• a significant rise in blood pressure
• itching all over your body
• jaundice

Lucette shouldn’t be taken during pregnancy. If you do get pregnant while you’re taking it, however, there’s no evidence that it will harm your baby. If you think you could be pregnant, stop taking your pill immediately and see your doctor.

The hormones in Lucette can reduce the amount of breast milk you produce so you shouldn’t use it until after weaning, or at least six months after your baby is born (although some women may be able to start this after 6 weeks, after discussion with their GP). In addition small amounts of the contraceptive may be excreted with the milk during use of the pill. These amounts may affect the child.

If you forget to take one pill, and you’re at least 24 hours late in taking it, take it as soon as you remember – even if this means taking 2 pills close together.

Depending on where in the pack this missed pill happens, you may need to use condoms for 7 days and in some cases may need emergency contraception if you’ve had unprotected sex.

Always read the information leaflet that comes in your pill packet and discuss with your nurse, doctor or pharmacist if you miss a pill for further advice on whether emergency contraception is required, and use condoms for 7 days unless advised otherwise.

If you’re sick within 3 hours of taking your Lucette, take another one as soon as you feel well enough to keep it down. If it’s taken within your usual 24-hour window and you don’t have any more vomiting, then this does not count as a missed pill. If you carry on being sick, your pill is likely to be less effective and you’ll need to treat each day that you’re sick as if you’d forgotten to take it (see above). Carry on taking your pill as soon as you feel well enough.

If you have very severe diarrhoea and it lasts for more than 24 hours, carry on taking your pill as normal and treat each day that the diarrhoea continues as if you’d forgotten to take it, as above.

Certain medications can interact with Lucette, making it less effective and vice versa. If you take, or start taking, any medications, including over the counter treatments and herbal remedies, always discuss these with your doctor or nurse to make sure they don’t interact with your pill. Make sure you also read the leaflet that comes with your pill for more information. Examples of medications which can interact with Lucette are:

• epilepsy medications
• HIV medications
• weight loss and laxative medications
• enzyme inducers
• St John’s wort

The active ingredients

0.03 mg ethinylestradiol and 3 mg drospirenone

The other ingredients

Tablet core: lactose monohydrate, pregelatinised maize starch, maize starch, povidone K-25, magnesium stearate

Film-coating: polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide (E171), talc (E553b), macrogol 3350, lecithin (soya)