Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill
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Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill key facts
The Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill or the minipill is a type of birth control pill containing the hormone progestogen only. It does not contain oestrogen. Here, we will take a closer look at this method of contraception, how it works, its side effects, who can use it and how.
How does the Minipill work?
The minipill works by making the mucus in the cervix thicker, making it more difficult for sperm to fertilise eggs. The minipill also causes thinning of the lining of the uterus walls, preventing fertilised eggs from implanting in the uterus wall. Some mini pills also suppress ovulation, preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg.
How effective is the Minipill?
If taken correctly the Minipill can be almost 100% effective. However, if a pill is missed or not taken at the same time each day, it will only be around 92% effective. The minipill must be taken consistently to ensure its maximum effectiveness.
How do I take the Minipill?
This will depend on the type of progestogen-only pill you are taking:
- 3-hour pills such as Noriday: These are taken within 3 hours of the same time every day
- The 12-hour pill, such as Cerazette (desogestrel): These are taken within 12 hours of the same time each day
The Minipill will start to work straight away, if you take it on the first day of your menstrual cycle, and you will not need to use another form of contraception. You will however, need to use extra precautions if you do not start taking the Minipill on the first day of your cycle.
Missed pills?
If you are taking the 3-hour pill and are still within the 3 hour window, take the missed pill as soon as possible and carry on taking your pills as normal. If you are over 12 hours late, take the missed pill as soon as possible and continue as normal, but use extra precautions for 2 days.
The same rules apply if you are taking the 12-hour pill, but you will need to adjust the time frame to within 12 hours.
Possible side effects of the Minipill
Side effects may vary from person to person, but common side effects of the minipill include:
- Nausea, vomiting, dizziness
- Tiredness, headaches
- Diarrhoea
- Breast tenderness
- Irregular bleeding
- Ovarian cysts
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Lower sex drive
- Thinning hair
Who can use the Minipill?
The minipill is a suitable for use if you:
- Have health conditions preventing you from using contraceptives containing estrogen
- Are breastfeeding
- Are over 35 years of age
- Smoke
- Have high blood pressure
- Have a history of blood clots
- Suffer from migraines
The minipill is however not suitable if you have, or have ever had:
- Breast cancer
- Liver disease
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding
- Are taking medications that interact with the Minipill
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill?
The Mini-pill is a hormonal contraceptive containing progestin only, a man-made form of the hormone progesterone. The Mini-pill thickens the cervical mucus, making it more difficult for sperm to reach the egg, and causes thinning of the lining of the uterus, making it more difficult for a fertilised egg to implant itself in the wall of the uterus.
What’s the difference between the Mini Pill and Combination Pills?
Combination pills contain progestin and estrogen, while the Mini Pill only contains progestin.
Will the Mini pill protect me from sexually transmitted diseases?
No. The Mini pill will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). You will need to use condoms to protect yourself. Speak to your GP or visit a sexual health clinic for further advice.
Does the Mini Pill cause weight gain?
There is no evidence that the Mini-pill causes weight gain. Changes in weight while using the Mini-pill, are often due to lifestyle, genetics, or changes in your hormone levels.
Can the Mini Pill affect fertility?
No. The mini-pill does not cause any long-term changes in fertility.
How does the Mini Pill affect sex drive?
The mini-pill does not affect sex drive significantly, but stress, or other medications can.
What do I do if I forget to take my Mini Pill?
If you forget to take your mini pill, take it as soon as possible. If you miss two or more pills, speak to your healthcare provider.
Use extra precautions for the next 48 hours, but if you have unprotected sex, speak to your healthcare provider do discuss which emergency contraception to use.
Can I skip my period while taking the Mini Pill?
Yes, you can. The mini-pill allows you to skip your period if you start a new pack right after finishing one.
Which is the right Mini Pill for me?
This will depend on your medical history, lifestyle, and personal preferences. Speak to your doctor to discuss your options.
What should I do if I get side effects with the Mini Pill?
Speak to your healthcare provider if you experience side effects. They will provide you with advice on how to manage your side effects, or offer you alternatives.
Conclusion
The minipill is highly effective when taken correctly, but must be taken consistently at the same time each day to maintain its effectiveness. Discuss your needs with your healthcare provider to decide which minipill is right for you.
Sources
- Mayoclinic – Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill
- Clevelandclinic – Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill
- Webmd – Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill
- NHS – Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill
- NHS Inform – Mini Oral Contraceptive Pill
Service Guide
Everything you need to know about Getting Treated Privately
What does the Get Treated Privately service do?
The Get Treated Privately service is a private prescribing service which is designed for adults aged 18 years and over, who are experiencing health issues and who would like to receive a fast-track assessment and if applicable, a treatment plan from a qualified prescribing clinician. Treatments are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from our regulated online pharmacy.
Is this a safe service?
Yes. Our formulary of medications prescribed and conditions treated are controlled, governed, and continuously risk-assessed by our Medical Director, Dr. Aseel Hamoud. Unlike other prescribing services which operate using faceless questionnaires, our service is conducted through remote video consultations, also known as synchronous consultations. This builds patient safety and prescribing appropriateness into our service, ensuring our prescribing clinicians can be satisfied with who and what they are treating. There is no guarantee of supply of medications, and any prescriptions supplied are at the sole discretion of our clinician prescriber. There is no charge for the consultation.
What is a prescribing clinician and is it safe for me to use them on the NowPatient platform?
Our prescribing clinicians are board-certified pharmacists, nurses, or doctors who can also prescribe any medicine for any medical condition, subject to accepted accreditation and good clinical practice. They are all registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist independent prescriber is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each prescribing clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with our prescribing clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.
Is the service available worldwide?
Yes, the Get Treated Privately service is available worldwide.
Do I need to pay for this service?
Yes. This is a private service. You do not need to pay for the consultation. You only pay for the cost of the medication you are prescribed.
How do I book a consultation?
Once you have logged into your account, you will need to navigate to the Get Treated Privately quick action widget which is located at the bottom of your dashboard. You can then select one of the following actions – ‘Search Treatments’ or ‘Search Conditions’.
Depending on the search type, you will be taken to a consultation booking screen. You will then need to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language of the prescribing clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available clinicians. From this list, you can filter clinicians by gender and then select the clinician you would like to confirm for your booking.
Once you have approved this, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar. Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before it is due to start.
You can ‘star’ the Get Treated Privately quick action widget to have it display in the ‘My Favourite Widgets’ section of your dashboard, for ease of future booking or checking active or past orders.
What happens during the remote video consultation?
During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to diagnose your health condition and consider possible treatment options. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is a safe and appropriate option for you.
If it is, the clinician will discuss the various treatment options that may be available, so that you can jointly agree on the option that is most suited to you. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription order which will be available in your ‘shopping cart’ at the end of the consultation.
Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your GP of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your GP is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.
What happens at the end of the consultation?
At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise if any referrals were made to your GP, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.
If a GP referral letter was issued, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard.
If you were prescribed a treatment plan, it will now be available in your shopping cart. When you go to your shopping cart, you will be able to checkout and make payment. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our regulated online pharmacy for processing.
What if the prescriber does not prescribe what I want?
We operate a safe and effective service. This means that our prescribing clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing. Unfortunately, we do not operate a service where you can demand a certain medication. If you are not prescribed anything, then you will not be charged.
Will I get status updates for my order?
Yes. When you place an order with NowPatient, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in your ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard. You can click the notification and it will take you to your active orders screen which will give you a timeline overview of the progress of your order. This can also be accessed using the ‘My Orders’ quick action widget which is on your dashboard. Here, you can access active and past orders.
How will my order be delivered?
All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour). For thermo-sensitive orders (e.g. Insulin or weight loss injections) we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.
For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with NowPatient. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.
Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?
Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.
Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.
Where do you deliver?
We currently deliver to all postcodes/zipcodes worldwide. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.
When will my order arrive?
- UK – Royal Mail Tracked 24 & Signed for Delivery – Next day delivery
- Europe – Royal Mail Tracked – Typical delivery of 3-5 working days
- Worldwide – Royal Mail – Typical delivery of 5-7 working days. If a tracked option is available for your country via Royal Mail, this service will be applied.
What should I do if my order has not arrived?
Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your order in the ‘My Notifications’ section of your dashboard, at any point after dispatch.
Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system, if after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.
Can you prescribe GLP-1 weight loss injections?
Yes. However, with GLP-1 weight loss medications, the license requires that there are support resources put in place as part of the plan including coaching for a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and diet. Our clinicians will discuss this with you, if you are prescribed this type of treatment.
You can learn more on our Weight Loss Programs feature page.
About Telehealth
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Are remote video consultations right for me?
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Can I have a chaperone (carer, friend, family member) join a remote video consultation?
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Will my doctor be informed of any consultations I have through the app?
Do remote video consultations save money for health systems?
Are remote video consultations safer than online questionnaires?
What quality of care can I expect to receive from a remote video consultation?
Why am I being asked to provide my Blood Pressure reading?
If I don’t have a Blood Pressure monitor, how can I provide my readings?
Is the remote blood pressure monitor safe and medically accurate?
How does the remote blood pressure monitor actually work?
When and how is my remote blood pressure reading taken?
What devices does the remote Blood Pressure monitor work on?
Why do my results keep failing when using the remote blood pressure monitor service?
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What does NowPatient do?
NowPatient is an online pharmacy & telehealth service that is available in the US and UK. Our service is FREE and packed with useful features that can help you save money on the cost of your medications, access virtual treatments, and provide tools that can help improve your overall health.
Get started today and benefit from medication reminders, Get Treated Privately, NHS online pharmacy, GP appointment booking, Rx savings card, Drug Coupons, US drug savings programs, health conditions information, genetic testing, home test kits, BMI Risks, Type 2 Diabetes Risks, pollen meter, air quality monitor, and lots more!
Our service is operated by experienced medical professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom. You can view the online services that we provide by clicking Features.
UK users can safely and securely buy medicines online that treat a wide range of medical conditions. UK customers can also order NHS prescriptions online with the benefit of free tracked delivery.
US customers, regardless of insurance coverage, can enjoy huge savings on prescription medications using our various drug savings programs including drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.
Where is NowPatient located?
NowPatient has offices in the United Kingdom and United States.
In the UK, we are located at:
NowPatient
28 Chipstead Valley Road
Coulsdon
Surrey
CR52RA
In the US, we are located at:
NowPatient
8911 North Capital of Texas Highway
Suite 4200 #1263
78759
Austin, TX
How can I contact NowPatient?
To contact NowPatient, please use the contact form available on the Contact Us page.
Alternatively, if you need to speak to us, you can reach us on the following numbers:
UK telephone number – 020 388 51 500
US telephone number – 1-866-967-1977
Who owns NowPatient?
NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.
Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).
Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?
NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.
Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).
Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.
How do I make a complaint?
From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.
Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s prescribing services for treatments offered?
Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:
• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old
NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.
Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?
Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.
You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.
We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.
Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?
Yes. NowPatient provides trustworthy and accessible clinical, health education and prescription services. We are also trusted by the NHS to deliver clinical and NHS repeat prescription dispensing across the whole of England. In the United States, we work with over 65,000 pharmacies to deliver considerable costs savings for our users.
NowPatient is operated by experienced licensed medical professionals in the United Kingdom and United States. Our Medical Team can be found here.
Our service is trusted by thousands of patients worldwide. You can read their reviews on our Trustpilot:
What are NowPatient’s opening hours?
Our office hours are:
UK – Monday-Friday 9am-6pm GMT
US – Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EST
Please note that we are closed at weekends.
In the event of a medical life-threatening emergency please call:
UK – 999
US – 911
In the event of a medical emergency which is not life-threatening please call:
UK – 111