Cerazette

Women have to be well informed before buying Cerazette online.                

Cerazette is a progestin-only pill (POP) manufactured by MSD France laboratories and has been on the market since 1989. This POP comes in a packet of 28 identical pills. It is monophasic.

This hormonal contraceptive pill is composed of a single progestin, desogestrel, which is also its only active ingredient. At only 0.075mg, it has a low desogestrel progestin content. It, therefore, qualifies as a micro-pill.

How does this contraceptive pill work and how effective is it?

Cerazette is ranked as a 3rd generation pill due to it being a progestin-only pill (POP). However, this classification could be up for review, because many doctors refuse to categorise it into a generation as they believe that generational classification is only relevant to oestrogen-progestogen combined pills.

Usually, non-combined mini-pills act differently from the more commonly used combined pills. The former usually thickens the cervical mucus but does not affect ovulation.

However, Cerazette is a POP that acts the same way as a combined oestrogen-progesterone pill:

1. It primarily affects the texture of the cervical mucus, making it more viscous and opaque, hence making it impermeable to the passage of spermatozoa.As the sperm are unable to reach the egg, fertilisation does not occur.
2. Cerazette also acts on ovulation, by preventing it from happening each month. The woman using the pill, therefore, experiences withdrawal bleeding, rather than menstruation. This is the difference between Cerazette and other progestin-only pills, which will still cause women to have periods, as ovulation is not dormant but still active.

However, Cerazette is a progestogen micro-pill that acts as an oestrogen-progesterone mini-pill:

1. It mainly acts on the texture of the cervical mucus, making it more viscous and opaque and therefore impermeable to the passage of spermatozoa.As they are hence unable to reach the egg, fertilisation does not occur.
2. Cerazette also acts on ovulation, which it inhibits every month. The woman, therefore, experiences withdrawal bleeding, rather than menstruation. This is the difference between Cerazette and other progestin-only pills, which will still cause women to have periods, as ovulation is not dormant, but still active.

Because it works in two different ways, Cerazette is a very effective pill. With a Pearl Index of 0.6, its contraceptive efficacy is excellent and comparable to oestrogen-progestogen combined mini-pills.

How do I take this contraceptive pill?

Cerazette is a systematic hormonal contraceptive because it is a single-phase packet that contains 28 identical pills, all active, that you take every day at the same time, without interruption. Please note, even though the last pills in the packet are not placebos, it is important to respect the order of administration in order to see what you have taken, and to avoid missing any pills.

By taking Cerazette continuously, you take the pill even when withdrawal bleeding appears, and you start a new pack as soon as the last pill of the previous packet was taken.

Note: you can start taking Cerazette for the first time without having taken a hormonal contraceptive before.

Normally, you will start taking this contraceptive on the first day of menstruation. If you wish to take it between the second and fifth day, it is necessary to use an additional non-hormonal contraceptive device during the first 7 days of the cycle.

If you already use a combined oral oestrogen-progesterone contraceptive pill, you can start Cerazette the day after taking the last active pill, which is equivalent to the first day of the pill break.

If your current contraceptive packet is composed of 28 tablets, including 7 placebos: you start your new POP on the day you would usually take the first placebo.

In the case that you use an insertion method for your combined oestrogen-progesterone contraceptive, such as the vaginal ring or a transdermal application, like the patch, you should start Cerazette on the day that you remove the device.

You can also take your first Cerazette pill later than the first day of the new cycle: This means that the latest that you can start your POP is the day after the end of your pill break, or after the last placebo if you use a combined pill.

Similarly, when using a vaginal ring or skin patch contraceptive: you have until after the break to start Cerazette, i.e. the day you would have planned to insert a new vaginal ring or contraceptive patch.

In the case that you do not take Cerazette on the first day of your break, you must also use a non-hormonal contraceptive method, such as a condom, to protect yourself from becoming pregnant.

It is very simple to start using Cerazette when you use it immediately following another progestin device, because it also contains progestogen-based active substances, and follows the same pattern of action and contraceptive protection. Therefore, you can start at any point in the cycle once you’ve removed your previous progestin device, whether an IUD or implant.

In the case of a progestogen injection, it does not matter what day of the cycle you start Cerazette, however, it makes sense to start on the day you would normally have new progestin injections because injections are not immediately reversible. It is necessary to wait 3 months before the product completely disappears from the body.

For women who have had an abortion in the first trimester: it is not necessary to observe a period of transition, and it is even recommended to start Cerazette immediately without having to use another contraceptive method.

For women who have given birth: you should only start taking a pill like Cerazette after a period of 21-28 days, on your next period. If you decide to start the pill after this date, you should use another contraceptive method such as condoms for the first seven days.

Advantage of Cerazette oral contraceptive

When talking about Cerazette, we often speak of a small revolution in the world of hormonal oral contraception. It is true that Cerazette is a novel method of contraception, and can be a good solution for many women who felt their choice was limited before.

The main advantage of Cerazette is that, as a hormonal progestogen pill, it is suitable for all women, and especially those who are advised against taking oestrogen and hence cannot use a combined pill. This affects women with an oestrogen intolerance, those who have a history or risk of thrombosis, as well as those who, for example, have problems with blood circulation, varicose veins, and those that have already developed phlebitis, or at risk of cardiovascular disease.

This is due to the fact that progestogen does not increase the risk of developing venous thrombosis or an embolism. In fact, it has no impact whatsoever on coagulation. Of course, these women will have to be extra vigilant and monitor themselves more carefully, but at least they are no longer excluded from taking oral contraception, which is fantastic news.

In addition, this pill is also suitable for other types of women who are usually advised against taking oral contraceptives, such as smokers, older women, and women who combine these two risk factors of being smokers over 35 years of age. Again, Cerazette suits these women and represents no risk.

Moreover, breastfeeding women can also use this oral contraceptive pill with no problems or risks to their child. Studies show that breastmilk only contains a very small amount of active metabolite etonogestrel (present in desogestrel), which corresponds to an absorption of 0.01 to 0.05 micrograms per kilogramme for the infant. Children who were breastfed in this way showed no difference from those who were not.

As for its mode of use, Cerazette is also convenient because it is taken continuously. Users, therefore, do not take a break between packs, which means there is a lower risk of forgetting their next pill. By taking the pill continuously, it reduces the risk of forgetting your pill after the 7-day break when you start the next packet, which often happens with other pills.

It is even more convenient and reassuring to know that the first week of a new packet is the highest-risk time to become pregnant.

Finally, compared to other pure progestogen pills, Cerazette is the only one that tolerates forgetting a pill for 12-hours, (like its COCP cousins) while its sister, the progestin-only pill, only allows a 3-hour window after forgetting a pill. Again, this is good news for women who have trouble remembering their pill.

Considering the effects on menstruation, Cerazette aims to eliminate the appearance of withdrawal bleeding. As this is a desired effect of this type of progestogen contraception, we class this as one of Cerazette’s main advantages, because it allows its user to avoid many of the well-known inconveniences of menstrual periods: pain, heavy flow etc.

Side effects and disadvantages of Cerazette

The main disadvantage of this pill is that it is not suitable for all women; especially those with ovarian cysts. Indeed, Cerazette is unfortunately not a cure for this problem, unlike some other combined hormonal pills. Therefore, it does not aid vaginal flora, does not rebalance the vaginal environment and it does not treat ovarian cysts.

 

Most of these side effects are very rare. They also vary depending on each woman’s body and menstrual situation.

For example, as a progestogen-only pill (POP), it has a progestogen climate and hence will not reduce acne, and women who are acne-prone will actually see this problem increase.

Also, Cerazette will tend to accentuate pain and tension in the breasts of women who suffer from mastodynia, i.e. breast pain and breast-swelling during menstruation.

This adverse effect is one of the most common side effects (in 1-10% of cases), as well as headaches and feelings of nausea.

Finally, amenorrhea, which is the complete disappearance of periods, can be one of Cerazette’s side effects. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the person.

One side effect, that is no doubt an undesirable one, is the possibility of irregular intermittent bleeding outside of the menstrual period.

As for mood swings or changes in libido, it varies greatly according to the women and their own assessment of a decreased libido, compared to how they felt before.

Less common side effects (less than 1% of cases) are vaginal infections and dysmenorrhea i.e. pain during menstruation, menorrhagia and hypermenorrhoea, which is heavy menstruation over an extended period of time.

It can also cause asthenia, i.e. severe fatigue, in some women.

Finally, Cerazette can reactivate some symptoms that women might have developed during pregnancy, such as jaundice. Be careful if this concerns you and you decide to use Cerazette.

A final point of attention when taking Cerazette is the fact that, being purely progestogen, the pill can increase water retention in very rare cases. In other words, it causes weight gain and fluid retention, but this potential side effect is especially serious for women who have other diseases that could be aggravated by fluid retention such as asthma, renal or cardiac function disorders, or epilepsy.

Because this risk is very low, these women can still use Cerazette but must also be vigilant, whilst receiving close monitoring.

Cerazette’s contraindications

Cerazette’s classification is still controversial today. Some pills are classed as 3rd generation due to being progestogenic, however, many pills are not classified in terms of generation as this only applies to COCPs.

However, it is not prescribed as a first choice. Moreover, Cerazette is not advised for some women, who have the following risk factors, whether existing, known, or in the past:

Although these cases are extremely rare, in light of these risks, a complete assessment must be carried out by the prescribing doctor or gynaecologist, in order to assess your health and your suitability to taking Cerazette as a hormonal contraceptive drug. If you wish to order Cerazette online, licensed doctors can carry out this test via a detailed questionnaire.

This questionnaire focuses on personal and family history, lifestyle habits (e.g. smoking), and is accompanied by a gynaecological check-up and blood test, as well as a more general health examination.

As we said, Cerazette does not increase the risk of thromboembolism, unlike some other pills. However, some women are susceptible to developing it independently to use of the pill.

These women should avoid using the pill, but it should be remembered that all pills are subject to a risk/benefit ratio depending on the woman, as some are naturally less prone to developing problems. Every woman should be informed beforehand, and assess the risks and benefits of taking the pill, with the help of their doctor.

So, if the problems listed above should occur when taking Cerazette, you must stop taking the pill and consult your doctor immediately.

Similarly, you should stop the pill if the following symptoms are appearing after taking Cerazette:

Note: drug interactions are common, and it is important to tell your doctor about other medications or treatments you are taking, whether short or long term.

Women on enzyme-inducing treatment should use another type of contraception for the duration of the treatment time (if short term) and until the end of the next menstrual cycle after stopping the treatment (28 days).

If the hepatic enzyme inducers treatment is long term, Cerazette is not appropriate and you consider using another non-hormonal contraceptive method. This type of enzyme-inducing medicine is found in treatment for:

• anxiety with St. John’s wort
• insomnia with the use of sleeping pills and barbiturates
• epilepsy with phenytoin, primidone, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, felbamate
• many antidepressant or mood-regulating medications, containing the following molecules: carbamazepine
• bacterial infections such as tuberculosis rifampicin
• skin conditions and dermatophytes with antifungals such as griseofulvin USE
• HIV with the use of antiretroviral drugs such as ritonavir, nelfinavir

Other herbal substances also reduce the blood’s absorption of sex or steroid hormones. This concerns natural carbon or carbo veg, which is often used to treat digestive and intestinal problems.

What if you forget a pill?

Forgetting a pill isn’t serious…if you know how to react!

Forgetting to take a pill is a nightmare for women using hormonal contraception. However, following simple rituals and having quick reactions can help you avoid what all women taking the pill dread: getting pregnant.

It is helpful to know that Cerazette tolerates neglecting much better than similar pills of its kind. Indeed, the critical interval is 12 hours, just like combined pills, and not 3 hours like most POP pills.

Thus, if you remember within 12 hours after you ought to have taken the pill, you should take the forgotten pill immediately and continue taking the rest as usual. You will stay protected because its contraceptive efficacy is not affected in this circumstance.

However, if you only remember after 12 hours, its contraceptive efficacy cannot be completely guaranteed, and it will be necessary to carry out additional protective measures. After taking the forgotten pill, you should continue to take the next pill at its usual time, and use a condom for 7 days in order to protect yourself from the risk of getting pregnant.

If you forget a pill within the first week of a cycle, and you have had sex within 7 days prior, you will have to take a pregnancy test to ensure that you are not pregnant. It would also be prudent to use the morning after pill. This also applies if you have forgotten multiple pills: the more forgotten pills, the greater the risk of pregnancy.

Finally, you should keep these three golden rules in mind:

1. If you have forgotten your pill several times during the cycle: use a condom for the remaining duration of the cycle; i.e. until the next packet, and for at least 7 days. These seven days are a necessary safety-net so that you can ensure that the pill remains effective, especially in sending the pituitary-ovarian axis to sleep.
2. If you have missed several pills and you have also had sex,make sure you are not pregnant by taking a pregnancy test. This particularly applies to Cerazette, which aims to eliminate menstruation. Therefore, if you do not observe any withdrawal bleeding, there is no way of telling whether or not you are pregnant. Also, it helps to remove any doubt quickly.
3. In normal use,Cerazette is taken continuously and contains no placebos. As all of the pills are active, you never stop taking it. This can be confusing, especially as there are other oestrogen-progestogen hormone pills that are also taken continuously—however these contain placebos for the last 7 pills. As this is not the case for Cerazette, remember that you should never have a day when you don’t take it.

Cerazette can also lose its contraceptive effectiveness in the following situations:

• If you are ill and you are vomiting or have diarrhoea within 3 hours after taking the pill, it is possible that you have expelled it. In this case, it is necessary to follow the same precautions as though you have missed a pill.
• If you are taking other medicines: beware of drug interactions that can alter the contraceptive effect of Cerazette. For example, St. John’s wort used in herbal medicine is known to short circuit the action of the progestin hormone, and thus significantly contributes to a decrease in contraceptive effectiveness. Refer to the drug interactions section, because there are other drugs concerned.

Where do I buy Cerazette online & in Australia

Where do I buy it and how much does it cost?

You have two options when buying this pill

Buying Cerazette in a traditional Australian pharmacy

Like all methods of contraception, you can find it by walking into any pharmacy.

However, in order to do this, you will need to obtain a valid prescription from a qualified doctor. This doctor will ask you about your condition and prescribe the pill that suits you best.

How to buy Cerazette online & in Australia?

All women of child bearing age have had the same experience: it can be very difficult to get a quick appointment with a gynaecologist. These specialists have very busy schedules.

Buy Cerazette in an Australian pharmacy

If you do finally get an appointment, you will be given a medical examination to see if you can take the pill without risk to your health. If the test is positive you can then buy Cerazette in a pharmacy.

If you already take this pill and you want to save time, you can also buy Cerazette online from some clinics. You can now even conduct a remote medical consultation to check if your health allows you to take the pill. If the answer is positive, you can buy Cerazette online.

Buy Cerazette Online in Australia

You can only buy the pill online in cases of renewal. If you have never taken Cerazette before, the online clinic will be unable to prescribe it. If the clinic allows you to purchase the pill despite this, do not proceed with the prescription because it is no doubt illegal.

However, you must be extra careful when buying prescriptions online. The mini-pill is a prescription drug. The law on purchasing drugs online varies among member countries of the European Union. The first rule to follow is to check with your country’s health agency whether or not they allow the purchase of drugs on the internet. If the answer is positive, Pharmassimo still strongly advise that you buy Cerazette in a pharmacy, because buying drugs online can turn out to be seriously dangerous for your health.

What is the price of Cerazette Online & in Australia?

Like all birth control pills, Cerazette is only available on prescription. Pharmacists are then allowed to choose the price of the drug at will. They can decide to increase or decrease the price of the pill based on their costs and margins. Be aware that the pill is not reimbursed by social security.

• Cerazette Price: Buy in an Australian pharmacy

In pharmacies, the price of a month of Cerazette contraceptive varies from £19.90 to £48, the average price being €32.65. It is also necessary to add the price of your doctor’s consultation to this cost, which ranges from £35 to £60.

• Cerazette Price: Buy Cerazette online in Australia

Depending on the website, the online prices can be very competitive, varying from £23 to £30 per month. Depending on the website, the prescription and delivery charges might be included.

Caution: Alfadoc always recommends that you go to your gynaecologist to perform a medical examination and obtain a prescription before you buy the contraceptive pill in a pharmacy. However, if you wish to order online, beware of websites offering you low prices and promotions such as “cheap Cerazette”, “cheaper Cerazette” or “without a prescription”. These sites often sell counterfeit drugs.

[su_box title=”Sources” box_color=”#1eb0bc” radius=”0″]

• The progestogen-only pill: NHS
• Cerazette 75 microgram film-coated tablet: Medicines

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Medical review on April 2, 2017 by Dr. Davis Taylor