Lucette

Lucette is a combined contraceptive pill containing two active ingredients, ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. This makes Lucette highly effective at preventing pregnancy. Lucette can also be used to delay your menstrual period.

Lucette is a combined contraceptive pill containing two active ingredients, ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. This makes Lucette highly effective at preventing pregnancy. Lucette can also be used to delay your menstrual period.

What is Lucette?
When is Lucette used?
How is Lucette used?
What doses are available?
What are the side effects of Lucette?
When not to use Lucette?
Can Lucette be used in combination with other medicines?
Where can I buy Lucette?
Can I buy Lucette without a prescription?
Sources

Lucette contains a low dose of the oestrogen hormone ethinylestradiol plus a low dose of a progestogen hormone called drospirenone. This combination has a number of effects. Its main action is to prevent eggs from being released from the ovaries (ovulation). It also changes the properties of uterine and cervical mucus, making it less likely that a fertilised egg can implant there. As a result, the chances of pregnancy are virtually non-existent.

The contraceptive pill is a form of birth control used by women at risk of unwanted pregnancies. Lucette contraceptive pills can also be taken to deal with issues, such as:

• Irregular periods, menstrual cramps or heavy bleeding. Women who use contraceptive pills do not have menstrual bleeding but withdrawal bleeding, which is shorter and lighter than their regular period would be.
• Delay menstrual bleeding (if your period is due at a time that is not convenient).
• Acne. The hormone drospirenone has properties that reduce the influence of male sex hormones on the skin, which in turn helps to reduce skin problems such as greasy skin, pimples and blackheads.

Lucette comes in blister packs containing 21 tablets. The general guidelines for use are as follows:

• One tablet is taken every day at the same time each day. The tablets should be swallowed whole without chewing.
• The blister strip is marked with the day of the week next to each pill to avoid confusion.
• The strip contains 21 tablets. After 21 days you have a tablet-free week before the next cycle is started. During these seven days, the levels of the hormones in your blood drop, which results in a withdrawal bleed.
• Start a new strip on the eighth day.
• Did you miss a pill? This may compromise contraception. Whether or not this is the case depends on when and how many pills are missed. Please check the package leaflet for further information.
• If you are vomiting or have severe diarrhoea you may not be protected against pregnancy. Please check the package leaflet for further information.
• If you would like to switch to Lucette from a different contraceptive pill, check the package leaflet to see when to start with the first tablet. If you are not using a hormonal contraceptive, you should take the first tablet on the first day of your menstrual period. This way, you will be protected from pregnancy immediately.
• If you want to delay your period, then skip the tablet-free week and start the next pack immediately. You will get your period in the next tablet-free week. When you take two packets of Lucette back to back, you may experience light breakthrough bleeding (spotting).
• Do you want to change the date of your period? Then shorten your tablet-free week by starting a new pack after, for example, three days instead of seven. Note: never stop for more than seven days! If you stop taking the pill for longer than a week, you’re no longer protected against pregnancy.

For more information on how to use the Lucette contraceptive pill, see the package leaflet. If in doubt, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Lucette contains 0.03 mg of ethinylestradiol and 3 mg of drospirenone per tablet. Dosage is as follows:

• Women in fertile age bracket: one tablet once daily for 21 days, followed by a tablet-free week.

Contraceptive pills may cause side effects. The most common side effects include:

• Breast tenderness or soreness.
• Headache, migraine.
• Mood swings.
• Irregular periods.
• Menstrual spotting or breakthrough bleeding.
• Stomach ache, nausea.

The use of the contraceptive pill is also linked to a slight increased risk of serious side effects, such as certain types of cancer and heart and vascular disease (e.g. thrombosis or heart attacks). For more information on these risks and a complete list of possible side effects, see the package leaflet. Consult a doctor if you experience severe side effects.

Lucette is not suitable for everyone. This contraceptive pill should not be used if:

• You are allergic to ethinylestradiol, drospirenone or any other ingredient in this medicine.
• You have active breast cancer or a history of breast cancer or other hormone-related cancers, or a history of thrombosis or cardiovascular disease.
• You have an increased risk of hormone-related cancer, thrombosis or cardiovascular disease (see package leaflet for further information).
• You suffer from or have suffered from migraine with aura.
• You have an active or history of liver disease and still have a decreased liver function.
• You have kidney failure.
• You have a liver tumour or history of liver tumours.
• You suffer from vaginal bleeding without a physical explanation.

The contraceptive pill should not be used when pregnant. If you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, this contraceptive pill is not recommended. Ask a doctor to prescribe a different oral contraceptive.

In some cases, Lucette should be used with extreme caution. For instance, if you suffer from depression, diabetes or epilepsy. For a complete list of warnings, see the package leaflet.

Always consult a doctor if you are unsure if the Lucette contraceptive pill is suitable for you.

Different medicines can influence each other. Lucette is known to interact with the following medicines:

• Certain medicines to treat epilepsy (e.g. barbiturates, carbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone).
• Certain medicines for tuberculosis (e.g. rifampicin).
• Certain HIV inhibitors and medicines for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections (e.g. ritonavir, nevirapine, efavirenz).
• Certain medicines to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, increased blood pressure within the arteries of the lungs (e.g. bosentan).
• Certain antifungal medicines (e.g. ketoconazole),
• Certain medicines to treat rheumatoid arthritis (e.g. etoricoxib).
• The herbal medicine St John's Wort.
• Ciclosporin (immunosuppressant used to prevent organ rejection after organ transplants).
• Lamotrigine (anticonvulsant medicine used to treat epilepsy).
• Tizanidine (muscle relaxant).
• Theophylline (asthma medication).

See the package leaflet for a complete list of interactions. If you are unsure about whether or not the medicine you are taking can be combined with Lucette, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Lucette is only available at pharmacies or online pharmacies.

Lucette is a prescription-only contraceptive pill. This means you need a prescription from a registered doctor to obtain it.

Consilient Health Ltd. (n.d.). Lucette® Tablets 30mcg/3mg, Blister 63. Consilient Health. https://www.consilienthealth.co.uk/product-variant/lucette-tablets-30mcg-3mg-blister-63/

Insider, & Laderer, A. (2019, 5 December). Yes, birth control helps acne. Here are the best options. Insider. https://www.insider.com/does-birth-control-help-acne

Royal Dutch Pharmaceutical Society (2020, 2 July). Sub-50-pil with ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. Apotheek.nl. https://www.apotheek.nl/medicijnen/sub-50-pil-met-ethinylestradiol-en-drospirenon?product=ethinylestradiol-drospirenon#onder-welke-namen-is-sub-50-pil-met-ethinylestradiol-en-drospirenon-verkrijgbaar

Dutch National Health Care Institute. (n.d.). ethinylestradiol/drospirenone. FK-online. Consulted on 22 March 2021 on https://www.farmacotherapeutischkompas.nl/bladeren/preparaatteksten/e/ethinylestradiol_drospirenon