Novelon
Desogestrel · Ethinylestradiol
Novelon is a combined oral contraceptive pill containing desogestrel 0.15mg and ethinyl estradiol 0.03mg, taken once daily at the same time to prevent pregnancy.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.15/0.03mg | 21 tablets | $33.18 | $1.58 |
| 0.15/0.03mg | 42 tablets | $53.34 | $1.27 |
| 0.15/0.03mg | 63 tablets | $69.30 | $1.10 |
| 0.15/0.03mg | 105 tablets | $102.90 | $0.98 |
| 0.15/0.03mg | 168 tablets | $154.56 | $0.92 |
- Category
- Women's Health
- Active ingredient
- Desogestrel · Ethinylestradiol
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 0.15/0.03mg
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Contraception
- Therapeutic Class
- Combined Oral Contraceptive
- Pharmacological Class
- Estrogen/Progestogen
- Minor Side Effects
- Nausea, Breast tenderness
- Moderate Side Effects
- Weight changes, Mood swings
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Manufacturer
- Organon
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- Rifampin, St. John's Wort
- Age Restrictions
- Adults
FAQ
What pack sizes does Novelon come in?
Novelon comes as 0.15/0.03mg tablets in packs of 21 to 168. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
How discreet is Novelon delivery to Hong Kong?
Novelon is sent in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents. Tracked courier takes 5 to 9 business days with online tracking. Standard airmail takes 14 to 21 business days, 30 at most, and is untracked.
What is another name for desogestrel and ethinylestradiol?
Novelon is a branded generic of desogestrel and ethinylestradiol, the ingredients in Desogen and Mircette. The combination is also sold as Gedarel. Here, desogestrel and ethinylestradiol can be bought online as Novelon, and also as Femilon and desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
How quickly does Novelon start working?
Start on day one of your period and protection begins with the first tablet. If you start at another point in the cycle, such as the first Sunday after bleeding begins, another method of contraception is needed for the first seven days.
Can I drink alcohol with Novelon?
Alcohol does not stop Novelon from preventing pregnancy. A heavy night is a different matter: if you vomit within a few hours of taking a tablet, it may not have been absorbed, and contraception can be less reliable for the following seven days.
What is the difference between Novelon and Femilon?
Both use 0.15mg of desogestrel, but the oestrogen differs: Novelon has 0.03mg ethinyl estradiol and Femilon has 0.02mg. Femilon therefore gives a smaller oestrogen dose per tablet, and both are taken once a day.
Does Novelon protect against sexually transmitted infections?
No. Novelon prevents pregnancy only, and it gives no protection against HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. If you want cover against both, a condom is used alongside the pill.
What does 0.15/0.03mg mean on a Novelon pack?
The two figures are the amounts of the two hormones in each tablet: 0.15mg of desogestrel and 0.03mg of ethinyl estradiol, with the progestogen written first and the oestrogen second.
About Novelon
What Novelon does
Each Novelon tablet pairs desogestrel 0.15mg, a progestogen, with ethinyl estradiol 0.03mg, an oestrogen. Together they mostly stop the ovaries releasing an egg (ovulation). Desogestrel also thickens the mucus at the neck of the womb, which makes it harder for sperm to pass, and the steady hormone levels keep bleeding to a predictable schedule. Beyond contraception, combined pills are used for heavy or irregular periods, for endometriosis (tissue like the womb lining growing outside the womb) and, in some women, for acne.
What a month on Novelon looks like
Most people take the first tablet on day one of a period; a first-Sunday start is also common. After that it is one tablet a day, at the same time each day — morning or evening, whichever you will remember — and it makes no difference whether you have eaten. Another method of contraception is usually used for the first seven days. Bleeding comes in the tablet-free days, or during the inactive tablets if your pack contains them. Vomiting or severe diarrhoea can stop a tablet being absorbed, and a backup method for the next seven days is the usual answer.
Side effects, common and serious
Breast tenderness, headaches, mood changes and spotting between periods are common in the first few months and often settle. Blood clots are rare but serious: a clot in the leg brings pain and swelling in the calf, one in the lung sudden breathlessness and chest pain, and one in the brain a severe headache, weakness or numbness on one side, or trouble speaking. Sudden changes in vision, chest pain or a swollen, painful leg need urgent treatment.
Medicines that make the pill less reliable
A short list of medicines breaks these hormones down faster, and protection drops while you take them and for 28 days afterwards: rifampicin and rifabutin (antibiotics for tuberculosis), carbamazepine and phenytoin (epilepsy), griseofulvin, topiramate at higher doses, and St John's wort. Ordinary antibiotics such as penicillins, macrolides and tetracyclines are not on that list. Smoking is a separate matter: it adds to the clot and heart risk that comes with oestrogen-containing pills, especially after 35.
Other desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets
The same two hormones appear here under other names. Desogestrel And Ethinyl Estradiol is a 0.15/0.03mg daily tablet, the same strengths as Novelon. Femilon pairs the same 0.15mg desogestrel with 0.02mg ethinyl estradiol, a smaller oestrogen dose. All three follow the same once-a-day routine, so the difference between them comes down to brand and the amount of oestrogen in each tablet.
Sources
- Ethinyl Estradiol and Desogestrel (Oral Contraceptive): MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / National Library of Medicine
- Ethinyl Estradiol and Norethindrone (Oral Contraceptives): MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus