Choosing The Right Combined Contraceptive Pill

How much choice is there?

With over 20 different types of combined contraceptive pills to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. A few years ago the Family Planning Association said women are forced to put up with painful periods, water retention and problem skin because their doctors aren’t prescribing them the right contraceptive pills. Of the wide range available, many GPs rely on the five most popular types when offering oral contraceptives.

How can I choose the right pill?

When choosing a pill, it’s important to remember that everyone’s body responds differently to hormones and the first brand you try won’t necessarily suit your body perfectly. It is a case of trial and error with every woman, and you’ll need to try a few different types of combined contraceptive pills before you’ll know which suits your body.

It you’ve never used combined contraceptive pills before, your doctor will usually prescribe you a monophasic pill. Each pill causes benefits and side effects which are exclusive to a few, or sometimes just one, kind of pill. For this reason you should discuss any existing conditions with your doctor, because it can affect which pills are safe for you to use. If you suffer from acne, hirsutism, polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis, certain combined contraceptive pills can provide symptomatic relief.

Which combined contraceptive pills would suit my body?

The different types of pill are just as effective as each other, so choosing the right combined contraceptive pill often comes down to the symptoms you have during or before your period.

Spots are often cause by an excess of testosterone, which increases oil production. You should consider pills that contain cyproterone (which blocks the action of male hormones in the skin) such as Dianette. There are many other oral contraceptives that are proven to treat acne including Brevinor, Cilest, Marvelon and Yasmin.

If you suffer from severe PMS, you should choose pills that are proven to reduce bloating and limit mood swings. Yasmin is the best to help with this, because it contains a hormone that is known to limit water retention.

Heavy or painful periods can be treated with the combined contraceptive pill. In fact, this is one of the main reasons women are prescribed the pill.

How will I know if I’ve picked the right or wrong pill?

It’s easy to see if the combined contraceptive pill you’re using doesn’t suit your body; you’ll experience side effects. All kinds of oral contraceptives can cause side effects, but they should become milder with time.

If you experience serious side effects, like severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath or tightness in the chest, severe headache, vision problems or leg pains, you should stop taking the pill and talk to your doctor.

You should see your doctor every few months when using a new combined contraceptive pill. This will allow your doctor to monitor your health, and allow you to discuss any side effects you’ve developed. It’s important to tell your doctor any side effects you’ve noticed, and explain if they remain or have disappeared, because this information will help them recommend alternative pills that may be better suited to your body.

How can I buy the pill online?

You can only buy oral combined contraceptive pills with a prescription online, but this is easy to do with euroClinix. If you complete a consultation, one of our registered doctors will review it and assess the risks of using the pill you have chosen. If the doctor feels the pill is safe for you to use, they will write you a prescription and you can buy the contraceptive online.

If the doctor feels the combined contraceptive pill is unsafe, they may recommend a progestogen-only pill(the mini pill), which you can read about here.

Visit our contraceptive pills page to find out a wide range of oral contraceptives.