Levonorgestrel 1.5mg Pill

Before taking Levonorgestrel, you should always first consult your doctor. It is not suitable for anyone who is allergic to levonorgestrel or any of the other ingredients of this medicine. You should also let your doctor know if:

• you have a history of ectopic pregnancy (where the baby develops somewhere outside the womb) 
• you have a disease of your small bowel (such as Crohn’s disease) that inhibits the absorption of the drug 
• your period is late or you have symptoms of pregnancy (heavy breasts, morning sickness),
• you have severe liver problems. 
• you have a history of salpingitis (inflammation of the Fallopian tubes).

There is also some evidence to suggest that the drug may be less effective on women with a higher BMI (body mass index) but given the lack of data, it is still currently suitable to be taken by all women, regardless of weight or BMI.

You should not take this medicine together with another emergency contraceptive pill, as it will make the medication less effective.

Like many medications with active ingredients, Levonelle 1500 can affect or be affected by other medicines.  If you have used any of the below medicines in the last 4 weeks, Levonelle 1500 may be less suitable for you:

• a medicine called cyclosporin (suppresses the immune system)
• treatment for HIV
• barbiturates and other medicines used to treat epilepsy
• medicines used to treat tuberculosis
• a medicine used to treat fungal infections (griseofulvin)
• herbal remedies containing St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)

If you have taken any of these medicines then you should consult a doctor, as they may prescribe you another type of emergency contraceptive (non-hormonal) such as a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD).

You should not take Levonorgestrel if you are already pregnant, or suspect yourself of being. However, if it turns out that you are pregnant when you take it, there is no evidence to suggest that it will affect your pregnancy. Having said this, you should still go and see your doctor.

The active ingredient of this medicine is excreted into your breast milk so if you are breastfeeding then you should take the tablet immediately after nursing and then avoid doing it again for the next 8 hours. Drain your milk and throw it away to maintain milk production until 8 hours have passed.

The most common side effects of using Levonorgestrel include:

• Tiredness 
• You might have some irregular bleeding until your next period 
• Feeling sick (nausea) 
• You might have lower abdominal pain 
• Headache

If you do experience one or more of these side effects and they persist or worsen, then inform your doctor right away. You should also contact your doctor immediately if you experience any serious side effects.

You can find the patient information leaflet here.

It prevents about 84% of expected pregnancies if taken within 72 hours of having unprotected sex. Levonorgestrel 1500 works by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg and preventing sperm from fertilising any egg you may have already released.

Take the tablet as soon as possible, preferably within 12 hours, and no later than 72 hours (3 days) after you have had unprotected sex (it works best the sooner you take it). Levonelle 1500 can be taken at any time in your menstrual cycle assuming you are not already pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

You should only use Levonorgestrel in emergencies and not as a regular method of contraception. If you take the medication more than once in a menstrual cycle, it is less reliable and it is more likely to upset your period. If you need to take it more than once, you should consult your doctor about alternative, more long-term methods of contraception.

If you are already using a regular method of contraception such as the contraceptive pill, you can continue to take this at your regular times after taking Levonorgestrel.

If you have unprotected sex after taking Levonorgestrel, it will not stop you from becoming pregnant, and you should look into other contraception methods.

You can safely buy the morning after pill online at Cloud Pharmacy, without the need for a prescription, however you should adhere to the advice given in the patient leaflet enclosed.