What is Mercilon?
Mercilon is a combined pill that contains Desogestrel 150mcg and Ethinylestradiol 20mcg. These synthetic hormones mimic the effect of your bodily hormones progestogen and oestrogen, preventing you from becoming pregnant. Women with heavy periods, habitual PMS or period pains may prefer Mercilon for its ability to ease symptoms.
Doctors will usually consider prescribing Mercilon to healthy women in the fertile age group. If you cannot tolerate oestrogen, are overweight, or are a heavy smoker over 35, your doctor may recommend a progestogen based mini pill as a safer alternative.
How to take Mercilon
Mercilon is a monophasic pill supplied in calendar strips of 21 tablets. Each pill is labelled with its own day of the week. Take the appropriate pill, at roughly the same time every day, for 21 days. You will then take a 7 day break with no pills. On the 8th day you should begin a new strip of 21 tablets.
You must take the pill daily, starting on the first day of your menstrual cycle for effective protection against pregnancy.
You may experience bleeding similar to your monthly period during each 7 day break. You should begin a new strip of 21 pills on the 8th day regardless of any bleeding.
Who can use Mercilon?
Manufacturers state that Mercilon is suitable for the majority of healthy women of childbearing age. Doctors will usually consider prescribing Mercilon as long as you are not seriously overweight, or a heavy smoker over 35.
If you cannot tolerate oestrogen, or you are at risk of thrombosis or certain other serious conditions, you may be offered a progestogen mini pill as a safer alternative.
Mercilon may alleviate menstrual related problems and can reduce the risk of fibroids, ovarian cysts and non-cancerous breast disease.
As soon as you fill in a short medical questionnaire, our online GP will immediately review your health status and check whether Mercilon is safe for you to use. If your prescription is approved, our pharmacy will process your order.
Please read the Side Effects section for full information about whether Mercilon is suitable for you.
What is the dosage of Mercilon?
Mercilon uses two synthetic hormones to protect against unwanted pregnancy:
Desogestrel (a progestogen)150mcg
Ethinylestradiol (an oestrogen) 20mcg
This type of combined pill has a high (99%) success rate (if you comply exactly with the manufacturer’s and your doctor’s instructions). Similar combinations of hormones have been used in birth control pills for over half a century.
What if I forget to take my Mercilon Pill?
The manufacturer recommends that you take your daily pill at roughly the same time each day. If you forget to take a pill, and you are less than 12 hours late, simply take the tablet as soon as you can.
If you are more than 12 hours late you may be at risk of pregnancy. You should refer to the manufacturer’s pamphlet. It contains important instructions and information about what to do next.
What are the side effects of Mercilon?
Combination pills like Mercilon have been prescribed to women across the world for decades. As with any prescription medicine, there is a small risk of side effects, but these are generally easily manageable (if you follow the manufacturer’s and your doctor’s instructions exactly).
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Can I smoke if I am using oral contraceptives? Smoking is generally not recommended while using hormonal contraception as it increases the risk of serious side effects. This is specifically true if you are over 35 years old and smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day. Possible serious side effects may include strokes and blood clots. |
Possible common side effects
Most patients who follow their doctor’s advice are unlikely to experience any side effects when they use Mercilon. About 1 in 10 women may experience some of the following side effects. These will often ease within 48 hours.
- Depression or mood changes
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Breast tenderness
- Weight gain
Possible adverse reactions
Very rarely patients may experience an adverse reaction to Mercilon. If you experience any of the following symptoms you should discontinue your treatment and seek immediate medical advice.
- High blood pressure
- Thrombosis
- Breast cancer
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Important Your prescription will come with a patient leaflet giving detailed information about the medication, its ingredients, possible side effects and contraindications. Please read this leaflet carefully before you begin taking your tablets. |
If you experience serious discomfort we recommend that you go straight to your nearest casualty department. In an emergency dial 999.
When not to take Mercilon
Do not take Mercilon if you are:
- Pregnant - or think that you may be pregnant
- Overweight (BMI 35 or over)
- Aged 35 + and a heavy smoker
- Vulnerable to thrombosis
If you suffer from certain severe medical conditions, or are taking some prescription medications, you may not be able to use Mercilon safely. It is very important to mention any relevant medical issues when you fill in your online health questionnaire. Our GP will check your answers straight away and confirm whether Mercilon is the safest contraceptive for you. Your order will then be processed for free next day delivery by UPS courier.
| If you have any questions about birth control pills, contraceptive rings, or contraceptive patches you can login to your DoktorABC account and begin a free confidential chat with an online GP. |
Leaflet info
The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is the leaflet included in the pack with a medicine. It is written for patients and gives information about taking or using a medicine. It is possible that the leaflet in your medicine pack may differ from the PDF-version from this website because it may have been updated since your medicine was packaged or the medicine is from another brand.