Cerazette
What is Cerazette?
Cerazette is a mini-pill and contains the active ingredient desogestrel, which is a synthetic version of the natural female sex hormone progestogen. Like other kinds of mini-pills, many women prevented from taking the combined pill can take the Cerazette mini-pill, including women who are over 35 and those who smoke.
Cerazette is different to other mini-pills because it’s one of the only types that can be taken up to 12 hours late, which gives you greater flexibility. It is also the most effective; it’s the only one that can prevent ovulation, and in turn helps alleviate period pains.
A study in Germany revealed that 90% of women who were suffering from oestrogen-related side effects, such as breast tenderness, fluid retention and headaches, saw their symptoms improve or resolve within three months when they switched from a combined oral contraceptive to the Cerazette mini-pill.
How do you use it?
If you buy the Cerazette mini-pill you will need to take a pill every single day. You must take them continuously because, unlike the combined pill, there is no seven-day break. Packs of Cerazette are taken back to back, even when you experience a withdrawal bleed each month.
When you buy Cerazette, you’ll notice that the pill comes in a calendar strip which helps you to keep track of taking a pill each day.
If you take the first pill on the very first day of your period, it will become effective immediately. You can buy Cerazette contraceptive pills with a view to taking it up until the fifth day of your period, but it won’t be effective straight away. If you decide to wait before starting Cerazette, you must use another method of contraception, such as a condom, to ensure you don’t fall pregnant.
What are the benefits?
There are some key benefits that women who buy the Cerazette mini-pill will experience. These include:
- Pausing of ovulation, which makes Cerazette the most effective progestogen-only pill
- No oestrogen, so women who are breastfeeding, over 35 or smokers can use it
- Period pains are reduced
What are the side effects?
Taking any hormonal contraceptive will expose you to the risk of developing side effects. However, these are much more limited with progestogen-only pills, because the side effects associated with oestrogen are eliminated.
The more commonly reported side effects amongst women who buy the Cerazette mini-pill include changes in menstrual bleeding, mood changes, decreased sex drive, headaches, nausea, acne, breast tenderness or weight gain. More uncommon side effects include vomiting, inflammation of the vagina, hair loss or fatigue. Rare side effects, which effect between one in 1,000 and one in 10,000 women, include rash or hives and ectopic pregnancy.
Who can and cannot take it?
The absence of oestrogen means that the number of women who can buy Cerazette is much greater than with any kind of combination oral contraceptive. If you know or think you’re pregnant; if you have undiagnosed, abnormal vaginal bleeding; if you have breast cancer; or if you have a hereditary blood disorder, it won’t be safe for you to buy Cerazette.
Other medical conditions might stop a doctor from writing you a prescription for this mini-pill. If you are going to have major surgery with prolonged immobilisation; if you’ve had blood clots; if you have a history of jaundice or if you have diabetes, for example, you might not be able to buy Cerazette pills.
It’s vital that you discuss your medical history and any medication you’re taking with your doctor, so they can safely assess whether it’s safe for you to buy Cerazette. If they decide it isn’t, they might suggest you try another contraceptive method.
What did it do for me?
When I was taking Yasmin, acne spread to my chest, my breasts swelled, I gained weight and my mood was awful. I had a pretty bad experience taking Cilest too, so I stopped taking oral contraceptives altogether for a year. 
My doctor agreed that I was probably highly sensitive to oestrogen and wrote me a prescription. I’ve been taking it for the past four months and it seems to really agree with my body. I’d recommend anyone who struggles with combined pills to buy Cerazette and check it out; it could be the answer to your prayers.
