Eloine needs to be taken at the same time each day, so decide on a time that’s best for you before taking your first pill. You can take Eloine with or without food.

You’ll see that each pill packet contains 28 pills. There are 24 “active” light pink pills, to be taken daily for 24 days. This is followed by four inactive pills taken for four days.

The total number of pills comprises the 28-day menstrual cycle. After you’ve taken the fourth inactive pill, you start a new pack the next day.

If you forget to take Eloine, there are detailed instructions about what to do in the package insert included with your medication. You can also ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. Remember, missing pills reduces your protection, so it’s important to avoid this whenever possible. Missing pills can also increase the chances of spotting or breakthrough bleeding.

If you miss one light pink pill, take it as soon as you remember. Then take your next pill at the regular time. This can mean taking two pills on the same day. You do not need to use any back-up birth control in these circumstances.

If you miss two light pink pills in a row in Week One or Week Two of your pack, you need to take two pills on the day you remember and then take another two pills the next day. You will need to use condoms, or another back-up method of birth control, for the next week.

If you miss two light pink pills in a row in Week Three or Week Four of your pack, and you started taking Eloine on the first day of your period, discard the rest of the pack and start a new one that day. If you miss two light pink pills in a row in Week Three or Week Four of your pack, and you started taking Eloine on a Sunday, keep taking one pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, discard the entire pack and start a new one.

If you miss three pills, you must check over the information in the package insert for advice, or speak to your own doctor or pharmacist. Use condoms if you continue to have sex, for the duration specified in the instructions.

It is safe to take Eloine with or without food. If you encounter any side effects that include nausea or feelings of sickness, try taking Eloine with a meal. Just ensure you take it at the same time every day.

It’s also generally thought to be safe to take Eloine and drink alcohol. However, you should always keep alcohol consumption within healthy limits.

Combined birth control pills like Eloine are more than 99% effective as long as they’re taken correctly. This means that out of 100 women taking Eloine over one year, fewer than one will become pregnant.

With typical use — read: forgetting the pill every now and then — the effectiveness rate goes down to around 92%. That’s eight out of every 100 women becoming pregnant over one year of taking Eloine.

To make sure Eloine is as effective as possible, follow the instructions carefully when taking it.

Common adverse effects associated with Eloine can include spotting in between periods, nausea, breast tenderness and headaches.

These side effects can be a sign of your body adjusting to the hormones in the pill. Usually they will go away on their own after a few weeks.

It depends how severe your side effects are, or if they’re uncomfortable. If you get mild side effects but find that they become annoying or aren’t going away on their own, or if you experience any uncomfortable side effects, you may benefit from switching to another pill.

You can do this easily with an EveAdam subscription. All you need to do is log in to your account and send the prescriber a message. They’ll get back to you and ask you a few questions, so they can make recommendations for you.

If something begins to feel painful or uncomfortable, seek medical advice.

Go to your nearest emergency room if you get any serious side effects. Examples may be a feeling of heat or tenderness in the leg, shortness of breath, heart problems, heavy menstrual bleeding, abdominal pain or a lump in your breast.

Not as such. There are very similar pills with a slightly higher oestrogen dose, like Lucette, Yacella, Yasmin and Yiznell.

They may not be as suitable for women who have a slight oestrogen sensitivity. But if you’re looking for a pill that is similar to Eloine, or if Eloine is causing side effects, ask the prescriber for advice during your consultation.

Very little. They contain the same hormones in the same amounts. However, Daylette isn’t currently available in the UK.

They’re also made by different companies. Daylette is marketed by Gedeon Richter, while Eloine is marketed by Bayer.

Log in to your EveAdam account and let the prescriber know. They’ll be able to discuss your birth control plan with you, and suggest other pills based on your specific needs.

If you take Eloine and find that you get side effects or that it doesn’t control menstrual symptoms as well as you would like it to, there may be an alternative that works better for you.

It depends who’s taking it. Yasmin is close to being the same pill as Eloine, only with a slightly higher dose of oestrogen. This means that Eloine may be a better option for women who tried Yasmin but experienced oestrogenic side effects like breast tenderness, bloating or headaches.

On the other hand, Yasmin may be preferable to Eloine for women who are more susceptible to progestogenic side effects like mood changes or vaginal dryness. A slightly higher dose of oestrogen can keep these side effects under control.

If you’re not sure, our registered clinician will be able to help you decide on the right pill during your consultation.