Take one pill every day at the same time. It’s a 28-day pill so you don’t take a break. Start your next strip the day after you finish your previous one.

Each strip comes with the days of the week marked above it. This allows you to keep track of what has been taken.

Bleeding on Feanolla can occur for some women and is often irregular. This tends to be at the start and settles down after a month or two of use. But let your prescriber know if this continues for longer. If you get particularly heavy or prolonged bleeding, you should see a clinician right away.

For more information about how to take Feanolla, read the patient information leaflet that comes with it.

If you’re not taking a contraceptive pill or using a hormonal contraceptive already, you can start Feanolla any time. Taking your first Feanolla pill on the first day of your period (when bleeding starts) means you’re covered straight away, and you don’t need to use extra precautions.

When you start Feanolla on any other day in your cycle, you’ll need to use an extra barrier contraceptive (like a condom) for the first seven days of use.

If you have taken the mini pill (or any other progesterone only method) up until the day of swapping to Feanolla, simply carry on as you would have with the other treatment.

If you were taking the combined pill (or any other method containing progesterone and oestrogen) up until starting Feanolla, then you can start taking Feanolla immediately and remain just as protected.

Check the leaflet that comes with your pill for advice on what to do next.

It’s best to take Feanolla at the same time every day. If you’re late taking it by less than 12 hours, you’re still protected. Just take your pill as soon as you remember and the next one at the time you normally would, and carry on.

If you’re more than 12 hours late, or miss more than one pill, your protection might be reduced. If this happens, take the most recent pill you missed, then the next one at the usual time. It might mean taking more than one on the same day.

To stay protected, you’ll need to use a condom or other barrier contraception when you have sex for seven days if you’re late by more than 12 hours taking a pill, or miss one or more pills.

For most women, yes. It’s likely you'll get some spotting or irregular bleeding at first. This is one of the most common side effects of the mini pill, but tends to stop after a couple of months of using it.

Some women may get occasional spotting when using the mini pill. If this starts to concern you, or you experience heavier or prolonged bleeding, speak to a clinician.

If you decide you want to start a family, you can stop Feanolla at any point. The great thing about the mini pill is that it’s both reliable and reversible. So your hormonal cycle should get back to normal fairly soon after you stop taking it.

It’s generally recommended to wait until you’ve had at least one full period after stopping Feanolla before you actively start trying to conceive.

It’s normal to get some mild side effects when you first start using the pill. It can take a few weeks for your body to get used to the hormone change, and normally after this, side effects will pass. But you should seek advice from a prescriber if these persist or become uncomfortable.

You can sign in to your EveAdam to discuss alternatives with our clinician if you think a different pill may be better for you.

Commonly reported side effects on Feanolla include: mood swings; headache; nausea; acne; breast pain; weight gain; and irregular periods.

One of the more commonly reported side effects of the mini pill is weight gain, although by less than one in ten patients. In truth, however, there is little evidence to suggest that any birth control pill causes weight gain. Because there are so many factors that can contribute to changes in weight, it’s not an easy link to prove with any clarity.

If you get any signs of serious side effects, you should seek medical attention right away.

While these are extremely rare, it is important to understand what serious side effects are and what to look for in case they occur.

If you experience any of the following, go to hospital or speak to a doctor as soon as possible:

• changes in breast tissue such as dimples or lumps
• any signs of thrombosis, such as discoloured skin, swelling, breathlessness, chest pain, numbness and discomfort when standing
• severe mood changes or depression
• allergic reactions, signs of which may be a swollen tongue, face or throat, breathlessness or fits
• prolonged or heavy bleeding from the vagina
• signs of liver problems, such as jaundice 

This isn’t an exhaustive list. You can find more information in the leaflet that comes with your pill, or in our safety information guide for the mini pill.

There are several different types of mini pill. Feanolla is a desogestrel pill, which is the same as Cerazette, Cerelle and Zeletta.

There’s also Noriday and Norgeston, but the hormones in these are a little different to desogestrel. The missed pill window is also a bit shorter (you’ve got 3 hours instead of 12 on these).

But they may be better for some women who take desogestrel pills and get mild side effects.

Very little. Both treatments contain the same active ingredient at the same dose.

So are Cerazette and Feanolla the same? There shouldn’t be any difference in how well they work and their side effect profile.

But they are branded differently. Cerazette is made by MSD and Feanolla is made by Lupin. The price may also be different.

If taking the pill isn’t working for you, there are other options available. The depo-Provera shot or contraceptive injection is a progesterone only birth control you don’t need to remember to take every day. It lasts for 3 months, so you only need to have it four times a year to stay covered. It’s not something you can do yourself though - you’ll need to be injected by a doctor or nurse.