Microgynon to rigevidon - looking for reassurance!

MissSarah151

ellay864 wrote: »

The twp products have exactly the same active drugs in them but there are some slight differences in the inactive materials that are also included. But they're unlikely to account for the horror stories, that's more down to people thinking they will be different and convincing themselves they are. Kind of like when you see food packaging change you can convince yourself the recipe is different!
People on forums that focus on drug treatments are often likely to be only to happy to share (and exaggerate) any bad stories but you never get people saying how good a treatment was. Googling can be really bad for your health in that way. if you want to find out about drugs look for the Uk approved prescribing information, you can find this by googling eMC (electronic medicines compendium) and then searching on the drug. This will give you the prescribing information made available to doctors (the SmPC, summary of product characteristics) which can be quite lengthy, and the PIL (patient Information leaflet) which is what you get in the packs and is written in lay language. Read those, see what's in your drug and the recognised side effects (which for any contraceptive will be quite scary anyway!) and ignore all the scaremongering on random sites!

I agree to an extent - but in my case and I can only speak for me - for some reason I could no longer tolerate the pill once switched to rigevidon - could have been coincidence (microgynon may have had the same effect eventually) or it could have been due to something different in rigevidon (like I said, I do have allergies and had quite a serious allergic reaction to a prescribed painkiller years ago so it could have been one of the inactive ingredients that caused my symptoms). I don't have any of the mentioned symptoms since stopping it - and nothing else has changed life-wise either that could have contributed - which leads me to conclude it was the rigevidon.

I hope my post didn't appear as scaremongering - I just wanted to give an honest account of my experience.

heartbreak_star

Best thing I ever did was stop faffing with pills and have Depo. I loved my Mirena but can't have another put in for a while

HBS x

CupOfChai

I'd go for depo because it'd be easier than taking pills all the time, only I'm very wary of it because if a pill doesn't agree with me, then I can just stop taking it, but if it turns out depo doesn't suit me they can't get it out again. I'd be stuck with it until it wears off. Plus I worry that it might sort of... work less well, when it's coming up to being due another one, as it's started to wear off.

heartbreak_star

It lasts for 12 weeks but I always have my next one at 11 weeks

I would never use anything that might lose effect, as I would happily be sterilised if the docs would do it *sigh*. Depo is easily as effective as the pill though, and affected by less factors.

Admittedly, if you have side effects you're stuck for a while, but until you try, you won't know

I want my Mirena back

HBS x

stir_crazy

heartbreak_star wrote: »

Best thing I ever did was stop faffing with pills and have Depo. I loved my Mirena but can't have another put in for a while

HBS x

I tried the depo and I had mild panic attacks. I've just tried the implanon and I had constant bleeding for a year, as well as acne and panic attacks. I've considered the coil but its not for me (my mum and a close friend both had bad experiences with a coil so I'm too wary of it).

So the best option for me is the pill. I was on microgynon and am now using rigevidon and not experienced any side effects, even the acne has almost cleared.

chuckley

thank god they got rid of it. the devils potion.

taking of receiving different pills and such why dont pharmacies tell you its unavailable rather than just give u an alternative?

they tried it with me when oilatum was OOS and gave me some cheaper carp claiming it was 'the same'. i gave it back and found an independent with stock.

and when marvelon had issues they did the same. i refused and found somewhere with stock.

**professor~yaffle**

So if someone wants the actual Microgynon (not the cheap alternative) would they still be able to get it privately?

chuckley

yep, find an independent chemist only used by its minimal locals, where they go through stock slowly. you might have a trek but you'll be amazed at the amount of chemists you'll find. i never knew there could be so many in a small space!

CupOfChai

You'd have to be prescribed Microgynon though, the pharmacy aren't just picking the cheapest brand of something off the shelf, they give you whatever is written on your prescription. It was my actual prescription that had been changed by the GP, but because it was in on a repeat service I didn't see the change until I collected the tablets.

Emiec23

Hi I need some help

Usually take microgynon but have been given rigevidon, I have been told the pills are exactly the same, when reading the leaftet inside it says changing to rigevidon from another combined hormonal contraceptive - start taking rigevidon on the next day after the end of the previous contraceptive strip, do not leave a gap I between....my question is does this apply if your just changing brands ?? Or can I just take my break as usual and start my new pill on the 8th day? Thanks