Eloine
Eloine
Eloine
- Take 1 pill every day, guided by the colours, with no pill break
- Low-dose causes fewer side effects for some women
- Need yearly blood pressure and weight check
How to take Eloine
Take 1 pill daily at the same time for 28 days.
Each strip contains 24 light pink active tablets and 4 white inactive tablets. Take a light pink tablet every day for 24 days. Then take a white tablet every day for 4 days - during this time you may get your period. Once complete, start a new strip straightaway (24 light pink and then 4 white tablets). There is therefore no pill break.
Always start a new strip with the first light pink tablet on the upper left. For the correct order, follow the direction of the arrows on the strip.
How does Eloine work?
Eloine contains 28 pills per pack: 24 active pills (light pink) and 4 inactive pills (white). Each of the active tablets has different levels of hormones in them, and must be taken in the prescribed order for the pill to remain effective.
The active hormones are ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. These stops eggs from being released (ovulation), and from being fertilised.
How effective is Eloine?
When taken correctly, Eloine is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. If it’s not always taken correctly roughly 9 out of 100 women will get pregnant.
If you are vomiting or have severe diarrhoea you may not be protected against pregnancy. If this happens, continue to take the pill as usual but use a condom whilst you're ill. If this continues for more than 24 hours you should follow the same steps as a missed pill.
Please note – you should only start Eloine if you’re sure you’re not pregnant.
How long after taking Eloine are you protected?
If you start using Eloine on days 1-5 of your period, you should be protected from pregnancy immediately, provided you don’t have a short or irregular menstrual cycle.
If you start after day 1 and have short/irregular menstrual cycle you’ll need to use condoms for 7 days if you have sex. Your clinician will be able to advise if you need to use extra contraception in the first 7 days if you have sex.
What are the side effects of Eloine?
Many women do not experience any side effects, however some experience more irregular bleeding with a low-dose pill. This usually settles in a few months. Other side effects can include headaches, feeling sick, breast discomfort, or mood swings. Rarely, some women develop blood clots. This pill carries a slightly higher risk of blood clots than others. If you have any concerns, send us a message via your Patient Record.
For full information on side effects and correct use, see the patient information leaflet. If any side effects concern you, contact us via your Patient Record.
Eloine FAQs
What should I do if I miss the pill?
If you miss one of the last 4 tablets in the 4th row of the strip, this does not compromise contraception as these are placebo pills. Discard the missed placebo pill.
If you miss a light pink, active tablet (tablets 1-24 of your blister-pack), you must do the following: If you are less than 24 hours late taking a pill, take the tablet as soon as you remember and then continue taking the tablets again at the usual time. You will still be protected against pregnancy.
If you are more than 24 hours late taking a tablet, the protection against pregnancy may be reduced. The next steps depends on when you last took your pill and where you are in your pill packet. Please read the patient information leaflet for further information.
Is Eloine safe to use whilst breastfeeding?
Eloine is a combined contraceptive pill and so it is not advised to start taking it until 6 weeks after giving birth, if you are breastfeeding.
Will Eloine affect my weight?
There is no evidence to suggest that the combined contraceptive pill will affect your weight. You may find your weight changes throughout your cycle due to fluid retention and other reasons not related to the pill.
Can Eloine stop periods?
It is possible to delay your period by taking 2 packets of Eloine back-to-back.
Can I buy Eloine online?
You can request and pay for a Eloine prescription online. As this pill is a prescription-only medication, even if you are using an online service, you will need a prescription from a clinician before you can buy the treatment.
With all combined contraceptive pills, we will need to know your height, weight and blood pressure to prescribe safely. You can fill this out during the consultation. If you don’t know your blood pressure, don’t worry, you can have this checked in your local LloydsPharmacy.
Important information about Eloine
If you’ve already bought your pill from us, you can request a further 3, 6 or 12-month supply from your Patient Record, if you're medically suitable. If you want to change your pill, please send us a message via your Patient Record.
Combined contraceptives can cause your blood pressure to rise, which can be dangerous. Your blood pressure needs checking before starting any combined contraceptive, then once a year after that. If you’ve had your blood pressure checked recently, or checked it yourself using a home blood pressure monitor, you can give us this information as part of your consultation. Alternatively, you can have these checked when you pick up your prescription in your local LloydsPharmacy.
Safety: taking other medicines
You should be able to take Eloine alongside other medicines. However, it is important that you let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you are taking so that we can prescribe Eloine safely.
Alternative treatments
We offer a range of contraceptives, including NuvaRing, Evra Patch, combined pills, low-dose pills and mini pills. View all our contraception options.
Condoms are an effective form of contraception and protect against STIs.
There are also long-acting contraceptives available through your GP or family planning clinic, including implants, the coil and injectable contraception.
