Cilique (Combined Pill)

Buy Cilique (Combined Contraceptive Pill)

Cilique is a type of combined contraceptive pill containing norgestimate and ethinylestradiol. These are synthetic versions of the female sex hormones progestogen and oestrogen, working to prevent pregnancy by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg every month and thickening the mucus in the cervix. When used correctly, combined contraceptive pills are up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

How Cilique (Combined Contraceptive Pill) works

Cilique contains two female sex hormones to help protect against pregnancy: norgestimate and ethinylestradiol. These active substances work as a contraceptive by preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg every month. It also thickens the mucus in the cervix (the neck of the womb) so it’s harder for sperm to reach an egg, and thins the lining of the womb so there’s less chance of a fertilised egg being able to implant itself into the womb and start growing. This means there are three preventative measures in place, making it extremely unlikely for you to fall pregnant.

Directions

Your Cilique pill will come in a strip of 21 pills, each labelled with a day of the week and arrows so you can easily keep track. You should take one pill each day, at the same time each day. After you’ve taken a full strip of 21 tablets, you should have a 7-day break where you don’t take any. This will trigger a withdrawal bleed similar to a period. Even if you’re still bleeding by the time you’re due to start your next strip, you should still start the strip on time.

Starting Cilique

If you’re taking Cilique for the first time, you should try to take your first pill on the first day of your period, or within the first 5 days of your period starting. This means you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start Cilique at any time, make sure you aren’t already pregnant first and keep using extra contraception for the first 7 days of taking your pills.

Side Effects

As with all medicines, Cilique can cause side effects, but not everyone will get them. See a doctor straight away if you experience any symptoms of an allergic reaction, blood clots, breast cancer, severe liver problems, increased blood pressure or fits. Information on the symptoms of these conditions can be found in the patient information leaflet. These side effects are rare but severe.

Other more common side effects can include: 

• Headache
• Feeling or being sick
• Diarrhoea
• Bleeding and spotting between periods
• Painful or unusual periods
• Migraine (see a doctor if this is your first migraine, or if it’s worse than usual)
• Swollen hands, ankles or feet
• Depression, mood changes or feeling nervous
• Dizziness 
• Difficulty sleeping
• Stomach ache, bloating, wind or constipation
• Acne or rash
• Muscle spasms or pain in the legs, arms and back
• Painful breasts
• Urinary tract infections 
• Vaginal infections, such as thrush
• Vaginal discharge
• No menstrual periods
• Feeling weak
• Weight gain

For further information on uncommon or rare side effects, refer to the patient information leaflet. If you experience any side effects, including any not included in the patient information leaflet, you can report them using the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme. 

Warnings

Cilique is a contraceptive treatment for females only - do not take this medication if you are male. You should also not take this medication if: 

• You have (or have ever had) a blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs (deep vein thrombosis), your lungs (pulmonary embolism) or other organs
• You have a disorder affecting your blood clotting (e.g. protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin-III deficiency, Factor V Leiden or antiphospholipid antibodies)
• You need an operation or if you’re off your feet for a long time
• You have ever had a heart attack or stroke
• You have (or have ever had) angina pectoris (a condition that causes severe chest pain which may be the first sign of a heart attack) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA - temporary stroke symptoms)
• You have severe diabetes with blood vessel damage
• You have very high blood pressure
• You have a very high level of fat in the blood (cholesterol or triglycerides)
• You have a condition called hyperhomocysteinaemia
• You have (or have ever had) a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’
• You have breast or liver cancer 
• You have or have recently had a severe liver disease 
• You have hepatitis C and are taking medicinal products containing ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir or dasabuvir 
• You are allergic to any of the ingredients in Cilique
• You have unexplained vaginal bleeding 

If you are taking any other medicines or herbal remedies, including those obtained without a prescription, you should speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist before taking Cilique. 

Some existing health conditions can be affected whilst taking Cilique. You should take extra caution and speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist if any of the below conditions apply to you: 

• You have problems with your heart, circulation or blood clotting, such as high blood pressure
• You have diabetes without secondary problems
• You have liver problems or gallbladder disease
• You have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammatory bowel disease)
• You have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE: a disease affecting your natural defence system)
• You have porphyria 
• You have a history of migraines
• You have elevated levels of fat in the blood (hypertriglyceridaemia) or a positive family history for this condition
• You need an operation, or you are off your feet for a long time
• You have had any of the following problems while pregnant or during previous pill use: itchy skin or blister-like rash, yellowing of skin or eyes, hearing problem, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), severe headaches, uncontrollable jerky movements
• You have just given birth
• You have haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS, a disorder of blood clotting causing failure of the kidneys) 
• You have sickle cell anaemia (an inherited disease of the red blood cells) 
• You have varicose veins
• You have inflammation in the veins under the skin (superficial thrombophlebitis) 

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

You should not take Cilique if you’re pregnant, or think you may be pregnant. You should speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist before taking Cilique if you’re breastfeeding, to make sure it’s right for you and your baby. You may be advised not to take this pill.

Important information

This product is a medicine; make sure to speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist before taking this product if you have an underlying medical problem or are taking any other medicine or complementary therapy. If your symptoms get worse or continue after taking this product, contact us or your doctor. For medical services in your area, please refer to https://www.nhs.uk

If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or our pharmacist before taking this product. If you suffer from any allergies, ask your doctor or our pharmacist if this medicine is right for you.

Store all medicines out of sight and reach of children.

Please read the included leaflet carefully before using this product.

Please contact your GP if appropriate regarding this product.

Storage

Keep in the original packaging in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight. Do not store above 25ºC. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date printed on the packaging, referring to the last day of the stated month. Keep out of reach and sight of children.