Femodette Side Effects: Complete Safety Guide
When Do Side Effects Start? How Long Do They Last? Timeline, Contraindications & Food Interactions
Key Takeaways: Femodette Side Effects
- Common side effects: Nausea, headache, breast tenderness, mood changes, weight changes – usually mild and transient.
- Onset: Most side effects appear within the first 1‑3 months as your body adjusts to the hormones.
- Duration: Typically subside after 2‑3 cycles; if persistent or severe, consult your doctor.
- Serious risks: Increased risk of blood clots (especially in the first year), breast cancer, and liver tumours – seek urgent help for symptoms.
- Contraindications: Do not use if you have a history of blood clots, certain cancers, liver disease, or migraine with aura.
Femodette is a highly effective contraceptive, but like all medicines, it can cause side effects. This guide explains when they might start, how long they last, and what to watch out for.
Important Medical Advice
Seek urgent medical attention if you experience: sudden swelling/pain in one leg, chest pain, breathlessness, severe headache, vision changes, or jaundice. These could be signs of a blood clot, stroke, or liver problem.
Femodette Side Effects: Overview
Femodette contains gestodene and ethinylestradiol, which can cause unwanted effects in some women. The frequency categories below are based on clinical trial data and the SmPC.
| Frequency | Side Effects |
|---|---|
| Very common (≥1/10) | Headache (including migraine), breast tenderness/pain |
| Common (≥1/100 to <1/10) | Nausea, abdominal pain, weight gain, mood changes (including depression), breast enlargement |
| Uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100) | Vomiting, diarrhoea, fluid retention, reduced libido, rash, urticaria, breast discharge |
| Rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000) | Contact lens intolerance, weight loss, increased libido, vaginal discharge, erythema nodosum |
| Very rare (<1/10,000) | Blood clots (DVT/PE), liver tumours, breast cancer, pancreatitis, worsening of SLE |
🗒️ Note: This is not a complete list. Always read the PIL and consult your doctor if you experience anything unusual.
When Do Side Effects Start?
The timing of side effects varies depending on the type and individual sensitivity.
- Immediate (first few days): Nausea, headache, breast tenderness – often due to hormonal changes. Taking the pill with food may help nausea.
- First 1‑3 months: Most common side effects appear during this adjustment period as your body adapts to steady hormone levels. This includes mood changes, breakthrough bleeding, and weight fluctuations.
- After several months: Some effects like chloasma (brown patches on skin) may develop later, especially with sun exposure. The risk of blood clots is highest in the first year of use.
- Delayed risks: Breast cancer risk increases with longer duration of use but returns to baseline within 10 years of stopping. Liver tumours (rare) may take years to develop.
How Long Do Side Effects Last?
Most side effects are temporary and diminish as your body adjusts.
- Nausea, headache, breast tenderness: Usually improve within a few days to weeks. If persistent beyond 3 months, discuss with your doctor.
- Breakthrough bleeding/spotting: Common in the first 3‑6 months; usually settles as the endometrium adapts. If it continues or starts after a period of regular cycles, seek advice.
- Mood changes: Can persist but often stabilise. If you experience severe depression, contact your doctor immediately.
- Blood clot risk: Returns to normal within a few weeks after stopping Femodette.
- Breast cancer risk: Declines after stopping and returns to baseline within about 10 years.
Side Effects Timeline: Acute to Chronic
The timeline below illustrates when different side effects typically appear and how long they may last.
| Time period | Common effects | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1‑7 | Nausea, headache, breast tenderness | Take with food; symptoms usually mild. |
| Cycle 1‑3 | Breakthrough bleeding, mood swings, weight changes | Allow adjustment; if bleeding heavy or persistent, see doctor. |
| Cycle 4‑6 | Most early side effects should have subsided. Chloasma may appear. | Use sun protection; report persistent side effects. |
| Long‑term (>1 year) | Small increased risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, liver tumours (very rare). | Regular smear tests, breast awareness. |
After stopping: Fertility returns immediately. Hormone levels fall rapidly; any hormone‑related side effects resolve within days to weeks.
Contraindications: Who Should Not Use Femodette
Femodette is not suitable for everyone. Do not use if you have any of the following:
- Current or past blood clot in a vein (DVT, PE) or artery (heart attack, stroke, angina).
- Known inherited clotting disorder (e.g., Factor V Leiden, protein C/S deficiency).
- Major surgery with prolonged immobilisation.
- History of migraine with aura (focal neurological symptoms).
- Current or past breast cancer or any hormone‑sensitive cancer.
- Severe liver disease (e.g., liver tumours, hepatitis with abnormal LFTs).
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding.
- Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy.
- Hypersensitivity to any ingredient.
- Taking Hepatitis C combination drugs (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, dasabuvir, etc.) – see interactions.
Relative contraindications (use with caution): smoking >35 years, obesity (BMI>30), hypertension, diabetes with vascular complications, dyslipidaemia, family history of VTE or breast cancer, Crohn's/UC, SLE, sickle cell disease. Discuss with your doctor.
Food & Drug Interactions
Food interactions
No specific food interactions are listed in the PIL. Grapefruit juice may slightly increase ethinylestradiol levels by inhibiting CYP3A4, but the effect is unlikely to be clinically significant. Taking Femodette with food can reduce nausea.
Drug interactions that reduce contraceptive efficacy
- Enzyme inducers: rifampicin, rifabutin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, phenytoin, topiramate, griseofulvin, St John's Wort. These increase hormone metabolism, risking contraceptive failure and breakthrough bleeding. Use additional contraception during and for 28 days after stopping.
- Certain antibiotics: While most antibiotics do not affect the pill, rifampicin and rifabutin are exceptions. Some evidence suggests broad‑spectrum antibiotics may rarely affect gut flora and reduce enterohepatic recirculation, but this is not firmly established; extra precautions are not routinely needed except with rifamycins.
- HIV/HCV medications: Some protease inhibitors and non‑nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors may alter hormone levels. Conversely, Femodette is contraindicated with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, dasabuvir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir due to ALT elevations.
Always inform any doctor or pharmacist that you take Femodette.
Femodette Side Effects FAQs
How long do initial side effects like nausea and headache last?
Usually a few days to weeks. If they persist beyond 3 months or are severe, consult your doctor; you may need a different pill.
Can Femodette cause weight gain?
Weight gain is reported uncommonly. Some women may experience fluid retention. If you gain weight rapidly, inform your doctor.
What should I do if I miss a period while on Femodette?
If you have taken all pills correctly, a missed period is not usually a concern. If you miss two periods, do a pregnancy test and consult your doctor.
Does Femodette interact with alcohol?
No direct interaction. However, excessive alcohol can impair judgment and lead to missed pills or vomiting, which may reduce contraceptive efficacy.
When does the risk of blood clots return to normal after stopping?
Within a few weeks after stopping Femodette, your risk of a blood clot returns to the level of a non‑user.
Need Femodette or Advice on Side Effects?
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Clinical References & Sources
Medical Content Manager
Nabeel is a co-founder, and medical content manager of Chemist Doctor. He works closely with our medical team to ensure the information is accurate and up-to-date.
Medical Doctor
Dr. Feroz is a GMC-registered doctor and a medical reviewer at Chemist Doctor. He oversees acute condition and urgent care guidance.
Medical Director
Usman is a co-founder, and medical director of Chemist Doctor. He leads the organisation's strategic vision, bridging clinical and operational priorities.
Review Date: 15 March 2026
Next Review: 15 September 2026
Published on: 15 March 2026
Last Updated: 15 March 2026