Norgestimate vs Gestodene (desogestrel??)

[MarcNDay]

Hello!

A Bit of a mild crisis has cropped here as we're on vacation, and the airline
has lost our luggage. In said luggage was a pack of Orthocyclin pills, around
eight of which had been used.

Unfortunately, local pharmacies were only able to provide us with a pill based
around 0,060mg "Gestodene (DCI)" (French Name), which we're assuming is the
same as desogestrel, and 0,015mg Ethinylestradiol (DCI).

Question: Can this pill be taken safely for four days in place of the
orthocyclin (norgestimate based) or are we basically screwed?

Related Question: If you have to leave the pill 8-10 days in the cycle, can it
be resumed immediately after the next period, or is there some waiting time
required.

Of course, we'll talk to the obgyn when we return home.
Thanks!

mark.

[Sam Saidi]

The standard dosage for gestodene in the UK is found in Femodene and
Minulet, both of which contain:
75mcg gestodene
30 mcg ethinyloestradiol

The closest (and only) match containing norgestimate in the UK is Cilest
Norgestimate 250 mcg
Ethinyloestradiol 35 mcg

I have never heard of the French pill you mentioned which appears to use
half the oestrogen in standard pills, although there is a pill in the UK
called Mercilon, very similar to Marvelon which both contain desogestrel
150mcg. Mercilon has 20mcg and Marvelon has 30 mcg of ethinyloestradiol.

Unfortunately we do not have orthocyclin in the UK, so I have mentioned the
above closest matches that I can get from your description.

If the french pharmacy routinely use the pill you are decribing (I am only
suspicious because of the very low oestrogen content) then it would be
reasonable to use these for the days that you are in Europe, then swtich
back to the normal pill on your return. However, because you are dropping to
a lower dose of oestrogen (assuming your pill is 20-30mcg) the contraceptive
effect cannot be guaranteed. Fortunately you are at the least risky time of
the packet, having taken 8 pills already (the middle week is the least risky
in that up to 4 pills can be missed without significantly affecting the
contraceptive efficiency).

So you have options:
(1) Take the French pills and accept a (probably slight) reduction in
contraceptive effect
(2) Don't take the Frecnch pills and use something else!
(3) Take double the French pills, this would give you 30mcg oestrogen dosage
(is that the same as your pill?) but would double the amount of progesterone
gestodene, which has been linked to the increased risk of venous thrombosis
associated with this type of contraceptive pill.

Hope this helps.
BTW if you leave the pill off, when you return and restart it you should
wait 7 days for contraceptive effectiveness to be restored, unless you
restart the pills at the beginning of a period.

Sam Saidi

MarcNDay <marc...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19991229113826...@ng-fg1.aol.com...

[femme...@gmail.com]

Hi Sam, I found your response while doing a google search. Maybe you can help. I take June fe 1 MG20 MCG generic for loestrin fe, goal is to reduce excessive bleeding and endometriosis. I am now in South Africa and it's not sold here, which one is the best from the available list ??


Minesse® EE 15 μg GSD 60 μg
Mirelle® EE 15 μg GSD 60 μg
Melodene® EE 20 μg GSD 75 μg
Mercilon® EE 20 μg DSG 150 μg
Yaz® EE 20 μg Drospirenone 3.0 mg
Nordette® EE 30 μg LNG 150 μg
Femodene® EE 30 μg GSD 75 μg
Minulette® EE 30 μg GSD 75 μg
Marvelon® EE 30 μg DSG 150 μg
Yasmin® EE 30 μg Drospirenone 3.0 mg
Triphasil® EE 30/40/30 μg LNG 50/75/125 μg
Logynon® EE 30/40/30 μg LNG 50/75/125 μg
Tri-Minulet® EE 30/40/30 μg GSD 50/70/100 μg
Triodene ED® EE 30/40/30 μg GSD 50/70/100 μg
Brevinor® EE 35 μg NET 0.5 mg
Dianne35®
Ginette®
Minerva®
EE 35 μg
Cyproterone
acetate
2 mg
Tricilest®
Cilest®
EE 35 μg NGS
180/215/
250 μg
Trinovum® EE 35 μg NET 0.5/0.75/1 mg
Biphasil® EE 50 μg LNG 50/125 μg
Ovral® EE 50 μg NGS 500 μg