What should I do if I miss a pill?
There are strict rules about what you should do if you miss a pill or forget to take it at the usual time. A lot depends on which day of your cycle you are on, and how much time has passed before you remembered that you needed to take you Levest pill.
If you are less than 12 hours late
Take your missed pill immediately, and then take all further pills at the usual time; as long as you are not more than 12 hours late in taking your pill you still have full contraceptive protection.
If you are more than 12 hours late
If you are more than 12 hours late taking Levest, the effectiveness of your pill could be compromised; a lot depends on when you missed taking your pill. Full guidance on missed pills can be found in your pack insert and full patient information leaflet which can be found inside the box of your contraceptive pack or downloaded from this site.
If you have missed more than one pill from a pack
The more pills you miss, the greater is the risk that the pill is no longer effective. Ask your doctor or other healthcare provider for advice.
If you have missed one pill in the first week
You must take the pill as soon as you remember, even if this means taking two pills on the same day. Take all remaining pills at your normal time every day, but for the next 7 days you should use an additional form of contraception such as a condom, diaphragm or cervical cap.
If you have had sex in the week before you forgot to take your pill, you could be pregnant. Speak to your doctor or other healthcare provider.
If you have missed one pill in the second week
Take your missed pill as soon as you remember, even if this means taking two pills together on the same day; then take all further pills as normal. Your pill is still effective and you don’t need to take additional precautions.
If you have missed one pill in the third week
Your pill is still effective and you don’t need to take extra contraceptive precautions. Once you have realised that you have missed a pill you can either:-
a) Take your missed pill as soon as you remember, and complete the pack. Once completed, start your new 21 day pack immediately without a pill free interval.
OR
b) As soon as you are aware you have missed a pill, do not take any further pills from that pack. Instead, start your 7 day pill-free interval immediately (including the day that you missed a pill) and then resume taking your pill as normal.
