Maexeni

Maexeni is a combined pill, so it contains two active ingredients that stop you from getting pregnant. One is an artificial form of progesterone and one is an artificial form of oestrogen. These are both hormones that occur naturally in your body and fluctuate during your cycle. By changing the levels of these hormones in your system, Maexeni prevents pregnancy. Maexeni also tends to give you lighter periods, and it shouldn’t get in the way of your sex life.

There are two active ingredients in Maexeni (so the ones that do the work). These are ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel. Ethinylestradiol works like oestrogen in the body, while levonorgestrel works like progesterone. They function together to prevent pregnancy in a few different ways.

Maexeni prevents ovulation, meaning your ovaries don’t release an egg as normal. It also makes the mucus surrounding your cervix much thicker and stickier, meaning that sperm can’t enter your uterus as easily. Even if an egg does somehow become released and fertilised, Maexini also thins the lining of your uterus making it much harder for an egg to implant there. All together, Maexeni stops you from getting pregnant very effectively.

There’s only one dose of Maexeni, a pill containing 30mcg of ethinylestradiol and 150mcg of levonorgestrel. This is considered a ‘standard dose’ of oestrogen (instead of combined pills with a low dose of oestrogen). You’ll take Maexeni everyday for 21 days, then have a seven day break without taking any tablets.

You should only take Maexeni as your clinician tells you.

• Swallow the pill whole, without crushing or chewing. Drink water with it if it helps.
• You can take the pill with or without food.
• The most important thing is that you take the pill at the same time each day. If you’re worried you’ll forget, try to remind yourself when it’s time to take the pill. You could try setting an alarm everyday.
• Each Maexeni strip comes with day of the week labels. Start taking the pill labeled with the day it is when you first take it.
• Then, follow the arrows and take one everyday for 21 days, until the strip is empty.
• You’ll then have seven days without taking any tablets. After a few days of not taking any tablets, you should have your period (properly called a withdrawal bleed). You’ll still be protected from pregnancy during this time.
• After these seven days are over, start on the next strip of tablets. Take them as you took the previous strip, and you’re fully protected. ^[1]

Maexeni won’t necessarily prevent pregnancy right away if you’re switching from another type of contraception or if you’ve recently had a baby. The medicine is absorbed quickly into the system, but it can take time to alter your hormones to the right amount.

If you’re taking a 21 day combined pill right now, start Maexeni as soon as you finish your last strip of the previous medication. You won’t have your withdrawal bleeding or period until you finish your first strip of Maexeni. It will prevent pregnancy right away.

If you’re switching to Maexeni from a combined pill that you take everyday, take Maexeni the day after your previous active pill. It will give you effective contraception immediately. Your withdrawal bleeding also won’t begin until your first Maexeni strip is over.

If you’re currently on the progestin-only pill, you should take your first Maexeni tablet on the first day of your bleeding. Do this even if you’ve already taken your previous pill that day and you’ll have complete protection.

When switching from a patch, injection, implant, IUS (intrauterine system) or ring, talk to your clinician for advice about changing to Maexeni and when you’ll be fully protected. If you’ve had a miscarriage or termination within the first three months of pregnancy, your contraceptipon should be fully effective if you take Maexeni straight away. If it’s longer than three months, your clinician will need to advise you.

If you’ve just had a baby, your clinician will usually tell you to take Maexeni 21 days after giving birth. You may have to use an extra method of contraception like a condom for the first seven days to make sure you don’t get pregnant again. If you’re breastfeeding, you might want to try a different kind of contraception. Maexeni can make you produce less milk for your baby. [1]

It’s important to remember Maexeni won’t protect you from STIs. It only prevents pregnancy. So you should use an additional form of contraception like a condom if you’re having sex with a new partner. If you take too much Maexeni, it shouldn’t be dangerous. It may make you feel nauseous or uncomfortable. A few people, usually young girls, experience bleeding from the vagina. Talk to your clinician if you’re worried. If you miss one pill there are a few different routes. It depends on:

1. If it’s been more than 12 hours since your last pill,
2. If you’ve missed more than one pill, and
3. If there are less than seven pills left in the pack

If it’s been less than 12 hours and you’ve only missed one pill, take the pill now. Then keep taking your pills as normal. Do this even if it means you’re taking two pills in a day. Your protection against pregnancy shouldn’t be affected. If it’s been more than 12 hours OR you’ve missed more than one pill, take your missed pill right away. If you’ve missed more than one pill, don’t take the other missed pills in the strip. Keep taking your pills as you usually do, even if that means you’re taking two pills in a day. For the next seven days, use a condom or another barrier method. Next, check how many pills were left in the pack after the missed pill. If it’s more than seven pills, keep using extra protection for seven days. When you’ve finished your current strip, take your usual seven day break. If you missed more than one pill from the first week, there’s a chance you could be pregnant. Take a pregnancy test and contact your clinician. If there are less than seven pills left in the strip, keep using your added contraception for seven days. When you finish your strip of pills, go straight onto the next strip without taking a break. This means you’ll miss your period or withdrawal bleed, but if you don’t have one after you’ve finished your next strip, you could be pregnant. If this happens, or if you miss more than one pill, contact your clinician.