Does anything make the Pill less likely to work?

Yes. These things make it less effective:

forgetting Pills – especially at the beginning or end of a pack

having diarrhoea and/or vomiting (a common holiday risk)

taking certain antiepilepsy drugs, including Epanutin (phenytoin) and Tegretol (carbamazepine)

taking antibiotics – notably those used for fungus infections and tuberculosis (TB), but also commonly prescribed antibiotics like tetracyclines and Amoxil.

Although the effect of such common antibiotics as Amoxil (amoxicillin) on the Pill may be slight, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

In general, take extra precautions if you’re put on an antibiotic. If a doctor wants to prescribe something for you, always tell your doctor that you’re on the Pill. Also, avoid the popular herbal remedy St John’s wort while you are taking the Pill.

Please read the full list of possible drug interactions on your package leaflet.

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NHS in Wales faces £380m cutbacks

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