Birth control

I like my particular brand of birth control and don't really want to switch unless absolutely necessary. Is there a way for me to find out if I can get my current brand of birth control pill here in the UK (I'm on Yasmin)? I have yet to sign up with a GP here (we are waiting for a bill with my name on it so I can prove my address), so it will be a while before I can actually talk to a doctor about this.

Do I have to go to a doctor to get a precription for birth control, or can I just go to a local pharmacy?

You can go to a GP or your local family planning clinic for a prescription. The pharmacy would know if your specific chosen type of BC is available but it is best to take all of the information leaflets that you received with your script in with you as it is often that it will be called something else here.

Hi - yes you can get Yasmin - I am on it myself, but you will need a prescription from a doctor. Once its been presribed though, you can set it up so that you get repeats from a pharmacy. Speak to your GP once you get here, and then the pharmacy where you pick the first one up from to arrange it.

I should also mention (in England at least - I can't speak for Scotland, though I believe all prescriptions are free there, and I am a little hazy on the Welsh rules) that contraceptive medicine - i.e. the pill, or implant etc are free of charge on the NHS.

Hope that helps!

(NB first post from a long time lurker - but thought I could help with this one!)

If you go to a family planning/sexual health clinic you don't need proof of address or anything...you can go right now if you want!  They don't even ask your name, to be honest...

The Sandyford clinic is probably the biggest/best known family planning clinic in Glasgow, and it's very near us!   Just up Sauchiehall Street on a 16 or 42 bus.

If you go to a family planning/sexual health clinic you don't need proof of address or anything...you can go right now if you want!  They don't even ask your name, to be honest...

Is an exam required?  Are you able to get the patch from a family planning clinic, or just pills?

Is an exam required?  Are you able to get the patch from a family planning clinic, or just pills?

I didn't even have an exam when I got my pills from my GP after my daughter was born. I just went in and he asked what I wanted and he gave me the script.

Ahh Weby, the bearer of good news!   Thank you

Ahh Weby, the bearer of good news!   Thank you

Does anyone out there take Tri-Sprintec? I think that is the generic form, not positive what the "real" name would be. I too would like to stick to my same bcp's if possible. Also, if I needed to have an annual pap smear/exam would I go through my GP or at a clinic such as the ones you are speaking of?

Is an exam required?  Are you able to get the patch from a family planning clinic, or just pills?

I got the patch from my GP. They take my blood pressure every 6 months or so and that's all the exam I get.

Does anyone out there take Tri-Sprintec? I think that is the generic form, not positive what the "real" name would be. I too would like to stick to my same bcp's if possible. Also, if I needed to have an annual pap smear/exam would I go through my GP or at a clinic such as the ones you are speaking of?

I get my pap smears through my GP.  The practice nurse does them.

Does anyone out there take Tri-Sprintec? I think that is the generic form, not positive what the "real" name would be.

The name brand for Tri Sprintec is Ortho Tri-Cyclen. There's also Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo though, so make sure you know what amount of drugs is in the pills you're currently taking. 

I've been taking Tri-Sprintec for the past year.  I went to my GP last week to get my first birth control prescription in the UK since I'm on my last month's worth.  My GP tried to match it, but the exact combination of hormones/whatnot that Tri-Sprintec uses is not available here yet. 

There is one that uses the same stuff, but it's not tri-phasic, which means you would get the same dose of the hormones the whole time you take it as opposed to a different level each week in Tri-Sprintec.  There are various other tri-phasic pills here, so she's putting me on one of those, since she seems to think it might be easier to adjust to.

Hopefully the switch will be kind to me!

I know this is an old topic :/ but I'm moving in 5 days and I am just wondering, noseovertail how the change to the other bc pill went. Im on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and i know its not available in the uk. I have very bad reactions to bc pills and lo is the only one that hasn't had any bad side effects. Im just wondering whether it worked just as well as your original pill.  Thanks!