Zellminelle
Package leaflet: Information for the user
Zellminelle 0.02 mg/ 3.0 mg tablets
(Ethinylestradioland Drospirenone)
Important things to know about combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs):
• They are one of the most reliable reversible methods of contraception if used correctly
• They slightly increase the risk of having a blood clot in the veins and arteries, especially in the first year or when restarting a combined hormonal contraceptive following a break of 4 or more weeks
• Please be alert and see your doctor if you think you may have symptoms of a blood clot (see section 2 “Blood clots”)
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you starts using this medicine because it contains important information for you.
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Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
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If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist or nurse.
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This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are same as yours.
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If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What is in this leaflet
What Zellminelle is and what it is used for
What you need to know before you take Zellminelle
How to take Zellminelle
Possible side effects
How to store Zellminelle
Contents of the pack and other information
1. What Zellminelle is and what it is used for
• Zellminelle is a
contraceptive pilland is
usedto prevent
pregnancy.
•Each
tabletcontains a small
amountof
twodifferent
femalehormones,
namely
drospirenone and
ethinylestradiol.
•Contraceptive pills
thatcontain two
hormonesare called
"combined oral
contraceptives".
2. What you need to know before you use Zellminelle
General Comments
Before you start using Zellminelle you should read the information on blood
clots (thrombosis) in section 2. It is particularly important to
read the symptoms of a blood clot – see Section 2 “Blood
clots”).
Before you
start takingZellminelle, your doctor
willask you about yourpersonal health history and the
health history of your close
relatives. Thedoctor will
alsomeasure your blood
pressureand, depending on your personal health
situation, the doctor may also
carry out some other
tests.
In this leaflet, several situations are described where youshould
stop usingZellminelle or where the
reliabilityof Zellminelle may be
decreased.In thosesituations you should
eithernot have
sex, or use an
extra non-hormonal contraceptive
precautions (for example use a condom) or another
barrier method.Do not use thetemperature methodor
periodicwithdrawal method. These
methodsare unreliable
becauseuse of Zellminelle
changes body temperature and cervical mucus.
Like other
hormonal contraceptives,
Zellminelle does not protectagainst
infection withthe HIV
virus(AIDS) orothersexuallytransmitted
diseases(STDs).
Do not take Zellminelle
You should not use Zellminelle if you have any of the conditions listed below. If you do have any of the conditions listed below, you must tell your doctor. Your doctor will discuss with you what other form of birth control would be more appropriate.
if you are allergic to ethinylestradiol or drospirenone, or any of the other ingredients of
this medicine (listed in section 6). This may cause itching, rash or swelling;
if you have (or have ever had) a blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs (deep vein
thrombosis, DVT), your lungs (pulmonary embolus, PE) or other organs;
if you know you have a disorder affecting your blood clotting – for instance, protein C
deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin-III deficiency, Factor V Leiden or
antiphospholipid antibodies;
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if you need an operation or if you are off your feet for a long time (see section ‘Blood clots (thrombosis and embolus)’;
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if you have ever had a heart attack or a stroke;
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if you have (or have ever had) angina pectoris (a condition that causes severe chest pain and may be a first sign of a heart attack) or transient ischaemic attack [TIA – temporary stroke symptoms]);
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if you have any of the following diseases that may increase your risk of a clot in the arteries:
– severe diabetes with blood vessel damage
– very high blood pressure
– a very high level of fat in the blood (cholesterol or triglycerides)
– a condition known as hyperhomocysteinaemia
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if you have (or have ever had) a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’;
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if you have or have ever had liver disease and your liver function is still not normal;
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if your kidneys are not working properly (renal failure);
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if you have or have ever had a tumour in your liver;
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if you have or have ever had breast cancer or cancer of the reproductive organs;
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if you have unexplained bleeding from the vagina;
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking this medicine.
When should you contact your doctor? Seek urgent medical attention - if you notice possible signs of a blood clot that may mean you are suffering from a blood clot in the leg (i.e. deep vein thrombosis), a blood clot in the lung (i.e. pulmonary embolism), a heart attack or a stroke (see ‘Blood clot’ (thrombosis) section below. For a description of the symptoms of these serious side effects please go to “How to recognise a blood clot”. |
Tell your doctor if any of the following conditions apply to you.
If the condition develops, or gets worse while you are using Zellminelle, you should also tell your doctor.
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if you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammatory bowel disease);
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if you have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE –; a disease affecting your natural defence system);
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if you have haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS - a disorder of blood clotting causing failure of the kidneys);
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if you have sickle cell anaemia (an inherited disease of the red blood cells);
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if you have elevated levels of fat in the blood (hypertriglyceridaemia) or a positive family history for this condition. Hypertriglyceridaemia has been associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
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if you need an operation, or you are off your feet for a long time (see in section 2 ‘Blood clots (thrombosis)’);
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if you have just given birth you are at an increased risk of blood clots. You should ask your doctor how soon after delivery you can start taking Zellminelle;
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if you have an inflammation in the veins under the skin (superficial thrombophlebitis);
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if you have varicose veins;
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if someone in your immediate family has or has ever had breast cancer;
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if you have a disease of the liver or gallbladder;
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if you have diabetes;
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if you suffer from depression;
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if you have epilepsy;
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if you have a disease that first appeared during pregnancy or previous use of sex hormones (for example hearing loss, a blood disorder called porphyria, skin rash with blisters during pregnancy (herpes gestationes), disease of the nerves causing sudden movements of the body (Sydenham's chorea));
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if you have or have ever had chloasma (a yellowish brown discoloration of the skin especially of the face or neck, so called "pregnancy patches"). In this situation avoid direct exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light during the use of Zellminelle;
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if you have hereditary angioedema, products containing oestrogens can cause or worsen the symptoms. You should contact your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms of angioedema such as swollen face, tongue or throat or difficulty in swallowing or hives together with difficulty in breathing;
BLOOD CLOTS
Using a combined hormonal contraceptive such as Zellminelle increases your risk of developing a blood clot compared with not using one. In rare cases a blood clot can block blood vessels and cause serious problems.
Blood clots can develop
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in veins (referred to as a ‘venous thrombosis’, ‘venous thromboembolism’ or VTE)
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in the arteries (referred to as an ‘arterial thrombosis’, ‘arterial thromboembolism’ or ATE).
Recovery from blood clots is not always complete. Rarely, there may be serious lasting effects or, very rarely, they may be fatal.
It is important to remember that the overall risk of having a harmful blood clot due to any Zellminelleis small.
HOW TO RECOGNISE A BLOOD CLOT
Seek urgent medical attention if you notice any of the following signs or symptoms.
Are you experiencing any of these signs? |
What are you possibly suffering from? |
• swelling of one leg or along a vein in the leg or foot especially when accompanied by: • pain or tenderness in the leg which may be felt only when standing or walking. • increased warmth in the affected leg. • change in colour of the skin on the leg e.g. turning pale, red or blue. |
Deep vein thrombosis |
• sudden unexplained breathlessness or rapid breathing; • sudden cough without an obvious cause, which may bring up blood; • sharp chest pain which may increase with deep breathing; • severe light headedness or dizziness; • rapid or irregular heartbeat; • severe pain in your stomach; If you are unsure, talk to a doctor as some of these symptoms such as coughing or being short of breath may be mistaken for a milder condition such as a respiratory tract infection (e.g. a ‘common cold’). |
Pulmonary embolism |
Symptoms most commonly occur in one eye: • immediate loss of vision or • painless blurring of vision which can progress to loss of vision |
Retinal vein thrombosis (blood clot in the eye) |
• chest pain, discomfort, pressure, heaviness; • sensation of squeezing or fullness in the chest, arm or below the breastbone; • fullness, indigestion or choking feeling; • upper body discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, arm and stomach; • sweating, nausea, vomiting or dizziness; • extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath; • rapid or irregular heartbeats; |
Heart attack |
• sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; • sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; • sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; • sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; • sudden, severe or prolonged headache with no known cause; • loss of consciousness or fainting with or without seizure; Sometimes the symptoms of stroke can be brief with an almost immediate and full recovery, but you should still seek urgent medical attention as you may be at risk of another stroke. |
Stroke |
• swelling and slight blue discolouration of an extremity; • severe pain in your stomach (acute abdomen); |
Blood clots blocking other blood vessels |
BLOOD CLOTS IN A VEIN
What can happen if a blood clot forms in a vein?
• The use of combined hormonal contraceptives has been connected with an increase in the risk of blood clots in the vein (venous thrombosis). However, these side effects are rare. Most frequently, they occur in the first year of use of a combined hormonal contraceptive.
• If a blood clot forms in a vein in the leg or foot it can cause a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
• If a blood clot travels from the leg and lodges in the lung it can cause a pulmonary embolism.
• Very rarely a clot may form in a vein in another organ such as the eye (retinal vein thrombosis).
When is the risk of developing a blood clot in a vein highest?
The risk of developing a blood clot in a vein is highest during the first year of taking a combined hormonal contraceptive for the first time. The risk may also be higher if you restart taking a combined hormonal contraceptive (the same product or a different product) after a break of 4 weeks or more.
After the first year, the risk gets smaller but is always slightly higher than if you were not using a combined hormonal contraceptive.
When you stop Zellminelle your risk of a blood clot returns to normal within a few weeks.
What is the risk of developing a blood clot?
The risk depends on your natural risk of VTE and the type of combined hormonal contraceptive you are taking.
The overall risk of a blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT or PE) with Zellminelle is small.
Chances of getting a blood clot areincreased by taking the pill.
- Out of 10,000 women
who are not using any combined hormonal contraceptive and are not
pregnant, about 2 will develop a blood clot in a year.
- Out of 10,000 women who are using a combined hormonal contraceptive that contains
levonorgestrel, norethisterone, or norgestimate about 5-7 will develop a blood clot in a year.
- Out of 10,000 women who are using a combined hormonal contraceptive that contains drospirenone, such as Zellminelle between about 9 and 12 women will develop a blood clot in a year.
- The risk of having a blood clot will vary according to your personal medical history (see
“Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot” below).’
|
Risk of developing a blood clot in a year |
Women who are not using a combined hormonal pill/patch/ring and are not pregnant |
About 2 out of 10,000 women |
Women using a combined hormonal contraceptive pill containing levonorgestrel, norethisterone or norgestimate |
About 5-7 out of 10,000 women |
Women using Zellminelle |
About 9-12 out of 10,000 women |
Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot in a vein
The risk of a blood clot with Zellminelle is small but some conditions will increase the risk. Your risk is higher:
• if you are very overweight (body mass index or BMI over 30kg/m2);
• if one of your immediate family has had a blood clot in the leg, lung or other organ at a young age (e.g. below the age of about 50). In this case you could have a hereditary blood clotting disorder;
• if you need to have an operation, or if you are off your feet for a long time because of an injury or illness, or you have your leg in a cast. The use of Zellminelle may need to be stopped several weeks before surgery or while you are less mobile. If you need to stop Zellminelle ask your doctor when you can start using it again.
• as you get older (particularly above about 35 years);
• if you gave birth less than a few weeks ago
The risk of developing a blood clot increases the more conditions you have.
Air travel (>4 hours) may temporarily increase your risk of a blood clot, particularly if you have some of the other factors listed.
It is important to tell your doctor if any of these conditions apply to you, even if you are unsure. Your doctor may decide that Zellminelle needs to be stopped.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using Zellminelle, for example a close family member experiences a thrombosis for no known reason; or you gain a lot of weight.
BLOOD CLOTS IN AN ARTERY
What can happen if a blood clot forms in an artery?
Like a blood clot in a vein, a clot in an artery can cause serious problems. For example, it can cause a heart attack or a stroke.
Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot in an artery
It is important to note that the risk of a heart attack or stroke from using Zellminelle is very small but can increase:
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with increasing age (beyond about 35 years);
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if you smoke. When using a combined hormonal contraceptive like Zellminelle you are advised to stop smoking. If you are unable to stop smoking and are older than 35 your doctor may advise you to use a different type of contraceptive;
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if you are overweight;
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if you have high blood pressure that is not controlled through treatment;
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if a member of your immediate family has had a heart attack or stroke at a young age (less then about 50). In this case you could also have a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke;
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if you, or someone in your immediate family, have a high level of fat in the blood (cholesterol or triglycerides);
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if you get migraines, especially migraines with aura;
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if you have a problem with your heart (valve disorder, disturbance of the rhythm called atrial fibrillation)
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if you have diabetes.
If you have more than one of these conditions or if any of them are particularly severe the risk of developing a blood clot may be increased even more.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using Zellminelle, for example you start smoking, a close family member experiences a thrombosis for no known reason; or you gain a lot of weight.
Zellminelle andcancer
Breast cancer has been
observed slightly more often in women using combination pills, but
it is not known whether this is caused by the treatment. For
example it may be that more tumours are detected in women on
combination pills because they are examined by their doctor more
often. The occurrence of breast tumours decreases after stopping
the combination hormonal contraceptives. It is important to
regularly check your breasts and you should contact your doctor if
you feel any lump.
In rare cases, benign liver tumours, and in even fewer cases malignant liver tumours have been reported in pill users. Contact your doctor if you have unusually severe abdominal pain.
Bleeding between periods
During the first few months that you are taking Zellminelle, you
may have unexpected bleeding (bleeding outside the seven pill-free
days). If this bleeding occurs for more than a few months, or if it
begins after some months, contact your doctor, as they must find
out what is wrong.
What to do if no bleeding occurs in the seven pill-free
days
If bleeding does not occur in the seven pill-free days, even if you have taken all the tablets correctly and if you have not vomited and did not have severe diarrhoea, and you have not taken any other medication, then it is very unlikely that you are pregnant.
If the expected bleeding does not happen twice in a row, you may be pregnant.
Contact your doctor immediately. Do not start the next strip until you are sure that you are not pregnant.
Other medicines andDrospirenone /Ethinylestradiol
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have
recently taken or might take any other medicines.
Tell your doctor which medicines orherbal products you arealready using.Also tell anyother doctor or dentist whoprescribes another medicine(or thedispensing pharmacist) thatyou are usingZellminelle. They cantell you if youneed to use additionalcontraceptive precautions(for example condoms) and, if so, how longto do this.
Some medicines can makeZellminelle less effective in preventing pregnancy, or cancause unexpected bleeding. These include:
Medicines
used for the treatment of:
o epilepsy (for example
primidone, phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine,
oxcarbazepine)
o
tuberculosis (for example rifampicin)
o infection with HIV (ritonavir, nevirapine) or other
infections (antibiotics such as
griseofulvin, penicillin, tetracycline)
ohigh
blood pressure in the blood vessels in the lung
(bosentan)
The herbal remedy St. John's wort.
Zellminelle may influence the effect of other medicines, such as:
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medicines that contain cyclosporine
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the anti-epileptic medicine lamotrigine (this could lead to an increased number of seizures)
Ask your doctor orpharmacist foradvice before takingany medicine.
Zellminelle with food
and drink
Zellminellemay be taken with orwithout
food, if
necessary with a little
water.
Laboratoryinvestigations
Ifyou need a
bloodtest,
tell your doctor or thelaboratory staff that
youare taking Zellminelle, because hormonalcontraceptivescan affect
theresults of
some tests.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
If
you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or
are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for
advice before taking this medicine.
Do not useZellminelleifyou are pregnant. If youbecome pregnant while takingZellminelle,stop taking it immediatelyandcontactyourdoctor. Ifyouwant to become pregnant, you can stop using Drospirenone /Ethinylestradiol at any time.
The useofZellminelleis generallynot advisable whena woman isbreast-feeding.If youwant to useZellminellewhileyou are
breast-feeding, contact yourdoctor.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.
Driving andusing machines
There is no information indicating that
Zellminelleaffects driving or
using machines.
Zellminelle contains lactose, E102, tartrazine and E110, sunset yellow FCF
Lactose:If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
E102, E110:May cause allergic reactions.
3. How to take Zellminelle
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Take
one tablet of
Zellminelle dailywith a little water if
necessary. Youmay take the
tabletswith or without food, but youshould take the
tabletsevery day around the same time.
Each strip contains 21tablets. Next to each tablet, is printed the
day of the weekwhen it
should be taken. For example, if you start on a
Wednesday, take a tablet with"Wednesday"next to
it. Follow
thedirection of thearrow on the strip until you have taken
all 21 tablets.
After you
have taken all 21 pills in the strip, you have seven days when you
take no pills.In the course
ofthese 7 pill-free days (otherwise called stop or gap week),
bleedingshould
begin, (so called "withdrawal bleeding"). Usually
bleeding startson the second
or third day of
thegap week.
On the eighth day, that is, after seven-day
gap, you should start the next strip of tablets,
whether your bleeding has stopped or
not.This means
that each stripbegins on the same
dayof the week andwithdrawal
bleedingshould occur on the same days
each month.
If you use Zellminelle in this
way, you are also protected against
pregnancy in 7pill-free days.
When can youstartwith the first strip of Zellminelle
If
you have not used a
hormonal contraceptive in the
previous month
You can start taking Zellminelle on the first
day of your menstrual cycle
and you are
immediately protected against
pregnancy. You
may also start taking Zellminelle on the
2nd to 5th
day of the menstrual
cycle, but in this situation you should
use additional contraceptive methods (for example condom) for the
first 7 days.
Changing from a combined hormonal contraceptive, combined vaginal ring or
patch
You can start usingZellminelle on the dayafter the lastactive tablet(the last tablet containing the active substances) of your previous pill, butnot later than the day following the tablet-freedays of yourprevious pill (or after the last inactive tablet of yourprevious pill). If you switch from a combined contraceptive vaginal ring or patch, follow the advice of your doctor.
Changing from a progestogen-only method
(progestogen-only pill, also
called "mini-pill",
injection or implant or
a progestogen-releasing
intrauterine device - IUD)
You may
switch any day from the progestogen-only pill (from an implant or
an IUD on the day of its removal, from an injectable when the next
injection would be due) but in all of these cases use extra
protective measures (for example, a condom) for the first 7 days of
taking Zellminelle .
After a miscarriage or abortion
Follow the advice ofyour doctor.
After childbirth
You can start taking Zellminelle between 21 to 28 days after childbirth. If you start later than day 28, you should use additional barrier methods (for example, a condom) during the first seven days of using Drospirenone / Ethinylestradiol. If, after childbirth, you have had sex before starting Zellminelle, you must first be sure that you are not pregnant or wait until your next period.
If you are breastfeeding
Readthe section“Pregnancy and breast-feeding"
Ask your doctorwhatto do ifyou are not surewhen to start Zellminelle.
If
you take more Zellminelle than you should
There are no reports of serious
harmful effects because of taking too many Zellminelle tablets. If
you take several tablets at once, you may experience nausea or
vomiting and young girls may experience vaginal bleeding.
If you have taken too many tablets, or you discover that a child
has taken some, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
If you forget to take Zellminelle
If you are less than 12 hours late taking a tablet, the protection against pregnancy is not reduced. Take the tablet as soon as you remember and then take the following tablets again at the usual time.
If you are more than 12 hours late taking a tablet, the protection against pregnancy may be reduced. The greater the number of tablets you have forgotten, the greater is the risk of becoming pregnant.
The risk of incomplete protection against pregnancy is greatest if you forget a tablet at the beginning or at the end of the strip. Therefore, you must keep to the following rules:
If
you forgot more than one tablet in this strip
Contact your doctor.
If
you forgot one tablet in week 1
Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember, even if that
means that you have to take two tablets at the same time. Continue
taking the tablets at the usual time and use an additional
contraceptive method such as a condom for the next 7 days.
If you have had sex in the week before missing the tablet, you may
be pregnant. In this case, contact your doctor.
If you forgot one tablet in week 2
Take the forgotten tablet as
soon as you remember, even if that means that you have two tablets
at the same time. Continue taking the tablets at the usual time.
Contraceptive protection is not reduced and you do not need to take
extra contraceptive precautions.
• If you forgot one
tablet inweek 3
You have two
options:
1. Take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember (evenif this meansthat you have to take two tabletsat the same time). Continue taking the tabletsat the usual time. Start the next strip as soon as the current strip iscompleted, so do not take a tablet-free breakbetween the strips. You may not have menstrual period until the end of the second strip, but you may havespotting orbreakthrough bleedingduring the days of tablet-taking.
2. You can also stop taking the tablets from your current stripand go directly to the 7 tablet-freedays (record the day when you forgot the tablet)and continue withthe next strip.If you want to start a new strip on the day you always start, make the tablet-free period less than 7 days.
If you follow one of these two recommendations, you will remain protected against pregnancy.
If you have forgotten any of the tablets in a strip and no bleeding occurs during the
tablet-free period, you may be pregnant. Consult your doctor before starting the next strip.
Ask your doctor for advice
Several tablets forgotten in 1 strip
yes
In week 1
Had sex in the previous week before forgetting
no
•Take the forgotten tablet
•Use a barrier method (condom) for following 7 days
•And finish strip
Only 1 tablet forgotten (taken more than 12 hrs late)
In week 2
•Take the forgotten tablet and
• Finish strip
•Finish the strip
• Take the forgotten tablet and Finish strip
•Instead of the gap week
•Go straight on next strip
or
In week 3
•Stop the strip immediately
•Begin the gap week (not longer than 7 days including the forgotten tablet)
•Then go on to the next strip
What to do in case of vomitingor severediarrhoea
If you vomit within 3-4 hours
after taking a tablet or you have severe diarrhoea, there is a risk
that the active substances in the pill will not be fully taken up
by your body. The situation is almost the same as forgetting a
tablet. After vomiting or having severe diarrhoea, take another
tablet from a reserve strip as soon as possible. If possible take
it within 12 hours of when you normally take your pill. If that is
not possible or 12 hours have passed, you should follow the advice
given under "If you forget to take Zellminelle ".
Delaying your period
Although itis not recommended,
you can delayyour period
bydirectly
going to a new strip of Zellminelle instead of
takingthe
tablet-free break,and finish this
strip. During the
second stripyou can experience minor
ormenstrual-likebleeding. After the usual tablet-free period of 7 days, start the
next strip.
Ask your doctor for advicebefore you decideto delay yourmenstrual period.
Changing the first day of your period
If you
take the tablets as directed, your period
will start
during the tablet-free
week. Ifyou need to
changethat day,
you can reduce the number of tablet-free
days (but never increase them
– 7 is the maximum!). For example, if your tablet-free days usually startson Friday,and you want to change to Tuesday
(3days
earlier), you should start
a new strip3
days earlier than usual. Ifyou
make theinterval between taking
tabletsvery
short (for
example, 3 daysor less) bleeding may not occur duringthis period.
You can then
experience spotting (drops or flecks of blood)or breakthrough
bleeding.
If you are not sure how to do this, ask your doctor
for advice.
If you stop takingZellminelle:
You can stop taking
Zellminelle whenever you want. If you do not want to become
pregnant, ask your doctor for advice about other reliable methods
of birth control. If you want to become pregnant, stop taking
Zellminelle and wait until you have a menstrual period before
trying to get pregnant. You can then calculate the expected
delivery date more easily.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor orpharmacist or nurse.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Zellminelle can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If you get any side effect, particularly if severe and persistent, or have any change to your health that you think may be due to Zellminelle, please talk to your doctor.
An increased risk of blood clots in your veins (venous thromboembolism (VTE)) or blood clots in your arteries (arterial thromboembolism (ATE)) is present for all women taking combined hormonal contraceptives. For more detailed information on the different risks from taking combined hormonal contraceptives please see section 2 “What you need to know before you use Zellminelle”.
The following is a list of side effects that have been associated with the use of Zellminelle.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
-
mood change,
-
abdominal pain,
-
acne,
-
painful and irregular menstrual, breast pain, breast Tenderness, increased breast size,
-
headache,
-
weight gain
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
-
candidiasis ( thrush)
-
herpes,
-
allergic reactions,
-
increased appetite,
-
depression, nervousness, sleeping disorder,
-
tingling in the extremities, dizziness (vertigo)
-
visual disturbances,
-
irregular heartbeat or unusually accelerated pace ,
-
clot ( thrombosis ) in blood of a leg or of the lungs ( pulmonary embolism ) , high blood pressure, low blood pressure, migraine, varicose veins,
-
sore throat,
-
nausea, vomiting , inflammation of the stomach and / or intestine, diarrhea , constipation ,
-
sudden swelling of the face and / or mucous membranes (tongue or throat), and / or difficulty swallowing or hives associated with difficulty in breathing (angioedema), hair loss (alopecia), eczema, itching, rash, dry skin, fatty type skin disorders (seborrheic dermatitis )
-
pain in the neck and limbs, muscle cramps,
-
bladder infection,
-
nodule in the breast (Benign cancer), breast secretion, ovarian cysts, hot flashes, missed periods, heavy menstrual periods, vaginal discharge, vaginal dryness, lower abdominal pain (pelvic pain), doubtful cervical smear test, decreased sexual desire ,
-
water retention, lack of energy, excessive thirst, increased sweating,
-
weight loss.
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
-
asthma
-
hearing problems or loss (impairment)
-
blockage of a blood vessel caused by a blood clot formed elsewhere in the body
-
skin erythema conditions nodosum (characterized by painful bluish-red skin nodules)
-
erythema multiforme (characterized by rash with circular redness or blisters).
-
harmful blood clots in a vein or artery for example:
-
heart attack
-
stroke
-
mini-stroke or temporary stroke-like symptoms, known as a transient
ischaemic attack (TIA)
-
blood clots in the liver, stomach/intestine, kidneys or eye.
-
in a lung (i.e. PE)
-
in a leg or foot (i.e. DVT)
The chance of having a blood clot may be higher if you have any other conditions that increase this risk (See section 2 for more information on the conditions that increase risk for blood clots and the symptoms of a blood clot)
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse.This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V*. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Zellminelle
Keep this medicine out of thesight andreach
of children.
Do not
usethis
medicineafterthe expiry
datestated on the
blister/ carton after
‘{EXP}’. Theexpiry date
refersto the last
dayof that
month.
This medicinal product does not require any special storage condition
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Zellminelle contains
The active substances are Ethinylestradioland Drospirenone. Each tablet contains 0.020 milligrams of Ethinylestradiol and 3 milligrams of Drospirenone.
The other ingredients are:
lactose monohydrate,
maize starch,
povidone,
crospovidone,
magnesium stearate,
lake blend yellow LB 520001 (composition: FD&C Yellow #5/Tartarazine Aluminum Lake E102, FD&C Yellow #6/Sunset Yellow FCF Aluminum Lake E110 and FD&C Blue #2/Indigo Carmine Aluminum Lake E132).
What Zellminelle look like and contents of the pack
The tablets are round, light yellow, 6.00 mm, biconvex, with '144' debossed on one side and plain on the other side.
Each pack contains 1, 3, 6 and 13 strips of 21 tablets each.
Each carton contains blisters packed separately in an aluminium laminated sachet.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder
<To be completed nationally>
Manufacturer
<To be completed nationally>
This medicinal product is authorized in the Member States of the EEA under the following names:
This leaflet was last revised in 2 October 2015
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