Ethinylestradiol

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About Ethinylestradiol

This belongs to the group of medicines known as oestrogens.

Oestrogen is a female hormone and can be used to treat women's health problems.

Ethinylestradiol can be used as a hormone replacement for menopausal symptoms, in the treatment of menstrual disorders and in the treatment of prostate cancer in men.

During the menopause or change, your female hormone levels begin to fall. The menopause normally happens between the ages of 45 and 55, although it can occur earlier or later. HRT (hormone replacement therapy) replaces these hormones. This helps to relieve many of the problems associated with the change, such as hot flushes, and protects against osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). However, other treatments for osteoporosis are tried before using HRT to treat this condition.

Ethinylestradiol is available in tablet form.

Before Taking Ethinylestradiol

Before taking Ethinylestradiol make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• if you are a woman of child-bearing potential (still able to have children) or breast-feeding
• if you suffer from liver, kidney, gall-bladder or heart problems or suffer from high blood pressure
• if you suffer from migraine, epilepsy, diabetes, asthma or porphyria (a blood disorder)
• if you suffer from thrombosis (blood clots) or have ever had a thrombosis
• if you have multiple sclerosis (MS), tetany (numbness and tingling in hands, feet and around the mouth) or sickle-cell anaemia
• if you have suffered with pemphigoid gestationis (itching during pregnancy) or endometriosis (inflammation of the lining of the uterus)
• if you suffer from obesity, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or hypercalcaemia (excessive blood calcium levels)
• if you have prolonged periods of immobilisation (use a wheelchair or confined to bed for example)
• if you suffer from otosclerosis (a disease of the bones of the inner ear causing hearing impairment)
• if you have cancer of the breast or uterus, have had it in the past, or have a family history of this condition
• if you suffer from unexplained vaginal bleeding
• if you have just had a major trauma or been in an accident
• if you have any surgical operations planned or have just had one.
• if you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine
• if you are taking any other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal or complementary medicines

How to Take Ethinylestradiol

• Take your medication exactly as directed by your doctor.
• Always read the manufacturer's information leaflet, if possible, before beginning treatment.
• Try to take this medicine at the same time each day to avoid missing any doses. If you miss a dose, take it a soon as you remember and continue taking it at the usual times. If it is nearly time for your next dose, leave out the missed dose; never take two doses at the same time to compensate. If in doubt speak to your pharmacist or doctor.
• Your doctor may tell you to take Ethinylestradiol on certain days of your menstrual cycle only. If you are not sure about when to take your medicine check with your doctor or pharmacist.
• Never take more than the prescribed dose. If you suspect that you or someone else has taken an overdose of Ethinylestradiol contact your doctor or go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital at once. Always take the container with you, if possible, even if empty.
• This medicine is for you. Never give it to others even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.

Getting the most from your treatment

• Before taking any 'over-the-counter' medicines, check with your pharmacist which medicines are safe for you to take alongside Ethinylestradiol.
• If you have diabetes: This medicine can alter your blood sugar level. Test your urine or blood regularly and report any extreme changes to your doctor or diabetic nurse.
• Ethinylestradiol may cause dizziness, particularly when getting up from a sitting or lying position. Getting up slowly should help.
• Ethinylestradiol is not an oral contraceptive. Your doctor will advise you about whether or not you still need to use contraception. If you do, then you should use a non-hormonal method (not 'the pill').

Benefits of HRT

• There are many benefits of hormone replacement therapy. Replacing the hormones will stop the menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.
• HRT can dramatically reduce the development of osteoporosis and the likelihood of broken bones. During the menopause, a type of protein called collagen is lost from the skin. This makes the skin thinner and drier. HRT will slow down the loss of skin elasticity so that you do not appear to age as much.
• If you are using HRT just for the prevention of osteoporosis and are not suffering from menopausal symptoms you should make an early appointment with your doctor to review your treatment.
• If you are using HRT to relieve menopausal symptoms you should continue with your usual doctor's appointments. Report any changes in your wellbeing and lifestyle, as listed in the patient information leaflet, and discuss anything else that concerns you. This is because a recent review of the use of HRT has decided that HRT should only be used short-term for the relief of menopausal symptoms. The same review also decided that other treatments for osteoporosis should be tried before HRT is used.

Risks of HRT

As with all medicines the benefits of HRT should be weighed against the problems that it may cause. The Committee for the Safety of Medicines (CSM) has recently issued updated guidelines on the use of HRT. Your doctor will discuss these with you. For short term treatment the benefits of HRT in treating menopausal symptoms can outweigh the problems. If used for a longer term the incidence of breast cancer and other adverse effects may increase. Because of this the decision to start HRT needs to be made on an individual basis and progress of treatment should be reviewed at least once a year.

Following these guidelines will help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis:

• Eat a well-balanced diet including fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, cereals, milk, dairy produce, lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses and nuts. If you do not get enough calcium from your diet, your doctor may recommend that you take calcium supplements.
• Do not smoke.
• Do not drink more than the recommended units of alcohol.
• Take regular exercise and choose an activity during which you use your bones to support your body weight such as aerobics, walking or tennis. Although swimming helps to keep muscles and the heart strong and healthy, it does not strengthen your bones because your body weight is supported by water. You should also choose an activity, which uses the whole of your body.
• Unless advised otherwise, spend sometime each day out in the sunshine. Ultraviolet light helps our body produce vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium.

Can Ethinylestradiol cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, all medicines can cause unwanted side effects, which usually improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine. Speak with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or become troublesome.

Feeling or being sick, stomach cramps, bloating, weight change, breast enlargement and tenderness, pre-menstrual-like syndrome, fluid retention, a skin rash, brown blotchy marks on the skin, change in libido (sexual desire), depression, headaches, migraine, dizziness, leg cramps or contact lens irritation.

Important: If you experience any of the following contact your doctor or go the accident and emergency department of your local hospital IMMEDIATELY: sudden severe chest pains, sudden breathlessness, cough with blood-stained mucus, severe pain in calf of one leg, severe stomach pain, unusual severe prolonged headache, sudden partial or complete loss of vision, sudden disturbance of hearing or other perceptual disorders, severe indigestion, bad fainting or collapsing attacks, first unexpected epileptic attack, weakness, problem with movement, sudden numbness affecting one part or half of the body, severe jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).

If you experience any other worrying symptoms, which you think may be due to this medicine, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.

How to store Ethinylestradiol

• Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
• Never keep out of date or unwanted medicines. Discard them safely out of the reach of children or take them to your local pharmacist who will dispose of them for you.

© EMIS and Cegedim Pharmacy Services Ltd 2005   Updated: 29/06/2005   

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