Ethinylestradiol + Drospirenone
If used correctly, they are one of the most reliable, reversible methods of contraception. They slightly increase the risk of blood clots in veins and arteries, especially in the first year of use or after resuming use after a break of 4 weeks or longer. You should be vigilant and consult a doctor if you suspect that you have symptoms of blood clots (see section 2 "Blood clots").
Drosfemine forte is a contraceptive tablet used to prevent pregnancy. Each tablet contains a small amount of two different female hormones - ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. Contraceptive tablets that contain two hormones are called combined contraceptive tablets.
Before starting to take Drosfemine forte, you should read the information about blood clots in section 2. It is especially important to read about the symptoms of blood clots (see section 2 "Blood clots"). Before starting to take Drosfemine forte, your doctor will ask you a few questions about your health and the health of your close relatives. Your doctor will also measure your blood pressure and, depending on your individual situation, may also perform additional tests.
You should not take Drosfemine forte if you have any of the conditions listed below. If you have any of the conditions listed below, you should inform your doctor. Your doctor will discuss with you which other contraceptive method will be more suitable for you.
Children and adolescents
Drosfemine forte is not intended for patients who have not yet started menstruating.
Women of advanced age
Drosfemine forte is not intended for use after menopause.
Women with liver function disorders
You should not take Drosfemine forte if you have liver disease. See also sections "Do not take Drosfemine forte" and "Warnings and precautions".
Women with kidney function disorders
You should not take Drosfemine forte if you have kidney failure or acute kidney failure. See also sections "Do not take Drosfemine forte" and "Warnings and precautions".
When should you contact your doctor?
You should contact your doctor immediately
In some cases, you should be particularly careful when taking Drosfemine forte or any other combined contraceptive tablets. You may also need to be regularly examined by your doctor. If these symptoms occur or worsen while taking Drosfemine forte, you should also tell your doctor.
contact your doctor immediately. Estrogen-containing medicines may cause or worsen symptoms of hereditary or acquired angioedema.
Some women taking hormonal contraceptives, including Drosfemine forte, have reported depression or low mood. Depression can be severe and sometimes lead to suicidal thoughts. If mood changes and symptoms of depression occur, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible for further medical advice.
The use of combined hormonal contraceptives, such as Drosfemine forte, is associated with an increased risk of blood clots, compared to not using them. In rare cases, a blood clot can block a blood vessel and cause serious complications. Blood clots can occur in the veins (called "venous thromboembolism" or "deep vein thrombosis") or in the arteries (called "arterial thromboembolism"). Not everyone who has a blood clot will fully recover, and in rare cases, the consequences of a blood clot can be permanent or even fatal.
You should contact your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms.
Are you experiencing any of these symptoms? | What is the likely cause of the complaint? |
| Deep vein thrombosis |
| Pulmonary embolism |
| Heart attack |
| Stroke |
| Blood clots blocking other blood vessels |
The risk of forming a blood clot in a vein is highest during the first year of using combined hormonal contraceptives for the first time. The risk may also be higher when resuming the use of combined hormonal contraceptives (the same or a different medicine) after a break of 4 weeks or longer. After the first year, the risk decreases, but it is always higher compared to not using combined hormonal contraceptives. If you stop taking Drosfemine forte, the risk of blood clots returns to normal within a few weeks.
The risk of blood clots associated with Drosfemine forte is small, but some factors can increase this risk. The risk is higher:
The risk of blood clots increases with the number of risk factors present in you. Air travel (>4 hours) may temporarily increase the risk of blood clots, especially if you have another risk factor. It is essential to tell your doctor if any of these risk factors apply to you, even if you are not sure. Your doctor may decide to stop Drosfemine forte. You should inform your doctor if any of the above conditions change while taking Drosfemine forte, e.g., if someone in your close family is diagnosed with a blood clot without a known cause or if you gain weight significantly.
Similarly to blood clots in veins, blood clots in arteries can cause severe consequences, such as a heart attack or stroke.
It is essential to note that the risk of a heart attack or stroke associated with Drosfemine forte is very small, but it may increase:
If you have more than one of the above conditions or if any of them are severe, the risk of blood clots may be even higher. You should inform your doctor if any of the above conditions change while taking Drosfemine forte, e.g., if you start smoking, someone in your close family is diagnosed with a blood clot without a known cause, or if you gain weight significantly.
Women taking combined contraceptive tablets have been found to have a slightly higher incidence of breast cancer, but it is not known whether this is caused by the tablets. It is possible that more tumors are detected in women taking combined contraceptive tablets because they are examined by doctors more frequently. The incidence of breast tumors decreases gradually after stopping combined hormonal contraceptives. It is essential to regularly examine your breasts and contact your doctor if you feel any lump. In rare cases, women taking contraceptive tablets have been found to have benign liver tumors, and even more rarely, malignant liver tumors. If you experience unusual, severe stomach pain, you should contact your doctor.
During the first few months of taking Drosfemine forte, you may experience unexpected bleeding (bleeding outside of the withdrawal bleeding week). If such bleeding persists for more than a few months or starts after a few months, your doctor should investigate the cause.
If you have taken all the tablets correctly, have not vomited, or had severe diarrhea, and have not taken any other medicines, it is unlikely that you are pregnant. If the expected withdrawal bleeding does not occur twice in a row, it may mean that you are pregnant. You should contact your doctor immediately. Do not start the next blister pack until you are sure you are not pregnant.
You should tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines and herbal products you are currently taking or have recently taken, as well as any medicines and herbal products you plan to take. You should also tell any other doctor or dentist prescribing another medicine (or pharmacist) that you are taking Drosfemine forte. They may advise you to use additional contraceptive precautions (e.g., condoms) and for how long, and whether you should change the way you take other medicines. Some medicines
This applies to medicines used to treat:
Drosfemine forte may affect the actionof other medicines, such as:
You should not take Drosfemine forte if you have hepatitis C and are taking medicines containing ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, dasabuvir, glecaprevir with pibrentasvir, or sofosbuvir with velpatasvir and voxilaprevir, as these medicines may cause abnormal liver function test results (elevated liver enzyme ALT). Your doctor will recommend a different type of contraception before starting these medicines. You can start taking Drosfemine forte again about 2 weeks after finishing the treatment. See section "Do not take Drosfemine forte".
If a blood test is necessary, you should tell your doctor or laboratory staff that you are taking contraceptive tablets, as hormonal contraceptives may affect the results of some tests.
Drosfemine forte can be taken with or without food, and if necessary, it can be taken with a small amount of water.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to have a baby, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. Pregnancy If you are pregnant, you should not take Drosfemine forte. If you become pregnant while taking Drosfemine forte, you should stop taking it immediately and contact your doctor. If you want to become pregnant, you can stop taking Drosfemine forte at any time (see section "Stopping Drosfemine forte"). Breastfeeding Generally, Drosfemine forte is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding. If you want to take contraceptive tablets while breastfeeding, you should contact your doctor.
There is no information suggesting that taking Drosfemine forte affects your ability to drive or use machines.
If you have been diagnosed with an intolerance to some sugars, you should contact your doctor before taking Drosfemine forte.
You should always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. If you are not sure, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist. You should take one Drosfemine forte tablet every day, and if necessary, you can take it with a small amount of water. The tablets can be taken with or without food. The tablets should be taken every day at about the same time. The blister pack contains 21 tablets. Next to each tablet, the day of the week is indicated on which it should be taken. If, for example, you start taking the tablets on a Wednesday, you should take the tablet marked "Wed". Then you should take the tablets according to the direction of the arrows on the blister pack until all 21 tablets have been taken.
If you take Drosfemine forte in this way, you will also be protected from pregnancy during the 7 days when you are not taking tablets. To have control over the regular intake of the contraceptive every day, you should pay attention to the arrows on the blister pack. The arrows show the order in which the tablets should be taken.
If you have not used a hormonal contraceptive in the previous month You should start taking Drosfemine forte on the first day of your menstrual cycle (i.e., the first day of your period). If you start taking Drosfemine forte on the first day of your period, you are immediately protected from pregnancy. You can also start taking the tablets between the 2nd and 5th day of your menstrual cycle, but then you should use additional contraceptive methods (e.g., condoms) for the first 7 days. Changing from a combined hormonal contraceptive or a combined contraceptive vaginal ring system or a transdermal system (patch) You should start taking Drosfemine forte the next day after taking the last active tablet (the last tablet containing active substances) of your previous contraceptive tablets, but no later than the day after the break in taking your previous tablets (or after taking the last inactive tablet of your previous contraceptive tablets). When changing from a combined contraceptive vaginal ring system or a transdermal system (patch), you should follow your doctor's advice. Changing from a progestogen-only method (progestogen-only tablet, injection, implant, or intrauterine device (IUD) releasing progestogen) You can change from a progestogen-only tablet at any time (from an implant or IUD - on the day of their removal, from injections - on the day when the next injection would be due). In all these cases, it is recommended to use additional contraceptive methods (e.g., condoms) for the first 7 days of taking Drosfemine forte. After a miscarriage You should follow your doctor's advice. After childbirth You can start taking Drosfemine forte between the 21st and 28th day after childbirth. If you start taking Drosfemine forte later than 28 days after childbirth, you should use a barrier method (e.g., condoms) for the first 7 days of taking Drosfemine forte. If you have had sexual intercourse after giving birth, before starting Drosfemine forte (again), you should make sure you are not pregnant or wait for your next menstrual period. If you are breastfeeding and want to start taking Drosfemine forte (again) after giving birth You should read the section "Breastfeeding". If you are not sure when to start the first blister pack, you should contact your doctor.
There are no reports of serious harmful effects from taking too many Drosfemine forte tablets at once. If you take several tablets at once, you may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or vaginal bleeding. This type of bleeding may occur even in girls who have not yet started menstruating but have taken the medicine by mistake. If you take too many Drosfemine forte tablets or if a child accidentally swallows some tablets, you should contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
The risk of reduced protection from pregnancy is highest if you miss a tablet at the beginning or end of the blister pack. Therefore, you should follow these rules (see also the diagram): Missing more than one tablet from the blister pack You should contact your doctor. Missing one tablet in the first week You should take the missed tablet as soon as possible, even if it means taking two tablets at the same time. Then you should take the tablets at the usual time and use additional contraceptive methods(e.g., condoms) for the next 7 days. If you have had sexual intercourse in the week before missing the tablet, it is possible that you are pregnant. In this case, you should contact your doctor. Missing one tablet in the second week You should take the missed tablet as soon as possible, even if it means taking two tablets at the same time. Then you should take the tablets at the usual time. Your protection from pregnancy is not reduced, and you do not need to use additional contraceptive methods. Missing one tablet in the third week There are two options to choose from:
Most likely, your period will occur at the end of the second blister pack, but you may also experience some bleeding or spotting during the second blister pack.
If you follow one of these two recommendations, you will still be protected from pregnancy. If you have missed any of the tablets in the blister pack and have not had withdrawal bleeding during the first break, it may mean that you are pregnant. Before starting the next blister pack, you should contact your doctor. Missing more than one tablet from the blister pack You should contact your doctor for advice.
If you vomit within 3 to 4 hours of taking a tablet or have severe diarrhea, there is a risk that the active substances from the tablet will not be fully absorbed into your body. This situation is almost the same as missing a tablet. After vomiting or diarrhea, you should take another tablet from the reserve blister pack as soon as possible. If possible, you should take it within 12 hoursof the usual time of taking the tablet. If this is not possible or more than 12 hours have passed, you should follow the instructions described in the section "If you forget to take Drosfemine forte".
Although it is not recommended, you can delay your period by skipping the break in taking the tablets and starting the next blister pack of Drosfemine forte immediately, until you finish it. During the second blister pack, you may experience some bleeding or spotting. After the usual 7-day break in taking the tablets, you should start the next blister pack. Before deciding to delay your period, you can consult your doctor for advice.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If any side effects occur, especially severe and persistent ones, or changes in health that the patient considers related to the use of Drosfemine Forte, they should consult their doctor.
In all women taking combined hormonal contraceptives, there is an increased risk of blood clots in the veins (venous thromboembolism) or blood clots in the arteries (arterial thromboembolism). For detailed information on the various risk factors associated with the use of combined hormonal contraceptives, please refer to section 2 "Important information before taking Drosfemine Forte".
Below is a list of side effects associated with the use of Drosfemine Forte:
The patient should immediately contact their doctor if they experience any of the following symptoms of angioedema: swelling of the face, tongue, and/or throat, and/or difficulty swallowing or hives potentially with difficulty breathing (see also section 2 "Warnings and precautions").
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 patients):
Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients):
The likelihood of blood clots may be higher if the patient has any other risk factors (see section 2 for further information on risk factors for blood clots and symptoms of blood clots).
If any side effects occur, including any side effects not listed in the leaflet, the patient should tell their doctor or pharmacist. Side effects can be reported directly to the Department of Monitoring of Adverse Reactions to Medicinal Products, Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products
Al. Jerozolimskie 181C
02-222 Warsaw
Phone: +48 22 49 21 301
Fax: +48 22 49 21 309
Website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl
Reporting side effects will help to gather more information on the safety of the medicine.
The medicine should be stored out of sight and reach of children.
There are no special precautions for storing the medicine.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the blister and carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater. The patient should ask their pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer needed. This will help protect the environment.
Each blister of Drosfemine Forte contains 21 yellow, round, film-coated tablets.
Drosfemine Forte is available in packs containing 1, 3, or 6 blisters, each of 21 tablets.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
SUN-FARM Sp. z o.o.
ul. Dolna 21
05-092 Łomianki
mibe GmbH Arzneimittel
Münchener Straße 15
06796 Brehna
Germany
SUN-FARM Sp. z o.o.
ul. Dolna 21
05-092 Łomianki
Date of last revision of the leaflet:04.2023
Need help understanding this medicine or your symptoms? Online doctors can answer your questions and offer guidance.