Tibolonum
Ladybon and Tibolona Zentiva are different trade names for the same medicine.
Ladybon is a medicine used in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). It contains tibolone, a substance that has a beneficial effect on various tissues and organs in the body, such as the brain, vagina, and bones. Ladybon is used in postmenopausal women, at least 12 months (1 year) after their last natural menstrual period.
Relieve symptoms that occur after menopause
During menopause (natural or after surgical removal of the ovaries), the amount of estrogen produced by the woman's body decreases. This can cause symptoms such as a feeling of heat on the face, neck, and chest ("hot flashes"). Ladybon reduces these symptoms after menopause. Ladybon is prescribed only if the above symptoms significantly interfere with daily life.
Prevent the onset of osteoporosis
After menopause, some women may experience bone weakness (osteoporosis). All available treatment options should be discussed with the doctor.
If there is an increased risk of fractures due to osteoporosis and other medicines cannot be used, Ladybon may be used to prevent the onset of osteoporosis after menopause.
More information about Ladybon and what it is used for can be found in section 6.
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Taking HRT is associated with risks that should be considered when deciding to start or continue treatment.
Experience in treating women with premature menopause (due to ovarian failure or surgery) is limited. If a patient has had premature menopause, the risks associated with HRT or tibolone may be different.
This should be discussed with the doctor.
Before starting treatment (or re-starting) HRT, the doctor will take a medical history and ask about any family illnesses. The doctor may decide to perform a physical examination, which may include a breast examination and/or a gynecological examination, if necessary.
After starting Ladybon, the patient should attend regular check-ups (at least once a year). During these visits, the patient should discuss the benefits and risks of continuing treatment with Ladybon with the doctor.
The patient must be sure to:
If any of the following situations apply to the patient or if the patient has any doubts, they should consult a doctorbefore starting Ladybon.
If any of the above conditions occur for the first time during Ladybon treatment, the patient should stop taking the medicine and consult a doctor immediately.
If the patient has started menopause, they should not take Ladybon until at least 12 months after their last natural menstrual period. If Ladybon is taken earlier, irregular bleeding may occur.
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The doctor should be informed about any of the following conditions before starting treatment, as they may recur or worsen during Ladybon treatment. If any of the following conditions occur, the patient should consult a doctor, regardless of the scheduled check-up:
if any of the following conditions occur during HRT or tibolone treatment:
More information can be found in "Blood clots in the veins (thrombosis)".
Note: Ladybon is not a contraceptive. If it has been less than 12 months since the last menstrual period or the patient is under 50 years old, additional contraception may be necessary to prevent pregnancy. The patient should consult a doctor for advice.
HRT and cancer
Endometrial hyperplasia or cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus)
There have been reports of endometrial hyperplasia or cancer in women taking tibolone (the active substance in Ladybon). The longer the treatment, the higher the risk of endometrial cancer.
Irregular bleeding
During the first 3-6 months of Ladybon treatment, irregular bleeding or spotting may occur.
If irregular bleeding:
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the patient should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Breast cancer
Data confirm that taking tibolone increases the risk of breast cancer. The additional risk depends on how long the patient takes tibolone. In studies of HRT, it has been found that after stopping HRT, the additional risk decreases over time, but the risk may persist for 10 years or more if the woman took HRT for more than 5 years.
There is no data on the persistence of risk after stopping tibolone treatment, but a similar phenomenon cannot be ruled out.
Comparison
Women taking Ladybon have a lower risk of breast cancer than women taking combined HRT and a similar risk to women taking only estrogens.
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is rare - much rarer than breast cancer. Taking only estrogen or combined estrogen-progestogen HRT is associated with a slightly increased risk of ovarian cancer.
The risk of ovarian cancer changes with age. For example, in women aged 50-54 who do not take HRT, ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in about 2 out of 2000 women over a 5-year period. In women aged 50-54 who take HRT for 5 years, there will be approximately 3 cases per 2000 women (i.e., about 1 additional case).
The increased risk of ovarian cancer with Ladybon is similar to that with other types of HRT.
Effect of HRT on the heart and circulation
Blood clots in the veins (thrombosis)
The risk of blood clots in the veins is about 1.3 to 3 times higher in women taking HRT than in women not taking it, especially in the first year of treatment.
Blood clots can be life-threatening and if a clot moves to the lungs, it can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, or even death.
The likelihood of blood clots increases with age and if any of the following situations occur. The doctor should be informed if any of the following situations apply to the patient:
Symptoms of a blood clot can be found in "The patient should stop taking Ladybon and consult a doctor immediately".
Comparison
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In women aged 50-59 who do not take HRT, on average, over a 5-year period, 4-7 out of 1000 women can expect to develop venous thrombosis.
In women aged 50-59 who take combined estrogen-progestogen HRT for more than 5 years, 9-12 out of 1000 women can expect to develop venous thrombosis (i.e., 5 additional cases).
During Ladybon treatment, the increased risk of venous thrombosis is lower than with other types of HRT.
Heart disease (heart attack)
There is no evidence that HRT prevents heart attacks.
In women over 60 years old who take combined estrogen-progestogen HRT, there is a slightly increased risk of heart disease compared to women not taking HRT. Since the risk of heart disease is largely dependent on age, the number of additional heart disease cases caused by combined estrogen-progestogen HRT is very low in healthy women approaching menopause, but will increase with age.
Stroke
Recent studies indicate that HRT and tibolone increase the risk of stroke. This increased risk has been observed mainly in women over 60 years old.
Other factors that may increase the risk of stroke include:
Comparison
Considering women aged 50-59 who do not take tibolone, over a 5-year period, on average, 3 cases of stroke can be expected per 1000 women. In women aged 50-59 who take tibolone, this number would be 7 per 1000 (i.e., 4 additional cases).
Considering women aged 60-69 who do not take tibolone, over a 5-year period, on average, 11 cases of stroke can be expected per 1000 women. In women aged 60-69 who take tibolone, this number would be 24 per 1000 (i.e., 13 additional cases).
Other conditions
The doctor or pharmacist should be informed about all medicines the patient is currently taking, has recently taken, or plans to take.
Certain medicines may affect the action of Ladybon, which may lead to irregular bleeding. These include:
Ladybon can be taken with food and drink.
Ladybon is intended only for postmenopausal women. If pregnancy occurs, Ladybon treatment should be stopped and a doctor consulted.
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Ladybon should not be taken during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if pregnancy is suspected.
According to available data, Ladybon does not affect the ability to drive or use machines.
If the patient has been diagnosed with intolerance to some sugars, they should consult a doctor before taking Ladybon.
This medicine should always be taken exactly as prescribed by the doctor or pharmacist. If the patient is unsure, they should consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Ladybon is intended for oral use. One tablet should be taken once daily. The tablets should be swallowed with a small amount of water or other liquid, preferably at the same time every day.
Ladybon treatment should not be started until at least 12 months after the last natural menstrual period. If Ladybon is started earlier, the risk of irregular bleeding may increase.
To treat symptoms, the doctor will prescribe the lowest possible dose of Ladybon for the shortest possible time. If the patient feels that the dose is too high or too low, they should consult a doctor.
If surgery is necessary, the surgeon should be informed about Ladybon treatment. It may be necessary to stop taking Ladybon for about 4-6 weeks before the planned surgery to reduce the risk of blood clots (see section 2, "Blood clots in the veins (thrombosis)"). The patient should consult a doctor to determine when it is possible to restart Ladybon treatment.
If more tablets than prescribed are taken, the patient should consult a doctor or pharmacist immediately.
There is no reason to be concerned if the patient takes too many tablets, but they should consult a doctor immediately. Symptoms of overdose include nausea, vomiting, or vaginal bleeding.
If a tablet is missed, it should be taken as soon as possible, unless more than 12 hours have passed since the missed dose. If more than 12 hours have passed, the missed dose should be skipped.
A double dose should not be taken to make up for a missed dose.
Ladybon treatment should not be stopped without consulting a doctor first.
If the patient has any further doubts about taking this medicine, they should consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, Ladybon can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
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Most symptoms are mild.
The following diseases have been observed more frequently in women taking HRT compared to women not taking HRT:
The following side effects have been reported in clinical studies in women taking tibolone (the active substance in Ladybon):
Frequent (may occur in less than 1 in 10 people):
Uncommon (may occur in less than 1 in 100 people):
Rare (may occur in less than 1 in 1,000 people)
Other side effects reported after tibolone was made available are:
There have been reports of breast cancer and abnormal growth or cancer of the lining of the uterus in women taking tibolone.
The doctor should be informed if the patient experiences vaginal bleeding or spotting, or if any of the above symptoms become troublesome or worsen.
The following side effects have been observed with other types of HRT:
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If the patient experiences any side effects, including any side effects not listed in the leaflet, they should tell their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
Side effects can be reported directly to the Department of Adverse Reaction Monitoring of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products: Al. Jerozolimskie 181 C, 02-222 Warsaw, tel.: +48 22 49 21 301, fax: +48 22 49 21 309, website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl
Reporting side effects can help gather more information on the safety of the medicine.
The medicine should be stored out of sight and reach of children.
The medicine should not be used if any visible signs of deterioration are observed.
The medicine should not be used after the expiry date stated on the packaging. The expiry date refers to the last day of the specified month.
Store below 25°C. Store in the original packaging to protect from light and moisture.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. The patient should ask their pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer needed. This will help protect the environment.
The active substance of Ladybon is tibolone. Each tablet contains 2.5 mg of tibolone. The other ingredients are lactose monohydrate, potato starch, ascorbyl palmitate (E 304), and magnesium stearate.
White or almost white, flat, round tablets with a score line on one side.
Pack size: 1×28 or 3×28 tablets.
For more detailed information, the patient should consult the marketing authorization holder or parallel importer.
Zentiva Portugal, Lda, Miraflores Premium I, Alameda Fernão Lopes, 16 A - 8º piso A, 1495-190 Algés, Portugal
Zentiva k.s., U kabelovny 130, Dolní Měcholupy, Prague 10, 102 37, Czech Republic
Delfarma Sp. z o.o., ul. Św. Teresy od Dzieciątka Jezus 111, 91-222 Łódź
Delfarma Sp. z o.o., ul. Św. Teresy od Dzieciątka Jezus 111, 91-222 Łódź
Portuguese marketing authorization number: 5394531
5394549
The main natural sex hormones in women are estrogens and progesterone. They are necessary for normal sexual development and control of the menstrual cycle.
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Estrogens are also important in the process of bone formation. Bone is built up in early life, and maximum bone mass is reached between the ages of 20 and 30. Then, bone mass decreases, first slowly, but later in life more quickly, especially after menopause. Menopause is the time (usually around the age of 50) when the ovaries gradually stop producing estrogens. If the ovaries are removed surgically before menopause, the decrease in hormone production occurs very quickly.
The decrease in hormone production often causes symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Hormone deficiency can also cause the vaginal lining to become thinner and drier. This is why sexual intercourse can be painful, and vaginal infections can occur more frequently. Some women also experience mood changes, nervousness, depression, irritability, and loss of libido.
Often, an unnoticed problem is the faster loss of bone mass in menopausal and postmenopausal women. Bones gradually become fragile and may be prone to fractures (osteoporosis), especially in the spine, hips, and wrists. Osteoporosis can also cause back pain, loss of height, and a hunched back.
Ladybon contains tibolone, a substance that has a beneficial effect on tissues in various parts of the body, such as the brain, vagina, and bones, which helps to alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, as well as improve the condition of the vaginal lining, mood, and libido. Ladybon may also slow down the loss of bone mass that occurs after menopause in the spine, hips, and wrists. Unlike some hormonal replacement therapies, Ladybon does not affect the lining of the uterus. Therefore, treatment with Ladybon does not cause monthly vaginal bleeding.
[Information about trademark]
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