Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Harmonet 0.075 mg/0.02 mg coated tablets
gestodene and ethinylestradiol
Read this package leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Important things to know about combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs):
Contents of the package leaflet:
Harmonet is a combined oral contraceptive.
Harmonet is prescribed for the following indications: hormonal oral contraception, menstrual cycle disorders, and ovarian rest.
In addition, the use of hormonal contraceptives may have beneficial effects on conditions such as dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain) and to reduce the incidence of some breast and reproductive organ disorders.
General considerations
Before you start using Harmonet, you should read the information about blood clots in section 2. It is particularly important that you read the symptoms of a blood clot (see section 2 "Blood clots").
When you should not use Harmonet
You should not use Harmonet if you have any of the conditions listed below. Inform your doctor if you have any of the conditions listed below. Your doctor will discuss with you what other form of contraception would be more suitable for you.
Do not take Harmonet
Warnings and precautions
When you should be extra careful with Harmonet
When should you consult your doctor? Seek urgent medical attention
To get a description of the symptoms of these serious side effects, see "How to recognize a blood clot". |
Before taking Harmonet, you will need to see your doctor for a physical examination. It is essential that you inform your doctor if you have or have had any of the risk situations listed below. If so, your doctor must weigh the benefits of using Harmonet against the possible risks and discuss them with you before you decide to start using it.
Tell your doctor if you suffer from any of the following conditions
If the condition develops or worsens while you are using Harmonet, you should also inform your doctor.
Psychiatric disorders:
Some women who use hormonal contraceptives like Harmonet have reported depression or a depressed mood. Depression can be severe and sometimes can induce suicidal thoughts. If you experience mood changes and depressive symptoms, contact your doctor for additional medical advice as soon as possible.
BLOOD CLOTS
The use of a combined hormonal contraceptive like Harmonet increases your risk of blood clots compared to not using it. In rare cases, a blood clot can block blood vessels and cause serious problems.
Blood clots can form:
Recovery from blood clots is not always complete. In rare cases, there can be serious long-term effects or, very rarely, they can be fatal.
It is essential to remember that the overall risk of a harmful blood clot due to Harmonet is small.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE 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 might you be suffering from? |
? Swelling of a leg or foot or along a vein in the leg or foot, especially when accompanied by: ? Pain or tenderness in the leg, which may only be noticeable when standing or walking. ? Increase in temperature in the affected leg. ? Change in skin color of the leg, e.g., if it becomes pale, red, or blue. | Deep vein thrombosis |
? Sudden shortness of breath without a known cause or rapid breathing. ? Sudden cough without a clear cause, which may bring up blood. ? Sharp chest pain that may increase with deep breathing. ? Severe dizziness or fainting. ? Rapid or irregular heartbeat. ? Severe stomach pain. If you are unsure, consult a doctor, as some of these symptoms, such as cough or shortness of breath, can be confused with a milder condition like a respiratory infection (e.g., a "common cold"). | Pulmonary embolism |
Symptoms that occur more frequently in one eye: ? Sudden loss of vision. Or ? Blurred vision without pain, which can progress to loss of vision. | Retinal vein thrombosis (blood clot in the eye) |
? Pain, discomfort, pressure, or heaviness in the chest. ? Feeling of tightness or fullness in the chest, arm, or under the breastbone. ? Feeling of fullness, indigestion, or choking. ? Discomfort in the upper body that radiates to the back, jaw, throat, arm, and stomach. ? Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or fainting. ? Extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath. ? Rapid or irregular heartbeat. | Heart attack |
? Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. ? Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding. ? Sudden difficulty seeing in one eye or both. ? Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination. ? Sudden severe headache without a known cause. ? Loss of consciousness or fainting, with or without seizures. Sometimes the symptoms of a stroke can be brief, with almost immediate and complete recovery, but you should still seek urgent medical attention, as you may be at risk of having another stroke. | Stroke |
? Swelling and slight blue discoloration of a limb. ? Severe stomach pain (acute abdomen). | Blood clots that block other blood vessels |
BLOOD CLOTS IN A VEIN
What can happen if a blood clot forms in a vein?
They occur more frequently in the first year of use of a combined hormonal contraceptive.
When is the risk of a blood clot in a vein higher?
The risk of a blood clot in a vein is higher during the first year you take a combined hormonal contraceptive for the first time. The risk may also be higher if you start taking a combined hormonal contraceptive (the same medication or a different one) after an interruption of 4 weeks or more.
After the first year, the risk decreases, but it is always slightly higher than if you were not taking a combined hormonal contraceptive.
When you stop taking Harmonet, your risk of a blood clot returns to normal within a few weeks.
What is the risk of 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 Harmonet is small.
Risk of a blood clot in a year | |
Women who do not usea combined hormonal contraceptive and are not pregnant | About 2 out of 10,000 women |
Women who use a combined hormonal contraceptive that contains levonorgestrel, norethisterone, or norgestimate | About 5-7 out of 10,000 women |
Women who use Harmonet | 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 Harmonet is small, but some conditions increase the risk. Your risk is higher:
The risk of a blood clot increases with the number of conditions you have.
Long-distance flights (more than 4 hours) may temporarily increase the risk of a blood clot, especially if you have any of the other risk factors listed.
It is essential to inform your doctor if you suffer from any of the above conditions, even if you are unsure. Your doctor may decide that you should stop using Harmonet.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using Harmonet, for example, a close relative experiences a thrombosis without a known cause, or you gain a lot of weight, inform your doctor.
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 stroke.
Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot in an artery
It is essential to note that the risk of a heart attack or stroke when using Harmonet is very small, but it can increase:
If you have one or more of these conditions or if any of them are particularly severe, the risk of a blood clot may be increased further.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using Harmonet, for example, you start smoking, a close relative experiences a thrombosis without a known cause, or you gain a lot of weight, inform your doctor.
Tumors
There have been reports of breast cancer cases with a slightly higher frequency in women who use oral contraceptives, but it is not known if this is due to the treatment. For example, it could be that more tumors are detected in women who use oral contraceptives because they visit their doctor more frequently. This increased frequency decreases gradually after stopping treatment. After ten years, the chances of having breast cancer will be the same as for women who have never used oral contraceptives.
Similarly, cervical cancer (cervix) occurs more frequently in women who use oral contraceptives. However, the occurrence of this tumor is associated with increased sexual activity and sexually transmitted diseases, so it is not clear if oral contraceptives play a direct role in this risk.
Rarely, cases of liver tumors have been reported in women who use oral contraceptives. In these cases, internal bleeding can occur, leading to severe abdominal pain. If this happens, you should contact your doctor immediately. Some studies suggest that the use of hormonal contraceptives may be associated with an increased risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or invasive cervical cancer in some groups of women.
Other conditions
Blood pressure:
If you have hypertension (high blood pressure) or suffer from
Follow exactly the administration instructions of this medication indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.
This medication is for oral administration.
Remember to take your medication, as forgetting Harmonet can decrease the effectiveness of the preparation.
Before starting treatment with Harmonet, your doctor should perform a detailed medical history and a thorough medical examination, including blood pressure, and rule out the existence of pregnancy. They should also perform a breast examination, liver, limbs, and pelvic organs (urinary bladder, vagina, uterus, and rectum). Your doctor may also need to perform a cervical cytology (a gentle, painless scraping of the cervix to take cells from the area for analysis). Your doctor will repeat this review 3 months after starting treatment and then annually.
See section 2 "What you need to know before starting to take Harmonet".
Instructions for the correct administration of the medication
You should take the tablets orally, in the order indicated on the blister pack, approximately at the same time, every day, with some liquid if necessary. You should take one tablet daily for 21 consecutive days and then be without tablets for 7 days. Each subsequent pack will start after the 7-day interval without tablets, during which a bleeding usually occurs. This bleeding, similar to menstruation, usually starts between days 2 and 3 after taking the last tablet, and may not have finished before starting the next pack.
Your doctor will indicate the duration of your treatment with this medication.
If you think the action of this medication is too strong or too weak, inform your doctor or pharmacist.
Start of the first pack of Harmonet
Treatment starts on the first day of the menstrual cycle (i.e., the first day of bleeding).
For example, if bleeding appears on a Monday, you should start taking the first tablet of this medication on the same day, with the coated tablet marked "Monday", and follow the arrow indicator for the next tablets.
It is also allowed to start on days 2-7 of the menstrual cycle, in this case, a non-hormonal contraceptive method (e.g. condoms or spermicide) is recommended for birth control during the first 7 days of tablet taking.
You can start taking Harmonet the day after taking the last active tablet of your current pack of pills (this means there is no break in tablets). If your current pack of pills also contains inactive tablets, you can start taking Harmonet the day after taking the last activetablet. You should never delay more than the day after finishing the usual interval without tablets or the interval of inactive tablets of your previous contraceptive.
You can stop taking the progestin pill (minipill) any day and start taking Harmonet the next day, at the same time.
Start using this medication when your next injection is due or the day your implant or intrauterine device (IUD) is removed.
In all these situations, make sure to also use a barrier method (e.g. condoms, spermicides) when having sex during the first 7 days of tablet taking.
You can start taking the tablets immediately. If you do so, you do not need to take other contraceptive measures.
If you are breastfeeding, you should not take this medication (see "Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility").
Use of the tablets starts 28 days after delivery in women who are not breastfeeding or after an abortion in the second trimester. If you start later, you should use a barrier method during the first 7 days of tablet taking. However, if you have already had sex, you should rule out pregnancy before taking the contraceptive or wait for your next menstrual period.
Subsequent cycles
After the 7-day break, a new pack of Harmonet is continued, starting on the same day of the week as the first pack.
What to do if bleeding occurs during the 21 days of taking the coated tablets
The appearance of bleeding during the 3 weeks of taking the coated tablets is not a reason to discontinue treatment. A light bleeding usually disappears on its own. If the bleeding reaches an intensity similar to that of normal menstruation and lasts more than 3 cycles, you should consult your doctor.
Absence of bleeding
If vaginal bleeding does not appear during the break, it is advisable to consult your doctor immediately to rule out the possibility of pregnancy if the coated tablets have not been taken regularly or if there have been vomiting or diarrhea during the cycle.
If you forgot to take Harmonet
The protection of the contraceptive may be reduced if you forget to take tablets. In particular, if the forgetfulness is in the first week of treatment and you had sex in the previous week, there may be a possibility of becoming pregnant.
Advice in case of vomiting and/or diarrhea
If vomiting or diarrhea occur within 4 hours after taking a tablet, you should follow the advice regarding forgetting to take a tablet. If you do not want to change your usual tablet-taking schedule, you should take the additional tablets needed from another pack.
How to delay a period
To delay a period, you should start a new pack immediately after finishing the current pack, without any break. Periods can be delayed as long as you want, but not beyond the end of the second pack. During this time, you may experience bleeding or spotting. Afterward, the regular taking of this medication is resumed after the usual 7-day interval without taking tablets.
If you take more Harmonet than you should
You may experience nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, breast pain, dizziness, and vaginal bleeding; treatment will consist of discontinuing the administration of this medication. Contact your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible.
In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist or call the Toxicology Information Service. Phone 915 620 420, indicating the medication and the amount used.
If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them. If you experience any adverse effect, especially if it is severe and persistent, or have any change in health that you think may be due to Harmonet, consult your doctor.
All women who take combined hormonal contraceptives are at a higher risk of developing blood clots in the veins (venous thromboembolism (VTE)) or blood clots in the arteries (arterial thromboembolism (ATE)). For more detailed information on the different risks of taking combined hormonal contraceptives, see section 2 "What you need to know before taking Harmonet".
Contact a doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms of angioedema: swelling of the face, tongue, and/or throat, and/or difficulty swallowing or urticaria with possible difficulty breathing (see also the "Warnings and Precautions" section).
The use of hormonal contraceptives has also been associated with an increased risk of:
Adverse effects are listed below, classified according to their frequency, based on the following criteria:
Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 patients.
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 patients.
Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 patients.
Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients.
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients.
Frequency not known: cannot be estimated from the available data.
Infections and Infestations
Common: Vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina), including candidiasis (fungal infection in the vagina).
Benign or Malignant Neoplasms or Unspecified
Very rare: Hepatic carcinomas (malignant liver tumors).
Immune System Disorders
Rare: Allergic reactions such as urticaria (itching), angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, mouth, and in very rare cases, accompanied by difficulty breathing, dizziness, and even loss of consciousness).
Very rare: Worsening of systemic lupus erythematosus (autoimmune disease).
Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders
Uncommon: Changes in appetite (increased or decreased).
Rare: Glucose intolerance.
Very rare: Worsening of porphyria (familial metabolic disorder).
Psychiatric Disorders
Common: Mood changes, including depression; changes in libido (sexual desire).
Nervous System Disorders
Very common: Headache, including migraines (severe headaches).
Common: Nervousness, vertigo.
Very rare: Worsening of chorea (involuntary movements).
Eye Disorders
Rare: Intolerance to contact lenses.
Very rare: Eye anomalies and visual disturbances.
Vascular Disorders
Uncommon: Increased blood pressure.
Rare: Formation of harmful blood clots in a vein or artery, such as:
The likelihood of having a blood clot may be higher if you have any other condition that increases this risk (see section 2 for more information on conditions that increase the risk of blood clots and symptoms of a blood clot).
Very rare: Worsening of varices.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Common: Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.
Uncommon: Colic, feeling of bloating.
Very rare: Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas); ischemic colitis (certain types of colon inflammation).
Frequency not known: Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis).
Hepatobiliary Disorders (Liver and Gallbladder)
Rare: Cholestatic jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin due to bile stasis).
Very rare: Cholecystopathy (gallbladder disorders) including gallstones.
Frequency not known: Liver damage (e.g., hepatitis, abnormal liver function).
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders
Common: Acne.
Uncommon: Rash (eruption), chloasma (skin patches) that may persist, hirsutism (excessive hair growth), alopecia (hair loss).
Rare: Erythema nodosum (a type of skin inflammation with nodules on the legs).
Very rare: Erythema multiforme (a type of skin inflammation).
Renal and Urinary Disorders
Very rare: Hemolytic uremic syndrome (kidney disease with blood abnormalities).
Reproductive System and Breast Disorders
Very common: Unexpected vaginal bleeding or spotting.
Common: Breast pain or tenderness, breast swelling, nipple discharge, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), changes in menstrual flow, changes in vaginal discharge, and cervical ectopia (alteration of the cervical mucosa), amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).
General Disorders
Common: Fluid retention, edema (swelling).
Others
Common: Changes in weight (increase or decrease).
Uncommon: Increased blood pressure, changes in blood lipid levels, including hypertriglyceridemia (high levels of fatty acids in the blood).
Rare: Decreased folate levels in the blood.
Do not be alarmed by these adverse effects, as it is very likely that none of them will appear.
Reporting Adverse Effects
If you experience any type of adverse effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible adverse effect that is not listed in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es/. By reporting adverse effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep the blister pack in the outer packaging to protect it from light.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiration date stated on the packaging. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Deposit the packaging and medicines that are no longer needed at the SIGRE Point in the pharmacy. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medicines that you no longer need. This will help protect the environment.
Composition of Harmonet
The active ingredients of Harmonet are: 0.075 mg of gestodene and 0.02 mg of ethinylestradiol.
The other components (excipients) are: sucrose, lactose, cornstarch, povidone K-25, magnesium stearate, povidone K-90, macrogol 6,000, calcium carbonate, talc, and montan wax glycolate.
Appearance of the Product and Package Contents
It is presented in calendar packs containing 1 or 3 blisters with 21 film-coated tablets per blister.
The blisters are packaged in an aluminum bag containing a sachet with desiccant (silica gel).
After opening the aluminum bag, the desiccant can be removed.
Marketing Authorization Holder
Wyeth Farma, S.A.
Ctra. Burgos, Km 23. Desvío Algete, Km 1.
San Sebastián de los Reyes – Madrid
Spain
Manufacturer
Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company
Little Connell
Newbridge
Co. Kildare
W12 HX57
Ireland
Local Representative
Pfizer, S.L.
Avda. de Europa, 20-B
Parque Empresarial La Moraleja
28108 Alcobendas (Madrid) Spain
Date of the Last Revision of this Leaflet: November 2022
Detailed and updated information on this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/