Femseven Sequi

What is it?

A combined, hormonal preparation available as skin patches containing either oestrogen alone or oestrogen and progestogen. Patches deliver either 50µg of oestradiol per 24 hours or 50uµg of oestradiol and 10µg of levonorgestrel per 24 hours.

Medical Uses

Hormone replacement therapy at menopause in women who have not undergone hysterectomy.

Dosage

Women, patches should be adhered to non-hairy area of skin below waist and changed every 7 days, using a new site. Start with oestradiol patch alone and use for 2 weeks and continue with combined patch for next 2 weeks.

Special Care

Hypertension, severe kidney disease receiving dialysis, Raynaud's disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, varicose veins, elevated levels of prolactin (a hormone) in the blood (hyperprolactinemia). Risk of thrombosis increases with smoking, age and obesity. Blood pressure, breasts and pelvic organs should be checked during period of treatment.

Avoid Use

Pregnancy, heart and circulatory diseases, angina, sickle cell anaemia, pulmonary hypertension. Also, hormone-dependent cancers, undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, chorea, liver disease, history of cholestatic jaundice of pregnancy, infectious hepatitis, Dublin-Johnson syndrome, Rotor syndrome, recent trophoblastic disease.

Possible Drug and Food Interactions

Phenytoin, carbamazepine, tetracyclines, primidone, chloral hydrate, glutethimide, phenylbutazone, rifampicin, griseofulvin, ampicillin, dichloralphenazone, ethosuximide, barbiturates, St John's Wort.

Known Side Effects

Feeling of bloatedness due to fluid retention, leg pains, breast enlargement, erosion of cervix, muscular cramps, weight gain, breakthrough bleeding, depression, headaches, vaginal discharge, loss of libido, nausea, brown patches on skin (chloasma). Stop drug immediately in event of pregnancy, if frequent, severe headaches occur or signs of thromboses, severe pain in upper abdominal region, enlarged liver, jaundice, rise in blood pressure, severe depression, increased number of fits. Drug should be discontinued 6 weeks before major planned surgery and re-started 2 weeks afterwards, as long as woman is fully mobile. Should be discontinued during long periods of immobility.