Nuvelle TS

What is it?

A combined oestrogen/progestogen preparation available as skin patches delivering 80µg of oestradiol per 24 hours (phase 1) and 50µg of oestradiol and 20µg of levonorgestrel per 24 hours (phase 2).

Medical Uses

Hrt in women with intact womb.

Dosage

Patches to be applied to clean, non-hairy skin area below waist and changed every 3 to 4 days, using new site. Apply patch from phase 1, 2 times weekly for 2 weeks and then patch from phase 2 twice weekly 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, earbamazepine, 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. Manuf~cturer: Schering H. C.