Lizinna 35/250mcg

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Lizinna is a combined contraceptive pill containing two types of female sex hormones: oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and progestogen (norgestimate). These hormones can prevent pregnancy by stopping an egg being released from your ovaries and making the mucus in the cervix thicker. When taken correctly, the combined contraceptive pill is one of the most reliable methods of contraception. 

How Lizinna prevents pregnancy

Lizinna contains two female hormones to help protect against pregnancy: norgestimate and ethinylestradiol. These active substances work as a contraceptive by preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg every month. It also thickens the mucus in the cervix (the neck of the womb) so it’s harder for sperm to reach an egg, and thins the lining of the womb so there’s less chance of a fertilised egg being able to implant itself into the womb and start growing. This means there are three preventative measures in place, making it extremely unlikely for you to fall pregnant.

Directions

Lizinna comes in a strip of 21 pills, each marked with a day of the week so you can keep track easily. You should take one pill each day, at the same time each day. You need to swallow the pill whole - do not chew it. 

After taking the strip of 21 pills, you should have a 7-day break where you take no pills. This will cause a withdrawal bleed, similar to a period. If you’re still bleeding once your 7-day break has finished, you should still start your next strip of pills on time as normal. 

If you miss a pill

If you miss one pill you should take the missed pill straight away, even if this means you’re taking two pills in one day. In this case, you will still be protected from pregnancy. 

If you miss two or more pills, just take the most recently missed pill and leave any earlier ones in the strip. Take your next pill at the usual time, even if that means taking two pills in one day. Continue taking the rest of the strip as usual and use an extra method of contraception for the next 7 days. If there are fewer than 7 pills left in your strip, skip the 7-day break and go straight onto your next strip. If you don’t have a withdrawal bleed after you have finished the second strip, you should do a pregnancy test. 

Starting Lizinna

If you’re taking Lizinna for the first time, you should try to take your first pill on the first day of your period, or within the first 5 days of your period starting. This means you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start Lizinna at any time, make sure you aren’t already pregnant first and keep using extra contraception for the first 7 days of taking your pills.

Side effects

As with all medicines, Lizinna can cause side effects, but not everyone will get them. See a doctor straight away if you experience any symptoms of an allergic reaction, blood clots, breast cancer, severe liver problems, increased blood pressure or fits. Information on the symptoms of these conditions can be found in the patient information leaflet. These side effects are rare but severe.

Other more common side effects can include: 

• Headache

• Feeling or being sick

• Diarrhoea 

• Bleeding and spotting between periods

• Painful or unusual periods

• Migraine (see a doctor if this is your first migraine, or if it’s worse than usual)

• Swollen hands, ankles or feet

• Depression, mood changes or feeling nervous

• Dizziness 

• Difficulty sleeping

• Stomach ache, bloating, wind or constipation

• Acne or rash

• Muscle spasms or pain in the legs, arms and back

• Painful breasts

• Urinary tract infections 

• Vaginal infections, such as thrush

• Vaginal discharge

• No menstrual periods

• Feeling weak

• Weight gain

For further information on rare side effects, refer to the patient information leaflet. If you experience any side effects, including any not included in the patient information leaflet, you can report them using the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme. 

Blood clots

Using a combined contraceptive pill like Lizinna can increase your risk of developing a blood clot. Whilst still rare, the risk is highest during the first year of taking the pill, and you should be aware of the symptoms. Seek emergency medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms: 

• Throbbing or cramping pain, swelling, redness and warmth in your leg or arm

• Sudden breathlessness, sharp chest pain and a cough or coughing up blood 

For further information on the link between the combined contraceptive pill and blood clots, refer to the patient information leaflet. 

Breast cancer

Breast cancer has been found slightly more often in women who take a contraceptive pill compared to women who don’t. Once you stop taking the pill, the risk gradually decreases and 10 years after stopping the pill the risk will be the same as someone who has never taken a contraceptive pill. Breast cancer is still rare for anyone under the age of 40, even in women who take the pill.

Warnings

Lizinna is a contraceptive treatment for females only - do not take this medication if you are male. You should also not take this medication if: 

• You have (or have ever had) a blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs (deep vein thrombosis), your lungs (pulmonary embolism) or other organs

• You have a disorder affecting your blood clotting (e.g. protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin-III deficiency, Factor V Leiden or antiphospholipid antibodies)  

• You need an operation or if you’re off your feet for a long time

• You have ever had a heart attack or stroke

• You have (or have ever had) angina pectoris (a condition that causes severe chest pain which may be the first sign of a heart attack) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA - temporary stroke symptoms)

• You have severe diabetes with blood vessel damage

• You have very high blood pressure

• You have a very high level of fat in the blood (cholesterol or triglycerides) 

• You have a condition called hyperhomocysteinaemia 

• You have (or have ever had) a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’

• You have breast or liver cancer 

• You have or have recently had a severe liver disease 

• You have hepatitis C and are taking medicinal products containing ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir or dasabuvir 

• You are allergic to any of the ingredients in Lizinna. 

If you are taking any other medicines or herbal remedies, including those obtained without a prescription, you should speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist before taking Lizinna. 

Some conditions can be made worse by taking Lizinna. You should take extra caution and speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist if any of the below conditions apply to you: 

• You have problems with your heart, circulation or blood clotting, such as high blood pressure

• You have diabetes without secondary problems

• You have liver problems or gallbladder disease

• You have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammatory bowel disease)

• You have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE: a disease affecting your natural defence system) 

• You have porphyria 

• You have a history of migraines

• You have elevated levels of fat in the blood (hypertriglyceridaemia) or a positive family history for this condition

• You need an operation, or you are off your feet for a long time

• You have had any of the following problems while pregnant or during previous pill use: itchy skin or blister-like rash, yellowing of skin or eyes, hearing problem, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), severe headaches, uncontrollable jerky movement

• You have just given birth 

• You have haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS, a disorder of blood clotting causing failure of the kidneys) 

• You have sickle cell anaemia (an inherited disease of the red blood cells) 

• You have varicose veins

• You have inflammation in the veins under the skin (superficial thrombophlebitis) 

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

You should not take Lizinna if you’re pregnant, or think you may be pregnant. You should speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist before taking Lizinna if you’re breastfeeding, to make sure it’s right for you and your baby. You may be advised not to take this pill. 

Important information

This product is a medicine; make sure to speak to your doctor or Chemist4U pharmacist before taking this product if you have an underlying medical problem or are taking any other medicine or complementary therapy. If your symptoms get worse or continue after taking this product, contact us or your doctor. For medical services in your area, please refer to https://www.nhs.uk

If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or our pharmacist before taking this product. If you suffer from any allergies, ask your doctor or our pharmacist if this medicine is right for you.

Store all medicines out of sight and reach of children.

Please read the included leaflet carefully before using this product.

Please contact your GP if appropriate regarding this product.

Storage

Keep in the original packaging in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date printed on the packaging, referring to the last day of the stated month. Keep out of reach and sight of children.