Cimizt

Cimizt is a combined oral contraceptive or what is commonly referred to as the pill. It contains two different types of hormone: desogestrel – a type of progesterone – and ethinylestradiol – a type of oestrogen. These two hormones work together to prevent unwanted pregnancy by thickening the fluid at the neck of the womb; making it more difficult for the sperm to reach the egg, stopping the ovary from releasing an egg every month and changing the lining of the womb so it is harder for a fertilised egg to be accepted. Cimizt comes as a film-coated tablet which is easy to swallow.If you are a sexually active woman of childbearing age who is not planning on getting pregnant, then no doubt you will have spent some time looking at the types of contraception that might be available to you. These days, there is a whole host of options for both men and women – perhaps it may almost seem that there are too many choices – but it is well worth evaluating which contraceptive option might work for you. From daily pills to weekly patches, injections or longer-term contraceptive devices that can last for five to ten years, there is something to suit everyone, so unwanted pregnancies should be easy to avoid.

Cimizt is a combined oral contraceptive or what is commonly referred to as the pill. It contains two different types of hormone: desogestrel – a type of progesterone – and ethinylestradiol – a type of oestrogen. These two hormones work together to prevent unwanted pregnancy by:

• Thickening the fluid at the neck of the womb;
• Making it more difficult for the sperm to reach the egg;
• Stopping the ovary from releasing an egg every month,
• Changing the lining of the womb so it is harder for a fertilised egg to be accepted. Cimizt comes as a film-coated tablet which is easy to swallow.

The Cimizt oral contraceptive pill is used to prevent unwanted pregnancy in sexually active women, but it will not protect you against sexually transmitted infections. Cimizt has the added benefits of:

• Regular, lighter periods;
• Reduced symptoms of pre- menstrual syndrome for some women;
• Lower risk of cancer of the ovaries, womb and colon;
• Reduced acne in some women.

The Cimizt oral contraceptive pill comes as a film-coated tablet, to be swallowed whole with water. Take one Cimizt oral contraceptive pill a day at the same time every day – often the morning or evening is best to help you remember. It does not matter if you take it with food or not. After 21 days of taking the tablet, you have a seven-day break when you will have your normal monthly period.

The Cimizt combined pill comes in strips of 21 with the days of the week on to help you remember to take your tablet every day. It is important you remember to take your tablet at the right time every day if you want to stay protected against pregnancy. Take a tablet next to the correct day of the week when you first start taking Cimizt, then follow the arrows on the strip for the next tablet and so on. After your monthly period, which usually starts on the second or third day of the gap week, start a new strip of tablets (even if your period has not finished). You will always start a new strip of the Cimizt oral contraceptive pill on the same day of the week.

If you have not been using a contraceptive that contains hormones:

Start taking the Cimizt oral contraceptive pill on the first day of your period, you are then immediately protected against pregnancy. You can also start on day 2-5 of your period but you then need to use additional protection (condoms) for seven days.

If you are switching from a different combined oral contraceptive:

Start taking Cimizt on the day after the last active tablet of your current pill, or at the latest on the day after the tablet-free days.

Start the day after you remove it.

If you are switching from a progesterone-only method of contraception:

Switch on any day but you will need to use additional protection (condoms) for seven days.

Each Cimizt oral contraceptive pill contains 150 mcg of desogestrel and 30 mcg of ethinylestradiol. You take one tablet daily, at the same time each day, for 21 days and then have a seven-day break before starting the cycle again on day eight.

If you forget to take your tablet:

• If it is less than 12 hours late take your tablet as soon as you remember, you are still protected from pregnancy;
• If you are more than 12 hours late the risk of falling pregnant is greater. You should consult your doctor or check the product leaflet for instructions on what to do depending on which part of the cycle you are in;
• It is worth noting that when taken properly, the combined pill is very effective. In reality however, there are more pregnancies than there should be due to not taking the oral contraceptive pill at the right times, so it is important you follow the instructions.

As with all medicines, the Cimizt oral contraceptive pill comes with a warning of some side effects, although of course not everyone who takes Cimizt will get them. There is a serious risk of blood clots which can lead to a stroke, heart attacks, pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis.

Warning signs of a blood clot:

• Sudden cough with no obvious cause;
• Sharp chest pain;
• Sudden unexplained breathlessness;
• Swelling on one leg or along the vein in the leg or foot;
• Pain or tenderness in the leg, especially when standing or walking;
• Increased warmth along the leg;
• Changes in skin colour;
• Loss of vision or blurred vision;
• Chest pain or discomfort;
• Choking feeling, indigestion;
• Sweating, feeling or being sick, dizziness;
• Quick or irregular heartbeat;
• Feeling of total weakness;
• Weakness or numbness in the face or along one side of the body;
• Sudden trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination;
• Losing consciousness or fainting, with or without seizure;
• Sudden severe, long-lasting headache with no known cause,
• Severe stomach pain.

Very common side effects, affecting less than 1 in 10 women include:

• Weight increase,
• Irregular bleeding.

Common side effects, affecting more than 1 in 1,000 but less than 1 in 10 women include:

• Fluid retention;
• Headache;
• Dizziness;
• Nervousness;
• Decreased libido;
• Low or altered mood;
• Migraine;
• Hypertension;
• Nausea;
• Vomiting;
• Rashes;
• Acne;
• Breast pain, tenderness or swelling.

Rare side effects, affecting less than 1 in 1000 women include:

• Hypersensitivity;
• Vaginal infection;
• Increased libido;
• Thromboembolism (venous and arterial);
• Skin disorders;
• Vaginal discharge;
• Breast discharge.

Do not take Cimizt if you have or have ever had any of the following:

• A blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs, lungs or other organs;
• A heart attack or stroke;
• Severe diabetes with blood vessel damage;
• A disorder which affects how your blood clots;
• Very high blood pressure;
• A very high level of fat in the blood;
• Inflammation of the pancreas;
• A tumour in the liver;
• A migraine with aura;
• Liver disease and your liver function is still abnormal;
• Breast cancer or cancer of the genital organs;
• Hepatitis C;
• Unexplained vagina bleeding.

Do not take the Cimizt oral contraceptive pill if you are allergic to desogestrel, ethinylestradiol or any of the other ingredients listed on the packet.

Do not take Cimizt if you need an operation or if you are off your feet for a long time.

Take special care and talk to your doctor before taking the Cimizt combined pill if you have any of the following:

• Diabetes;
• Depression;
• Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis;
• A disease of the liver or gallbladder;
• Sickle cell anaemia;
• Inflammation of the veins under the skin;
• Varicose veins;
• Systemic lupus erythematosus;
• Haemolytic uremic syndrome;
• Chloasma;
• Hereditary angioedema.

You should also take care if a close relative has or has ever had breast cancer.

Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any other medication you are taking as some medicines can interact with others and make them less effective or cause other problems, this includes vitamins and supplements. Pay particular attention to medicines for the treatment of tuberculosis, epilepsy, HIV infections and St John’s Wort, which can make the Cimizt oral contraceptive pill less effective at preventing pregnancy. Cimizt may influence the effect of other medicines, including products containing cyclosporin, ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir and dasabuvir, and the anti-epileptic lamotrigine.

You can get the Cimizt combined pill from any pharmacy, order online for home delivery, pop into your local pharmacy or supermarket pharmacy. In the UK, oral contraceptive pills are free of charge on the NHS.

No, you cannot get Cimizt without a prescription – you will need a consultation with a doctor to discuss your family and medical history and consider the risk of blood clots and other issues. These days, there are many options for contraception, so finding one to suit you should not be a chore. A doctor will have the knowledge to guide you to the best type of contraception for you and hopefully, this should mean fewer side effects.

Harding, D. (2014). Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill (First Prescription) COCP. Patient. [online] Patient.info. Available at: https://patient.info/doctor/combined-oral-contraceptive-pill-first-prescription[Accessed 19 Jan. 2020].

Morningside Healthcare Ltd (2019). [online] Medicines.org.uk. Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.9568.pdf[Accessed 19 Jan. 2020].

NHS UK (2017). Combined pill. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/combined-contraceptive-pill/[Accessed 19 Jan. 2020].