Femseven Conti

FemSeven® Conti is a Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). It contains two types of female hormones, an oestrogen (Estradiol hemihydrate) and a progestogen (levonorgestrel). FemSeven® Conti is used in postmenopausal women more than one year after menopause. Each patch contains 1.5 mg of estradiol hemihydrate and 0.525 mg levonorgestrel in a patch size of 15 cm2, releasing 50 micrograms of estradiol and 7 micrograms of levonorgestrel per 24 hours.

Femseven Conti has to be applied once a week, i.e. each patch is replaced every 7 days. Femseven Conti is a continuous combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) treatment without a treatment-off phase: as one patch is removed, the next is applied immediately. Forgetting to change a patch on schedule may increase the likelihood of break-through bleeding or spotting.

In women with amenorrhoea and not taking HRT or women transferring from another continuous combined HRT product, treatment with Femseven Conti may be started on any convenient day. In women transferring from sequential HRT regimens, treatment should start right after their withdrawal bleeding has ended. For initiation and continuation of treatment of postmenopausal symptoms, the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration should be used.

Femseven Conti should be applied to clean, dry, healthy skin (which is neither irritated nor grazed), free from any cream, lotion or other oily product. Femseven Conti should be applied to an area of skin without major skin folds, i.e. the buttocks or hips, and not subject to by clothing (avoid the waist and also avoid wearing tight clothing that could loosen the transdermal patch). Femseven Conti must not be applied either on or near the breasts. It is advisable to avoid applying the patch to the same site twice running. At least one week should be allowed to elapse between applications to the same site.

After opening the sachet, one-half of the protective foil is peeled off, being careful not to touch the adhesive part of the transdermal patch with the fingers. Then the patch must be applied directly to the skin. After that the other half of the protective foil is peeled off, and the patch must be firmly pressed with the palm of the hand for at least 30 seconds, concentrating on the edges. Pressure and the warmth of the hand are essential to ensure maximal adhesive strength of the patch. It is possible to take a shower or have a bath without removing the transdermal patch. In the event that the transdermal patch should become detached prematurely, i.e. before the seventh day (due to vigorous physical activity, excessive sweating, abnormal chafing of clothing), a new patch should be applied (to aid compliance it is recommended that the patient then continues to change the patch on the original scheduled day). Once applied, the transdermal patch has to be covered by clothes to avoid direct exposure to sunlight.

Removal of the transdermal patch should be carried out slowly to avoid irritating the skin. In the event of some of the adhesive remaining on the skin, this can usually be removed by gently rubbing with a cream or an oily lotion. After use, Femseven Conti is to be folded in two (with the adhesive surface to the inside) and disposed of with normal household solid waste.

Like all medicines, FemSeven® Conti can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Most of the effects observed with FemSeven® Conti are weak to moderate and do not require the treatment to be stopped. Should the following persist, ask your doctor’s advice, who may adapt the treatment: hot flushes, headaches, inconvenient vaginal dryness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, tightness in the breasts, eye irritation from contact lenses, irritability, heavy legs and weight gain. In the case of heavy or irregular gynecological bleeding, consult your doctor.

The most frequent side effects of may occur very commonly (in more than 1 in 10 people):

• skin irritation at the site of application (disappeared 2 or 3 days after patch removal);
• breast tenderness;
• bleeding or spotting.

The following side effects may occur commonly (up to 1 in 10 people):

• breast pain (mastodynia);
• headache;
• indigestion (dyspepsia).

The list above isn’t exhaustive. If you experience serious side effects or side effects lasting longer than 3 months, then you should consult your doctor immediately. Make sure you read the patient information leaflet for a full list of side effects, cautions and contraindications. You should only take HRT once you have understood all the warnings and precautions as HRT may increase your chances of getting certain cancers or cardiovascular disease. If you are concerned discuss this with your doctor or The Family Chemist clinician.

Do not use FemSeven® Conti

• If you have or have ever had breast cancer, or if you are suspected of having it.
• If you have cancer which is sensitive to oestrogens, such as cancer of the womb lining (endometrium), or if you are suspected to having it.
• If you have any unexplained vaginal bleeding.
• If you have excessive thickening of the womb lining (endometrial hyperplasia) that is not being treated.
• If you have or have ever had a blood clot in a vein (thrombosis), such as in the legs (deep venous thrombosis) or the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
• If you have a blood clotting disorder (such as protein C, protein S, or antithrombindeficiency).
• If you have or recently have had a disease caused by blood clots in the arteries, such as a heart attack, stroke or angina.
• If you have or have ever had a liver disease and your liver function tests have not returned to normal.
• If you have a rare blood problem called “porphyria” which is passed down in families(inherited).
• If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to estradiol hemihydrate and/or levonorgestrel or any of the other ingredients of FemSeven® Conti

If any of the above conditions appear for the first time while using FemSeven® Conti, stop using it at once and consult your doctor immediately.

Warning and precautions

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any of the following problems, before you start the treatment, as these may return or become worse during treatment with FemSeven® Conti. If so, you should see your doctor more often for check-ups:

• fibroids inside your womb;
• growth of womb lining outside your womb (endometriosis) or a history of abnormal growth of the womb lining (endometrial hyperplasia);
• increased risk of developing blood clots (see “Blood clots in a vein (thrombosis)”);
• increased risk of getting a oestrogen-sensitive cancer (such as having a mother, sister or grandmother who has had breast cancer);
• high blood pressure;
• a liver disorder, such as a benign liver tumour;
• diabetes;
• gallstones;
• migraine or severe headaches;
• a disease of the immune system that affects many organs of the body (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE);
• epilepsy;
• asthma;
• a disease affecting the eardrum and hearing (otosclerosis);
• a very high level of fat in your blood (triglycerides);
• fluid retention due to cardiac or kidney problems;
• hereditary and acquired angioedema.

Stop using FemSeven® Conti and see a doctor immediately:

If you notice any of the following when using HRT:

• any of the conditions mentioned in the “Do not use FemSeven® Conti” section;
• yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice). These may be signs of a liver disease;
• swollen face, tongue and/or throat and/or difficulty swallowing or hives, together with difficulty breathing which are suggestive of an angioedema;
• a large rise in your blood pressure (symptoms may be headache, tiredness, dizziness);
• migraine-like headaches which happen for the first time;
• If you become pregnant;
• If you notice a signs of a blood clot, such as:
• painful swelling and redness of the legs;
• sudden chest pain;
• difficulty breathing.

• https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.12069.pdf
• https://www.womens-health-concern.org/
• https://patient.info/medicine/oestrogen-and-progestogen-for-hrt
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/