Zumenon

Zumenon is an oestrogen only continuous HRT for women with or without a uterus. Zumenon is a Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for oestrogen deficiency symptoms in postmenopausal women at least 6 months since last period. Zumenon contains a single female hormone called estradiol which is an oestrogen and comes in a oral tablet form with two strengths: 1mg and 2mg. This kind of treatment is beneficial for patients without a womb/uterus (following hysterectomy) who have had no bleed for at least 6 months. In general, treatment should start with Zumenon 1mg. Depending on the clinical response, the dosage can afterwards be adjusted to individual need.

Zumenon is used for relief of symptoms occurring after menopause. During the menopause, the amount of oestrogen produced by a woman’s body drops. This can cause symptoms such as hot face, neck and chest (“hot flushes”). Zumenon alleviates these symptoms after menopause.

Please Note: Zumenon is not a contraceptive. If it is less than 12 months since your last menstrual period or you are under 50 years old, you may still need to use additional contraception to prevent pregnancy. Do not use a hormonal contraceptive while using HRT.

Take one tablet every day, without a break between packs. Swallow the tablet with water, with or without food.

In women with a uterus, a progestogen should normally be added to Zumenon for 12 – 14 days of each month. If you are having regular periods you should start taking Zumenon on day one of bleeding.If you are not having regular periods and are not taking any other HRT preparations, or you are switching from a combined continuous HRT product, you can start taking Zumenon on any convenient day.

If you are currently using a ‘cyclic’ or ‘sequential’ HRT preparation (which involves taking an oestrogen tablet or patch for part of the month, followed by both oestrogen and progestogen tablet or patch for up to 14 days) start taking Zumenon the day after you finish the pack i.e. at the end of the progestogen phase.

You may experience some irregular bleeding or light bleeding (spotting) during your first few months of taking Zumenon. If the bleeding is troublesome or continues beyond the first few months of treatment you should discuss this with your doctor.

If you forget to take Zumenon

Take the missed tablet as soon as you remember. If it is more than 12 hours since you took the last one, take the next dose without taking the forgotten tablet. Do not take a double dose. Bleeding or spotting may occur if you miss a dose.

Like all medicines, Zumenon can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following side effects are reported more often in women using HRT compared to women not using HRT:

The following serious side effects may occur during treatment with Zumenon:

• swelling of the skin around the face and neck. This may cause difficulty breathing.
• heart attack
• heavy, irregular or painful bleeds

If any of these side effects occur you should stop treatment immediately and contact your doctor.

The following side effects may occur during treatment:

Common (in less than 1 in 10, but more than 1 in 100 patients treated):

• headache
• feeling sick
• leg cramps
• abdominal pain
• pelvic pain
• unscheduled bleeding or spotting
• wind
• feeling weak (asthenia)
• weight changes
• rash or itching

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 take Zumenon

• 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 of 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 antithrombin deficiency)
• 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 oestradiol or any of the other ingredients of Zumenon

If any of the above conditions appear for the first time while taking Zumenon, stop taking it at once and consult your doctor immediately.

When to take special care with Zumenon

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 Zumenon. 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 excessive 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 taking Zumenon and see a doctor immediately

If you notice any of the following when taking HRT:

• any of the conditions mentioned in the ‘DO NOT take Zumenon’ 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 signs of a blood clot, such as:
• painful swelling and redness of the legs
• sudden chest pain
• difficulty in breathing

• https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.1173.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/