Every woman should take care of her health, because her reproductive system and intimate life with her loved one directly depend on this. Modern pharmaceuticals produce a large number of different combination drugs that can solve several health problems at once. This group of medicines includes Diecyclen. Women do not leave reviews about it on the Internet very often, since these pills have not yet become widespread. But Diecyclen has been on the Russian market for quite a long time. Doctors, in turn, often recommend this particular drug to their patients, based on its price, ease of use and effectiveness as contraception and for endometriosis. We have combined reviews of Diecyclen in this article to make it easier for readers to get an idea about these tablets, based on the experience of other women.
Release form
Reviews of Diecyclen often provide information about the appearance of the tablets. This allows women to avoid the risk of counterfeit products. The manufacturer produces the drug only in tablet form. They are round white pills. They are convex on both sides and consist of a core and a shell.
Typically one blister contains twenty-one tablets. From one to three blisters are packaged in cardboard packaging at the factory. The cost of drugs directly depends on this.
Most of the reviews about Diecyclen indicate that its cost relative to other similar drugs is low. Therefore, it is more profitable to purchase a package with a large number of tablets.
Composition of the drug
If we rely on doctors' reviews of Diecyclen, we can conclude that all components of the drug are safe for health. After all, the drug appeared in pharmacies after long clinical trials, when its absolute safety for the female body was proven.
Each tablet contains two active substances:
- ethinyl estradiol;
- dienogest.
These components are indicated on the packaging of the medicine. Therefore, the buyer can immediately find out not only the name of the active substances, but also their dosage. The auxiliary group of components includes the following components:
- corn starch;
- magnesium stearate;
- soy lecithin and so on.
Excipients are located in the shell and core of the tablet. They promote faster absorption of active components into the patient’s body.
Drug analogues
“Silhouette” or “Zhenetten”, as well as “Janine” or “Bonade” are the closest analogues of the drug “Diecyclen”.
A gynecologist will help you choose the right contraceptive.
Only after a comprehensive examination and a complete history collection can a COC be prescribed. Only this approach guarantees the effectiveness of the drugs in the group under discussion and the safety of their use. (Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)
Pharmacodynamics
From doctors' reviews of Diecyclen, you can find out exactly how the drug works. Its effect is based on several components. First of all, the pills inhibit the ovulation process, which prevents pregnancy.
It is noteworthy that the drug has a number of positive properties that are among the advantages of Diecyclen. Reviews from doctors indicate the following accompanying advantages of the medicine:
- normalization of the menstrual cycle;
- reducing the pain of bleeding;
- reduces the risk of developing anemia (iron deficiency);
- decreased intensity of menstrual flow.
After many clinical studies, it has been proven that taking Diecyclen reduces the risk of developing cancerous tumors of the female genital organs several times.
Side effects
Estimated incidence of adverse reactions: > 10% – very common; > 1% and < 10% – often; > 0.1% and < 1% – uncommon; > 0.01% and < 0.1% – rare; <0.01% – very rare; with an unknown frequency – if it is impossible to estimate the frequency of occurrence of violations:
- hematopoietic system: rarely – anemia;
- cardiovascular system: infrequently – increase/decrease in blood pressure; rarely - pain along the veins, functional disorders of the heart, thrombophlebitis, thrombosis/thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery, orthostatic dystonia, varicose veins, flushing;
- respiratory system: rarely - hyperventilation, bronchial asthma;
- nervous system: often – headaches; infrequently – migraine, dizziness; rarely - cerebrovascular disorders, ischemic stroke, dystonia, mental disorders, irritability, depression, low mood;
- musculoskeletal system: rarely - myalgia, back/limb pain, bone/muscle discomfort;
- reproductive system and mammary glands: often - engorgement of the mammary glands, pain/tenderness in the mammary glands; infrequently - changes in the volume and duration of menstrual-like bleeding (including menorrhagia, hypomenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea), acyclic bleeding (including vaginal bleeding), metrorrhagia, swelling/distension of the mammary glands, enlargement of the mammary glands, dysmenorrhea , swelling of the mammary glands, ovarian cysts, discharge from the genital tract/vagina; rarely – galactorrhea, mammary cysts, dyspareunia, fibrocystic mastopathy; with an unknown frequency - discharge from the mammary glands;
- immune system: rarely - allergic reactions;
- endocrine system: rarely – virilism;
- digestive system: uncommon – diarrhea, abdominal pain/discomfort, nausea, bloating, vomiting; rarely – gastritis, enteritis;
- psyche: infrequently – decreased mood; rarely – depression, sleep disorders, mental disorders, insomnia, aggression; with an unknown frequency – decreased/increased libido, mood swings;
- skin and subcutaneous tissues: uncommon – itching (including generalized), rash (including macular), alopecia, acne; rarely - allergic dermatitis, chloasma, seborrhea, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, hirsutism, pigmentation disorder/hyperpigmentation, cellulite, skin diseases, spider veins, neurodermatitis, hyperhidrosis;
- organ of vision and hearing: rarely - irritation/dryness of the mucous membrane of the eyes, tinnitus, sudden loss/impairment of hearing, oscillopsia; with an unknown frequency - visual impairment, intolerance to contact lenses;
- metabolism: infrequently – increased appetite; rarely - anorexia;
- parasitic/infectious diseases: uncommon – vaginitis/vulvovaginitis, vaginal candidiasis or other fungal vulvovaginal infections; rarely - urinary tract infections, cystitis, fungal infections, herpetic lesions of the oral cavity, viral infections, bronchitis, mastitis, upper respiratory tract infections, cervicitis, sinusitis, salpingoophoritis, influenza, candidiasis;
- tumors (malignant and benign): rarely - uterine fibroids, breast lipoma;
- laboratory tests: rarely - hypercholesterolemia, increased concentration of triglycerides in the blood;
- general disorders: infrequently – asthenia, weight change, increased fatigue, poor health; rarely - increased body temperature, flu-like conditions, chest pain, peripheral edema.
In congenital angioedema, estrogens may aggravate/induce symptoms of angioedema.
Pharmacokinetics
The tablets are very quickly absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract after administration. Metabolism of the constituent substances occurs in the intestines and liver. After a single dose of the drug, its breakdown products are eliminated from the body in approximately ten hours. When the drug is taken regularly, its elimination takes a longer period - up to fifteen hours.
The breakdown products of the tablets are equally excreted by the intestines and kidneys.
Indications for use
Based on women's reviews of Diecyclen, we can conclude that the drug is prescribed mainly as a hormonal contraceptive. In this case, it can be safely taken for several years.
It is also quite common for doctors to recommend these pills to women suffering from acne. In this situation, hormonal therapy for six months gives a very good effect. Diecyclen is often prescribed for moderate seborrhea.
Endometriosis also belongs to the list of diseases for which the drug we describe shows itself to be extremely effective. Most often, for this problem, tablets are prescribed to women after 40. Reviews of Diecyclen left by this category of patients contain many positive comments. Therefore, we can conclude that in case of endometriosis, doctors can safely recommend the drug as very effective.
Contraindications for use
Despite the fact that reviews of Diecyclen tablets often provide information about their safety, it is worth keeping in mind that they have a number of contraindications. If you have some illnesses or health problems, you should absolutely not take this drug. Therefore, before purchasing a medicine, you should consult your doctor and get his approval.
The list of contraindications is extremely wide:
- most heart diseases, thrombosis and vascular diseases;
- obesity;
- smoking (especially over the age of thirty-five);
- intolerance or hypersensitivity to lactose, soy and peanuts;
- diabetes;
- malignant tumors;
- kidney and liver diseases;
- individual drug intolerance.
Also, under no circumstances should you take the pills during pregnancy. If you are breastfeeding your baby, then also avoid Diecyclen. In this case, it is allowed to start taking it only after stopping breastfeeding and consulting with a doctor.
In addition to the contraindications already listed, there is a list of diseases for which the drug must be prescribed with great caution. If the tablets are prescribed, the patient must be under the constant supervision of a specialist and undergo regular tests. Similar problems include the following:
- diseases that worsened and/or appeared during pregnancy;
- postpartum period;
- depressive states;
- angioedema (primarily hereditary);
- migraine;
- serious injuries;
- lupus erythematosus.
Keep in mind that if you have any of the problems listed above, taking the drug carries a number of dangers for the body. Therefore, it is necessary to weigh all the possible pros and cons of “Diecyclen” (in doctors’ reviews they are usually indicated in as much detail as possible) before starting treatment. Only in this case can you be calm about your health.
Diecyclen
Irregular use can lead to acyclic bleeding and reduce the contraceptive effectiveness of the drug.
Before starting or resuming use of the drug, it is recommended to conduct a thorough general medical and gynecological examination (including examination of the mammary glands and cytological examination of scrapings from the cervix) and exclude pregnancy. In addition, disorders of the blood coagulation system should be excluded. When using the drug, it is necessary to carry out preventive control examinations at least once every 6 months.
The drug does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) may occur in the form of deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism when using hormonal contraceptives. The estimated incidence of VTE in women taking oral contraceptives with low doses of estrogens (less than 50 mcg ethinyl estradiol) is up to 4 per 10 thousand women per year, compared with 0.5-3 per 10 thousand women not using oral contraceptives. However, the incidence of VTE developing when taking combined oral contraceptives is less than the incidence of VTE associated with pregnancy (6 per 10 thousand pregnant women per year).
In women taking combined oral contraceptives, extremely rare cases of thrombosis of other blood vessels, such as the hepatic, mesenteric, renal arteries and veins or retinal veins and arteries, have been described. The connection of these cases with the use of combined oral contraceptives has not been proven. A woman should stop taking the drug and consult a doctor if symptoms of venous or arterial thrombosis develop, which may include unilateral pain in the lower extremity and/or swelling; sudden severe chest pain; with or without irradiation to the left hand; sudden shortness of breath; sudden attacks of coughing; any unusual, severe, prolonged headache; increased frequency and severity of migraines; sudden partial or complete loss of vision; diplopia; slurred speech or aphasia; dizziness; collapse with or without partial seizure; weakness or very significant loss of sensation that suddenly appears on one side or in one part of the body; movement disorders; "acute" stomach.
The risk of thrombosis (venous and/or arterial) and thromboembolism increases: with age, in smokers (with increasing number of cigarettes smoked or increasing age, the risk further increases, especially in women over 35 years of age), with a family history (i.e. venous or arterial thromboembolism ever in close relatives or parents at a relatively young age), obesity, dyslipoproteinemia, arterial hypertension, heart valve disease, prolonged immobilization, major surgery, any surgery on the lower extremities or major trauma, atrial fibrillation.
In case of prolonged immobilization, in case of major surgery, any leg surgery or major trauma, it is advisable to stop using the drug (in the case of planned surgery, at least 4 weeks before it) and not to resume use for 2 weeks after the end of immobilization.
The possible role of varicose veins and superficial thrombophlebitis in the development of venous thromboembolism remains controversial. The increased risk of thromboembolism in the postpartum period should be taken into account.
Microcirculatory disorders may also occur in diabetes mellitus, SLE, hemolytic uremic syndrome, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and sickle cell anemia.
Tumors
The most significant risk factor for developing cervical cancer is persistent human papillomavirus infection. There are reports of a slight increase in the risk of developing cervical cancer with long-term use of combined oral contraceptives. However, the connection with the use of combined oral contraceptives has not been proven. The possibility of the relationship of these data with screening for cervical diseases and with characteristics of sexual behavior (less frequent use of barrier methods of contraception) is discussed.
A meta-analysis of 54 epidemiological studies found that there is a slightly increased relative risk of developing breast cancer diagnosed in women currently taking combined oral contraceptives (relative risk 1.24). The increased risk gradually disappears within 10 years of stopping these drugs. Because breast cancer is rare in women under 40 years of age, the increase in breast cancer diagnoses in women currently or recently taking combined oral contraceptives is small relative to the overall risk of breast cancer. The relationship between the development of breast cancer and the use of combined oral contraceptives has not been proven. The observed increased risk may also be a consequence of careful monitoring and earlier diagnosis of breast cancer in women using combined oral contraceptives. Women who have ever used combined oral contraceptives are diagnosed with earlier stages of breast cancer than women who have never used them.
In rare cases, during the use of combined oral contraceptives, the development of benign, and in extremely rare cases, malignant liver tumors, which in some cases led to life-threatening intra-abdominal bleeding, was observed. If severe abdominal pain, liver enlargement, or signs of intra-abdominal bleeding occur, this should be taken into account when making a differential diagnosis.
Other states
Women with or a family history of hypertriglyceridemia may be at increased risk of developing pancreatitis when taking combined oral contraceptives.
Although slight increases in blood pressure (BP) have been described in many women taking combined oral contraceptives, clinically significant increases have been rare. The relationship between taking combined oral contraceptives and an increase in blood pressure has not been established. However, if persistent, clinically significant arterial hypertension develops while taking them, it is advisable to discontinue combined oral contraceptives and treat arterial hypertension. Taking combined oral contraceptives can be continued if normal blood pressure values are achieved with antihypertensive therapy.
Effect on the menstrual cycle
During the use of combined oral contraceptives, irregular (acyclic) bleeding (“spotting” or “breakthrough” bleeding) may occur, especially during the first months of use. Therefore, any irregular bleeding should be assessed only after an adaptation period of approximately 3 cycles.
If irregular bleeding recurs or develops after previous regular cycles, careful evaluation should be performed to rule out malignancy or pregnancy.
Some women may not develop withdrawal bleeding while off the pill. If combined oral contraceptives were taken as directed, pregnancy is unlikely. However, if combined oral contraceptives were not taken regularly before, or if there are no two withdrawal bleedings in a row, then pregnancy must be excluded before continuing to take the drug.
Impact on laboratory test performance
The use of oral combined contraceptive drugs may affect the results of some laboratory tests, including biochemical blood tests (indicators of liver, thyroid, kidney and adrenal function, concentrations of transport proteins in the blood plasma (such as SHBG), carbohydrate metabolism, lipid/lipoprotein fractions) , as well as indicators of coagulation and fibrinolysis. However, changes in these indicators remain within normal values.
Impact on the ability to drive vehicles and machinery
There is no data on the negative effect of the drug Diecyclen on the ability to drive vehicles and engage in potentially hazardous activities that require increased concentration and speed of psychomotor reactions.
"Diecyclen": instructions for use
In reviews from women, you can often find complaints that the instructions included in the package are extremely confusing. Therefore, we decided to clarify this issue in the article so that readers do not guess how exactly to take the drug.
If you rely on general recommendations, then you should drink Diecyclen once a day. It's better to do this at the same time. After you take all the tablets in the blister (and there are twenty-one of them), you need to take a seven-day break. During this period, bleeding usually begins. On the eighth day, the woman should resume taking the medication. In this case, the bleeding may not stop yet.
Special instructions for use
Due to the large number of contraindications, before you start taking the drug, it is important to undergo a comprehensive examination.
- During the entire period of using the tablets, it is necessary to undergo control examinations once every 6 months.
- A decrease in the protective effect against unplanned conception is observed with irregular use.
- The drug will not have a protective effect against sexually transmitted and infectious diseases.
- Irregular bleeding may occur in the first months of taking the medicine.
- The drug affects the results of certain blood tests.
Features that women should know about
Quite often, patients switch to Diecyclen after taking other medications. Therefore, several rules must be followed, otherwise the effectiveness of the tablets may be significantly reduced.
So, if you have not taken any other hormonal medications before Diecyclen, then the first tablet should be taken on the first day of the menstrual cycle. If you miss this moment, you can take the drug until the fifth day of the cycle.
Those women who have previously used patches or vaginal rings should take a Diecyclen tablet on the day the ring is removed or the patch is removed.
If you practiced contraception using injections, then the start of your intake should coincide with the day when you did not take the next injection.
Keep in mind that if you miss a dose, the effect of the drug lasts for twelve hours. However, in the future you will have to take two tablets at once and then continue taking it as usual.
Compatibility of Diecyclen with alcohol
According to clinical studies, the absorption of hormones and alcohol is different, which makes their processing processes independent of each other. But the dose of the latter should be reasonable.
Important: a break between taking the pill and taking an alcoholic drink is required. Recommended time is from 3 to 5 hours.
If you have exceeded the permissible alcohol limit, you will need to skip the next pill and not have sex for a couple of days.
"Diecyclen": instructions for use for endometriosis
In the reviews, as we mentioned earlier, women give the drug high marks for the treatment of endometriosis. If the drug is prescribed when this disease occurs, it must be taken according to the general instructions.
The main goal will be a therapeutic effect, and protection from unwanted pregnancy will be just a pleasant accompanying bonus.
Doctors' reviews about the drug
Why do specialists so often recommend this particular drug to their patients? It's simple. They see mainly advantages in it, among which they especially highlight low cost, effectiveness, reliability and a minimal number of side effects. In addition, Diecyclen has been proven to work well for more women.
