Dianette

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start taking this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while using this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

You should not take any other hormonal contraception while taking this medicine, as this will expose you to excessive doses of hormones and is not necessary for effective contraception.

The following medicines speed up the breakdown of the hormones in this medicine by the liver, which makes it less effective as an acne and hirsutism treatment and at preventing pregnancy:

antiepileptic medicines, eg phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate

aprepitant

barbiturates

bosentan

griseofulvin

modafinil

nelfinavir

nevirapine

ritonavir

rifampicin

rifabutin

the herbal remedy St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum).

If you regularly take any of these medicines, this medicine is not recommended for you, because these medicines are likely to make it ineffective.

If you are prescribed a short course of any of these medicines, your doctor may ask you to take two pills every day, or prescribe you another pill to take in combination with this one. (This is unlicensed.) You should also use an additional method of contraception (eg condoms), while you take the medicine and for at least four weeks after stopping it.

If you are prescribed rifampicin or rifabutin, an alternative method of contraception is usually always recommended, because these particular antibiotics make the pill so ineffective.

Other antibiotics do not affect the breakdown of the pill by the liver. However, if you are prescribed another antibiotic medicine (eg amoxicillin, doxycycline, tetracycline) while taking this contraceptive, there is a very low risk that the antibiotic may make this pill less effective at preventing pregnancy. Although the risk of this is very low, the personal and ethical consequences of an unwanted pregnancy can be very serious. For this reason, it is recommended that you use an extra method of contraception (eg condoms) while you are taking the antibiotic and for seven days after finishing the course. If these seven days run beyond the end of a pill packet, a new packet should be started without a break. For more information talk to your pharmacist.

This pill may increase the blood level of the immunosuppressant medicine ciclosporin.

Some women with diabetes may need small adjustments in their dose of insulin or antidiabetic tablets while taking this contraceptive. You should monitor your blood sugar and seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist if your blood sugar control seems to be altered after starting this contraceptive.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredients

Acnocin	Cicafem	Clairette
Diva

Co-cyprindiol tablets are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.

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