In our era, a woman has the right to plan her pregnancy herself. This can be done in several ways, but one of the most convenient and effective is hormonal contraception.
The first pills to prevent pregnancy contained a rather large portion of the active substance and inevitably led to side effects, such as weight gain. Modern hormonal contraceptives are distinguished by the fact that the dose of the active component in them is negligible. This allows a woman to keep her weight under control. Moreover, a new generation of oral contraceptives can significantly improve the condition of the skin and hair, eliminate small swelling during menstruation.
One of the modern means to prevent unwanted pregnancy is the tablet "Silhouette". Reviews about this tool can be found diverse. Let's take a closer look at what the features of this drug are.
If we consider this pharmaceutical product from the point of view of belonging to the clinical group, then it is a monophasic contraceptive with antiandrogenic properties intended for oral use.
In what form is it produced?
Contraceptive pills “Silhouette”, reviews of which are mostly positive, are white, have a round biconvex shape and engraving “G53” on one side. The blister contains 21 pieces.
The composition of the drug
The following main active ingredients are contained in one tablet of the drug :
- Ethinyl estradiol in an amount of 30 mcg.
- Dienogest at a concentration of 2 mcg.
Also included are auxiliary components: lactose monohydrate, corn starch, hypromellose, talc, potassium polyarylate and magnesium stearate.
How does the drug work?
The Silhouette tablet, reviews of which speak of its acceptability for young women, is a combined remedy with a pronounced anti-androgenic effect. It contains hormones ethinyl estradiol, which carries the function of estrogen and dienogest, which is a progestogen. This contraceptive performs the following functions in a woman's body:
- Inhibits ovulation.
- Increases the viscosity of cervical mucus.
- Changes the peristalsis of the fallopian tubes.
- Transforms the structure of the endometrium.
The two main active ingredients in combination with each other have the effect of reducing androgens in plasma.
The Silhouette tablet (reviews is a confirmation of this) helps many women to cope with mild to moderate acne, as well as seborrhea.
The hormone dienogest is a derivative of norethisterone. It is less than 10 times affinity for progesterone receptors than other synthetic substances of this group. Features of dienogest - in that it does not have pronounced androgenic, glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid properties. Independent use of this hormone in a dosage of 1 mg per day leads to a decrease in ovulation.
What is the pharmacokinetics of contraceptives?
As mentioned earlier, the Silhouette tablet, reviews of which speak of its popularity, has two active substances that behave differently in the human body.
Ethyl estradiol, when it enters the small intestine, is rapidly absorbed and reaches its maximum concentration after 1.5-4 hours. A significant proportion of the substance is metabolized by the liver. The absolute bioavailability of ethinyl estradiol is 44%. This substance is 98% bound to blood albumin, increasing the concentration of globulin. This protein binds sex hormones. In the second half of the course of taking the drug, the achievement of the maximum equilibrium content of ethinyl estradiol is noted.
This substance is metabolized in the intestinal mucosa and in the liver through aromatic hydroxylation with a large number of derivatives. The decomposition products of the liver and kidneys are removed in two stages:
- The first is 1 hour.
- The second period is 10-20 hours.
Ethinyl estradiol unchanged from the human body is not excreted.
Dienogest is also absorbed into the bloodstream through the wall of the small intestine and reaches its maximum concentration after 2.5 hours after taking the contraceptive. Its bioavailability with ethinyl estradiol is 96%. Dienogest binds only to albumin. Its equilibrium maximum concentration in plasma is achieved in 4 days of taking the drug.
Dienogest is metabolized by hydroxylation and glucuronidation. The products of this decay are inactive and quickly leave the blood plasma.
Dienogest in a small amount in an unchanged form is excreted by the kidneys. With the consumption of 0.1 mg / kg of the substance, about 86% are excreted from the body in the first 6 days by the intestines and kidneys, and about 42% of the substance is removed in the first day with urine.
What dose should i take?
Contraceptive pills "Silhouette", reviews of which are positive, should be taken every day and at a certain time. If necessary, you can drink a little water. Be sure to follow the order indicated on the package.
The main guide in order to correctly take the "Silhouette" (tablets) - instructions. Reviews of this contraceptive indicate the availability of the presentation of the method of its use in the attached annotation. It indicates the scheme according to which one tablet of the drug is taken once a day for a period of 21 days. Then a seven-day break is taken before starting a new medicine package. During this period, “withdrawal bleeding” is observed. Usually this phenomenon begins 2-3 days after taking the last pill and ends in 4-5 days. At this point, there is a need to take tablets from a new blister.
There is a very important nuance that characterizes the initial intake of the Silhouette pill. Instructions for use (reviews of doctors confirming this) indicate the need for contraception on the 1st day of menstruation. This condition is mandatory for those who have not previously used hormonal contraceptives or have not used these drugs for a month or more.
Features of taking a contraceptive
If there was a transition from a combined oral contraceptive to Silhouette tablets, instructions for use, doctors' reviews recommend that you take the first dose at the usual time the day after the last tablet has been used.
If there is a need to switch from contraceptives containing only progesterone, then this can be done at any convenient day. If the patient removes the implant, such as the IUD, then on the same day she can already take the “Silhouette”. If a woman took a contraceptive in the form of injections and decided to switch to the described tablet contraceptive, then she should take the first dose at the time when the planned injection should be made.
If a woman has a miscarriage in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, and she plans to take the Silhouette hormone pills, the instructions, reviews and recommendations of doctors indicate the possibility of immediate use of this pharmaceutical product. If the abortion occurred at a later date, then there is a need to pause at 21-28 days and use condoms during this period.
What to do if you miss a pill?
In the event that the delay in admission does not exceed 12 hours, the strength of contraception does not decrease. A woman should use the pill as soon as possible, and the next drink at the usual time.
In the event that the delay was a time period of more than 12 hours, then you should act in accordance with the basic rules for taking a contraceptive:
- Do not interrupt the use of the product for more than a week.
- In order for the drug to work, you need at least 7 days of continuous use.
Therefore, doctors give the following recommendations:
- If the admission pass occurred in the first week of using the drug, then the woman should immediately take a pill, and take the next one at the usual time. At the same time you need to use a condom in the coming week.
- If this happened during the second seven-day period, then a pill is taken immediately, and there is no need for barrier methods of contraception.
- In the third week, a failure in taking the drug needs the algorithm described in the first paragraph. After this, proceed to the next blister without a break. In this case, there will be no “withdrawal bleeding”, however, there may be spotting.
You can also delay the onset of bleeding using the Silhouette pill. Reviews of doctors about this manipulation recommend in this case to continue taking the drug, replacing the blister with a new one. During the use of the second package of medicine, a woman may notice spotting uterine discharge.
Can an overdose occur?
The toxicity of the increased dose of hormones that make up the Silhouette tablets is low. In case of an overdose, nausea, vomiting, vaginal discharge or bleeding are noted. There is no need for therapy.
Can the “Silhouette” be taken with other medicines?
It was noted that a joint intake with drugs that activate microsomal enzymes can lead to breakthrough bleeding and a decrease in the contraceptive effect. Such drugs include Phenobarbital, Rafampicin, Hydantoin, Primidon, Carbamazepine, Rifabutin, Efavirenza, Nevirapine, Oxycarbazepine, Felbamat, Griseofulvin, Topira "," Ritonavir "and herbal medicine of St. John's wort perforated.
Taking certain antibiotics, such as tetracycline or ampicillin, together with Siluet, also reduces its effectiveness. In the case of combinations with any of the above drugs, there is a need for additional barrier protection for a period of 7 days, and with Rifampicin - 28 days.
What are the side effects of the drug?
You can not make your own decision on the choice of this drug for contraception. Remember that "Silhouette" - hormonal pills. Reviews of doctors about the side effects of this contraceptive indicate that it contributes to the formation of blood clots in arteries and veins.
This phenomenon can be exacerbated by smoking, hypertension, disorders of normal blood coagulation, varicose veins, obesity, thrombosis and thrombophlebitis.
Among the common side effects are also noted:
- Migraine.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Weight gain;
- Pain in the mammary glands and their increase;
- Emotional instability;
- Back pain;
- Cramps in calf muscles.
Many women refuse to use oral contraceptives for fear of getting better. Are these concerns justified? One of the important sources of information on whether it is possible to gain weight from taking the “Silhouette” pill is reviews. An increase in body weight is observed in a fairly large part of women. That is why this effect of taking this contraceptive is the most common.
The following side effects from taking the drug “Silhouette” differ in a lower frequency of manifestation in patients:
- Arterial hypotension or hypertension.
- Thrombophlebitis and varicose veins.
- Migraines and dizziness.
- Hyperactivity.
- Stomach ache.
- Infectious diseases of the urinary system.
- Acne, exanthema, allergic and acneiform dermatitis, allopecia, erythema, pruritus, chloasma.
- Increased appetite or weight loss.
- Vaginal candidiasis, vaginitis.
- Fatigue, malaise, swelling.
- Acyclic and painful bleeding, endometrial hyperplasia, endometritis, salpingitis.
Some other, but less frequent side effects from taking the “Silhouette” pill were also noted. Instructions for use, reviews of patients and doctors indicate the following undesirable manifestations:
- Anemia.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Circulatory disorders of the brain.
- Visual disturbances.
- Sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma.
- Digestive disorders.
- Hypertrichosis, eczema, seborrhea, angioedema.
- Decreased appetite.
- Allergy.
- Scanty discharge, changes and tumors of the mammary glands, leiomyoma.
- Insomnia, depression.
- Arthralgia, myalgia.
There are also very rare side effects that may occur as a result of taking the “Silhouette” drug. Pills, reviews confirm this, with a frequency of less than 1 out of 10,000 cases, they can provoke myocardial infarction, gallstones, cholecystitis and endometrial cancer.
Contraindications
The drug "Silhouette" can not be taken in the presence of some ailments. It:
- Diseases of the veins and arteries, a tendency to thrombosis.
- Pancreatitis
- Porphyria.
- Jaundice or congenital syndromes of hyperbilirubinemia.
- Smoking after 35 years.
- Severe liver damage, including cancer.
- Vaginal bleeding of unexplored genesis.
- Migraine.
- Epilepsy.
- Sickle cell anemia.
- Pregnancy and lactation.
- Lactase intolerance.
- Allergy to the components of the drug.
For any of these diseases, the use of the silhouette contraceptive is contraindicated.
Endometriosis treatment
Endometriosis is a disease that is quite common in women.
It is treated with conservative or surgical methods, depending on the circumstances of the disease. "Silhouette" (pills) reviews for endometriosis earned positive. This drug is often prescribed to patients, as an analogue of the "Janine" contraceptive. In this case, gynecologists note its relative safety and good effectiveness.
The "silhouette" leads to a gradual atrophy of the foci of endometriosis, regardless of where they are localized. It reduces estrogen synthesis, suppresses ovulation and blocks the proliferation of cells of this tissue outside the uterine cavity. There is also a good anti-inflammatory effect from taking the “Silhouette” drug. Pills reviews with endometriosis are positive - women note the disappearance of signs of dysmenorrhea, polymenorrhea and pain during sexual intercourse.
In addition, the active components of the Silhouette drug reduce blood supply to the foci of endometriosis. As a result, this tissue stops growing. Normal hemoglobin levels are restored.
It is worth noting once again that the use of this drug should be recommended only by a doctor after a complete examination of the patient for the presence of diseases and previous conditions. The unauthorized use of hormonal contraceptives threatens with serious unwanted reactions of the body.