Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
The electronic medicines compendium (emc) no longer publishes a Summary of Product Characteristics for this product, which usually means it is no longer marketed in the UK. The patient leaflet below is kept for reference, but the product may not be available.
If you were prescribed this medicine, other products containing Levonorgestrel may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.
for
Upostelle is an emergency contraceptive that can be used within 72 hours of unprotected sex or if your usual contraceptive method has failed. Upostelle contains a synthetic hormone-like active substance called levonorgestrel. It prevents pregnancy in 99% of situations when you take it within 72 hours of having unprotected sex. It will not prevent a pregnancy every time and is more effective if you take it as soon as possible after unprotected sex. It is better to take it within 12 hours rather than delay until the third day. Upostelle is thought to work by: stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg; preventing sperm from fertilising any egg you may have already released. Upostelle can only prevent you becoming pregnant if you take it within 72 hours of unprotected sex. It does not work if you are already pregnant. If you have unprotected sex after taking Upostelle, it will not stop you from becoming pregnant. Upostelle is not indicated for use before the first menstrual bleeding (menarche). 2.
e Upostelle
Do not use Upostelle if you are allergic to levonorgestrel or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). Warnings and precautions If any of the following applies to you, talk to your doctor before taking Upostelle as emergency contraception may not be suitable for you. Your doctor may prescribe another type of emergency contraception for you:
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if you are pregnant or think that you may already be pregnant. This medicine will not work if you are already pregnant. If you are already pregnant, Upostelle cannot terminate pregnancy, so Upostelle is not an "abortion pill". You may already be pregnant if: your period is more than 5 days late, or you have experienced unusual bleeding when your next period is due you have had unprotected sex more than 72 hours ago, and since your last period.
The use of Upostelle is not advised if: you have a disease of your small bowel (such as Crohn's disease) that inhibits the absorption of the drug you have severe liver problems you have a history of ectopic pregnancy (where the baby develops somewhere outside the womb) you have ever had a disease called salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes). A previous ectopic pregnancy or previous infection of the fallopian tubes increases the risk of a new ectopic pregnancy. In all women, emergency contraception should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse. There is some evidence that Upostelle may be less effective with increasing body weight or body mass index (BMI), but these data were limited and inconclusive. Therefore, Upostelle is still recommended for all women regardless of their weight or BMI. You are advised to speak to a healthcare professional if you are concerned about any problems related to taking emergency contraception. Children and adolescents Upostelle is not indicated for use before the first menstrual bleeding (menarche). If you are worried about sexually transmitted diseases If you did not use a condom (or if it has been torn or slid down) during the intercourse, it might be possible that you have caught a sexually transmitted disease or the HIV virus. This medicine will not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases, only condoms can do this. Ask your doctor, nurse, family planning clinic or pharmacist for advice if you are worried about this. Other medicines and Upostelle Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. Some medicines may prevent Upostelle from working effectively. If you have used any of the medicines below during the last 4 weeks, Upostelle may be less suitable for you. Your doctor may prescribe another type of (non-hormonal) emergency contraceptive, i.e. a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD). If this is not an option for you or if you are unable to see your doctor promptly, you can take a double dose of Upostelle: barbiturates and other medicines used to treat epilepsy (for example, primidone, phenytoin, and carbamazepine) medicines used to treat tuberculosis (for example, rifampicin, rifabutin) a treatment for HIV (ritonavir, efavirenz) a medicine used to treat fungal infections (griseofulvin) herbal remedies containing St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). Speak to your pharmacist or doctor if you need further advice on the correct dose for you. Consult your doctor as soon as possible after taking the tablets for further advice on a reliable form of regular contraception and to exclude a pregnancy. (See section 3. "How to take Upostelle" for further advice).
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Upostelle may also affect how well other medicines work: a medicine used to suppress the immune system (ciclosporin). How often can you use Upostelle You should only use Upostelle in emergencies and not as a regular method of contraception. If Upostelle is used more than once in a menstrual cycle, it is less reliable and it is more likely to upset your menstrual cycle (period). Upostelle does not work as well as regular methods of contraception. Your doctor, practice nurse or family planning clinic can tell you about long-term methods of contraception which are more effective in preventing you from getting pregnant. Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine. Pregnancy You should not take this medicine if you are already pregnant. If you do become pregnant even after taking this medicine, it is important that you see your doctor. There is no evidence that Upostelle will harm a baby that develops in your uterus/womb if you use Upostelle as described. Nevertheless, your doctor may want to check that the pregnancy is not ectopic (where the baby develops somewhere outside the womb). This is especially important if you develop severe abdominal pain after taking Upostelle or if you have previously had an ectopic pregnancy, fallopian tube surgery or pelvic inflammatory disease. Breast-feeding Very small amounts of the active ingredient of this medicine may appear in your breast milk. This is not thought to be harmful to the baby, but if you are worried you can take your tablet immediately after a breast-feeding and avoid nursing at least 8 hours following tablet taking. In this way you are taking your tablet well before the next feed and reducing the amount of active ingredient your baby may take in with the breast milk. Fertility Upostelle increases the possibility of menstruation disturbances which can sometimes lead to earlier or later ovulation date. These changes can result in modified fertility date, however there are no fertility data in the long term. Driving and using machines No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. Upostelle contains lactose In case of milk sugar (lactose) intolerance it should be considered that each Upostelle tablet also contains 142.5 mg lactose monohydrate. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product. 3.
Upostelle
Always use this medicine exactly as described in the leaflet or as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Take the tablet as soon as possible, preferably within 12 hours, and no later than 72 hours (3 days) after you have had unprotected sex. Do not delay taking the tablet. The tablet works best the sooner you take it after having unprotected sex. It can only prevent you becoming pregnant, if you take it within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
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Upostelle can be taken at any time in your menstrual cycle assuming you are not already pregnant or think you may be pregnant. Do not chew but swallow the tablet whole with water. If you are using one of the medicines that may prevent Upostelle from working properly (see section above "Other medicines and Upostelle") or if you have used one of these medicines in the past 4 weeks, Upostelle may work less effectively for you. Your doctor may prescribe another type of (non-hormonal) emergency contraceptive, i.e. a copper intrauterine device (CuIUD). If this is not an option for you or if you are unable to see your doctor promptly, you can take a double dose of Upostelle (i.e. 2 tablets taken together at the same time). If you are already using a regular method of contraception such as the contraceptive pill, you can continue to take this at your regular times.
If another unprotected intercourse takes place after the use of Upostelle (also if this is during the same menstrual cycle), the tablet will not exert its contraceptive effect and there is again the risk of pregnancy. What to do if you are sick (vomit) If you are sick (vomit) within three hours of taking the tablet, you should take another tablet. After you have taken Upostelle After you have taken Upostelle, if you want to have sex, and are not using the contraceptive pill, you should use condoms or a cap plus spermicide until your next menstrual period. This is because Upostelle won't work if you have unprotected sex again, before your next period is due. After you have taken Upostelle, you are advised to make an appointment to see your doctor about three weeks later, to make sure that Upostelle has worked. If your period is more than 5 days late or is unusually light or unusually heavy, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. If you do become pregnant even after taking this medicine, it is important that you see your doctor. Your doctor can also tell you about longer-term methods of contraception which are more effective in preventing you from getting pregnant. If you continue to use regular hormonal contraception such as the contraceptive pill and you do not have a bleed in your pill-free period, see your doctor to make sure you are not pregnant. Your next period after you took Upostelle After the use of Upostelle, your period is usually normal and will start at the usual day; however sometimes, this will be a few days later or earlier. If your period starts more than 5 days later than expected, an 'abnormal' bleeding occurs at that time or if you think that you might be pregnant, you should check whether you are pregnant by a pregnancy test. If you take more Upostelle than you should Although there have been no reports of serious harmful effects from taking too many tablets at once, you may feel sick, actually be sick (vomit), or have vaginal bleeding. You should ask your pharmacist, doctor, practice nurse or family planning clinic for advice, especially if you have been sick, as the tablet may not have worked properly. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. 4.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people): Feeling sick (nausea) You might have some irregular bleeding until your next period You might have lower abdominal pain
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Tiredness Headache.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people): Being sick (vomiting). If you are sick, read the section 'What to do if you are sick (vomit)'. Your period might be different. Most women will have a normal period at the expected time, but some may have their period later or earlier than normal. You might also have some irregular bleeding or spotting until your next period. If your period is more than 5 days late or is unusually light or unusually heavy, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. You might have tender breasts, diarrhoea, feel dizzy after taking this medicine. Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10000 people): Rash, urticaria, pruritus, swelling of the face, pelvic pain, painful period, abdominal pain. Reporting on side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly: Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine. 5.
Upostelle
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Store in the original package in order to protect from light. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment. 6.
What Upostelle contains The active substance is levonorgestrel. Each tablet contains 1500 micrograms of levonorgestrel. The other ingredients are: Potato starch, Maize starch, Silica, colloidal anhydrous, Magnesium stearate, Talc, Lactose monohydrate. What Upostelle looks like and contents of the pack Tablet: almost white, flat, rimmed tablet of about 8 mm diameter with an impressed mark of "G00" on one side. Packaging: one tablet in PVC//aluminium blister and cardboard cartons. Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
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Gedeon Richter Plc. Gyömrői út 19-21, H-1103 Budapest, Hungary This leaflet was last revised in October 2020.
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Upostelle 1500 microgram tablets comes as tablet containing 1500mcg. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
The active substance in Upostelle 1500 microgram tablets is levonorgestrel.
Medicines with the same active substance, strength and form include: Levonelle 1500 microgram tablet, Postinor 1500 microgram tablet. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Upostelle 1500 microgram tablets, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
Emergency contraception within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse or failure of a contraceptive method.
Posology
One tablet should be taken, as soon as possible, preferably within 12 hours, and no later than 72 hours after unprotected intercourse (see section 5.1).
If vomiting occurs within three hours of taking the tablet, another tablet should be taken immediately.
Women who have used enzyme-inducing drugs during the last 4 weeks and need emergency contraception are recommended to use a non-hormonal EC, i.e. Cu-IUD or take a double dose of levonorgestrel (i.e. 2 tablets taken together) for those women unable or unwilling to use Cu-IUD (see section 4.5).
Upostelle can be used at any time during the menstrual cycle unless menstrual bleeding is overdue.
After using emergency contraception it is recommended to use a local barrier method (e.g. condom, diaphragm, spermicide, cervical cap) until the next menstrual period starts. The use of levonorgestrel does not contraindicate the continuation of regular hormonal contraception.
Paediatric population
There is no relevant use of Upostelle for children of prepubertal age in the indication emergency contraception.
Method of administration
For oral administration.
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
Emergency contraception is an occasional method. It should in no instance replace a regular contraceptive method.
Emergency contraception does not prevent a pregnancy in every instance. If there is uncertainty about the timing of the unprotected intercourse or if the woman has had unprotected intercourse more than 72 hours earlier in the same menstrual cycle, conception may have occurred. Treatment with levonorgestrel following the second act of intercourse may therefore be ineffective in preventing pregnancy. If menstrual periods are delayed by more than 5 days or abnormal bleeding occurs at the expected date of menstrual periods or pregnancy is suspected for any other reason, pregnancy should be excluded. If pregnancy occurs after treatment with levonorgestrel, the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy should be considered. The absolute risk of ectopic pregnancy is likely to be low, as levonorgestrel prevents ovulation and fertilisation. Ectopic pregnancy may continue, despite the occurrence of uterine bleeding.
Therefore, levonorgestrel is not recommended for patients who are at risk of ectopic pregnancy (previous history of salpingitis or of ectopic pregnancy).
Levonorgestrel is not recommended in patients with severe hepatic dysfunction.
Severe malabsorption syndromes, such as Crohn's disease, might impair the efficacy of levonorgestrel.
After levonorgestrel intake, menstrual periods are usually normal and occur at the expected date. They can sometimes occur earlier or later than expected by a few days. Women should be advised to make a medical appointment to initiate or adopt a method of regular contraception. If no withdrawal bleed occurs in the next pill-free period following the use of levonorgestrel after regular hormonal contraception, pregnancy should be ruled out.
Repeated administration within a menstrual cycle is not advisable because of the possibility of disturbance of the cycle.
Limited and inconclusive data suggest that there may be reduced efficacy of Upostelle with increasing body weight or body mass index (BMI) (see sections 5.1 and 5.2). In all women, emergency contraception should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse, regardless of the woman's body weight or BMI.
Levonorgestrel is not as effective as a conventional regular method of contraception and is suitable only as an emergency measure. Women who present for repeated courses of emergency contraception should be advised to consider long-term methods of contraception.
Use of emergency contraception does not replace the necessary precautions against sexually transmitted diseases.
This medicinal product contains lactose monohydrate. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.
The metabolism of levonorgestrel is enhanced by concomitant use of liver enzyme inducers, mainly CYP3A4 enzyme inducers. Concomitant administration of efavirenz has been found to reduce plasma levels of levonorgestrel (AUC) by around 50%.
Drugs suspected of having similar capacity to reduce plasma levels of levonorgestrel include barbiturates (including primidone), phenytoin, carbamazepine, herbal medicines containing Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort), rifampicin, ritonavir, rifabutin, and griseofulvin.
For women who have used enzyme-inducing drugs in the past 4 weeks and need emergency contraception, the use of non-hormonal emergency contraception (i.e. a Cu-IUD) should be considered. Taking a double dose of levonorgestrel (i.e. 3000 mcg within 72 hours after the unprotected intercourse) is an option for women who are unable or unwilling to use a Cu-IUD, although this specific combination (a double dose of levonorgestrel during concomitant use of an enzyme inducer) has not been studied.
Medicines containing levonorgestrel may increase the risk of ciclosporin toxicity due to possible inhibition of ciclosporin metabolism.
Women taking such drugs should be referred to their doctor for advice.
Pregnancy
Levonorgestrel should not be given to pregnant women. It will not interrupt a pregnancy. In the case of continued pregnancy, limited epidemiological data indicate no adverse effects on the fetus but there are no clinical data on the potential consequences if doses greater than 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel are taken (see section 5.3.).
Breast-feeding
Levonorgestrel is secreted into breast milk. Potential exposure of an infant to levonorgestrel can be reduced if the breast-feeding woman takes the tablet immediately after feeding and avoids nursing at least 8 hours following levonorgestrel administration.
Fertility
Levonorgestrel increases the possibility of cycle disturbances which can sometimes lead to earlier or later ovulation date. These changes can result in modified fertility date, however, there are no fertility data in the long term.
No studies on the effect on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed.
The most commonly reported undesirable effect was nausea.
System Organ Class
MedDRA 17.0
Frequency of adverse reactions
Very common
(≥10)
Common
(≥1/100 to <1/10)
Nervous system disorders
Headache
Dizziness
Gastrointestinal disorders
Nausea
Abdominal pain lower
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Reproductive system and breast disorders
Bleeding not related to menses*
Delay of menses more than 7 days**
Menstruation irregular
Breast tenderness
General disorders and administration site conditions
Fatigue
*Bleeding patterns may be temporarily disturbed, but most women will have their next menstrual period within 5-7 days of the expected time.
**If the next menstrual period is more than 5 days overdue, pregnancy should be excluded.
From Post-marketing surveillance additionally, the following adverse events have been reported:
Gastrointestinal disorders
Very rare (<1/10,000): abdominal pain
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Very rare (<1/10,000): rash, urticaria, pruritus,
Reproductive system and breast disorders
Very rare (<1/10,000): pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea
General disorders and administration site conditions
Very rare (<1/10,000): face oedema
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions:
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national Yellow Card Scheme, Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Serious undesirable effects have not been reported following acute ingestion of large doses of oral contraceptives. Overdose may cause nausea, and withdrawal bleeding may occur. There are no specific antidotes and treatment should be symptomatic.
Ask anything about Upostelle 1500 microgram tablets. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.
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