Dianette Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Dianette Tablet contains cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol, a combined hormonal contraceptive that also acts as an anti-androgen. It is prescribed for women to treat acne, very oily skin and excess hair growth, while also working as a contraceptive when taken as directed. It carries some serious warnings, including an increased risk of blood clots, and should be used exactly as your doctor advises.

What is Dianette Tablet

Dianette is a prescription tablet that contains an oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and an anti-androgen (cyproterone acetate). It is given to women to treat acne, very oily skin and excess hair growth, and it also works as a contraceptive pill.

Dianette Tablet uses

• Treats skin conditions such as acne and very oily skin in women of reproductive age
• Treats excessive hair growth (hirsutism) in women of reproductive age
• Works as a contraceptive when taken as directed, due to its hormone content
• Treats moderate-to-severe androgen-related acne
• Treats hirsutism
• May improve oily skin and seborrhoea
• Reduces excessive androgen activity in appropriate patients

Benefits of Dianette Tablet

• Can clear up acne and oily skin that has not improved with other anti-acne treatments such as creams or antibiotics
• Reduces excess hair growth caused by too much androgen hormone
• Provides contraceptive protection when taken correctly
• Can reduce persistent androgen-related acne
• Can reduce excessive facial or body hair over time
• Combines anti-androgen and estrogen activity

How Dianette Tablet works

Dianette blocks the effect of androgens (male-type hormones) on the skin and reduces the amount of androgens the body makes. Androgens cause the skin's oil glands to make too much oil, which blocks pores and leads to acne; by lowering this effect, Dianette helps reduce oil production and clear the skin.

Dianette Tablet dosage

Take your pill at the same time every day. Start by taking a pill marked with the correct day of the week on the strip. Follow the direction of the arrows on the strip and take one pill each day until the strip is finished. Swallow each pill whole, with water if necessary; do not chew the pill. After finishing a strip, take a seven-day break with no pills, then start the next strip on day eight even if you are still bleeding.

There are no special instructions about food and drink while taking this medicine. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It is best for new users to take the first pill on the first day of the next period so there is contraceptive protection from the first pill. If you are sick (vomit) or have severe diarrhoea within a few hours of taking a pill, your body may not have absorbed the full dose, so follow the missed-pill or lost-pill instructions as appropriate.

Available forms and strengths

• Sugar-coated tablets, supplied in strips of 21 tablets, each marked with a day of the week
• Each tablet contains 2 mg cyproterone acetate and 0.035 mg ethinylestradiol

Side effects of Dianette Tablet

Common

• Feeling sick
• Stomach ache
• Putting on weight
• Headaches
• Depressive moods or mood swings
• Sore or painful breasts

Serious

• Severe depression, sometimes with thoughts of ending life
• Signs of a blood clot such as sudden cough, severe chest pain spreading to the left arm, breathlessness, severe or unusual headache, vision changes, slurred speech, sudden changes in hearing/smell/taste, dizziness or fainting, weakness or numbness, severe abdominal pain, or severe leg pain or swelling
• Signs of a severe allergic reaction or worsening hereditary angioedema, such as swelling of the hands, face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat, or a red bumpy itchy rash
• Signs of breast cancer such as skin dimpling, nipple changes, or lumps
• Signs of cervical cancer such as unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding, pelvic pain, or pain during sex
• Signs of severe liver problems such as severe stomach pain, yellowing of skin or eyes, liver inflammation, or whole-body itching

Warnings and precautions

• This medicine must not be used during pregnancy. If you think you might be pregnant, do a pregnancy test before you stop taking it, and stop taking it and see your doctor if you are pregnant. This medicine should not be taken while breast-feeding.
• Kidney problems are listed among the serious reactions to watch for, and this medicine may worsen kidney dysfunction. This medicine should not be used if you have had severe liver disease with abnormal liver tests, or liver tumours, and you should see a doctor straight away if you get signs of severe liver problems such as stomach pain, yellowing skin or eyes, or whole-body itching.
• No major direct interaction with alcohol is established, though excessive alcohol may worsen some side effects. This medicine has no known effect on your ability to drive or use machines.
• This medicine increases the risk of blood clots (thrombosis) in veins or arteries, which can rarely be fatal or cause lasting disability.
• Smoking while taking this medicine increases the risk of blood clots, especially in women over 35.
• Taking this medicine has been linked to a slightly increased risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer, and rarely to liver tumours including some liver cancers.
• Do not take this medicine with any other hormonal contraceptive at the same time.
• Certain medicines, such as some epilepsy treatments, some HIV and hepatitis C medicines, an antifungal called griseofulvin, certain antibiotics, certain sedatives, and St John's Wort, can stop this medicine from working properly or affect its safety.
• You may need to stop taking this medicine several weeks before planned surgery because of the increased risk of blood clots.
• High doses of cyproterone acetate (the active ingredient) have been linked to an increased risk of a usually non-cancerous brain tumour called meningioma.

Storage

• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children
• Do not store above 25°C
• Do not use after the expiry date shown on the strip
• If the tablets are discoloured or show any signs of deterioration, ask your pharmacist who will advise you what to do
• Do not throw away any medicines down a drain or into a bin; ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicines you do not want, to help protect the environment

When to see a doctor

• Stop taking the tablets and see a doctor straight away if you notice possible signs of a blood clot, such as sudden cough, severe chest pain, breathlessness, severe headache, vision changes, slurred speech, dizziness, numbness, severe abdominal pain, or severe leg pain or swelling.
• See a doctor straight away if you develop severe depression, as this should be treated as a reason to stop the medicine as a precaution.
• See a doctor straight away if you notice swelling of the hands, face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat, or a red itchy bumpy rash, as these may be signs of a severe allergic reaction or worsening angioedema.
• See a doctor as soon as possible if you notice changes in your breasts, such as dimpling, nipple changes, or lumps.
• See a doctor as soon as possible if you get severe stomach pain or yellowing of the skin or eyes, as you may need to stop taking this medicine.
• Make an appointment to see your doctor if breakthrough bleeding or spotting continues for more than the first few months, starts after you've been taking the medicine for a while, or continues after stopping it.
• If you think you may have signs of cancer of the cervix, such as unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding, pelvic pain, or painful sex, see a doctor straight away.

Alternatives

• Diane-35
• Ginette 35
• Cyprodiol
• Cyprest