Dretine

Authored by

Dr Muhammad Zeeshan Afzal

19 August 2024

What is Dretine?

Dretine is a combined contraception pill that is used to prevent pregnancy. This is a 21-day tablet that contains two female hormones, drospirenone and ethinylestradiol.

Description

Dretine as a Contraception

Dretine is a combination birth control pill that works to prevent pregnancy and regulate menstruation symptoms while reducing monthly bleeding. Dretine is taken consecutively for 21 days with a seven-day break.

What is Dretine and how does it work?

The Dretine pill contains only the progestogens usually found in contraceptive pills, the two female hormones: drospirenone and ethinylestradiol.

These hormones work to ensure a sperm cell does not reach an egg by thickening the cervical mucus, thinning the lining of the womb and preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.

Is Dretine right for me?

If you are looking for an effective oral contraceptive, Dretine may be right for you. However, it may not be suitable for you if you have the following:

If you are allergic to ethinylestradiol or drospirenone, or any of the other ingredients of Dretine
If you have ever had a blood clot or are at risk of a blood clot
If you have severe heart, liver or kidney problems
If you have high or low blood pressure
If you have diabetes with damaged blood vessels
If you have a high level of fat in the blood
If you have, or ever have had pancreatitis
If you have ever had a migraine with aura
If you are suspected of having breast cancer or cancer of the genital organs
If you have unexplained bleeding from the vagina

Side Effects

All medications can cause potential side effects, below we have listed some potential side effects of Dretine. However, these do not always occur and are mostly mild in nature. But if you experience any prolonged or worrying side effects of Dretine, please discontinue the medication immediately and consult your doctor.

Common side effects include:

Breast pain or tenderness
Depressive mood
Headaches, migraine
Nausea
Thick whitish vaginal discharge
Vaginal yeast infection
Irregular bleeding

How to take Dretine?

Always take Dretine exactly as prescribed by your doctor or advised by the pharmacist.

Dretine should be taken every day for 21 days
Take your pill at the same time every day
Start by taking a pill marked with the correct day of the week
Follow the directions of the arrows on the strip and take a pill every day until you have finished all 21
Then have 7 pill-free days
Start your next strip of Dretine after the 7 pill-free days, even if you are still bleeding
It can be taken with or without food, if necessary with a small amount of water
You must not take Dretine if you are pregnant
It is not advised to take Dretine while breast-feeding

Warnings and Precautions

Dretin may not be safe if taken with other medication or recreational drugs. Please inform the prescriber if you are taking any of the listed medications.

DO NOT take Dretin:

If you have (or have ever had) a blood clot in a blood vessel of your leg (deep vein thrombosis, DVT), your lungs (pulmonary embolus, PE) or other organs
If you know you have a disorder affecting your blood clotting
If you need an operation or if you are off your feet for a long time
If you have ever had a heart attack or stroke;
If you have (or have ever had) angina pectoris (a condition that causes severe chest pain and maybe a first sign of a heart attack) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA – temporary stroke symptoms);
If you have any of the following diseases that may increase your risk of a clot in the arteries severe diabetes with blood vessel damage, very high blood pressure, and a very high level of fat in the blood (cholesterol or triglycerides), a condition known as hyperhomocysteinaemia
If you have (or have ever had) a type of migraine called ‘migraine with aura’;
If you have (or have ever had) liver disease and your liver function is still not normal
If your kidneys are not working well (renal failure)
If you have (or have ever had) a tumour in the liver
If you have (or have ever had) or if you are suspected of having breast cancer or cancer of the genital organs
If you have any unexplained bleeding from the vagina
If you are allergic to ethinylestradiol or drospirenone, or any of the other ingredients of this medicine. This may cause itching, rash or swelling.
If you have hepatitis C and are taking medicinal products containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir

Dretine Patient Leaflet

To view Dretine Patient Leaflet click here.

To view PDF patient leaflet click here.

Additional Information

Dretine is a combined oral contraceptive pill that contains the hormones ethinylestradiol and drospirenone. It is used to prevent pregnancy. Dretine can also be used to treat the premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and moderate acne in women who are at least 14 years old. It is not known whether Dretine is safe to use during pregnancy. Therefore, it should not be taken if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

Some of the common side effects of Dretine include headache, nausea, breast tenderness, and spotting between periods. Less common side effects include mood changes, depression, bloating, and changes in sex drive. You should stop taking Dretine and see your doctor if you experience any of these side effects. Dretine is not recommended for use by women who are over 35 years old or who have a history of blood clots.

Dretine is usually taken once a day, at the same time each day. You should take Dretine for as long as your doctor recommends. If you forget to take a dose of Dretine, take it as soon as you remember (even if it means taking 2 pills together). A missed pill is one that is 24 or more hours late. Please see the patient information leaflet or speak to a healthcare professional for specific advise about a missed pill. When used correctly, Dretine can be over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

If you are interested in using Dretine to prevent pregnancy, talk to your doctor. They can help you decide if Dretine is the right contraceptive for you.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this blog post is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Welzo does not endorse or sell the medication discussed, nor do we recommend using this information as a substitute for professional healthcare. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions regarding your health or medical treatment. Welzo assumes no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided in this blog.

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