Evorel patches

Evorel is a hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Evorel contains an oestrogen (estradiol) which is a female hormone. The hormone is spread evenly in each patch. It passes slowly into your body through the skin.

Evorel patches are used to treat menopausal symptoms. In the years leading up to menopause, the level of hormones produced by the ovaries goes down. The loss of oestrogen can lead to symptoms. Evorel patches are used to supplement oestrogen loss to relieve these symptoms.

Evorel can also be used to prevent osteoporosis (fragile bones) in women who have had the menopause and are most likely to have bone problems.

Evorel patches are worn every day. You must change your patch twice a week to give your body a steady supply of hormones. To do so, follow the instructions in the package leaflet. There is no patch-free week. You can play sports, swim or have a bath or shower without the patch being affected.

Where to apply the patch

Stick the patch onto a hairless area of skin below the waist. Most women prefer to wear the patch on the thigh or bottom.

• Do not apply on or near the breasts.
• Do not put it on top of cuts, spots or anywhere the skin is irritated.
• Do not use cream, moisturiser or talc before applying the patch.
• Do not apply the patch on the same area of skin twice in a row.
• It can be worn under loose areas of clothing.
• Do not wear a patch under elasticated areas or a tight waistband.
• Apply the patch to clean, dry, cool skin as soon as you open the protective pouch.

Do not use Evorel if:

• You are allergic to anything in the patches.
• You have (or have ever had) or think you may have breast cancer.
• You have (or are suspected of having) or ever had a cancer that is made worse by oestrogens (such as endometrial cancer).
• You have a thickening of the lining of the womb which has not been treated.
• You have vaginal bleeding you cannot explain.
• You have ever had blood clots in a vein (thrombosis) or a blood clot that has travelled to your lung (pulmonary embolism).
• You have problems with your blood which increases the likelihood of developing a blood clot (thrombosis), such as protein C, protein S or antithrombin deficiency.
• You have (or have ever had) a liver disease and your liver function tests have not returned to normal.
• You have ever had blocked arteries (arterial thrombo-embolic disease) that gave you angina or a heart attack or resulted in a stroke.
• You have a blood problem called ‘porphyria’.

Do not use this medicine if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Evorel. Stop using Evorel at once if any of the above appears for the first time and talk to your doctor immediately.

Evorel should not be used by children.

Note: There are more warnings associated with the use of Evorel patches. See the package leaflet for a list of all HRT risks and precautions.

Other medicines and Evorel

Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any

other medicines. This includes medicines that you buy without a prescription (over-the-counter medicines) or herbal medicines.

In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following:

• Medicines for epilepsy such as phenobarbital, phenytoin or carbamazepine.
• Certain medicines for infections such as rifampicin, rifabutin, nevirapine, efavirenz, ritonavir or nelfinavir.
• Bosentan, for high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs.
• St. John’s Wort, for depression.

Taking these medicines with Evorel can stop them from working as well. Because of

this you may get some bleeding, like a period, when you are not expecting it.

• Tell your doctor if you are going to have surgery. You may need to stop taking HRT about four to six weeks before the operation to reduce the risk of a blood clot.
• Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or might become pregnant. This is because it may affect the baby. If you become pregnant, contact your doctor straight away and remove the patch.
• Do not use this medicine if you are breastfeeding.

You can order Evorel patches from the pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription. You can ask the doctor to write a prescription during an online consultation. Start an online consultation to request a prescription for Evorel patches.

Would you like to know what Evorel patches cost? The current price of Evorel is listed on our order page. The cost of the online consultation and a service fee are included in the price.

Like all medicines, Evorel can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Take off the patch and tell your doctor straight away if you notice or suspect any of the following. You may need urgent medical treatment.

• Sudden swelling of the face or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing. This may be a sign of an allergic reaction. This only happens in a small number of people.
• Blood clots (thrombosis), a heart attack or stroke.
• Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice), or other liver problems.
• Migraine-type headaches for the first time or more frequent (affects less than 1 in 10 people).
• An increase in blood pressure.
• Breast or ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer or hyperplasia (long, heavy or irregular vaginal bleeding).
• Convulsions or fits (frequency not known).

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects while using Evorel:

Very common (affects more than 1 in 10 people):

• Irritated, itchy skin and rash where the patch is applied.

Common (affects less than 1 in 10 people):

• Red, puffy skin where the patch is applied.
• Breast pain.
• Rash or feeling itchy.
• Feeling dizzy.
• Feeling depressed.
• Headache.
• Feeling sick or having stomach pains.
• Diarrhoea.
• Pain, including pain in joints.
• Breakthrough bleeding, spotting or periods.
• Weight gain.

Uncommon (affects less than 1 in 100 people):

• Vaginal thrush.
• Wind.
• Being aware of your heartbeat (palpitations).
• Fuller breasts.
• Painful periods.
• Swelling of hands and feet (peripheral oedema).
• Water retention or build-up of fluid under the skin (oedema).
• Muscle pain.
• Allergic reactions (hypersensitivity).

This list is not exhaustive. For a complete list of side effects, please see the package leaflet. If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any other side effects not

The active substance in Evorel is estradiol.

• Evorel 25 contains 1.6 mg estradiol and delivers 25 micrograms of estradiol a day.
• Evorel 50 contains 3.2 mg estradiol and delivers 50 micrograms of estradiol a day.
• Evorel 75 contains 4.8 mg estradiol and delivers 75 micrograms of estradiol a day.
• Evorel 100 contains 6.4 mg estradiol and delivers 100 micrograms of estradiol a day.

The other ingredients are: Duro-Tak 387-2287 (this makes the patches sticky), guar gum and Hostaphan MN19 (backing film).