Utovlan

Utovlan is a medication containing norethisterone, a synthetic version of the female sex hormone progesterone. When taken just before you’re due on your period, it can delay it until a more convenient time. You can take it for up to 30 days and you’ll start your period within 3 days of your last tablet.

What is Utovlan used for?

While ZAVA only prescribes Utovlan to delay your period, it can be used to treat women with other health conditions including:

• heavy or painful periods
• premenstrual tension (PMT)
• irregular periods
• endometriosis (where womb tissue grows outside the womb)
• breast cancer

Utovlan needs to be prescribed by your GP for the treatment of these conditions and cannot be ordered online at ZAVA.

Utovlan works to delay your period by mimicking the effects of the female hormone progesterone as it contains a synthetic progesterone called norethisterone.

During your menstrual cycle, your progesterone levels naturally decline as you get closer to your period due date. This tells your body that you’re not pregnant, so your womb lining sheds, which then causes your period.

Taking Utovlan replaces your progesterone levels. This stops your body from shedding the womb lining and delays your period until you stop taking it. Utovlan is not a birth control method and does not stop you from getting pregnant.

Utovlan cannot delay your period if you’ve already started it.

Utovlan comes in 5mg tablets and should be swallowed whole with water. To delay your period, take one 5mg tablet, 3 times a day, for a total of 15mg. Leave around 6 to 8 hours between doses.

Utovlan can be taken with or without food and it’s safe to drink alcohol during your treatment. When you stop taking it, your period will normally start within 3 days.

Utovlan needs to be prescribed by a doctor to make sure it is safe for you to take. At ZAVA, our doctors can prescribe it to you for period delay treatment. You should take Utovlan exactly as your doctor tells you.

When to start taking Utovlan

You must start Utovlan 3 days before your period. Start your tablets in the morning so you can take the full daily dose, then continue taking 3 tablets per day until your treatment course is finished, or until you’re ready to start your period. You can stop taking Utovlan at any time if you do not need it anymore.

What happens if you take Utovlan too late?

If you take Utovlan too late (less than 3 days before your period) it is not likely to work.

We also prescribe Provera, another tablet that can be used to delay your period that can be taken up to 2 days before your period starts. If you do not think you’ll get Utovlan in time, it might be worth looking into Provera instead.

Can I take Utovlan during my period?

No, taking Utovlan during your period will not stop it. Once your womb lining has shed, Utovlan is not effective.

What should I do if I miss a pill?

If you forget to take Utovlan at the correct time, take it as soon as you remember and then continue taking it as before. Don’t take 2 tablets together to make up for your missed dose. If it’s already time for your next dose, continue your treatment as normal.

Missing even a single dose of Utovlan increases the chances of breakthrough bleeding, so use a reminder or alarm to help you remember your tablets.

You can request Utovlan from online doctor services such as ZAVA. You’ll need a prescription to get it, so you cannot buy it over the counter. Utovlan is also usually offered on the NHS after speaking with your GP.

Can I buy Utovlan online?

Yes, you can buy Utovlan online by requesting treatment from trusted healthcare services like ZAVA. We are monitored and regulated so you know you’ll only receive safe and genuine medication.

Requesting Utovlan from ZAVA is quick and convenient, with no need to wait for a face-to-face appointment with a doctor:

1. Complete a short online medical questionnaire – share details about your health so our doctors can ensure Utovlan is right for you.
2. Order and pay online – sign in or create your ZAVA account, select Utovlan as your chosen period delay treatment, and securely make payment.
3. Doctor review and approval – a UK-licensed doctor will check your questionnaire answers and approve your prescription if Utovlan is safe and appropriate for you.
4. Fast and discreet delivery – if approved, Utovlan will be delivered discreetly to your home or a local post office for collection.

Can I get Utovlan over the counter?

No, Utovlan is a prescription-only treatment so you need approval from a doctor to use it. You can only get Utovlan safely and legally with a prescription.

Can I get Utovlan on the NHS?

Yes, you can get period delay treatment like Utovlan on the NHS. Usually, the NHS prescribes generic versions of medications, so you might get norethisterone tablets instead. To get Utovlan on the NHS, you’ll need to make an appointment with your GP to get a prescription.

Side effects of Utovlan include:

• changes to your period like irregular bleeding or spotting
• headaches
• nausea (feeling sick)
• bloating
• abdominal pain
• breast pain and tenderness
• hair loss
• feeling dizzy
• weight gain
• fluid retention
• hair growth on the face, chest, and back (hirsutism)

Utovlan and other similar hormonal medications have been shown to slightly increase the risk of developing blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) brain (stroke), heart (heart attack), and lungs (pulmonary embolism or PE). This risk is increased if you:

• have had blood clots in the past, or have a family member who has had blood clots in the past
• are unable to move around for a long time because of illness, injury, or surgery
• are very overweight with a BMI of 30 or more
• are a smoker
• have had several miscarriages in the past
• have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• have a history of migraines with aura

Other serious possible side effects of Utovlan include:

• severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
• liver problems

You should stop taking Utovlan and seek medical help immediately if you experience:

• wheezing (noisy, rapid breathing)
• difficulty breathing
• feeling faint or dizzy
• swelling of the face, tongue, hands, or feet
• severe itchy rash
• sudden, severe chest pain
• coughing up blood
• fast heartbeat
• severe headache, or headache that doesn’t go away
• changes in your vision (sight)
• difficulty talking
• numbness or weakness in any part of your body
• swelling, pain, redness, and heat in your lower legs or ankles
• yellowing in your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

For a full list of possible side effects please read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medication carefully.

Utovlan can be taken by most women, but it is not suitable or safe for all women. Before prescribing Utovlan your doctor will ask you some questions to check that it is safe for you to take.

Who can and cannot take Utovlan

You should not take Utovlan if you:

• have had a severe allergic reaction to Utovlan, any similar medications, or any of the ingredients in Utovlan (norethisterone lactose monohydrate maize starch, polyvidone, and magnesium stearate)
• are, or think you could be pregnant
• have or have ever had unexplained vaginal bleeding (bleeding for which your doctor could not find a cause)
• have ever had blood clots or have a family member with a history of blood clots
• have a high risk of blood clots
• have ever had a heart attack
• have liver problems
• have ever had pemphigoid gestationis (a skin condition that occurs in pregnancy)
• have severe pruritus (itching all over your body)
• have porphyria ( an inherited blood disease)

Sometimes Utovlan isn’t safe for people with certain health conditions such as:

• diabetes
• epilepsy
• migraines
• heart problems
• kidney problems
• asthma

If you have one of these conditions, your doctor will decide if Utovlan is safe for you to take.

Depression has been reported in some women taking Utovlan. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider if you feel low in mood while taking Utovlan.

Drug interactions

Your doctor will ask you what other medicines you are taking before prescribing Utovlan. It's important that you tell your doctor about any medications you are taking, including herbal supplements, as some may change the way Utovlan works in your body.

Some medications that may interact with Utovlan include:

• epilepsy medications like Phenytoin and Carbamazepine
• antibiotics such as tetracyclines, rifampicin, and co-trimoxazole
• HIV medicines like ritonavir and nelfinavir
• Some cancer medications
• Some herbal supplements like St John’s wort
• Aminoglutethimide (a medication used to treat Cushing’s syndrome, seizures, breast, and prostate cancer)
• Ciclosporin (a medication that suppresses the immune system)
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and diclofenac
• some medications used to treat high blood pressure

The main ways to delay your period are with period delay tablets or hormonal contraceptives.

Period delay tablets

In addition to Utovlan, the following tablets can also delay your period:

Norethisterone

This is the generic name for Utovlan and is the same medication, so is taken in the same way and has the same effects. The only difference is the manufacturer and a few of the non-active ingredients in the tablets.

Provera

A branded tablet containing medroxyprogesterone, another form of progesterone. Provera works in the same way as Utovlan and is also taken 3 times per day. The difference is that Provera can be started 2 to 3 days before your period while Utovlan must be taken 3 days before.

Getting Provera as a period delay treatment is known as an off-license prescription, meaning that the medication's primary use is not for stopping periods. It is still a safe and effective period delay treatment.

Hormonal contraceptives

The combined contraceptive pill contains both oestrogen and progestogen. It’s normally taken for 21 days followed by a break of 7 days, during which you have a breakthrough bleed like a period. If you start another strip of tablets without the 7-day break, you will skip your bleed that month.

There are also a few other ways to stop your period using the combined pill, such as taking it with no or fewer breaks. The combined patch or ring can also be used to delay your period. Your doctor can explain how to take your combined pill or patch to have fewer bleeds.