Slinda Dosage/Direction for Use

Posology: How to take Slinda: One tablet is to be taken daily for 28 consecutive days, one white active tablet daily during the first 24 days and one green inactive tablet daily during the 4 following days. Tablets must be taken every day at about the same time of the day so that the interval between two tablets is always 24 hours. Tablets should be taken in the order shown on the blister. Stickers marked with the 7 days of the week are provided. The woman should choose the sticker that starts with the day she begins taking the tablets and stick it on the blister.
The first tablet of the treatment should be taken on the first day of menstrual bleeding. Thereafter tablet taking is continuous. A subsequent pack is started immediately after finishing the previous pack, without a break in daily tablet intake.
How to start Slinda: No preceding hormonal contraceptive use (in the past month): Tablet-taking has to start on day 1 of the woman's natural cycle (first day of her menstrual bleeding). When doing so, no additional contraceptive measures are necessary.
Following first-trimester abortion: After first-trimester abortion it is recommended to start Slinda immediately after abortion took place. In that case there is no need to use an additional contraceptive method.
Following delivery or second-trimester abortion: Contraceptive treatment with Slinda is recommended to start between 21 and 28 days after delivery or second trimester abortion. If contraceptive treatment with Slinda is initiated later but before the menstruations have returned, pregnancy must be ruled out and an additional method of contraception should be used for the first week.
For breast-feeding women, see Use in Pregnancy & Lactation.
Changing from a combined hormonal contraceptive (combined oral contraceptive (COC), vaginal ring or transdermal patch): The woman should start Slinda preferably on the day after the last active tablet (the last tablet containing the active substances) of her previous COC or on the day of removal of her vaginal ring or transdermal patch. In these cases, the use of an additional contraceptive is not necessary.
The woman may also start Slinda at the latest on the day following the usual tablet-free, ring-free, patch-free or placebo tablet interval of her previous combined hormonal contraceptive, but during the first 7 days of tablet taking an additional barrier method is recommended.
Changing from a progestogen-only-method (progestogen-only pill (POP), injection, implant) or from a progestogen-releasing intrauterine system (IUS): The woman may switch any day from other POP and should start Slinda the day after, within 24 hours of discontinuing the previous POP. A woman may switch form an Implant or following IUS removal on the same day that the implant or IUS is removed. A woman may switch from using an injectable contraceptive and should start Slinda on the day the next injection was due to occur. In all of these cases, the use of an additional contraceptive is not necessary.
Management of missed tablets: Tablets should be taken every 24 hours. If the woman is less than 24 hours late in taking any single tablet, contraceptive protection is not reduced. The woman should take the tablet as soon as she remembers and should take further tablets at the usual time.
If the user is more than 24 hours late in taking any white active tablet, contraceptive protection may be reduced and use of a barrier method such as a condom should be considered for the next 7 days. The missed tablet should be taken as soon as it is remembered, even if this means taking two tablets at the same time. She then continues to take tablets at her usual time.
If tablets were missed in the first week after initiation of Slinda and intercourse took place in the week before the tablets were missed, the possibility of a pregnancy should be considered.
If tablets were missed in the third week of pill taking, the risk of reduced reliability is imminent because of the forthcoming 4-day hormone-free interval. However, by adjusting the tablet-intake schedule, reduced contraceptive protection can still be prevented. The user should take the last missed tablet as soon as she remembers, even if this means taking two tablets at the same time. She then continues to take the active tablets at her usual time. The user is advised not to take the placebo pills and continue straight on to the next active blister pack.
Missed (green) placebo tablets can be disregarded. However, they should be discarded to avoid unintentionally prolonging the interval between active tablet taking.
Advice in case of gastrointestinal disturbances: In case of severe gastrointestinal disturbances (e.g., vomiting or diarrhea), absorption may not be complete and additional contraceptive measures should be taken.
If vomiting or diarrhea occurs within 3-4 hours after tablet taking, a new (replacement) tablet should be taken as soon as possible. The new tablet should be taken within 24 hours of the usual time of tablet-taking if possible. If more than 24 hours elapse, the advice concerning missed tablets, as previously mentioned, is applicable. If the woman does not want to change her normal tablet-taking schedule, she has to take the extra tablet(s) from another blister pack.
Paediatric population: Safety and efficacy of Slinda have been established in women of reproductive age. Safety and efficacy are expected to be the same for post pubertal adolescents under the age of 18 and users 18 years and older. Use of this product before menarche is not indicated.
Method of administration: Oral use.