Cimizt

What is Cimizt?

Cimizt is a combined oral contraceptive pill containing desogestrel (150 micrograms) and ethinylestradiol (30 micrograms). It is a 21-day pill: one tablet is taken daily for 21 days, followed by a 7-day tablet-free break. Cimizt contains 30 micrograms of ethinylestradiol, which places it in the low-dose category of combined contraceptive pills.

How does Cimizt work?

Cimizt works in three main ways. The combination of oestrogen and progestogen primarily prevents ovulation, stopping an egg from being released each month. It also thickens the cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus, and alters the lining of the uterus to reduce the likelihood of a fertilised egg implanting. Together, these mechanisms provide over 99% protection against pregnancy with perfect use.

Who is Cimizt suitable for?

Cimizt is suitable for adult women seeking a reliable combined hormonal contraceptive. A UK-registered prescriber will assess your individual medical history before prescribing.

You should not take Cimizt if you have, or have ever had, any of the following:

• A blood clot in the legs, lungs, or other organs
• A heart attack, stroke, or angina
• Migraine with aura
• Severe liver disease or a liver tumour
• Breast cancer or other sex-hormone-sensitive cancers
• Unexplained vaginal bleeding
• Severe diabetes with blood vessel damage
• Very high blood pressure or very high cholesterol

You are also advised not to take Cimizt if you smoke and are over 35, as the combination significantly increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects.

Speak to your UK-registered prescriber if you have a history of depression, diabetes, kidney or liver problems, inflammatory bowel disease, or if you have ever had migraines.

How to take Cimizt

Take one tablet daily at the same time each day, with or without food. Each strip contains 21 tablets, marked with the day of the week. Follow the direction of the arrows on the strip. After finishing all 21 tablets, take a 7-day break. Your withdrawal bleed will typically begin on the second or third day of the break. Start your next strip on the eighth day, whether or not the bleed has finished. 

For immediate protection, start Cimizt on the first day of your period. If you start on days 2 to 5, use an additional barrier method for the first 7 days.

If you are switching from another combined pill, start Cimizt the day after your last active tablet, with no gap between packs.

Missed pill guidance

If you are less than 12 hours late taking a tablet, take it as soon as you remember and continue as normal. You remain protected.

If you are more than 12 hours late, take the most recently missed tablet straight away and continue taking the rest of the strip at the usual time. Use additional contraception, such as a condom, for the next 7 days. The risk of reduced protection is greatest if a tablet is missed at the beginning or end of a strip. If more than one tablet has been missed, contact your UK-registered prescriber.

If you vomit within 3 to 4 hours of taking a tablet, treat this as a missed pill and follow the guidance above.

Side effects and safety

Like all medicines, Cimizt can cause side effects, although not everyone experiences them.

Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

• Headache
• Nausea or abdominal pain
• Breast pain or tenderness
• Mood changes or depression
• Weight gain

Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

• Migraine
• Reduced sex drive
• Fluid retention
• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Skin rash

As with all combined hormonal contraceptives, Cimizt carries a small increased risk of blood clots. The PIL provides the following figures for context: out of 10,000 women who do not use a combined pill and are not pregnant, around 2 will develop a blood clot in a year. For women using a combined pill containing levonorgestrel, norethisterone, or norgestimate, that figure is around 5 to 7. For women using Cimizt, the figure is around 9 to 12. The risk is highest in the first year of use and returns to normal within a few weeks of stopping. Your UK-registered prescriber will assess your individual risk before prescribing.

Combined pills also carry a small increased risk of arterial events such as heart attack and stroke, particularly in women who smoke, have high blood pressure, or have other cardiovascular risk factors.

Seek urgent medical attention if you notice swelling or pain in the leg, sudden breathlessness, chest pain, or sudden severe headache. 

Cimizt and your periods

One of the practical benefits of taking a combined pill like Cimizt is that periods tend to become more regular, lighter, and less painful. The bleed that occurs during the 7-day break is a withdrawal bleed rather than a true period: it is a response to stopping the hormones, not a sign of ovulation.

Some women experience light spotting or breakthrough bleeding during the first few months of taking Cimizt, particularly if tablets are not taken at a consistent time each day. This usually settles after the first two or three strips.

It is possible to delay your withdrawal bleed by starting a new strip of Cimizt immediately after finishing the previous one, skipping the 7-day break. You may experience some light bleeding during this second strip. Speak to your UK-registered prescriber if you are considering this regularly.

Cimizt compared to other combined pills

Cimizt contains desogestrel and ethinylestradiol, the same active ingredients found in other combined pills such as Marvelon and Gedarel. These products are considered to have the same mechanism of action. As with all combined pills, the choice between them is based on individual tolerability, medical history, and prescriber guidance rather than meaningful clinical differences between equivalent products.

The "low-dose" description refers to the ethinylestradiol content of 30 micrograms. Lower oestrogen doses are generally associated with a reduced risk of certain oestrogen-related side effects, though tolerability varies between individuals. Your UK-registered prescriber can help you identify the most appropriate option for you.

How to get Cimizt through DoktorABC

To access Cimizt through DoktorABC, complete a short online consultation with a UK-registered prescriber, who will review your contraceptive history and medical background to assess suitability. If Cimizt is appropriate, your prescription will be approved and your medication delivered discreetly to your door.