Elleste Duet

Order Elleste Duet Tablets Online

You can order Elleste Duet tablets online from our UK registered online pharmacy and doctor service. After completing your assessment, your order will be passed to our UK registered doctors for review. If approved, our pharmacy team will dispense and dispatch your medication to your chosen address.

What is Elleste Duet?

Elleste Duet is a Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) medication used to relieve the symptoms of menopause. It can also be used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who may be at risk of the disease. 

It contains two types of hormones. One hormone is an oestrogen (estradiol hemihydrate) and the other is a progestogen (norethisterone acetate). 

Elleste Duet is available in three different formulations:

• Elleste Duet 1mg tablets contain 1mg of oestradiol and 1mg of norethisterone
• Elleste Duet 2mg tablets contain 2mg of oestradiol and 1mg of norethisterone
• Elleste Duet Conti tablets contain 2mg of oestradiol and 1mg of norethisterone

Elleste Duet 1mg and 2mg are known as cyclical HRTs. This is because the first 16 tablets of the pack only contain oestrogen and the other 12 tablets contain oestrogen and progestogen. This is different to Elleste Duet Conti which is called a continuous combined HRT because each tablet contains both hormones. Cyclical HRT is recommended for women who still have regular menstrual periods.

How does it work?

During the menopause the level of oestrogen in the body decreases and can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, reduced sex drive, night sweats and mood swings. Elleste Duet contains a hormone called estradiol, which replaces the lost oestrogen in the body. This improves the symptoms associated with menopause by increasing oestrogen levels.

A rise in oestrogen levels can increase the risk of womb cancer by causing overgrowth of the endometrium. To offset this risk, Elleste Duet also contains another ingredient called norethisterone, a type of progestogen. The addition of a progestogen greatly reduces the risk of womb cancer caused by oestrogen.

Women who have had a hysterectomy are able to take oestrogen without the need for a progestogen.

Dose

A pack of Elleste Duet 1mg contains 16 white tablets and 12 green tablets. Start with the white tablets for 16 days and then take the green tablets for 12 days.

A pack of Elleste Duet 2mg contains 16 orange tablets and 12 grey tablets. Start with the orange tablets for 16 days and then take the grey tablets for 12 days.

If you do not have regular periods, start to take Elleste Duet straight away. If you still have regular periods, you should start taking Elleste Duet on the first day of bleeding.

If you are more than 12 hours late taking a tablet, dispose of that tablet and take the next one at the normal time.

Alternatives

Other forms of HRT include:

• Tablets
• Gels
• Vaginal pessaries
• Vaginal creams
• Vaginal rings
• Skin patches

Our doctors are able to prescribe a number of HRT products on our website:

• Elleste Solo
• Estradot
• Evorel Conti patches
• Estring vaginal ring
• Evorel Sequi patches
• Kliovance
• Elleste Duet Conti
• Livial
• Premarin
• Premique
• Trisequens
• Provera
• Vagifem

Various HRT products have suffered from product shortages in the past two years. The products can differ slightly, making it hard to find a direct alternative when one is out of stock. 

The closest alternatives to Elleste Duet 1mg are Novofem tablets and Femoston 1/10 tablets.

The closest alternatives to Elleste Duet 2mg are Trisequens tablets and Femoston 2/10 tablets.

Is Elleste Duet available?

Elleste Duet is available in three strengths, 1mg, 2mg and Elleste Duet Conti.

Is Elleste Duet discontinued?

There has been a low supply of Elleste Duet stock in recent months due to manufacturing issues. However, we have both Elleste Duet 1mg and Elleste Duet 2mg tablets in stock. 

What is Elleste Duet used for?

Elleste Duet tablets are hormone replacement therapy (HRT) tablets used to relieve menopause symptoms. Estrogen levels drop around the time of the menopause but HRT replaces the lost estrogen. It can also be used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who may be at risk of the disease. 

Elleste Duet contains oestrogen and progestogen hormones.

How long does it take for Elleste Duet to work?

Women may start to see the effects of HRT within a few weeks but it can take up to three months to feel the full effects.

Does Elleste Duet cause weight gain?

Weight increase is listed as a common side effect. Some women experience weight gain during the menopause regardless of whether they take HRT or not. 

Can I order Elleste Duet online?

Yes, you can order Elleste Duet online via our UK registered online pharmacy and doctor service. After having an online consultation, our doctors can assess your suitability for treatment and issue a prescription if necessary.

There is always a risk of side effects when taking any medicine. 

Common side effects of Elleste Duet include:

• Breast pain or tenderness
• Headache
• Problems with your menstrual cycle
• Mood changes
• Libido changes
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Diarrhoea

These side effects may improve over time.

The patient information leaflet contains a comprehensive list of possible side effects.

Before starting the therapy women should be aware of the potential risks of HRT. Treatment should only be started if the benefits outweigh the risks. Women taking HRT report the following diseases more often than women who do not take HRT:

• Endometrial cancer (the progestogen in Elleste Duet mitigates this risk)
• Ovarian cancer
• Stroke
• Breast cancer
• Heart disease
• Blood clots (venous thromboembolism)

The increased risk of breast cancer means that, out of 1000 women using HRT, 4-6 extra women in a 5 year period will be diagnosed with breast cancer compared to non-users of HRT.

The risk of blood clots in HRT users is up to 3x higher than in non-users. The risk is highest during the first year of treatment.

The risks of taking HRT may be different in women who have early menopause. If this is the case for you, you should discuss these risks with your doctor.

Women taking HRT should be regularly checked by their doctor to monitor treatment and side effects.

The NHS website contains information on the symptoms of blood clots, breast cancer, womb cancer and stroke as well as information on the risks of HRT.

Before taking any medication, it is important to read the Patient Information Leaflet. You can find information leaflets for your medicines by typing them into the search bar at medicines.org, or by contacting us.

• Elleste Duet 1mg PIL
• Elleste Duet 2mg PIL

Other conditions and Elleste Duet

When filling out our online form, make sure to mention any medical conditions that you have.

Elleste Duet should not be used in a number of conditions. If you develop any of these conditions during treatment you should stop taking HRT. Examples of these are:

• If you currently have breast cancer or have had it in the past
• If you currently have cancer which is sensitive to oestrogens, such as endometrial cancer, or have had it in the past
• Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
• If you currently have a blood clot or have had blood clots in the past
• If you have a blood clotting disorder
• Recent stroke or heart attack
• If you currently have liver disease or have had it in the past
• Endometrial hyperplasia (thickening of the womb lining)

Interactions with other medicines

When filling out our online form, make sure to list any medicines you currently take. Elleste Duet should be used in caution with a number of medicines. These include:

• Medicines for epilepsy such as carbamazepine
• Medicines for tuberculosis
• Medicines for HIV infection
• The herbal medicine St John’s Wort