Senshio

Senshio is used to treat the post-menopausal vaginal and vulval symptoms of women.

What is Senshio?

Senshio contains the active ingredient ospemifene, which is among the group of medicines called selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). SERMs are not hormone therapies, but they act like and have the effects of the hormone oestrogen in the body.

Senshio is taken by women who have moderate to severe post-menopausal symptoms of the vagina and vulva, which includes inside (the vagina) and outside (the vulva) of the female genitals. These symptoms can include itching of the genitals, vaginal dryness, and difficult/burning/painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia).

Such symptoms occur due to vaginal and vulvar atrophy (shrivelling). After the menopause, vaginal and vulvar atrophy occur naturally, as part of the aging process. This is due to the decrease in oestrogen levels, which results in slowing vaginal cell production, reduction in number of blood vessels to the vaginal tissues, and decrease in vaginal lubrication. Together, these processes lead to thinning of the walls of the vagina. The beneficial vaginal microbial flora is also reduced.

Senshio stops and resolves vaginal and vulvar atrophy. Its active ingredient ospemifene attaches to oestrogen receptors, and acts in the same way as oestrogen by increasing vaginal cell production and increasing lubrication. Senshio has an oestrogen-like effect in the womb and bones. However, Senshio does not have an oestrogen-like effect in the female breast. This is important in women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer because it stops oestrogen from attaching to cancer cells, encouraging the cancer cells to grow and divide.

Can I buy Senshio online?

The Online Clinic can prescribe Senshio following a consultation with one of our experienced GPs. Please click on the Free Consultation button to proceed.

How to use Senshio

Senshio is an oval-shaped white tablet. One tablet is swallowed whole every day with a meal. It must also be taken at the same time every day. Your doctor will tell you how long to take the tablets and must not be stopped without consulting your doctor. This is because all benefits of the treatment will also stop.

Seek medical advice if you swallow more than one tablet in a day. On the other hand, if you forget to take the tablet, then swallow one as soon as you remember on that day. Otherwise, forget that tablet, and carry on taking only one tablet each day as usual.

Who can use Senshio?

Senshio is for post-menopausal women only. It is not for women who are premenopausal, are pregnant (and must be stopped if a pregnancy occurs), or are breast feeding. It should not be taken by children or adolescents.

It is important that you do not take Senshio if you: are allergic to the active ingredient ospemifene or any of the other constituents of this tablet (e.g., lactose); have/have ever had a blood clot in a vein, in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), legs (deep vein thrombosis), or eyes (retinal thrombosis); or have vaginal bleeding that cannot be explained.

Additionally, do not take Senshio if you: might have/are being treated for breast cancer or an oestrogen-sensitive cancer (e.g., womb cancer), or have an excessively thickened womb lining (i.e., endometrial hyperplasia).

Before taking Senshio, tell a doctor if you have: a family history of blot clots (thrombosis); a body mass index of over 30 kg/m2 (very overweight); a gynaecological illness excluding vulvar and vaginal atrophy (wasting); systemic lupus erythematosus; or have had breast cancer; or have had/are at high risk of a stroke.

Once taking Senshio, see a doctor at least once yearly for check-ups and to discuss whether you should continue taking it. Also see a doctor if you have vaginal bleeding. Stop taking Senshio and see a doctor immediately if you experience red, painful, swollen legs (signs of a blood clot), breathing difficulties, sudden chest pain, or symptoms of a stroke. Additionally, you may be asked to stop Senshio before major surgery (4–6 weeks or more) or if sitting or on bed rest for long periods of time (due to the increased risk of blood clots); treatment can be restarted once you are more active.

Before taking Senshio, discuss your medicines with a doctor, including those you have recently taken, are taking, or might take. Senshio must not be taken with oestrogens or other SERMs (e.g., tamoxifen, toremifene, raloxifene, and bazedoxifene.). Also, discuss with a doctor the following medicines:

• fluconazole (treats fungal infections) – due to risk of increasing the ospemifene level in your blood (you may have to temporarily stop Senshio while taking fluconazole).
• carbamazepine and phenytoin (treat seizures), rifampicin and rifabutin (treat tuberculosis), Orlistat (treats obesity), and St John’s wort (a herb that treats depression) – these medicines may reduce the effect of Senshio.
• metformin (treats Type II diabetes), aciclovir (treats cold sores and genital herpes), ganciclovir (treats cytomegalovirus infections), and oxaliplatin (treats cancer of the colon and rectum) – the blood levels of these medicines may increase when taking Senshio.

Senshio side effects

Common side effects of Senshio include thrush (a genital fungal infection), vaginal discharge or bleeding, hot flushes, muscle cramps, headache, and/or rash. Allergic reactions (with symptoms including skin rash, itching and hives, swelling of the tongue and throat, and breathing or swallowing difficulties), and thickening of the womb lining (endometrium) as seen on an ultrasound scan are uncommon side effects.