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This medication is a female estrogen hormone and is usually given to women who no longer produce the amount of estrogen they produced before menopause. It is a very effective treatment for reducing a common menopause symptom (intense feelings of warmth and sweating known as hot flashes). If you need treatment only for vaginal menopause symptoms (e.g., vaginal dryness), products applied directly inside the vagina should be considered before medications that are taken by mouth, absorbed through the skin, or injected.Certain estrogen products may also be used to prevent bone loss (osteoporosis) in people at high risk who cannot take non-estrogen drugs. There are several other medications (e.g., raloxifene, bisphosphonates such as alendronate) that are safe and effective to prevent or treat bone loss. These medicines should be considered for use before estrogen treatment.
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| Overview |
Photos |
How To Use |
Side Effects |
Precautions |
Missed Dose |
Drug Interactions |
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ESTROGEL TD
Uses
This medication is a female estrogen hormone and is usually given to women who no longer produce the amount of estrogen they produced before menopause. It is a very effective treatment for reducing a common menopause symptom (intense feelings of warmth and sweating known as hot flashes). If you need treatment only for vaginal menopause symptoms (e.g., vaginal dryness), products applied directly inside the vagina should be considered before medications that are taken by mouth, absorbed through the skin, or injected.Certain estrogen products may also be used to prevent bone loss (osteoporosis) in people at high risk who cannot take non-estrogen drugs. There are several other medications (e.g., raloxifene, bisphosphonates such as alendronate) that are safe and effective to prevent or treat bone loss. These medicines should be considered for use before estrogen treatment.
Notes
- Do not share this medication with others.
- Keep all medical and laboratory appointments.
- You should have a complete physical examination that includes blood pressure measurements and breast/pelvic examinations at regular intervals (e.g., once a year) or as directed by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on how to examine your own breasts and report any lumps immediately.
- You should also be regularly screened for cervical cancer (e.g., Pap test) and have periodic mammograms as determined by your doctor.
- Consult your doctor for more details.Lifestyle changes that help maintain healthy bones and prevent bone loss include increasing weight-bearing exercise, eating well-balanced meals containing adequate calcium and vitamin D, stopping smoking, and limiting alcohol.
- Consult your doctor to see if you need to take calcium/vitamin D supplements.Additional lifestyle changes (e.g., reducing stress, eating a low fat/low salt diet, losing weight if you are overweight) to control or prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes help to prevent heart disease and strokes.
- Keep your mind active with mental exercises to help prevent dementia.
- Discuss with your doctor lifestyle changes that might benefit you.You can also manage hot flashes by keeping a cool body temperature (e.g., using a fan, drinking cool beverages, dressing lightly/in layers, avoiding hot/spicy foods).
- Limiting caffeine and alcohol, exercising regularly, and learning relaxation techniques may help reduce hot flashes.
- Vaginal lubricants can help lessen discomfort during intercourse.
Storage
- Store at room temperature between 68-77 degrees F (20-25 degrees C) away from light, moisture and open flames.
- Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted.
- Do not store in the bathroom.
- Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Overdose
- This medicine may be harmful if swallowed.
- Symptoms of overdose may include: severe nausea/vomiting or excessive vaginal bleeding.
How To Use
- Read the Patient Information Leaflet which contains instructions for proper use of this medication.
- Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.Use this medication exactly as prescribed.
- This medicine is usually applied once daily; or as directed by your doctor.
- Apply it to clean, dry, unbroken skin on one arm.
- A thin layer of medicine should be spread on the inside and outside of your arm from the wrist to the shoulder.
- It is not necessary to rub this medicine into the skin.
- Allow the drug to dry for up to 5 minutes before putting on clothes.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after you have finished applying this medicine.
- If you shower or take a bath before applying this medicine, allow the skin to dry before applying it.
- Do not apply to any skin that is red or irritated, and do not apply directly on the breasts.Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it.
- Remember to use it at the same time each day.Keep this medicine away from your eyes.
- If this medicine gets in your eyes, rinse your eyes immediately with warm water and call your doctor.Do not apply sunscreen with this medication.
- It is not known if sunscreen may affect the amount of medicine you absorb.To prevent transfer of this medicine to other people through contact, allow the medicine to dry completely and cover with clothing.
- Keep others from touching the skin where you applied the drug for at least one hour after applying it.If your medicine comes in a pump, it must be primed before use.
- After priming, the pump is ready for use and will provide the same amount of drug with each pump action.
Side Effects
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, stomach upset, bloating, nausea, weight changes, increased/decreased interest in sex, breast tenderness, or skin redness/irritation at the application site may occur.
- If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor promptly.Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects.
- Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: mental/mood changes (e.g., severe depression, memory loss), vision changes (e.g., change in contact lens fit), swelling of hands or feet, breast lumps, unusual vaginal bleeding (e.g., spotting, breakthrough bleeding, prolonged/recurrent bleeding), unusual vaginal discharge/itching/odor, yellowing of the eyes or skin.This medication may infrequently cause serious problems such as heart attacks, stroke, and blood clots.
- Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following: chest/jaw/left arm pain, sudden severe headache, weakness on one side of the body, confusion, slurred speech, sudden vision changes (e.g., double vision, loss of vision), pain/redness/swelling of legs, trouble breathing, coughing up blood, sudden dizziness/fainting.A serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs.
- Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Precautions
- Before taking estradiol, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions.
- Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: undiagnosed abnormal vaginal bleeding, certain cancers (e.g., breast cancer, especially non-metastatic type), blood clots, active/recent stroke or heart attack, liver disease.Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: family medical history (especially breast lumps and cancer), asthma, diabetes, seizures, migraine headaches, heart disease (e.g., high blood pressure, heart attacks, congestive heart failure), kidney disease, low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), abnormal calcium level in the blood, depression, high blood pressure during pregnancy (toxemia), yellowing of eyes and skin (cholestatic jaundice) during pregnancy or with past estrogen use, womb problems (e.g., uterine fibroids, endometriosis), cholesterol or lipid problems, gallbladder disease, overweight (obese), certain blood disorder (porphyria).If you will be having surgery or will be confined to a chair or bed for a long period of time (e.g., a long plane flight), notify your doctor beforehand.
- Special precautions may need to be taken in these circumstances while you are taking this drug.This drug may make you dizzy; use caution engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery.
- Limit alcoholic beverages.This drug may cause a patchy darkening of the skin on the face (melasma).
- Sunlight may intensify this darkening and you may need to avoid prolonged sun exposure and sunlamps.
- Consult your doctor regarding use of sunscreens and protective clothing.Cigarette smoking can increase the chance of blood clots while taking this medication (especially in women over the age of 35).If you go swimming after applying this medicine, allow enough time for the medicine to dry completely before swimming.
- This will decrease transferring this drug to others.If this medicine is used in children, their growth pattern should be monitored because it may stunt growth.This medication must not be used during pregnancy.
- It may result in birth defects or cancer later in the child's life.
- If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately.This medication may pass into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant.
- Therefore, breast-feeding while using this medication is not recommended.
- Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Missed Dose
- If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember.
- If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule.
- Do not double the dose to catch up.
Drug Interactions
- Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them.
- Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone), hydantoins (e.g., phenytoin), warfarin.Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any medications which affect certain liver enzymes (CYP450-3A4 enzymes), such as: azole antifungals (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole), carbamazepine, cimetidine, macrolide antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin, erythromycin), phenobarbital, rifamycins (e.g., rifampin), ritonavir, St.
- John's wort.This product can affect the results of certain lab tests.
- Make sure laboratory personnel and your doctors know you use this drug.
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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgement of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.
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