Estrogens, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: hormone

Generic and brand names: conjugated estrogens, oral; esterified estrogens, oral; estradiol, oral; estrogens, oral; estropipate, oral; ethinyl estradiol, oral; synthetic conjugated estrogens; Cenestin; Estinyl; Estrace; Estratab; Menest; Ogen; Ortho-Est; Premarin

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a female hormone. It is taken by mouth to supplement hormones not produced by the body after menopause (when a woman no longer has regular monthly periods) or surgery. This medicine is also used to treat certain types of breast and prostate cancer and osteoporosis (bone loss).

It may be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider.

What should my health care provider know before I take this medicine?

You should not use this product if you have:

• an allergy to any hormones
• blood clots in your legs, lungs, or eyes (now or in the past)
• diabetes
• disease of the heart valves
• gallbladder or kidney disease
• headaches along with symptoms such as vomiting, double vision, unsteadiness, weakness, or personality changes
• heart attack or stroke (now or in the past)
• high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• known or suspected breast cancer or cancer of the lining of the uterus, cervix, or vagina (now or in the past)
• liver disease
• unexplained vaginal bleeding
• yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice) during pregnancy or during past use of birth control pills
• recently had a long period of bedrest after major surgery or a broken bone in a cast.

Females of childbearing age: Do not take this medicine during pregnancy because it may harm the baby. Contact your health care provider right away if you become pregnant while you are taking this medicine. Do not breast-feed while you are taking this medicine.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine exactly as your health care provider prescribes. Do not take more of it or take it longer than prescribed.

Take this medicine regularly every day. Take this medicine with food or right after meals to lessen stomach upset.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your health care provider.

What should I watch out for?

Read carefully the information sheet that comes in the medicine package. If you have any questions, talk to your health care provider or pharmacist.

Contact lenses may feel uncomfortable while you are taking this medicine.

This medicine may make your gums tender. Brushing, flossing, and massage may help prevent this.

Exposure to the sun and sunlamps while you are taking this medicine may cause dark spots to appear on your skin. These usually go away in time. Avoid exposure to the sun, and do not use sunlamps. Wear protective clothing and a hat when you need to be outdoors.

This medicine may make you dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

Smoking while you take this medicine increases your risk of side effects. The risk increases with age and the number of cigarettes smoked a day. Talk to your health care provider about ways to quit smoking.

Diabetics: If you are taking insulin or another medicine for diabetes, talk to your health care provider because your dosage of diabetes medicine may need to be changed.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your health care provider right away. If you are unable to reach your health care provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help):

• allergic reaction (hives, itching, rash, tightness in your chest, trouble breathing)
• sharp chest pain, coughing blood, or sudden shortness of breath
• sudden severe headache or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, problems with vision or speech, weakness, or numbness in an arm or leg
• sudden partial or complete loss of vision.

Serious (report these to your health care provider right away):

• speech problems
• weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
• pain in the calf
• severe pain, swelling, or tenderness in the abdomen
• unusual vaginal discharge
• breast lumps or tenderness
• irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting that happens in more than 1 menstrual cycle or lasts for more than a few days
• swelling of your hands or ankles
• trouble sleeping, weakness, lack of energy, fatigue, or depression.

Other: Bloating, cramps, dizziness, nausea, swollen breasts.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your health care provider if you are taking:

• barbiturates such as phenobarbital, butabarbital (Butisol), amobarbital (Amytal)
• blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• cortisone-like medicines such as cortisone (Cortone), prednisone (Meticorten), betamethasone (Celestone), dexamethasone (Decadron), and hydrocortisone (Hydrocortone)
• phenytoin (Dilantin)
• primidone (Mysoline)
• rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine (Tofranil), amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), and doxepin (Sinequan).

The effects of this medicine may be increased if you take it with grapefruit juice. Discuss this with your health care provider.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all health care providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.