What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
-Blood vessel disease or blood clots
-Breast, cervical, endometrial, or uterine cancer
-Depression
-Diabetes
-Endometriosis
-Fibroids
-Gallbladder disease
-Heart disease or recent heart attack
-High blood cholesterol
-High blood pressure
-High level of calcium in the blood
-Hysterectomy
-Kidney disease
-Liver disease
-Migraine headaches
-Porphyria
-Protein C deficiency
-Protein S deficiency
-Stroke
-Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
-Tobacco use
-Vaginal bleeding
-An unusual or allergic reaction to estrogens, progestins, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
-Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
-Breast-feeding
What may interact with this medication?
Do not take this medication with any of the following:
-Aromatase inhibitors, such as aminoglutethimide, anastrozole, exemestane, letrozole, testolactone
This medication may also interact with the following:
-Barbiturates, such as phenobarbital
-Bexarotene
-Bosentan
-Carbamazepine
-Certain antibiotics, such as erythromycin and clarithromycin
-Certain medications for anxiety or sleep
-Certain medications for fungal infections, such as ketoconazole, itraconazole
-Certain medications for hepatitis, HIV or AIDS
-Cyclosporine
-Dantrolene
-Ethotoin
-Grapefruit juice
-Griseofulvin
-Isoniazid (INH)
-Medications for diabetes
-Phenobarbital
-Phenytoin
-Primidone
-Raloxifene
-Rifabutin
-Rifampin
-Rifapentine
-Ritonavir
-St. John's Wort
-Steroid medications, such as prednisone or cortisone
-Tamoxifen
-Thyroid hormones
-Topiramate
-Warfarin
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
What should I watch for while using this medication?
Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. You will need a regular breast and pelvic exam. You should also discuss the need for regular mammograms with your care team and follow their guidelines.
Tobacco smoking increases the risk of getting a blood clot or having a heart attack or stroke. Avoid smoking.
If you are going to need surgery or other procedure, tell your care team that you are using this medication.
What are the most serious risks of this medication?
Do not use this medicine to prevent heart disease. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, or blood clots.
Estrogens with progestins may increase your chances of getting breast cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking this medicine if you have ever had cancer. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get new breast lumps.
Estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chance of getting dementia based on a study of women 65 years of age or older.
If you have a uterus, using estrogens alone (without progestins) may increase your chance of uterine cancer (cancer of the womb).