Estrogens (Vaginal)
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do.
This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For vaginal estrogens, the
following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to estrogens or to parabens. Also tell your health care
professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,
or dyes.
Pregnancy - Estrogens are not recommended for use during pregnancy,
since an estrogen called diethylstilbestrol (DES) that is no longer taken
for hormone replacement has caused serious birth defects in humans and animals.
Breast-feeding - Use of this medicine is not recommended in nursing
mothers. Estrogens pass into the breast milk.
Older adults - This medicine has been tested and has not been shown
to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in
younger adults.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care
professional if you are taking or using any other prescription or nonprescription
(over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of estrogens. Make sure you tell your doctor if
you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Blood clotting problems - Although worsening of a blood clotting
condition is unlikely, some doctors do not prescribe vaginal estrogens for
patients with blood clotting problems or a history of these problems
-
Certain cancers, including cancers of the breast, bone, or uterus
(active or suspected) - Estrogens may interfere with the treatment of
breast or bone cancer or worsen cancer of the uterus when these conditions
are present
-
Endometriosis or
-
Fibroid tumors of the uterus - Estrogens may worsen endometriosis
or increase the size of fibroid tumors
-
Irritation or infection of the vagina - Usually estrogens decrease
infections or irritation of the vagina, but sometimes these conditions may
become worse
-
Liver disease, severe - Estrogens may worsen the condition in
some cases; however, many doctors recommend vaginal use of estrogen because
it has less effect on the liver than when estrogens are taken by mouth
-
Physical problems within the vagina, such as narrow vagina, vaginal
stenosis, or vaginal prolapse - Estradiol vaginal insert may be more likely
to slip out of place or cause problems, such as irritation of the vagina
-
Unusual genital or vaginal bleeding of unknown causes - Use of
estrogens may delay diagnosis or worsen the condition. The reason for the
bleeding should be determined before estrogens are used
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