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Menopause
Medicines to Help You

Menopause (sometimes called “the change of life”) is a normal time in a woman’s life when her period stops. During menopause, some women have problems like hot flashes, vaginal dryness and irritation, and weak bones.  These things happen because a woman’s body makes fewer hormones.

There are medicines called Hormone Therapy that can help to cut down on some of the health problems that women have during menopause. Women who take hormone therapy for menopause should take the lowest dose that works for them for the shortest time.

Use this guide to help you talk to your doctor about what is best for you. This guide lists some basic information about menopause hormone therapy. Talk to your doctor about all of the risks of taking your hormone medicines.

Women should not take hormone therapy if they:

• think they are pregnant
• have unusual vaginal bleeding
• have or have had blood clots
• have certain cancers such as breast and uterine
• have liver problems
• have had a stroke or heart attack in the past year

Menopause Hormone Therapy

There are 3 different kinds of hormone therapy medicines:

• Estrogen-Only Medicines
• Progestin-Only Medicines
• Combination Estrogen and Progestin Medicines

There are many different estrogen, progestin, and combination medicines. These medicines are taken using different schedules.

Like all medicines, each kind of hormone therapy medicine has common side effects. There are also some serious health problems that can happen in women who take menopause hormone therapy.

• For some women, hormone therapy may raise their chances of blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and gall bladder disease.
• For a woman with a uterus, taking estrogen alone raises her chance of getting endometrial cancer.

The different kinds of hormone medicines are listed on the next few pages. Find your drug on the list. Ask your doctor to tell you what you should know about your hormone medicines. Write down the important facts here.

Estrogen-Only Medicines

Estrogen-Only Medicines: What You Should Know

Warnings

• Do not use any of these medicines if you are pregnant.
• Do not use any of these medicines if you have unusual vaginal bleeding, blood clots, or liver problems.
• Do not use any of these medicines if you have had a stroke or heart attack in the past year.
• Do not use any of these medicines if you have or have had certain cancers such as breast or uterine.

Common Side Effects

• Painful or tender breasts
• Stomach cramps
• Spotting
• Weight gain
• Upset stomach/ Nausea
• Hair loss

Less Common but Serious Side Effects

• Breast lumps
• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Problems seeing
• Severe headaches
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Pains in legs
• Vomiting

For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA

Progestin-Only Medicines

Progestin-Only Medicines: What You Should Know

Warnings

• Do not use any of these medicines if you have had certain cancers especially breast cancer.
• Do not use any of these medicines if you have had heart disease or blood clots.
• Women who have diabetes should talk to their doctor about the risks of taking these medicines.

Common Side Effects

• Painful or tender breasts
• Stomach cramps
• Upset stomach/ Nausea
• Vaginal bleeding or spotting
• Weight gain
• Hair loss

Less Common but Serious Side Effects

• Breast lumps
• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Problem seeing
• Severe headaches
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Pains in legs
• Vomiting
  

Combination-Only Medicines

Combination Medicines: What You Should Know  

Warnings

• Do not use any of these medicines if you are pregnant.
• Do not use any of these medicines if you have unusual vaginal bleeding, blood clots, or liver problems.
• Do not use any of these medicines if you have had a stroke or heart attack in the past year.
• Do not use any of these medicines if you have or have had certain cancers such as breast or uterine.

Common Side Effects

• Painful or tender breasts
• Stomach cramps
• Spotting
• Upset stomach/ Nausea
• Weight gain
• Hair loss

Less Common but Serious Side Effects

• Breast lumps
• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Problems seeing
• Severe headaches
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Pains in legs
• Vomiting

To Learn More about Menopause

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Office of Women’s Health
Menopause and Hormone Therapy Information
www.fda.gov/womens/menopause/

This information reflects FDA's current analysis of data available to FDA concerning these products. FDA intends to update this sheet when additional information or analyses become available.

Check the following website for the most recent information about each drug: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/

2007

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