Estrena
Estrena gel is a hormone medicine that helps relieve menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes, by giving your body estrogen.
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose is 1.5 grams of gel per day (three pump presses) for 24-28 days each month, then a 2-7 day break. Your doctor will tell you the exact amount.
Method
Apply the gel once a day to clean, dry skin on your stomach, thighs, arms, or shoulders. Spread it over an area about the size of two palms. Do not put it on your breasts, private areas, or eyes. Let it dry for 2 minutes before you get dressed. Wash your hands after you apply it.
Your doctor will set your daily maximum, which is usually between 0.5 and 3 grams of gel per day.
Possible Side Effects
- •Unusual or irregular bleeding from the womb or vagina (like painful periods, spotting, or breakthrough bleeding).
- •Headache.
- •Stomach pain.
- •Feeling sick (nausea).
- •Skin rash.
- •Itchy skin.
- •Changes in weight (gaining or losing weight).
- •Allergic reactions.
- •Feeling down or other mood changes.
- •Dizziness.
- •Problems with vision.
- •Fast or strong heartbeat (palpitations).
- •Upset stomach (indigestion).
- •Skin swelling with red, painful, and tender lumps (erythema nodosum).
- •Dark spots on the skin, especially on the face (chloasma/melasma or liver spots).
- •Hives (itchy red welts on the skin).
- •Swelling (edema).
- •Breast pain.
- •Tender breasts.
- •Too much hair growth on the face and body (hirsutism).
- •Tightness in the breasts.
- •Swollen stomach.
- •Cannot wear contact lenses comfortably.
- •Migraine.
- •Anxiety.
- •Changes in sexual desire (more or less interest).
- •Vomiting.
- •Acne.
- •Muscle cramps.
- •Tiredness (fatigue).
- •Symptoms like premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as tiredness, stomach pain, headache, tender breasts, and irritability.
- •Vaginal discharge.
Important Warnings
- Do not use if you have, have had, or might have breast cancer.
- Do not use if you have, or might have, a cancer that needs estrogen to grow, like cancer of the womb lining.
- Do not use if you have bleeding from your vagina that a doctor hasn't checked.
- Do not use if the lining of your womb has grown too thick and has not been treated.
- Do not use if you have or have had a blood clot in a vein, for example, in your legs or lungs.
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- Do not use if you have a problem with your blood clotting.
- Do not use if you have or recently had a heart attack, stroke, or chest pain (angina) caused by a blood clot in an artery.
- Do not use if you have or have had liver disease and your liver test results are still not normal.
- Do not use if you have a rare inherited blood problem called porphyria.
- Do not use if you are allergic to estradiol or any other ingredient in Estrena gel.
- Stop using Estrena gel and call your doctor right away if you get signs of a blood clot, such as painful swelling or redness in your legs, sudden chest pain, or trouble breathing.
- Stop using Estrena gel and call your doctor right away if your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow (jaundice).
- Stop using Estrena gel and call your doctor right away if your face, tongue, and/or throat swell, you have trouble swallowing, or get hives with breathing problems, as these could be signs of a serious allergic reaction (angioedema).
- Stop using Estrena gel and call your doctor right away if your blood pressure goes up a lot (symptoms can include headache, feeling tired, and dizziness).
- Stop using Estrena gel and call your doctor right away if you get a migraine-like headache for the first time.
- Stop using Estrena gel and call your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
Use in Elderly Patients
The classification depends on the dosage form. Systemic use (for example estrogen patch, tablet, gel): Avoid use in older adults. In systemic use, consider potential adverse effects, such as risk of cardiovascular diseases and venous thromboembolism. Consider potential interactions. Topical treatment of the vagina: Suitable for older adults. No significant systemic absorption. (updated 21.10.2024)