The chance of developing endometrial cancer is increased by oestrogen (cancer of the lining of the uterus [womb]). Your chance of developing endometrial cancer increases the longer you use oestrogen. Another drug called a progestin should be prescribed to you to use with oestrogen if you have not undergone a hysterectomy (surgical to remove the uterus). Your risk of having endometrial cancer may be reduced as a result, but your risk of acquiring certain other health issues, such as breast cancer, may increase. Inform your doctor if you have cancer now or has had it, if you experience unusual vaginal bleeding, and more before taking oestrogen. Throughout your oestrogen treatment, if you experience any unexpected or abnormal vaginal bleeding, call your doctor right once. To assist ensure that you do not develop endometrial cancer during or after your treatment, your doctor will keep a careful eye on you.

According to a big study, dementia, blood clots in the legs or lungs, breast cancer, and heart attacks were all more common in women who used oestrogen together with progestins (loss of ability to think, learn, and understand). These disorders may also be more likely to affect women who take just oestrogen. Inform your doctor if you smoke or use tobacco, if you’ve recently suffered a heart attack or stroke, if you currently have or have previously had breast cancer, or if anybody in your family has any of these conditions. Additionally, let your physician know if you have ever experienced breast lumps, an abnormal mammogram, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or fat levels, diabetes, heart disease, lupus (a condition in which the body attacks its own tissues, causing damage and swelling), high blood sugar, or high blood pressure (x-ray of the breast used to find breast cancer).

The major medical disorders mentioned above can present with any of the symptoms below. If you suffer any of the following signs while taking oestrogen, contact your doctor right away: Speech difficulties, dizziness, faintness, sudden complete or partial vision loss, double vision, numbness or weakness in one arm or leg, excruciating chest pain or heaviness, coughing up blood, sudden shortness of breath, trouble thinking clearly, remembering, or learning new things, breast lumps or other breast changes, discharge from nipples, or pain, tenderness, or redness in one leg.

You can take precautions to lessen your chance of experiencing a significant health issue while taking oestrogen. To prevent heart problems, heart attacks, strokes, or dementia, do not take oestrogen by itself or in combination with a progestin. Use as little oestrogen as necessary to manage your symptoms, and only take it for the duration required. To determine if you should take a lower dose of oestrogen or stop taking the drug, consult your doctor every three to six months.

To help find breast cancer as early as possible, you should check your breasts monthly and get a mammography and breast exam conducted by a doctor once a year. If you have a personal or family history of illness, your doctor will advise you on how to properly inspect your breasts and whether you need to have them checked more frequently than once a year.

If you are undergoing surgery or will be recovering in bed, let your doctor know. In order to reduce your risk of developing blood clots, your doctor may advise you to stop taking oestrogen 4-6 weeks before to the procedure or place you on bed rest.

Regularly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of taking oestrogen with your doctor.

Women going through menopause (also known as “change of life,” which is the cessation of monthly menstrual cycles) may have hot flushes (also known as “hot flashes,” which are sudden, intense feelings of heat and sweating). Certain brands of oestrogen are also used to treat or prevent osteoporosis (a condition in which the bones become brittle and weak and shatter easily) in women who are going through or have gone through menopause, as well as to relieve vaginal dryness, itching, or burning. Women should investigate an alternative drug if they solely need it to treat vaginal dryness or to prevent osteoporosis. Certain oestrogen brands are also used to treat low oestrogen symptoms in young women who do not manufacture enough oestrogen on their own. As a treatment for some forms of breast and prostate (a male reproductive gland) cancer, several brands of oestrogen are also employed. In the category of drugs known as hormones, oestrogen is found. It operates by displacing the body’s natural production of oestrogen.

Estrogen comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken with or without food once a day. Estrogen is sometimes taken every day and sometimes taken according to a rotating schedule that alternates a period of time when estrogen is taken every day with a period of time when estrogen is not taken. When estrogen is used to relieve the symptoms of cancer, it is usually taken three times a day. Take estrogen at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take estrogen exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

If your symptoms are still troublesome, your doctor may put you on a low dose of oestrogen and gradually increase it. Once your symptoms are under control, however, your doctor may lower the dose. How effectively oestrogen works for you should be discussed with your doctor.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking estrogen,

• If you have an allergy to any brand of oral oestrogen, any other oestrogen products, any other medications, or any of the substances in oestrogen tablets, let your doctor and pharmacist know right once. If you intend to take Estrace® brand tablets, let your doctor and pharmacist know if you have any aspirin- or tartrazine-related allergies (a food colour additive). For a list of the inactive components in the brand of oestrogen tablets you intend to use, speak with your pharmacist or consult the manufacturer’s patient information.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist of any prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements you are currently taking or intend to take. Make certain to bring up any of the following: Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), aprepitant (Emend), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol), a few antifungals such itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and others; cimetidine (Tagamet), clarithromycin (Biaxin), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexpak), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, other), erythromycin (E.E.S, Erythrocin), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox),lovastatin (Altocor, Mevacor); medications for thyroid disease; nefazodone; medications for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), efavirenz (Sustiva), indinavir (Crixivan), lopinavir (in Kaletra), nelfinavir (Viracept), nevirapine (Viramune); sertraline (Zoloft), troleandomycin (TAO), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate), verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan), and zafirlukast (Accolate). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Please let your doctor know if you are taking any herbal supplements, especially St. John’s wort.
• Inform your physician if you have or have ever experienced yellowing of the skin or eyes during pregnancy or while taking an oestrogen supplement, endometriosis (a condition in which tissue from the uterus [womb] grows in other parts of the body), uterine fibroids (growths in the uterus that are not cancerous), asthma, migraine headaches, seizures, or porphyria (a condition in which abnormal substances accumulate in the blood and cause problems with the skin or nervures).
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. When using oestrogen, call your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
• If you are 65 years of age or older, discuss with your doctor the advantages and disadvantages of taking oestrogen. Unless they are also taking other hormones, older women should generally avoid taking oral oestrogen. In comparison to other treatments for the same disease, oral oestrogen given alone is not as safe or effective.
• See your doctor about alternate methods of preventing osteoporosis if you are using oestrogen to do so, such as exercising and taking calcium and/or vitamin D supplements.

If you plan to consume grapefruits or grapefruit juice while taking this medication, consult your doctor.

If you are taking oestrogen to prevent osteoporosis, ask your doctor how you might increase your intake of calcium and vitamin D.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Estrogen might have negative effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Achy or sensitive breasts
• Uneasy stomach
• Vomiting
• Heartburn
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Loss or increase of weight
• Leg twitches
• Nervousness
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Tingling or burning in the legs or arms
• Tense muscles
• Hair fall
• Excessive hair growth
• Sporadic darkening of the face’s skin
• Using contact lenses is challenging
• Vaginal enlargement, redness, stinging, itching, or irritation
• Vaginal oozing
• Alterations in sexual drive
• Cold signs

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs or any of those in the IMPORTANT CAUTION section:

• Enlarged eyes
• Infection-related symptoms such as a sore throat, fever, chills, and cough
• Stomach discomfort, soreness, or pain
• Appetite loss
• Weakness
• Eyes or skin that have a yellow tint
• Joints hurt
• Moves that are challenging to manage
• Blisters or a rash
• Hives
• Itching
• Swelling of the lower legs, lower arms, hands, feet, ankles, tongue, or throat
• Hoarseness
• Breathing or swallowing challenges

Estrogen may raise your risk of getting ovarian cancer or gallbladder disease, both of which may require surgical intervention to address. The dangers of using oestrogen should be discussed with your doctor.

In children who take heavy amounts of oestrogen for a long time, growth may stall or cease early. The timing and rate of a child’s sexual development may also be impacted by oestrogen. The doctor treating your child for oestrogen use will keep a close eye on him or her. The hazards of giving your child this medication should be discussed with your child’s doctor.

There are potential adverse effects of oestrogen. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose symptoms could include:

• Stomach discomfort
• Vomiting
• Uterine bleeding

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

Inform the lab staff and your doctor that you are taking oestrogen prior to any laboratory test.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.