*You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with conjugated estrogens tablets
Conjugated estrogens tablets is a medicine that contains a mixture of estrogen hormones.
What is conjugated estrogens tablets used for?
Conjugated estrogens tablets is used after menopause to:
*Reduce moderate to severe hot flushes
Estrogens are hormones made by a woman's ovaries. The ovaries normally stop making estrogens when a woman is between 45 and 55 years old. This drop in body estrogen levels causes the "change of life" or menopause (the end of monthly menstrual periods). Sometimes, both ovaries are removed during an operation before natural menopause takes place. The sudden drop in estrogen levels causes "surgical menopause."
When the estrogen levels begin dropping, some women get very uncomfortable symptoms, such as feelings of warmth in the face, neck, and chest, or sudden strong feelings of heat and sweating ("hot flushes"). In some women the symptoms are mild, and they will not need to take estrogens. In other women, symptoms can be more severe.
*Treat menopausal changes in and around the vagina
You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with conjugated estrogens tablets to control these problems. If you use conjugated estrogens tablets only to treat your menopausal changes in and around your vagina, talk with your healthcare provider about whether a topical vaginal product would be better for you.
*Help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones)
Osteoporosis from menopause is a thinning of the bones that makes them weaker and easier to break. If you use conjugated estrogens tablets only to prevent osteoporosis due to menopause, talk with your healthcare provider about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
Weight-bearing exercise, like walking or running, and taking calcium (1500 mg/day of elemental calcium) and vitamin D (400-800 IU/day) supplements may also lower your chances of getting postmenopausal osteoporosis. It is important to talk about exercise and supplements with your healthcare provider before starting them.
You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with conjugated estrogens tablets.
Conjugated estrogens tablets is also used to:
*Treat certain conditions in women before menopause if their ovaries do not make enough estrogen naturally.
*Ease symptoms of certain cancers that have spread through the body, in men and women
Who should not take conjugated estrogens tablets?
*Currently have or have had certain cancers
Estrogens may increase the chance of getting certain types of cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus. If you have or have had cancer, talk with your healthcare provider about whether you should use conjugated estrogens tablets.
*Are allergic to conjugated estrogens tablets or any of its ingredients
See the end of this leaflet for a list of ingredients in conjugated estrogens tablets.
Tell your healthcare provider
*If you have any unusual vaginal bleeding
Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb). Your healthcare provider should check any unusual vaginal bleeding to find out the cause.
*About all of your medical problems
Your healthcare provider may need to check you more carefully if you have certain conditions, such as asthma (wheezing), epilepsy (seizures), diabetes, migraine, endometriosis, lupus, problems with your heart, liver, thyroid, kidneys, or have high calcium levels in your blood.
*About all the medicines you take
This includes prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines may affect how conjugated estrogens tablets works. Conjugated estrogens tablets may also affect how your other medicines work.
*If you are going to have surgery or will be on bedrest
You may need to stop taking conjugated estrogens tablets.
* If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant
Conjugated estrogens tablets is not for pregnant women.
*If you are breastfeeding
The hormones in conjugated estrogens tablets can pass into your breast milk.
How should I take conjugated estrogens tablets?
*Take one conjugated estrogens tablet at the same time each day
*If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal schedule. Do not take 2 doses at the same time.
*Estrogens should be used at the lowest dose possible for your treatment only as long as needed. You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly (for example, every 3 to 6 months) about the dose you are taking and whether you still need treatment with conjugated estrogens tablets.
*If you see something that resembles a tablet in your stool, talk to your healthcare provider.
*Take conjugated estrogens tablets with or without food.
What are the possible side effects of conjugated estrogens tablets?
Side effects are grouped by how serious they are and how often they happen when you are treated.
* Enlargement of benign tumors of the uterus ("fibroids")
* Severe allergic reactions
* Changes in certain laboratory test results, such as high blood sugar
Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following warning signs or any other unusual symptoms that concern you:
*Severe pains in your chest or legs with or without shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue
*Swelling of the face, lips, and tongue with or without red itchy bumps
Common side effects of conjugated estrogens tablets include:
These are not all the possible side effects of conjugated estrogens tablets. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What can I do to lower my chances of getting a serious side effect with conjugated estrogens tablets?
*Talk with your healthcare provider regularly about whether you should continue taking conjugated estrogens tablets
*If you have a uterus, talk to your healthcare provider about whether the addition of a progestin is right for you. The addition of a progestin is generally recommended for women with a uterus to reduce the chance of getting cancer of the uterus (womb).
*See your health care provider right away if you get vaginal bleeding while taking conjugated estrogens tablets
*Have a pelvic exam, breast exam and mammogram (breast X-ray) every year unless your healthcare provider tells you something else. If members of your family have had breast cancer or if you have ever had breast lumps or an abnormal mammogram, you may need to have breast exams more often.
*If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol (fat in the blood), diabetes, are overweight, or if you use tobacco, you may have higher chances for getting heart disease. Ask your healthcare provider for ways to lower your chances of getting heart disease.
General information about the safe and effective use of conjugated estrogens tablets
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in patient information leaflets. Do not take conjugated estrogens tablets for conditions for which it was not prescribed. Do not give conjugated estrogens tablets to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.
Keep conjugated estrogens tablets out of the reach of children
This leaflet provides a summary of the most important information about conjugated estrogens tablets. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
What are the ingredients in conjugated estrogens tablets?
Conjugated estrogens tablets contains a mixture of conjugated estrogens, which are a mixture of sodium estrone sulfate and sodium equilin sulfate and other components including sodium sulfate conjugates, 17 α-dihydroequilin, 17 α-estradiol, and 17 β-dihydroequilin.
Conjugated estrogens 0.3 mg, 0.45 mg, and 0.625 mg tablets also contain the following inactive ingredients: hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, povidone, sodium acetate anhydrous, and titanium dioxide.
The tablets come in different strengths and each strength tablet is a different color. The color ingredients are:
*0.3 mg tablet (green color): D&C Yellow #10 Aluminum Lake and FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake.
*0.45 mg tablet (blue color): FD&C Blue #1 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red #40 Aluminum Lake and FD&C Yellow #6 Aluminum Lake.
*0.625 mg tablet (peach color): FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake and FD&C Red #40 Aluminum Lake.
Store at Controlled Room Temperature 20° - 25°C (68° - 77°F).
This Patient Information has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.