Femring Medication - Uses & Side Effects

ESTRADIOL (Estring™, Femring™) vaginal ring is an insert that contains a natural estrogen female hormone. Estradiol is essential for maintaining normal female functions and is normally produced by the ovaries. After menopause, the ovaries decrease their production of this hormone. Estradiol vaginal rings can help relieve symptoms of vaginal irritation and dryness and urinary tract irritation that occurs in some women during menopause. In addition, the Femring™ vaginal ring can help relieve hot flashes, as it contains a higher estrogen dosage than other vaginal rings. Generic estradiol vaginal rings are not yet available.

Femring Dosage

• There are two doses of Femring available: 0.05 milligrams a day and 0.10 milligrams a day. Each ring should remain in the vagina for 3 months.

Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are taking the medication without consulting your doctor.

Uses of Femring

• Femring is used to treat symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and dryness, burning, and irritation in the vaginal area; deficiency in ovary function (including underdevelopment of female sexual characteristics and some types of infertility); Turner's syndrome; some types of breast cancer in men and in postmenopausal women; degeneration of the vagina and urethra; and prostate cancer. In addition, estradiol is used to prevent osteoporosis.
• Femring may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Side Effects of Femring

Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, tell your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe to continue using Femring. Side effects may include:

• Abdominal cramps
• back pain
• bloating
• breast tenderness
• hair loss
• headache
• high blood pressure
• high blood sugar
• irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting
• liver problems
• nausea and vomiting
• uterine pain (due to enlargement of benign tumors known as fibroids)
• vaginal yeast infections
• water retention

Warnings and precautions before taking Femring:

• Estrogen replacement therapy increases the risk of developing cancer of the lining of the uterus. The risk increases with longer use and higher doses. Therefore, you should use Femring for as short a time and at as low a dose as is necessary to relieve your symptoms. Report any unusual bleeding to you doctor immediately.
• Using estrogen may also increase your chances of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and gallbladder disease.
• Use estrogen with caution if you have severely low blood levels of calcium (hypocalcemia).
• Estrogens can cause water retention. If you have a condition that could be affected by this—such as heart or kidney problems—your doctor will monitor you closely.
• Using estrogen could worsen certain conditions, including endometriosis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, migraine, or the genetic disorder porphyria. Be sure your doctor is aware of any medical problems you have.
• Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. If it is possible for you to become pregnant, use an effective form of birth control. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.

Drug Interaction :- If you use Femring while taking certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before using Femring with any of the following:

• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
  
• Clarithromycin (Biaxin)
  
• Erythromycin (E-Mycin, Erytab, Erythrocin, and others)
  
• Itraconazole (Sporanox)
  
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
  
• Phenobarbital
  
• Rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rimactane)
  
• Ritonavir (Norvir)
  
• St. John's wort

Overdose

It is difficult to overdose on Femring because of how it is administered. If you suspect an overdose, seek emergency treatment immediately. Symptoms of estrogen overdose may include:

• Nausea
• vomiting
• withdrawal bleeding