What is Medroxyprogesterone?
Medroxyprogesterone is a progestin-only hormonal tablet that’s taken alongside estrogen to help relieve menopause symptoms.
You’ll take it daily but only during the last 14 days of your 28-day estrogen cycle. It’s available in multiple doses for a personalized treatment approach.
How does Medroxyprogesterone work?
Medroxyprogesterone is a synthetic progestin that’s similar to the natural progesterone found in your body.
Women experiencing menopause often have low progesterone, so increasing these levels can help alleviate the symptoms.
What is Medroxyprogesterone used for?
When Medroxyprogesterone is taken with estrogen, it can help treat many conditions, including:
- Heavy periods
- Irregular periods
- And menopause symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats.
In higher doses (100 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg), it can help treat certain types of cancer, like breast and cervical cancer.
Will I get side effects using Medroxyprogesterone?
You might get side effects when taking Medroxyprogesterone. The most commonly reported include nausea, vomiting, and unexpected vaginal bleeding.
There’s also a risk of getting a blood clot, which is more likely to happen in the legs (known as DVT), but it’s not known for certain how often this happens. Your clinician will try to ensure that the risk of side effects is minimal before prescribing this treatment.
Will I get a period after taking Medroxyprogesterone?
If you’re taking Medroxyprogesterone for HRT, you’ll probably get a monthly bleeding a few days after treatment.
This is breakthrough bleeding and is typically lighter and shorter than a regular period.
You might also experience some unexpected vaginal bleeding while on Medroxyprogesterone.
How long does Medroxyprogesterone take to work?
Medroxyprogesterone is rapidly absorbed and reaches peak concentration within two to six hours. But it may take a couple of weeks of using hormone replacement therapy to notice an improvement in your symptoms.
What doses of Medroxyprogesterone are there?
Medroxyprogesterone comes in three doses: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg. The typical dose for HRT is 10 mg in the last 14 days of your 28-day estrogen HRT cycle.
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