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Before Using
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Geriatric
Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. However, use of drospirenone/estradiol by postmenopausal women 65 years of age and older may increase the chances of dementia.
Pregnancy
| Pregnancy Category | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| All Trimesters | X | Studies in animals or pregnant women have demonstrated positive evidence of fetal abnormalities. This drug should not be used in women who are or may become pregnant because the risk clearly outweighs any possible benefit. |
Breastfeeding
Studies in women breastfeeding have demonstrated harmful infant effects. An alternative to this medication should be prescribed or you should stop breastfeeding while using this medicine.
Studies suggest that this medication may alter milk production or composition. If an alternative to this medication is not prescribed, you should monitor the infant for side effects and adequate milk intake.
Drug Interactions
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Alprazolam
- Amprenavir
- Aprepitant
- Bexarotene
- Bosentan
- Clarithromycin
- Fosamprenavir
- Fosaprepitant
- Ginseng
- Itraconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Lamotrigine
- Levothyroxine
- Licorice
- Prednisolone
- Rufinamide
- St John's Wort
- Tacrine
- Tipranavir
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.
- Grapefruit Juice
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Abnormal genital or vaginal bleeding of unknown causes or
- Adrenal gland problems or
- Breast cancer, known, suspected or history of, or
- Cancer of the uterus or
- Liver problems or disease—This medicine should NOT be used.
- Asthma or
- Diabetes or
- Endometriosis or
- Epilepsy (seizures) or
- High cholesterol or triglycerides (or history of) or
- Hypocalcemia (too little calcium in the blood) or
- Hyponatremia (too little sodium in the blood) or
- Liver tumor, benign, or
- Lupus or
- Migraine or
- Porphyria (problem with metabolism causing stomach pain and mental confusion)—This medicine should be used with caution. It can cause these conditions to become worse.
- Blood clots in deep veins or the pulmonary artery or
- Heart attack, active or recent (within the past year) or
- Stroke, active or recent—This medicine should NOT be used.
- Blood clot risk factors (e.g., obesity, personal or family history of blood clots, or lupus) or
- Heart disease risk factors (e.g., diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, tobacco use)—Your doctor will help you lower your chances of having heart disease.
- Heart problems or
- Liver problems—These conditions could be affected by fluid retention (e.g., water weight gain). The patient should be observed when taking this medicine because estradiol may cause some fluid retention.
- Hypothyroid (too little thyroid hormone)—Dose of thyroid medicine may need to be increased.
