Premarin Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Premarin Tablet contains conjugated estrogens, a mixture of estrogen hormones similar to those made by a woman's ovaries. It is used to treat symptoms of low estrogen, such as hot flashes, vaginal and urinary tract dryness, and bone thinning after menopause. It also has other uses, including replacing estrogen when the ovaries do not make enough and easing symptoms of certain cancers. Premarin should be used exactly as prescribed, with attention to important warnings around blood clots, stroke, and other risks.

What is Premarin Tablet

Premarin is a medicine that contains a mixture of estrogen hormones, similar to the estrogen made by a woman's ovaries. It is used to treat symptoms caused by low estrogen levels, such as those that happen after menopause.

Premarin Tablet uses

• Treating moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats caused by menopause
• Treating vaginal and urinary tract changes (dryness, irritation) caused by menopause
• Preventing bone thinning (osteoporosis) after menopause
• Replacing estrogen in women whose ovaries do not make enough naturally (due to ovarian failure or other conditions)
• Easing symptoms of certain cancers that have spread through the body, in men and women
• Treating abnormal uterine bleeding (injection form)

Benefits of Premarin Tablet

• Reduces the frequency and severity of hot flashes
• Improves vaginal and vulvar dryness and irritation
• Helps prevent bone loss and reduce fracture risk after menopause

How Premarin Tablet works

Premarin contains estrogen hormones. Estrogen normally helps control many body functions through receptors in different tissues, and also regulates other hormones from the pituitary gland. After menopause, the body makes much less estrogen, and Premarin replaces some of that lost estrogen to ease symptoms.

Premarin Tablet dosage

Take Premarin at the same time each day, with or without food. Swallow the tablet whole; do not divide, crush, chew, or dissolve it in your mouth. It may be taken every day without stopping, or in a cycle such as three weeks on and one week off, as directed by your doctor. If you see something in your stool that looks like a tablet, tell your doctor.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one and go back to your normal schedule. Do not take two doses at once.

Available forms and strengths

Premarin is available as a tablet.

Side effects of Premarin Tablet

Common

• Headache
• Breast pain or tenderness
• Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, gas, bloating
• Vaginal discharge or yeast infection
• Back or leg pain, leg cramps
• Mood changes, depression, trouble sleeping
• Feeling weak or tired
• Fluid retention, swelling
• Hair loss
• Irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting
• Dizziness

Serious

• Signs of a blood clot: sudden vision loss, stabbing chest pain, coughing up blood, pain or warmth/swelling in one or both legs, shortness of breath
• Signs of a stroke: sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance
• Signs of a heart attack: chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to the jaw or shoulder, sweating
• Unusual vaginal bleeding or pelvic pain
• A new lump in the breast
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), signs of gallbladder disease
• Severe allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Memory problems, confusion, unusual behavior, or signs of dementia
• Sudden partial or complete loss of vision, or other visual abnormalities
• High or low blood calcium levels

Warnings and precautions

• Premarin can increase the risk of cancer of the lining of the womb (endometrium) in women who still have a uterus and use estrogen alone. Report any unusual vaginal bleeding to your doctor right away.
• Estrogen therapy should not be used to try to prevent heart disease, stroke, or dementia — it may actually increase these risks.
• Using Premarin can increase the risk of stroke and blood clots in the veins (deep vein thrombosis).
• Taking estrogen with a progestin can raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer.
• Women 65 and older taking this medicine had a higher chance of developing probable dementia compared to those taking placebo.
• This medicine can increase the risk of needing gallbladder surgery.
• Do not use this medicine if you have ever had a heart attack, stroke, blood clot, or certain cancers (breast, uterus/cervix, or vagina), or if you have undiagnosed vaginal bleeding or liver disease.
• Smoking while using this medicine greatly increases the risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interact with this medicine and increase the chance of side effects.
• Premarin should not be used during pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking it, stop the medicine and tell your doctor right away.
• Premarin is not recommended while breastfeeding, because the hormones can pass into breast milk and may reduce the amount and quality of your milk.
• It isn't known how kidney problems affect this medicine, since this hasn't been studied, but tell your doctor if you have kidney disease so they can monitor you carefully.
• Do not use Premarin if you have liver disease or impaired liver function, since estrogens may not be processed properly by a damaged liver.
• There is no evidence that Premarin affects your ability to drive or use machines.

Storage

• Store at room temperature, between 68-77°F (20-25°C); brief changes between 59-86°F (15-30°C) are allowed
• Keep the container tightly closed
• Keep out of the reach of children

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency help right away if you have signs of a severe allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor immediately if you have symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to the jaw or shoulder, or sweating.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of a stroke, such as sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance.
• Seek medical help right away for signs of a blood clot, including sudden vision loss, stabbing chest pain, coughing up blood, or pain/warmth in one or both legs.
• Report any unusual vaginal bleeding to your doctor right away, as it may be a sign of a serious problem.
• Tell your doctor right away if you notice a new lump in your breast.
• If you experience sudden, unexplained severe headaches, especially with unusual visual or sensory changes, see a doctor right away as this may be an early sign of stroke.
• Seek care right away if you have sudden swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, or feet, as this may be angioedema which can block breathing.

Alternatives

• Estradiol
• Estradiol valerate
• Ospemifene