Progesterone is a hormone treatment that is used to treat menopause, in hormone replacement therapy, to help menstruation begin, decrease the risk of uterine cancer, and in the treatment of infertility. Because there are such a wide variety of uses for this drug, use, dosing size and instructions may be given. Be sure to go over all instructions with your doctor so you can be sure that you will use your prescription carefully.
Indications and Usage
The drug is sold under the brand names Camila, Aygestin, Errin, Crinone, Jolivette, First-Progesterone VGS, Megace ES, Megace, Ovrette, Next Choice, Prochieve, Plan B and Prometrium. In most cases, this drug is given in the evening or right before bed in a rotating schedule. You will typically alternate days for 10-12 days or for 16-18 days, depending on your treatment. You should try to take your prescription around the same time every day to help ensure that you remember to take your prescription as directed.
Progesterone Dosage
Because this drug is used to treat such a wide variety of conditions, there are many different dosing instructions that you may need to follow. Talk with your doctor to make sure you understand the instructions for your prescription.
Dosage
|
Indications |
Usual Dosage |
Special Dosage |
|---|---|---|
|
medroxyProgesterone |
5-10 mg per day for five to ten days |
N/A |
|
Preparing for a menstrual period |
10 mg for five to ten days |
N/A |
|
Preventing the thickening of the uterus lining |
25 mg for one day, 5-10 mg for 10-14 days Injection- 400-1000 mg for 10-14 days |
Your doctor may ask you to take 2.5-5 mg per day without stopping in some cases |
|
With megestrol |
Oral dosage- 800 mg for one month, followed by 400-800 mg for three months. Oral dosage for cancer- 160 mg for 2 months |
Uterine cancer victims will take 40-320 mg for 2 months or more as determined by your doctor. Teenagers treating anorexia or cachexia will be given 400-800 mg per day |
|
With norethindrone |
200 mg for 12 days Unusual periods- 400 mg at night for 10 days Unusual menstrual periods- 45 mg every other day for six doses |
Those undergoing infertility procedures will be given 90 mg one or two times a day |
Progesterone Side Effects
- The most common side effect is dizziness which occurs in up to 24 percent of female patients. This side effect is not as common in men. Other common side effects include abdominal pain or cramping in 20 percent of users, headaches in 16 percent of users, breast pain in up to 16 percent of users, muscle or bone aches in 12 percent, and viral infections in up to 12 percent of users. These side effects are not usually severe, but they should be reported to your doctor if they get worse or interfere with your ability to function normally.
- Some side effects are more common when this drug is combined with estrogen as part of a hormone replacement therapy regimen. These include headaches which occur in up to 31 percent of users, breast tenderness in 27 percent, depression in 29 percent, dizziness in 15 percent, abdominal bloating in 12 percent and vaginal discharge in 10 percent of users. Let your doctor know if any of these side effects become severe or do not get better over time.
- Less common side effects occurring in 1-9 percent of users, include nausea, vomiting, worry, diarrhea, fatigue, back pain, irritability and coughing. These side effects are not serious, but you may want to report them to your doctor to confirm that you do not require an adjustment in your prescription dosing.
- In very rare cases, patients have reported constipation, chest pain, earache, dry mouth, indigestion, herpes, leg cramps, drowsiness, insomnia, acne, urinary tract infections, vaginal dryness, yeast infections and sinus infections while using it. These side effects are not usually severe but you should report them to your doctor to ensure that they are not part of a more serious reaction to your medication.
- If you begin to suffer from depression, severe dizziness, fainting, breast cancer, gallbladder disease, fluid retention, or vision changes you may be developing a severe reaction to this drug. Contact your doctor immediately to determine if it is safe to continue using this drug and to get assistance treating the side affects you have developed.
Interactions
You should not take Progesterone alongside boceprevir or dofetilide. Let your doctor know if you are using either of these medications so that you can avoid a potentially serious reaction. Other medications known to negatively interact with this drug include felbamate, isotretinoin, theophylline, tizanidine, and tranexamic acid. Let your doctor know about these or any other medications that you might be taking to help avoid a potential negative reaction.
This drug may cause indigestion or other negative reactions when taken with different types of food. These reactions will differ amongst patients. If you find a food that causes irritation, avoid consuming it within two hours of taking it. Tobacco and alcohol may cause similar reactions when combined with this drug.
While this drug is occasionally used to aid in pregnancy that comes about via a donor egg or infertility treatment, you should not necessarily use it. If you become pregnant while on therapy, talk to your doctor to determine whether or not it is safe to keep using this medication as high doses of this drug can cause changes in the sex organs of male fetuses. You should also discuss the potential risk of using this drug while breastfeeding before you continue with your treatment.