Estriol

Estriol is a type of estrogen hormone produced by a woman's body and the amount will increase during pregnancy. This hormone has many roles in regulating the function of the body's organs, including the reproductive organs, heart, and bones.

When experiencing menopause, estrogen levels in a woman's body will decrease. As a result, postmenopausal women are prone to experiencing symptoms related to decreased estrogen levels, including vaginal dryness, vaginal irritation, or hot flashes .

Estriol will replace the lack of the hormone estrogen. That way complaints and symptoms due to lack of estrogen can subside. In addition, this drug can also be used in the treatment of infertility or infertility due to disorders of the cervix. Estriol is available in tablet and cream form.

Estriol trademark: Ovestin

What is Estriol

Warning Before Using Estriol

Before using this drug, you need to pay attention to the following points:

• Do not use estriol if you are allergic to this drug. Tell your doctor about any history of allergies you have.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Estriol should not be used by pregnant women.
• Tell your doctor if you have unexplained bleeding outside the menstrual cycle, a tumor related to the hormone estrogen, a heart attack , liver failure, porphyria , or breast cancer . Estriol should not be used in these patients.
• Tell your doctor if you have had or are currently having thrombosis or blood clots, stroke , asthma, diabetes , kidney disease, hypertension , migraines, epilepsy , lupus, gallstones , liver disease, or otosclerosis .
• Tell your doctor if you are taking certain medications, supplements or herbal products.
• See your doctor immediately if you have an allergic drug reaction, serious side effects, or overdose after using estriol.

Dosage and Rules for Using Estriol

The estriol dosage prescribed by a doctor can be different for each patient. The following are estriol dosages based on the condition you want to treat:

Drug form : Tablets

• Conditions: Hormone replacement therapy in menopause
  . Dosage is 0.5–3 mg per day for 1 month, followed by 0.5–1 mg per day.

• Conditions: Infertility due to disorders of the cervix
  . The dose is 0.25–1 mg per day, treatment begins on the 6th to 15th day of the menstrual cycle.

Drug form : Cream

• Condition: Atrophic vaginitis in postmenopausal women
  Apply 0.01% or 0.1% cream once a day. Reduce the dose gradually to 2 times a week.

How to Use Estriol Properly

Follow the doctor 's recommendations and read the information listed on the drug packaging label before using estriol. Do not reduce or increase your dose without consulting your doctor first.

Estriol tablets can be taken before or after meals. Swallow the medicine with the help of a glass of water.

Estriol cream is used with the help of an applicator in the form of a tube that is available in the medicine package. Fill the applicator with estriol cream. To fill it, connect the top of the applicator pack with the cream pack. Press the cream pack so that the medicine fills the applicator.

On the applicator there is a boundary mark which is usually marked with a red line. Fill the cream into the applicator according to the specified limit. Once filled, insert the applicator as deep as possible into the vagina and then slowly remove the cream in the applicator.

If you forget to take a tablet or use estriol cream, it is advisable to do it immediately if the break with the next usage schedule is not too close. If it's close, ignore it and don't double the dose.

Store estriol at room temperature and in a closed container to avoid sun exposure. Keep this drug out of reach of children.

Estriol Interactions with Other Drugs

There are several drugs that can cause interactions when used with estriol. The effects can affect the effectiveness and action of estriol and the following medicines when used together. These drugs are:

• Anti-seizure medications, such as barbiturates, hydantoin, or carbamazepine
• Medicines for yeast infections, such as griseofulvin , or bacterial infections, such as rifampicin
• medicine for viral infections, such as nevirapine , efavirenz, ritonavir, or nelfinavir
• Herbal medicine containing St John's wort ( Hypericum perforatum )
• Corticosteroids , succinylcholine, theophylline , or troleandomycin

Estriol Side Effects and Dangers

The following are some of the side effects that may arise after using estriol:

• Headache
• Nauseous
• Flu symptoms
• Pain or discomfort in the breast
• Spots, vaginal discharge , irritation or itching appear in the vagina

Check with your doctor if the side effects mentioned above don't go away or get worse. Immediately see a doctor if you experience   an allergic drug reaction or more serious side effects, such as:

• Heavy bleeding from the vagina outside of the menstrual cycle
• Severe headaches or migraines
• Swelling or pain in the limbs
• Difficulty breathing or chest pain
• pounding heart ( palpitations )
• Lumps in the breast or changes in the nipples
• Jaundice