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Natural? Surgical? Understanding Menopause
Women who have their uterus (hysterectomy), cervix, and ovaries (oophorectomy) removed before they reach natural menopause will go into menopause right away instead of gradually. This is called surgical menopause. Their periods will stop, and they may experience more severe, more frequent and longer-lasting hot flashes. Depending on your age, removal of the uterus alone, although stopping menstruation, does not cause menopause because the ovaries produce hormones, not the uterus. However, women who have only the uterus removed may experience menopause sooner, depending on ovarian function before the hysterectomy.
85% - 90% of women undergoing surgical menopause receive estrogen therapy.
There does appear to be a higher incidence of hot flashes with surgical menopause than with natural menopause. However, in appropriate patients, moderate to severe hot flashes can be controlled with estrogen therapy.
If your ovaries are removed as part of a hysterectomy, your hormone levels will dramatically change, reducing estrogen. This can cause a sudden onset of a variety of mild to severe menopause symptoms, depending on the level of estrogen prior to your hysterectomy. Generally, the more estrogen you produced before the surgery, the more symptomatic you will be when the sources (ovaries) are removed. To relieve moderate to severe menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and dryness, itching, and burning in or around the vagina, and to help prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis*, you can take estrogen therapy.
Both natural and surgical menopause increase your risk of osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). Estrogen therapy can help prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women.
What Is Estrogen Therapy?
Estrogen therapy is a hormone therapy treatment program in which women take estrogen orally, transdermally (through the skin) or vaginally to treat postmenopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and dryness, itching and burning in and around the vagina associated with these reduced estrogen levels. Vivelle-Dot, for example, is an estrogen-only therapy in a patch; it does not contain any progestins. The medicine in Vivelle-Dot is absorbed directly into your bloodstream through your skin. Because of this, Vivelle-Dot achieves effective hormone levels with smaller total doses compared to pills. This does not mean that Vivelle-Dot is safer or more effective than pills.
Vivelle-Dot has been proven to effectively relieve moderate to severe menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, and dryness, itching, and burning in or around the vagina. Vivelle-Dot is also proven to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis*. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
For women interested in the source of estrogen in their therapy, the estrogen in Vivelle-Dot (estradiol) is chemically synthesized from a plant source. This does not mean that Vivelle-Dot is safer or more effective than other hormone therapies. The petite and discreet Vivelle-Dot patch is easy to apply and comfortable to wear. Just peel, stick, and go.
Vivelle-Dot is available by prescription only. Please ask your doctor if Vivelle-Dot is right for you.
(*) Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching, and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin, weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman’s ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
Important Safety Information
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VIVELLE-DOT (AN ESTROGEN HORMONE)?
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Click here for Vivelle-Dot Full Prescribing Information
© 2008 Novogyne Pharmaceuticals. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service, or treatment.
Vivelle-Dot is available by prescription only. Please ask your doctor if Vivelle-Dot is right for you.
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching, and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman’s ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
Important Safety Information
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VIVELLE-DOT (AN ESTROGEN HORMONE)?
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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