Vagifem

What is it?

An hormonal oestrogen preparation available as vaginal pessaries with applicator, each containing 25µg of oestradiol.

Medical Uses

Atrophic vaginitis.

Dosage

Women, 1 pessary inserted into vagina each day for 2 weeks, then 1 twice each week for 3 months.

Special Care

High blood pressure, severe kidney disease receiving dialysis, Raynaud's disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, varicose veins, elevated levels of prolactin (a hormone) in the blood (hyperprolactinemia). Risk of thrombosis increases with smoking, age and obesity. Blood pressure, breasts and pelvic organs should be checked during period of treatment.

Avoid Use

Pregnancy, heart and circulatory diseases, angina, sickle cell anaemia, pulmonary hypertension. Also, hormone-dependent cancers, undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, chorea, liver disease, history of cholestatic jaundice of pregnancy, infectious hepatitis, Dublin-Johnson syndrome, Rotor syndrome, recent trophoblastic disease.

Possible Drug and Food Interactions

Phenytoin, earbamazepine, tetracyclines, primidone, chloral hydrate, glutethimide, phenylbutazone, rifampicin, griseofulvin, ampicillin, dichloralpheriazone, ethosuximide, barbiturates, St John's Wort.

Known Side Effects

Feeling of bloatedness due to fluid retention, leg pains, breast enlargement, erosion of cervix, innscular cramps, weight gain, breakthrough bleeding, depression, headaches, vaginal cervix, muscular cramps, weight gain, breakthrough bleeding, depression, headaches, vaginal discharge, loss of libido, nausea, brown patches on skin (chloasma). Stop drug immediately in event of pregnancy.