Menest

Menest (estrogens) is a form of a female sex hormone used to treat symptoms of menopause; deficiency in ovary function (including underdevelopment of female sexual characteristics and some types of infertility); some types of breast cancer in men and in postmenopausal women; degeneration of the vagina; and urethra and prostate cancer. Menest is also used to prevent osteoporosis. Common side effects of Menest include stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating, breast tenderness or swelling, headache or migraines, weight changes, acne or skin color changes, decreased sex drive, dizziness, water retention (swollen hands, feet, or ankles), problems with wearing contact lenses, depression, changes in your menstrual cycle, or breakthrough bleeding. Seek medical attention if you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction including difficulty breathing, swelling of your lips/tongue/face/throat, itching, or hives.

Usual dose of Menest ranges from 0.3 mg to 7.5 mg daily, depending on the condition being treated. Menest may interact with blood thinners, thyroid medications, insulin or an oral diabetes medicines, tamoxifen, didanosine, phenytoin, ethotoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, primidone, or rifampin. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Menest must not be used during pregnancy. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor. This medication passes into breast milk. It may reduce the quality and amount of breast milk produced. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Our Menest (estrogens) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

 

Menest Consumer Information

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using esterified estrogens and call your doctor at once if you have:

• signs of a stroke--sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance;
• signs of a blood clot in the lung--chest pain, sudden cough, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing up blood;
• signs of a blood clot in your leg--pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs;
• heart attack symptoms--chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
• liver problems--severe stomach pain, fever, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• high levels of calcium in your blood--nausea, vomiting, constipation, increased thirst or urination, muscle weakness, bone pain, confusion, lack of energy, or tired feeling;
• a change in the pattern or severity of migraine headaches;
• swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;
• a breast lump; or
• severe skin reaction--fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Common side effects may include:

• light vaginal bleeding or spotting;
• breast pain or tenderness;
• nausea, vomiting, bloating;
• skin color changes, increased facial hair, thinning scalp hair;
• headache, dizziness, mood changes, decreased sex drive;
• vaginal itching or discharge, very light menstrual periods; or
• problems with contact lenses.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Menest (Estrogens)

 

Menest Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

See BOX WARNING, WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS .

The following additional adverse reactions have been reported with estrogens and/or progestin therapy.

Genitourinary System

Changes in vaginal bleeding pattern and abnormal withdrawal bleeding or flow; breakthrough bleeding; spotting; dysmenorrhea, increase in size of uterine leiomyomata; vaginitis, including vaginal candidiasis; change in amount of cervical secretion; changes in cervical ectropion; ovarian cancer; endometrial hyperplasia; endometrial cancer; premenstrual like syndrome, amenorrhea during and after treatment; cystitis like syndrome.

Breasts

Tenderness, enlargement, pain, nipple discharge, galactorrhea; fibrocystic breast changes; breast cancer.

Cardiovascular

Deep and superficial venous thrombosis; pulmonary embolism; thrombophlebitis; myocardial infarction; stroke; increase in blood pressure.

Gastrointestinal

Nausea, vomiting; abdominal cramps, bloating; cholestatic jaundice; increased incidence of gall bladder disease; pancreatitis, enlargement of hepatic hemangiomas.

Skin

Chloasma or melasma, that may persist when drug is discontinued; erythema multiforme; erythema nodosum; hemorrhagic eruption; loss of scalp hair; hirsutism; pruritus, rash.

Eyes

Retinal vascular thrombosis; steepening of corneal curvature; intolerance to contact lenses.

Central Nervous System

Headache; migraine; dizziness; mental depression; chorea; nervousness; mood disturbances; irritability; exacerbation of epilepsy, dementia.

Miscellaneous

Increase or decrease in weight; reduced carbohydrate tolerance; aggravation of porphyria; edema; arthalgias; leg cramps; changes in libido; urticaria, angioedema, anaphylactoid/anaphylactic reactions; hypocalcemia; exacerbation of asthma; increased triglycerides.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Menest (Estrogens)