Medroxyprogesterone: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use

Medroxyprogesterone What Drug?

What is medroxyprogesterone for?

Medroxyprogesterone is a hormonal contraceptive that can be given orally (taken by mouth) or by injection. This drug works by replacing the hormone progesterone because the body cannot produce enough of this hormone.

Usually this drug is used to treat uterine bleeding due to hormonal imbalance, secondary amenorrhea, and endometriosis. It is also used as a combination hormone replacement therapy using estrogen to reduce menopausal symptoms (for example, hot flashes).

This drug can not be purchased anywhere, because you need a doctor's prescription to make up for it.

How is medroxyprogesterone used?

Take medroxyprogesterone exactly as prescribed by your doctor or as prescribed on the prescription label. If you don't really understand how to use it, don't hesitate to ask directly to a doctor or pharmacist.

This drug can be used orally (taken by mouth) or as an injection. Take the medicine according to the recommended dosage. Do not attempt to increase or decrease the dose of the drug as this can increase the side effects.

Ask your doctor how long you should use this medication. Because, the dose and duration of use of this drug may be different for each person. The doctor will determine it from the health condition and the patient's response to treatment.

Giving drugs by injection should be done under the supervision of a doctor. This is to avoid unwanted side effects afterward. After the drug has been successfully injected, you may feel a sensation of pain and redness at the injection site.

Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it gets worse.

How is medroxyprogesterone stored?

Medroxyprogesterone is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it.

Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed.

Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Medroxyprogesterone dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose of medroxyprogesterone for adults?

The dosage for each person may be different. The dosage of drugs is usually adjusted according to the patient's age, overall health condition, and their response to treatment.

Be sure to always consult a doctor or pharmacist before taking any type of medication. This is to ensure that you are taking the drug according to the recommended dosage.

What is the dose of medroxyprogesterone for children?

There is no definite dosage requirement for children. The dosage of drugs for children is usually adjusted according to their weight, health condition, and their response to treatment.

This drug can be dangerous for children if used improperly. Therefore, consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

In what dosage is medroxyprogesterone available?

This drug is available in the form of injectable fluids and drinking tablets.

Medroxyprogesterone side effects

What are the side effects of medroxyprogesterone?

Basically, all drugs have the potential to cause side effects from mild to severe, including this drug. Some of the most common side effects that people complain about after using the drug medroxyprogesterone include:

• Nausea
• The stomach recurs
• Mild headaches
• Sleepy
• Stomach ache
• The vagina feels a little itchy
• Leucorrhoea
• Menstrual cycle changes
• Weight gain / loss
• Hot flashes in the body accompanied by redness of the skin (hot flashes)
• Muscle and joint pain
• Pain in the breast
• Feeling weak and powerless
• Erratic mood swings such as irritability
• Acne occurs
• Rash or swelling at the injection site

Although less common, some of the side effects below should not be underestimated. You should check with your doctor immediately if you experience one or more of the following side effects:

• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Significant mood swings, such as depression and anxiety
• Swelling of the hands, feet and other parts of the body
• Urinating is painful
• A lump appears in the breast
• There are black patches on the skin or face (melasma)
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
• The body feels so tired that it is difficult to do various activities

A very serious allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) to this drug is reported to be quite rare. However, seek medical attention immediately if you see or feel signs such as:

• Red rash
• Itching in part or all over the body
• Swelling of the face, tongue and throat
• Severe dizziness
• Hard to breathe
• It's hard to breath

Not everyone experiences the above side effects. There may be some unspecified side effects. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Medroxyprogesterone Drug Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using medroxyprogesterone?

There are several things you need to know and do before using medroxyprogesterone, including:

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to medroxyprogesterone or other birth control drugs.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the medicines you are taking and will be taking regularly every day. Whether it's prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, to herbal medicines. Your doctor may need to change the dose of your medication or monitor you carefully to prevent certain side effects.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have a history of breast cancer or other problems affecting the female organs. For example, vaginal bleeding for no apparent reason and missed abortion (when the fetus dies in the womb but is not expelled from the body).
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have a history of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, migraine, depression, and impaired liver and kidney function.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, are in the process of becoming pregnant, or breastfeeding. Do not breastfeed while taking this medicine. If you become pregnant while taking the medicine, contact your doctor.
• Tell your doctor if you will have or have recently had surgery, including dental surgery. Make sure you tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medicine.

Another thing that needs to be done

This drug has the side effects of lightheadedness and drowsiness. It is better not to drive or operate machinery until the effect of the drug is completely gone.

There are reports that reveal that this drug can increase the risk of uterine cancer. Now, to help prevent this, your doctor may prescribe medroxyprogesterone with other drugs that contain progestins.

This drug is also known to increase the risk of heart attack, blood clots, or stroke. This risk occurs when the drug is used for a long time and is combined with other synthetic hormones such as estrogen and progestin.

Therefore, while using this medicine, your doctor may ask you to undergo periodic health checks. This is done to help doctors see the effectiveness of the treatment you are taking.

In addition, be sure to follow all doctor's advice and / or therapist's instructions. Your doctor may need to change your medication dose or monitor you carefully to prevent certain side effects.

Do not hesitate to see a doctor immediately if your condition does not improve or gets worse. The sooner it is treated, the easier the treatment will be. As a bonus, your chances of getting better sooner are also greater.

Is medroxyprogesterone safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There is no adequate research on the risks of using medroxyprogesterone drugs in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication.

This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category X according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, or the equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) in Indonesia.

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = Not at risk
• B = No risk in several studies
• C = May be risky
• D = There is positive evidence of risk
• X = Contraindicated
• N = Unknown

Medroxyprogesterone can enter through breast milk and may affect the health condition of your baby. Therefore, to avoid various negative possibilities, do not take this medicine carelessly or without the doctor's permission. Especially if you are actively breastfeeding.

Medroxyprogesterone Drug Interactions

What medicines may interact with medroxyprogesterone?

Drug interactions can change the performance of your medications or increase the risk of serious side effects. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this document.

Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription / non-prescription drugs and herbal products) and consult your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medication without your doctor's approval.

A number of drugs that have the potential to cause negative interactions with the drug medroxyprogesterone include:

• acarbose
• acetohexamide
• acitretin
• adalimumab
• albiglutide
• alefacept
• alogliptin
• aminoglutethimide
• amobarbital
• amprenavir
• anakinra
• apalutamide
• aprepitant
• armodafinil
• atazanavir
• atorvastatin
• bexarotene
• boceprevir
• bosentan
• brigatinib
• brivaracetam
• butabarbital
• butalbital
• canagliflozin
• canakinumab
• carbamazepine
• certolizumab
• chlorpropamide
• cholestyramine
• cladribine
• clarithromycin
• clotrimazole
• clozapine
• cobicistat
• colestipol
• conivaptan
• cyclosporine
• dabrafenib
• dapagliflozin
• darunavir
• dasatinib
• deferasirox
• delavirdine
• dexamethasone
• diltiazem
• divalproex sodium
• dronedarone
• dulaglutide
• duvelisib
• echinacea
• efavirenz
• elagolix
• elvitegravir
• emapalumab
• empagliflozin
• enasidenib
• encorafenib
• enzalutamide
• ertugliflozin
• erythromycin
• etanercept
• etravirine
• etretinate
• exenatide
• fedratinib
• felbamate
• flibanserin
• fluconazole
• fluvoxamine
• fosamprenavir
• fosaprepitant
• fosphenytoin
• fostamatinib
• glimepiride
• glipizide
• glyburide

There may be many other drugs that have the potential to cause negative interactions when used together with this drug. Therefore, make sure you always tell all types of drugs that are being or will be regularly consumed. This simple information is very helpful for doctors in making decisions about the dosage as well as the choice of the right drug according to your condition.

Can food or alcohol interact with medroxyprogesterone?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because they can cause drug interactions.

Avoid consuming caffeine while you are using this medicine.

Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Please ask the doctor directly for more information.

What health conditions may interact with medroxyprogesterone?

Any other health conditions you have can affect the use of this drug. Always tell your doctor if you have other health problems, especially:

• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Breast cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Liver disease
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Thyroid disorders
• Blood clotting disorders
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Pelvic pain is severe
• Low calcium levels in the blood
• High cholesterol
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Heart disease
• Congestive heart failure
• Recent heart attack
• Kidney illness
• Severe headache
• Osteroporosis
• Lupus
• Stroke
• Asthma
• Depression
• Fluid retention (edema)

The above list may only be some of the medical conditions that can interact negatively with this drug. Therefore, convey all your medical history or concerns about certain conditions to the doctor. The doctor can perform a number of tests to ensure that the drug is working properly and is safe to use.

Medroxyprogesterone overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department. Bring a medicine box, container, or label with you when you go to the hospital to help the doctor with any necessary information.

When someone has an overdose, various symptoms that may arise are:

• Too low blood pressure (hypotension) which makes the head dizzy
• Fainting
• Fast and irregular heartbeat
• Slower than normal heart rate

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue on your dosing schedule. Do not use extra doses to make up for a missed dose.

If you continue to miss doses, consider setting an alarm or asking a family member to remind you.

Please consult with your doctor to discuss changes in your dosing schedule or a new schedule to make up for a missed dose, if you have missed too many doses recently.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.