Femoston

Generic Name: Dydrogesterone; Oestradiol
Product Name: Femoston

Indication

Femoston is used to relieve the symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes and osteoporosis.

Action

Oestrogen is a group of female sex hormones which are naturally produced by your ovaries. There are many different types of oestrogen. The most common one in your body is oestradiol, which is responsible for promoting the development and maintenance of female characteristics in the body and the maintenance of bone density.

Menopause is often associated with reduced oestrogen levels . When a woman experiences menopause or has a condition which means oestrogen is not being produced at the same level any more, she can experience a wide variety of symptoms and/or complications such as hot flushes or it could be something more serious like osteoporosis. Femoston replaces the oestrogen which was normally produced by your own body with the oestradiol in the tablet.

Femoston therefore helps to relieve the typical symptoms of menopause.  Treatment with oestradiol has also been shown to help stop bone mass density loss which is linked to osteoporosis.

Femoston also contains another ingredient, dydrogesterone. which helps to reduce the adverse effects associated with oestradiol. It is common for a withdrawal bleed to occur after finishing a course of the yellow tablets every 28 day cycle.

Dose advice

• One tablet to be taken daily by mouth continuously, commencing with the brick-red tablets and followed by the yellow tablets. Once all 28 tablets have been taken, another packet should be commenced without disruption.
• Femoston may be taken with or without food.
• Your doctor may have given you a different dosage regimen to that mentioned above for another reason. Please consult your doctor if you have any concerns.

Schedule

Schedule 4

Common side effects

All medications carry a risk of some sort of side effect occurring. Your doctor would have taken these risks under consideration before prescribing you Femoston. Often, these side effects are mild and/or transient, however if you have any concerns please consult with your health professional. Side effects which have occured in more than 1% of patients who have taken Femoston are considered to be common. These are; 

• Headaches and/or migraines
• Cramps in the leg
• Pelvis and breast pain or tenderness
• Breakthrough bleeds and spotting
• Flatulence, nausea and abdominal pain

Uncommon side effects

The following side effects occur in less than 1% of patients taking Femoston and hence are categorised as uncommon. Not all patients will experience any of these side effects. Please do be alarmed by this list; if you have any concerns please consult your health professional.

• Thrush
• Change in libido
• Nervousness and depression
• Dizziness
• Allergic reactions such as skin reactions and rashes that are red and itchy
• Back pain
• Gall bladder disease

If you experience any symptoms, listed or unlisted, that bothers you please tell your doctor as soon as possible.

References

1. Femoston. MIMS Online [online]. 2003 [cited February 24, 2008]. Available from: URL: http://mims.hcn.net.au.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/ifmx-nsapi/mims-data/?MIval=2MIMS_abbr_pi&product_code=3796&product_name=Femoston
2. Australian Medicines Handbook 2006, Adelaide, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, 2006.

For further information talk to your doctor.