Femtrace Uses

Generally, Femtrace is used for treating moderate to severe "vasomotor" symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats. However, healthcare providers may also recommend Femtrace for other uses. Femtrace can be used "off-label" for several conditions, such as preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, treating vaginal menopausal symptoms, and relieving certain cancer symptoms. This prescription medication works by replacing the estrogen the ovaries no longer produce.

 

What Is Femtrace Used For?

Femtrace® (estradiol acetate) is a prescription medication that contains an estrogen hormone. The drug is approved to treat moderate to severe "vasomotor" symptoms of menopause. Vasomotor symptoms include hot flashes and night sweats.
 
Menopause is a normal change in a woman's life when she stops having her period. That's why some people call menopause "the change of life." A woman has reached menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months in a row and there are no other causes for this change. Menopause symptoms include:
 
  • Hot flashes (hot flushes)
  • Thinning and weakening of your bones
  • Mood changes
  • Urinary problems
  • Night sweats and sleeping problems (including insomnia)
  • Vaginal changes, such as dryness or irritation
  • Changes in your period, including abnormal bleeding or "spotting"
  • Problems with concentration or memory
  • Less interest in sex and changes in sexual response
  • Weight gain or an increase in body fat around your waist
  • Hair thinning or loss.
     
For some women, these symptoms are quite severe, and some form of menopause relief may be necessary. This may include medications, natural menopause relief remedies, or non-medical ways to deal with the symptoms.
 
For menopause treatment, Femtrace should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest period necessary.
 
Because Femtrace (or any other estrogen treatment) without progesterone can increase the risk of precancerous or cancerous changes in the uterus, it must be combined with a progestin (either continuously or intermittently) in women who still have a uterus. If you have had a hysterectomy, you can take Femtrace by itself, without any progesterone.
 
During and after menopause, women experience a drop in estrogen levels, as well as a shift in the balance of estrogens that the body produces. Before menopause, the ovaries produce the main source of estrogen, and the main type of estrogen produced is known as estradiol. After menopause, the main source of estrogen is androstenedione, which is produced by the adrenal gland and is converted into an estrogen known as estrone. Menopausal symptoms and changes result from both the estrogen decrease and the shift from estradiol to estrone. Femtrace contains estradiol. It helps to relieve menopausal symptoms by replacing the estradiol that the ovaries no longer produce.
 
(Femtrace Uses Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;