Premphase Uses: An Overview
Premphase® (
conjugated estrogens/cyclic medroxyprogesterone) is a prescription hormone medication that contains a mixture of natural estrogens and a progestin hormone. Premphase is approved for the following uses:
- Treatment of moderate to severe itching, burning, or dryness in or around the vagina due to menopause
- Treatment of moderate to severe hot flashes due to menopause
- Prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
In all cases, Premphase is only approved for women who still have a uterus (who have not had a hysterectomy). If you have had a hysterectomy, the medroxyprogesterone component is usually considered unnecessary. Also, the medroxyprogesterone component in Premphase is only given for 14 days out of each 28-day cycle, which allows for regular menstrual-like bleeding (similar to a monthly period). If you do not desire a monthly period,
Prempro™ (a similar medication with continuous medroxyprogesterone) may be a better choice for you.
Premphase Uses for Menopause
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 (sometimes known as hot flushes)
- Changes in your period, including abnormal bleeding or "spotting"
- Night sweats and sleeping problems (including insomnia)
- Vaginal changes, such as dryness or irritation
- Thinning and weakening of your bones
- Mood changes
- Urinary problems
- 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 severe and some form of
menopause relief may be necessary. This can include medications,
natural menopause relief remedies, or non-medical ways to deal with the symptoms.
Premphase contains a mixture of natural equine (horse) estrogens. It helps relieve menopausal symptoms by replacing the estrogen that the ovaries no longer produce.
In addition to estrogen, Premphase contains medroxyprogesterone, a progestin hormone. Medroxyprogesterone is added to Premphase because giving estrogens without a progestin to postmenopausal women can increase the risk of cancer of the lining of the uterus. Medroxyprogesterone decreases this risk. Of course, this only applies to women who still have a uterus (who have not had a hysterectomy). For women without a uterus, the medroxyprogesterone component is usually considered unnecessary.
Premphase is a cyclic (not continuous)
hormone replacement therapy (
HRT) medication. This means that the progestin hormone (medroxyprogesterone) is taken for only the last half of each cycle. This gives the body a "break" from the progestin and allows for regular monthly bleeding, much like a menstrual period. For
menopause treatment, Premphase should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time necessary.
