Vivelle-Dot Dosage: An Introduction

The dose of Vivelle-Dot^® (estradiol patch) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:

 

As always, do not adjust your Vivelle-Dot dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.

 

It is typically recommended that this medication be taken at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible period of time. However, the most effective dose (and how long it should be taken) can vary considerably from one woman to the next.

 

For most women, the recommended starting Vivelle-Dot dose for treating menopause symptoms is one 0.0375 mg patch applied twice a week. If necessary, your healthcare provider may increase your dose. For preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, a lower starting dose (one 0.025 mg patch applied twice weekly) is recommended.

 

If you still have a uterus (if you have not had a hysterectomy), your healthcare provider may recommend that you use Vivelle-Dot cyclically (using it for three weeks, followed by a one-week break). In most cases, this causes regular, menstrual-like bleeding. If you have had a hysterectomy, your healthcare provider will probably recommend that you take Vivelle-Dot continuously, without any breaks. Also, if you still have a uterus, it is recommended that you take a progestin medication along with Vivelle-Dot, in order to help prevent cancer of the lining of the uterus.