Prometrium

The generic name of Prometrium is micronized progesterone. Progesterone is a type of progestin-female hormone. This drug resembles the progesterone that is naturally synthesized in the body.

Uses

This product is used to increase the likelihood of conception and successful pregnancy. Used to reduce the risk of endometrial changes in post-menopausal women receiving estrogen therapy. It is also used in the treatment of idiopathic uterine bleeding caused by hormonal imbalance. It is used to correct menstrual cycle disorders.

How To Use

Prometrium is administered as directed by your doctor. Take Prometrium orally at bedtime, until your doctor instructs you otherwise. It may be used with/without food. Take this drug with a glass full of water in the standing position if you experience trouble in swallowing the tablets.

Side Effects

Notify your doctor immediately if you observe that these common side effects worsen or persist:

• Breast tenderness
• Dizziness
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Fluid retention
• Dizziness
• Irritability
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Breakthrough bleeding
• Spotting
• Nausea
• Mild hair loss
• Stomach cramps
• Stomach pain
• Vomiting
• Tiredness
• Severe allergies
• Hives
• Skin rashes
• Itching
• Difficult breathing
• Chest tightness
• Swollen face/mouth/tongue/lips
• Breast pain
• Breast lumps
• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Bulging eyes
• Blood in cough
• Calf pain
• Leg pain
• Swelling
• Redness
• Mental changes
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Migraine
• Anxiety
• Memory problems
• Breath shortness
• Seizures
• Severe dizziness
• Swollen feet/ankles/hands
• Arm pain
• Jaw pain
• Chest pain
• Severe nausea
• Trouble walking
• Abnormal vaginal secretion
• Vision disturbances
• Dark urine
• Yellowish eyes or skin
• Pale stools
• Liver disorders
• Slurred speech
• Vomiting
• Abnormal sweating
• Stroke
• One-sided weakness
• Loss of vision
• Vaginal odor

Contraindications

Do not use Prometrium if you are allergic to Prometrium or to any inactive ingredient present in Prometrium. Before using this drug, tell your doctor if you have any of the subsequent medical conditions: history of breast lumps, abnormal mammogram, breast disease, breast cancer, vaginal infections, uterine disorders, abnormal vaginal bleeding, uterine cancer, endometriosis, fibroids, hysterectomy, blood vessel disorders, high blood pressure, high lipid levels, high cholesterol levels, bleeding problems, kidney problems, diabetes, asthma, thyroid disorders, lupus, headaches, seizures, mood swings, mental problems, cancer, depression, blood clots, blood clotting disorders, high blood calcium levels, liver problems, heart attack or liver disease. Tell your doctor about all the products you utilize including all the herbal supplements, prescribed drugs, dietary preparations and non-prescription medications. Some medications may interact with this drug like rifamycins or efavirenz as they reduce the effectiveness of Prometrium. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including the above mentioned ones.

Pregnancy And Prometrium

Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant until your doctor instructs you to. Check with your doctor, if you are breastfeeding your baby. Traces of Prometrium are found in the maternal milk.

Is Prometrium and Provera the same?

Prometrium (progesterone) and Provera (medroxyprogesterone) are different forms of the female hormone progesterone that are used in medical practice. Both forms are designed to prevent endometrial hyperplasia in postmenopausal women without a hysterectomy, especially those on estrogen-conjugated pills and in secondary amenorrhoea.

However, it should be noted that Provera is also used to treat abnormal uterine bleeding caused by hormonal imbalance rather than myoma or cancer. In addition, Provera can be used for contraceptive purposes and to treat endometrial or kidney cancer. Thus, while both drugs serve similar medical purposes, they have some differences in their uses and the types of treatments for which they are intended.

Progesterone

Progesterone is a steroid hormone that plays a crucial role in the female reproductive system. It is produced primarily in the ovaries, specifically in the corpus luteum, and in smaller amounts in the adrenal glands. In pregnant women, the placenta also produces progesterone.

Progesterone and its synthetic analogues - progestins contribute to the formation of normal secretory endometrium in women, cause the transition of the uterine mucosa from the proliferation phase to the secretory phase, and after fertilisation contribute to its transition to the state necessary for implantation and development of the fertilised egg.

The main properties of progesterone - protection of the endometrium, ensuring full implantation and preservation of pregnancy - allow progesterone-like preparations to be widely used in obstetric and gynaecological practice. The range of use of these drugs is quite large - progesterone testing, hormonal haemostasis, treatment of insufficiency of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, treatment and prevention of hyperplastic processes of the endometrium, endometriosis, endocrine forms of infertility, as well as eliminating the threat of pregnancy termination and, in addition, use as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women with physiological or pathological amenorrhoea.

At present, there are many drugs with progesterone-like action on the pharmaceutical market, introduced into clinical practice at different times and having certain disadvantages and advantages.

Progesterone is not recommended for preventing heart disease or dementia, as some studies suggest that this hormonal medication may actually increase the risk of developing these conditions.

Earlier studies suggested that progesterone used in combination with estrogen in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. However, more recent studies, such as the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), have shown that combined HTGT with estrogen and progesterone may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in some women.

Currently, doctors have at their disposal a wide range of progesterone-like drugs with sufficient clinical efficacy to ensure full secretory transformation of the endometrium and support early pregnancy, which allows individual selection of drugs and routes of administration, taking into account tolerability, side effects and patient preference. At the same time, from the point of view of implementing the principle of "maximum benefit, minimum harm", the use of natural progesterone derivatives is preferable, especially during pregnancy and infertility treatment cycles. The most effective and well tolerated should be recognised as a vaginal gel containing natural progesterone, the use of which contributes to the formation of a number of positive biological effects: adequate transformation of the endometrium and long-term biological protection of the vaginal mucosa from the penetration of infectious agents, which is provided by the properties of bioadhesive polymer polycarbophil. All the above effects are especially significant when progesterone should be administered for a long time: Progestational therapy, pregnancy, treatment of infertility in IVF programmes.