Woman's Health - Medroxyhexal (Brand name: provera)

Common use

Provera contains medroxyprogesterone acetate, female hormone used to regulate ovulation and menstrual periods. The medication is used to treat secondary amenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding caused by hormonal imbalance (fibroids, uterine cancer), to reduce the incidence of endometrial hyperplasia in postmenopausal women.

Dosage and direction

Take 5 or 10 mg of this medication daily for 5 -10 days. Take in strict accordance with recommendations of your doctor. Avoid taking larger amounts of the medication. Your doctor may administer to start taking the medication on a certain day of your menses. While you are on Provera, examine your breasts for lumps on a monthly basis. Provera may change results of certain medical tests. Inform your doctor that you are taking this drug.

Precautions

Do not smoke while taking Provera, unless risk of blood clotting increases. Inform your doctor about conditions you may have as dose adjustment may be required: hypertension, heart disease, recent stroke or heart attack, congestive heart failure, hypercalcinemia, high cholesterol or triglycerides, recent miscarriage or abortion, severe pelvic pain, asthma, migraine headaches, epilepsy, a thyroid disorder, diabetes, kidney disease, lupus, depression.

Contraindications

Do not take this medication if you have hypersensitivity to its components, pregnant, suffer with a hormone-related cancer of genitals or mammary gland, abnormal vaginal bleeding that has not been diagnosed, have liver disease, a history of stroke or blood clot, or breastfeed.

Side effects

The most frequent side effects of Provera are headache, dizziness, irritability, insomnia, drowsiness, fatigue, depression, nausea, abdominal pain, thrombophlebitis, cerebrovascular disorders, hypersensitivity nipple breast, galactorrhoea, erosion of the cervix, dysmenorrhea. High doses of the medication may produce acne, hirsutism, changes in body weight, moon face, hyperthermia, alopecia. Allergic reactions such as hives, rash, facial swelling and difficulty breathing are also possible.

Drug interaction

Aminoglutethimide reduces plasma concentrations and reduces efficiency of Provera. Inform your doctor about all prescribed and over-the-counter medications, herbal products, vitamins and food supplements you use.

Missed dose

Never take a double dose of this medication. If it is almost time of the next dose, just skip the missed portion and continue taking the medicine according to the schedule.

Overdose

Overdose symptoms may be: dizziness, drowsiness, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness, or vaginal bleeding. Seek immediate medical help if you experience the symptoms listed above.

Storage

Store at room temperature between 20-25 C (68-77 F). Store away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. It is not recommended to store in a bathroom and places available for children.

Disclaimer

We provide only general information about medications which does not cover all directions, possible drug integrations, or precautions. Information at the site cannot be used for self-treatment and self-diagnosis. Any specific instructions for a particular patient should be agreed with your health care adviser or doctor in charge of the case. We disclaim reliability of this information and mistakes it could contain. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special or other indirect damage as a result of any use of the information on this site and also for consequences of self-treatment.

Please find the full description of Provera at Drugs.com and general information at Wikipedia