Estrogen Patches

If you suffer from endometriosis, a condition where the endometrium (the lining of the uterus) doesn't shed properly and attaches to the outside of the uterus or other areas such as the ovaries or bowels, hormone therapy may cause a worsening of this condition.

Because estrogen can increase triglyceride levels, you'll need to be closely monitored if your triglycerides tend to be high. If you have diabetes, estrogen may also affect your blood sugar levels.

Estrogen therapy occasionally causes abnormal uterine bleeding or breast pain. In view of concerns about cancer, you should have these symptoms checked by your doctor. In general, you should not take estrogen for more than 1 year without a follow-up physical exam. Ideally, you should have a checkup every 3 to 6 months.

Women who take oral estrogen after menopause face a two- to fourfold increase in the odds of gallbladder disease.

For teenagers who fail to mature at the usual rate, large doses of estrogen taken for an extended period may affect growth. In girls, it may cause the early start of menstruation or early breast development.

While taking estrogen, get in touch with your doctor right away if you notice any of the following:

Abdominal pain, tenderness, or swelling
Abnormal bleeding of the vagina
Breast lumps
Coughing up blood
Difficulty with speech
Pain in your chest or calves
Severe headache, dizziness, or faintness
Skin irritation, redness, or rash
Sudden shortness of breath
Vision changes
Weakness or numbness of an arm or leg
Yellowing of the skin or eyes

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Estrogen Patches

If you take certain other drugs while using estrogen, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before taking the following:

Alcohol
Barbiturates such as phenobarbital and Seconal
Blood thinners such as Coumadin
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Clarithromycin (Biaxin)
Dantrolene (Dantrium)
Epilepsy drugs such as Tegretol and Dilantin
Erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab)
Grapefruit juice
Itraconazole (Sporanox)
Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Rifampin (Rifadin)
Ritonavir (Norvir)
St. John's wort
Steroids such as Deltasone
Tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil and Tofranil