Androgens and Estrogens (Systemic)

Proper Use of This Medicine

For patients taking any of the androgen and estrogen products by mouth:

• Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered .
• Try to take the medicine at the same time each day to reduce the possibility of side effects and to allow it to work better.
• Nausea may occur during the first few weeks after you start taking estrogens. This effect usually disappears with continued use. If the nausea is bothersome, it can usually be prevented or reduced by taking each dose with food or immediately after food.

Dosing - The dose of these medicines will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . The following information includes only the average doses of these medicines. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of tablets that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking combinations of androgen and estrogen .

For esterified estrogens and methyltestosterone
• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For treatment of certain signs of menopause, such as hot flashes and unusual sweating, chills, faintness, or dizziness:
    • Adults - 0.625 to 2.5 mg of esterified estrogens and 1.25 to 5 mg of methyltestosterone once a day for twenty-one days. Stop the medicine for seven days, then repeat the twenty-one day cycle.

For testosterone cypionate and estradiol cypionate
• For injection dosage form:
  • For treatment of certain signs of menopause, such as hot flashes and unusual sweating, chills, faintness, or dizziness:
    • Adults - 50 milligrams (mg) of testosterone cypionate and 2 mg of estradiol cypionate injected into a muscle once every four weeks.

For testosterone enanthate and estradiol valerate
• For injection dosage form:
  • For treatment of certain signs of menopause, such as hot flashes and unusual sweating, chills, faintness, or dizziness:
    • Adults - 90 milligrams (mg) of testosterone enanthate and 4 mg of estradiol valerate injected into a muscle once every four weeks.

For testosterone enanthate benzilic acid hydrazone, estradiol dienanthate, and estradiol benzoate
• For injection dosage form:
  • For treatment of bone loss (osteoporosis) or certain signs of menopause, such as hot flashes and unusual sweating, chills, faintness, or dizziness:
    • Adults - 150 milligrams (mg) of testosterone enanthate benzilic acid hydrazone, 7.5 mg of estradiol dienanthate, and 1 mg of estradiol benzoate injected into a muscle once every four to eight weeks or less.

Missed dose - If you miss a dose of this medicine and your dosing schedule is:

• One dose a day - Take the missed dose as soon as possible. However, if you do not remember it until the next day, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
• More than one dose a day - Take the missed dose as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.

Storage - To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom medicine cabinet because the heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Keep the injectable form of this medicine from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.