Premarin is the brand name for a synthetic estrogen and a common
medication used for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Premarin,
approved by the FDA in 1942, is derived from the urine of pregnant
mares.
Doctors often prescribe Premarin to treat menopausal symptoms such as
hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances yet
serious - and sometimes life threatening - Premarin side effects exist.
Women should gather as much information on Premarin as possible
before agreeing to this hormone replacement therapy.
Research studies provide valuable information on Premarin side
effects and symptoms. Studies show that Premarin increases a woman’s
chance of breast cancer (USA Today
breast cancer article), ovarian cancer and uterine cancer, as well as
increases the risks of heart disease and strokes.
Research information on Premarin side effects and Premarin symptoms:
A July 2002 study conducted by National Cancer Institute researchers
linked Premarin use to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. This study
found that women using estrogen alone faced nearly twice the risk of
developing ovarian cancer than women not taking Premarin. The longer
women used the estrogen-alone medication, the greater her risk of
developing ovarian cancer.
A Jan. 2000 study, also conducted by National Cancer Institute, found
that the risk of breast cancer increased by 10 percent for each year a
woman used Premarin.
The American Heart Association (AHA) 2001 study revealed that hormone
replacement therapy is no longer considered safe for postmenopausal
women with heart disease.
A Harvard Medical School 2002 study revealed estrogen increases the
tendency of the blood to thicken and clot - a leading cause of heart
attacks.
Because of estrogen's link to uterine cancer, women who have not
undergone a hysterectomy should not use Premarin. For women with an
intact uterus, physicians usually prescribed Prempro, a combination of
synthetic estrogen and progestin. The progestin combined with estrogen
helps prevent the thickening of uterine lining, which can lead to
cancer.
For more information on Premarin side effects, women need look no
further than the manufacturer Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories warnings. Grab
your eyeglasses. The information on Premarin symptoms and side effects
are listed in very small print in the Premarin insert sheet.
Premarin symptoms and Premarin Side Effects, as listed in the
information on Premarin product insert sheet:
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Pain, cramps or tenderness in the abdomen.
- Yellowing of the skin and/or whites of the eyes.
- Breast tenderness or enlargement.
- Enlargement of benign (fibroid) tumors.
- Irregular bleeding or spotting.
- Change in amount of cervical secretion.
- Vaginal yeast infections.
- Retention of excess fluid. This may make some conditions worsen,
such as asthma, epilepsy, migraine, heart disease, or kidney disease.
- A spotty darkening of the skin, particularly on the face.
- Reddening of the skin.
- Skin rashes.
- Worsening of porphyria.
- Headache, migraines.
- Dizziness, faintness.
- Changes in vision (including intolerance to contact lenses).
- Mental depression.
- Involuntary muscle spasms.
- Hair loss or abnormal hairiness.
- Changes in weight. (Most women experience weight gain instead of
weight loss).
- Changes in sex drive. (Most women experience decreased libido).
- Possible changes in blood sugar.
Premarin symptoms and side effects also reported by women taking
Premarin, but not included in the manufacturer’s information on Premarin
side effects, include:
- Shortness of breath.
- Coughing up blood.
- Severe stomach pain or swelling.
- Acne.
- Allergies.
- Fatigue.
- High blood pressure.
- Gallstones.
- Loss of libido.
- Asthma.
- Numbness, tingling, itching of feet and hands.
- Heaviness of the chest.
Doctors often prescribe the topical Premarin vaginal cream to treat
vaginal dryness. The estrogen Premarin vaginal cream also increases the
risk of uterine cancer and poses similar Premarin side effects including
blood clots, nausea, abdominal pain, breast tenderness, irregular
bleeding, headache, and vaginal irritation.
Many women question why, with all the research information on
Premarin side effects, physicians routinely prescribed this hormone
replacement therapy. The simple answer is, we do not know.
For years physicians routinely prescribed Premarin for the prevention
of heart disease and osteoporosis, in addition to relieving menopause
symptoms. However, current research evidence shows that Premarin does
not prevent heart attacks.
Premarin received FDA approval in 1942, but only for osteoporosis
prevention. Current studies show that this benefit is nominal, with
Premarin slowing bone loss by only 2.5 percent.
Women concerned about osteoporosis have safer and more effective
prevention options available. These prevention measures include weight
lifting, lifestyle changes, diet supplementation with calcium and
Vitamin D and newer, safer osteoporosis medications like raloxifine,
alendronate, and calcitonin.
Women also have safe and effective alternatives in treating the
symptoms of menopause. Natural alternatives for menopause symptoms can
greatly enhance women’s lives without the serious side effects of
synthetic hormones.
As an aside, women should carefully evaluate pharmaceutical ads and
suggestions that estrogen prevents wrinkles and helps the skin maintain
a youthful appearance. This is a marketing ploy. In the Premarin insert
sheet (again, in tiny print), the manufacturer states; "You may have
heard that estrogen will keep your skin moist and young looking. There
is no proof of this." (Click for
low cost natural anti-aging skin care information.)
Menopause is not a disease the requires drug intervention for the
remainder of a woman’s life. Menopause is a natural life process -
the reverse of puberty - that brings a woman out of her childbearing
stage of life.
The Women’s Menopause Health Center does not oppose pharmaceutical
intervention but believe that these measures should be explored only
after exhausting all natural and healthful alternatives.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Side Effects is an informational site with articles on hormone
replacement therapy, including side effects, alternatives and warnings
associated with estrogen, Premarin and progestin.
