CLIMARA Reviews (ESTRADIOL)Average Rating: 3.6 (222 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare CLIMARA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on CLIMARA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR CLIMARA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | TAH | Never any side effects..... | Just reduced dosage to .025 and have some fatigue....normal? | F | 64 | 30 years .05 1X W | 4/8/2014 | 5 | Total Hysterectomy in 1986 | Patches sometimes don't stay on very well. | Hysterectomy due to Endometriosis. Started with Estradiol patch 10/1986 - 10/2006 Dosage from 0.05 to 0.025mg. 2X W. Climara patch since 10/2006 0.025mg 1X W Healthy & skin looks great but thinking about weaning off all together as I get older. No cancer in family but starting to worry about it. I exercise 5 times a week. I cook & eat healthy. Curious to see how my body will react after all these years. | F | 58 | 25 years 0.025mg 1X W | 5/24/2012 | 5 | Headaches, dryness, mood swings | None. Some weight gain over the years. Need to back off from the table. | Only HRT I feel comfortable about using. Read all the info on possible side effects but with info from my doctors decided to take the risk. I have had unrelated blood clots in my leg but after two years off I went back on and feel great. Somedays I scare myself reading about side effects but take myself back into continuing use. | F | 71 | 23 years .05 mg 1X day | 9/15/2013 | 5 | hot flashes aftr total hysterectomy | In 20 years of use I have experienced many of the "side effects" mentioned here but none were long lasting except for hair loss (which is more likely from my thyroid disease) and in the last 2-3 years, leg cramping, which I did not think to link to the Climara. | After an uncomfortable 6 months of premarin immediately after my total hysterectomy at 39, my Dr. recommended the .05 patch. I have been 99% comfortable ever since. I eventually moved up to the 0.1mg dose but am currently gradually dosing down and watching how my body reacts. I lead a very active normal life without the severe symptoms that I see many of my menopausal friends and colleagues experiencing. I have regular check ups and any test my Dr.recommends. My bone density is good, my breasts have become less tender and fibrotic over the years and my weight has been stable (+/- 6 lbs) without any change to my medication. Occasionally the patch will buckle and loosen, which can be annoying, but if it comes off, I wait and replace it on my normal day. Your skin must be clean, cool and dry upon application. Lotions, moisturiging soaps, hair conditioners and heat all affect the way it will adhere. I find upper butt much better than tummy...In general, my early hysterectomy changed the qu | F | 59 | 20 years | 10/17/2007 | 5 | total hysterectomy | Horrible hot flashes (day and night) and mood swings. | I have used Climara for about 19 years. After my hysterectomy, at age 43, the hormone replacement offered by my GYN basically drove me out of my mind. This patch was prescribed by a specialist GYN-endocrinologist. Almost immediately I experienced relief from horrible hot flashes and mood swings. Besides being bio-identical-I believe the only way to go-the patch makes the medications use very easy. I have recommended this product to many women over the years and will continue to do so. It's great! | F | 61 | 19 years | 1/20/2010 | 5 | ovaries removed 1993 | none | I had a hysterectomy in 1973 then ovaries 1993 been on since then | F | 64 | 17 years .25 1X day | 5/20/2010 | 5 | total hysterectomy | Overall after a period of adjustment, life has been wonderful with this product. I had horrid night sweats, hot flashes and aggressive mood swings and was on a roller coaster of emotions before using it. After using it about 8 years I thought I'd try to get off of it, but the hot flashes flared up again, so I started using it again. Now after 16 years, I have successfully been off of the product about a week and have been symptom free so far. Side effects were minimal during my use. I did notice when I applied it to my backside where instructed, I had pain in my sciatic nerve. I remedied this by applying it to my lower abdomen on either side below my panty line and this also kept clothing from rubbing it off. I found that removing it before a shower then making sure the area was completely dry before reapplying helped because any type of moisture trapped beneath the patch prevents it from adhereing well. I did notice even with precautions, some patches simply would not adhere for the e | Because I have a long list of allergies and for some reason my system will not absorb pill forms of many drugs, Climara was an answer to a prayer and helped me keep my sanity as well as be a functional person. I realize everyone reacts differently to medications, however, I would recommend Climara patches to any woman experiencing post menopausal symptoms. Hopefully they will have the same results that I did. | F | 53 | 16 years 0.1 mg 1X W | 1/22/2011 | 5 | Hysterectomy | I had a hysterectomy at 40 and have been on Climara ever since (now close to 56). The insurance company once made me go to generic, but I felt awful, so have requested name brand Climara ever since. My doctor said we should give a try to wean off of it, so he will reduce me down to the .035 for a year, then down to the .025, and then off. I feel really good, so hope that I won't have major symptoms going off it. He said if I am miserable, I can be on it longer. I am overweight, but can't really blame that on the patch. | After wearing the patch for 16 years, there was only a few times it didn't stick. I had one box where all of them had a problem. But most times it didn't stick because my stick was damp. Put it on dry skin, hold your hand on top of it for 10-20 seconds and it will stay put for the week! | F | 56 | 16 years .05 1X W | 2/9/2012 | 5 | had total hysterectomy | None. My skin is soft and no wrinkles at age 64. | I have been cutting the patch in half for about a year to try and get off. Then off for 2 months now. Have an appointment with the Doctor on Tuesday to get a refill. Hate the night sweats,hot flashes and dryness. Can't wait to be back on them.. They are so nice to use. Had no problem with them staying on. Don't get the generic they are thick and icky. Very happy with them not so happy without. | F | 64 | 16 years 0.1mg 1X W | 3/16/2012 | 5 | total hysterectomy | At first, skin irritation. | Never had any problems once my skin adjusted. I don't have hot flashes, vaginal dryness, or weight gain. | F | 48 | 16 years | 4/15/2005 | 5 | hot flashes after hysterectomy | No side effects; only gained some weight in the last couple years since I retired--got to get that off! | My doctor said that I should wean myself by cutting the patch in half, and then when my supply runs out, to try getting along without it. He mentioned that the possibility of heart attack and stroke goes up with long-term usage. | F | 68 | 15 years .025 1X W | 5/26/2012 | 5 | Taken after total hysterectomy | I haven’t had any unpleasant side effects | I I started the dose @ .05 weekly. Reduced to .025 after a few years. I find if you open the patch and let it sit sticky side up for about 15 min before applying, the patch sticks better and doesn’t create any kind of irritation | F | 65 | 15 years 0.025 1X W | 1/2/2021 | 5 | Menopause | None | I am 63 years old and I have loved my life with this patch. However, my doctor says I should quit and I don't know what to do. Some doctors say, "Don't worry about it." while others say the risks outweigh the positive effects. I just don't know who is right. Any ideas? | F | 63 | 12 years .0375 1X W | 5/4/2014 | 5 | Complete Hysterectomy | heaviness feeling in back of knees/hair loss in middle of head/ mustache grows if too many days pass between patch replacement | Sad my primary care givers at Kaiser could never tell me how long I could or should use this product. That is still my number one question. Thank you to all the women on this site - especially the Lady thats been on the patch for 20 years- for sharing your information. I still have a slight to low normal libido. The dryness happens at times but - thanks to KY (love the heated one) problem delightfully solved. Also found out Ginseng helps my husband (also 58) libido - so no Viagra needed at this time! smile | F | 58 | 12 years 1X W | 2/8/2011 | 5 | Post menopausal | NO side effect. | I have been wearing patches for the last 10yrs and have been on HRT for 22 yrs. My Dr prescribs 2 boxes per week. I also take a .05 Combi patch for the progestron and it works great. Never have gained any weight. I [find that if you rub alcohol on the site then place the patch it stays on I wear it for 3 then replace it. It is NOT A 7 DAY PATCH . Overall I like the patches better than the HRT pill. | F | 64 | 10 years .05 1X day | 7/18/2011 | 5 | Complete hysterectomy | Weight gain | Suffered from migraines for about 20 years and no one would listen when I told them I thought they we're hormone related. Imitrex was a life saver but since I've been on climara NO MIGRAINES! If I don't change the patch when I'm supposed to, I can feel the migraine start to come back, I've tried to wean myself off but I refuse to go back to having migraines again. Climara is like a miracle, no hot flashes or sweats | F | 55 | 10 years .05 1X W | 1/9/2013 | 5 | surgery 2000 | Only side effect is breast pain which quit using but felt so horrible when off went back on feel great every other way!! | My Gyn plus the radiologist i saw with mammogram both said this low dose benefits very important no matter age | F | 66 | 10 years 0.025 mg | 6/12/2015 | 4 | surgical menopause | Weight gain, bloatng, leg swelling, joint pain? | F | 51 | 10 years .05mcg | 1/18/2015 | 4 | mood swings, hot flashes, bones | light skin reaction | Dr. wants me to "wean" off, but husband can tell when I am about 3 days out - I can tell by hot flashes, irritability and hands ache, so side with husband on this one at least for now. I had hysterectomy at 30, no problems until early 50's - tried herbals, helped but not as well as the Climara (not the generic, that was awful). | F | 66 | 10 years .05 1X W | 7/10/2012 | 5 | total hysterectomy | Was really effective and easy to use. Didn't have any side effects until recently. Not sure if it is due to Climara patch. | Doesn't stick very well. I usually end up running out of patches before my script is due. Went without it recently for two weeks and lost weight and body and joint aches seemed to disappear. Just put one back on this week and I have a burning sensation in my hip like nerve endings and the pain in my feet started again. Also my legs and feet swell. Thinking about talking to my doctor about what would happen if I stopped it altogether and just put up with the hot flashes and night sweats. | F | 56 | 9 years 0.1 1X W | 8/8/2012 |
CLIMARA (ESTRADIOL): This medication is a female hormone (estrogen). It is used by women to help reduce symptoms of menopause (such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness). These symptoms are caused by the body making less estrogen. If you are using this medication to treat symptoms only in and around the vagina, products applied directly inside the vagina should be considered before medications that are taken by mouth, absorbed through the skin, or injected. This medication may also be used by women who are not able to produce enough estrogen (for example, due to hypogonadism, primary ovarian failure). Certain estrogen products may also be used by women after menopause to prevent bone loss (osteoporosis). However, there are other medications (such as raloxifene, bisphosphonates including alendronate) that are also effective in preventing bone loss and may be safer. These medications should be considered for use before estrogen treatment. FDA Approval Date: 1994-12-22 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)