Climara Side Effects

Severe Side Effects of Climara

• Climara has caused endometrial cancer or cancer in the uterus in some patients.  Please see the black box warning.
• Climara has caused or triggered breast cancer, strokes, life threatening blood clots, and pulmonary embolisms in some patients.
• The patient is at a higher risk for gallbladder disease while taking Climara.
• Climara may permanently damage eyesight.
• Hypercalcemia or excess calcium in the blood may occur while taking Climara.

Common Side Effects of Climara

• Climara may cause vaginal bleeding, increased blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, yeast infections, upset stomach, headache, and may stress the liver.

Warnings & Recalls for Climara

Black Box Warning

• Climara and other hormone replacement therapy drugs increase the risk of endometrial cancer which is cancer in the uterus.  It is important to test for this cancer beforehand and monitor for it during hormone replacement therapy treatment.
• Taking Climara greatly increases risk of heart attack and stroke in postmenopausal women over the age of 50.
• Climara may increase the risk of dementia in patients over 65 years of age.

Other Warnings

• If the patient is past menopause and still has her uterus, then Climara should be taken with a progestin to help minimize the risk of endometrial cancer (cancer in the lining of the uterus).
• Do not use Climara if you have previously had or currently have cancer.
• Do not take Climara if you have any sort of thrombosis or blood clot.
• If you have had a heart attack or stroke, tell your doctor before taking Climara.
• Do not take Climara while pregnant.

Climara Treatment and Use

Climara | Estradiol Transdermal System is an estrogen replacement therapy designed to treat hot flashes or night sweats.  It is often prescribed to women during menopause or postmenopausal women who suffer from hot flashes.  Climara may also be used to treat vaginal itching and dryness resulting from menopause and is sometimes prescribed to prevent osteoporosis in women.  Climara is manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals.

What does Climara do?

Climara contains estradiol which is a synthetic version of a type of estrogen.  During menopause and post menopause, the amount of this sex hormone is decreased and this indirectly causes hot flashes in women.  Climara increases the amount of estradiol in the body which minimizes hot flashes and other menopausal related symptoms.

Dosage

Climara is available in patch form.  It comes in  0.025, 0.0375, 0.05, 0.06, 0.075 and 0.1 mg doses (amount of estradiol released per day).  To apply, place the adhesive side of the patch either right above the buttocks or below the belly and leave on for a week.  Alternate the application site every week.  Do not apply the patch to a spot where it might loosen or come off such as the waistline.  Do not place the patch on the breasts.  When discarding an old patch, make sure to fold it in half so the adhesive side is not exposed.

Other Names for Climara

Brand Name

• Climara

Generic

• Estradiol Patch

Lawsuits & Legal Information for Climara