Vivelle-Dot and/or Equivalents
| Drug | Related Drug Names |
|---|---|
| Vivelle-Dot 25ug and/or Equivalents | Estradot, Estradot 25, Estradot TTS |
| Vivelle-Dot 37.5ug and/or Equivalents | Estradot, Estradot 37.5, Estradot TTS |
| Vivelle-Dot 50ug and/or Equivalents | Estradiol Patches, Estradot, Estradot 50, Estradot TTS, Sandoz Estradiol Derm 50 |
| Vivelle-Dot 75ug and/or Equivalents | Estradiol Patches, Estradot, Estradot 75, Estradot TTS, Sandoz Estradiol Derm 75 |
| Vivelle-Dot 100ug and/or Equivalents | Estradiol Patches, Estradot, Estradot 100, Estradot TTS, Sandoz Estradiol Derm 100 |
Vivelle-Dot (estradiol patches)
Vivelle-Dot Description
Estradiol is a sex hormone and is the main sex hormone in women. It comes under the category of estrogens and is the most potent estrogen. It plays a major role in reproductive systems and sexual development in the females. It also affects the other organs of the body. After menopause, in many women, the levels of estrogen in the body decreases considerably. This leads to many degenerative diseases such as loss of bone mass and other disorders. Others symptoms associated with menopause are dryness, burning and itching of the vaginal area.
Keeping this in mind, Novartis has brought out the Vivelle-Dot. The Vivelle-Dot is an adhesive patch, which contains estradiol. When it is applied to the skin, it releases estradiol continuously into the body. The patch is madeup of three layers. Going from the exposed layer to the layer attached to the skin, they are, the translucent film, the adhesive containing the estradiol and the protective layer. The protective layer needs to be removed before use.
Conditions Treated by Vivelle-Dot
Vivelle-Dot is a hormone patch and releases the hormone estradiol into the body. It is used as a treatment for the symptoms associated with menopause. During menopause, moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms may be observed. These include hot flashes and night sweats. It is used for treating vaginal atrophy, i.e. inflammation of the vagina caused due to menopause. Another major application of the Vivelle-Dot patches is prevention of postmeopausal osteoporosis.
It may also be used for treatment of hypoestrogenism, which may be due to non-menopausal causes. Hypoestrogenism may occur due to hypogonadism, castration or primary ovarian failure.
Vivelle-Dot patches have a higher efficiency than orally administered estradiol. Orally administered estradiol is assimilated by the body and then it goes to the liver. In the liver, it is metabolized into estrone and its conjugates. Due to this, the amount of estradiol circulating in the bloodstream is still low. On the contrary, transdermal patches lead to a higher amount of estradiol in the bloodstream as very little estradiol is metabolized by the skin. This higher efficiency works in favour of Vivelle-Dot patches.
Vivelle- Dot Dosage Information
The dosage that you may have to take depends on a number of factors. These factors include the medical condition that you are being treated for, your response to Vivelle-Dot and other conditions that you may have. Like most other medications, it is recommended that you take the lowest dose of the medicine to prevent any side effects. This minimum dose however will vary from one woman to the next.
a.) Typical Dosage Recommendations
The patches are available in five dosages - 0.025, 0.0375, 0.05, 0.075, or 0.1 mg of estradiol per day. The recommended starting dose for treatment of menopausal symptoms is one 0.0375mg patch applied two times a week. This will lead to a significant decrease in the menopausal symptoms. If you are using the patches for preventing osteoporosis, then a lower dose is recommended. You are advised to apply one 0.025mg patch two times a week.
Depending on whether you have undergone a hysterectomy or not, your doctor may advise you to use Vivelle-Dot cyclically, i.e. apply the patch for three weeks followed by a one-week break.
b.) Missing A Dose
Vivelle-Dot provides estradiol, which is a sex hormone. The level of hormones is very strictly maintained in the body in a time-dependent fashion. So use the patches on time to avoid any complications. However, if you do happen to miss your patch, then try to use the patch as soon as your remember it. However, if this is delayed and it is already time for your next patch, then you may skip the previous patch and take the next scheduled patch. You must never tinker with the level of hormones in the body. Avoid overdosing to make up for the dose that you missed.
c.) Overdosing
The intensity of the symptoms of an overdose varies depending on the dosage of the strip and the mode of ingestion into the body (transdermally or orally). Estrogens usually cause irritation of the stomach and they may cause nausea, stomach upsets and vomiting. In some cases, it may also cause temporary vaginal bleeding.
Vivelle-Dot Warnings
The use of Vivelle- Dot by women, who have not undergone hysterectomy, puts them at a risk of endometrial cancer. This is the main drawback of this therapy. The risk of endometrial cancer is 2-12 times that faced by non-users. The use of estrogens by postmenopausal women also puts them at a higher risk of breast cancer.
Reports indicate that estrogen therapy leads to an increased chance of cardiovascular disorders such as myocardial infarctions. It may also be a causative agent for stroke. Other disorders such as venous thrombosis have also been observed.
Women who undergo estradiol therapy are at a higher risk of dementia as opposed to non-users. Similarly, they also face a greater risk of contracting hypercalcemia and visual problems.
Vivelle-Dot Side Effects
As mentioned earlier, the major side effects of Vivelle-Dot include cancer of the breast and uterus, which can be detected by lumps in the breast and unusual vaginal bleeding. Severe headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath are symptoms of heart attacks and blood clots, which are again side effects of Vivelle-dot therapy. These were the major side effects.
The minor side effects include headache, irregular vaginal bleeding, stomach cramps, loss of hair, nausea etc.
Possible Drug Interactions With Vivelle-Dot
Vivelle-Dot contains estradiol and it is known to interact with many other drugs.
Hypericum perforatum or St. John's Wort, as it is more popularly known, is known to interact with the estradiol in Vivelle-Dot. Barbiturates and blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin), drugs for treatment for HIV (ritonavir) and drugs for epilepsy and bipolar disorders such as carbamazepine are also known to interact with Vivelle-Dot.
It is very important that you tell your doctor if you are undergoing any medications to avoid any complications.
- Zithromax (azithromycin)
- Biaxin (clarithromycin)
- dirithromycin (Dynabac)
- Erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Erythrocin, Ery-Tab)
- pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam)
- sparfloxacin (Zagam)
- Ketek (telithromycin)
- itraconazole (Sporanox)
- ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- voriconazole (Vfend)
- miconazole (Oravig)
If you have any questions about buying discount Vivelle-Dot online or any other prescription products you can contact our team of professional Patient Service Representatives or one of our pharmacists 24-7 by calling 1-800-226-3784.
Notice: The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
Vivelle-Dot and/or Equivalents warnings, side-effects and general information
