Activelle® is mainly used as a hormonal treatment to treat menopause, vaginal dryness and to prevent Osteoporosis. It can also be used as birth control.

The tablets are used after menopause to reduce the side effects of menopause. This includes reducing moderate to severe hot flushes, calming changes in and around the vagina and preventing your chances of getting Osteoporosis. Talk to your healthcare provider to make sure Activelle® is suitable for your symptoms. You may find that treating changes to the vagina might be more effective with a topical vaginal product rather than oral tablets. This might be the case if the only reason you are using Activelle® is to treat changes in or around the vagina and there are no other symptoms to treat.

The same goes for preventing and treating Osteoporosis using Activelle®. Many women are susceptible to weak bones (Osteoporosis) after menopause. Your health care adviser will be able to advise you on different treatment options. It could be that a medicine without Estrogens might be better for you if you are using Activelle® only as a treatment for Osteoporosis and have no other symptoms.

Like all medications Activelle® is not suitable for people with specific conditions. If you do take Activelle® then you will have to be monitored when taking Activelle® more closely.

If you have high blood pressure, angina, heart disease, high cholesterol, kidney disease, asthma, epilepsy, migraine, depression, diabetes, gallbladder disease or uterine fibroids then tell your doctors about them before you start taking Activelle®. The same goes for if you have had a hysterectomy (uterus removed). Activelle® contains Estradiol and Progestin compounds so it might not be suitable for you or you may need to use an adjusted dosage.

You should not take Activelle® is you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant.
Activelle® birth control is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that Activelle® can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. The Estradiol and Progestin compounds in Acivelle® can also affect milk supply so you should not take it when breast feeding either.

Always consult with your doctor before taking this birth control or menopause treatment.

Activelle® should be avoided in some cases. Read the pack insert for a full list of warnings. Prescription medication and over the counter meds (including vitamins) can interact with Activelle® so it’s important to let your doctor know about all the other medications and supplements that you take.

When taking Activelle® you should do regular self-breast examinations. Using hormone medications for menopause or birth control can increase your chances of developing breast lumps and breast cancer.

Activelle® does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

Taking Activelle® as birth control or for menopause treatment can cause side effects. Some side effects of Activelle® are serious and require medical assistance and other side effects of Activelle® are minor and can be ignored as long as they don’t cause you too much discomfort.

Minor Activelle® side effects can include nausea, vomiting, tenderness/ enlargement of the breasts, general weakness and swelling of the hands or feet. Just because you experience one of these side effects does not mean that you will experience all of them. Activelle® can also cause skin discoloration like spotty darkening of the skin, particularly on the face. It can also make eyes dry so you may experience difficulty in wearing contact lenses. Taking Activelle® can also affect your menstruation. It can cause vaginal discomfort, changes in menstrual cycle, painful menstruation or break-through bleeding.

Activelle® contains Estradiol which is a form of Estrogen hormone that can increase the risk of developing endometrial hyperplasia. This is where the lining of the uterus thickens. In most people this condition is harmless but in some people it can lead to cancer of the lining of the uterus. Activelle® also contains Norethisterone, a type of Progestin, which when combined with Estradiol lowers the risk of developing this condition.

All the above conditions are uncomfortable but are normally not serious. You should let your doctor know about all the side effects of Activelle especially any unusual vaginal bleeding. If they don’t bother you too much then you can continue treatment as long as your doctor confirms this with you.

Here is a list of serious Activelle® side effects that need urgent medical advice.
Sometimes you can have an allergic reaction to Activelle®. It is rare but if you experience difficulty breathing, closing of the throat, swelling of the face/tongue/lips or hives then go to the emergency room or contact an emergency doctor. Allergic reactions to medications are very serious.

Other serious side effects to Activelle® include shortness of breath, chest pains, swollen or painful leg or legs (sometimes the leg or legs can appear red) and vomiting. Abnormal vaginal bleeding, pain or swelling of the abdomen, severe headache, dizziness or faintness, changes in vision or speech and yellowing of the skin or eyes also require urgent medical attention.

The use of Activelle® should be monitored closely if you are taking anticoagulant blood thinners. Warfarin (Coumadin) is an example of blood thinner medication. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment or your doctor might suggest avoiding Activelle® altogether.

It’s also a good idea to talk to a pharmacist before starting anything new, even vitamins, minerals, and herbal products to make sure they will not interact with what you are already taking.

The information about Activelle® on this site is purely educational; it does not replace a doctor’s consultation.