Premarin

What is Premarin?

Premarin is an oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy that treats symptoms brought on by the menopause, such as hot flushes and night sweats. Both are common problems experienced by women as their hormone levels start to drop.

By supplementing oestrogen, a hormone produced naturally by the body that drops during the menopause, Premarin relieves these symptoms and lets you carry on your usual routines in comfort. It can also be used to help prevent osteoporosis, which some women develop after menopause.

How does Premarin work?

You reach menopause after 12 consecutive months without having a period. In the build-up to this (known as the perimenopause), the oestrogen levels in your body fall and you produce much less of it. The changes brought on during this hormonal decline vary from person-to-person, but menopausal women can often feel physically and mentally under the weather.

Menopause is a natural process all women go through as they get older. Most women won’t have experienced anything like menopausal symptoms until these hormonal changes start to develop. Also known as vasomotor symptoms, unpleasant physical sensations such as hot flushes, night-sweats and even mental confusion can be alarming and seem difficult to stay on top of.

Premarin works by boosting oestrogen levels in your body, and by doing so relieves the discomfort of these symptoms.

Who is Premarin for?

Premarin is for women experiencing hot flushes and sweating as a result of the menopause. It is usually prescribed to patients who’ve had a hysterectomy. If you’re getting other symptoms you feel are caused by the end of your menstrual cycle, our clinicians can advise you if they think this is the best HRT treatment for you.

You might be advised by your GP to have a blood test if you’re under 45 and feel uncertain if your symptoms are part of the menopause starting, but otherwise you can begin taking Premarin as soon as you like.

Because it’s an oestrogen-only treatment, Premarin is specifically recommended for women who’ve had a hysterectomy (surgery to remove some or all of the womb).

If you have an intact uterus (in other words, if you haven’t had a hysterectomy), you’ll normally be recommended combined HRT. But if you do take Premarin in this case, you’ll also be prescribed a progestogen alongside it, to make sure your hormones are correctly balanced.

Which dose of Premarin will work best for me?

It’s recommended you start on the lowest dose that will keep your symptoms in check. The 0.3mg dose of Premarin should control your hot flushes and night sweats, but if you feel like it isn’t strong enough, talk to one of our clinicians about changing doses.

You can also get Premarin in doses of 0.625mg and 1.25mg. You might have your dose increased to these amounts if you use the 0.3mg dose, but it doesn’t quite work well enough to get your symptoms under control.

How to take Premarin

You should swallow your tablet daily with a glass of water. By taking Premarin at the same time, you’ll more easily be able to remember to take it each day.

If you’re changing from a previous HRT medication that gives you a monthly bleed, you can start taking Premarin the day after you finish that course unless you’re told otherwise. If you’ve got any questions about switching from another treatment plan, speak to one of our team.

How long will I need to use Premarin for?

Menopausal symptoms affect women differently, so how long Premarin takes to work will vary person-to-person. Some women might start to feel relief from their symptoms in less than four weeks, but for others it might take a little longer.

We advise you to use the lowest dose that works for you for as long as you think you need it. Although the risks are low, long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (more than ten years) has been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, so it’s advisable to only use HRT for as long as you need it.

Will I need another treatment alongside Premarin?

Premarin is usually prescribed to women who’ve had a hysterectomy. This is because using oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy can increase the risk of your womb lining thickening, which can in turn increase your risk of developing cancer.

If you haven’t had a hysterectomy, you might be prescribed a separate progestogen tablet or a combined HRT. Your recommended HRT will depend on where you’re up to with your menopause. Sequential HRT like Elleste Duet, for example, treats women still getting their period. Indivina is a medication that combines oestrogen and progesterone in one tablet and is a continuous HRT, for women who’ve had at least three years since their last period.