Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection is a hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It's used to relieve certain menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It can also help raise estrogen levels in females with other conditions, such as hypogonadism and primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection is an injection that's given into the muscle every 1-4 weeks depending on the reason you're taking it. Potential side effects include vaginal spotting, breast tenderness, and headache.
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection replaces estrogen hormones that your body loses during menopause or when your body can't make enough estrogen naturally. Replacing estrogen relieves symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection can help lower androgen levels to help manage advanced prostate cancer.
| Common Brands | Delestrogen |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Estrogen replacement |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Because estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection works like estrogen in your uterus, it can change the lining of your uterus (endometrium). Uncontrolled growth of the uterus lining can cause uterine or endometrial cancer in people with a healthy uterus. If you have a healthy uterus, your healthcare team will lower your risk of cancer by also prescribing a progestin to balance out estrogen's effect on the growth of the uterine lining. Let your healthcare team know right away if you have symptoms of uterine or endometrial cancer, such as unexpected vaginal bleeding; they can examine you and let you know if you need more medical attention.
Estrogen HRTs, like estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection, can raise your risk of breast cancer. Your risk is higher if you're also taking a progestin medication. Don't use estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection if you currently have or have had breast cancer in the past. To lower your risk of breast cancer, your HCP will prescribe the lowest dose of estrogen for the shortest period of time possible. It's important that you regularly check your breasts for any changes and get breast scans (mammograms) done. Let your healthcare professional know if you notice any unusual changes in breast shape, size, or color.
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection can raise your risk of blood clots. The clots can happen in any area of the body and can lead to serious conditions, like heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism. Your risk for blood clots is higher if you smoke or have had blood clots in the past. Be sure to discuss all your past and present medical conditions with your prescriber before starting estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection. Call 911 or get medical help right away if you have pain in your legs or arms, chest pain, sudden severe headaches, trouble breathing, or sudden changes in your speech or vision.
People taking estrogen/progestin combinations or estrogen-only therapy might be at greater risk for dementia. Your risk is higher if you start hormonal therapy after age 65. Estrogen/progestin combination and estrogen-only therapies shouldn't be used to prevent dementia. Early symptoms of dementia include new forgetfulness, confusion, getting lost, and wandering out into the neighborhood. If the risk of dementia worries you, talk to your HCP.
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection can cause you to have problems with your gallbladder. Some people have even needed to have their gallbladder removed after starting this medication. If you experience stomach pain, nausea or vomiting that doesn't go away, fever, or a yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), speak with your prescriber or get medical help right away.
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection is processed (broken down) by the liver, so if your liver isn't working properly, you might experience more side effects from this medication. Because of this, if you have or have had any problems with your liver, including liver problems during a past pregnancy, you shouldn't use estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection.
Estrogens can raise the amount of your body's blood fats (triglycerides), which can cause heart problems or inflammation of the pancreas. Your prescriber might order regular blood tests to watch for this while you're using estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection. If you experience sudden stomach or back pain, nausea, vomiting, sudden weight loss, or a fast heart rate, contact your prescriber or get medical care right away.
Although very rare, some people taking estrogens have had vision problems due to clot formation in the eyes. If you have sudden partial or complete vision loss, bulging eyes, double vision, or migraines, stop estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection and tell your HCP.
Estrogen therapy can change the calcium levels in your blood. Females with breast cancer that has spread to the bones are at higher risk of extremely high calcium levels. Symptoms of high calcium levels include feeling tired and having muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, or constipation.
On the other hand, females with low parathyroid hormone levels from the parathyroid gland are at higher risk of low calcium levels during estrogen therapy. Symptoms of low calcium levels include muscle spasms or twitching and numbness and tingling in your fingers, toes, or around your mouth.
Let your HCP know if you notice any of these symptoms. You might need regular blood tests done so that your HCP can check your calcium levels while you're taking estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection.
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection can affect thyroid hormone levels in your blood. If you take medications for low thyroid hormone levels, you might require higher doses of thyroid replacement therapy. Your prescriber might have you perform regular blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels.
Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection might cause some fluid retention, or edema. This could worsen symptoms of certain conditions, like heart conditions (e.g., congestive heart failure) or kidney problems. If you notice unusual swelling in any part of your body or if you suddenly gain weight over a short period of time, let your prescriber know.
Taking estrogen-containing medications can worsen certain medical conditions. These include high blood pressure, hereditary angioedema, asthma, diabetes, migraine, and seizures. Before you start estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection let your healthcare team know about your past medical history so they can talk with you about the risks and benefits of taking this medication.
Vial| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5ml of 20mg/ml | 1 vial | $52.07 | $52.07 |
| 5ml of 10mg/ml | 1 vial | $40.12 | $40.12 |
| 5ml of 40mg/ml | 1 vial | $79.71 | $79.71 |
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) injection will not be safe for you to take.
Prescription savings
Stop paying too much for your prescriptions. Compare prices, get pharmacy coupons, and save up to 80%.
Find expert answers to your health questions so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.Health conditions
Medications & treatment
Access & affordability
Our monthly healthcare membership can help you save thousands on your prescription costs.Resources
Delestrogen isn't FDA-approved for in vitro fertilization (IVF). But fertility specialists sometimes prescribe estrogen injections, like Delestrogen, off-label to help thicken the uterine lining, preparing it for an embryo transfer. Follow up with your fertility specialist to find out more about the use of estrogen injections in IVF.
Estrogen injections, like Delestrogen, are sometimes prescribed off-label as part of estrogen-based gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), also called feminizing hormone therapy. Guideline from the Endocrine Society lists Delestrogen as an option for GAHT and it's typically injected weekly or every two weeks. Talk with your healthcare team if you've more questions about Delestrogen and GAHT.
People who took progestin- and estrogen-containing HRTs in clinical studies, like Delestrogen, have reported mood changes as side effects. These included depression, nervousness, and irritability. It's unclear whether the changes in mood were caused by the HRT medications or by other conditions, such as menopause. In general, research shows that changes in hormones are linked to changes in moods. If you feel more anxious, contact your prescriber. They can help you find ways to manage anxiety or talk with you about other treatment options.
Tiredness isn't a side effect commonly reported by people who took HRTs in clinical studies. But Delestrogen might be linked to other side effects that can make you feel tired, such as depression or mood changes. Keep in mind that if you're taking Delestrogen to treat menopause, tiredness might be a symptom of menopause itself, especially if you're not sleeping well at night from hot flashes. If you feel more tired after starting Delestrogen, discuss possible causes with your healthcare professional.
Pain is a common side effect from injections, so you might feel pain in the buttocks area where Delestrogen is injected. If this bothers you, ask your prescriber about possible ways to manage pain, such as numbing cream that you can use before your injection or taking an over-the-counter pain reliever.
No, Delestrogen doesn't need to be refrigerated. You should store Delestrogen at room temperature, between 68 and 77 degrees F. If the medication gets cold, you might see some crystals form in the liquid. But these should go away once the medication is warmed back up to room temperature.
No. Delestrogen contains estradiol valerate, a form of estrogen, and is used for treating menopause, low estrogen levels, and pain from advanced prostate cancer. Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone) contains medroxyprogesterone, a form of progesterone, and is used as birth control and pain from endometriosis.
