Depo Estradiol

Depo-Estradiol Side Effects

Reviewed by Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD, Allison Gourley, PharmD

Last reviewed on October 28, 2024

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.

Common Side Effects

Injection-site pain
Breast tenderness or growth
Nausea or vomiting
Headaches
Stomach cramps
Vaginal spotting or irregular bleeding

Less Common Side Effects

Dizziness
High blood pressure
Melasma (dark patches of skin)
Trouble tolerating contact lenses
Mood changes
Swelling from fluids
Hair loss

Depo-Estradiol serious side effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.

Heart attack: chest pain or tightness, pain that radiates up to your shoulder, arm, neck, or jaw
Stroke: sudden trouble talking, trouble walking, or numbness on one side of your body or face, severe headache
Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the leg): leg cramp, swelling, pain, muscle tightness
Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung): cough, chest pain, trouble breathing, racing heart
Liver or gallbladder problems: yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, tiredness, pain in the right upper stomach, dark urine
Unusual vaginal bleeding, vaginal discharge, or pelvic pain

Source: DailyMed

The following Depo-Estradiol side effects have also been reported

Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:

Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
Blood clot—pain, swelling, or warmth in the leg, shortness of breath, chest pain
Breast tissue changes, new lumps, redness, pain, or discharge from the nipple
Gallbladder problems—severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever
Heart attack—pain or tightness in the chest, shoulders, arms, or jaw, nausea, shortness of breath, cold or clammy skin, feeling faint or lightheaded
Heavy vaginal bleeding
Increase in blood pressure
Liver injury—right upper belly pain, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stool, dark yellow or brown urine, yellowing skin or eyes, unusual weakness or fatigue
Stroke—sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, trouble speaking, confusion, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, dizziness, severe headache, change in vision
Sudden eye pain or change in vision such as blurry vision, seeing halos around lights, vision loss
Unusual vaginal discharge, itching, or odor