Estrogen Patches: What You Should Know
Key takeaways:
Menopause — a permanent stop to menstrual periods — is a typical part of life for many women older than about 50 years of age.
There are several medications that can help relieve bothersome menopausal symptoms — estrogen patches are potential options.
There are many ways to save on estrogen patches. Many are available as lower-cost generics. GoodRx can help make your prescription more affordable.
Table of contents
Menopause is a normal part of life for women. In the U.S., 52 years is the average age when many women experience menopause — which is the permanent stop to menstrual cycles.
Due to changing amounts of hormones in the body, however, some women might have bothersome symptoms — like hot flashes, sleeping troubles, irritability, and mood swings. Some women may also experience low sex drive (libido) and other sexual-related symptoms, such as painful sex from vaginal dryness.
These menopausal symptoms can go away without any medication. But if you’re experiencing discomfort, there are several treatment choices to help relieve your symptoms, including the estrogen patch.
If you’re a woman who had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus), the estrogen patch is a potential option for you. And in some cases, you may also be able to get it if you still have a uterus.
In this article, we’ll discuss estrogen patches — what are the benefits, how the patches work, how to use them, and what are the possible side effects.
6 top benefits of estrogen patches
The following are some benefits to using estrogen patches:
1. Better estrogen absorption: When an estrogen tablet is taken by mouth, your liver and intestines try to break down some of the medication before the body can absorb any estrogen into the bloodstream. By using an estrogen patch, you’ll be able to skip this step. Compared to an estrogen tablet, the body absorbs a higher percentage of estrogen from the skin patch.
2. Steady estrogen amounts in the body: By bypassing the liver and intestines, the estrogen patch also provides more steady estradiol amounts in the body compared to estrogen tablets. Estradiol is one of the three naturally-occurring estrogen hormones in the body. Of all estrogen hormones, estradiol is the most potent version that is in all estrogen patches.
3. Fewer side effects: Like estrogen patches, vaginal estrogen tablets are able to provide medication directly into the bloodstream. However, some data shows that the tablets can raise your risk of side effects.
4. Less estradiol to estrone conversion: By avoiding the liver and intestines, estrogen patches have a lower risk of converting estradiol to estrone. High amounts of estrone are linked to cancer growth of the breast and endometrium (uterus lining).
5. Less negative impact on triglycerides: Triglycerides are a type of fat. If you have high amounts of triglycerides in your body, your risk of developing heart disease goes up. Since estrogen patches prevent estrogen from being broken down in the intestines, triglyceride levels aren’t affected as much.
6. Lower clotting risk: Compared to oral estrogen tablets, estrogen patches might have a lower risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) — which occurs when there is a blood clot in the veins.
How long does it take for an estrogen patch to start working?
You might notice some improvement in your menopausal symptoms after 2 weeks of treatment with an estrogen patch. But this can vary from person to person, and the specific patch you use may also make a difference.
How long does an estrogen patch last?
The body usually takes approximately 11 to 13 hours to clear out estradiol from the estrogen patch. This time, however, might vary depending on factors like body weight.
What are some common estrogen patch brands?
The following are some common estrogen patch brands:
Climara
Menostar
Alora
Dotti
Lyllana
Minivelle
Vivelle-Dot
All of these estrogen patches — except Menostar — can be used to treat menopausal symptoms and prevent osteoporosis after menopause. Menostar is only FDA-approved to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a medical condition of weak bones.
Climara, Alora, Dotti, Vivelle-Dot, and the Vivelle-Dot generic are also FDA-approved to treat low estrogen due to ovary impairment or ovary removal.
There are two main types of estrogen patches: once-weekly or twice-weekly patches. More details about the different types below.
Once-weekly estrogen patches
There are only a few patches available that you can apply and remove every 7 days.
Climara: Climara and its estradiol generic version have six different strengths. One of the strengths is 0.06 mg/24 hr. Climara can be applied on the lower part of the stomach below the belly button or the upper part of the butt cheeks.
Menostar: Menostar only has one strength, which is 14 mcg/24 hr. You can place the Menostar patch on the lower part of the stomach, below the belly button.
Twice-weekly estrogen patches
In general, you can place a twice-weekly patch on your lower stomach area underneath your belly button or on your butt cheeks. All twice-weekly patches are available as the five same strengths, except Alora. Alora only has four different strengths — it doesn’t have the 0.0375 mg/24hr strength.
There are several twice-weekly patches available.
Vivelle-Dot and its generic version
Where do you put the estrogen patch if you are undergoing IVF?
When using estrogen patches for IVF, the directions might be different from treating menopausal (or related) symptoms.
For instance, in a 2020 study, the Vivelle-Dot estrogen patch was used for IVF. Participants were asked to apply the patch onto their hips or the lower stomach area.
If you have questions about how to use estrogen patches while receiving IVF, talk with your healthcare provider.
Estrogen patch side effects
Weight gain is a common concern people have about estrogen patches. Although some people might experience weight gain while using estrogen patches, it isn’t a typical side effect.
Some common side effects with estrogen patch use include:
Back pain
Breast pain and tenderness
Changes in vaginal discharge or fluids
Headache
Indigestion
Mood changes
Nausea
Get medical help right away if you experience severe symptoms or the following side effects:
Abnormal vaginal bleeding
Chest pain
New breast lumps
Severe leg pain
Shortness of breath
Sudden and new severe headaches that won’t go away
Vision or speech changes
Intense stomach pain
Estrogen patches may also have other possible side effects. For additional information about a specific estrogen patch’s side effects, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Can you stop an estrogen patch cold turkey?
It depends.
Once you start using the estrogen patch, your healthcare provider may want to have an appointment with you every 3 to 6 months. During each of your office visits, you and your healthcare provider will decide what to do with your estrogen therapy.
If the choice is to stop the estrogen patch, stopping the medication cold turkey is okay. For some people, however, it is better to slowly lower the dose over time to stop the medication. Since this decision will vary by person and symptoms, talk with your healthcare provider to help find the best next step for you.
How to save on estrogen patches
There are many ways to save on estrogen patches. GoodRx can help you navigate your options, which may include GoodRx discounts, copay savings cards, and patient assistance programs. You can find estrogen patches for as low as $26 with a free GoodRx discount.
The bottom line
Menopause is an ordinary part of a woman’s life. When you experience menopause, your symptoms may vary. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, there are options — like estrogen patches — to help you find relief.
Although estrogen patches are effective, they have some side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider, who will help you decide whether an estrogen patch is right for you.
Why trust our experts?
References
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