This medication is used to prevent pregnancy. Medroxyprogesterone is like a natural hormone made by the body. It works mainly by preventing the growth and release of an egg (ovulation) during your menstrual cycle. It also makes vaginal fluid thicker to help prevent sperm from reaching an egg (fertilization) and changes the lining of the uterus (womb) to prevent attachment of a fertilized egg. Medroxyprogesterone is also used to treat endometriosis. It works by lowering the amount of certain hormones in the body and decreasing the growth of abnormal tissues that cause endometriosis. This helps reduce pain and other symptoms. Using this medication does not protect you or your partner against sexually transmitted diseases (such as HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia).
Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using this product and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. This medication is given by injection into a muscle (upper arm or buttock) as directed by your doctor, usually once every 3 months. To make sure you are not pregnant, the first injection is usually given during the first 5 days of your menstrual period. If you have just given birth or had a pregnancy loss or abortion after the first 3 months of pregnancy, talk with your doctor about the best time to start using this form of birth control. If you are using this medication at home, learn all preparation and usage instructions from your health care professional. Before using, check this product visually for particles or discoloration. If either is present, do not use the liquid. Learn how to store and discard medical supplies safely. It is very important that you use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. If more than 13 weeks pass between injections, you could become pregnant. Use a form of non-hormonal birth control (such as condoms, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy until you can get the next injection. Your doctor may direct you to first have a pregnancy test before your next injection.
Nausea, bloating, headache, changes in appetite, weight gain, tiredness, swelling, acne, hot flashes, breast tenderness, or irritation/pain at the injection site may occur. Vaginal bleeding between periods (spotting) or missed/irregular periods may occur, especially during the first few months of use. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Your periods may stop completely after you have been receiving this medication for about a year. If this occurs, your periods will normally return after you stop using this medication. If you miss a period and have missed an injection, or if more than 13 weeks pass between injections and you think you might be pregnant, contact your doctor for a pregnancy test. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: mental/mood changes (such as new/worsening depression), changes in sexual interest/ability, swelling of the ankles/feet, bone pain, unusual changes in vaginal bleeding (such as continuous spotting, sudden heavy bleeding), persistent nausea/vomiting, severe stomach/abdominal/pelvic pain, unusual weakness/tiredness, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin, seizure. This medication may increase your risk of breast cancer. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms such as a lump in the breast, nipple discharge. Ask your doctor for more details. This medication may rarely cause serious (sometimes fatal) problems from blood clots (such as deep vein thrombosis, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, stroke). Get medical help right away if you have: shortness of breath/rapid breathing, chest/jaw/left arm pain, unusual sweating, confusion, sudden dizziness/fainting, pain/swelling/warmth in the groin/calf, sudden/severe headaches, slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, sudden vision changes. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval. Some drugs may cause hormonal birth control to work less well by decreasing the amount of birth control hormones in your body. This effect can result in pregnancy. Examples include griseofulvin, modafinil, rifamycins (such as rifampin, rifabutin), St. John's wort, drugs used to treat seizures (such as barbiturates, carbamazepine, felbamate, phenytoin, primidone, topiramate), HIV drugs (such as nelfinavir, nevirapine, ritonavir), among others. Tell your doctor when you start any new drug, and discuss if you should use additional reliable birth control. Also tell your doctor if you have any new spotting or breakthrough bleeding, because these may be signs that your birth control is not working well. This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including certain hormone levels, blood tests for clotting factors, thyroid/liver function tests), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you are using this medication.
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.