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What is Osphena?
Osphena tablets are a medication that contains ospemifene.
It’s used as a treatment for women that are experiencing moderate to severe postmenopausal symptoms of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).
This is a condition that’s caused by the natural reduction of oestrogen in the body, which starts during the menopausal transition and carries through to postmenopause.
For more resources, including a full list of the risks and benefits of Osphena, please review the product monograph.
How does Osphena work?
When a woman’s body naturally begins producing less estrogen, this causes the walls of the vagina to become thinner. In turn, this can lead to pain and discomfort.
Osphena works by helping to replace that missing oestrogen with a very similar hormone that functions the same way.
This works to thicken the lining of the vagina, as well as help restore vaginal pH levels.
What is Osphena used to treat?
Osphena is a medication used to treat moderate to severe symptoms related to Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) in postmenopausal women.
These symptoms include:
- Pain during sex, which is caused by changes in and around the vagina
- Dryness in and around the vagina
Osphena helps to increase hormone levels in the vagina, which reduces these symptoms.
How do you take Osphena?
The most common dosage of Osphena is one 60 mg tablet per day, to be taken orally. It’s important to note that this medication should be taken with food.
Follow any additional Osphena dosing instructions provided by your healthcare practitioner, and be sure to check-in with them every 3 to 6 months.
This will allow them to determine whether you should continue taking Osphena, switch to an alternative medication, or stop your treatments.
How long does Osphena last after you take it?
What are the common side effects of Osphena?
The most common side effects that you could experiencing while taking Osphena include:
- Acne
- Dry, red, itchy skin
- Diarrhea
- Excess hair growth on fair, chest, abdomen, or legs
- Hot flashes or night sweats
- Headache
- Excessive sweating
- Joint or muscle pain
- Muscle spasms (i.e., leg cramps, etc.)
- Nausea
- Swelling of the legs or hands
- Stomach pain
- The urge to move your legs or fidget
- Vaginal discharge
If any of these side effects become severe or begin to affect your daily quality of life, be sure to talk to your healthcare practitioner at Felix. They may be able to suggest an alternative dosage or medication that could work better for you.
MHT is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms and has been shown to prevent bone loss.
In menopausal women who start appropriately-dosed MHT prior to age 60 OR within 10 years of their last period, the health benefits outweigh the risks.
Risks of MHT are considered very rare (~1 case per 1000 to 10,000 women on MHT per year) and may include:
- risks of stroke or blood clots in legs or lungs with oral estrogen (much lower risk with estrogen gel or patch)
- risks of dementia in women older than 65 years,
- risk of breast cancer (less than ~1 case per 1000 women on MHT per year)
These conditions are all rare, but they highlight the importance of having a full discussion with your healthcare practitioner; especially if you’re experiencing moderate to severe side effects.
Individualization is key, and your MHT treatment plan should be reassessed (at least) once a year to monitor your health, as well as ensure that you are on the correct dosage and formulation.
Your practitioner can help you find balance between treating your symptoms safely, and avoiding increased risks.
Who shouldn't take Osphena?
There are certain people that shouldn’t use Osphena, including:
- People with unexplained vaginal bleeding
- People that have or have had cancers that are sensitive to estrogens
- People that have or have had blood clots in a vein (thrombosis)
- People that have or have had blood clots in an artery (i.e., heart attacks or stroke)
- People with severe liver problems
- People who are pregnant or believe that they may be pregnant
- People that have allergies or intolerances to any of the ingredients in Osphena
In addition to these people, there are others who need to be extra cautious when taking Osphena. These include people who:
- Have or have had cancer of the lining of the uterus
- Have or have had breast cancer
- Are at risk of developing a blood circulation problem
- Have or have had heart-related conditions
- People that are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
If any of these conditions could apply to you, be sure to talk to your healthcare practitioner before starting Osphena. They may be able to suggest an alternative medication that may work better for you, based on your current health and medical history.
There are some other medications that can interact with Osphena, including:
- Antifungals (i.e., fluconazole and ketoconazole)
- Antibiotics (i.e., rifampin)
- Proton-pump inhibitors used for heartburn or stomach ulcers (i.e., omeprazole)
- Estrogens
- Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) or estrogens agonist / antagonist (i.e., tamoxifen and bazedoxifene)
- Medications used to reduce the formation of clots (i.e., warfarin)
- Medications used to treat osteoporosis (i.e., raloxifene)
Further reading
