Quite interestingly, women are known to possess a small amount of the male hormone, testosterone, which can be responsible for symptoms like acne breakouts. Drugs like Angeliq contain a natural form of the progesterone hormone, called Drospirenone, which is known to counteract the effects of this male hormone. Angeliq is essentially a menopausal drug. It is known to control common menopausal symptoms, which include vaginal discomfort pertaining to dryness, itchiness and burning sensation in the vagina. Other targeted symptoms might include hot vaginal flashes and excessive sweating during nocturnal hours. However, this drug can only be administered in women who have not undergone a hystectomy. In short, you need to have a uterus in place for this drug to work on you. Although this drug is considered to be superior to other hormone replacement medications, there can be some associated health impacts when you start with it. These could be primarily classified into overdose impacts and side effects of prolonged usage.
Angeliq: Effects of Overdosing
An overdose of the estrogen component of Angeliq is not considered to be potentially dangerous. However, it might give rise to stomach irritations, nausea and sometimes vomiting as well. Sometimes, when the drug is administered to young females; overdoses have led to vaginal bleeding as well. However, these are simple repercussions, which can be easily controlled.
Side effects associated with an overdose of the progesterone component are considered to be potentially threatening to your health. These could include decreased sodium and increased potassium levels in the blood. Such major imbalances in blood electrolytes can lead to life threatening conditions, such as heart arrhythmias.
Angeliq: Common Side Effects
Although the tolerance levels for Angeliq are considered to be quite strong, there are some side effects that can prove to be particularly unpleasant. Some of the common ones include:
- One of the most common side effects is breast pain, which occurs in approximately 20% of the women who are using this drug.
- Abdominal pain and headaches are also seen in about 12% of the women who take this medication on a regular basis. About 9% of the women might also feel intense leg and arm pains during the course of medication. Back pain might also occur in some isolated cases.
- This drug is also known to be responsible for abnormal vaginal bleeding in about 9% of the women.
- Some women may exhibit symptoms that are strongly suggestive of flu. These might include chills, sore throat, nasal congestion and fever. Some may even show symptoms of sinus infections.
- The drug is also known to cause enlargement of injury and accidental injury.
Women who are using Angeliq are able to control peripheral edema better. Peripheral edema is a term used to describe a condition where there is water retention in the legs and feet. The progesterone component of this drug acts as an effective diuretic, which relieves water retention.