Norethisterone
About
Norethisterone belongs to the class of medicines called progestogens used to treat heavy, painful, or irregular periods, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and endometriosis. Additionally, Norethisterone may be used in the treatment of breast cancer. Endometriosis is a disorder in which the uterus's tissue lining (endometrium) grows on the ovaries, bowel, or tissues lining the pelvis. The most common symptom is pelvic pain.
Norethisterone contains Norethisterone that works by mimicking the activity of the natural hormone progesterone. Thereby, it restores hormone levels in the body and regulates the growth and shedding of the womb lining. Thus, it helps to treat menstrual disorders.
Take Norethisterone as prescribed by your doctor. You are advised to take Norethisterone for as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you based on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, headache, breast pain, and tenderness. Most of these side effects of Norethisterone do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are allergic to Norethisterone or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Norethisterone is not recommended for pregnant women as it may harm the unborn baby. If you are breastfeeding, consult a doctor before taking Norethisterone. It is advised to use effective non-hormonal contraceptives such as condoms to avoid pregnancy while taking Norethisterone. You are advised to stop smoking while taking Norethisterone as it may increase the risk of adverse effects.
Uses of Norethisterone
Medicinal Benefits
Norethisterone contains Norethisterone, a synthetic hormone that mimics the activity of the natural hormone progesterone. Thereby, it restores hormone levels in the body and regulates the growth and shedding of the womb lining. Thus, it helps to treat menstrual disorders.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Norethisterone
- Unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Breast pain and tenderness
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
If you are allergic to Norethisterone or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Norethisterone is not recommended for pregnant women as it may harm an unborn baby. If you are breastfeeding, consult a doctor before taking Norethisterone. It is advised to use effective non-hormonal contraceptives such as condoms to avoid pregnancy while taking Norethisterone. You are advised to stop smoking while taking Norethisterone as it may increase the risk of adverse effects. If you are about to undergo any surgery, please inform your doctor that you are taking Norethisterone as it may increase the effect of certain anesthetics. If you experience sudden shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, sudden, severe, sharp pain in the chest, or cough up blood, stop taking Norethisterone and consult a doctor immediately as these might be signs of a blood clot in the lungs.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Norethisterone may interact with anticonvulsants (carbamazepine, phenytoin), antiviral drugs (nelfinavir, ritonavir), a medicine used to treat Cushing’s syndrome (aminoglutethimide), antibiotics (co-trimoxazole, rifampicin, tetracycline), immunosuppressant (ciclosporin).
Drug-Food Interaction: Norethisterone may interact with St. John’s wort (herbal medicine used to treat depression). Also, limit the intake of grapefruit juice with Norethisterone as it may increase the levels of Norethisterone in the blood.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Avoid taking Norethisterone if you have vaginal bleeding, blood clots, severe itching, porphyria (blood disorder), liver problems, angina (chest pain), or if you ever had a heart attack, jaundice, or pemphigoid gestationis (an itchy rash that develops into blisters). If you have asthma, migraine headaches, epilepsy (fits), kidney or heart problems, inform your doctor before taking Norethisterone.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionThe interaction of Norethisterone with alcohol is unknown. Please consult a doctor before consuming alcohol while using Norethisterone.
Pregnancy
unsafeNorethisterone is a category X pregnancy drug and is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may harm the unborn baby. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy.
Breast Feeding
cautionNorethisterone is given to breastfeeding women only if the doctor thinks benefits are greater than risks. Please consult a doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
safe if prescribedNorethisterone usually does not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
Liver
unsafeNorethisterone is not recommended if you have liver disease. However, if you have any concerns regarding this, please consult a doctor.
Kidney
cautionTake Norethisterone with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
cautionNorethisterone is not recommended for use in children under 18 years.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Avoid fried and processed foods.
- Include fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your diet.
- Avoid refined carbohydrates that are high in sugars.
- Replace animal proteins (like eggs, fish, and meat) with vegetable protein sources (nuts, seeds, and beans).
- Avoid drinking excess alcohol or caffeinated drinks as they can worsen the symptoms.
- Maintain a healthy weight, do moderate exercise regularly.
- Avoid smoking and alcohol intake.
Special Advise
- Norethisterone may interfere with certain laboratory tests. Therefore, inform your doctor that you are taking Norethisterone before undergoing any tests.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Endometriosis: It is a disorder in which the tissue lining the uterus (endometrium) grows on the ovaries, bowel, or tissues lining the pelvis. The most common symptom is pelvic pain. Other symptoms of endometriosis include lower back pain, painful periods, heavy menstrual bleeding, pain following sexual intercourse, or discomfort with bowel movements.
FAQs
Norethisterone contains Norethisterone, a synthetic hormone that works by mimicking the activity of the natural hormone progesterone. Thereby, it restores hormone levels in the body and regulates the growth and shedding of the womb lining. Thus, it helps to treat menstrual disorders.
Norethisterone may be used to delay periods. Norethisterone keeps progesterone levels high and prevents shedding of the womb lining. However, please consult a doctor before using Norethisterone.
Norethisterone may increase the risk of a blood clot in the veins of the leg, especially if you are overweight, smoking, or have a history of a blood clot in the lungs or veins, repeated miscarriage or have major surgery, serious injury, or systemic lupus erythematosus (autoimmune disease). Therefore, please inform your doctor if you have any of these conditions before taking Norethisterone.
You are not recommended to take Norethisterone with rifampicin as it may decrease the levels of Norethisterone in blood and reduce its effectiveness. However, please consult a doctor before taking Norethisterone with other medicines.
Periods usually resume within 3 days of discontinuing Norethisterone. However, please consult a doctor if you have any concerns regarding this.
Norethisterone may cause changes in blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is advised to regularly monitor blood sugar levels while taking Norethisterone and inform your doctor if you have diabetes before taking Norethisterone.
