Estradiol is an estrogen hormone. It helps in treating estrogen deficiency symptoms like hot flushes (red and warm face) and vaginal dryness in women. It is also used to prevent osteoporosis (thinning and weakening of bones) in postmenopausal women, who are at high risk of fractures and have limited treatment choice.

Take Estradiol as per your doctor's advice. However, you must try to take Estradiol at the same time of each day, to ensure the consistent levels of medicine in your body.

If you miss a dose, you should take it as soon as possible. If the dose was missed by more than 12 hours, you should not take the missed dose and simply continue the usual dosing schedule.

The common side effects associated with Estradiol are lower abdominal pain, periods pain, breast tenderness, endometrial hyperplasia (thickening of uterus lining) and vaginal discharge. Most of these symptoms are temporary. However, if these persist, check with your doctor as soon as possible.

For estrogen deficiency, treatment is based on the underlying cause. Your doctor may choose from a variety of medications depending upon whether your are young or old or have had your menopause. The medications will also depend upon whether you are estrogen deficient or have high progesterone levels, etc. You may be given bio-identical estradiol or estriol or counterbalance with natural progesterone.

Estradiol should not be taken by patients who have unusual vaginal bleeding, liver problems, or bleeding disorder. It should also be avoided to patients who are pregnant or are allergic to Estradiol. Patients who have had uterus or breast cancer, had a stroke or heart attack, or currently have or had blood clots should also avoid this medicine.

Serious side effects of Estradiol are uncommon and do not affect everyone. These serious side effects may include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterus cancer, stroke, heart attack, blood clots, gallbladder disease and dementia.