This article describes Estring’s dosage and strength and gives details on how to use it. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for Estring. If you want to know more about Estring, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Estring is a brand-name medication that comes as a vaginal system with the active drug estradiol. It isn’t available in a generic version. This article describes dosages of Estring.
Boxed warnings
Estring has boxed warnings about the risk of endometrial cancer, heart and blood vessel problems, dementia, and breast cancer. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
See the end of this article for more information about these warnings.
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Form and strength of Estring
Estring comes as follows:
- Form: estradiol vaginal system, which you’ll insert into your vagina
- Strength: 2 milligrams (mg) of estradiol
Dosage of Estring
This article describes the recommended dosage for Estring. The drugmaker provides these dosages.
If your doctor prescribes this medication, you should follow the dosage they prescribe. Your doctor will determine the dosage that best meets your needs. Do not change your dosage of Estring without your doctor’s recommendation.
Usual recommended dosage of Estring in adults
Estring is used to treat symptoms caused by vaginal and vulvar changes in menopause.
Estring comes as a vaginal system. It’s a soft, flexible ring that comes in one strength. The ring releases a consistent amount of estradiol into the body over 90 days.
- Dose: Estring comes as one 2-mg vaginal system, which delivers 7.5 micrograms (mcg) of estradiol per day.
- Frequency: Insert it one time and leave it in place for 90 days. After 90 days, remove and discard it. If recommended by your doctor, insert a new ring one time and leave it in place for 90 days.
Missed dose of Estring
Estring is inserted in the vagina one time and left in place continuously for 90 days. If the ring is expelled totally from the vagina, rinse it in lukewarm water and then reinsert it again.
Estring should be removed after 90 days. For tips on how to remember to remove your Estring dose, read this article. You could also try:
- downloading a reminder app on your phone
- setting an alarm
- putting a note where you’ll see it, such as on your calendar, bathroom mirror, or bedside table
Frequently asked questions
Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about Estring and its dosage.
Is Estring used long term?
No, doctors don’t typically prescribe Estring as a long-term treatment. Instead, it’s usually recommended for 90 days of treatment. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a longer length of treatment.
If you have questions about how long you should use Estring, talk with your doctor.
How does the dose of Estring compare with the dose of Vagifem or Femring?
Estring, Vagifem, and Femring are vaginal inserts approved for menopausal symptoms.
Estring and Femring are both vaginal rings that are inserted for 90 days. However, Femring contains more active drug. This means that more estradiol is released into your body with a single dose of Femring than Estring.
Usually, doctors prescribe Estring to treat menopausal vaginal symptoms, such as dryness. Femring is usually prescribed to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal symptoms.
Vagifem is a vaginal tablet inserted daily for 2 weeks, then twice weekly. For comparison, each Vagifem tablet contains 10 mcg of active drug, whereas Estring contains 2 mg of active drug and slowly releases about 7.5 mcg per day.
Talk with your doctor about how these drugs compare and which is right for you.
Is it difficult to remove Estring?
No, Estring is not difficult to remove.
Before removing the ring, wash and dry your hands. Find a comfortable position, such as standing with one leg raised, lying down, or squatting. Remove Estring by hooking a finger through the ring inside your vagina and pulling it out. Then, discard the ring into the trash.
If you have any difficulty removing your Estring, call your doctor right away.
For step-by-step instructions on how to insert and remove Estring, watch this video from the drugmaker or read the prescribing information.
How Estring is inserted
You’ll insert Estring into the upper one-third of your vagina one time and leave it in place for 90 days:
- Wash and dry your hands.
- Choose a comfortable position, such as standing with one leg raised, lying down, or squatting.
- Remove Estring from the package.
- Hold Estring between your thumb and index finger, pressing the opposite sides of the ring together to compress it into an oval.
- Insert the compressed ring as far as you can into the upper one-third of your vagina.
The exact position is not critical. But you should not feel it once it’s in place. If you feel discomfort, it’s likely Estring is not inserted far enough. Gently push it farther into the vagina.
For step-by-step instructions on how to insert and remove Estring, watch this video from the drugmaker or see the prescribing information.
After 90 days, you’ll remove the ring by washing and drying your hands, then hooking the ring with your finger and pulling it out. Discard the ring into the trash. If your doctor recommends that you continue treatment, you’ll insert a new ring and leave it in place for another 90 days.
To prevent infection and other vaginal problems, you should not leave Estring in place for more than 90 days.
During treatment, if the ring comes totally out of the vagina, rinse it in lukewarm water and then reinsert it again. If it becomes dislodged, you can gently push it in place with your finger.
If it’s hard for you to insert the ring, talk with your doctor or pharmacist for detailed instructions.
Estring coupon
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