In this article we will look at whether Duphaston makes you fat. This pharmaceutical product belongs to the category of hormonal medications containing the hormone progesterone. This medicine is used in gynecological clinical practice for the treatment of various pathologies that are accompanied by hormonal disorders, for example, insufficient concentration of progesterone in the patient’s blood, menstrual irregularities, and normalization of pregnancy.
Many women are interested in whether Duphaston makes them gain weight. The answer will be presented below.
Composition and release form
This medication is manufactured in the form of tablets for oral administration, white, round, biconvex in shape with beveled borders. There is a separation line on one side of the tablets. The main active element of the drug is dydrogesterone, the content of which in 1 tablet is 10 mg. In addition, it contains some excipients, the list of which includes:
- hypromellose;
- colloidal silicon dioxide;
- lactose monohydrate;
- corn starch;
- titanium dioxide;
- magnesium stearate;
- polyethylene glycol.
The medicine is packaged in blisters of 20 and 28 tablets. The cardboard box contains one blister and an annotation on the use of the drug.
Do Duphaston make you fat? The instructions will tell us about this.
Pharmacological properties
The main active element - dydrogesterone - in its chemical formula and clinical actions is similar to its own (endogenous) progesterone, synthesized in the female body. Therefore, when taken orally, this hormone has similar biological effects. Due to the fact that dydrogesterone is not a derivative of testosterone (male sex hormones), it does not have androgenic (testosterone effect), estrogenic (clinical estrogen effect), glucocorticoid (glucocorticoid effect) effects. It also does not affect the processes of carbohydrate metabolism in the body and does not change hemostasis (blood clotting).
After taking the drug Duphaston, body temperature does not change. Dydrogesterone helps stabilize the blood lipid profile (the ratio and level of essential fats, including cholesterol). The active element of Duphaston tablets has a direct effect on the condition of the endometrium (the mucous membrane of the uterus) and prevents the development of its hypertrophy (pathological increase in size).
After oral administration of the drug, the active substance is absorbed from the intestinal lumen into the blood. It is distributed in tissues and undergoes a metabolic process in the liver with the formation of breakdown products, which are excreted from the body through the kidneys in the urine. The half-life of the substance (half the dose of the drug) is 18 hours.
Women want to get a doctor's answer to the question of whether Duphaston makes them fat.
Indications for use
The main indication for the use of a pharmacological drug is progesterone deficiency (decreased concentration of endogenous progesterone in the body) in the following pathological conditions:
- infertility, which is caused by insufficient functionality of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, the functioning of the corpus luteum (luteal insufficiency);
- endometriosis - the development of ectopic foci in endometrial cells outside the uterus;
- the threat of spontaneous miscarriage during pregnancy due to insufficient concentration of endogenous progesterone in the blood;
- premenstrual syndrome, which is accompanied by severe functional disorders in the woman’s body and pain;
- dysmenorrhea (irregularity of the menstrual cycle during reproductive age);
- lack of menstruation of a secondary nature (amenorrhea), caused by various pathologies of the reproductive system;
- uterine bleeding when functional disorders occur in the organs of the reproductive system.
In addition, this pharmacological drug is used in hormone replacement therapy in cases where it is necessary to neutralize the increased effect of estrogens on the endometrial layer of the uterus during the period of induced (after surgery) or natural postmenopause.
Are Duphaston and obesity related? Let's figure it out.
What is being treated
The hormonal drug is practically harmless to the female body, according to doctors. Although Duphaston belongs to the group of synthetic products, it can be found quite often in the list of prescriptions.
When to drink
Indications for use are various conditions characterized by a lack of progesterone produced by the body:
- endometriosis is a disease characterized by the growth of the inner layer of the walls of the uterus beyond its own limits;
- dysmenorrhea is a pathological condition in which severe pain in the lower abdomen occurs on menstrual days;
- unnatural uterine bleeding;
- threat of miscarriage at different stages of pregnancy;
- infertility caused by hormonal disorders;
- insufficiency of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle;
- severe menopause;
- premenstrual syndrome, etc.
Contraindications
Duphaston is not a contraceptive, unlike other hormonal drugs, and, like any medicine, it has its contraindications:
- breastfeeding period (dydrogesterone passes into milk);
- the presence of severe liver diseases and pathologies;
- intolerance to one of the components of the drug;
- with caution - if the patient has a history of skin allergies.
Hormone therapy is prescribed by a specialist only in cases where there is every reason for it.
Dosage and method of administration
The drug "Duphaston" is prescribed to be taken orally, without chewing, with water. Dosages and regimen of medication depend on the type of pathology:
- For endometriosis – 1 tablet 2 times a day from the 5th to the 25th day of the cycle.
- If there is a threat of miscarriage - 40 mg once, then 10 mg every 8 hours.
- Habitual miscarriage - 1 tablet in 2 doses per day until the 20th week of gestation, after which the dosage of the drug must be gradually reduced.
- Infertility due to insufficiency of the corpus luteum - 1 tablet 1 time per day from the 14th to the 25th day of the cycle.
- Premenstrual syndrome, amenorrhea – 1 tablet 2 times a day from the 11th to the 25th day.
- Dysmenorrhea – 1 tablet 2 times a day from the 5th to the 25th day of the cycle.
- Dysfunctional bleeding from the genital tract - to stop for 5-7 days, the pharmacological agent "Duphaston" is taken in a dosage of 10 mg 2 times a day, in order to prevent relapses - 10 mg 2 times a day from the 11th to the 25th day of the cycle .
During the period of hormone replacement treatment (including amenorrhea therapy), this pharmacological drug is taken simultaneously with estrogens, 1 tablet 1 time per day from the 14th day. With constant use of estrogen, the medication is taken according to the same regimen.
How is duphaston prescribed?
Duphaston is a synthetic analogue of progesterone. Therefore, it must be taken in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. It should be taken 1 tablet (10 mg) once a day. But the regimen can be individual, depending on the characteristics of your hormonal levels, concomitant diseases, age and other factors.
You should start taking Duphaston the day after ovulation. If your cycle is 28 days, then you need to take the medicine from the eleventh to the twenty-fifth day. The course lasts from 6 months. During these six months, most women manage to conceive a child. If after 3 or 4 months you managed to get pregnant (which was verified using a test), then you do not need to stop taking the drug.
Duphaston is taken until the 16th week of pregnancy, until the placenta is fully formed. Then she begins to produce progesterone herself. The medicine in question does not pose any threat to the unborn baby! The endocrine glands will not be affected by it, and there will be no changes in carbohydrate metabolism.
Side effects
Whether Duphaston makes you fat is not an idle question.
Taking the medication can lead to the development of certain pathological reactions of the body, which include:
- Liver, digestive and hepatobiliary system - pain in the abdomen, impaired functionality of the gallbladder and liver, which manifests itself in the form of general weakness, a feeling of heaviness in the area of the right hypochondrium, slight jaundice.
- Nervous system – headaches that are severely paroxysmal in nature, reminiscent of a migraine.
- Red bone marrow and blood - hemolytic anemia, which is characterized by excessive destruction of red blood cells.
- Reproductive system - development of uterine bleeding, which is stopped by increasing the dosage of the drug Duphaston, increased sensitivity of the mammary glands.
- Allergic phenomena are characteristic skin changes in the form of rash, itching. Rarely, general sensitivity reactions such as angioedema and anaphylactic shock may occur.
If side effects occur, it is recommended to stop taking the medication or adjust its dosage.
Indications for use of Duphaston
The main indications for the use of Duphaston include:
- endometriosis;
- infertility resulting from luteal insufficiency;
- risk of miscarriage;
- amenorrhea of secondary origin;
- irregularity of the menstrual cycle;
- painful menstruation;
- menopause period as part of hormone replacement therapy;
- dysfunctional uterine bleeding;
- uterine fibroids;
- polycystic ovary syndrome;
- Corpus luteum cyst.
The dosage, frequency of administration and course duration are determined by the attending physician depending on several factors. These include the disease, its severity and the individual characteristics of the woman’s body. The following dosages of Duphaston can be considered approximate:
- For endometriosis, 10 mg 2-3 times a day is indicated. The duration of the course is determined by the doctor. It is possible to prescribe it on certain days of the menstrual cycle, as well as take it without interruption.
- For infertility due to luteal phase deficiency, Duphaston is prescribed on days 11-25 of the menstrual cycle. Most often, the course of treatment is 3-6 months. Its duration depends on the individual characteristics of the woman’s body.
- If there is a threat of spontaneous abortion, the drug is prescribed if there is an insufficient level of progesterone in the body. On the first day, an increased dosage of the drug is used. Then it gradually decreases.
- For irregular menstruation, Duphaston is prescribed on days 11-25 of the cycle. The dosage is 20 mg 2 times a day. The duration of the course is determined by the attending physician depending on the underlying disease.
- For dysfunctional uterine bleeding, 10 mg is prescribed 2 times a day for 5-7 days.
- Hormone replacement therapy is carried out by combining Duphaston and estrogen-containing drugs.
- For follicular ovarian cyst, as well as its functional insufficiency, the drug is prescribed in a dosage of 10 mg 2 times a day.
- For endometrial hyperplasia, Duphaston is indicated at a dosage of 10 mg. The frequency of administration and duration of the course are determined by the attending physician.
Do Duphaston make you fat? Expert's answer
Many women believe that weight gain is directly related to taking hormonal medications. However, this is not always the case. Experts say that today only hormonal drugs are produced that have low dosages of hormones, so they are not capable of causing the development of obesity in women during the treatment period.
So, do you get better from Duphaston or not?
If a woman begins to gain significant weight while taking the drug, this indicates, first of all, that her appetite is increasing, and this is considered normal when hormonal levels are normalized. Gynecologists and nutritionists recommend that such patients adhere to the correct diet and dietary rules.
Reviews of women about the fullness of Duphaston are presented below.
Reasons why women gain weight
Is it possible to get better from Duphaston? Some patients have negative reviews, but there are also positive recommendations. The reasons for this difference of opinion are the following factors:
- during pregnancy, weight gain is a normal phenomenon, however, if the indicators are excessive, the cause must not be associated with taking Duphaston;
- When applying therapeutic measures to normalize hormonal levels, it is necessary to maintain a balance between a balanced diet and physical activity.
Women suffering from progesterone deficiency, against the background of physical inactivity and lack of physical activity, could consume any food without limiting their quantity and without gaining weight. However, normalization of hormonal levels also contributes to the natural cycle of fat deposition, depending on the type of obesity:
- fat is deposited in the hips and buttocks;
- mammary glands increase in volume;
- fat is slightly deposited on the face, neck and shoulders.
The consequence of stabilization of the natural hormonal background is the return of the woman to her standard parameters. These parameters may not correspond to a woman’s idea of an ideal figure, but they are proof of fertility and childbearing ability.
Do you need a diet?
Only a nutritionist can determine the true reason whether Duphaston makes people gain weight or whether the factor in weight gain is the normalization of hormones in the body and insufficient physical activity against the background of excessive caloric intake.
What experts do not recommend:
- starvation;
- eating monotonous food;
- complete exclusion of salt and sugar from the diet;
- using vegetarian or raw food diets;
- refusal of food when you feel hungry;
- limiting fluid intake.
What is recommended:
- daily consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C (lemon tea, ascorbic acid);
- While taking Duphaston, choose a comfortable physical activity for the first 1 to 6 months.
The last point is important in the process of adaptation of the body to normal hormone synthesis. If a woman who is prone to obesity begins to gain weight sharply while using Dufastan, she should contact her gynecologist. However, even after gaining weight, it is prohibited:
- independently stop the prescribed course;
- transition to Duphaston analogues;
- give in to panic.
Whether a woman has gained weight from Duphaston or as a result of an incorrectly chosen diet - determining the true cause lies solely in the competence of a specialist.
Special Recommendations
Before starting treatment, it is important to read the instructions. In some cases, diffuse uterine bleeding may develop. If bleeding does not stop after increasing the dose of medication, further gynecological examination should be performed to determine the cause.
When combined treatment with products containing estrogens, their side effects and contraindications should be taken into account.
Before starting hormonal replacement treatment using the pharmacological drug Duphaston, a comprehensive examination is carried out to determine adverse reactions, features of the functionality of the organs of the reproductive and urinary system and other pathological processes, including medical history.
According to indications, it is possible to use the medication during pregnancy under the supervision of a specialist.
If necessary, during lactation the child should be switched to artificial milk formula.
In the case of progesterone-dependent tumors (benign or malignant), it is important to conduct clinical studies of their reaction to the intake of the main component of this drug into the body.
It is not recommended to prescribe the drug to patients with congenital, hereditary lactase deficiency.
The tablets do not affect the speed of mental and motor reactions, as well as concentration.
Consequences of taking
After treatment with this medication, women's menstrual cycle stabilizes, the threat of miscarriage during pregnancy disappears, the condition during premenstrual syndrome stabilizes, and pathological uterine bleeding during menopause stops.
We reviewed the instructions for Duphaston. Does it make you fat? According to women, yes.
Indications for the use of Duphaston
During pregnancy, this drug is indicated if the pregnant woman took it before conception. If signs of miscarriage began during pregnancy, and a hormonal study was carried out to determine the level of progesterone, duphaston is also necessary. Third point: after the IVF procedure to support the pregnancy.
If signs of a threatened miscarriage are detected, the doctor may increase the dosage of the drug. A maximum of 4 tablets (40 mg) is prescribed per day. The disadvantage of this treatment is its high cost. When taking the drug, bleeding from the uterus disappears and pain is minimized. This means that the threat of miscarriage is over.
Reviews from doctors
Experts characterize the drug as a highly effective and universal hormonal remedy for various pathologies of the female reproductive system. They recommend this medicine to many patients who have similar problems, however, to achieve the best result, according to doctors, it is necessary to correctly determine the exact dosage and days of the cycle on which to start taking the medicine. If such requirements are not met, the effectiveness of the medicine will be low, moreover, it may cause some complications, for example, the development of bleeding.
