Climara is a skin patch that contains an estrogen called estradiol. Estrogen is a female hormone that is produced by the ovaries and maintains many processes in the body. Women going through menopause produce less estrogen and Climara is used to treat menopausal symptoms as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, burning, and irritation. Climara can also be used to prevent postmenopausal osteroporosis as well as other ovarian disorders.

Always read the medication information and instructions before using this medication.
Always follow your doctor’s directions.

• Apply the Climara patch to clean, dry skin on your stomach or buttocks.
• Choose a different spot within these skin areas to apply the patch each time you apply a new patch.
• Avoid putting the skin on patches that are oily, irritated, or damaged.
• Do not apply the patch to your breasts.
• Do not apply a patch where it may be rubbed by tight clothing.
• On the same day each week, remove the patch and apply a new one.
• Try re-sticking a patch if it falls off, but if that does not work put on a new patch in a different area of skin and use it for the remainder of the week.
• Do not disrupt your patch removal schedule.
• Keep each patch in its pouch until ready for use.
• When done with a patch, fold it in half so it sticks together and discard it in a place where children or pets will not get to it.

Make sure to tell your doctor:

• If you have a medical history of vaginal bleeding of unknown cause, breast or ovarian cancer, blood clots, stroke, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, mental and mood disorders.
• If you smoke tobacco your risk of stroke and blood clots is increased with estrogen therapies.
• If you are going to have an MRI test, tell doctors about the patch because the patches contain metals that can cause serious burns during an MRI.
• If you are nearsighted or wear contact lenses because you may develop vision problems with Climara.
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding. This medication passes into breast milk and may reduce the quality and quantity of milk produced.

Common side effects of Climara:

• Skin redness
• Irritation at the application site
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea/vomiting
• Bloating
• Breast tenderness
• Headache
• Weight changes

Serious side effects can include:

• Mental/mood changes
• Breast lumps
• Unusual vaginal bleeding
• Vaginal irritation, discharge, or odor
• Severe stomach pain
• Dark urine
• Swelling hands, ankles, or feet

How does Climara help osteoporosis?

When a woman experiences menopause, her reproductive system creates less estrogen, which leads to many undesirable side effects. Women may notice hot flashes and mood changes, but the effect on bones can be less obvious. Low estrogen can result in lower bone density and Climara patches can supplement that loss of estrogen and put off osteoporosis in some women.