Menopause can be a difficult time for women, as the immense changes that the body goes through can wreak havoc on your daily life.
The good news is that hormone replacement medications can help balance out your hormone levels and work to reduce the symptoms of menopause.
One such medication, Kliovance, has become popular recently — you may have seen the name of this medication or even been offered it by your doctor. However, you might be unsure what it actually is and if it even works.
So, keep reading and discover everything you need to know about Kliovance in our review right here.
What is Kliovance?
Kliovance is a type of combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that can be prescribed to treat some of the symptoms of menopause.
The two active ingredients in Kliovance are estradiol and norethisterone. Estradiol is a type of oestrogen and norethisterone is a type of progesterone — both of which naturally deplete during menopause. Kliovance is made from lower doses of hormones to make it more suitable for those who can’t tolerate higher doses.
Kliovance is taken daily, with each tablet containing one dose of both hormones. As the doses of these two hormones are consistent, you won’t bleed at the start of your menstrual cycle like usual — so technically, you shouldn’t have a period anymore, even if you’ve been bleeding during menopause.
What is Kliovance used for?
Continuous combined HRT like Kliovance is most suited to women who have already begun menopause or are now postmenopausal but are still struggling with the side effects.
Kliovance’s job is to help soothe and alleviate the side effects of menopause such as:
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Insomnia
- Vaginal dryness
- Depression
- Osteoporosis
Regularly taking Kliovance as prescribed is said to greatly reduce symptoms like these, so many women find that it transforms their life and their experience of menopause.
If you still have a full menstrual cycle or have had a hysterectomy, then a different type of HRT will be recommended, as Kliovance isn’t suitable.
How do I take it?
Kliovance comes in the form of a table that needs to be taken at the same time, every day — much like the contraceptive pill. You swallow the tablet whole with or without a drink, and it can be taken with or without food.
Once the packet has been completed, you’ll need to start a new pack the next day without taking a break. If you do stop taking it, you could experience breakthrough bleeding.
If you forget to take it, you’ll need to take your dose as soon as you can. However, if you’ve forgotten and it’s been more than 12 hours since your dose was due, skip that day and resume on the next like normal.
Never double your dose as this could harm your health.
You’ll also have regular check-ups with your GP so that they can review your treatment plan and see how your body is reacting to the medication.
Does Kliovance have any side effects?
Like all medications, Kliovance does have some side effects that can be both mild and severe.
But Kliovance is considered a safe HRT medication to take, and its benefits are said to outweigh the negatives. Most people that take it find that they don’t experience any side effects at all, and if they do, they’re very mild.
Common side effects
Some of the most common side effects of taking Kliovance are:
- Vaginal bleeding — this includes irregular bleeding or spotting
- Breast tenderness
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Vaginal inflammation — this can lead to thrush
- Nausea
- Back pain
- Weight gain
- Uterine fibroids
- Depression
These side effects tend to only last for three to six months, and they should disappear once your body adjusts to the medication. If these side effects don’t subside, are severe, or you are worried about them for any reason, then speak with your GP.
Kliovance weight gain
Although weight gain is listed as a common side effect of taking Kliovance, there’s no clinical evidence that the medication is the cause. In reality, it’s likely that weight changes naturally occur when going through menopause and getting older.
Low oestrogen levels have been linked to weight gain as they can lower your metabolic rate, increase your appetite, and cause fat to build up. Similarly, ageing can cause weight gain as you lose muscle mass and reduce your activity levels.
So, although weight gain is listed as a common side effect, it might not necessarily be caused by Kliovance.
Serious side effects
Kliovance is typically recommended to those who are more sensitive to HRT treatments already because the lower dose of medication has a low risk of serious side effects. While serious side effects can happen, they’re very rare — impacting less than one person in 10,000.
Some of the serious side effects of Kliovance can include:
- Liver disease caused by disturbance of liver function
- High blood pressure
- Migraines or severe headaches
- Issues with your eyesight
- Blood clots
- Gallstones or gallbladder disease
- Fibrocystic breast disease — this causes painful lumps to form in the breasts
- Increased growth of the lining of the womb
- Increased risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers
It is highly unlikely that you’ll experience these rare side effects, but if you do notice any signs or symptoms that are serious side effects, make sure you seek medical attention immediately.
How long does it take for Kliovance to work?
All HRT medications can work very quickly, and Kliovance is no exception.
When you start taking Kliovance, you should notice that your symptoms of menopause improve within the first 10–14 days of treatment.
For some people, it can take slightly longer to feel a difference, and it could take three to six months to see the full benefits of the medication. This is why you need to make sure that you take your medication every day so that the effects can be consistent.
How good is Kliovance?
So, does Kliovance work, and is it any good? In most cases, yes — Kliovance can work wonders and really help alleviate symptoms of menopause. However, some women may find that Kliovance isn’t strong enough for their menopausal symptoms, and it may not provide them with the outcome Kliovance is known for.
If you’ve been taking Kliovance for three to six months, and still haven’t seen or felt the benefits, then speak with your GP, as you may need stronger hormone replacement therapy.
Kliovance can be a very useful medication for women going through or women that have gone through menopause, but everyone’s body is different — so it may or may not work for you immediately.
But Kliovance does have a great success rate when it comes to treating menopause symptoms, so speak to your GP today if you’re struggling with the effects of menopause.
