Osphena

What is Osphena (Ospemifene)?

Osphena (ospemifene) is a medication used to treat dyspareunia, which is pain during sexual intercourse, particularly in postmenopausal women. It belongs to a class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). Osphena works by acting similarly to estrogen in some tissues, specifically in the vaginal lining, which can relieve symptoms such as vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse.

Osphena is typically prescribed for women who experience vaginal changes due to menopause, such as dryness and thinning of the vaginal walls. It is available in pill form and is taken orally.

Precautions and Warnings

Osphena (ospemifene) may increase the risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks, especially if you have certain risk factors like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, smoking, high cholesterol, obesity, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Osphena behaves like estrogen in the uterus, which might raise the risk of uterine or endometrial cancer, especially if you’ve used estrogen therapy without progestin, have a history of estrogen therapy for over one year, or have a high estrogen dose.

Avoid Osphena if you have liver problems or if you have abnormal vaginal bleeding, estrogen-dependent cancers or tumors, a history of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack, or if you’re pregnant or may become pregnant.

Dosage

The typical dosage of Osphena (ospemifene) for the treatment of dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse) in postmenopausal women is 60 mg taken orally once daily with food.

Side Effects

Common side effects:

• Vaginal discharge
• Muscle spasms
• Headache
• Night sweats
• Hot flashes 

Severe side effects:

• Trouble breathing
• Confusion
• Changes in speech
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Vaginal bleeding