Compare Climara vs. Alora
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Treats low estrogen, relieves menopause symptoms, and lowers your risk of osteoporosis.
Climara (estradiol patch) is a treatment for low estrogen that is used only once weekly, and it may have fewer side effects than oral estrogen pills.
Relieves hot flashes and vaginal dryness due to menopause and strengthens your bones.
Alora (estradiol patch) treats symptoms from low estrogen, and it may have fewer side effects than oral estrogen pills.
Upsides
- Climara (estradiol patch) replaces estrogen to your whole body and relieves many symptoms due to low estrogen, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
- The patch is good for people who don't want to or can't take daily pills.
- Climara (estradiol patch) is available as a generic product, which lowers the cost.
- By using a patch instead of a pill, there's a lower risk of side effects such as blood clots and stroke since lower amounts of estrogen are used in patches.
- Lowers your risk of fractures by keeping your bones healthy.
- Alora (estradiol patch) replaces estrogen to your whole body and relieves many symptoms due to low estrogen, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
- The patch is good for people who don't want to or can't take daily pills.
- Can be worn while swimming, bathing, and showering.
- By using a patch instead of a pill, there's a lower risk of side effects such as blood clots and stroke since lower amounts of estrogen are used in patches.
- Lowers your risk of fractures by keeping your bones healthy.
Downsides
- The patch can fall off, especially if you like to regularly swim, take baths or use saunas or steamrooms.
- Increases your risk of uterine and breast cancer.
- If you have your uterus, you have to use the Climara (estradiol patch) with another hormone called progestin to lower your risk of uterine cancer.
- Can worsen other health conditions, like high cholesterol, asthma, diabetes, fluid retention, underactive thyroid and migraines.
- If you're only having vaginal dryness or inflammation and not hot flashes, it's better to use creams that you can apply to the affected area instead of Climara (estradiol patch).
- You need to replace Alora (estradiol patch) twice a week, compared to other patches that are once a week.
- Patches can fall off.
- Increases your risk of uterine and breast cancer.
- Increases your risk of developing blood clots and stroke.
- Can worsen other health conditions, like high cholesterol, asthma, diabetes, fluid retention, and migraines.
- Can't be used in people with liver problems.
Used for
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Vaginal dryness and inflammation
- Low estrogen
- Ovarian failure
- Prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis
- Treats hot flashes, night sweats and flushing in women in menopause
- Treats vaginal changes in women in menopause
- Treats low estrogen in women
- Prevents bone thinning in women in menopause
- Gender confirmation for transgender women
Dosage forms
- Patch
- Patch
Price
Lowest price
$28.86
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Side effects
16possible side effects
- Breast pain28%
- Lung infection17%
- Stomach pain16%
- Headache13%
- Pain11%
- Swelling of arms and legs10%
- Back pain9%
- Depression8%
- Gas7%
- White or yellow vaginal discharge7%
- Sore throat7%
- Nausea6%
- Stuffy nose6%
- Joint pain5%
- Sinus infection5%
- Itchiness3%
31possible side effects
- Vaginal bleeding33%
- Headache21%
- Lung infection16%
- Pain9%
- Sinus infection8%
- Vaginal inflammation8%
- Breast pain7%
- Back pain6%
- Skin irritation6%
- Accidental injury5%
- Gas5%
- Trouble sleeping5%
- Itchiness5%
- Nausea4%
- Flu like symptoms3%
- Stomach pain3%
- Diarrhea3%
- Depression3%
- Airway inflammation3%
- Cough3%
- Rash3%
- Weakness2%
- Constipation2%
- Swelling of arms and legs2%
- Muscle aches2%
- Anxiety2%
- Sore throat2%
- Breast growth2%
- Bladder infection2%
- White or yellow vaginal discharge2%
- Breast tumor2%
Risks and risk factors
- Endometrial cancer
- Using estrogen for more than one year
- Breast cancer
- Personal or family history of breast cancer
- Using estrogen for more than one year
- Increased risk of blood clots and stroke
- Personal or family history of blood clots
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- High cholesterol
- Age 50 or older
- Dementia
- Age 65 or older
- Pancreas swelling (pancreatitis)
- High levels of triglycerides
- Endometrial cancer
- Using estrogen for more than one year
- Breast cancer
- Personal or family history of breast cancer
- Using estrogen for more than one year
- Increased risk of blood clots and stroke
- Personal or family history of blood clots
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- High cholesterol
- Age 50 or older
- Dementia
- Age 65 or older
- Pancreas swelling (pancreatitis)
- High levels of triglycerides