Perimenopause & Menopause

My doctor prescribed estrogen cream, though it's really expensive and not covered by my insurance. Is there an OTC alternative that works?

Written by Dr. Cindy Long
30 Dec, 2020
1.5 min. Read
My doctor prescribed estrogen cream, though it's really expensive and not covered by my insurance. Is there an OTC alternative that works?

My doctor prescribed estrogen cream, though it's really expensive and not covered by my insurance. Is there an OTC alternative that works?

Estrogen cream has been proven to be very helpful for a wide variety of menopausal conditions. Unfortunately, the available FDA approved intravaginal preparations (Premarin and Estrace) can be very pricey, depending on your insurance coverage. You may be able to obtain compounded estrogen cream from a compounding pharmacy, though this option requires a prescription and pricing can vary widely from location to location. There is no comparable available OTC preparation with the active ingredient estrogen. So if your prescription is cost prohibitive have a conversation with your provider to see what alternative choices may be helpful for you individually regarding the specific symptoms that you are trying to improve.

Kimberly-Clark makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical or other health professional advice.