Progestins are hormones They are used by both men and women for different purposes Progestins are prescribed for several reasons To properly regulate the menstrual cycle and treat unusual stopping of the menstrual periods amenorrhea Progestins work by causing changes in the uterus After the amount of progestins in the blood drops the lining of the uterus begins to come off and vaginal bleeding occurs menstrual period Progestins help other hormones start and stop the menstrual cycle To help a pregnancy occur during egg donor or infertility procedures in women who do not produce enough Susten Also Susten is given to help maintain a pregnancy when not enough of it is made by the body To prevent estrogen from thickening the lining of the uterus endometrial hyperplasia in women around menopause who are being treated with estrogen for ovarian hormone therapy OHT OHT is also called hormone replacement therapy HRT and estrogen replacement therapy ERT To treat pain that is related to endometriosis a condition where the endometrial tissue which lines the uterus becomes displaced in other female organs To treat a condition called endometriosis to help prevent endometrial hyperplasia or to treat unusual and heavy bleeding of the uterus dysfunctional uterine bleeding by starting or stopping the menstrual cycle To help treat cancer of the breast kidney or uterus Progestins help change the cancer cell s ability to react to other hormones and proteins that cause tumor growth In this way progestins can stop the growth of a tumor To test the body s production of certain hormones such as estrogen To treat loss of appetite and severe weight or muscle loss in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS or cancer by causing certain proteins to be produced that cause increased appetite and weight gain Progestins may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor Depending on how much and which Susten you use or take a Susten can have different effects For instance high doses of Susten are necessary for some women to continue a pregnancy while other progestins in low doses can prevent a pregnancy from occurring Other effects include causing weight gain increasing body temperature developing the milk producing glands for breast feeding and relaxing the uterus to maintain a pregnancy Progestins can help other hormones work properly Progestins may help to prevent anemia low iron in blood too much menstrual blood loss and cancer of the uterus Progestins are available only with your doctor s prescription Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems Although these uses are not included in product labeling progestins are used in certain patients with the following medical conditions Carcinoma of the prostate Corpus luteum insufficiency Hot flashes Polycystic ovary syndrome Precocious puberty