How often does depression happen on Alloy?

Alloy's primary regimen — Estradiol (oral and patch) + oral micronized progesterone; oxybutynin ER for vasomotor symptoms — carries the FDA-labelled adverse-reaction frequencies for depression described on this page. Ranges vary from < 1% to 45% depending on the specific active ingredient and delivery route. See the sources block for the exact PIL tables.

When should I stop Alloy because of depression?

Talk to your clinician immediately if you meet any of the "when to contact" criteria on this page — most estradiol PIL Section 5 warnings require prompt reassessment. Do not stop hormone therapy without medical input; abrupt discontinuation can trigger rebound symptoms.

Is depression caused by menopause itself?

Depression can appear during the menopause transition for reasons unrelated to hormone therapy. Our /does-menopause-cause/depression explainer covers what the underlying biology is and how clinicians disentangle the transition from the treatment.

Editorial label review

Alloy side effects: depression

Q: When should I stop Alloy because of depression?

Talk to your clinician immediately if you meet any of the "when to contact" criteria on this page — most estradiol PIL Section 5 warnings require prompt reassessment. Do not stop hormone therapy without medical input; abrupt discontinuation can trigger rebound symptoms.

Q: Is depression on the FDA label for Alloy's medications?

Depression appears in the estradiol, progesterone, and paroxetine label surfaces used by these brands.

Q: Is depression caused by menopause itself?

Depression can appear during the menopause transition for reasons unrelated to hormone therapy. Our /does-menopause-cause/depression explainer covers what the underlying biology is and how clinicians disentangle the transition from the treatment.

Primary formulary: Estradiol (oral and patch) + oral micronized progesterone; oxybutynin ER for vasomotor symptoms

Quick answer

Depression shows up on the FDA labels for the active ingredients Alloy prescribes — Estradiol (oral and patch) + oral micronized progesterone. This page walks through the labelled frequency ranges, what to watch for, and when to call your clinician.

What Alloy prescribes and why it matters for depression

Alloy prescribes FDA-approved bioidentical estradiol and oral micronized progesterone, plus oxybutynin ER as a non-hormonal option for vasomotor symptoms. Because Alloy prescribes FDA-approved active ingredients, the labelled adverse-reaction tables from those medications describe the frequencies you should expect. Depression appears in the estradiol, progesterone, and paroxetine label surfaces used by these brands.

Common label-level side effects

Sourced from Section 6 (Adverse Reactions) of each FDA-approved PIL.

Depression is listed at 1–5% on estradiol and combination PIL Section 6 adverse-reaction tables
Prometrium PIL Section 5.6 explicitly warns that treatment should be reconsidered if serious depression develops
Brisdelle (paroxetine 7.5 mg) PIL lists depression at low frequency but also carries the SSRI-class suicidality boxed warning

Serious label-level warnings

Drawn from Section 5 (Warnings and Precautions) of the FDA-approved PILs — including the estradiol boxed warning where applicable.

Any new suicidal ideation on paroxetine — FDA boxed warning applies to all SSRI-class exposures including Brisdelle
Prometrium PIL Section 5.6 instructs discontinuation if serious depression recurs during therapy

When to contact your clinician

Call your clinician the same day if depressive symptoms are new, escalating, or if you have any thoughts of self-harm — the paroxetine PIL requires urgent reassessment.

Call 911 if you develop chest pain, one-sided weakness, sudden severe headache, vision or speech change, or shortness of breath — per the estradiol PIL boxed warning for cardiovascular events.

What to ask your provider

“Which SKU in the Alloy formulary am I on, and what is its labelled frequency for depression?”
“Is my depressionlikely a labelled adverse reaction, or something separate that needs its own workup?”
“Would a different delivery route (patch vs. pill, oral vs. transdermal) change my expected frequency?”
“What is the plan if depressiondoes not settle within 2–3 cycles?”

Frequently asked questions

How often does depression happen on Alloy?: Alloy's primary regimen — Estradiol (oral and patch) + oral micronized progesterone; oxybutynin ER for vasomotor symptoms — carries the FDA-labelled adverse-reaction frequencies for depression described on this page. Ranges vary from < 1% to 45% depending on the specific active ingredient and delivery route. See the sources block for the exact PIL tables.
When should I stop Alloy because of depression?: Talk to your clinician immediately if you meet any of the "when to contact" criteria on this page — most estradiol PIL Section 5 warnings require prompt reassessment. Do not stop hormone therapy without medical input; abrupt discontinuation can trigger rebound symptoms.
Is depression on the FDA label for Alloy's medications?: Depression appears in the estradiol, progesterone, and paroxetine label surfaces used by these brands.
Is depression caused by menopause itself?: Depression can appear during the menopause transition for reasons unrelated to hormone therapy. Our /does-menopause-cause/depression explainer covers what the underlying biology is and how clinicians disentangle the transition from the treatment.