Danazol for Endometriosis

Danazol is occasionally used to treat endometriosis, usually when all other hormone therapies have not helped. Danazol can:

• Relieve pain.
• Prevent endometriosis from getting worse.
• Reduce the size of endometriosis implants.
• Be used to shrink implants before surgery, which can help prevent internal scarring from the surgery.

Danazol is not widely used to treat endometriosis and other estrogen-related conditions, because it can cause serious side effects. Because of these serious side effects, such as increased Reference cholesterol Opens New Window levels, danazol use is limited to 6 to 9 months at a time. Danazol may not be appropriate if you already have a high risk for developing increased cholesterol levels or liver disease.

Reasons not to use danazol include:

• Undiagnosed abnormal vaginal bleeding.
• Chronic liver, kidney, or heart disease, which can become worse with danazol therapy.
• Pregnancy or possibility of pregnancy during treatment (danazol can harm a fetus).
• Breast-feeding.
• Inherited disorder of skin pigment (porphyria).

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