Megestrol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Megestrol is a progestin sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names, for anorexia, breast neoplasms and cachexia. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Progestin
- Treats (across its forms)
- Anorexia, Breast Neoplasms and Cachexia
- Available as
- Tablet · Suspension
- Sold as
- 3 products — Megace, Megestrol Acetate and Megace Es
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $7 for a 30-count supply — not your price
How megestrol is dosed
From the FDA label for Megestrol Acetate (application ANDA077404). Other megestrol products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
The recommended adult initial dosage of megestrol acetate oral suspension is 800 mg/day (20 mL/day). Shake container well before using. In clinical trials evaluating different dose schedules, daily doses of 400 and 800 mg/day were found to be clinically effective.
Megestrol side effects
Clinical Adverse Events Adverse events which occurred in at least 5% of patients in any arm of the two clinical efficacy trials and the open trial are listed below by treatment group. All patients listed had at least one post baseline visit during the 12 study weeks. These adverse events should be considered by the physician when prescribing megestrol acetate oral suspension. ADVERSE EVENTS % of Patients Reporting Megestrol Acetate, mg/day No. of Patients Trial 1 (N=236) Trial 2 (N=87) Open Label Trial Placebo 0 N=34 100 N=68 400 N=69 800 N=65 Placebo 0 N=38 800 N=49 1200 N=176 Diarrhea 15 13 8 15 8 6 10 Impotence 3 4 6 14 0 4 7 Rash 9 9 4 12 3 2 6 Flatulence 9 0 1 9 3 10 6 Hypertension 0 0 0 8 0 0 4 Asthenia 3 2 3 6 8 4 5 Insomnia 0 3 4 6 0 0 1 Nausea 9 4 0 5 3 4 5 Anemia 6 3 3 5 0 0 0 Fever 3 6 4 5 3 2 1 Libido Decreased 3 4 0 5 0 2 1 Dyspepsia 0 0 3 3 5 4 2 Hyperglycemia 3 0 6 3 0 0 3 Headache 6 10 1 3 3 0 3 Pain 6 0 0 2 5 6 4 Vomiting 9 3 0 2 3 6 4 Pneumonia 6 2 0 2 3 0 1 Urinary Frequency 0 0 1 2 5 2 1 Adverse events which occurred in 1% to 3% of all patients enrolled in the two clinical efficacy trials with at least one follow-up visit during the first 12 weeks of the study are listed below by body system. Adverse events occurring less than 1% are not included. There were no significant differences between incidence of these events in patients treated with megestrol…
Who shouldn’t take megestrol
History of hypersensitivity to megestrol acetate or any component of the formulation. Known or suspected pregnancy.
Megestrol drug interactions
Pharmacokinetic studies show that there are no significant alterations in pharmacokinetic parameters of zidovudine or rifabutin to warrant dosage adjustment when megestrol acetate is administered with these drugs. The effects of zidovudine or rifabutin on the pharmacokinetics of megestrol acetate were not studied. Megestrol acetate may interact with warfarin and increase International Normalized Ratio (INR). Closely monitor INR in patients taking megestrol acetate and warfarin. Animal Toxicology Long-term treatment with megestrol acetate may increase the risk of respiratory infections. A trend toward increased frequency of respiratory infections, decreased lymphocyte counts, and increased neutrophil counts was observed in a two-year chronic toxicity/carcinogenicity study of megestrol acetate conducted in rats.
Every megestrol product we track (3)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 72/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $7 | View → | |
| 2 | 70/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $7 | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Suspension | Generic | $7 | View → |
How long megestrol keeps
No megestrol label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does megestrol expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about megestrol
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 4,052 reports naming megestrol, and the FDA flagged 80% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- fatigue369 reports
- diarrhoea358 reports
- decreased appetite289 reports
- asthenia285 reports
- nausea283 reports
- pneumonia258 reports
- dyspnoea233 reports
- weight decreased202 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean megestrol caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is megestrol?
Megestrol Acetate is a progestin used to treat Anorexia, Breast Neoplasms, Cachexia, Endometrial Neoplasms.
What kind of drug is megestrol?
The FDA classifies megestrol as a progestin. Progestins are lab-made versions of the hormone progesterone. Acting through progesterone receptors, they quiet the brain signals that trigger ovulation, thicken cervical mucus so sperm cannot pass, and thin the uterine lining, which together help prevent pregnancy and regulate periods. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take megestrol with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run megestrol against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is megestrol sold under?
We track 3 megestrol-containing products in the U.S.: Megace, Megestrol Acetate and Megace Es. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does megestrol come in?
Across the brands we track, megestrol is currently marketed as tablet and suspension, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic megestrol?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic megestrol product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Megestrol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/megestrol
- MLA
- “Megestrol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/megestrol.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for megestrol on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.