PlainMeds provides educational information only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

medroxyprogesterone vs theophylline

Side-by-side comparison of medroxyprogesterone and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

major Known Drug Interaction

albuterol, systemic and inhaled mebendazole amoxicillin medroxyprogesterone ampicillin, with or without sulbactam methylprednisolone atenolol metronidazole azithromycin metoprolol caffeine, dietary ingestion nadolol cefaclor nifedipine co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) nizatidine diltiazem norfloxacin dirithromycin ofloxacin enflurane omeprazole famotidine prednisone, prednisolone felodipine ranitidine finasteride rifabutin hydrocortisone roxithromycin isoflurane Sorbitol (purgative doses do not inhibit theophylline absorption) isoniazid sucralfate isradipine terbutaline,...

Recommendation: Your doctor may need to adjust your theophylline dosage when you start or stop taking this hormone medication.

Drug Class
medroxyprogesterone Progestogen
theophylline Methylxanthine Bronchodilator
Type
medroxyprogesterone Prescription
theophylline Prescription
Summary
medroxyprogesterone

Medroxyprogesterone acetate injection is a medicine used to prevent pregnancy in women. It is given as a shot every 3 months.

theophylline

Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.

What It Treats
medroxyprogesterone

This medicine is used to prevent pregnancy in women who are able to have children. It works by stopping ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). It is not recommended for long-term use (more than 2 years) unless other birth control options are not good enough for you.

theophylline

Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.

How It Works
medroxyprogesterone

This medicine is a progestin, a synthetic form of the natural hormone progesterone. It prevents pregnancy mainly by stopping the release of an egg from your ovary. It also changes the lining of the uterus, making it harder for a fertilized egg to implant.

theophylline

Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.

Common Side Effects
medroxyprogesterone
  • Irregular periods or spotting
  • No periods
  • Abdominal pain or discomfort
  • Weight gain (more than 10 pounds)
  • Dizziness
theophylline
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Headache
  • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
FAERS Reports
medroxyprogesterone
  • Breast cancer in women 9,772
  • Breast cancer 8,167
  • Brain tumor (meningioma) 1,680
  • Breast cancer that has spread 1,385
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 1,039
theophylline
  • Difficulty breathing 2,273
  • Asthma 1,942
  • Pneumonia 1,317
  • Wheezing 1,306
  • Vomiting 1,101
Serious Warnings
medroxyprogesterone

This medicine can cause you to lose bone mineral density. The longer you use it, the more bone density you may lose. It is not known if this bone loss can be fully reversed. Using this medicine as a teenager or young adult may reduce your peak bone mass and increase your risk of osteoporosis later in life. Because of this risk, it is not recommended for long-term use (longer than 2 years) unless other birth control options are not adequate.

theophylline

If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.

Pregnancy
medroxyprogesterone

You should not use this medicine if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant. Small amounts of this medicine can pass into breast milk.

theophylline

It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

How to Read This medroxyprogesterone vs theophylline Comparison

medroxyprogesterone is classified in the Progestogen drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, medroxyprogesterone has 22,043 submissions while theophylline has 7,939. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to medroxyprogesterone is a hormone that can change the speed at which your liver clears theophylline from your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between medroxyprogesterone and theophylline - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.