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About HRT and IC

Posted , 2 users are following.

pam47462
pam47462

The gynocologyst has given me HRT,  I was lucky enough to find this site and that was recommended by on of the ladies here for her IC.  I was given premarin and pyogestrone.  I would love to know how long it will take to work and how it will help my IC.  The only thing I could get from the dr was it should stop all the bladder infections.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • shirley_an59859
    shirley_an59859 pam47462

    Posted

    Hi Pam, the lining of the bladder is estrogen receptive (as is the womb) so when you’re low in estrogen (by surgery or menopause) the bladder lining becomes thinner and more fragile, this becoming more vulnerable to both infection and inflammation which obviously makes IC worse.  You should feel a big improvement within a few weeks and certainly by 3 months. That was my experience anyway and how it was explained to me by my uro-gynae.
    • pam47462
      pam47462 shirley_an59859

      Posted

      Thanks I will be so happy when I can stop taking antibiotics all the time,  do you just take estrogen, or do you take it with any other hormone like progestrone ?
    • shirley_an59859
      shirley_an59859 pam47462

      Posted

      Hi Pam - I take kliofem which is estrogen and pregesterone known as combined HRT which is what you’ve been given.  You can only have estrogen only HRT of you’ve had a hysterectomy - if you still have a uterus you must take the combined one.   Hope you get some benefit soon and can stop the antibiotics. 
    • pam47462
      pam47462 shirley_an59859

      Posted

      Shirley thanks for the info, I'm just sorry I cant take the vagifem anymore and it did work for the burning.  Now I have months left for vagifem and worry that the burning will come back.  The only option I have is take it anyway or wait till the burning comes back and go to the gyno again.

    • shirley_an59859
      shirley_an59859 pam47462

      Posted

      Hi Pam.  That’s a dilemma! I can’t tell you to take it anyway as that goes against the medical advice you’ve been given.  However, if it were me I’d probably keep using it 2/3 times a week until the HRT pills kick in.  I say that because I’m on both with gynae approval as they said I needed a little extra help.  Don’t worry too much as the systemic HRT will reach that area! But maybe continue with the vagifem until the new stuff is in your system - I stress that’s just what I would do! Hopefully you won’t need them once the HRT is working properly.  It sounds like your gynae will look after you and monitor things.  
  • shirley_an59859
    shirley_an59859 pam47462

    Posted

    You could always ask your gynae  if you can continue with the vagifem until the HRT kicks in - they might think that’s a good idea.  
    • pam47462
      pam47462 shirley_an59859

      Posted

      Thanks for the info, how  will I know when the HRT kicks in?I have 3 months of the vagifem left if I use is 2 time a week. Will I feel different when the HRT starts to work?
    • shirley_an59859
      shirley_an59859 pam47462

      Posted

      Hi Pam.  I suppose we’re all different but I felt a definite improvement in my bladder and vulval symptoms as well as an improvement in my mood! I would say that you will notice simply because you will start to feel better! Less pain and burning, which is probably due to dry skin inflamed by lack of estrogen - so it figures that if you put some estrogen back the skin tissues get plumped up and become less fragile so start behaving normally again! I know when I saw my gynae man after 3 months we had quite a laugh about how much better I felt! Simple answer is I think you will definitely know when it’s working!
    • pam47462
      pam47462 shirley_an59859

      Posted

      Thanks Shirley, I am looking forward to some good results,   everything else has not worked so great except the Vagifem.  I look forward to laughing again its been a long almost 7 months.  The HRT would be the last thing I would be able to try, since I have tried everything else.
    • shirley_an59859
      shirley_an59859 pam47462

      Posted

      Hi Pam.  It was the only thing that made a big difference to me.  I still suffer ‘flares’ which I think are due to diet mishaps(!) and dehydration in hot weather. Oh and stress - we have to avoid that at all cost (let me know if you find out how!) but I don’t have the long drawn out months of pain and distress and having to put my life on hold and be what seemed like under house arrest! I’m confident it will work for you.  My urologist said that very few medics know the connection between low estrogen and bladder problems but there definitely is one.  He keeps trying to spread the word and educate other less well informed medics. Keep me informed as to how you go.  I would expect you to notice a difference within 4-6 weeks but it depends how low on estrogen you are.  I had an early menopause at just over 30 and I think that was the cause of all my problems 20 odd years later.  
    • pam47462
      pam47462 shirley_an59859

      Posted

      Hi Shirley I will for sure keep you informed,  it would be great to just have a flare and not this long drawn out pain.  I am so glad you have a dr that is informed.  I got a lot of dr that don't seem to get it or even care.  Thanks for sharing the information as for stress I don't have the answer for that one yet, but hope to soon.

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