Estriol cream regime - what about "off days?"
Posted , 5 users are following.
I was doing very well on the 7-10 day initial treatment (pea shape estriol cream applied directly to the entrance to the vagina) but when I completed the 10 days I saw the burning on urinating start up again.
I'm on the "3 day a week" plan - forever I assume - but what to do do on those "off" days to limit any discomfort such as burning, etc.
I definitely wasn't having success with the only natural approach (vitamin E vaginal supplement) but maybe it would hold me over on the days in between the estriol?
Thank God for estrogen. I was trying to avoid it but I see the wise advice I found on this site - you can't cure VA without it - even it its most mild form of estriol cream.
Lesson learned!
0 likes, 16 replies
jude84900 ro77360
Posted
HI Ro,
Are you on compounded estriol cream? I don't see why you can't use it daily. I was on compounded creams initially and then changed to pellet therapy. My estriol was daily, rubbed on the whole labia area. It all gets absorbed where you need it to go. My doc is a MD turned holistic. You can also get a internal estriol cream for at night that you use as a maintenance cream. Once every 2 weeks. The reason your seeing symptoms return after not using the estriol cream for a couple days is this: your body is not making these hormones like it use to. It never will again. By you putting cream there brings that estrogen there that kept you healthy for years. Take it away and wham, your back to hurting again because you have taken the estrogen away. Estriol is the safest of the three estrogens. I plan to stay on hormone replacement the rest of my life. I am post menopause and I believe I will stay at my healthiest and happiest by using bio identical hormones. If your estriol makes you feel more comfortable, why not just use it everyday.
ro77360 jude84900
Posted
Hi Jude
What is pellet therapy?
Is that where you get them inserted into your hip?
May I ask why you gave up on the compounded estriol cream?
Also, from what you said I take it you didn't insert any of the cream into the entrance to the vagina - but applied it to the general vulva area?
The "internal estriol" - I assume that was used in an applicator -inches up into the vagina.
Hmmm...I'm using "Smoky Mountain" estriol and their advice is the 7-10 days at first and then the 2 to 3 times a week afterwards.
I've never looked into the compounding pharmacy....going to google it up right now!
My TCM doctor is, also, an MD who gave up on western medicine as all he was doing was proscribing drugs to, mainly, mask symptoms. TCM addresses the whole person and its goal is to keep the body in balance.
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my inquiry!!
jude84900 ro77360
Posted
I'm not sure what the smoky mountain brand is. My creams were all compounded through a pharmacy. I was on Estriol, Estrodial and Testosterone. They worked very well for me but I was looking for my testosterone to be higher and it was hard to get the testosterone numbers up where I wanted them through creams. I opted for the pellets ( yes inserted in the upper buttocks ) as it is the most natural way for your body to get the hormones. Your body takes them as they are needed. Creams also have to be rubbed on daily ( which is not that big of deal if you are having good success ) Yes the estriol cream comes in two forms through a script. One is internal, through a applicator inserted into the vagina at nighttime and the external I usually put on everyday after my shower. Sounds like you have a good doc that knows what their doing. I started my BHRT when I was 5 months into no periods so I didn't get to the point of having vaginal atrophy like some women get. I did start having some soreness in intimacy and less lubrication and thats what got me moving into a fix immediately. Some women really suffer with vaginal atrophy and if left untreated it can really be hard to enjoy quality of life.
olive8 ro77360
Posted
i am Scottish and have been using estriol cream for over a year now, I don't think we get compounded estriol here and sometimes it is good and sometimes not so good. originally I applied one whole applicator of estriol every night for three weeks then three times a week for two weeks and then once a week. Fern on this forum told me sweet stuff aggrivates the condition so I try hard not to eat sweets and other sweet things. I also wash my clothes separately with a no perfume washing liquid and try to do exercises as much as I can, a lot of the time that is not at all... I also think if weight is gained round tops of legs and tummy the condition is much worse. my bladder gets affected and I can never make it to the toilet during the night. Then I get pain in my bladder.. it is that which annoys me most I get stinging and burning all over again so I try to limit my sweet intake and do exercises and use drapolene cream every time I go to the toilet to make sure no urine is on my skin. I also wash after each toilet visit. Standing too long aggrevates the condition too that gives me a feeling of my pelvic floor coming down. We are all different and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. I really have been helped by this forum and would never have thought about limiting sweet intake and that is one thing I am certain helps.
Wardrobe_mistre ro77360
Posted
Hi,
I'm also in the UK and use Ovestin cream twice a week, im not sure what compounded Estriol is to be honest. i use an applicator full on a monday and thursday, in between days i sometimes use Vagisan which is a hormone free cream for dryness or some tea tree oil ( which is not for everyone). i never take baths (showers only) or use any soaps of any kind and wash my whote cotton knickers separately in hot water only. its trial and error sadly what works for one wont for another.
beverly52803 Wardrobe_mistre
Posted
Wm, in the US we have Compounding Pharmacies which make up particular combinations according to dr's orders via prescription. Much more common are regular commercial drug stores like CVS that sell all sorts of items and also have pharmacy sections that fill prescription orders typically with commercially manufactured meds.
Estriol is not commonly used here and is not available as a commercially manufactured version.
I had to go to a compounding pharmacy to have it made up.
olive8 ro77360
Posted
is your bladder affected in any way
beverly52803 ro77360
Posted
ro,sounds like your body needs a steady supply of estrogen. I've been using a pea size amount of compounded estradiol every night (though I occasionally will skip a night as it can make me sore).
I'm about at the end of that preservative free tube. Will now be using a pharmacy bought tube of estradiol with preservatives so this will be a test for me. I have gone with the pharmacy version as my new insurance offers it at an affordable cost (last one was absurdly expensive at $300+).
I avoided using any hormone cream as I thought I could just age normally, but that resulted in lichen sclerosis which my gyn said was caused by lack of estrogen. You do NOT want that to happen. To be honest I can't distinguish the AV from the LS as none of my symptoms have been extreme up to this point.
At my request (because it is said to be milder & safer) my doc wrote a prescription for estriol cream last fall (it isn't commonly used here so I had it compounded). Unfortunately, I managed to lose the never used tube while packing for FL. Have about torn my hair out trying to find it as it cost nearly$90. If the commercial estradiol makes me sore I will have to go back to the compounding pharmacy for another tube of estriol.
To be honest I'm growing a little concerned as I can definitely feel a difference in my breasts which the doc said was not common, but some women do experience it. As my sister died of breast cancer I wanted to avoid hormones, but the LS has left me no choice. I am also having to use a steroid cream for the LS. I've even had to start using a stronger type as of this week. No options there. Have gone from not using any medications to using some every night.
ro77360 beverly52803
Posted
Beverly,
How are you doing with your pharmacy tube of estradiol?
My tube cost $180. I was told to use 2 grams in an applicator for 2 weeks then go into an alternative days pattern. My tube ran out before I finished it and I didn't buy another one as it didn't seem to help much and I hated using that nasty applicator. Ouch..
I took Estrace years ago and it was much more effective but then I was 10 years when I as younger.
Do you take the Estradiol every night?
Now I'm on Amazon purchased Smokey Mtns. Estro (estriol) cream - on the alternate days schedule which is giving me problems as I said earlier.
I called the local compounding pharmacy (I live in Chicago) and they said they work from MD scripts only. I can hardly bring them my bottle of Smokey Mtn Estro and tell them to compound that.
I guess that means that I will request a script for an estriol cream that requires a prescription and then bring him that.
beverly52803 ro77360
Posted
ro, I'm still squeezing the last of the compounded estradiol out of the tube. This tube has lasted nearly one year despite using it nearly every night! So I haven't started the new tube from CVS (which cost $33 on my current insurance rather than $300 it would have on my last one. Don't dare mention the companies as I'm sure the post will get blocked). I have never used larger amounts with an applicator.
Yes, if you want something compounded your doctor has to prescribe it. My gyn was the one who told me the compounding option which was certainly lower than $300!
Think the estradiol was around $80. The compounded estriol was around $90, but that is the tube I have sadly managed to lose. I believe it is not as strong as estradiol so I don't know how well it would work for me, but I won't get a chance to find out until I find the tube.
Right now the bigger issue is the steroid for LS as using the stronger one does not make me comfortable. I knew it was too good to be true that the milder one was working so well for the first half of the year.
ro77360 beverly52803
Posted
My PA gave me lidocaine (free sample!) to apply 15 minutes before the clob but for some odd reason - this time around the clob didn't bother me so I never used the lidocaine.
beverly52803 ro77360
Posted
ro, how was the clob bothering you?
ro77360 beverly52803
Posted
I remember that I didn't like it the first time around but I was so upset back then by everything hitting me all at once....death in family - terrible uti - then the AV and LS symptoms i don't recall the specifics as to why I didn't like it - think it was it kicked up the urinary problems..
That's why, when I went back to the PA, she said she still saw trace of the LS and advised me to go back on the clob - this time she gave me the lidocaine to take in advance.
So I took it for 3 weeks, 2 x a day, with no problems at all. Shock of shocks! I stopped taking it at the end of the 3 weeks as I felt better down there then but probably I should have continued to take it on a maintenance basis - I was just anxious to go "natural" and when I heard of the olive oil treatment - I started it right away.
I'm going to see my Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor tomorrow. He's an MD who gave up on western medicine.
I'm going to ask him if he can recommend a TCM treatment for the LS and something for the VA "off nights."
He's very good ('been going to him for 25 years) so I'm anxious to see what he recommends. I bet Calendula is going to figure in there - its his "go to" ointment for everything.
ro77360
Posted
P.S. Crazy thing was I didn't even need or use the lidocaine at all as I didn't have any adverse reaction the second time around!
beverly52803 ro77360
Posted
ro, I spoke with my acupuncturist yesterday (who I haven't seen in a long while) about my current state of health and to ask if she knew of an available FM doc. No luck with the doc, but she carries Yin Oil for women that I will try. The FM doc my gyn suggested is not taking new patients. It's no wonder as there is no one else around! My search for someone who can approach this from a more holistic and maybe dietary angle continues. I don't like the idea of the stronger steroid being the only option. Been watching you tube videos of Dr Tom O'Byan. Find going gluten free very difficult, but I did make myself some GF pancakes this morning as a treat.