Per mirror, my vulvar LS is spreading.

Sorry you had such a bad experience with your biopsy - at least its over with!

I'm kind of leary about Borax.....I've heard good things about it, for sure.

'Glad you found that good gyno - I'm going back in July, too. Hope I get a good report although I have my doubts as my post indicated.

I've just begun spraying whenever I feel dry down there and after I pee. I have two little spray bottles, for home and one for my purse.

Vaginal atrophy, basically, means lack of estrogen which results in dry urogenital tissue which causes burning, extreme dryness, irritation and, often, urinary urgency.

My drs also told me topical estrogen (premarin) is safe if used for a short time. It did not help me and I have tried many other things: aloe, A&D, coconut oil, emuaid, aquaphor, cetaphil....I think the clobetasol thins the skin and we would be better off having the white patches without the pain as long as it doesnot turn into cancer. Have also read that taking extra Vitamin D helps

The amount of estrogen premarin that I use is minimal. On the applicator it's at the 0.05% line. You don't need that much and it does make a difference, well for me it does. We're all different with different needs. The doctor has allowed me to apply some topically a couple of days a week and again I apply just enough to just coat, a very small amount from the tube. As to the Clob, I had read that it's not the Clob that thins the skin but the LS that does that, and probably age will do that as well. At 78, my skin everywhere is thinning out. Again, I've been using less than a pea size amount for 3 years and have had no problem. I've also applied coconut oil which works for me but have settled with EMU oil which works also. I usually apply that when I'm going out shopping for instance and there will be a lot of walking and rubbing against my all white cotton panties. I find coconut oil is thinner and dissipates a lot, but that's me.

One interesting thing that happened to me is that I had stopped drinking my 1% dairy milk and switched to Almond/Coconut milk quite a while ago on the advice of my sister who studied to be a nurse, because apparently dairy is not that good for adults. So, the other day, I bought a small carton of my 1% dairy milk that I missed so much just to try it, and got a flare-up for the first time in 3 years. Never, never, will I do that again. It is not good for you. Oddly enough, I can have a glass of wine with no repercussions.

Interesting post Micheline. Almond milk contains crushed rock or shell which gives it the calcium. However, that form of calcium is not absorbed by the body and can end up in the arteries. I do not drink milk either except a few drops in coffee. Yes, there's lots of evidence that adults should not drink milk. The coconut or emu oil did not help my pain. Also went to a naturopath but neither did that help.

Thank you for responding.

I drink rice milk.

Its pretty watery but its cold and wet and white and it tastes ok on my organic cereal.!

Does rice milk have calcium? That's what I'm after.

Calcium is best absorbed through food, particularly dark leafy greens which contain a lot of it. Drn says almond milk has unabsorbable calcium. Maybe the same in rice milk? Don't know; I never heard that before. I have read about gums in nut milk to thicken it. Rice milk does taste rather sweet to me so I prefer unsweetened coconut or almond. I'm lactose intolerant so switch around from one faux milk to another just for variety. I take a calcium/magnesium supplement but have little faith much if any supplements get absorbed.

As a young kid I practically lived off milk. Food was not my thing. That has certainly changed now. Just wish someone else were cooking it!

Check out the ingredients on the label of Blue Diamond Almond Milk: calcium triphosphate or calcium carbonate from chalk or egg shells. Body does not know what to do with that. Some will say it's ok but it is a manufactured chemical.

Hi Berverly,

Thanks for your response. I had read quite a while ago in an article written by a doctor that Calcium Carbonate is not readily absorbed in older bodies and can end up in the arteries and she recommended taking Calcium Citrate instead which is what I take. Now further studies have shown that women are taking far too many calcium supplements, so I've cut mine down to 1 capsule of 300 mg along with K2 +D3 which has to be at least 1000IU Vitamin D. The Vitamin D helps to absorb it and the K2 directs it where to go to the bones.

I had never heard either what DrN said about the Almond milk. So I just looked it up online. I found that what they add to Almond milk is called Tricalcium phosphates and some can come from phosphate rocks but most of the time they're made from ground animal bones. These are readily absorbed in the body but for us older people we tend to take too much. They're also found in supplements. Smaller amounts are better absorbed apparently (500 mg or less). So, I'm right to take 300 mg. You are absolutely right that the best comes from foods and that's what I increased making salads often to go with my meals and adding other foods rich in calcium.

Rice milk to my surprise is nearly as high in calcium as cow's milk, but the problem is that it is high in sugar.

micheline, You got me to check what I'm actually taking: 500 mg of calcium in 5 forms (to my surprise) including citrate, along with 250 mg of magnesium in various forms and 250 mg of phosphate (all in one pill). I also take 1000 IU's of vit D3 and 400 IU's of Vit E. Am not taking any K, but already take so many other supplements I can't imagine taking any more. For whatever reasons I did add tumeric last week. Have run out of boron and will get more based on the borax connection.

Am seeing an MD on Friday who focuses on diet, etc and hope he will give me a list based on medical knowledge so I don't have to keep trying to figure out what makes the most sense. It may be based upon blood results, not sure. If it seems to be generalized I will post the info.

Re "milks" oat seems to be the latest pricey choice. The drink most important for me is kefir for the probiotic content.

Yes I also take 150 mg of Magnesium Citrate, my K2 is combined with the D3 in one bottle. I use tumeric as a seasoning and put it in practically everything I cook. I figure less pills the better. I also take B12. Also have a glass of orange juice every morning with breakfast. So I guess we can say we are well stocked (lol). I had started doing Borax treatments at first and also baking soda but I stopped on the advice of my doctor, and also I'm not convinced about it. To me it is for laundry and makes clothes whiter so acts as a bleach and not sure if I want to use that on my sensitive vulva not that I think the Clob is great but it did work.

michel, Boron is a harmless supplement; helps with bone formation. As I'm always flirting with osteopenia anything that helps bones is OK with me. Clearly people have made a connection with LS and boron. I have no idea why it would soothe, but I'd rather take it as an inexpensive supplement.

I've run out of B complex, but the kyolic garlic lists several vitamins including B. I've been on a regimen for several months and have noticed no difference. This is why I had stopped taking any supplements a year ago. For every article that recommends them there are two that say if you are eating well, don't waste your money.

If studies were to prove LS indicates insufficient levels of a certain mineral or vitamin it would be a far more compelling reason to take them.

I take fish oil, tumeric, kyodophilus (sp?) lutein, milk thistle, evening primrose oil, Chia seed oil, magnesium and CO Q10 on a daily basis. My traditional Chinese Medicine MD advised me to load up on oils to offset the dryness from the atrophy..

I have my doubts about these supplements (are they working?) but on the other paw, they may just be keeping me going so I keep taking them.

That's the problem with taking supplements. Who can tell if they are having any effect? If we all pitched in our supplement funds towards a research project maybe we'd get somewhere!