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Side effects

Posted , 9 users are following.

shirley84100
shirley84100

Hi everyone again, I have got some Ovestin Cream to help with my VA but I made the mistake of looking at the side effects on the paperwork. And its put me off using it.

Has anyone suffered any serious side effects from using HRT creams and suppositories etc?

One of the side effects mentioned is strokes. My mum had a bad stroke when there is no history of stroke in the family. It totally disabled her till she died 2 years later, 8 weeks ago today sad

I thought that as I got older my fears would be less but they are getting worse.

1 like, 140 replies

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  • chris00938
    chris00938 shirley84100

    Posted

    Yep.  My GP gave me three times the recommended dose for 16 months and I got endometrial cancer.  It was only after that where I found the prescribers guidelines and they talk about estrogen creams being dangerous if there is a uterus.  It was plastered all over their site (under prescribers guidelines) WHEN USED AT THE RECOMMENDED DOSE - saing this should be for as short a time as possible, and there was my GP still telling me it was absolutely safe.  I'd been totally against any hormone treatment anyway because my mother had died from breast cancer but I got the 'it's quite safe - it's not systemic (and it is to some extent!) and you need it, and it can't harm you' so used it.  The result, a hysterectomy with follow ups (at least it was grade one, stage one) and worrying for the rest of my life about recurrence of cancer, and now the vaginal vault is prolapsing along with the other prolapses, so I'm waiting for an appointment to see what my options are.  I'm disgusted that I wasn't told about the risks rather than be told it was safe, despite expressing my concerns several times over that period.  Now I would never trust a doctor and check everything online and take responsibility for my own health.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 shirley84100

      Posted

      Thanks Shirley.  But that's life:-(  I would be EXTRA wary about the cream because if you read up on the various forms of topical estrogen, the cream is said to be the most risky as dosage isn't as easy to get perfect - it's easy to use a bit more than recommended, so pessaries are thought to be safer.  But having said that, I just wish I'd stuck to my instincts in the first place and not used hormones at all.  There are a lot of alternative options that doctors never mention.  High street pharmacists sell all sorts of things and there are lots sold by companies that are basically hight street chemists - we all know the ones - you stick them on your feet:-)  I've absolutely no idea why GP's don't suggest these first, at least.  But it all comes back to the same thing - look online at side effects, every time, for every thing!

      Hope it goes well for you!

    • shirley84100
      shirley84100 chris00938

      Posted

      Thanks Chris. I know what you mean about it not being easy to get the dosage of creams right. However I have a little measuring thing that you screw on to the end of the tube of cream. You then suck the cream into it. So that should be a correct dosage. I wonder why the Doctors never mention the alternative options too. Having said that, would that just be the likes of Replens etc that are for lubrication and cooling your Vagina, or would they have alternatives to the htr creams etc that help get rid of the symptoms? Will keep my eyes peeled on the side effects.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 shirley84100

      Posted

      Shirley I'm still wondering about the meonopause plus pessaries that I've been using for a while that have the hyaluronic acid in.  I know someone pointed me to wiki to check up on thes but looking at all the studies and everything else that's done all I can find on them is where they're being used and getting good results, actually improving the area, including for vaginal issues after radiotherapy, and I can't believe they would use something that can cause cancer in that situation, so a bit of research might help on that one.  It is so difficult though!  I think it's like everything, you read up on as much as you can using search in different formats of wording online, and then fumble your way through!  I just wish we could trust doctors to tell us the possible side effects rather than thrust a prescription at us and call the next person in!  There doesn't seem to be room for any discussion anymore.  I've been so let down by my GP's in so many ways that I wouldn't trust them more than a second hand car salesman now.
    • shirley84100
      shirley84100 chris00938

      Posted

      I saw my Doc this afternoon and mentioned the Ovestin with strokes listed in the side effects and I also mentioned the Vit E Capsules but she didn't seem all that interested. All she said was that I would only be using a minimal amount of HRT twice a week so not much chance of strokes etc! So I am slowly distrusting Docs too. I think I am going to start with the Vit E Oil Capsules tonight :-)
    • chris00938
      chris00938 shirley84100

      Posted

      Shirley I think the problem is they aren't trained to even consider anything but the standard medical stuff and they perhaps (trying to be kind here) don't get the time to be interested in anything else.  I think groups like these are SO useful because you find out the options, you find out how those options have worked for others, and you get the information to make your own decision.  I SO SO wish I'd known about groups like this before I let my GP ovedose me on vagifem.
    • lynn53651
      lynn53651 shirley84100

      Posted

      Shirley, it is very important that the Vitimin E capsuls are the natural Vitimin E capsuls, nothing extra added in. Sometimes doctors do not like natural remedies because they work with pharmacies to help promote certain products. I am sure this must happen at some point.

                                                                        Lynn

    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 chris00938

      Posted

      Exactly.  Doctor wanted me to take statins. I read up on it and found that there is little evidence they prevent incidents in females who have had no prior incidents, but plenty for males. I take a natural supplement which brought my number down by 50. Costs more than what the statin would be with insurance, but I'm willing to pay it. Doctor doesn't care so long as the number is under control.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 beverly52803

      Posted

      I took them for two years, could hardly walk, no-one had a clue and it was only a thyroid consultant who picked it up and took me straight off them.  The worst of it was, I was put on them for a condition I didn't have LOL!
    • shirley84100
      shirley84100 chris00938

      Posted

      Yes that makes a lot of sense Chris. These groups are excellent arent they. Thank god for the Internet :-)
    • shirley84100
      shirley84100 lynn53651

      Posted

      The vitamin E Capsules I have got are from that big chemist in the town centre. They are in a grey tub with pink labels and are 400 iu. It says they are free from artificial colours, preservatives, flavours and are lactose free. It also says no gluten containing ingredients. However it does say there is beef gelatin in them as well as glycerol and sunflower seed oil. Yes I can see why some doctors will not like natural remedies.

    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 chris00938

      Posted

      Yikes! That is awful. Are you in England? I might imagine you could sue for malpractice. I worked in a group home for developmentally delayed and watched that happen to one of the residents. He is now in a wheelchair. I complained to his doctor and was told it was better than the alternative. No longer at that job. Very frustrating to see people who need advocates being "cared for" in that way. It's difficult enough for us to figure all this stuff out and we are able to communicate with medical people (sort of anyway). And now the doctors seem pretty unhappy with their jobs. I am grateful for this site though.

      BTW I tried supplying the link for the Mona Lisa treatment and they blocked it.

    • chris00938
      chris00938 beverly52803

      Posted

      Beverly I found the Mona Lisa treatment LOL!  It was interesting but I don't think I'd fancy it.  I'd go for a good lubricant instead LOL!  Yes, I'm in England.  Honestly, what I listed that had happened is really the tip of the iceberg - I could go on and on.  Even my husband had tingling then numbness in his hands and was told for years that it was linked to diabetes (he's VERY borderline and it's controlled by diet and exercise) only to find out eventually that it was carpal tunnel and they offered him OINTMENT.  He said no, got referred to a surgeon who said it had been left too long so he'd never get full feeling back.  When I was having the ring pessary done somehow someone who was supposed to be taking one out and replacing it, fiddled around, I thought he'd got it out, but he'd just put another on top and I didn't know until I got bleeding from scar tissue between the two rings!  It would be a full time job suing for malpractice!  I think now though friends talk to each other much more about medical issues so we're more aware if something seems to be going the wrong way, or we're aware of side effects of meds, so tell each other.
    • lynn53651
      lynn53651 shirley84100

      Posted

      Let me know if they work or don't work those Vitimin E you purchased because mine do not have any beef gelatin. Look for this on the container and then you will know you have got the natural Vitimin E. If it says

      d-alpha tocopheryl acetate then you have the natural Vitimin E. If you can't find the natural, let me know and I can give you the actual web site that sells the natural Vitimin E. If yours works then thats great, but if not, let me know.

                                   Lynn

    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 chris00938

      Posted

      I'm in the US and live in a city not far from Boston where there are major hospitals. Got to say I have not heard stories like what you are describing from any one I know. Sure people have problems and sometimes there are misdiagnosis, but what you describe sound really alarmimg. Possibly why this site eminates from the UK! It is usually difficult to judge care unless you have a serious problem, but having a ring inserted on top of another is just scary and sounds like complete incompetence.
    • shirley84100
      shirley84100 lynn53651

      Posted

      Thanks Lynn for the info. Definitely I've not got the natural Vitamin E Capsules so I think I will go and get some today. That way I can start using them up inside for the V A whilst I am on antibiotics for the water infection. Yesterday was a really bad day with the VA and UTI. Went to bed early so I would be asleep and not feel the pain and discomfort. Not as bad today so I will go and get the Vit E Capsules you mention. Back later. :-)
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