Vagifem reassurance. Update from my doctor

linda87515 · 2015-12-20T15:22:18.92+00:00

I saw my doctor last week and she said she had just been to a menopause seminar where the continual use of vagifem was discussed to treat VA. She said that there have not been any long term effects and that patients could use it twice a week for an indefinite time . She also said that if a patient stopped taking it the recurrence of VA could be severe and much harder to treat going forward.I asked about the Mona Lisa laser treatment but she had not heard of this.

lee12629 linda87515

Posted 9 years ago

Why is it most doctors have never heard of the mona toich treatment?I find it amazeing how they dont research new trestments,they do have computers dont they?Also I guess once a person starts any form of hormone treatment according to what the doctor said they should be prepared to stay on it for life or even get worse.This despite the fact that most feel it should be used for the shortest time possible.Very confuseing.

lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

By the way i have been to two gynos at a world renowned hospital in the US and neither of them heard about it.They know about it now..because I told them.They both were going to look it up.Pass the word!!
chris00938 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

I get the feeling that doctors restrict themselves to courses they are sent on and it takes years for new treatments to filter through to the NHS. I thought that hormone treatment was supposed to IMPROVE the skin of the vagina, so if someone stopped it they would presumably be better off than if they'd not used it (the studies on hyalaronic acid give the impression that the skin is in better condition at the end of the study as it has IMPROVED) so I just don't get it. Vagifem talk about using it for the shortest possible time, so they must be expecting it to deal with a problem so someone can then stop taking it, and then start again if the problem recurrs?
lee12629 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I had read many women go on it and come off it then back on according to need.
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

That was how I used it in the early days when the VA was mild an 8 month course and my symptoms dissappeared for quite awhile. But it usually does return eventually once your oestrogen levels decline again. As your usually menopausal I doubt it will improve only stabilise for a period of time.
beverly52803 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Tracy, did you experience any problems goiing on & off like that? Like mood being affected and all those other issues in the days of being pre-mentrual due to hormone changes in the body? When you say quite a while do ypu mean years?
tracy12090 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

No I can't say didn't experience any difference in mood swings :-) at that time. But I wasn't only in the beginning of menopause. The VA was only burning and dryness then. I think it was about a year or so I was off Vagifem then I had a hysterectomy and the menopause was full swing.
I've been reading on here about endometrial atrophy (thinning of the Uterine wall) I was experiencing this problem before VA. I went on to have an Endometrial ablation from what I'm reading on here, there maybe a connection to VA after. Its an interesting thought but needs more research.
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

This is interesting stuff. I hadn't heard about that at all but I guess since the bladder also suffers atrophy, it makes sense that a uterus will too.
I had hot sweats at night when I came off the triple dose of vagifem, which was awful, because I'd not experienced anything at menopause. It went on for months, started a month before the hysterectomy and went on for a couple of months after but thankfully eased off then!
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

It is interesting I hadn't heard of it either and Dr's seem to be afraid to label things which keep you in the dark. I was told had thin skin inside what does that mean in medical terms? Or does it save them from dealing with your questions or avoiding further treatments.
I wonder if the Vagifem upset some balance maybe the dose was too high for you as I'm guessing they were the 25mcg then and now there 10mcg. It seems we all experience menopausal symptoms in a different order and way. I didn't get hot sweats at all until my ovaries were removed then they were unbearable. I have a friend who had a hysterectomy and an early menopause in her 40's who barely had any at all.
I wonder why Dr's don't measure oestrogen levels before prescribing? They seem to do this in America
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

It was the 10s I was on Tracey, but my GP prescribed them 6 nights out of 7, for 16 months, telling me it was quite safe at that dose. Although after the cancer was confirmed, she did ask ME why she'd prescribed that dose! No comment LOL! Yes, I had no symptoms of menopause at all. I have always been on anti depressants though and I'm wondering if that's related now because I have read that low dose anti depressants can offset menopause symptoms. I have no idea how or why though. You've hit the nail on the head! Yes, oestrogen levels should be taken before prescribing something you may not need! That might be something for anyone on here, in the UK, to ask for if their GP or consultant suggests vagifem! It's very relevant! I had no idea they did this in America.
lee12629 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

My doctor could tell just by looking at the internal exam.I asked her about testing.
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

That is quite a high dose for such a long length of time especially if you had ovaries producing oestrogen. Usually you use them everyday for 2 weeks then top up twice a week. It would be almost laughable for the Dr to ask you why she prescribed it if you didn't have cancer. Is that not negligence? Sorry to hear that this may have been the catalyst for your cancer. Although it's hard to say which illnesses we may have been predisposed to before treatments.
I asked my Dr about measuring my oestrogen and she said it wasn't necessary as they already know I'm low and that's all it will show. So we've been trial and error testing my levels.
tracy12090 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

I had read testing was more prevelant in America? Maybe it's not that useful if you're symptoms are obvious but would it not be better to know where to start supplementing?
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

That's also interesting about the effects of antidepressants as my friend who had less symptoms also took them on and off.
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Yes, I know and Vagifem were shocked to hear the dose I'd been on and wrote to the GP. I think my husband and I were as gobsmacked as each other when she asked why she'd put me on such a high dose. I don't think either of us replied! It has been proven that I received sub standard care, but we can't prove it caused the cancer, so doesn't actually amount to anything. But I avoid her now. We have a choice of Drs, so that's easy to do. Ah, so they can tell by symptoms if estrogen is low - I guess that makes sense.
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

I have read in quite a few articles now that low dose anti depressants take off the effects of menopause. In fact, I'm wondering now if the night sweats were due to me stopping the anti depressants a couple of months before the night sweats started! This hadn't gone through my mind before today! But because I was feeling unwell (obviously the effect of the cancer) and didn't know what was causing it, I stopped any tablets I thought could have an effect to make me unwell and the anti depressants were one of them, and I didn't start them again until earlier this year but on a much lower dose, and that's been fine, but just maybe I'd have had more menopause symptoms if I hadn't been on them! That might be worth looking into more! I'm going to google effect of anti depressants on menopause now!
chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Yep - just found this on the Patient site about menopause: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of antidepressant medicines. They include paroxetine, fluoxetine, escitalopram and citalopram. Several years ago it was noticed as a side-effect that menopausal women who took these drugs for depression had fewer hot flushes. Since then, research trials have confirmed that several SSRIs stop or reduce hot flushes in some (but not all) menopausal women. That is, whether they were depressed or not. A similar antidepressant drug called venlafaxine, a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressant, has also been shown to have this effect. How SSRIs and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) work to help hot flushes is not clear. I was on escitalopram and still am but in a smaller dose. I just wonder if it can affect VA etc. as well - will google that further!
chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

This is interesting - I wonder just what symptoms they are talking about - can this include VA?: ' Although the population under study was different (i.e., women in this study were clinically depressed), these findings are similar to the results of our open-label trial which suggest that escitalopram has a salubrious impact on hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms' . It's from this article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2683354/ but I really am not sure if it's only talking about hot flushes or night sweats or more!
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Typical there is no redress in the system but I guess you can't get to hung up on it as it wastes precious time and energy for little reward. Glad your under a new Dr I certainly wouldn't trust that particular gp again.
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Wow, it's good to know this stuff. It's nice to hear there is an upside. I've just started Nortriptyline and been feeling much better. But he wants me to trial coming off them once this course is over now my Ovestins kickedas the nerve pain has reduced, so we'll see if other symptoms pop up.
chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I wonder if there may be more to this. Apparently escitalopram can affect blood flow to the genital area - I THINK increasing it IF I've understood rightly. I googled how does escitalopram affect vaginal atrophy and got on to a book on google books called pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in genital arousal disfunction and that seems to be saying that some seratonin reuptake inhibitors can ..... attenuate blood flow to the area. While I get the impression this might not be the case in that study with escitalopram, it seems a bit vague and I wonder if there is a possibility it DOES make a difference.
chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I'm struggling with this a bit BUT, it seems that escitalopram can affect vasomotor effects which means increase blood flow. IF it also increases blood flow to the genital area, this can help vaginal atrophy. They say that sexual stimulation helps vaginal atrophy because it increases blood flow. I'm still unsure about it but still wonder if there's something in it. It's going to take more research and time than I can give it at the moment, but I do wonder if this could be another weapon against VA and a comparatively low dose of it bring relief to VA if it's not got that bad. I'd be interested if anyone else can find something to either find that it's not relevant and I'm heading up the wrong alley here, or find that it just might be.
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

That's right - sometimes you just have to move on rather than dwell on the past. It wastes too much time, as you said:-)))) To be honest, I don't trust any doctor now but take much more responsibility for my own health and so does my husband. But I don't think that's a bad thing.
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Hope this works out well for you! Do keep us updated, will you? I think by working together as a group, people are in the best situation to discover what works best by pooling ideas and results:-)
chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Just reading in today's newspaper that depression drugs may cut the risk of heart attacks because the ones such as escitalopram reduce the activity of platelets, so increase blood flow. So IS it possible that VA can be improved if someone has been taking these drugs because the blood flow is improved to the genital area???? But I am quite prepared for someone to tell me I'm wrong:-)))) It's all just questions really.
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Yes I will do as I'm feeling quite normal of late I'm sure I will notice. It is only 10 g though it might not be a high enough dose to make much difference as I'm on Tibolone.
Looks like promising what you've unearthed anyway for others. And the positive outlook you have is a lesson to us all :-)
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Sounds promising anyway
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I think the skin is improved while taking it. When you stop the estrogen the skin begins to age again naturally as it does in the rest of the body. In our case I suppose we either are producing less estrogen than other women or or perhaps our skin is just thinner & more prone to it? Whether or not you are having sex consistently can also make a difference (or so I've been told). hence the :use it or lose it" adage.
tracy12090 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

I think that the use it or lose theory doesn't stop the decline either if your prone. As I was acive before my hysterectomy and the decline was immediate. Possibly sex may prevent shrinking of the vaginal vault itself or slow down the process?
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Yes, the sex aspect is related to getting the blood flowing to the area, which makes me wonder again about the platelet effect of the anti depressant. I really don't know if there's any mileage in it, but just trying to think outside the box really LOL!
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Tracy, how old were you when you had the hysterectomy? And how long, when you had the hysterectomy since menopause?
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

It was in the news (in the US) a few days ago that there is a connection between autism and pregnant women taking ant-depressants. As with anything else every action has a reaction. It;s just we don't know what the effects of these drugs can be until they are taken for a long time and scientists begin to connect the dots. I believe when I had my undiagnosed infection anti-depressants were suggested which I rejected. My thinking was If I was deressed it was because I had a raging infection and that was what needed curing. Did not want to add another medication into the mix. But now with what you are saying, perhaps they would have staved off the AV inadvertantly! Who knows? Either that method or finding a stud muffin :-)), but I'm certainly past that point now!
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I was 49 but the menopause was immediate as I had the bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO). Splitting of the skin started about 10 days later
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Phew Tracey!!!! That was an instant reaction! Interesting Beverley about the link between autism and pregnant women taking anti-depressants too! So much of this is a big unknown, isn't it! I don't know if there's anything in my thoughts about anti-depressants and VA though - I wouldn't even call it a theory at this point, only a question:-)
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Not to veer from VA but Autism has many possible links including genetic. I wouldn't want to scare anyone on antidepressants.
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

One of my boys has Aspergers - a mild form of autism, but I wasn't on anti depressants when I was pregnant. He was born 6 weeks early which could be something to do with it though. I do think we have to be careful with any drug though, especially in pregnancy. But if anti depressants did help VA or prevent it, I'd sooner take a low dose of those than hormones, but it's something that would have to be weighed up IF it proved anti depressants helped.
beverly52803 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Don't think anyone in this group is in any danger of getting pregnant! :-)
I believe the rate of children being born with autism now is much higher than 30 or 40 years ago. Certainly the amount of young women taking anti-depressants is very high. I have 2 grand nieces who have been on the since puberty, I think. Was probably their mother's idea; she's on them also. Again I think every action has a reaction so it's good to be wary. He's an interesting prediction:
"By 2025, half the children born in the United States will be diagnosed with autism, says Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a senior research scientist at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory...the answer is glyphosate.” It's an herbicide used in Round-Up which is the most widely used in the world.
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

My GP has just recently prescribed trazadone to help me sleep. It's an old anti depressant (very inexpendive). Unfortunately it isn't doing anyhting.
I need Mawell's Silver Hammer!!
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Phew - that is A LOT!
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

I have trouble sleeping sometimes and tried Nytol for a while but it made me seriously depressed and the herbal one was even worse, so now if I'e not slept well for a few nights I take two paracetamol before bed and that actually helps me sleep. Might be worth a try:-)
lee12629 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Ive been post menopausal for about 6 years and they could tell by my pelvic exam and the condition of the vaginal lineing
lee12629 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

They are used for the pain of vulvadynia,so would think theyd work for pain from VA
chris00938 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

When I had a cancer check early this year I asked if I had atrophy and they said yes, but I'd not had any symptoms other than a bit of irritation on the vulva from time to time, so didn't know. I thought the irritation was from the vagifem as well, because I didn't get it until I went on that (so perhaps it was!).
lee12629 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

My husband takes melatonin
chris00938 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

Sorry Lee - what are?
lee12629 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Over the counter natural sleep aid
tracy12090 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

I doubt anyone in this group will be getting pregnant either :-) Google searches bring these things up and people reading forums go on to offer advice.
Over of prescribing iof antidepressants is prevelant but in some cases a short course is necessary.
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I emphasise Autism has many possible causes in my family it's genetic. We have to be careful with everything us anything really safe these days. Hormones and chemicals are coming through our food daily!
lee12629 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

I think there pretty much is a standard dose,although mine sudgested if i used premeran that i only need one half gram dose as oposed to a full gram
.
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I found Valerian root extract useful in the past but I'm not sure about the interactions
tracy12090 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

I guess testing isn't necessary in your case.
nancyo chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I started on zoloft during menopause and it helped with waking up at night and hot flashes, still take it. that was over 20 years ago
chris00938 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

I never knew that! That's food for thought:-)
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Tracy I absolutely agree that in many cases anti depressants are prescribed unnecessarily, but in my own case a short course would never have done it. I think my problem is linked to Ehlers Danlos but every time I've come off anti-depressants I've ended up in a serious state and at some point needed to go back on them. This is a physical brain thing, not imagination or something that could be sorted by counselling or anything else. I know there is a thought that there aren't people like that around, but there are:-) Having said that, I was on 20mg for years but am ticking along fine on 5mg now, so I have achieved something:-) So I can talk about that from experience:-)
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Again, I absolutely agree. It's not just food - it's environmental too, in fabrics, and so on. I do think we have to take responsibility for a healthy a life as possible and make informed decisions:-)
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Had to laugh where the article says hot flushes are the most troubling of menopausal symptoms! If only!
I think it's only hot flushes here and sleep disturbance. Although it mentions it benefits urogenital symptoms it doesn't go into it.
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

There's always exceptions and your case maybe different as I also know a couple of people with EDS you certainly have had a plate full with everything. I think I would take anything if it helped cope within reason :-)
lee12629 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

Gynos should tell everyone about atrophy
chris00938 nancyo

Posted 9 years ago

Ah, I'm glad you got something that worked. The night sweats were dreadful when they started at the end of last summer. I bought nightdresses that were supposed to be moisture wicking but nothing really helped that much - everything was drenched! It was such a relief when it stopped!
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

I'm not sure I'd take anything LOL! I weigh up pros and cons VERY carefully:-)))))
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I did say within reason lol! I haven't lost my marbles yet although it feels closer than I'd like sometimes :-D
beverly52803 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

I tried an herbal capsule called Sleep Essentials that had valerian in it. It put me in a very strange state of being somewhat paralyzed; as though my body was asleep, but I was not. I actually couldn't move and was drooling to the point of a very wet pillow. Mentioned it to a knowledgable person who told me not to take it again.
I take melatonin, but not sure if it does anything. Have tried doubling the amount. If I can sleep for 6 hours it's a miracle. 4-5 is more like it. Then awake for 2-3 hours, then back to sleep. For the past 20+ years I took only afternoon-evening jobs. Could never function 9-5. I assume that's why so many people take sleeping pills; they have to get up early for work.
One doctor prescribed Ambien (zolpidem), but someone told me such a frightening story about what she did while on it (yet totally unaware of what was happening) that I chickened out. If I was doing something dangerous I don't have anyone to protect me from myself!
But I sure would LOVE 8 hours of sound sleep!!
beverly52803 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

I think doctors want to talk about existing problems rather than possible problems, but once it's established someone has it they should be given as much info as possible re options & treatments...including the Mona Lisa laser!
tracy12090 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

That sounds very scarey I've not heard of that side effect. Could of been an interaction problem possibly.
8 hours would be lovely! Half the night is spent throwing the covers on and off or going to the loo!
beverly52803 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

tracy, my greatest friend when I'm in Florida is the ceiling fan over the bed on low. It's silent and is just enough air movement. My ceilings up north are too low so I have to use a table fan which doesn't compare. Amazing difference! Still have to make minor cover adjustments, but they don't disturb my sleep.
Re the Valerian that cap is a blend of herbs. I wasn't taking anything that it could have interacted with.
chris00938 tracy12090

Posted 9 years ago

LOL! I know that feeling too well LOL! No, seriously, I have had various people over the years suggest that I'd be fine not on anti depressants and this is a really serious issue for me because I get suicidal. Not down, not blue, not fed up but absolutely rock bottom. Having said all that, for years I was on 40mg and cut it down to 20 a couple of years ago and after going cold turkey when I felt unwell (and that was interesting!) I ended up back on 5 which keeps me ticking over pretty well. So I probably could have been on 5 all along and it wouldn't have affected my libido, which was the main side effect from it that I noticed. So, it does all come down to thinking about what we're taking and weighing it up. But just maybe the anti depressants have played a part in the vaginal atrophy not getting so bad. I shall live in hope LOL! Talking of 'mental stuff' - did anyone else do the personality quiz that came through on the Patient line? It was absolutely fascinating and SO right! If anyone didn't do it and wants the link, just let me know and I'll give it to you.
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

That sounds alarming Beverly! Have you tried doing exercise during the day? I just wonder if that would help? Although having said that, I've a friend who is SO active all day but she can't sleep either!
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Whatever gets you by and your happy with is all that matters. Your the only one walking in your shoes :-). Cold turkey is definitely not the way to go, I've seen that!
I wouldn't mind the patient link to the quiz.
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I try to get the gym as much as I can and do an hour on the treadmill. Also swim a bit, do QiGong, sometimes water aerobics. Not super active, but it makes no difference whether I am or not. Have no problem falling asleep; just can;t stay asleep. But I'm working on a 900 page book so that keeps me entertained in the middle of the night!
I see the moderator has blocked you as well! Were you trying to semd us that link to their own quiz??
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Yes, but since the quiz came from Patient, I'll be surprised if it's not approved. I think anything that contains a link, whether it's acceptable or not, goes for moderation.
Wish I could think of something to help for the sleep though. But it's good that you can use the time when you're awake:-)
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

When I'm up north I listen to national public radio and have a remote for that radio. It's great. I get very educated...then forget it all by the next morning! Offerings down here in FL are very limited. My eyes were so dry yesterday during the day I could barely see despite "tear" drops so I thought I would suerly sleep. But 3 hours later no dry eyes so I read for 2 hours. It's scary to think what issues await us over the next 10-15 years.
lee12629 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Scarey isn't it. I can so empathize now what my mother must have gone through.
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Mmm but we just have to hope for the best:-)
beverly52803 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

My mother is 94. Other than what seems to be constant pain from sciatica she's not it all that bad shape. She has however, gone from being a difficult person to an impossible one. That's almost as scary as being physically ill.
lee12629 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Dementia maybe? Alzheimers also can change personality.
beverly52803 lee12629

Posted 9 years ago

Certainly dementia but desperately fighting to keep it together. The latest problem is total upset over not knowing what day it is. (Neither do I sometimes.) We are getting her a large numeral clock with day and date. That should work till the next problem. She's in a lovely assisted living facility and has it so much better than the majority of people her age, but she's not happy with anything and being family we're the ones who hear all the complaints.
lee12629 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Its hard i know. Mom got alzeimers,I kept her home as long as i could. Then found the nicest assisted living I could find. They had a very pretty facility for just alzheimers patients,very home like. Unfortunately the last time she broke her hip,had no choice but to go to a nurseing home.
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Took it. Apparently I'm a rare bird :-)
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Me too LOL! I was an advocate. What were you?
tracy12090 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Thanks I got a bit lost with it somewhere doing the premium test but found it in the end. It was quite insightful a logicstician not really a suprise :-)
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I believe I took this some years ago when I was looking for a job.Seem to recall it was suggested I work as an advocate or a community organizer.
I seem to have since become an INTP-A Logician which they claim make up a small percentage of the population. I am very logical, but I would not consider myself an abstact thinker. Very concrete actually. But some personality aspects were very accurate.
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Mmm - interesting:-)

nancyo linda87515

Hi linda. Well I don't believe there won't be long term

Effects. That's what docs said in the 90,s about hormone therapy then recanted.

Also her not knowing about Mona Lisa gives me pause

catrin46108 linda87515

I am also cynical BUT having used Ovestin for about a year I had to come off it I February due t having unrelated surgery. Because the UTIs had stopped I didn't restart it until I had a bad flare up in September. I'm back on Ovestin twice a week and my GP wrote to the Royal Marsden (cancer hospital) where I attend a breast cancer family history clinic annually. The reply from a breat consultant was that she " would have no concern about my continued use, whilst there is some systemic absorption there is no strong evidence that oestrogen only HRT is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. If anything women n oestrogen only have a slightly lower risk of breast cancer". I'm not totally comfortable with using it but........ I had a hysterectomy ten years ago so at least am not at risk of endometrial cancer.

chris00938 catrin46108

Posted 9 years ago

Yes, I think the biggest risk with estrogen is certainly endometrial cancer, but my gynie did ask me if I'd had a mammogram to check that aspect out. If I understood it rightly, it's the progesterone that is linked more to breast cancer? But the progesterone stops the estrogen causing the endometrial cancer. But because you don't have a uterus you're safer to use estrogen.
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Not sure about that. My sister's breast cancer is estrogen related. She also avoids estrogen in any form and takes an estrogen blocker, I believe.
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

Yes, I think estrogen IS related (sorry if I didn't say it clearly!) because as I mentioned today, my hairdresser got breast cancer from taking too much estrogen, and my gynie asked if I'd had a mammogram, but I think endometrial cancer is the biggest risk of estrogen, and I think if they add progesterone to the hormone mix, the progesterone is even a bigger risk to breast cancer than estrogen??? I'm asking rather that stating here though.
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

I believe this is why doctors prefer prescribed medications over natural supplements. The amount of estrogen can be measured.Also why we're supposed to tell them what we are taking re supplements.
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

My doctors have never asked what supplements I take! The pharmacist has though. I was just thinking - if there is something in the anti depressant/platelets thing, I also take Q10, and I THINK a side effect of that affects platelets too. I'm a bit brain dead today though from lack of sleep - my cat had a cancer op yesterday and spent last night telling me how delighted she was to be back and in the bedroom with me - all night.....
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

Don't wait for them to ask...tell them!! I brought a list including amounts to my last yearly appointment.
BTW I looked up the paracetamol you mentioned (maybe this thread, maybe another?) and found out in the US it's Tylenol! That makes you sleep?? Do you take the PM version? If so my doc told me not to take that as it's benadryl ( an antihistamine) that dries you out. I tried it anyway with so-so results. Really, either I am knocked out by something or totally unaffected.
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

OH!:-)))) I've heard so much about Tylenol but didn't know what it was! I just take two 500 paracetamol caplets - that's all it says. And that's enough to make me sleep. I take them for a few nights, just to break the habit of not sleeping and then stop taking them, otherwise they don't work when I start again. They actually prescribe them by the wheelbarrow load for arthritis but I only ever take just a couple at night if I can't sleep. They don't really make any difference to the pain though LOL! Ah - just looked it up - I'm pretty sure paracetamol doesn't have the same stuff in as benadryl. There is a tablet, Panadol night, which I think combines the two but Paracetamol on it's own I'd take, but I wouldn't take benadryl or the stuff that's in that. There have been warnings about it, I think.
beverly52803 chris00938

Posted 9 years ago

We have Tylenol and Tylenol PM. Other brands have the same option. I have heard some people say they take Tylenol or aspirin to get to sleep. My problem iis not sleeping more than 3-4 hours.
chris00938 beverly52803

Posted 9 years ago

I take a low dose Aspirin every night but that doesn't make me sleepy at all. I do sometimes wake around 4 but not every night and if I get up to do a wee then I get to sleep again fairly quickly usually, or if not I read for a few minutes and that's enough to get me off again. I wish I could suggest something for you though.

Vagifem reassurance. Update from my doctor

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Thanks for your help!