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question about estrace cream
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Posted by cindy_pond (My Page) on Thu, May 28, 09 at 11:00
Is estrace cream a bio-identical hormone? Is it safe when used alone without progesterone? My gynecologist prescribed
this to me for atrophic vaginitis and said that she had never seen any harsh side effects other then some slight burning as very little of the hormone enters the blood stream...does anyone have experience with this? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: question about estrace cream
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Cindy,,
Yes my Doctor told me the same thing when I was prescribed Estrace Cream. Without this medicne I think I would have killed myself by now. I liked the idea of not having to take HRT orally but yet still replenish the hormones I was lacking in my Vagina. I'm surprised to see this message on the forum. About a year and a half ago I wrote in about it and not too many women even knew what I was talking about. Vaginal Atrophy seems to be a subject not too many talk about. I went to three doctors over a years time before I figured out what was wrong with me. Cindy |
RE: question about estrace cream
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cindy,
oh I feel so much better that I'm not the only one who is suffering like this. Isn't it amazing what just a little estrogen will do..I used it one time and not only is the sex better but so are the horrible hot flashes.
thank you for for responding. I needed the uplift
Cindy |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| Thanks Cindy. I use Estroven for the hot flashes "regular strength" and Estrace Cream for Vaginal Atrophy. The Estroven seems to manage my hot flashes during the day (I have a little fan on my desk at work when I need a little bit of air) At night I sleep with the ceiling fan on. I try any way I can to stay away from taking prescription HRT. About the sex, you're so right about that, even my husband notices a big difference (it seems to help with the libido too). My doctor said I would probably have to use Estrace Cream for the rest of my life. That's ok with me. What dosage are you taking? I use about 2gm every other night or so. I can make a tube last for almost 2 months now. (saves on money and the risk of using it). Cindy |
RE: question about estrace cream
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Hi Cindy,
My doctor prescribed 4 grams twice in one week initially...and then 2-4 grams weekly thereafter. But I only used 4 grams initially and will try to use 2 grams weekly and will increase to 4 if that doesn't do the trick.
I am surprised at how one single dose helped with my hot flashes which were very intense all night long...I have a little fan by my bed and also sleep with the ceiling fan on all night. I never thought menopause would be like this...but maybe its the whole idea of aging and what it represents that adds insult to injury. One thing I can say is that its a transition which takes its toll physically and mentally. |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| Cindy, The great thing about this medicine is that because it's cream you can regulate what you need. Some weeks you may need more and some weeks you may need less. 1 to 1 1/2 gram every other day works great for me but sometimes I even go every two days, and sometimes I use 2 or 3 grams depending on how I'm feeling. Are you taking anything else for hot flashes? I thought the estrace cream helped mine at first too but when I experimented and took away the Estroven I found it was really the estroven helping me with the flashes. Just wondering. Cindy |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| I was taking estroven and anything else I could get my hands on with NO relief...it's only since the estrace cream do I feel "normal". I was having intense hot flashes all night mostly..it would start the same way a contraction would start.. building slowly until I was sizzling and then ease up... that would go on all night long every hour. So thank god for estrace cream..so far so good. |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| You know Cindy there may be something to it. All I know is that my hot flashes and vaginal dryness are manageable now with the cream and estroven and I finally feel normal again. I'm not going to do anything to mess it up. Thanks for writing back to me Cindy. As you can see no one but me has responded to your question there just doesn't seem to be a lot of gals out there that know about Estrace Cream or else this topic has already been talked about to death he he he. Or a lot of them are on HRT orally and that helps the dryness and they don't need the cream. Either way it's good to know I am not the lone user. Cindy |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| Is the Estrace cream messy? Does it get in the way of intimacy? |
RE: question about estrace cream
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carol,
I usually use 2 grams per week..actually, less than that because the atrophy and hot flashes are gone at this point.
I wait a couple of days before any sexual contact. So for me, it doesn't get in the way of intimacy at all. I think if I used the 4 grams per week that the doctor prescribed, I might have some leakage. If you use lets say, monostat cream as an example, it's much less messy than that. |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| Does anyone notice any other side effects with Estrace cream, like weight gain, etc.? |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| susie..unfortunately I have noticed that after the third week of my using it, I felt a little thick around the middle...when I got on the scale I was surprised to see that I had gained 5 pounds...so I stopped using the cream and only plan on using it if my symptoms return...which I'm sure they will eventually. I just don't see the need to use something continuously if I'm not suffering. I only had to use the cream three times and have wonderful results..no painful sex and not one hot flash...weight gain and tender breasts were my only side effect...I'll be 53 next month and haven't had a period now for 6 months...keep your fingers crossed that it won't come back!!! |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| The Estrace Cream is messy (I wear a panty liner the next day). But for me it works much better than Vagifem. I have used the cream the night before sex and that night after sex, no side effects noticed. It actually helps with lubrication for both partners. I didn't notice any weight gain from taking it. I use Estrace Cream every other night or every 2nd night depending on how I'm feeling. After going through hell for a year with six months of it barely having sex at all, I wouldn't give it up for a million bucks now. Actually sex with my husband is even more enjoyable now then when it was before menopause. I wouldn't be able to say that if I wasn't using Estrace cream. I still have hot flashes though and was told in the begining by GYN Doc that it wouldn't help hot flashes so if Cindy is not experiencing hot flashes now after using estrace Cream, she is one lucky lady. Cindy57 |
RE: another question about estrace cream
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Cindy57,
I stopped using the estrace as I said in my above post because of the weight gain and sore breasts..then this week, I had my first period in six months...ugh!!! I don't think its a coincidence, I think it has to do with the cream..because all the symptoms started with the use of the estrace...what do you think?...I still haven't had another hot flash yet and its been a week since I stopped using it.
and by the way...sex is better because of the cream!!!! It totally irradicated my atrophy (what a horrible word to relate to a vagina) |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| I am in my mid-60s and have been using it a bit over a year and a half. Prior to using it I was getting bladder infection after bladder infection. Same for yeast infections. Not to mention a constant burning pain and occasional vaginal infections. I love this cream! Made life livable again. First you take it frequently enough (a dr. puts you on a schedule for dosing yourelf) and then you taper off and use it just to maintain the pH balance. Once every couple of weeks is plenty for me. I use it at night after I get into bed - that's the only way to keep it in me for several hours at a time. It's expensive so I don't want to be wasting any. |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| has anyone had cramping or bloating while using Estrace? |
RE: question about estrace cream
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| Has any one suffered from Bladder inflammation, also known as Interstitial Cystitis and found relief with Estrace Cream? |
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