Women-opinions, please, on on topical estrogen

[Simba's Mom]

The type that you put the pills in your "Vagagay" (as Oprah calls it) My Doc recommended them today because I wake up at night 2-3 times to go to the bathroom and have repeated bladder infections. So he figures these will "plump" things up. The problem for me is the fear of increased breast cancer risk. My Mother had breast cancer (thankfully, caught early, and she's fine 20 years later), and I just can't get over the feeling that if I get breast cancer and are taking these pills, I'd blame them for supposedly causing it. But on the other hand, this getting up 2-3 times a night is getting real tiring, and the repeated bladder infections are no fun. So what would you do? I've got to admit, though, I'd much rather get up 2-3 times a night if it means no breast cancer. But not taking estrogen pills is no guarantee. Oh, they're specifically called "Vagifem" if that helps.

 

[lsyorke]

It's not the method of providing the hormones that raises the breast cancer risk, it's the hormone. I don't see how topical would be any less risk than oral. Vagifem lists the same risks as oral estrogen.

I know how annoying the "night" can be, but I'll take that over a cancer risk, especially with a family history.

 

[rie'smom]

My doctor told me not to take Estrogen in any form without also taking some form of progesterone.
I use Progest 50 and Estro500 from Natural Living. These are bio identical hormones and are not supposed to have any cancer risk. The Estro 500 is a cream that can be used in your private place. I use it on my face because it is supposed to help not just with menopausal symptoms but also helps the skin to stay supple. Both have helped tremendously with hot flashes and night sweats. They're used 2x/day.
http://progest50.com/

 

[DisMN]

Interesting you should bring this up today because I'm in the middle of this very dilemma. I have used Vagifem for several years and had no problems with it. It just didn't work much for me for what I needed it for. As I understand it Vagifem is the lower dose hormone and I needed something more.
Now when you say topical I think of Premarin Cream you apply directly to the area...down there. You can apply it *in* or *on* the area and it does the same thing as Vagifem, just more potently. (don't know how to word that part...lets just say it's supposed to work better than Vagifem.)

As far as topical hormones, using them on your lower bits LOL doesn't carry nearly as much risk as hormone pills. In fact, in my research over the past few days I've run across several articles saying that oral hormones course through the blood stream which is how it gets everywhere but local/topical hormones mostly stay in the area they were applied.

Due to the problems I've had (atrophy and extreme dryness) I'm choosing to use the hormone cream. Choosing the topical cream, keeping it local so to speak seems like the best option.

Good luck figuring it all out. It's confusing isn't it?

 

[Christine]

My mom had to use it for the very same reasons. I think once you get it started you go to a maintenance application of once or twice a week. She didn't use a suppository though--it was more like a cream. She has had no problems from it like she did with regular hormone replacement.

 

[mhsjax]

My doctor told me not to take Estrogen in any form without also taking some form of progesterone.
I use Progest 50 and Estro500 from Natural Living. These are bio identical hormones and are not supposed to have any cancer risk. The Estro 500 is a cream that can be used in your private place. I use it on my face because it is supposed to help not just with menopausal symptoms but also helps the skin to stay supple. Both have helped tremendously with hot flashes and night sweats. They're used 2x/day.
http://progest50.com/

If you still have a uterus this is true, I don't so plain estrogen is ok. But that is a whole other story here. lol

OP, I agree with others about the delivery system, mine put my on topical that I apply to my arm, but he wanted this because it bypassed my liver, nothing to do with cancer risk. Mine was also due to a hysterectomy, not just for specific problems. I also took myself off of it, I hated it and it caused more symptoms and really didn't relieve the ones it was supposed to, (hotflashes)