Estrogen Controversy

Okay ladies, so my gynecologist gave me a prescription for vegifem,  no I mean Vagifem ( it is not a vegetable).  What I didn't say is that he gave me the script at my last visit - and that was a year ago! That is when the case of the missing vagina had occurred!   Where oh where has my vagina gone?  I don't think I have one anymore.   My active sex life has become less than active.  Not because I wanted it to but because there was no way in hell that anything was getting into my tunnel of love.  It just closed up, shut down, out of order, whatever you want to call it. End of an era.  Sex, no longer how I knew it.

              

Well my doctor said it does not have to be that way. He said that I should be able to have an active sex life.
But how???............
                                 "VAGIFEM!!!"....he said
I know, I know,  I know all about it,  
             
                        BUT,  I HAD BREAST CANCER.

 I WAS LUCKY....STAGE 0.....INTRA DUCTAL CARCINOMA......A LUMPECTOMY (ONE OF MANY).......SIX WEEKS OF DAILY RADIATION TREATMENTS.......AND FIVE YEARS OF TAMOXIFEN (which put me into an automatic early menopause.)
                      I'm fine (still watching six nodules in both breasts.....they haven't grown in years....yay!!!!)  My oncologist says: "No Vagifem!"  My gynecologist says: "USE THE VAGIFEM!!!!"   What's a girl (or lady) to do??????

                                                                                                                                            
                                                                              

Well you know what my boyfriend says.......Fill that prescription!!!!!!!!
I couldn't bring myself to fill the prescription so guess who went to the drug store and got it for me?

                                                         

You guessed it!

                                                                                                                                       
That was two weeks ago.  The box of Vagifem has moved from in my drawer to on my dresser to my night table......then back to the drawer.......now on the night table again.  The other night I even got as far as opening the box and taking out one of the applicators.  (cute little things).....then quickly put it back in the box.  No, I can't do this!  I just read all the warnings.  Maybe my oncologist is right.  No more quality of life for me.  It's OVER!

Yesterday happened to be the one year anniversary of getting the prescription for The Vagifem.  To celebrate I had my yearly check-up and brought the box with me.  Why????  To show the doctor that I actually purchased the Vagifem but I couldn't bring myself to use it.  He looked at me and said:  10 mcg's are a very small amount.  Use the Vagifem!  It is not going to hurt you.  Breast Cancer patients use this product with great results and do not have problems from it!!!

"USE THE Vagifem!!!!"

                                                                          

                                                  
Okay, ladies, as I type this to you, I keep glancing at the box on my night table.  It's 2 in the morning so I think it is too late to start fiddling with it now.  But tomorrow night seems like a good night to start!
I will keep you posted and let you know if the Vagifem helps solve the case of the missing vagina!!!!!

                                                              

                                                                                                                          
 

Has anyone used Vagifem, Estrace or any other product with estrogen?

Update: Ladies I caved!!!

 I use Estradiol now and it works!!!!!

HRT

Ladies.......there is much controversy over Hormone Replacement Therapy.  I'm not sure how I feel about it.  I know that some of us ladies over fifty have and have had very uncomfortable symptoms from menopause.  I know some women whose symptoms have been unbearable and had no choice but to go on HRT.  As you know I had Stage 0 Breast Cancer eleven years ago.  I took Tamoxifen for five years which put me into an early menopause.  For a few years I had HOT HOT FLASHES!  I was able to get by with a small hand held fan and ice packs.  I still have an occassional hot flash but the worst is over.  I'm glad about that because there was no way that my oncologist was going to prescribe HRT for me! 

Lately I am debating with myself whether or not to use a vaginal estrogen cream.  I am told that it is CPR for the vagina!  Two weeks on the cream and you are as good as new!  Sounded so great to me!  I called my oncologist (who I no longer see - after the five years of being on the Tamoxifen I no longer had to see him.)  I called him even though I don't see him anymore.  He said that it was not a good idea to use an estrogen cream.  I was not happy with that answer.  My gynecologist on the other hand said that I should definitely use the cream.  I did like his answer better but am still hesitating because it is estrogen and it will get absorbed into my bloodstream.  My gynecologist said that there is a lot to be said for quality of life and that it would be only a small amount that would be absorbed.  So the verdict is still out for me.  I'm not sure what to do but am leaning towards using the estrogen cream.  My mom was on HRT.  My mom  passed away from cancer.  I blame HRT for giving my mother cancer.  I could be totally wrong and I don't want to scare people that are using HRT.  I know women that are getting amazing relief from HRT. 

 Now that I think about it, when I was in my twenties I had a problem with my hormones and was prescribed estrogen and provera.  I took both for six months.  Using the estrogen fixed my hormonal imbalance.  It worked great but maybe this treatment caused my intraductal carcinoma.  Maybe it didn't.  I will never know. 

 It is a wonderful thing (I think) that a woman can receive a therapy that can alleviate such uncomfortable symptoms.  Like I said.....even though I had breast cancer I probably will use an estrogen cream one of these days.

What do you think about HRT?

Now this is more like it!