Early menopause from radiation

pem

I'm sure a lot of women on this board has started menopause due to the radiation. I am one of them. My issue and concern is about vaginal dryness. I also have what's called ectropion, which is the shrinking of the vulva and area due to dryness. dr said it can get worse if dont do anything about it soon. My gynaecologist told me about hormone therapy , which I hear can cause all sorts of problems.  I asked him if there's anything I can do thats not a chemical or medication. he then suggested 'replens'. I did pick some up but looked at the ingredients and hate the fact that it has a paraben as an ingredient, which also is a bad chemical. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how to do this with some kind of natural or chemical free way?  Like coconut oil  or sweet almond oil.  All advice or input is much appreciated !  God bless you all.     pem

 

 

 

mp327

Olive oil

Olive oil is recommended on some websites.  My doctor prescribed Vagifem vaginal tablets to help with vaginal dryness and atrophy. 

jcruz

pem

I was well past menopause when I had my treatment in fall 2012.  I have used estrace cream for probably 6-8 years and it does help with the vaginal dryness.  My gyno also sugggested that I rub a little of it around the vaginal opening.  I don't know about the vulvar area being dry but coconut oil and olive oil seem like reasonable things to use.  I kept using aquaphor for months after my treatment.  So that's another possibility for external dryness

TraceyUSA

Pem

My GYN wanted to put me on hormome therapy as well.  I filled the script and read all the side effects and decided against it.  To me the cardio & cancers risks do not out weigh the benefits.  I am insterested to see the recommendations others have for this issue.  I beleive I've read on this site that someone uses Vitamin E suppositories for this dryness.

pem

TraceyUSA said:

Pem

My GYN wanted to put me on hormome therapy as well.  I filled the script and read all the side effects and decided against it.  To me the cardio & cancers risks do not out weigh the benefits.  I am insterested to see the recommendations others have for this issue.  I beleive I've read on this site that someone uses Vitamin E suppositories for this dryness.

Thanks ladies!

Yeah my gyno also asked if I wanted to do hormone therapy and I to did the research I thought "no way". Too many side effects that sound scary!  I did however start rubbing pure vitamin E oil around the vulva area as well as the  anal area.  I'm hoping it will help with the itching also.  I have to pick up some vitamin E oil capsules to use as suppositories in vagina.  So I will try this for a while and see how it goes. So traceyUSA are you doing anything for this if not doing the hormone therapy?  Thanks for all the great advice ladies !  God bless.    Pem

AZedj

pem said:

Thanks ladies!

Yeah my gyno also asked if I wanted to do hormone therapy and I to did the research I thought "no way". Too many side effects that sound scary!  I did however start rubbing pure vitamin E oil around the vulva area as well as the  anal area.  I'm hoping it will help with the itching also.  I have to pick up some vitamin E oil capsules to use as suppositories in vagina.  So I will try this for a while and see how it goes. So traceyUSA are you doing anything for this if not doing the hormone therapy?  Thanks for all the great advice ladies !  God bless.    Pem

I was post menopausal when I

I was post menopausal when I went through tx but I ended up with terribable dryness. My dryness was so bad that I had pain even sitting down. I opted for premarin very low dose twice weekly and am a new woman after several months. I understand that there are side effects with every medication we use but sometimes we have to weigh them out carefully. I could;t stand the pain from the dryness and since I use the premarin at the very lowest dose I haven had any obvious side effest.

Helen321

My doctor gave me vaginal

My doctor gave me vaginal estrogen which has been absolutely phenomenol. Vagifem. It's local estrogen. I just had to get checked for Lynch syndrome first.  Every medication these days lists so many side effects. I feel so much better physically and mentally since taking it so it's worth it to me. I even enjoy sex again.

mp327

Helen321 said:

My doctor gave me vaginal

My doctor gave me vaginal estrogen which has been absolutely phenomenol. Vagifem. It's local estrogen. I just had to get checked for Lynch syndrome first.  Every medication these days lists so many side effects. I feel so much better physically and mentally since taking it so it's worth it to me. I even enjoy sex again.

Vagifem

I also use this, plus a dilator.  However, I still have issues with vaginal atrophy and dryness, but it helps some.

TraceyUSA

pem said:

Thanks ladies!

Yeah my gyno also asked if I wanted to do hormone therapy and I to did the research I thought "no way". Too many side effects that sound scary!  I did however start rubbing pure vitamin E oil around the vulva area as well as the  anal area.  I'm hoping it will help with the itching also.  I have to pick up some vitamin E oil capsules to use as suppositories in vagina.  So I will try this for a while and see how it goes. So traceyUSA are you doing anything for this if not doing the hormone therapy?  Thanks for all the great advice ladies !  God bless.    Pem

Just using the vitamin E oil

Just using the vitamin E oil externally for now.

gabby_ca

mp327 said:

Vagifem

I also use this, plus a dilator.  However, I still have issues with vaginal atrophy and dryness, but it helps some.

I am so anti hormone but

I am so anti hormone but that's my own opinion.  I am purely a coconut oil girl.  I use it almost daily and it sure helps.  It sure smells good as well. I had IMRT radiation and have very few issues so far 8 years out.

pem

gabby_ca said:

I am so anti hormone but

I am so anti hormone but that's my own opinion.  I am purely a coconut oil girl.  I use it almost daily and it sure helps.  It sure smells good as well. I had IMRT radiation and have very few issues so far 8 years out.

Thanks again ladies!

Gabby_ca how are you using the coconut oil?  I also bought some of that stuff cause I read some articles on line that it does wonders .  I even made a whipped cream and apply it to my whole body after every shower. I also made some bullit shaped supositories by putting some of the oil in a piece of seran wrap and form it  into the bullit and place in fridge to get hard. I insert into my vagina at night .  It slowly melts and some does come out , but it just seems to stay in the vulva area which works out perfect. I did however notice that one of my butt cheeks looked really red close to the crack and i had the chills for a day so I got scared wondering if it was a side effect from the cream. My vagina area looked good and wasn't red though. I seem to jump around with ideas on what to use and not sure if I see results.  Need to stop that. god bless you all!  Pem

gabby_ca

pem said:

Thanks again ladies!

Gabby_ca how are you using the coconut oil?  I also bought some of that stuff cause I read some articles on line that it does wonders .  I even made a whipped cream and apply it to my whole body after every shower. I also made some bullit shaped supositories by putting some of the oil in a piece of seran wrap and form it  into the bullit and place in fridge to get hard. I insert into my vagina at night .  It slowly melts and some does come out , but it just seems to stay in the vulva area which works out perfect. I did however notice that one of my butt cheeks looked really red close to the crack and i had the chills for a day so I got scared wondering if it was a side effect from the cream. My vagina area looked good and wasn't red though. I seem to jump around with ideas on what to use and not sure if I see results.  Need to stop that. god bless you all!  Pem

I use organic, unrefined

I use organic, unrefined coconut oil.  I use it on my whole body after showers as well as inserting it vaginally with little balls before bed.  I've noticed a huge difference with it as well.

pem

gabby_ca said:

I use organic, unrefined

I use organic, unrefined coconut oil.  I use it on my whole body after showers as well as inserting it vaginally with little balls before bed.  I've noticed a huge difference with it as well.

Gabby_ca

Thanks for responding. Do u also apply the oil on your vulva and anal area?  Thanks again!  Pem