Estriol Vaginal Cream.. Menopause .. anyone tried it for Vaginal Dryness ?

wondering if this is a moderately safer option... low dose... ?

anyone use it etc... or similar .. 

VAGINAL DRYNESS

Lack of estrogen can cause dryness and thinning of the vaginal tissues making intercourse uncomfortable or even painful. The first sign of an effect of reduced estrogen on the vagina is reduced lubrication during sexual activity. HRT can alleviate this but even if you cannot take systemic HRT you may still be able to use estrogen topically to the vagina. This is available in a few forms; creams administered via applicators, waxy pessaries, small tablets inserted with an applicator or a vaginal ring which stays in place for 3 months at a time. For creams, pessaries or vaginal tablets, the initial dose is 1 application nightly for 2 weeks, followed by the maintenance dose of 1 application twice weekly. Low dose vaginal estrogen preparations can be used long term without causing any known systemic effect, and without needing any progestogenic protection of the lining of the womb.

Even if you cannot or do not want to use hormones there are other options. Over the counter bio-adhesive vaginal moisturisers are very effective. A range of products are available, many of which are easier to use than KY jelly, which is water based and more slippery. These moisturizers are also slightly acidic which helps prevent vaginal infections. One other advantage is that they do not need to be used at the time of intercourse. Some women have found a Tea tree oil based product helpful. Several non-hormonal vaginal products can be also be prescribed and include Replens MD, Hyalofemme and Sylk.

Please note: Patients should consult a health professional to decide on the appropriate treatment option to be prescribed.

VAGINAL TREATMENTS

Local estrogen can be used for vaginal and bladder symptoms, when systemic treatment is not desired or appropriate. For some women, vaginal estrogen may be required along with systemic HRT. 

more info continued ...  Estriol ( Ovestin) ( Ovestinon) vaginal Cream internal and external use 0.1% 1mg ....

Estriol Ovulo 0.5mg vaginal ovules x 20 ( Ovestin) 

Estriol – The Power of Weak

Estriol is the third form of estrogen.  It is called weak estrogen by the medical profession because it only has 1/25th the proliferative effect on female tissues.  At the same time it is called weak, its usefulness is summarily dismissed by American doctors as some unknown and unproven substance – a testament to a profession’s lack of comprehension for anything that hasn’t been spoon fed to them by the pharmaceutical industry.

Your ovaries (assuming you still have them) produce 2 mgs of estriol per day, far more than any other form of estrogen.  Estriol levels do not rise and fall with your menstrual cycle19, and their production is not naturally curtailed at the time of menopause. 

Unlike estradiol, higher blood levels of estriol are generally protective against breast cancer.  One large trial20 showed that estriol did not increase the risk for breast cancer, whereas estradiol did.

In women age 85 and older who have no heart disease, higher circulating levels of estriol21 are present and associated with healthy blood flow and good circulation.  An animal study confirms that estriol increases the friendly form of nitric oxide22, an important relaxation factor for healthy circulation that helped prevent the formation of atherosclerosis in this study.

A study of women over 80 taking 2 mg of estriol per day found that it increased their bone density23.

Estradiol drugs are known to increase total cholesterol.  A 2-year study of women entering menopause24 found that estriol prevented the estradiol-induced rise in cholesterol.  Whereas triglyceride levels also increased in the estradiol drug group, estriol again prevented this result – even lowering triglycerides.  Since an elevation in triglycerides is a key sign of insulin resistance, leptin resistance, cancer risk, and heart disease – one can only say that a natural substance that directly guards against this (estriol) is a powerful health-promoting compound.

Estriol is sometimes referred to as the pregnancy estrogen, as its production rises from 2 mgs per day to 8 mgs per day during pregnancy.  It is believed that this elevation in estriol is highly protective to the evolving fetus, especially to the fetus’s nervous system25.  It is also believed that the rise in estriol helps stabilize the mother’s immune response26 to the fetus, dampening the possibility of the mother’s own immune system trying to reject the fetus as foreign.  It has been shown that a lack of estriol is associated with low birth weight babies27.  Low estriol is also a factor associated with postpartum depression28.

Unlike the obvious issue of excess estradiol being linked to serious autoimmune problems, estriol is linked to immune stability.

Indeed, the observation of the regression of autoimmune multiple sclerosis during pregnancy has led to some fascinating studies.  Non-pregnant women with MS29 have been given 8 mgs of estriol per day (the pregnancy level) and their MS has gone into regression.  When the estriol is stopped it comes back, and when it is started again it goes away (including the removal of brain lesions).  Phase II clinical trials30 are currently under way.  One of the fascinating aspects of these initial studies showed that estriol could powerfully modulate TNFa31, a significant inflammatory signal that is overactive in many autoimmune problems.  A separate cell study shows that estriol3216 is far better than estradiol at protecting brain cells from toxic exposure.

Estriol has proven effective as a treatment for vaginal dryness and atrophy33, as well as urinary tract infections.  It has been shown to help relieve hot flashes34, acting as a natural hormone balancer.  It helps many women with mood.  If you try some, make sure you can tell it is doing something useful.

The body of evidence shows that estriol is safe and effective, a form of estrogen that is produced throughout one’s life.  It acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and is particularly effective at protecting the female system and nervous system.

As with any bioidentical hormone replacement, women should always ensure they are working on an overall health improvement program and it is moving in the right direction.  Never rely on any one hormone as a “magic bullet.”  And always keep it to a level that is within what your body would naturally produce.

Estriol is readily available in OTC creams and through a compounding pharmacist. 

  

I decided am going to give this a try .. the Estriol vaginal cream or vaginal ovules... 

( ovestin) ovestinon) also in tablet form, but its the vaginal cream I am interested in.. 

particularly for hot flushes, severe vaginal dryness, heart health and bone protection.....   think this is the right one for me.... least risk for me... 

more info..

Estriol

Let's start at the beginning: Three forms of estrogen occur naturally in a woman's body.  1. The ovary produces a form named estradiol, which is converted into another important estrogen called estrone.

 2. Estriol is yet another form of estrogen metabolized from estradiol, weaker than the other two, but still active. Although estriol is most commonly linked to pregnancy since it is produced in the most measurable amounts at that time, it is still present throughout a woman's lifetime at varying levels and fluctuate throughout the day.

Because estriol has been considered a by-product of another from of estrogen and thus too weak to matter, it has been largely overlooked as a beneficial piece of the hormone pie. However, studies suggest that it can help reduce a variety of symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause, including:

Hot flashes

Vaginal dryness

Bone density

In addition, research points to the benefits of estriol for heart health, post-menopausal urinary tract health and protection against osteoporosis.

Estriol's strength is actually found in its weakness. Tests show that while relieving the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, estriol *** doesn't seem to increase the risk of breast cancer. This is because estriol binds to the estrogen receptors on the breast cells, but it has much weaker activity. Therefore, it actually blocks the stronger estradiol from binding to those cells and subjecting them to the higher estrogenic activity which has been shown to be protective against breast cancer. And for women who have difficulty tolerating stronger estrogens for the treatment of hormonal imbalance due to aging, estriol is often the right choice.

Jay xx 

More info... From another web source .

may help some ladies..

Estriol vaginal the kinder choice.. ovestin - gynest etc 

To understand menopause, it’s imperative to know more about your hormones, estrogen and progesterone. When a woman hits her 30s, blood levels of estrogen and progesterone gradually decline as nature intended because the childbearing years are over.

In the ’60s, more than half of the 30 million postmenopausal women in this country were prescribed esterified estrogens (usually from a horse) as the antidote to aging. However, about that same time, studies began showing that these women were five times more likely to develop uterine cancer and an increased prevalence of breast cancer than the women who did not take this estrogen replacement therapy.

There are three types of estrogens in a woman’s body that work like a symphony to safely produce the desired effects. The three types of estrogen are estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3). 

However, estrone and estradiol have now been shown to be *'carcinogenic when given by themselves unopposed with progesterone, while estriol has been found to be * anti-carcinogenic and therefore protects the body from the harmful effects of the other two.

Because natural products in this country cannot be patented, all of the current estrogen drugs used in this country are combinations of synthetic copies of estrone and estradiol.

Estriol is considered the “forgotten” estrogen. It has been labeled historically in the U.S. as a weak or ineffective estrogen. 

However, in Europe, estriol has been recognized for its benefits and has been used for years. I like to call estriol the anti-estrogen, and the need to use a safer form of estrogen seems crucial at this time. One of the most exciting things about estriol is the fact that it exhibits considerable evidence showing that it protects against breast cancer and even shows promise in reducing the brain lesions of multiple sclerosis. Fear of cancer prevents many women from restoring youthful hormone levels. We have also found when large quantities of estrone and estradiol need to be removed from the blood stream, probiotics, vitamin B6, fiber, fish oil, and calcium-D-glucarate (you find this in apples and oranges), will also help the elimination process. The pith of tangerines and oranges is especially good for this. When estriol is applied through the topical (transdermal) route; estriol is not associated with increased cancer risk because estriol has a much lower affinity for binding to blood protein as compared to estradiol; therefore, a greater percent is available for biological activity. Other methods women can use to prevent hormone-related cancers include consuming abundant vitamin D, cruciferous vegetables, soy, D-glucarate, and lignans, while minimizing meat and high-fat dairy intake.

 

Hi there JJ

I use 1mg Esriol it is safe and cancer protective although the weakest form but good for one other little thing smile wrinkles yes wrinkles the transdermal cream i get i use .5 vaginally and the other .5 on my wrinkle and leftover i dot a little on my neck under the chin too biggrin)) comes from a good source do not tell ur doc u want it for that though lo smile.I also take estrogel (estradiol) 1pump (1mg) and progesterone 60 mg split up 30 daytime 30 night and 200mg at bedtime prometrium orally and 1mg testosterone. My levels are still low so i just started on pregnelone 2mg a day 1mg am and 1 mg pm all bioidentical compounded except for the prometrium and i get it free from my gyne. i am hoping the preg will help support my adrenals to start making my back up hormones mostly progesterone as it is very low, only on a few days so cannot tell any difference as yet and need my labs done to see any changes to my levels  so will be back with that when i can prolly another few weeks.P.S. I also supplement with seriphos for adrenal support from a MD/ holistic Dr. Anyway CHEERS and CHEERIO for now be back soon!      

Hi Kathy

thanks for all your info..

i use mine very gingerly... as i have just reached full meno after a 9-10 year natural meno... so full HRT i dont want.. just abit of help with the vag dryness... 😀 minimal as poss.. 

take care, thank you for your reply ... best wishes.. Jay xx

Hi so glade found this site to cut long story short was useing replens for a year then started burning me got thrush infection the pessary git lodge doc had to get it out I was so dry put me on estriol cream 0.01% it was worrying me as I havnt been takin anything for meno its stressing me out 😞

I have just had a tube of Estriol Cream with Applicator off my GP, i have been suffering with repeated water infections for over a year, symptoms are,pain,severe itch on vagina & Anus which left my underneath like a volcano on times, dryness & night & day urgency to use toiletI, i have become incontinent where I am now house bound & isolated from things I once loved, I have had many different treatments but it always returns.i once sat on an ice pack for relief,Yesterday after reading on patient UK on menopaus I have (hopefully)found why iv been going through such a horrendous year or more, it's after the menopause 10 yrs ago and lack of ostreg, Atrophic Vaginitis or similar,at least I am now going in the right direction.Thank You Patient UKxxx

Hi there I've just been reading your post, I'm in the same position as yourself. I've had no period now for two year and in my ignorance thought I was through my menopause. But for the last few months I've just been going down hill with all kinds of things, aches and pains were awful my legs felt like they were made of lead, hot flushes had returned and the vag dryness, I was afraid I was going to cause a bush fire it was that dry. I gave in a week ago and went back to see my doctor, she's been with me all the way through this and even advised me to not take HRT because I was doing ok without it. Well, I was but like I said before I thought I was through the it. She had a look and agreed the skin down there was very thin and dry so gave me estriol cream. She also took blood in case the aches and pain were something unrelated. She phoned Monday morning to say my blood results were find and I was ideal candidate for a combined continuous HRT it would help with my aches and pains and also my dryness down below. 

If you don't mind me asking did you get on ok with the cream?

I'm hoping I'm going to be a new woman soon and so is my very patient husband, I love him to bits.

 

I have suffered from repeated urinry track infections over the last few years and it was not until reading this forum I realised they could be connected to the vaginal dryness.  I was prescribed this cream after refusing a smear test because it was so extremely painful.

Didnt really want to use this because I went through the menopause  15 years ago with hardly any problems and didn't want to put unnecessary drugs into my system.

i finally relented after reading internet reviews and boy am I glad I did.  Practically overnight I felt great.  My aches and pains cleared and my previously dead sex drive returned.  Hurrah....   Will be seeing my G.P.  To find long term usage results.  So far so good.  Booking smear test soon. Don't know if the sex drive thing is normal or just me.

Hi

Are you in UK by any chance?

I went through menopause 17 years ago but three years ago hot flushes returned. Nit sure whether to try estriol or progesterone

Do you know what your levels were like??

Many thanks

Hi Glenygleny,

The sex drive thing returning must be normal.

I started on vagifem (estrinol), low dose (vaginally tablet) , about 2 months ago .

Vag is more like it should be and not been like that for years and as you say sex drive much higher than its been for years.

Phyl ☺

Hi rosemary,

Been on estrinol for 2 months now and while this has helped with Vag dryness and thickens up the thinning walls, my hot flushes are just as bad as ever!

However I don't take anything else periods ended 5 years ago, had hot flushing for last 3 years. Hoping it will all end soon.

Phyl ☺

Love your description 'bush fire' 😅😅😅.

But on a serious note I hope you get something sorted.

I have been on estriol (vagifem tablets for insertion) for 2 months and is very effective at sorting vaginally dryness and helps to thicken up the thinning walls.

Phyl ☺

Does anyone have info about use of Estriol instead of conventional HRT... I have no menopausal symptoms at present except no periods... consultant keen for me to take HRT but I am nervous about that. My main concern for the future is osteoporosis. Any thoughts/ info welcome...

Hi. Wondering if you have info about use of Estriol instead of conventional HRT... I have no menopausal symptoms at present except no periods... consultant keen for me to take HRT but I am nervous about that. My main concern for the future is osteoporosis. Any thoughts/ info welcome...

Hi SStoo,

I am using Vagifem a topical for of Estriol ; you can get it in cream or tablet for and comes with applicator for insertion.

It is only a very small amount and targeted to the specific area you want therfore very low risk. You only use it for 3 months at a time then come off it for 1 month.

I have now been using it for almost three months as I have very thin internal walls and have had various pelvic floor repairs leaving me with very dry scar tissue. It has helped to thicken the internal walls and helps moisturise them.

My hubby reckons I have a more youthful glow ( not sure if it is a result of the hormone ); he claims skin is softer, hair glowing. Don't see how as being on such a low dose and targeted to pelvic floor means very little is absorbed into blood stream.

Think I only look so good due to warmer weather and some vitamin D for a change. Also having had pelvic repair not in so much pain, and getting out and about a little.

Hope this helps.

Phyl x☺💖

Hi I just found this page, my specialist at the the hospital suggested I use Estriol cream as for the past 9 months I have had constant Urinary Tract Infections, she said this is quite common in women who have gone through the Menopause, the thing is that I have always steared away from HRT of any form and now wonder if this will interfere with my hormone balance.  You see for the first time in about 30 years I am actually feeling what I would describe as normal, I don't want to upset the apple cart so to speak.  Any advice would be welcome as I now have another U.T.I., & it's driving me nuts.  Thank you for reading and responding.

Hi Tricia,

Know exactly how you feel, I was the same ; never used any hormones like estrogen or progesterone before and felt I too was feeling like I had foundyself for it time in years.

Anyhow Estriol was suggested to me for vaginally dryness and to aid pelvic repair surgery.

Estriol in topical form (cream or tablet for internal insertion ) is only given in very small dose straight to the targeted area and therfore very little hormone is absorbed into the blood stream and therfore a very low risk of any negative effects.

I have been on it for almost 3 months and if anything my husband reckons that it has had positive effects.

Hope this helps ,

Phyl x💖

Hi Phyl,

Thanks for the information, I will certainly give it go since it's not going straight into my bloodstream, I really just want to get rid of these silly U.T.I.'s  it's so annoying.

Thank you,

Tricia xx smile