My doctor recently put me on Duavee, a hormone replacement therapy. It seemed to have eased my flares. But I just got a letter from the pharmacy that has me scared to death. I don'tknow what to do.
Is anyone over 60 and on an HRT?
What did the letter say?I am over 60,and have been considering HRT. I used to take identical hormones in my 50's, but stopped. Wish I had continued, maybe it would have prevented LS.
Meant to say bio identical hormones, naturally derived.
Hi Barbara,
I don't know what Duavee is, but I'm over 60 and have been on hormone replacement therapy (bioidentical - compounded in a pharmacy) for at least 10 years. From what I've read, estrogen is helpful in combating LS.
Hi Anna, Is your HRT a combination of hormones, and do you apply yours directly to the vaginal area.?Wondering about irritation from cream. When I used bio identical years ago, I was told to apply to skin on stomach area. Considering trying again.Did your gyn order for you? Thx :-)
It is not bio identical. I don't know how much difference that makes.
Briefly, it is meant as short term only (my script is for a year) but they don't say what short term actually means. Bolded, all caps, if you experience vaginal bleeding go to the ER immediately and stop taking. High risk for uterine cancer.
I understood that also which is why I agreed to take it.
Hi Cynthia, Yes, it is a combination: Estrogen in a cream, and progesterone in a capsule taken orally. When I first started applying the estrogen, the cream burned my vagina so I applied it to other parts of my body. (At the time, I didn't know I had LS.) But now that I'm taking the baking soda baths and using the sodium borate, I find that I can tolerate the estrogen vaginally. It wasn't prescribed by my gyn. I'd gone to a naturepathic doctor because at the time they were the only ones working with bio-identical. But I've moved and my new gyn renews my prescription for me. We had a long talk on my last visit, and the gist of it was that estrogen plus calcium supplements was good for bones. So, it's good for LS and bones.
What I"ve read is that Bio-identical is easier for your body to assimilate. Also, all the studies that reported an increased risk of breast cancer were done on synthetic hormones, not bio-identical.
Thanks Anna, very helpful!
One more thing - is Duavee estrogen only? Taking estrogen by itself can cause uterine cancer. You must also take progesterone to counteract that.
Yes Barbara, I am 74 and have been on HRT for 27 years! I have oestrogen only patches though because I had a hysterectomy many years ago. I believe it is the progesterone that gives a very slight risk of uterine cancer. I have been on it so long now that it's impossible to stop without getting horrendous menopausal symptoms again. I cut my patches in half which seems to work ok. But if you are worried, you could try the oestrogen pessaries or even cream if you could get it, which you can apply direct. It certainly helps with the skin tissue.
And, I may say, makes you feel a little more human again! Good luck with it all.
Annie
I have been taking bioidnetical hormones since my 30's after diagnosis for LS. I do feel it helps and I still take them 20 years later, still get my menses like clock work and occasionally still get flares during ovulation time. I use both estrogen and progesterone both topically
I am post menopausal but have my uterus. So I don't know if that makes a difference
Hi Dianne, When you say topically, do you mean in the vaginal area or on your skin?
I apply the estrogen in a primrose oil base direcly to the vaginal tisues and the progesterone in a cream base to my skin (like an inner thigh)
I use a mild form of HRT. Was supposed to take something like that years ago already, but it drove me bonkers and stopped. Now I have this milder form via my nature path and all is well. Does it make LS go away? Unfortunately not. LS seems to be for always and will always demand care.
I had a similar reaction years ago on premarin which is an estrogen derived from pregnant horse urine. It changed my personality making me angry and mean. As soon as I stopped so did the reaction to it. Weird! I only use topical now and it does seem to keep the ls in check as long as my diet and routine are stable
Indeed, it was Premarin.