VV Vanishes!

[sami4]

I started experimenting with hormone pellets in February, had a hysto in March. When I went in for the pellets, I was on 1 mg Estrace, had red, irritated VV which wouldnt clear up totally. I was also hyper sensitive to wearing jeans, or anything seemed to start at least a mild flare. I also used Vagifem twice a week. My blood hormone level was around 100.
One week after the hormone pellets the VV vanished like magic. I totally forgot I ever had it. As the months wore on (pellets usually last about 4 months, then you relplace them), my VV started as an irritation, just a redness and sorness that was mild but not comfortable. My blood level had fallen to 80. I told the doctor I was having symptoms and she put a new set of pellets (estrogen and testosterone), and sure enough after a week, the VV vanished again.
I have to conclude that for me VV flares, symptoms are tied to estrogen levels. Bear in mind the levels I keep on pellets are two or three times what the usual menopausal woman would have on 1 mg Estrace or .625 Premarin. My blood levels start at 400-500 the first month, and decline about 100 per month. Apparently, something about these much higher levels straightens things out for me. When I am on pellets tests show I dont even need vaginal estrogen as you have a lot of moisture and your VV ecosystem works very well.
Just thought I would post this in case someone else who is menopausal is having problems with VV and taking what is considered a good dose of estrogen but still having symptoms. You might just experiment with something a little higher and see if it hurts you or helps you?
Sammi

[Debe2]

*** Hi Sammi! So glad to hear you are doing so well! I think you are correct about the high levels of estrogen being key in helping vv symptoms. Unfortunately if you have a uterus and are on HRT I don't think you can keep your estrogen that high--I don't think a Dr would allow it. As you know--I'm on prempro. My recent labs showed my FSH at 37.2 and my LH at 24.1 ( on prempro for 7 mos ). I asked for my estridiol to be checked, but apparently my gyna did not order the test! But from what Dr Vliet says--if your FSH is not 35 or less on HRT you prob. don't have an estridiol of 100 or more. Tom. I will begin my new HRT= 0.5 mg Estrace ( brand name only per Dr Vliet ) twice a day and prometrium 100 mg per night. In 3 mos I will follow up with my DR and make SURE my estridiol is checked. Hopefully it will go up enough to help my vv symptoms. Otherwise I can add another 0.5mg estrace. I have read that using 2mg estrace can be risky -- so I don't think I can go so high. But for anyone with a hyster. going high on estrogen is prob a good thing. Hope things stay well for you!
Hugs-Debe2
:woohoo:

[Tip and IBS]

Hi Sami,i have the male form of VV and PFD as well.

What is the impact of VV vanishing on PFD?Does it go away and restore normal bowel evacuation?


What would be your advice for a male?

Thanks
Tip

[sami4]

Tip

PFD and VV often are related. It makes sense that if the nerves are irritated they will cause inflammation in both areas.
I have a few ideas you might think about? Try to buy the book," A Headache in the Pelvis." This book deals mostly with male pelvic problems and pain and you would find it very interesting.
As for evacuation problems, one of the things you can do is make sure your bowel bacteria is optimal. You can do this by a combination of taking a glass of Kefir (found in dairy case, like a liquid yogurt but full of several types of bacteria) and mixing more probiotics plus Inulin into it. Drink it twice a day and in about three days you will notice a big difference in your evacuation. It also helps to eat a high fiber cereal such as Kashi Go Lean with 14 grams of fiber. The Kefir comes in lots of flavors and is really good, so is the Go Lean.
Bowels can get off from taking medications, and using antibiotics and from just plain stress and nerves. Try this and see if it dont help?
PFD can be helped a great deal with physical therapy and learning how to release the spasms when you get them.
Hope this helps,
Sammi

[sami4]

Debe

Have you thought about using a vaginal estradiol in addition to the oral such as Vagifem? A HRT dose of 0.1 mg estradiol is equivalent to .625 Premarin, a dose of 0.2 is equivalent to 1.25 Premarin which is a pretty standard dose of Premarin. These amounts are very tiny in comparison to what is in a BC pill for example.
If HRT is going to be "dangerous" for you it will be just as dangerous on a tiny level as an optimal level. Most of the studies I have read have shown that estradiol does not cause cancer, but if you have a hormone dependent cancer it can cause it to grow. If thats the case it would grow on any dose.
Studies also show that women who get BC while taking hormones generally have a less envasive type and have a better prognosis. The cancer risk is for hormone use is the same as for a late menopause.
The last big hoopla news on hormones and cancer was a study I just finished looking up to read for myself. That study was done by a statistician who compared all the RX for hormone replacement for a few years and correlated them with the number of BC cases and concluded that the drop in BC rates was due to the lesser number of RX written. This did not look at the types of BC, or the types of RX, just numbers. I would hardly say that constitutes an intelligent analysis of why BC numbers dropped since BC has many types and precipitating events other than hormone use. From what I read the most common correlations are genetics, and smoking.
Sammi

[Tip and IBS]

Thanks i already have A Headache in the Pelvis."

[Angeles]

Would topical hormones help somone with V V in her mid 30's (35) ?

[sami4]

Smr

My vulvar specialist and also my uro, recommend topical external estradiol cream for ALL their patients regardless of age. External application of cream has virtually no absorbtion other than in the immediate cellular area.
The VV specialist also recommends: A & D Ointment, elavil topical cream, lidocaine topical cream and internal vaginal estradiol when needed.
Also depending on your system at your age you could be already having hormone fluctuations that could aggravate your VV, and a topical E may be helpful. Check with your Doc and see what he/she says?
Sammi

[Tip and IBS]

Sami.

Regarding the creams,i'm curious to find one person that it work out because cream creat even more moisture that you already want to get rid of.

HOWEVER,i'm curious about the elavil topical cream.
May this calm nerves ending just under the skin?

[sami4]

Elavil

Yes Tip, Elavil is great for calming down nerve pain, either oral or topical.
I love the creams, they are soothing to me, not irritating.
Sammi

[Angeles]

Sami,
Thanks for the clarification, you are always so helpful and knowledgeable. I'll ask my doctor about Estrogen cream. I was hesitant since in the Vulvodynia Survival Guide it is mentioned "estrogen cream is not recommened when you have a yeast infection". Since yeast is a major issue for me, I never asked my doctor and he never mentioned either.

I've been using EMLA cream since yesterday and I'm supposed to use it for 7 days. It burns badly at the beginning but after a few minutes the burning is gone and it kinds of numbs the area. The beauty of it is that I only paid $5 copay for it. Alls these treatemnts and meds are so expensive.