vaginal dryness

Ginger48

How are you applying the olive oil?

Cyborg

Ginger48, earlier in the thread they mentioned just massaging it in, but then I was thinking it would benefit me by being inside ...(?).



Does anyone know if Ky is bad for us girls with BC

Cyborg

Does anyone know if KY is bad for us girls with BC

mclark55

Cyborg,

KY is considered to be not so great by most natural therapists because of the ingredients.  You might want to consider using organic coconut, almond or olive oils.  There have been some good recommendations farther up the page.  Wish I could offer something else.  I even tried the KY sensitive jelly but it burned like hell on those fragile tissues.  Not nice!

Angelfalls

Are coconut, almond and olive oils ok for those with ER+ tumours?

Cyborg

I have been using coconut oil and cocoa butter but the l

Ky was so great and lasted longer

mclark55

Angelfalls:  Yes!  But make sure they're organic.

Angelfalls

Thank you, Marnie!

blessed

Blessings20, thank you for posting about also the vaginal bleeding during sex is when it happens to me.  It is embarrassing and I use KY without estrogen, have yet to try the scream scream espicially with the bleeding (bleeding and scream in the same sentance scare the yell outta me lol....).  I am to the point of using the vag a fem no matter the estrogen costs.  Anyone else have relief from the bleeding with any of the above mentioned products?

 I did not realize when I started this thread that so many like me were suffering.......again I thought it was just me and as always you girls have come thru! 

autism_mom

Ladies. Read this thread and HAD to chime in. I went through this about 15 years ago after a run of Lupron for endo. Had to use lidocaine gel for over a year. My gyn finally sent me to a specialist at UCSD that deals with vaginal vestibulitis. Apparently it can be brought on by rapid menopause from ooph or meds. In my case it caused chronic inflammation of the Bartholins glands that sit just inside the hymenal ring. These glands are partly responsible for natural lubrication during intercourse. I had what is called a vestibulectomy to surgically remove these glands and never had painful intercourse again. Please do yourselves a favor and at least look into this. It may not be the problem but if it is you might actually be able to fix it. Good bye lidocaine (and whatever the heck scream cream is...lol)

hwhranch

mY OBGYN had me get something over the counter...I can't remember what it is called but i will go home and look tonight.  It has worked wonders.

SusannahW

Hwhranch, yes, please let us know what your doctor prescribed!

Thanks, susannah

hwhranch

Astroglide Natural...and it is all natural ingredients.  Works wonderfully. You can buy it right off the shelf.

Naturally free from Glycerin, Alcohol, Fragrance, Flavorings Hormons.

Water Bases, Water Soluble, Long lasting, Whisper-light, Hormone and petroleum-Free.

SusannahW

Thanks, will pick some up.

mclark55

Hi there hwhranch - how nice of you to share that with us!  I can't wait to try it!  I checked out their website and was pleasantly surprised that the only ingredient I could object to was phenoxyethanol (I checked it out on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep website and it isn't too bad - here's the link: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704811/PHENOXYETHANOL/ )  Usually there are 4-5 ingredients I refuse to let enter my system, so I was pleasantly surprised.  I've written it down.  Thanks for sharing.

stephN

Hey y'all,

I have the Astroglide Natural and it works great.  I also have tried one called YES.  It's expensive, but it is also all natural and they make a waterbased one that is designed to be used inside and an oil-based one that's designed to be used outside.  

I also talked to my onc about this issue the last time I was there a few weeks ago and she prescribed the estrogen cream.  She said that using it doesn't increase your serum estrogen, only the estrogen in the vaginal tissues.  She's very conservative, so I am going with her on this one, but I know some oncologists don't agree.  You should definitely check with yours.  I'm 43, not quite ready to throw in the towel yet, haha!  Oh, she also said that there's a very good generic daily lubricant that you can find at Walgreens.  I haven't found that yet, but I'm going to look for it.

autism_mom, thanks for the insight.  I'll have to check into that!  It was definitely surgical menopause that threw me into this plight.  It happened so fast!

Thanks for sharing all the info, ladies.  I really appreciate  your candor! 

Blessings2011

I am 100% ER+, and the MO told me to continue with my Premarin cream, a tiny bit inserted vaginally, for the dry, bleeding tissues.

I asked if Replens would do the same thing, and she said no, that it was just a lubricant. It would not help the tissues themselves.

And like stephN says - my MO is very conservative, so I trust her judgement.

Especially NOW, since I took my first Anastrozole last week!!!!!

3jaysmom

ive been reading here a lot. went to the onco, and she said the vagifem was safe, even with high counts of estrogen based cancer. just you have to rotate it, on for a few weeks, skip a week, then again for a few days..

  she also gave me the ok to insert olive oil all the way in.. the old gyn didn't know wether that would cause a problem... off to an onco gyn in two weeks.. she'll have more input im sure...

  the olive oil works well for me. i freeze it in ice cubes trays, and by the time i do it, it melts.. only have to keep repeating if im intimate...use it daily.. hope that might work for someone...3jaysmom

ck55

How many times a week are you using the Vagifem? I just completed my 5 years on Femara and my onc switched me over to Tamoxifen with the thought that I could use the Vagifem and any estrogen that got into my system would be blocked.

She prescribed the Vagifem at 3 times a week. Is this the standard? How quickly did you feel a difference? It would be so nice not to cringe evey time my husband makes a move toward me.

Cyndi

Lou10

There was a teleconference last week organized by Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Someone asked about lubricants and Dr. Susan Hong said to get a silicone-based one rather than a water-based one (I'm assuming because they lubricate better). I got something called Wet Platinum but haven't tried it yet.

3jaysmom

honestly, I haven't started the vagifem yet. going to an onco gyn, and want a 2nd opinion.. but the onco said 3xs for one week, then wait a week or two, and use olice oil everyday. its not just the sex part thay its a problem.. i could start a forest fire just walking, im so dry there!!!!3jays

Lou10

3jaysmom - the "forest fire" is too funny.   (I can't even remember the sex part.)

gratitudeforlife

No one needs to feel embarrassed or shy about vaginal dryness. After all we've all endured and continue to endure, who gives a heck about talking candidly about sex-related matters. I had three rounds of FEC and then three rounds of Taxotere, with Herceptin, and the last three rounds put me into menopause (I was close, being 49). The end result is that I am drier than the Sahara Desert in the vaginal region, and intercourse is very painful. Thanks to those of you who suggested olive oil and coconut oil. I have 1005 natural argan oil in my bathroom, too, so I am going to try out these remedies.

Hipline

My onco gave me Creme de la femme. It's an all natural lubricant created by a doctor. You can buy it on Amazon.

SheChirple

lhinz asked about desire.  Well, I have taken the tact of use it or lose it.  I may not be intensly passionate, or ready to spark an evening, but I find that if I 'go with the flow' I'm not disappointed.

It truly helps that my husband understands and does all he can.  Just before Christmas he drew me a bath, with candles, wine and chocolates.  He came downstairs, took me by the hand, escorted me up to the bath, slowly undressed me and got into the bath with me....three hours later........we slept well that night.

Romance!!!  That is how to spark the desire.

mclark55

SheChirple - You go sister!  Awesome - we all need a husband like yours!

Re the Creme de la Femme - I got all excited about what I thought was going to be a great new product we could use.  Did some research, here's the list of ingredients that are in it - from their website: Creme de la Femme is a blend of extremely pure mineral oil and pharmaceutical-grade petrolatum combined with paraffin and ceresin (cosmetic waxes). So Creme de la Femme is an oil-based vaginal lubricant that remains semi-solid at room temperature. Then the instant it touches warm skin, it melts into silky, sheer moisture. Unlike other vaginal lubricants, Creme de la Femme contains no alcohol, dyes or glycerin. All ingredients used in the formula are FDA monographed and registered.

The mineral oil and petrolatum worry me a little - being products of the petroleum industry they are generally known in natural healing circles to be a problem - petroleum based chemicals exude synthetic estrogen (known as xenoestrogens). These bad estrogens are absorbed thru the skin and accumulate in our organs. They also affect our respiratory system and can play havoc with the hormone balance.  I've got a whole article on my website about xenoestrogens, here's a link:

http://marnieclark.com/protect-yourself-from-xenoestrogens-estrogen-dominance/

I believe I'll stick with the organic coconut and olive oil.

udpt82

I can't say how timely this is and how happy I am that I tripped upon this thread.  I was on Tamoxifen from February 2009 until early February 2012 and had no significant lubrication issues.  I will say the libido was poor though.  Started Armidex February 2012 and have developed lubrication issues.  I don't feel dry during the day but have trouble during intercourse.

Truth be told, I am still uncomfortable having these discussions (even at 53) but am seeing a new female gyn (supposedly with a holistic approach) in April and will discuss it with her.  I will check with my insurance and maybe try to move the appointment up.  

Am I correct, that most people are suggesting that oils or other products be used on a regular basis, even if my trouble is only during intercourse?  Are there any that can improve comfort and libido?

I am kind of at a loss but any info is appreciated.

Thanks

Cure4all

Hello Ladies,

It has been quite a while since I have posted on this board but I am feeling the need to connect with some of you in similar situations.  

Feeling the same on all aspects of what has been discussed.  Since dx, I've been thrown into surgical menopause (2010) so am feelng the vaginal dryness, etc.  I recently went to the GYN (she focusses on women previously dx with breast cancer) and she prescribed Estring for the vagina.  She said that it is to strengthen the vaginal wall as it thins as we age and go through menopause.   As far as lubricants, she mentioned that Replens, or any of the natural ones will work as well as olive oil.  Anyone else use this or heard of Estring?

Kay_G

Someone suggested I use coconut oil. I have just started trying it, and so far so good!

mclark55

HI Cure4all - I hadn't heard of Estring before so I looked it up.  Did you say you had breast cancer?  If that's the case, I doubt I'd be using Estring - have a look at this link to see what is said about it:  http://www.rxlist.com/estring-drug.htm .  Just thought you should know!

Sending hugs,

Marnie