Vaginal moisturizers

lppardue · November 2010

I am not computer-savvy and this is the first time I've posted on a forum. Forgive me if I do this wrong. I am in need of an estrogen-free vaginal moisturizer. I've tried KY's "LiquiBeads", which I loved, but appears to have been discontinued. I've also tried "Replens" but that causes burning. Does anyone know what else I can try? I'm desperate. Thanks!

dlb823 · November 2010

lppardue, I use emu oil -- available in health food stores. Deanna

lppardue · November 2010

How is it applied? Do you use it daily? Thanks for the idea.

susand · November 2010

Hey there, KY liquidbeads are still available. I purchased them at CVS a couple of days ago. I also use Vitamin E suppositories. The one's I use are called "Carlson's Key E vitamin E suppositories". You can purchase them on amazon. If you dont want to get the suppositories my Doctor said you can also just buy regular vitamin e and insert it vaginaly.,Just make sure to prick it with a pin first so it can disolve.

kayakgirl · December 2010

I tried everything and my vaginal area felt like a burning, dry, cracked Sahara Desert, the most successful over the counter product brought at a farmer's market was Shea Butter (Shea is a nut),The best place to buy it in a store is at a store like Whole Foods or a health food store. Make sure you read the labels just buy Shea Butter without any additives or preservatives. I seen it in stores sold as a moisturizer but with alcohol and/or parabans which you need to avoid. Now I am using a compounding prescription called Traumeel. There is a compounding pharmacy "The Philadelphia Professional Compounding Pharmacy" that if they get a prescription maybe can mail it to you. Their phone number is 215-464-4370. Traumeel is put in a fatty acid base and I was told to use it sparingly around my vulva and between my vaginal and anus. I just wished a started it 1 year ago, it works well.

katsOK · December 2010

I also have the burning with Replens when I use it the "every third day" as suggested; however I found it I used it everyday I did not have the burning. I think in my case it was the applicator scraping the dry skin going in on the three day apart schedule that caused the burning of the irratated skin inside me. My doctor suggested K Y jelly but I did not find it with an applicator, so I will need to keep the Replen's applicator to use. The store I go to buy it does not carry the KY either so need to find a place that carries it.

jacee · December 2010

I use Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil. Not every day, just for intercourse. It was a game-changer for us. Sex had become a non event. I found out about it on one of the threads here.

lppardue · December 2010

Well, that's a fascinating option, although I'm not sure I can use it. I'm allergic to coconut. But I'll ask my doctor.

lppardue · December 2010

Gosh, I'm glad I'm not the only one with the burning. I got another UTI a couple of weeks ago and needed two full courses of antibiotics to get rid of it. Seems like I get a UTI every time I have intercourse. Whaa. Anyway, while at the gyn, she suggested vaginal estrogen which nearly gave me heart failure because of my BC history. But I checked with my oncologist and he said it was okay. Next to no estrogen is absorbed into the body apparently. So I may go that route. Haven't decided yet. The RX is ready for pickup but somehow I can't bring myself to touch anything with estrogen in it.

karen1956 · December 2010

my gyn Rx e-string with my onc's approval...it sure has helped with the vaginal atrophy and dryness...no longer the Saharra desert..still need other lubricants though....tried lots, and I think its the KY thats the best

ruthbru · December 2010

Has anyone tried 'Slippery Stuff"? I have some samples & it seems good. Glycerin-free, water based, not sticky. You can check it out at www.wallace-ofarrell.com

kira1234 · December 2010

I will have to give that a try ruthbru. I just wonder how much drier I can get. Just how long does it take to feel all of the SE of the Femara? It seems daily I am getting drier as well as lots of joint pain.

jacee · December 2010

kira=Gosh, seems like my se's of femara hit right away. The joint pain is the worst. I had to go to half a tablet daily it was so bad. Just went off for 2 weeks while I had DIEP surgery. The joint pain all went away. Within 24 hrs of starting back the pain returned. I know I have to take it, and probably need a whole pill, but just can't do it. So frustrating. The good news is it's not this bad for everyone. Hopefully yours will subside.

I had an ooph so my dryness started a year before I started femara. I don't know which caused the dryness.

Joni

kira1234 · December 2010

Joni, I agree the joint pain is the worst. So far I am taking the full dose, and hope to continue with it. Because of my age I had gone through menapause, but must say the dryness has gotten much worse with the Femara. I would guess a oohp basically takes you to very little estrogen anyway.

Anjanita · December 2010

I'll mention that I had been using vaginal estrogen for about a year but after my DX the Oncologist and the Gynocologist both told me that it was no longer an option. Since we all respond in different ways and need different things perhaps this isn't an issue in your case.

Enjoyful · December 2010

Someone on the BCO message boards recommended Crisco, of all things. I'm not brave enough to try it!

lppardue · December 2010

Well, I guess I have to draw the line at Crisco! But if it works for that person, more power to them!

Enjoyful · December 2010

I'd keep thinking about fried chicken instead of the matters at hand. :-)

lppardue · December 2010

Amen to that!

kira1234 · December 2010

I agree the idea of crisco doesn't appeal. Love the thought of fried chicken.

ruthbru · December 2010

I just checked and you can also get 'Slippery Stuff' on Amazon. Geez, I've gone from ordering books to this!!!! Embarassed

koshka1 · December 2010

Hi,

Coconut Oil is the best! lol....I couldn't fathom using Crisco either!

Kosh

Fearless_One · January 2011

Jacee, I heard coconut oil is good for that, too - but I personally haven't tried it yet. I should buy some.

Medigal · January 2011

Enjoyful: You were told to use Fried Chicken for Vaginal Atrophy?? It reminds me of the time when I first got a UT and the gyn told me to use Yougart. I went and got some and put it all inside me. I was a mess and when I returned to the gyn he "then" informed me that I was supposed to EAT IT! i asked him as he looked at me with his "Why me God!" if I had to eat the plain or could it be the fruit type. He told me to get whatever I wanted as long as I kept it "out" of my vagina! Stupid doctors! Like every woman knows she is supposed to eat it! Well now I do but I like your fried chicken better. Just want to make sure "what" you do with it. One never knows these days! Thanks!

ruthbru · January 2011

kira1234 · January 2011

Medigal that's so funny. Laughing

Medigal · January 2011

Kira: What was funny was the look on my gyn's face when he realized I had panties full of yougart!

My DP kept telling me he didn't think I was supposed to use it like that but of course my reply to him was "So, like YOU know about these things!" Everytime we go to buy yougart (for regular eating) I still have to get his reminders. It's just one of those things that happens to every woman I am sure but to me, it seems, "more"!

ruthbru · January 2011

I will never be able to eat a carton of yogart again without laughing!

Medigal · January 2011

Hey! What about me? I keep thinking E has a fried chicken in hers! Read her post above. I "used" to love Fried Chicken!

jacee · January 2011

medigal- Actually, my gyn told me I could insert PLAIN yogurt vaginally, or pat in on the outside if needed for yeast infections.

otter · January 2011

We talk about this stuff on the Arimidex threads of the Hormone Therapy forum pretty often. Not the yogurt method. That's a new one!

1) I have burning every time I use any of those liquid lubricants/moisturizers (Liquibeads, AstroGlide, Replens). I don't bother with them anymore. If you do try them, keep the plastic applicators. They'll be useful for Step #3 (below).

2) My med onco recommended Estrace cream both times this issue came up, at visits 2-1/2 years apart. I finally listened to her and filled the prescription. The way she said to use it is very different from the instructions on the package insert. Put a very small amount (think "pencil eraser") on your finger and apply it on the outside only. Do this once or twice a week, for 2 months, to see if it makes any difference. Once the tissues are softer and more elastic (her words), things will work better and you can probably decrease or eliminate the Estrace. She assured me that such a tiny amount of estradiol cream applied as she suggested would not be absorbed systemically. She knows I read about this stuff in medical journals and she cannot lie to me or fool me. I believe and trust her.

3) Despite #2, I still need some artificial slipperiness. (This has been true for the past, oh, 15 or 20 years; I've only been menopausal for 7 of those years. No, now it's 8 years.) After trying all the liquids, I've gone back to good ol' K-Y jelly. But I put some of it (much of it?) on the inside. I squeeze some into one of those plastic applicators I saved after trying and failing with strategy #1 and, voila!

Well, maybe not quite "voila" -- but, things have improved since I started using the Estrace cream in November; and the larger amount of strategically placed K-Y makes a big difference.

YMMV, of course. I hate coconut, so I don't know if I could do the coconut oil thing. I know I couldn't convince myself to use Crisco.

otter

Vaginal moisturizers

Comments

Categories