Intrarosa for Vaginal Atrophy

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mjaney97
mjaney97 Member Posts: 5
edited December 2018 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Has anyone been prescribed Intrarosa (DHEA) for Vaginal Atrophy years later after BC?? After my lumpectomy and radiation in 2011 and letrozole for 5 years, my vaginal walls are paper thin and intercourse is extremely painful. My oncologist is "OK" with taking this med (prasterone) , a man made form of a hormone. This DHEA converts inside the body into active sex hormones including estrogen and testosterone. FDA approved in late 2016, it said on the internet that this drug is contraindicated in women with a history of breast cancer and has not been studied in women with a history of breast cancer. Am having vaginal bleeding and the feeling that I am going to start my period!!! Bleeding stopped but I am wondering if anyone else has taken this drug with the blessing of their oncologist and their results.

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  • JoE777
    JoE777 Member Posts: 628
    edited September 2018

    If the pharmaceutical company has a contradiction for breast cancer patients why in the world would an oncologist prescribe it

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  • mjaney97
    mjaney97 Member Posts: 5
    edited September 2018

    Good question. I have a call to my oncologist and gynecologist who prescribed it!!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited September 2018

    Hi mjaney, and welcome to Breastcancer.org,

    We wanted to share with you the Breastcancer.org Research News article on this FHA approval, which mentions the concerns of this drug for breast cancer patients. Also, this article about ASCO Guidelines on treating sexual issues for people with cancer may be helpful.

    There's also some helpful information on the main Breastcancer.org site on treating Vaginal Dryness and Irritation that may provide some alternatives for you.

    We hope this helps and thank you for posting! We look forward to hearing more from you soon!

    --The Mods

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  • BeachKate
    BeachKate Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2018

    My gynecologist mentioned this medication to me today. I am considering it because the over the counter vaginal creams do not always help me. I am also considering laser treatment

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  • CaliKelly
    CaliKelly Member Posts: 474
    edited November 2018

    My onco okayed Estrace for that problem, i used it for several months and the problem improved quite a bit, even now that I don't use it very often

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  • mjaney97
    mjaney97 Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2018

    My GYN in Los Angeles said she would not take DHEA if it was her. They have not done enough studies to see if DHEA is safe for women who have had BC. The only alternative is laser. Which only lasts about one year and is about $2300 yearly. Why insurance does not cover the cost is not right since they cover ED for men!!!

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  • mjaney97
    mjaney97 Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2018

    Because I was only perscribed to use Estrace only 2 or 3 grams per week, my tissues did not repair enough.

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  • bella2013
    bella2013 Member Posts: 489
    edited November 2018

    My doctor prescribed Entraosa two months ago. It is disconcerting to read that it hasn’t been tested in BC patients/survivors. I communicated with some women here on BCO. Lula73 provided her understanding of how it works and while she is not a physician or a nurse she explained exactly how my doctor explained it to me:

    The key is that it's not synthetic hormones, rather it's the precursor to hormones that the tissue it comes in contact with will turn into estrogen and progesterone and it will stay localized to just that tissue. Since it stays localized it's not making it into your bloodstream and can't affect any lingering cancer cells.

    i also had lite vaginal bleeding due to thinning vaginal tissues. Entraosa helped. If you are having abnormal vaginal bleeding please further consult with your gynecologist

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  • mjaney97
    mjaney97 Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2018

    Thanks for your reply and hope it works for you. After taking intrarosa for two weeks, I started bleeding and then felt like I was going to start my period (I 68, so that is NOT going to happen!) The GYN that found my tumor said she would not take it-----------and since the studies are out----I am not going to take it either.

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  • BeachKate
    BeachKate Member Posts: 6
    edited December 2018

    After reading the FDA report on Intrarosa I decided to try it, even though it hasn’t been tested on hormone positive breast cancer survivors. I’ve used it daily for three weeks and notice a real improvement in vaginal dryness and my quality of life. I have had a complete hysterectomy so I have not had any vaginal bleeding. My intention is to use it daily for four months to repair the vaginal atrophy and then 2 to 3 times weekly for maintenance. Prior to my BC diagnosis I used Estrace and for me,the Intrarosa is much better. The suppository is easy to insert and not messy like the vaginal creams.

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