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Q. I am a 58 year-old woman, and I suffered from severe vaginal dryness after menopause. I have found great relief from Estring. It has stopped the everyday irritation I was experiencing.
My libido is still a problem but I find that once foreplay is underway, I am able to enjoy sex. I feel the ring has played an important part in this. Perhaps my experience will help others.
A. Estrogen has long been used to relieve menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness. Concerns about side effects such as blood clots or an increased risk of cancer has left many women in a quandary.
Estring is a vaginal estrogen delivery system that releases 2 mg of estradiol gradually over three months. It has been available in this country since 1996. Women whose main menopausal symptom is vaginal dryness often find Estring helpful.
Although the amount of hormone in this vaginal ring is small, it is not appropriate for women with estrogen-sensitive cancers or for those who may be pregnant.
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I have used Estring with great success but today my breast doctor, while reading my mammogram, mentioned that she has had several patients whose blood pressure was raised by using Estring. This has happened to me and this is the first time I have heard of this connection.
I have never heard of Estring--where do you get it?
I used the estring but found that it made me very itchy in that area. I took it out for a while and the itching stopped and later re-inserted it and the intense itching resumed.
I looked it up and that can be a side effect.
The herb Maca is what has worked for me (I'm 66), esp. since I didn't want to have anything to do with Estrogen. It also helps in the libido department as well. I've used it for several years and have not had any problems from it.
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO TAKE, BECAUSE FOR YEARS I JUST DONT WAN'T SEX, AND I KNOW MY SPOUSE HAS BEEN VERY UNDERSTANDING. I'M A 54 YO FEMALE
WITH RA.
I started using the estring three days ago. For the last couple of days now my skin has been very dry and itchy. Mainly on my arms, hands and feet. I do not normally have dry skin. Could there be a connection? I do not itch in the vaginal area.
I've had an Estring in place for 75 days. It has done wonders for vaginal atrophy--pain-free intercourse for the first time in years. However, I'm experiencing a heavy malordorous discharge and wonder if that's normal. I'm 58.
(I read the first publication of the People's Pharmacy in the 70's--thanks for your good work.)
I am 61 and have used (an) Estring for more than 3 years now. It has been very helpful for vaginal dryness (not 100%, but definitely an improvement.) I have had none of the side effects noted by other people. My husband says he doesn't even notice its presence during sex.
I have used Estring for 5 months. It has helped with the dryness and sex is not so painful anymore, but my vaginal area has become very itchy and burns. I'm considering removing and using an over the counter estrogen creme. Anyone have experience with the cremes?
I've been on estring aprox. 6 weeks and have noticed that I'm experiencing almost constant headaches, is this a result of estring and should I stop using this product? What else could I try for post hysterectomy vaginal dryness? Estring has helped but the headaches are almost constant.
p.s. I enjoy listening to you both on WI Public Radio on Saturday mornings! :o)
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: HEADACHE CAN BE A SIDE EFFECT OF ESTRING. VAGINAL ESTROGEN CREAM WOULD PROBABLY HELP THE DRYNESS BUT MIGHT PRODUCE THE SAME SIDE EFFECT. SOME WOMEN REPORT THAT APPLYING OLIVE OIL VAGINALLY CAN ALLEVIATE DRYNESS WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS
I have been using the Estring for 3 .5 months an it has helped immensely! I was taking prempro and hated the side effects from the pill. The Estring has not been without side-effects, though, but they subside after about 2 weeks after insertion. It has helped my hot flashes too.
I am 65 and have been on Estring for 4 years. I am getting conflicting opinions about certain cancers and use of the drug. The problem is when I don't replace it I get very moody & cranky and I feel like I always need a nap and cannot even move to get my household chores done. I don't really want to use it but this happens every time I try to stop. My PA who is also on it says she'll 'use it till they put in the ground' So I need a unbiased opinion please?
I just started using the Estring because my doctor said it will help with vaginal discomfort during sex (I am 65). My doctor was sure, after examination, that the Estring would stay in place. However, it tends to move down, and I am forced to move it back up into my vaginal canal several times a day. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Today is the first day I have tried the Estring. I am 60 YO, and feel REALLY stupid. There is no way I can keep the dumb thing pinched together to insert it. I keep losing the grip. I even had my husband try, and he couldn't do it either. Right now it is sitting about 1" from the 'entrance' and I am scared it is going to fall out!
Please help me... what am I doing wrong!
I have used estring successfully for several years now. I would like to know if it is advisable to use a progesterone cream along with this product, to make sure I stay in the best of health.
I am 53 years old and have suffered from vaginal burning since my mid forties and vaginal dryness for at least 10 years. I have one ovary, which the surgeon carefully kept a blood supply to so that I would continue to menstruate after have gynecological surgery. I was having regular periods at the time of the surgery. After surgery, the periods stopped.
I have had the estring for 1 month. After a month, I started to experience tenderness in my breasts, and then what I believe was a full menstrual cycle. I had a period, that lasted a full week, with a flow close to what I experienced through around age 45, when I started to experience shorter periods (3-4, rather than 5-6 full days of bleeding).
The urgent urination issues I have been experiencing in the past 6 months to a year have also ceased. My doctors (I am no longer seeing the gynecologist/surgeon that performed the surgery) want me to remove the ring. I don't want to because I feel that it is helping me and that this might be an overreaction to something they have not experienced before.
I would like to know if anyone else has had menstruation stimulated by the estring? I do have an appointment for a tissue biopsy with the gynecologist, which I think is prudent. I respect my doctor, but did not remove the estring as directed. I do not want to be deprived of the benefits unless I am certain that these symptoms give rise to serious health issues or consequences for continued use.
Has anyone had experience with using estring only at night - A.) to reduce dose, or B.) because it is uncomfortable during day?
I know this is an off label use but if benefit could be achieved with even lower dose, why not?
I'm afraid I have the same issue but simply push it back into place whenever necessary. I mentioned to my Doc and she just smiled so apparently it is not a concern. Otherwise, I have only good things to say about it.