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Q. My doctor recently prescribed Premarin Vaginal Cream. It has improved my life dramatically, reducing dryness and easing other symptoms of menopause. Are there any negative effects? Is it absorbed into my body?
A. Premarin Vaginal Cream contains conjugated estrogens just like Premarin pills. It has recently been approved by the FDA to correct vaginal dryness that leads to painful intercourse. The estrogen is absorbed into the body, so discuss the benefits and risks with your physician. According to The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, the long-term safety of vaginal estrogen creams is unclear (Feb. 23, 2009).
I have been using Premarin Vag Cream since my bilateral oophorectomy (ovaries removed) in 1980. I was unable to use the pills (got migraines) or the patch (blisters on skin under it). Cream has relieved the dryness.
When I stopped using the cream (due to the panic about estrogen after results from a study were released) I began to grow a mustache, along with return of the vaginal dryness. I resumed use of the cream!
I have heard reports from two friends using the cream, who have BiPolar Disorder, that if they use too much of the cream, they become very irritable.
I used a compounded vaginal estrogen cream for a couple of years then went to a topical cream also compounded. I couldn't tell a lot of difference in how I felt but then I'd been through menopause about 14 years before and took Premarin. I read several articles about estrogen and it seems no matter what type of estrogen one uses then it is still "estrogen" and if one has a family history of breast cancer then maybe a doctor's advice should be sought out.
Message: I have a lengthy history of urinary tract infections (UTIs) that occur approximately every five months. I have seen a few urologists and had bladder scan, CT abdomen with contrast cystoscoy and SMA 7 blood tests which are all normal. Both my current urologist and my gynecologist are pressuring me to start Premarin vaginal cream. Due to the fact that my mother, her sister and my sister have all had breast cancer and I have had thyroid cancer, I have refused.
Last month at my gyn annual exam my doctor insisted that the vaginal cream does not get absorbed into the blood and will not promote breast cancer. When I refer to all the warnings in the pamphlets and Internet research my doctor got very angry and said the warnings are for the “old HRT” and do not pertain to the vaginal cream.
My doctor went on to say that the medication I have to frequently take for the UTIs are more dangerous than the estrogen in the vaginal cream. I filled the prescription for Premarin but found in the literature insert under side effects the top one is “Breast Cancer”. None of this makes sense to me and I do not know which path is the correct one.
I have always been told with my family history to avoid all estrogen, even soy products. I don’t want to be foolish by damaging my health by the continual UTIs. I called our local cancer hospital and they could not offer any suggestions.
I am in the same situation except I get UTIs more often than you do. My doctor says the same thing and I'm also afraid. I purchased the Premarin and read the insert. Not happy and looking for more advice.