Estrogen flare ups?
 

Being peri-menopausal and having so far refused to risk taking HRT, when presented recently with the option to use a low dose, topical Estrogen tablet (Vagifem), I decided to give it a go.

My Gyno told me it doesn't absorb into the bloodstream, for which my research tells me was a fib.

Anyway, it seems that within a few days a nasty flare up started. Stinging dominates my feet 24/7.

I'm wondering if any of you ladies have had a similar reaction? If its not these tablets then I'm guessing its time to increase my pain meds a little.

The Gynocologist told me to stay on Vagifem the rest of my life, but I will not be doing so if they have caused this extra pain.

Estrogen
 

I have used bio-identical hormones. Like anything else I am not consistent using them which I am sure not good for my body. I do the same thing with supplements. I would look into using them instead and also possibly progesterone with it. These hormones are a cream and made up at a compounding pharmacy. I use 2 kinds of estrogen and/progesterone.


The Vagifem website mentions using that with. I don't know if Vagifem is a bio-identical.

If you go to hystersisters there is a lot of info on hormones there.

No idea about the product that you are using, but I have had increased nerve pain since I was 15 at that time of the month. Sciatica pains in both legs and knees for the first three days of my period. I am 52 and still pretty regular. I have CMT (hereditary sensory-motor neuropathy). The pain can be debilitating. Hormones definitely affect pain perception. My regular heavy pain meds barely touch it and only large doses of ibuprofen seem to help, which makes it seem like a water retention/inflammation issue. Have you noticed any water retention from the Vagifem?

I only use compounded bio identical creams. Balancing all hormones is key for me.

You have to look hard to find a doctor that actually understands how to test and understands Bio identical HRT. I will always use it. It is one more thing that helps me to be as healthy as possible. After many years of migraines, they were gone the day after I started the creams.

Hi,
I have really been thinking of finding a doctor who works with bio identical HRT.
How did you find one? I currently have an estrogen ring but have wonder if I need something else. Do u know if bio identicals pose the same cancer risk the research shows for others? Did they help you with your pain?

Sorry for so many questions.
Hopeful

If you have a compounding pharmacy in the area, you can ask them the names of some doctors who prescribe it. There are quite a few OB/GYNs starting to prescribe them. You may want to look for a doctor who practices integrative medicine also.

I use a bio-identical estradiol patch called Villel Dot and then an OTC progesterone cream. It took about a year to get to the right dosing. I started low and worked up. I found if I didn't, it was overwhelming to my body. The progesterone was the trickiest. There's a bio-identical progesterone pill called promethium that I tried first and quickly stopped after about 4 days. Found I was waking up with very achey feet. That's when I switched to a transdermal cream at very low dose and worked up slowly.

I am post-menopausal and my goal was just to rid myself troubling symptoms. Some try to restore/mimic a cycle of a menstruating women but I wanted none of that.

I don't have PN but I have read that progesterone can be helpful in some cases.

Just know that it's a very individual thing and it can time to find the right balance.

I agree, your Gyno is stupid or lying:

http://www.rxlist.com/vagifem-drug/c...armacology.htm

This link gives the actual absorption data, and also side effects which are very systemic.

Thank you all for the excellent input, much to think about here.

I've not heard of bio-identical hormones before, but have a vague memory of my Gyno saying something about these being much safer. However, I'm reluctant to trust that now after finding out it does indeed absorb into the blood stream. What else is she misinformed about, or blatantly lying about. :(

Susanne... Now that you mention it, I've noticed a return of the water retention I used to live with constantly. Since going gluten-free at the start of this year one of the first advantages I noticed was a loss of fluid build ups, particularly noticeable around the ankles. I'd assumed the return of fluid retention was an accidental gluten intake. Now I'm wondering if this Vagifem isn't the culprit! Thank you for pointing this out, it may be very important.

Marlene .... I've tried to get a hold of OTC progesterone but none of my local chemists have heard of such a cream, or tablet for that matter. Just thought, might try my organic store next time I'm there as they have a large stock of supplements and such. It won't surprise me if there is no such thing available over counter in Australia as we seem to be rather behind the US in these things. But my GP should be able to prescribe some.

Mrs D .... Thank you for posting that link. Quite an interesting read. I think my Gyno is just misinformed as she doesn't seem to be the lying type. I've concluded lately that I'm going to have to educate myself in order to protect myself from all these doctors. Blind faith in the medical profession would make me the stupid one!

Something I've also noticed since using Vagifem is a return of the horrible period cramps I suffered monthly all my life. This past year I'd only had a very very mild period a few times, with no cramping whatsoever. Yet, this past fortnight the cramps have come back. I've not even been following doctors orders to use it daily, rather I've been using it a few times per week, with the cramps coinciding. Thinking I may stop taking it, or ask for progesterone as well.

I agree with you Marlene, that I might need to find my personal balance.

Thank you once again ladies for your input. I have lots to consider now and ideas I'd never thought of. :)

I want to have my hormones checked, I firmly believe hormones affect PN, at least for me. Every single month my feet are worse during the week before I start, once I start, feet better. So I definately feel hormones are important.

I completely agree. I've even thought the hormonal changes of peri-menopause may be the cause in some cases. It just seems uncanny how many women seem to contract this condition not long after entering the menopausal time of life. I'm convinced that in some cases at least there could be a connection.

And male menopause could factor in here too.

I agree. I am 47 and while I dont have any obvious symptoms I know its time and I need to have them checked. I have read many people feel menopause affects PN.

I am definitely in agreement about hormones or possibly rise in body temp as this occurs also as your period approaches and my symptoms are much worse then. My gp did suggest going on the pill to see if that helped

Vagifem
 

My Gyno has me on Vagifem for 3 years now. He has been my Doctor for over 20 years. So he's not a "rookie". He also told me Vagifem was safe and that very little of the hormone was absorbed into my body. I read these reports and told him what I found out. He reassured me not to worry and that it was ok to take it for as long as I needed too. :confused:
He said there was no correlation between the Vagifem and my SFN. But I believe menopause played a big part in my developing Idiopathic SFN!! They both happen around the same time.

I'm starting to wonder now, I feel good with the Vagifem and have no side effects, but should I be concerned about cancer and other S/E? Dont know what to think anymore...

Mrs D what are your thoughts about Menopause and I-SFN? As usual ,Thank you for your response.

Menopause & I-SFN
 

I strongly believe menopause threw me into full blown Idiopathic small fiber neuropathy. They both happened around the same time. I was 52 when menopause started and started having Neuropathy symptoms around a year later, too much of a coincidence (?) But my Doctors will never admit to it.
I am perfectly healthy, but suffer with painful SFN! :mad: , life is so unfair.....

Hi again Marie

I find this very interesting. I started getting burning feet around the same time menopause started. Might research this further. If taking hormones would cure me of this pain I'd be all for it.

For many of us, it is part of the puzzle. It has been important for me to balance all hormones for all around health. VERY little estrogen for me. Mostly the other hormones.

I'm in the same boat, Marie. Am 52 and peri-menopausal. My SFN started within a month after going off the BCP last October. I'm considering just going back on them to see what happens even though no one will currently say my SFN is being caused by it. I'll see my gyn for annual exam in 10 days and will discuss it with her.

I believe a small bit does absorb into bloodstream but it is suppose to be more localised effect like Ovestin. I was having some issues with my cycle and read on Dr. Oz about Vitex (Chasteberry). Anyways I started taking that (bought at chemist), and all my cycle issues normalised again with the added bonus of my hyperthyroidism going into remission after 5 years. So this Vitex blend fixed 2 health issues.

I too was offered hormones but I was too scared to take them especially since when the blood test was done my hormones were completely normal. but a change in hormones both can play havoc on your thyroid and your cycle so I knew I did have hormonal issues, to some degree.

[QUOTE=AussieDebbie;1093384]Hi again Marie

I find this very interesting. I started getting burning feet around the same time menopause started. Might research this further. If taking hormones would cure me of this pain I'd be all for it.

Hi Debbie
That is exactly how it happened with me. It started with burning feet and tingling in my lower calves! It was around the same time menopause started. I was taking hormones (prempro) at the time, but I didnt take it every day the way it was prescribed. I took it maybe every other day or third day for fear of cancer risks. My Gyno kept telling me it was not helpful the way I was taking it, but I was stubborn about it. I wonder if I took one everyday the way it was prescribed if I would have felt "better" or diff..Its still not to late for me, I could try and get over my fear and start taking it once a day and see if it makes a difference in how I feel.
Ask your Doctor about it for youself and let us know what he or she thinks

[QUOTE=janieg;1093517]I'm in the same boat, Marie. Am 52 and peri-menopausal. My SFN started within a month after going off the BCP last October. I'm considering just going back on them to see what happens even though no one will currently say my SFN is being caused by it. I'll see my gyn for annual exam in 10 days and will discuss it with her.
Hi Jan
Im sorry you suffer with SFN! Is yours Idiopathic too? what is BCP? None of my doctors will say my SFN is caused by menopause either. But my feet started burning around the same time I became menopausal.. It felt like all *&^% hit the fan!! Mine is Idiopathic, I am otherwise healthy!! So frustrating.
Let us know how your exam goes and what your Gyno has to say about what could be causing your SFN.

Ok, there is something really funny going on here. I'm also 52!

Seems like 52 is the magic age. :eek:

Hi Marie,

Yes, my SFN is idiopathic, but I'm somewhat refusing to accept that diagnosis. I'm still doing whatever test my integrated medicine doc can think of, but she's just about out of ideas.

BCP = Birth Control Pill

I was on them for about 22 years. I changed primary care physicians, and she was very vocal about wanting me off them because of family history of heart disease. I had been thinking about doing it anyway, so I stopped in October. Like I said, I started having trouble in November, and my SFN progressively got worse for the next 3 months or so.

In March I started having horrible PVCs (heart palpitations). I assumed it was anxiety from the discomfort of SFN and just worry over what was wrong. My doctor did a holter monitor test, and I had 1300 PVCs and SPVCs in 24 hours!

It was about this time I started seeing women posting about their SFN starting when they became perimenopausal. I made a quick call to my gyn and even though she was skeptical it would help, she called in a estradiol/progestin script. I started taking it right away, and while I saw no improvement at all with the SFN, those horrible PVCs stopped cold within a couple of days. That alone tells me perimenopause is causing at least of my problems.

Janie

[QUOTE=Marie33;1093559]

For what it's worth, my OB/GYN told me that the heart has estrogen receptors and I too found that my palpitations and racey heart stopped once I went on bio-identical HRT.

-------------

Hi all,
I stumbled across this thread but you have given me something to think about. I am 41 but also in an early peri-menopausal stage.
I have always been very sensitive to my hormonal fluctuations.

I take a low dose of Cymbalta. Only 30 mgs. Been on this for about 6 or so years now. It stops the worst of the hot flashes. It also helps with PN pain a bit. A higher dose would probably give me better relief but all my current symptoms, depression and anxiety, are well controlled at this dose. I have no side effects from the Cymbalta at all that I'm aware of.

ETA: PS: I'm just coming to the end of that magical one year of no period, period. So maybe that has something to do with the hot flashes easing a bit...? Not fluctuating so much as just not there any more. LOL!

That's really interesting. My PN started about the time I started in to peri-menopause. They have yet to find a cause. Of course it would help if I had insurance and/or could afford to see the specialists I need to see to attempt to get a definitive diagnosis. I never noticed an increase in pain around the time of my periods though. That doesn't mean it didn't happen, I just never made that connection if it did.

I wonder if, in the next few months to a year, I'll see a lessening in symptoms? That would be soooo awesome!

As it happens, I am also coming up to the one year thing. Here's hoping we both experience a lessening of symptoms as the hormones settle. Awesome would only begin to describe it. Lol. :)