My doctor has today given me Premarin cream .625 to try for vaginal dryness.
I have been trying without success to build up my tolerance to estriol vaginal cream at 0.01%. I cannot use even a tiny amount without horrid side effects-tearfulness and anxiety.

I am afraid to use the Premarin because I have looked around various sites and there seems to be little to recommend it.
Does anyone know if it is actually stronger than estriol?

I know it is is made from Mares urine but if it works then that would not stop me from using it because I am desperate to find something that doesn't make me feel dreadful

Please has anyone found it worked for them without too many side effects? Right now I feel like throwing the pack away without even trying it.
My doctor even said she was surprised I couldn't use a little estriol but agrees I am obviously very sensitive to meds so I don't really know why she has now given me Premarin except there isn't much else here in Uk and I am not allowed Vagifem

I understand that this site recommends bioidentical hormones only and in principle I agree.
However I am not able to use it so I need to find an alternative,

janet c

Janet,
I've not tried the Premarin, but my doc gave me an Rx for Estrace vag cream, which is bio estradiol. Have you tried that? Unfortunately after using only one tube I couldn't afford the $100 for another tube (month supply) so had to quit.

No I asked my doctor but we can't get Estrace in UK. She doesn't want me to have estradiol anyway as she says it will be far too strong for me.

I have one final trick up my sleeve before I give up on estriol. I bought a tube of lubricant jelly today and I have mixed half a tube of it in a bottle with a large pea size of estriol. I am going to try using a dab of that every day. I know it sounds ridiculous to others who can use a whole applicatorful at once but obviously my body doesn't need as much as everyone else!

I do feel a bit sorry for you US ladies! How awful that you have to pay such high prices for essential drugs!
Here we pay a standard charge for each item on our NHS service. I buy a yearly ticket now and once I have paid for it I get as many drugs as I require and I don't pay anything more! So if I decide not to use the Premarin it doesn't really matter.

How are you feeling after your first dose of estriol? Have you had any adverse effects at all ?


janet c

Yes, we pay high prices for drugs, but at least we do have a choice. I could have paid for it, I just decided that's not what I wanted my money going for at this time. I'd rather have a wide variety of choices than be forced to only use certain gov't approved drugs even if they are free.

I'm not sure about the estriol. I used it yesterday and feel a bit under the weather today, but who knows what that is due to since I have so much going on in my body. I'm wondering if I used it just a couple times/week if it will still be effective with the vaginal health. Do you know?

Yes I don't think you need to use it every day or you could try using a smaller amount daily and see if that is better. It is the most effective one for vaginal health.
You are right about the amount of drug choices you have in US. I think that is more to do with the fact that it is a weathier country with more medical advances. I still think it is wrong that people have to pay for fundamental health care and if they don't have the money-well hard luck on them!

There are lots of things wrong with the UK but our Health service is pretty good and free to everyone regardless of their financial situation.
What we need here though is some compounding pharmacies!!!

There is an estradiol gel called Sandrena that my doctor found in her drug list which I could probably dilute to make it weaker but she wants me to try the Premarin first.


I have decided I don't want to try the Premarin now I have found out it is stronger than estriol.

janet c