I am 63. I was on HRT for 8 years and discovered that it had dangerous side effects before my previous doctor did. After reading the article in a scholarly paper-I am a medical professional- I faxed the the article and we agreed to taper off.

I knew I would have a recurrence of the vaginal dryness all over again as well as the urinary tract problems --so we went to Vagifem 2x a week as directed. I was fine and lubrication was easy with Astroglide.

Last year I had a vaginal ultrasound to find out why I had abdominal pain (it was IBS) but they had to rule out ovarian CA. This ultrasound showed a small uterus, thin endometrial stripe and some fluid in the uterus. My, now retired, doctor said that was because I have cervical stenosis and the uterus cannot drain itself well.

Fast forward. In Dec I had an eposode of the slightest spotting after lovemaking. I quickly called my new doctor who ordered an ultrasound.

It was abnormal-my endometrial stripe was too thick; she suspected it was from the Vagifem and was shocked I was using it 2x a week. She suggested using 1 tablet every other week. As a precaution I added Replens between those doses and was fine with it over the 6 weeks before I went for the hysteroscopy, D&C, endometrial biopsy.

When I cut down on the Vagifem I GOT HOT FLASHES!-- got menstrual type cramping and increased discharge.
When my doctor looked in my uterus during the hysteroscopy she said it "looked clean" and that maybe the cutting down of the Vagifem stopped stimulating the endometrium allowing it to regress.

I am still waiting for the final path report to rule out endometrial CA.

I will keep you posted.
Janine

HI there -coincidentally I posted on this subject today under" Vagifem Vaginal estriol side effects good and bad"-here is a transcript-

"Two weeks after my somewhat watery period I went back on the vagifem. Only used it twice. Then I started cramping and spotting which lasted a week and gradually got heavier. Another week on I am still having cramps and bleeding(not flooding but as heavy as a normal period). My gyn says because I am peri my ovaries have been stimulated. But I have never had anything like this before. I have sore breasts continuously, and the cramping and bleeding just keeps going on. I stopped the vagifem when all this started but I cant help thinking that this has been the cause of it all.
Has anyone else had experience of this type of thing after using local estriol? Until I started it I had not had a period for 3 months. As soon as I started the vagifem my breasts got sore so I am obviously very sensitive to it "
I was actually on it for about 7 weeks in total, once a day for 2 weeks then twice a week. I had a period first, 5 weeks after taking it, which was not as prolonged as this one now.

The doctor doesnt believe that vagifem could cause all this, but I know my own body and a two week plus period of terrible cramping and bleeding is not normal for me even during peri!
Within a day of starting the vagifem my hot flushes disappeared too.
Do you agree all this could be my reaction to it?

Just as a clarification. . . Vagifem is estradiol which is supposedly a stronger estrogen than estriol. Estriol is the estrogen used by compounding pharmarcies in their vaginal creams.

I just read a study (really small, like 6 women in Sweden) that said that vaginal estradiol actually did increase the level of estradiol in the blood. They were researching it for use in breast cancer patients with vaginal dryness. But they also said the level decreased within two months.

I don't know, maybe it's how your body responds to the extra estrogen? I don't know.

This is really hard, isn't it?

kimber

Update:
Saw my GYN for the 2 week post -op visit and we discussed the path report. It was sent for a second opinion at Johns Hopkins. It shows the endometrial glands are "twisted" - not a good sign. She showed me how my uterus looked through the hysteroscope. Though it looked "clean" there was a reddened area which was biopsied. I am waiting for the 3rd opinion. Personally, I'd rather have the hysterectomy than always monitoring this thing; I'm too old for kids.
I am allowed to use the Vagifem-1 tab every other week; I intersperse that with Replens which, according to studies, takes some time to moisturize. In other words, the vaginal lining plumps up slowly with it over time.

Any thoughts?
Janine

Hi there janine- just looked in and saw your update.
I was on vagifem last year for a total of 21 weeks-once a day for a total of 4 weeks and twice a week the rest of the time.
I have just been diagnosed with grade 1 endo cancer which is caused by unapposed estrogen.
I have a very strong suspicion that the vagifem could have contributed to my cancer although I cant get the doctors to admit it.
I have to have a full hysterectomy including ovaries next week.Luckily i am through the menopause. I have been told I am not to have estrogen in any shape or form ever again.
Please dont think I am trying to freak you, but if I were you I would give some careful thought about continuing with the vagifem. I hope your test comes back ok. I have not been so lucky.
best wishes Janet c

Janet, the new gyno I went to this week said she went to a synposium on menopause and they discussed the vaginal estrogen. They recommended that people on the vaginal estrogen use progesterone after three months, and if you bleed after that, that you need to be on it periodically. I was glad she was up on the issue, as I don't want to use unopposed estrogen. The dosage for me is two times a week, but I'm only going to use it once a week, I think, or even as needed. Right now (knock wood) everything seems to be okay.