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Vaginal Oestrogen

Oestrogen can be given via your vagina and indeed this is a very popular form of HRT. It is particularly useful if you have a lot of vaginal dryness or shrinkage and will also reduce bladder problems such as frequency, incontinence or burning. It is easily inserted with a vaginal applicator which enables you to place the cream high into the vagina. It is best done last thing at night on retiring, after sex, and after emptying your bladder. Oestrogen will be rapidly absorbed through the vaginal lining into the bloodstream and reasonable levels of blood oestrogens can be achieved. Generally, vaginal oestrogen cream is prescribed for once a week usage, but, you may use it more often if you desire. If you still have your uterus, frequent and regular use of vaginal oestrogen should be accompanied by a twelve-day course of progesterone tablets every two or three months to guard against oestrogenic over-stimulation of the uterus. These progesterone tablets may bring on a light menstrual period.
Some women find the vaginal oestrogens are satisfactory and do not take any other forms of oestrogen, and several women have told me that they feel very sexy several hours after using these creams! Others find the vaginal creams a little messy and prefer to use vaginal oestrogen pessaries which are inserted high into the vagina with an applicator. Oestrogen will soon also be available in the form of a ring-shaped pessary that enables oestrogen to be absorbed from the vagina for a longer period. The ring sits high up in the vagina in much the same way as a vaginal diaphragm and its contained oestrogen is gradually absorbed from the ring.
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