using ovestin cream for libido whilst on Tamoxifen

I think vagifem can be used in ER pos breast cancer - the amount of oestrogen in the cream is really low. I know. it is still used cautiously, but there also has to be quality of life x

Hi Poppytwo 

I've been using this cream for 2 weeks now. My cancer is low estrogen receptive and I'm just about to start tamoxifen. My oncologist was happy to prescribe it as she explained the estrogen is very localised and at 37 I wouldn't accept that my sex life was over! They prescribed me replenish (no hormones) first but I wasn't even able to insert it (sorry if TMI) I've tried it again this week and it's very different to ovestin and I won't use it again.

I've been using it for dryness and can already feel the difference.

I'm now pushing for more help managing the side effects of a chemically induced menopause and my oncologist said very few women talk to her about these issues - but equally no one seems to tell us about them either!

I hope it works for you.

Cheers

Lizzy

There are a couple of useful apps for menopause support - one is stella and the other, balance.

Everything changed shape for me after medically induced menopause and chemo and we didn't feel like sex during treatment either. So a lot of months of no sex plus a changing shape was not great!

In the end, I had to try dilators (I couldn't believe how much things had siezed up!) and eventually I went to the doctor who prescribed me Replens MD, which is non hormonal.

I wasn't keen on the applicator so we have switched to Regelle which does the job well. It's a moisturiser that you apply 2 or 3 timea a week to help heal and moisturise. It's not a lubricator for sex, though I would recommend using that as well and trying a few until you find something that works for both of you. 

I stayed away from oestrogen cream and if it is so localised, I'm not sure if it would make a difference to your libido, only where it is being applied.

I had read that a lot of the non hormonal creams /moisturisers are just as good as the hormonal ones for moisturising and I've certaimly felt a lot better since using it twice a week.

Good luck, this is another thing they don't really tell you when you go through treatment! 

thanks, yes there has to be a balance

Thanks Lizzy, After getting a few comments back I feel a bit more confident about trying it now. It's just you go through all the treatment and don't want to do anything which can possibly trigger it all again. I've also started on gabapentin for hot flushes at night, which seems to be working.

Thanks, yes along with all the other side effects your sex life just takes a back burner.

thanks will have a look at these

Your GP can prescribe “yes” creams - one is water based, one oil based. There are internal applicator versions too. “stress no more” sell dilators if things get tight inside. And Liz O’Riordan has a great blog and discusses exactly this whole subject around sex and cancer. Is full of useful advice. 

I'm currently experiencing the tightness and I've been thinking the next step is to try dilators. Did they work for you? I'm shocked how much my body has changed and know that I'm going to have to be proactive if I want to have sex again. Did you speak to your doctor about it?