OT -Anyone with Premarin Cream experience?

Urologist has prescribed - with off label directions - to curb more and more frequently recurring UTI.   As a post op DSer I am fastidious about cleanliness in that whole region so I am always mystified when another UTI shows up.   To be fair I think this problem predates my surgery almost two years ago.   It's over eleven years since I had a period.  (And not to scare you youngins' much - I'm sure I am atypical - but peri-menopause lasted a good seven or so years before that.)   Doc said something polite about "thinning of the vaginal wall, yada, yada"   but it all sounded to me like he blamed an old dried up va-jay-jay.   So I am reading the package insert on this cream and it sounds pretty scary.   Cancer and dementia concerns aside, I fight like crazy against edema now and it sounds like there is a great deal of increased possibility of fluid retention and even weight gain.   It mentions changes in libido but is very vague about that and indicates it could go either way.   Mine has all but disappeared anyway (pre-dates my surgery)   and any lower will surely be disastrous to my marriage.  Docs directions for once a week mostly external (with my hand - no tube) lubing with one inch of cream are quite different from package directions for a full tube inserted deep in the region.   He says this greatly minimizes the amount of hormone absorbed.
Can anyone share their experience with this med?
Regards,

Yeah...on several things.

My sister swears by the stuff for UTis.  She stopped oral estrogen, got UTIs for the first time in about thirty years and she started the cream and they stopped.   She uses the "grow your own applicator" method.  lol

I was given the first cream for the first time about a year ago.  It may or may not impact UTIs because, while I get actualy UTIs, I also have interstitial cystitis...which is essentially UTI symptoms for no reason...Fun huh? ...and it's the IC stuff that is more worrisome to me.  I was told, by a female GP to use 0.5 grams every other day.  The urogynecologist said to go for a full gram, three days a week.  They had both inspected the equipment, but came to not-identical conclusions on how much to use or how often...except that their instructions said to use the applicator.

For comparison purposes, my ovaries were whisked on out when I was 30, so I've been three and a half decades without much of the estrogen I should have had.  I am told that the aging process causes changes in the vaginal tissue which MAY allow more bacteria to hide itself in tiny nooks and crannies.  By restoring the tissue to a more youthful condition, the bacteria are not supposed to be harbored as easily.  But I'm pretty sure that my uro said, "bull****" to that claim.  lol

Some aging crotch owners resort to stuff like KY or Astroglide...those provide aritificial lubrication.  The premarin cream helps your body make its own lubrication. 

Oh...and I wasn't aware of the edema connection.  But I do have it...it predated the premarin prescription...and I take Demadex and potassium for that.  But the edema IS a little worse these days and that may or may not be realted to premarin.  (I've been told it's congestive heart failure.)

Thank you for the info Sue.   Glad to know it has helped your sister.  For your sake, I would rather know the med caused the edema and not congestive  heart failure.   Sorry you are getting such mixed messages from your docs, but I can relate.   I sought out the current fella for a second opinion about a pretty serious kidney surgery my previous uro wanted me to do, requiring a 3 to 4 day stay in hospital and then drain tubes out of my back for about two weeks.   The new guy says pucky.   Probably don't need procedure at all (he will be looking at a new set of pics in the morning) but even if I do it will be overnight with drain tube out before I leave.  I really like doc #1 but personality ain't everything!
Regards,

stones?

Staghorns.  I have a history that pre-dates DS.   Unfortunatelyprevious flares were usually associated with high protein dieting.  I will just have to deal with the stones.   DS is worth it.

 I think hormones is an area we have to be very researched in as consumers similiar to the DS. Just my opinion. A few years ago I researched hormones and remember that I was completely against Premarin.  I just prefer the bioidentical.  I don't remember all the reasons, just the conclusion.  Can you see if there is a bioidentical alternative?  Is it the estrogen/progesterone combo that helps with the UTI's?  I think when it comes to hormones that old school docs just aren't up to date on all of the newer options.  I take Prometrium, Testosterone cream, and estriol creme and it completely solves my perimenapausal symptoms.  I don't have UTI's so I can imagine you want a decent and safe solution.  I hope you get more answers!  

Cheers,

Cathy 

Thank you Cathy,
You have given me much to look into.  I have been meaning to ask my OBGYN about the testosterone anyway, should have done it years ago, I think, for the libido issue.  I chose no hormones all those years ago, and just toughed out peri menopause and menopause - sleeveless tops all winter (not to mention people literally hiding from me at times) - because I was afraid of the hormones even then.  But now I am weighing the "quality of life" factor.  It is a lot to consider.
Regards,

http://www.womensinternational.com/

Go on here to order a practicioner referral request and they will send you a nice packet of great info plus practicioners in your area that at least will or have prescribed bioidentical hormones.  That was how I started and I am SO lucky to have the NP that I do.  It changed my life to get them balanced.  I was having wild swings from surges of estrogen to depletion.  Testosterone helped me with libido issues.  You would be surprised what low testosterone can affect!!!  It's not just libido.  Mine was almost zero.  Let me know how you progress.

Cheers,
Cathy

Thank you Cathy.