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I was dx with VA about 2 months before I was dx with BC. Needless to say, the VA treatment was put on hold. When I had my annual gyn exam this year, the vaginal opening had narrowed to the point that the doctor did not think she could collect enough cells for a pap smear (she did, thank goodness!) She told me to try moisturizers and "stimulation" to promote blood flow and get the tissues healthy. Needless to say, when one is on an AI, it is going to take more than that. I was frank with my onc at my last appointment, told him this was a huge qol issue for me and that I wanted to do some kind of ER therapy, although I am ER+ PR+. He agreed. I saw my gyn yesterday, and we discussed options. She is willing to let me try Estrace cream, BUT, I need to get stuck every week for the first month to monitor blood levels of ER (definitely the worst part of the deal). She told me to start slowly with just a daub on the area that is most affected 2-3 times per week, and we will work up from there. Her comments echoed what others have posted here, in that the most ER deprived tissue will absorb all the ER until it becomes healthier, thus, the reason to begin slowly and work up. She said once I became "re-epitheliaized," we could consider adding other drugs (I asked about viagra to increase blood flow) to get me stabalized and keep the tissues healty.
I think it is up to all of us to "re-claim" both our bodies and our lives after treatment for this disease. We are human beings, after all.
Hopeful
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