[Becky]

There is a non hormonal over the counter product called Replens. It is usually in the pharmacy section with other lubricants such as KY jelly. It works well. It comes in applicator tubes and one tube lasts 3 days. The first day is alittle messy and you have to use a pad or panty liner.

This company makes another product call RepHresh. This product does the same thing as Replens but it is buffered and stabilizes the vaginal pH which usually contributes to "our" problem.

If you find you cannot tolerate a product like this or your problem is more severe and these products don't help, you should talk to your oncologist as some women use topical estrogen cream (Premarin for example) or a ring called estring. These are prescription and they do topically administer a small dose of estrogen. Some believe this is counter intuitive and in the beginning of use, there could be some systemic uptake of estrogen. However, it is also believed that once the vagina is healthy again, the healthy vagina walls prevent this.

Most women try lubricants first before resorting to estrogens. I could not use Replens/Rephresh due to irritation issues (this is uncommon but could happen) and then move on. I used estring for about 6 months which healed me. Then I moved onto Premarin cream which I used at 1/4 of the recommended dose every 3 days (usual dose is 1/2 to a full applicator every day) and that maintained me. Then I stopped. Things are not perfect now with using nothing (for the last 2-3 years) but nowhere near as bad as the beginning. I think the body gets used to the low estrogen level in the body.

Anyway, I hope this information helps you.