Replens

http://www.wholewoman.com/drupal-6.16/node/2078

Thank you for the warning Christine; I have been using it and find it good but as it is hugely expensive I use KY jelly too in between tubes.
Needless to say I have bought my last tube. Sad.
Do you think KY jelly is relatively harmless?
I remember flax oil was recommended for internal use on this forum; you certainly need some lubrication with tampons ...which you can buy unbleached from the health food shop.
Must try and find the reading glasses ! They print the ingredients in very small script don't they?
Amel.

Amel, yes, the writing is getting smaller! I keep a magnifier handy for reading labels. Maybe a microscope will be needed by next year?

Ivonush, have you tried making your own balm from coconut oil and beeswax, with whatever essential oil you like? See the video in Christine's cottage for how to do it.

What about just using sesame oil, which is high in vitamin E, or combining it with beeswax for a more persistent balm?Coconut oil works so well on genitals because it melts at body temperature, so you don't have to rub hard to spread it out. The beeswax keeps it solid in the jar, as long as the
temperature doesn't go above, needing only 62-65 degrees C to melt it.

According to Wikepedia, "RBD (refined, bleached and deodorised) coconut oil can be processed further into partially or fully hydrogenated oil to increase its melting point. Since virgin and RBD coconut oils melt at 76 °F (24 °C), foods containing coconut oil tend to melt in warm climates. A higher melting point is desirable in these warm climates, so the oil is hydrogenated. The melting point of hydrogenated coconut oil is 97–104 °F (36–40 °C)." Does anyone know where to get virgin coconut oil, other than pressing my own coconuts with my friendly back yard ox?

Hydrogenated oils are the worst kind of oils for our bodies. I would suggest steering clear of any solid coconut oils, eg Copha shortening. i knew about oils being hydrogenated to make them solid at room temperature, but I never thought of Copha as being hydrogenated! Hit head here. { }

Hi Surviving 60 Thanks for contacting me.If anyone would like to contact me regarding a few things i want private about prolapse could you email me as i am a bit shy on here to say too much yet.I am waiting for my son to download the bookmark for me.I will write more after as i am putting Xmas decorations up. Thanks.Oh i have been to the dentist and feel tired too so will get back to you later.

yes it burns ect. me also, but then most everything does. I now use virgin coconut oil, the type that I started eating a teaspoon a day for any health benefits. I keep it cool so it is solid. will sometime try gently melting and pouring in some sort of small mold. but its the only thing ive found that isn't painful.

Ivonush, the Forum still does not appear to be working as it should, because you can't add new topics under a specific forum category. However, if you go to the link "Create Content" under the Navigation section on the left side of this screen, you will be able to add a new topic. I'm not really sure if we are supposed to be doing this or not, because new topics added in this way are not being tracked the same, and may not be as visible to some, depending on how they have the forum bookmarked on their computer.

Still working on it...sorry! It's a pain, but we hope to eventually have the forum structure the way we want it. Thanks for mentioning it again, Surviving.

As a newcomer to this site, is it possible to go through life with a prolapse the size of a softball without surgery??? Am waiting on the kit but as it is holiday time I need some encouragement and real facts before my specialist's appointment soon. She will probably say - Surgery is the only way and it will be over in no time and you'll be good as new". After reading all the letters on this site I am confused but hopeful that there is a safe, healthy alternative. PLEASE say there is, and if so, help me with FACTS.

Hi Angela - Yes. There is a safe, healthy alternative. Not a cure or a quick fix, but a new way to live within your body that you will be following for the rest of your life. A way to stabilize the organs and see some easing and even reversal of symptoms over the long haul. And many little tools for your bag of tricks when you are having a bad day. Please search this forum and the entire WW website to get as much information as you can before seeing your specialist (but don't expect your specialist to understand or agree.....). Stick around, and thank your lucky stars you found your way to Christine's site and the wonderful women on this forum. Good luck on your journey - Surviving

When I click on the website it says that the website is unavailable and a security issue. How can I get connected to the article on Replens "a warning". Thanks

NFP - here's the link you are looking for:
http://www.wholewoman.com/forum/node/2078

The reason you couldn't get it under the old link is because of the new format of the Forum since the upgrade. - Surviving

Thanks Surviving,
I just finished reading Christine's warning on Replens. Before reading what Christine wrote I did my own research. I used Replens for nearly 2 years and it was only lately I was noticing discomfort but not attributing it to the Replens until it actually started burning after application. Then I knew for sure it was the Replens. I spent a long while reading their research findings posted on the internet. I will make this simple. Not impressed. Their study included 50 women, 12 of which dropped out for various reasons leaving 38. Their study was not long standing and the results from the 38 women found no ill effects. Imagine, this is a study that they use to market their product to millions of women and medical professionals. In reading through the clinical pharmacology in laywoman's language it stated that the epitheral cells of the vagina were thickened. However... in reading through the reviews on Replens on Web MD this was contradicted by an OB GYN who did not recommend Replens to his patient because it basically causes more damage by thining the mucous lining in the vagina. This made sense to me because I was experiencing discomfort and burning over a period of time. The thining of the vaginal wall causes irritation, infection and bleeding. Methylparaben an ingredient among others causes skin irritation and other unpleasant things. At any rate I contacted Lil' Drug Store. I was asked to send my critique/complaint to the administration by e-mail, which I did this afternoon. I was told they would acknowledge my e-mail with a response. We'll see...
The Replens Reviews on web MD for the most part are negative. Also Amazon has negative reviews. On the recommendation of Web MD I will contact the FDA and register a complaint with them. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a bad drug. I will never use it again or recommend it. I returned 3 unopened boxes of Replens to Bed, Bath and Beyond for a full refund. I also enclosed a note with the return concerning the manufacturer and my findings on their product. Thanks Christine you have confirmed my findings after I finally found your posting, thanks to Surviving. I am going this alone with my own name and credentials and we'll see what happens. However, I would encourage anyone who has suffered ill effects from Replens to write a negative review on Web MD, Amazon and who ever else carries the product.

This evening I opened a long e-mail from an Administrator at Replens. She replied to my experience of using the product for nearly 2 years and recently having burning when using it. I told her it was only the last few months I was using the product as directed. Before that I used a slight amount in the vaginal area. She is having my experiences investigated by quality control. However, she did tell me I should see my doctor that there is something wrong and it is not Replens. I told her the problem stopped when I stopped using replens. For a few weeks now, I have been using organic honey with better results than I had with Replens. I know Replens has been around for years but I wanted to know if she had case studies of women who have used the product long term as directed. I also questioned some of the ingredients and what effects they have with long term use. We will see how it goes. From the e-mail I don't think many women contact them. I was told that they had to give on- going reports to the FDA so I would think feedback is important. .

Well, we all know the FDA is kind of like the fox guarding the henhouse.....but the fact that you got an answer at all is somewhat encouraging. Keep pressing on! - Surviving