estradiol vaginal cream

Submitted by callie on April 12, 2007 - 11:34am
Body: 

I have a rectocele and I have three questions that I hope someone can shed some light on.

1. I am wondering is there any benefit to using a vaginal cream such as Estrace, will it strengthen the pelvic floor muscles? I really don't want to use it. I have had it for over a year and not used it. Maybe this is one of the reason's I got a rectocele? This is what the doctor would have me believe.

2. Is there one sleeping position better then another?

3. The doctor said that there is an 80% of recovery from my rectocele if I do kegals 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night, and if I come in twice week for six weeks and have this pelvic floor therapy. The therapy has to do with some kinda equipment that exercises that area, I think he said something about electrical stimulation. After my exam he told me about what a rectocele was and he said if I had come in last week he would have suggested surgery but now he wouldn't suggest that ( he's evolving eh?) He just got back from a big conference where he learned about this pelvic floor therapy and would suggest that instead of the surgery.
What is this stuff he's talking about ?

Thank you for being here.

granolamom

April 12, 2007 - 12:53pm

we've discussed this before, feeling is that while estrogen can plump up the vaginal tissues, it doesn't really strengthen the muscles and even if it did, that alone wouldn't stabilize, reverse or prevent a prolapse.

don't know about best sleeping position

80% recovery? wondering where and how he gets his stats???
some have found kegels to be useful, some have not. you could try and pay close attention to your body. if things seem to get worse, you could always stop. though 10 min of kegels seems like an awful lot to me. especially for those tiny muscles. imagine doing 10 min of biceps curls! OUCH
estim is another one of those things that seems like a good idea at first glance. all it does is artificially stimulate the muscle to contract. now, if you have some nerve impairment, maybe it can be useful, in terms of muscle reeducation. but if your nerves are intact, all estim can do, to my understanding, is artificially get your muscles to contract. in theory this will help strengthen the muscle. maybe it can, and if so, that will bulk up the muscle. but an artificial contraction is not the same as a muscle working on its own and even if it was, prolapse is not due to weak pelvic musculature. those muscles were not designed to hold up poorly positioned organs in the first place.

I *love* when health care providers get back from conferences. its almost cute how excited they get about the newest latest greatest thing.

but, hey, keep asking your dr questions and if its something you feel like trying, well it seems like the kind of thing you can always stop doing if you feel its detrimental. and maybe it'll help. I just can't figure out how.

callie

April 12, 2007 - 1:20pm

yeah this doctor was all pumped up about what he learned at the conference.
I asked his receptionist if she had see any changes or positive results with this she said "well it depends on what's going on with you, there really is nothing out there that is 100% in working with these prolaspes"

Well that pretty much told me it doesn't work... Also the office was suppose to call back and set me up with this stuff, but when they found out my insurance didn't cover it they weren't to keen on me doing it. I think that is because they know its a waste of time and money. But if you have insurance then they are all confident that its worth trying. I think I 'll pass....

We need a sticky - on estrogen cream and kegels ( and a lot of the other common questions).... Thanks for your response.

MeMyselfAndI

April 12, 2007 - 1:28pm

I am sorry but I feel your Dr talks outta his A** when he says 80% recovery with kegels 20mins a day. IN fact - Much like msyelf - You will prolly do them religiously - And you will find things - Like I did - Get far far WORSE - Because it tires out the pelvic floor - Which then sags more - And thus - You feel like everything is about to fall outta you on the floor!

Now - As it stopped all leakage from cystocele - I do maybe 4 or 5 kegels (Hold 6 to 10 secs if that) A day! And I found things to be soooooooo much better for it - No more 'peeking' no more dragging - In fact if I didnt now it was there - I wouldnt know it was there now lol

callie

April 12, 2007 - 2:08pm

I agree the doc is clueless. He is saying 80% cure rate with the kegel and the electric exerciser or what ever it is.. But he is still talking outta of A**.
I have researched this on line and there is nothing convincing.
I bet the doc's are going to hate the fact that women can network and see what frauds they are!