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[Tc]

Hiya ladies. Has anyone heard about this?
I came x an article from USA about a DHEA  vaginal pesserie for VA
As with many of these American articles I approach with caution as they are often trying to sell a product but having said that they often seem to me  to be ahead of the game when it comes to hrt.
Any thoughts?

[CLKD]

Nope  - too early 

Maybe have a chat with a local Pharmacist for an opinion?

[Jenna]

Hiya ladies. Has anyone heard about this?
I came x an article from USA about a DHEA  vaginal pesserie for VA
As with many of these American articles I approach with caution as they are often trying to sell a product but having said that they often seem to me  to be ahead of the game when it comes to hrt.
Any thoughts?

Have a look at the posts here Tc:

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,42388.msg672863.html#msg672863

[Tc]

Jenna thanks that's it. Pasterone.
Very interesting.thanks for taking the time to send the link.

Birdy may I ask why you are wary of dhea.? I realy know next to nothing about it.

[Ladybt28]

DHEA has been an "American thing" for quite some time.  I bought a book more than 15 years ago - a very good one and helpful I might add and definitely ahead of its time called The Mood Cure by Julia Ross and it talked about thyroid problems, depression, adrenal fatigue, CFS, Fibro and other things - all those things that were considered a bit "out there" in the UK.
DHEA, and DLPA were some of the thing mentioned along with Sam-e and Melatonin for sleep.

Have you had experience Birdy? 

[Hurdity]

Hiya ladies. Has anyone heard about this?
I came x an article from USA about a DHEA  vaginal pesserie for VA
As with many of these American articles I approach with caution as they are often trying to sell a product but having said that they often seem to me  to be ahead of the game when it comes to hrt.
Any thoughts?

Hi Tc

You are quite right in being cautious about products and specialists being promoted on US sites but in this particular case, the product you are referring to was approved some years ago by their FDA so is a bona-fide vaginal product.

Here is an old post I made about it in January  2018:

linfit - it does sound typical of the sort of expensive gimmicky thing that is produced in US because of their different healthcare system.

In fact that cream contains DHEA which is a precursor hormone to oestrogen and testosterone. This is actually approved by FDA  in US as a treatment for GSM (or VVA!) - as vaginal capsules "Intrarosa" - which, if you're in US, should be available from your regular doc - whoever you see. They are not approved here in UK yet. I can't download the actual paper about the trials but as reported the DHEA is converted to oestrogen locally in the cells and after 12 weeks the systemic levels of oestrogen are maintained within post-menopausal levels. However this is also true of vagifem and the other creams.

It (Intrarosa) has received recommendation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) so I imagine we are likely to see it being available here sometime in the near future ( (I don't know how long these things take...)

I would get hold of the currently available moisturisers (of which there are many) in conjuction with either Vagfiem and an estriol cream. In UK we have generic estriol cream at a concentration of 0.01% as well as Ovestin (which is 10 times stronger at 0.1%) which maybe more suitable for rubbing in more liberally over external parts. I am sure there must be similar in US.

There are unlikely to be any side effects unless you are allergic to any of the fillers. Estriol is a very weak oestrogen but works well in the vaginal area as it binds preferentially to a particular oestrogen receptor found in this region of the body.

Hurdity x

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=post;quote=612972;topic=36199.0;last_msg=612972

In the recent thread about it which Jenna helpfully linked to - it appears that the vaginal DHEA capsule, Intrarosa, is finally due to be launched in UK shortly. However this is still classed as a hormonal product because the research showed it is converted to oestrogen in vaginal tissues. Also it is only intended as a product to treat VVA and not as a systemic treatment.

It bears no relation to the use of DHEA as a supplement taken orally - which I think is what you have looked into Birdy, and as Ladybt says is very much an American thing? There is mixed info on this as far as I can make out. Yes it is a precursor hormone (cholesterol is the ultimate precusor to all our steroid hormones...) but there is insufficient research and no standardisation of products or dosage and if is not licensed for use in the UK (nor anywhere - except as the vaginal capsule Intrarosa).

A few (expensive) private gynaecologists suggest taking this along with conventional HRT - but as far as I can see it would be hit and miss - re dosage and the outcome. Certainly I wouldn't recommend taking it if not on conventional HRT as well because it is not possible to determine if and how much is converted to oestrogen or testosterone. Some preliminary studes carried out (with oral DHEA) a few years ago were promising  - but I haven't looked at any recent research. I did actually start taking it ( as I read an article suggesting that it could act as a hormone in its own right and wondered if it would help with certain ongoing symptoms) but I took a very low dose, had the feeling that I was putting on weight so now take a 10 mg tab every 3 days - not sure why I do because I don't think it has made the slightest difference! Again to re-emphasise it probably shouldn't be taken if not already on systemic HRT....

Annamuller - if your private gynae has prescribed it, I presume you are also on HRT?

Hurdity x