His and Her Health

I have been having symptoms of perimenopause for years. first came the lighter shorter periods, then the severe vaginal dryness, facial hair growth, pretty much everything except so far no hot flashes.

After suffering the vaginal dryness for years I noticed I was also begining to lose the ability to stretch durring intercourse which pretty much ended my sex life.

I went to the doctor and was prescribed estrace vaginal cream and sent off for bloodwork.

My fsh and LH were "normal" that's all she would tell me, not the numbers. I asked why am I having these symptoms and she said I don't know.

She said I could use the estrace anyway and see if it helped. Within about 6 weeks I had no dryness and no atrophy and all was wonderful.....
untill a week later when I woke up with enormous cysts in my breasts.

I am reading conflicting info on whether or not the estrogen could have caused this. The doc says probably not and to keep using it. The pharmacist says yes and discontinue using it.
I have already stopped and now I guess my sex life will be over with for good soon.
I was just wondering if anyone here had developed cysts after using estrace.

Hi Peri, Welcome!

Is it possible your cyst could have been benign? Was it removed? Hormones can increase the density of breast tissue. But it is possible to have dense, healthy breasts. I'm not certain that breast cancer proliferation can happen so rapidly. A week is not very much time at all! In most cases, it takes many years for cancers to develop. But, if you are afraid to use the treatment, why don't you explore other options? Your sex life is definitely not "over for good". Don't lose hope.

I don't have cancer, I have cysts. they are sacs filled with fluid inside the breast tissue that cause big painful lumps under the skin. I have 3 of them. One is the size of a jumbo chicken egg and will need to be drained. I have an appointment coming up with a surgeon to have it done. The others can probably be left alone because they do not cause pain. But I do not want to keep on with the estrace if it means having to go off getting needles stuck in my breasts all the time.

I'm relieved they are benign. Nobody wants to have to go through the pain and annoyance of draining though. If your doctor does not blame the estrace, does he/she have any explanation of why the cysts are developing? How long have you been off the estrace? Has there been any improvement since you've been off it?

she said cysts are very common for women age 40-60 and they happen because of fluctuating hormone levels. estrogen causes fluid production in the breasts. a rise in estrogen can cause there to be more fluid than the body can re-absorb and that makes cysts form. I asked then how do we know the estrace did not cause it? and she says because it is too low of a dose, but the pharmacists said any amount of estrogen at all could cause it and it was probably the estrace. I guess I will ask the surgeon if he thinks it was the cause or not.
I have been off it for a week, and yes actually 2 of the lumps have shrunk a lot but one is still big.

I personally know how alarming finding a breast lump can be. But, from experience, I also know that it also doesn't always mean breast cancer. It's very important however, to always have any lumps immediately evaluated by your doctor.

Breast cysts are very common, and many women get them before the start of their menstrual periods and then they later disappear. Ultrasounds are helpful in determining if they are cysts. It may also be necessary for a pathologist to check the fluid to make sure there is no cancer cells in it.

I must also tell you simple lifestyle changes may also be helpful in eliminating some of the benign cysts. For instance, limiting caffeine consumption (coffee, chocolate and cola sodas). Breast cancer is a concern for all of us.

I would continue doing self breast exams, following the advice of your doctor but also listening to how your body is feeling while taking any products. Please keep us up to date on how you're doing.
Good health to you.

I gave up coffee for 2 weeks and all I got was a headache from the caffiene withdrawal lol. It had no effect on the size of the cysts. I have also tried taking vitamin e and evening primrose oil which supposedly has helped some women with cysts. That didn't do a thing for me either except to give me some gastro-intestinal issues.
The cysts don't seem to be affected by my periods at all. The surgeon has told me it is possible that I will just have to live with them until my periods completely stop. It is all very depressing.

I used to have cysts in my breasts all the time and probably had one or two a year drained. At first, it was a scare for me, because my younger sister died of breast cancer at 33. I got used to it finally, and it was no big deal. Now that I'm in my 50's, I no longer seem to have them, even though I'm on HRT.

I'm used to it now too I guess. I found another one and I didn't feel the least bit scared. I have to go have another ultrasound to make sure that's what it is, but I'm pretty sure it is, it feels all squishy and I can move it around like the others. Mostly I'm just depressed about not being allowed to use the vaginal estrogen anymore. It worked so well and I hate being dry as dust in there. It's affecting my marriage and it's very depressing.

I have cysts, too, although not that big. They say caffeine can be a factor. Nurse told me I'd have to give it up for at least a month though for it to have an affect.