Re: Digest Number 1668

[Guest guest]

Lynn, it was orthotricycline and I only took it for about 6 weeks, things never went back to normal. I am working with an endocrinologist to find out whats going on hormonaly. But he basically had the maybe I can help maybe I can't attitude....... so I don't hold much hope. I am going to keep on the estrace and maybe try yet another doctor after I see the endo guy again the 17th.

I looked for litmus paper once before none of our drug stores or pharmacys have it??

Does the ph stay within that range through the entire cycle??

Thanks,

Daphne

[Guest guest]

>>Can anyone tell me what the optimal ph balances are through the cylce??

As usual I had to open my big mouth lastnight about not having any rectal

burning for the last 2 weeks and the vulvar burning being better, so this

morning it was kind enough to return, I am getting bummed out about the

estrace being my answer.

I ask about the ph because I can have sex without burning in the first

half

of my cycle and it gets progressivly worse until my period starts. I wonder

if this is a ph thing, the hormones being out of wack I'm sure doesn't help

this either.

Is there some way to test ph at home?? so that I can see what is happening

when it is good and when it is bad??

Daphne<<

Daphne,

A few things------vaginal ph runs about 4.3-4.5 and you can get litmus paper

at the pharmacy to check it. I use a qtip and get the discharge then wipe

it on the paper and check it against the chart. Look for papers that go rom

0-10 if you can.

Here is how hormones work:

Day 3-14 of your cycle is high Estrogen, Low progesterone

Day 15-28 or so is Low estrogen and High Progesterone.

At ovulation and just as your period starts you will have big drops in

estrogen and will notice more symptoms of PMS etc. The low estrogen will

also hang around till about day 3 of your cycle then start back up.

You could be having problems from Low Estrogen or too much progesterone. If

you started having problems on birth control---check out the amount of

progesterone in it. If it is Depro or another all progesterone pill than

all of this makes sense. Too much progesterone will block your estrogen.

Low estrogen causes thin dry skin that breaks and tears easily (hence the

backside problem with burning). My fissures will heal the first half of my

cycle only to reopen the second half. I even had surgery to stop them but

they keep coming and have everyone stumped. It is like my skin just won't

stretch. The skin on my hands are wrinkled, dry and thin (according to an

allergist who was using the back of my hand for a skin test and I bled---he

thought that was very strange for someone my age). I have age spots as well.

I am 39. My skin itches all over as well.

Lynn