Menopause
'Menopause isn't really that bad'...said no woman ever.
For those who are approaching or experiencing 'the change' (think reverse puberty), a time where hormone levels decline either through the aging process or by medical/surgical means.
Menopause and Perimenopause (the transitional time before Menopause) are unique to every person, and while there's no one-size fits all, we support each other on this roller coaster ride of wacked out hormones, absurd mood swings and random sweaty hot flashes.
Be kind. Be respectful. We are all in this together!
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The systemic estrogen (patch) should help significantly with atrophy, but it takes time...like months for some. So folks will also consider adding on localized estrogen, like Vagifem.
It's not that the term "compounded" is a dirty word, it certainly has its place for some things, like specifically, testosterone (since so many doctors won't prescribe it AT ALL). But vaginally, there's no telling what the cream mixture dosages are (even if the pharmacist tells you). So the "mixed"/compounded recipe might not be enough and there's no way to know. Either way, results vary, you may notice improvements after a few weeks (for atrophy) and for others it can take months. But if you're looking for libido help, then it can take months as well, and even then MHT/HRT and/or Testosterone may not work at all for some folks.
As for how long between application and sex? The longest time between vaginal applications as possible. Obviously you may not be able to plan that, but longer is better for your partner, as transfer may occur. Otherwise, if you need something for lubrication before/during, consider using a non-hormonal option, like hyaluronic acid. Here's a link to the various lubes, and one of them might help too.
Thank you, I really appreciate this information.