How HRT Helped Me Overcome Incontinence and UTIs

Schrriiipp.
Three days later, from the other cheek...
Schrriiipp.

Twice a week, I remove an Estradot patch and place a new one on my backside.

It took me a long time to get here. By “here,” I mean hormone therapy. I have been using it for a year and a half now, but getting that first patch required more persistence than removing the glue it leaves behind. I didn’t start hormone therapy in search of miracles or the fountain of youth.

My reasons for starting HRT

I started it partly because I hoped it might protect my brain. I have lived with MS for more than 26 years, so the possibility of neuroprotection mattered most to me. Relief from night sweats and the potential benefits for my bone and cardiovascular health further strengthened my decision.

My menopause doctor prescribed the Estradot 50 estradiol patch along with a Mirena IUD, which provides the progestogen component of my hormone therapy because I still have my uterus. Within a few weeks, the night sweats stopped, which was a relief in itself. Heat and MS are not compatible. Even a slight rise in body temperature can temporarily worsen MS symptoms.

Considering the benefits

Beyond ending my night sweats, the other benefits I hoped to gain from the patch were not immediately measurable. Still knowing that I am doing what I can to smooth this transition gives me peace of mind, and that is enough for me.

Decades of living with a chronic illness have taught me to be my own best advocate. To do that, I need to stay on top of the latest research and learn everything I can about my health. So, when Dr. Mary Claire Haver mentioned the genitourinary benefits of vaginal estrogen on TikTok, I listened more closely.

A more personal benefit

This may be TMI, but for a decade, I discreetly managed occasional urinary incontinence. I attributed it to multiple sclerosis. Over the years, I saw various bladder specialists, underwent ultrasounds and got probed and prodded. I did everything possible from an MS standpoint to determine whether this was a worsening symptom and what could be done about it. The answers were inconclusive.

To give you an idea of how anxiety-provoking and disruptive it was, I wore what I called a “pee pad” every day. The accidents were occasional, but the anxiety was constant. I never knew when or where my bladder might betray me.

From Dr. Haver, I learned that vaginal estrogen may help with symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, including vaginal dryness and some urinary symptoms. It may also reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections.

HRT totally stopped my chronic UTIs & incontinence

UTIs were another problem I had long associated with MS. I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask my menopause doctor whether vaginal estrogen was worth trying. She agreed and prescribed Estragyn, a vaginal estrogen cream.

Within a few weeks, the incontinence stopped. Completely. Since starting Estragyn in March, I haven’t had a single urinary tract infection or bladder leak. To say I was shocked by the results would be an understatement.

In all those years of going from doctors to neurologists, then to specialists, not one of them mentioned estrogen. After all those tests, probes and inconclusive answers, a cream did what none of them had managed to do.
The leaking stopped before the fear and anxiety did. It took time for me to trust that I no longer needed my pee pad. I still wear a panty liner sometimes, just in case. Once trust in my body was broken, it was difficult to rebuild.

Benefits vs. risks

Hormone therapy is not a one-size-fits-all treatment, and it comes with risks. For me, however, the benefits have outweighed them. Hormone therapy is not a miracle cure, but what Estragyn did for me has felt miraculous. Not having to worry every time I leave the house has given me confidence in my body that I haven’t felt in a decade.

A final tip for the estrogen patch

To conclude this article about my experience with hormone therapy, I am going to leave you with a tip. If you choose to use the patch, I have found a solution to remove the stubborn glue outline left by the patch.

Since starting hormone therapy, I had tried the old-fashioned method of scrubbing the glue off with a loofah mitt. I had varying degrees of success. When I was asked to write about my experience with hormone therapy, I got serious about finding a real solution to the glue situation.

I found a few products on the market designed to remove the glue from the skin. The easiest one I discovered was Brava’s silicone-based adhesive-remover wipes. They come at a premium for the convenience, but they wipe away the glue effortlessly.

No scrubbing. No picking. No traces.

This article is not sponsored, and I have no affiliation with any of the brands mentioned.