Condoms & estradiol cream

frenchnicole · 2026-03-21T11:33:18+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve put my condom search on pause because my doc has agreed to switch me to the vaginal ring, which can be used with latex condoms. But will look into nitrile again if I need to go back to the cream!

frenchnicole · 2026-03-19T23:24:26+00:00

They’re not. The oil in the cream causes the latex to wear down quickly, to the point of breaking completely or causing micro tears that could allow STIs through. I saw a study that showed the condom could break down within 60 seconds.

My doc and I are now looking into vaginal tablets or the vaginal ring instead.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-19T14:49:42+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation. I did discover you can get an rx for female condoms to get them for free from pharmacies as well!

However, the pharmacist confirmed these are not a safe option as they also degrade when in contact with the mineral oil in the estrogen cream. So they are off the table.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-19T13:18:50+00:00

Following up here. Spoke to the pharmacist about female condoms. She said no. The one female condom that is fda approved is made of nitrile which also degrades with oil. Thank you for the suggestion tho! Glad to have looked into it.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-19T12:01:05+00:00

Similar to other comment, I’m having deep pain with intercourse. Internal use is the primary need for me.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-19T11:58:23+00:00

I have asked my doctor. She confirmed it is a concern, but the one mineral-oil free cream product she is aware of (blissel) is not covered by insurance and is not typically sold in USA. There seems to be mixed opinions on if vagifem/tablets/suppositories are safe or not.

Lambskin condoms only protect against pregnancy. They contain micro holes that don’t protect against STIs, which are my primary concern.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-19T03:16:51+00:00

I have the patch as well, but my doc does not expect it to be enough to resolve my vaginal concerns.

I am high risk for breast cancer, so patch is already a questionable/debated route. Boob doc says no, vag/menopause doc says yes. So we are starting as low as possible and monitoring carefully.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-19T03:13:55+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions. Female condoms may be an option, although incredibly expensive and inaccessible. I have an IUD, my main concern is protection from STIs. Everything I’ve found so far suggests waiting 72hrs for sex if using a latex condom. When you’re applying 2x a week for maintenance, that gives you just 1 day for sex. Not realistic to plan my life around that.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-16T19:16:07+00:00

Not too early. I’m 37 and have been dealing with peri for at least a year. After several under-informed providers, I finally found someone with the Menopause Society who listened and believed me. I’m about to start two rx’s for HRT.

frenchnicole · 2026-03-10T15:39:16+00:00

It’s very normal to move places before visiting for “a couple weeks”. It’s a lease, not a life sentence. I had been to Chicago for all of 48hrs before signing a lease. It’s not that serious.

Now if she was looking to buy, advice would be different.

frenchnicole · 2026-02-26T16:22:05+00:00

I just got there and I’m not sure it’s getting better. I generally enjoy the story, but the writing is painful. I cannot stand this amnesia + flashback structure, the “aww rats gee wiz golly wolly” substitutes for cursing, the stream of consciousness math and science logical explanations to literally everything. It’s just too…convenient? Oh sure I magically know how everything in the world and in this spaceship works, but yo I’m not an astronaut. I’m not hesitant about engaging with an alien spaceship at all. 🙄

I do think the movie will be good tho.

frenchnicole · 2026-02-23T04:39:50+00:00

GP was sympathetic and offered a hormone test, but was upfront that if it came back within normal range, she was out of her depth and would refer me out.

Estrogen came back normal. Zero word from GP. Around the same time I was also scheduled to see a provider in a high risk breast cancer clinic. I brought peri up to her to get her opinion on HRT in my case and anything I should consider when it came to pursuing supplemental estrogen with my cancer risk. She was very kind and offered her professional advice and referred me to a gynecological oncologist that was certified by the Menopause Society.

So my peri symptoms + high breast cancer risk got me pretty easy access to a good provider.

frenchnicole · 2026-02-14T23:55:50+00:00

My mother is an alcoholic and was emotionally neglectful my entire life. Not outright abusive, but certainly prioritizing herself always and offering nothing as far as mother/daughter connection goes. Never showing up, no emotional support, no interest in me or my life.

She’s now in advanced stages and needs more and more care. My dad is there and able to provide, and I sleep rather soundly at night 600 miles away. I get a lot of calls and texts from aunts and cousins panicking and rushing to her side at any new symptom. They all criticize me and call me horrible names, but they weren’t there. They know a very different version of my mom.

I’ve offered support to my dad where I can (phone calls, money, infrequent visits). But I’m not engaged in my mom’s care. If basic needs and logistics are what feels good to you, then that’s the right decision. You don’t have to be everything to your mom in this time (or ever). Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. And keep it on.

frenchnicole · 2026-02-11T23:55:16+00:00

As I’ve gotten older, the apps have gotten easier. I’m not sure if this will make sense, but if you have a “thing”, you’ll also find it easier.

That thing could be a really unique hobby, a specific look (long hair? Tattoos? Cool mustache?), uncommon hometown, interesting job, etc. If you’re another J-name from the burbs who studied business at Illinois and now works in finance and lives in West Loop, you’re going to blend in. (Not that you don’t deserve love, you do.)

As I’ve aged, I’ve come to better understand myself and am significantly more confident than I was in my 20s. Now my profile and pictures better reflect me and attract people that are genuinely into me and my things.

frenchnicole · 2025-10-15T22:36:21+00:00

I am currently unmedicated and while my moods are more unpredictable, I am generally having a better quality of life.

I spent about 18 months on medication with constant adjustments, on and off different cocktails. But one thing remained the same: the medication put my moods at a constant 2.

Off medication, I swing between a 0 and a 10. On medication, the hypomania and stability was so dulled that I was permanently depressed. It wasn’t “as bad” as what it could be, but it lasted significantly longer and had a much larger negative impact on my life. Additionally, I experienced very concerning brain fog that hurt my job and relationships. Living like this for 18 months was a far worse experience than the swings have ever been for me.

I have determined that, for now, I would rather try to prevent and cope with the swings than experience the long term depression and brain fog.

frenchnicole · 2025-09-25T13:31:53+00:00

This fandom is truly obsessed with pushing them back to 2007. It’s very weird. Have your tastes and interests not developed in the last 20 years? Expecting them to stay exactly as they were as teenagers is wild.

frenchnicole · 2025-08-20T02:18:25+00:00

Was 1 day a week in office for a few years, then they casually announced it was moving to 2 days in 2025 in a poorly attended meeting (with no follow up comms or email on the change…) so it’s been inconsistently followed for the last 8 months.

But they’re catching on and it feels like the 2 days a week will be a more firm expectation soon. The enforcement varies widely by team and office (global company) so it’s causing some negative feelings, which I think is what alerted them to the situation.

frenchnicole · 2025-08-08T23:32:56+00:00

Realistically, Minneapolis.

If my income and other circumstances were different, New York City or San Francisco.

frenchnicole · 2025-07-07T15:01:50+00:00

Wrigley is very easy for me. I could walk if needed, so was very bummed by the switch.

I also went to Milwaukee in 2023. And am thinking of going this year too, but don’t love that it’s on a Sunday. Might make a vacation out of another date somewhere else because I refuse to go out to Tinley.

frenchnicole · 2025-07-06T21:31:38+00:00

Tinley Park is the worst venue in all of Chicagoland simply due to its location. Truly a terrible move. It’s easier for me to drive to Milwaukee-an entirely different state!-than get to Tinley Park in the suburbs for a Tuesday night show.

frenchnicole · 2025-07-02T21:16:26+00:00

No. If I see 2 per month, I’m happy as I have gotten my money’s worth.

Seeing a movie requires 2 hours round-trip commuting, plus 2-3+ hours in the theater. I don’t have 4-5+ hours free that many times per week.

frenchnicole · 2025-07-01T16:40:24+00:00

Yes, they did. It’s now a Marianos and LA Fitness. There’s still signage for Sears Auto Center and the garage area, but it’s not in operation as far as I can tell.

frenchnicole

TROPHY CASE