I began taking birth control pills at about age 35 because my natural menstrual cycles were emotionally awful from ovulation to menstruation. After a total hysterectomy and oophorectomy at age 50 (for fibroid tumors and excessive bleeding) I decided to change from oral to topical estrogen to reduce my risk for complications associated with oral estrogen. My husband was an endocrinologist and I am a nurse practitioner. Since the only source of non-oral estrogen is injection or oral, I chose oral. The only source of topical estrogen is compounding pharmacies. I cannot use vaginal creams because of allergic reactions to every cream or suppository I tried. I must use vaginal estrogen cream because the surgical mesh used for my pelvic repair came through the vaginal mucous membranes when I reduced the dose of estrogen cream. I am now 87 years old. Unlike my similarly aged friends who do not take estrogen, my back is straight, my joints do not hurt, and I walk on my treadmill at least 10 miles a week. I hope that my compounded estrogen cream remains available for me.