Does chamois butter really help?

[Aint Doody]

I did have to have a prescription for the gel. At first my doc was a little reluctant--wanted to give me pills. I finally won him over. And the good news is that my insurance paid and I only had to pay a co-pay. I'm going on a 60 miler tomorrow (if the weather co-operates) and I'll let y'all know what I think. I have a good friend who rides even more than I who's planning to call for her own prescrip. (By the way, the compounding pharm. recommended increasing the percentages to 20 & 2--said it certainly couldn't hurt). The pharm. also said he thought one application would last 5 to 6 hrs!

[spazzdog]

Hi Aint Doody... I'm 49 (for a few months anyway) and almost done with the whole journey into menopause. I've not taken anything hormaonal; I guess I'm lucky.

As to the grrly-bits issue with riding... I was miserable back in 2000 training for an AidsRide. No matter what I did, how I sat I literally had friction burn on my clitoris and major chafing of my labia. I was a very unhappy grrl.

I bought a Koobi saddle (www.koobi.com) at the recommendation of somebody at the Boston-P'town ride. I figured for $69 bucks, it was worth a try.

I have never had another issue with my grrly parts. I don't use chamois butter... just me, the shorts, the saddle. The cut-out goes all the way thru the nose... thus where there is air, there is no irritation.

my 2 cents - spazz

[julbee]

Hey Spazzdog! Thanks for the link! I have heard good things about this saddle! Of course, the goal should always be to use as little of any type of "treatment" as possible. If a saddle change does the trick.... wonderful!

Aint Doody! Hi! I'll be interested to learn as to how this formulation has worked for you! Did you increase the percentages or did you stay with 10% and 1%? I'm sure the 20% and the 2% are quite potent!

The whole idea for using the compounded gel is to minimize absorption into your bloodstream, while still getting the anti-inflammatory benefit. You see, NSAIDs (non-steroidal ant-inflammatory drugs) have a proclivity for your GI lining cells. This doesn't change with the route of administration! It happens if you swallow the NSAID pill, you get the NSAID by IM or IV routes. The stuff makes a dash straight for GI lining cells. This can be a problem... or even dangerous for some people. That is the attraction to the gel. If used sparingly, as directed, there will be zero to very minimal blood concentration.

With that in mind, it's best to use the lowest concentration of a topical NSAID as possible. If you NEED a higher percentage... great. If the lower percentage works well... don't increase it! BTW.. I hope you were sufficiently warned to not get this gel into your eyes.. at all?

And yes.. if you are needing the gel... don't forget to repeat the application(s) at the prescribed intervals.

I have been warned that if you use this cream anywhere on your neck area, one might feel very sedated. Please keep that in mind! (That did prove to be true for me!) You want benefits with minmal side-effects! (Which includes minimal health risks.)

For anyone using an oral anti-inflammatory medication, please be sure you are well educated in the potential/possible side-effects. Seriously.
Minimize the risks for yourself by becoming educated on this issue! You won't regret it!

Happy Riding!

[Aint Doody]

Don't y'all love this website?! I'm getting soooo much good info. I did use the gel--actually it is more of a cream. It actually felt a little stingy on those more delicate parts so I wasn't sure it would do me any good. And possibly I was thinking about it too much. Or as julbee warned maybe the concentrations were too high. I rode 55 hard miles--plenty of climbs. I reapplied after my shower. When I got up the next day, I could have gotten on and ridden more without a twinge. (I couldn't because I was in a pretty stupid golf tournament.) Should I consider diluting the concentration somehow? The big test will be this week-end when I do Cycle OR Week-end--135 miles in 2 days. I'll keep everybody posted. I like spazzdog's idea of the saddle, but since my Pilot 5.0 is new, I just can't see investing in a new saddle just yet.....See you in Spandex!!!

[emily_in_nc]

I like spazzdog's idea of the saddle, but since my Pilot 5.0 is new, I just can't see investing in a new saddle just yet.....See you in Spandex!!!

Hi AD ~ I'll let you in on a little secret! One of the first things most cyclist do when they buy a stock bike is buy a new, comfy saddle for it! So, don't worry, you don't have to avoid doing that just because it is a new bike. Off-the-shelf bikes are notorious for having crappy saddles!

I test rode a Trek 5200 WSD (high-end carbon fiber bike) the summer before last. At the time I'd ridden several full centuries and more metrics on my Terry with a Terry Butterfly saddle. Five minutes into my test ride of the Trek, my girly bits were screaming! If I'd bought that bike (I didn't - I later built up an Aegis Swift from the frame), I would have changed that stock saddle out in 1 second flat! So don't feel bad about swapping it out and early to save your hiney - you will only be about the billionth new-bike owner to have done exactly that!

Good luck,
Emily

[Aint Doody]

Emily--I'm sure you're right. I could spend a small fortune with potions and lotions! And my bootie comfort is certainly important. I've heard a lot about the Terry saddles. OK--let's start with the saddles. What should I look for? My LBS doesn't stock much--small town of 15,000.

[bikerz]

I just replaced the saddle that was on my bike when I bought it last year with a Terry Butterfly saddle - two rides over the weekend, and no pain! It's great - I wish I had started out with it.

http://www.rei.com/product/5977388.h...HP_CYCLING_TOC

From what people have said on this forum, being able to try out a saddle, and return it if it doesn't work is important, and I guess not all places will do that. So I decided to buy it at REI since you can return anything there, anytime. Good luck!

[slinkedog]

I actually have a Terry Butterfly Tri Gel that I'm looking to get rid of. My girly bits were exceedingly unhappy with that one, but I know many, many people who swear by the Butterflies. If anyone is interested, let me know and we'll work out a deal. It only has about 200 miles on it.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily--I'm sure you're right. I could spend a small fortune with potions and lotions! And my bootie comfort is certainly important. I've heard a lot about the Terry saddles. OK--let's start with the saddles. What should I look for? My LBS doesn't stock much--small town of 15,000.

I have the Terry Butterfly with leather cover and ti rails (a bit pricy unless you can find it on sale) on three of my bikes. I love this saddle. It's the third one down on this page:
http://www.terrybicycles.com/product...est+All-Around

Terry allows you to ride their saddles for 30 days and return them if unhappy.

If you like blue, you can get a leather Butterfly with chromoly rails (slightly heavier than ti) for a great price right here on Team E:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=11429

I recently installed this very modestly priced saddle on my mountain bike and find it to be very comfy as well. I can't really compare it with the Butterfly since I have only used it for riding on the trainer (I am recovering from a broken pelvis), but the price sure is right:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5211

Performance also often has Butterfly saddles on sale.

Good luck with your choice!
Emily

[CorsairMac]

I rode on 1 Terry saddle - the Sportco and could NOT wait to get it off the bike. All my bikes have either the Specialized Road Sport or Mountain Sport (depends on the bike) for women on them and I LOVE them. I've logged thousands of miles on them without any problems and I don't use any chamois cremes.

So....are ya confused yet AD? LOLOL

Where's Spazz??......now all we need is a Koobi plug!

[Aint Doody]

Well, y'all, I am sorta confused! I went on Cycle OR Week-end ride 60 miles 1st day and 77 the next. I had decided that the Bootie Creme wasn't quite right on the most intimate of tissue. (It sorta stung.) So I used it afterwards on the less delicate parts - from where my legs join towards the center. I think it helped. However, by about mile 72 on the 2nd day I was on fire. I applied the creme after I got off, and it did indeed help. I also had used some of the internal stuff twice a week. It's not hormonal--just vitamin E and aloe. As for a new saddle--I'm really interested in the Butterfly. Thanks for all the input!

[Aint Doody]

One aside--I met one of the wonderful ladies who works at Team Estrogen on Cycle OR Wk-end. She was riding with another nice lady I got in an argument with over which one of us was TE's best customer! We both thought we were! It was a friendly argument. We both looked pretty cute(?) in our purchases from TE.

[jpbayarea]

from another post Meno woman.....my Gyno prescribed some estrogen cream, topically applied to address the thinning tissues which she says "everyone" has during and especially after Menopause. I often forget to use it but it does help and the tissues are much heartier now. I do find riding day after day without rest days does create soreness, though not rawness. I also use chamois butter and it helps a lot as well as very high quality shorts and changing positions often during a ride. PS. The estrogen cream does not get absorbed into the body but just the external tissues so should be perfectly safe for those of us who worry about taking estrogen.

[jpbayarea]

There is a homeopathic ointment CALENDULA, can be found at any natural food store and is wonderful when applied to any rash/skin irritation. I use it at night after a ride and by morning the 'girls' are in fine shape. And, as they say, regular sexual activity does promote thicker tissues too....so have some fun and try the Calendula. I sometimes put it in the fridge for an extra boost of cooling comfort on hot summer days. Good luck!

[Aint Doody]

Well, y'all, here's an update on the "booty situation." I have a friend who lent me her Terry saddle just before I did a 6-day San Juan Islands trip with Bicycle Adventures. We did a lot of hard riding, and I never even had to think about the potions and lotions. I'm sold on Terry saddles now. A good saddle is definitely the most important thing if your bottom hurts.