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[saffy123]

Hi, I'm new to this site and desperately need some help with bladder problems. I'm 42 and finally after 4 years of seeking help from doctors/urology I was finally diagnosed with VA. Apparently it is uncommon to have VA so early on in peri menopause, I also suffer some anxiety, but as of yet no hot flushes. Sex is very painful and so I avoid, I have a very understanding husband thankfully. My main problem is severe frequency, it really gets me down. I have over the last year or so tried various creams and vaginal tablets to help treat the VA, however the only one I can tolerate is Ovestin (I use a small amount every day) any more and that too causes very bad burning and more frequency. I have also tried Estrogel, up to 3 pumps daily, no progesterone as I'm still having periods (I decrease the pumps to allow a period).
I have just started a birth control pill (femodette). The thinking being it has higher levels of estrogen than HRT. Only been taking for 9 days, but frequency is getting worse. Please please can anyone offer me any hope, I feel so young to be dealing with this problem. Does the BCP take a while to work ?? I feel like stopping it, but my husband feels I should give it a good try first.
I am not overweight and eat a good diet, I don't drink or smoke.
Would be so grateful for any help and advice xx

[Jenna]

Hi saffy23 - I have suffered from VA for many years. I now use Estriol Cream (weaker than Ovestin, but you use more so obtain the same result!). I wonder if that would help you as it is weaker and might not burn as much. Also on the days I don't use Estriol Cream (this used to be called Gynest Cream), I use 'Yes' water-based vaginal moisturiser (underneath as well!). This is available on prescription and contains natural ingredients. It is the only moisturiser I can tolerate and I have also used this for several months on its own when I had to stop using oestrogen, and I did not have any problems with VA during this time I am pleased to say! Maybe this is something that could help you? Have a look at the 'Yes' website as there is a lot of very helpful information there!
Hope this helps!

[saffy123]

Hi, thank you for your reply. I do have 'Yes' both water and oil based, but I haven't found it has helped. I am so frustrated that nothing seems to work for me. I literally need to a pee as soon as I have been, sometimes I just spend hours crying as I feel so helpless. I am now wondering if the progesterone in the pill is making things worse as well, just don't know what to do...... xx

[Jenna]

I am so sorry to hear that and I can totally understand as I have felt like that myself before I finally got the correct treatment. Have you tried the weaker Estriol Cream and using it underneath as well?

Sorry, I don't know whether progesterone could be making matters worse, but I hope one of the more knowledgeable members might be able to help once they read your post.

[CLKD]

I find that the Ovestin1mg causes an increase in the feeling of needing to pee the day after use.  It certainly stopped the feeling of razor blades up there so I tend to tolerate the occasional irritation.

There is a link to the daisy web-site here somewhere - might be worth a look-see?

[saffy123]

Thank you will have a look at that site. What I don't understand is why the creams have not helped my problem. I have been using the ovestin cream (small amount every night for months and months). Why would this not help the bladder problem? Has anyone else found the vaginal creams etc not effective. Please let me know what helped you.... HRT (what type). I am willing to give anything a try.
Thank you in advance xx

[Hurdity]

Hi saffy123

 

Sorry to hear about your bladder problems. There is a thread called the Burning Club which might have some useful suggestions which is here - last time I bumped it for someone no-one posted so I will just put the link:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,22886.0.html

Also sorry I can't help with the BCP - I don't really know about its effect on bladder frequency. Sounds like you should be referred to a specialist - urologist? Maybe you are with one already?

I do have some frequency issues but then I'm 63! I am on systemic HRT (Estradot patches and utrogestan) as well as local oestrogen twice a week and seems to be OK most of the time. I do know that when I'm on the progestogen phase of HRT (I use vaginal progesterone) I do need to wee more frequently and have to get up in the night sometimes a couple of times. Some women find that using progesterone vaginally (which is off licence anyway) exacerbates bladder problems - but I've never taken any HRT orally.

Hopefully someone else will be able to help....

Hurdity x

[saffy123]

Thank you for your reply. Yes I'm under a urologist, have had 6 bladder instillations because he thought that might help, but unfortunately they had no effect. Will look into that link..ta.
Its interesting that you have more frequency during the progesterone phase. With the birth control pill there is a constant progesterone level (until the 7 day break). I wonder therefore if I could have a very high dose form of HRT and then maybe have 7 days of progesterone say once every few months?? does that sound possible??
Any thoughts on any of this thread would be gratefully received.
Thank you for your replies so far xx
I really have no one else I can talk to about this 

[hedge]

Hi

Before I went into the menopause at the end of last year I had had very bad urinary frequency for a number of years due to endometriosis, which sometimes meant getting up in the night hourly/two hourly but did manage to sleep between visits to the loo.

However, in Jan I began having  problems with quite bad insomnia  (still getting urinary frequency at night) and  have been off work. I am not able to take systemic HRT as on warfarin following previous PE/DVT  but my GP prescribed vagifem which has been pretty good at stopping the urinary frequency both by day and night with few side effects. I am aware of the possibility of vagifem may cause recurrence of endometriosis but so far so
good.

I also cut out sweetners is tea as read that they irritate the bladder lining.
Sleep is far still not very good but I don't spend all night in and out to  the toilet now.

[saffy123]

Hi, thank you for your reply. Unfortunately I couldn't tolerate the vagifem which is a great shame as I hear so many people here talk so highly of it (I used it for two weeks and I had awful stomach pains and the vaginal burning meant I could barely sit down). I only use a little ovestin but I know that with my age 42, I need something stronger. I am on DAY 10 of BCP and frequency is worse and the area feels hot and dry. So I really don't know where to go with this next.

I put so much hope into the BCP working, so I now feel really anxious and depressed
Sometimes I just wish I was 80 at least that way I would have less years to deal with this.......xx

[Noodle]

Another local estrogen alternative is Estring.  This is a soft silicone ring you insert into the vagina and leave to do it's work for 3 months.

I found vagifem not right for me, still left me with pain. Estrin though,, for me, is fab.

[saffy123]

Hi, thank you that sounds interesting. Can you feel the Estring when in place? The whole area down there is so sore, so will fitting it cause any problems? Was there any irritation when you started to use it? Did it increase frequency or calm it down? Sorry for all the questions xx

[Noodle]

Hiya. 
No, you can't feel the Estring when in place, if you can then it's not high enough.

 The first one I used was a bit difficult to get in.  I'd suggest using vaginal lubricant first, but wash your hands clear of it before trying with the Estring otherwise it will slither about in your fingers. Don't worry if it unfolds before you've got it to the position you want - just push with one finger.

I had no irritation whatsoever and it only ever calmed things down.

Hope you get sorted.

[saffy123]

Hiya. 
No, you can't feel the Estring when in place, if you can then it's not high enough.

 The first one I used was a bit difficult to get in.  I'd suggest using vaginal lubricant first, but wash your hands clear of it before trying with the Estring otherwise it will slither about in your fingers. Don't worry if it unfolds before you've got it to the position you want - just push with one finger.

I had no irritation whatsoever and it only ever calmed things down.

Hope you get sorted.

Thank you Noodle, that sounds all most to good to be true. Will definitely be trying that. I am sure I'm super sensitive to all the fillers, so this should reduce the symptoms. I hope to go from  to  xx

[CLKD]

That sounds like a real phaff!  Like one is struggling with a piece of spaghetti or a live worm  .  It is something a Nurse would insert?