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[Paula]

Hi - I'm Paula and new to this site. Really pleased to have stumbled upon menopause matters yesterday so thought it would be good to join the family. I'm 59 and thought there were no problems as I more or less strolled through menopause at 51 ( managed hot flushes through diet and herbal advice). Things were OK until last year when dryness set in. Busy life with two teenagers and work so I put this onto the back burner. This year - disaster- shingles in February followed very swiftly by what appeared to be untreatable urinary tract infections for 3 -4 months. Lots of antibiotics eventfully cleared things, but left with vaginal atrophy. Maybe some of the good bacteria got swept away during the courses, plus I was in poor health. Ouch!!! Couldn't even sit down, burning sensations, all came as a bit of a shock. Anyway, prescribed Ovestin cream and have been very tenacious about continuing therapy ( putting up with more burning as cream interacts with sore lining) and must say ( fingers crossed ) it has paid off with significant improvements in the comfort zone. My gynaecologist tells me this brand of cream is good for the urinary tract areas.

I read a lot of very negative posts ( going back to 2011 ) about Ovestin cream and burning with VA. Obviously, we should seek advice if there appears to be a reaction to the medication, but I have to say I intend to continue, unless otherwise indicated not to. Anyone else out there with VA experiencing discomfort with some of the creams and pessaries?

[Joyce]

 

[Hurdity]

Hi Paula

  from me too.

Glad you have found some relief from Ovestin.

I use Orthogynest pessaries - until they run out - as they have been discontinued. Also sometimes Vagifem. These are least likely to cause irritation. I also use Gynest cream sometimes on outer areas. However I am also on systemic HRT so never let VA take a hold as I have been on this from late peri-menopause. I have never had any irritation from any of the products but can understand with severe VA there can be burning at first.

Hurdity x

[Katy]

Hi Paula 

I'm another one using vagifem inside and Ovestin cream on outer area.  I have been told by my GP that I can have this for life.  My vaginal atrophy was that bad that I couldn't sit down for the pain and constantly felt that I had a continuous UTI.  Mine got so bad that I am now left with Vulvodynia (nerve damage) for which I take Amitriptyline and Gabapentin.  It's good that you have found some relief with Ovestin cream and hope you continue to see improvement.

Katy x

[Paula]

Thanks Katy and Hurdity for your great posts. Really helpful. Will keep in touchX

[Dyan]

Hi Paula

[Paula]

Thanks for great welcome to MM - to  cubagirl and Dylan - Paulax

[Paula]

Hi girls. Thanks for the posts. Really felt welcomed and great forum to air concerns. I mentioned trying out ovestin and giving it a good go. I 'm the newbie of 59 who 's got VA and has started oestrogen cream .Well,  to be honest, I need to eat my words. After five days' treatment, found the burning immense - especially after insertion at night. Couldn't sleep - even with amytriptyline and neurofen ! Today - I feel like the back part of my vagina is has been cut. So a trip to the surgery ( not my usual doctor ) and have been told to stop for a few days to let things settle down, plus take one oral dose of the stuff that tackles the possibility of thrush ( don't think it's that - it's years of dryness, which had led to awful soreness ). I've got an appointment Tuesday with my regular doctor.
 
I was told that the severe burning wasn't normal and shouldn't continue to take the preparation.i don't want to wait too long as in other ways I felt  ovestin was doing a good job down there. I would like to nail this problem long term.


I wonder why this has happened. Is ovestin more suitable for those who are just beginning to develop atrophy? Are there more gentle preparations out there, less likely to cause unbearable side effects, but still come up with the goods?  I think you mentioned one or two brand names. Are there any other possibilities?  I'm a bit concerned that I'll react badly to other preparations, now.

Sorry to come back so soon to the forum - but would really welcome a little more advice from those with experience of using or knowledge of oestrogen cream / pessaries products. Is it possible to take a product orally, with the same targeted results? Or combine treatments? These are questions I'll obviously check over with my doctor....

Thanks for your patience.....x

[Hilary66]

Hi there
I just noticed your post there,I had posted about horrendous burning after inserting my vagifem tabs in the last week between taking sitz baths and using baby cream I'm at a loss to know what to do,I genuinely think I am having a bad reaction to them now,next step is to sit on an icepack I think I have ordered off the yesyesyes website and am hoping that their products will make a difference,I'm actually starting yo wonder if there is something wrong with the skin both on the inside and out,anybody with any suggestions to help,  hilary66

[Paula]

Thanks for your post Hilary. Just to let you know I had a productive appointment with our family doctor today. He suggested I come off ovestin for a while and take one tablet for thrush - I do have a thick, white discharge ( no odour ) that seems to be quite profuse. He took a swab to send off, just in case it could be something bacterial ( unlikely ). He said ovestin cream can produce side effects for some people. The way forward would be to wait for thrush treatment to take place. If symptoms cleared to revisit ovestin after 10 days or so. If the stinging / burning occurred again, he would then try a different brand of cream or pessary.

He told me it's quite a common problem - this burning  / irritation reaction. Also sometimes these creams can cause thrush. I was on heavy duty antibiotics for about 3 months to clear a stubborn urinary tract infection.  Doesn't really offer me much consolation, but will have to try the pathway he's suggested. Maybe clearing thrush  will help, fingers crossed.

Good luck with your own situation. It really helped me to chat things over with a familiar doctor, whose opinion I value.

[Hattie]

If it of any help Paula - a gynae recommended that if i get thrush to take the one dose tablet- he said that
thrush is systemic and the tablet/capsule would get rid of it.

I've taken Yakult as well to help put some good bacteria back.

[Paula]

Hello Hattie

Thank you for your kind reply. Well, I agree - I asked for a tablet for thrush and it has truly worked. I suffered a bit of discomfort at the time - guess there was an interaction somewhere, but the problem seems sorted ( at least for now ). Also have been taking plain live yoghurt ( with blueberries ) for about a month as I think antibiotics, though essential for my UTI's, didn't help dryness and made things a bit sore down there.

I hope to return to oestrogen cream/ or pessaries very soon because even being on them for just a week seems to have made a difference. In the meantime,  I've ordered some water- based 'Yes' products over the internet to get things going again in terms of of the sore dryness I've been experiencing.

Thank you again. I'm sure others will be helped by your information.

[Paula]

Hi Hilary

Just to let you know I've ordered some 'Yes' products over the internet. I phoned the free number and spoke directly to a member of the team, who was very helpful and pleasant. I'm interested in trying the product out before returning to official oestrogen therapy, after a week or two's break.

Hope you have found the product a good choice.

Best wishes

Paula

[Paula]

Hi there

Apparently ovestin cream contains an antiseptic - that's why for some people it can sting and burn. I have a lot of scar tissue internally, as a result of birth trauma ( eighteen years ago ! ). Just as some of you helpfully posted, my doctor has now advised me to use vagifem tablets and to apply a small quantity of ovestin cream lower down - the area that can't  be reached properly by the tablet. Ovestin cream is particularly helpful at healing internal scar tissue, apparently. The good thing is that I can be more in control of the amount of ovestin cream targeted in those 'delicate' spots. I wasn't aware that vagifem was produced without this antiseptic element.

I was also advised to put live plain yoghurt on a tampon and insert now and then. As my twenty one year old daughter said - well you use it to cool down a hot curry don't you ?! On the nights no pessaries are used, the doctor suggested using lubes such as 'Yes' or ' Replense'

Thanks for your suggestions and morale- boosting interest everyone. As a newbie to these problems, well, it's good to know you're not on your own out there!

[Paula]

Hi Hilary- just a bit of adding on from the last post. Firstly, hope you are finding the burning less of an issue, or at least more tolerable. I came off ovestin cream for a week ( burning - ouch! ) then on the advice of a gynaecologist, started vagifem plus ovestin every day for two weeks. I have used a very small quantity of ovestin indeed - just lower down area and inserted via my finger. I found I could tolerate both preparations better after a short break. I still feel some discomfort ( not predictable - some days/ nights better than others) but much better than 3 weeks' ago, when it all was a bit of a nightmare and I thought about giving up the treatment. Everyone is different, of course. I hope to start using the Yes water based lube product this week when oestrogen treatment is once every two- three days ( in my case). I have been told by the doctor not to use both products together as the lube might stop the oestrogen cream / gel from being absorbed.

Hope you find a good pathway to go down and you feel much better soonx