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[Spangles]

Hi
Can anyone help please?
Most months now before my period, (I think my periods are force by the HRT as I had very few before I started to use it), I experience a very sore, dry and irritated vagina, my skin is so sensitive that when I wip it feels like it is splitting. It does settle down after my period. Has anyone else experienced this?
I use evorel 50 and utrogestan 200 vaginally, I've been on this regime for over a year now and I'm 47.
I have heard of vaginal atrophy but I don't really know what it is, could I be experiencing that? If so does this have any indication of how far along the meno journey you are?
Thank you
Shellb
xXx

[Nina]

Me!!! I started vagifem a few weeks ago because I found sex sooooo painful, plus I feel like I need to rearrange my bits sometimes. Just don't feel right down there. I think it's 20% or something of women also get va even on hrt.

I'm on oestrogel 3 pumps and daily 100mg of utrogestan. 43. Been on hrt for a couple of years now so am sad to have this va. it did settle down when on tablets but has come back now so maybe I need a more stable oestrogen dose. Who knows? Plus I'm sure I've got a prolapse ha ha.
I'm back to docs today for reassurance/exam because there's no way I'm giving my sex life up.

It's doubly annoying because hrt has restored my libido and now I can't use it. Bastards.

[Hurdity]

Sounds like VA Shellb. Many women also require Vagifem like Nina - and me too - as well as systemic HRT - in order to keep things healthy down there. It's not as though you are on a high dose of oestrogen anyway. Dr Currie acknowledges this on this site:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

VAGINAL TREATMENTS

Local estrogen can be used for vaginal and bladder symptoms, when systemic treatment is not desired or appropriate. For some women, vaginal estrogen may be required along with systemic HRT.

I quote this because some (ignorant!) docs seem to refuse to give it or say it's unnecessary.

Defo go and get some vagifem and hopefully you will feel better!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Oh the razor blades up there  - fortunately my GP recognised that the urine infection-type symptoms were VA and prescribed topical treatment even though I have a history of breast cancer, I use Ovestin1mg regularly.

[Spangles]

Thank you so much ladies. Can you tell me what vagifem is please?
xXx

[countrybumpkin]

I use vagifem alone.  It is a pessary ( tablet) in a holder that you insert into vagina.  To begin with your use one a night for 14 nights and then reduce to twice a week.  Basically like a tampon you insert the holder as far as if comfortable and press the button on the end and it releases it into vagina where it sticks to the walls and dissolves delivering tiny amount of oestrogen to the vagina.

Makes a huge difference to my symptoms so def worth a try.

[CLKD]

Any side effects with it?

[countrybumpkin]

Any side effects with it?

The only side effect I have is that the morning after I have used it the night before, I get a slight burning sensation when I sit down or squash my vagina I find that by lunchtime its gone and think it must be from the residue of the pessary and once its fallen out so to speak the burning goes. I have once got a bit of jelly like stuff on the loo roll and after that the burning stopped so assume this is the cause.
Its not bad enough to stop me using vagifem as the benefits are much greater.

[Spangles]

I already use utrogestan and evorel, would I keep on using them?

[andius]

Well, I would think so, at first anyway.  Make sure you get settled on the vagifem for a couple of months first though.

If you want to reduce the others, then you could try a little at a time. Vagifem might be enough for you, but I need Vagifem and systemic.

Be sure to discuss this with your doctor.

Everytime I have tried to stop the systemic HRT and just use vagifem, I am fine for a few (3-4) months and then the VA feeling comes back, even using vagifem 2x or 3x a week.  Its not the hot flashes that make me go back to the systemic HRT on top of the vagifem, it is the constant vaginal and bladder pain/irritation.

[Hurdity]

Definitely keep on with the full HRT as well as using Vagifem or similar, otherwise you may well get a resumption of more symptoms than VA!! As I and others said earlier in the thread below - many women need both.

Hurdity x