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[Katejo]

I have just followed the advice of many of you and asked to try Vagifem instead of Estriol. The GP was very reluctant and tried to make me arrange a separate appointment. I persuaded her to let me try it and gave avoidance of future UTI symptoms as an argument. She is insistent that it is only safe to use it for 3 months. I gave examples from experiences which I had read here but she got quite irritable. She stated that she had taken a HRT course run by the royal College of Gynaecologists and knew what she was talking about. In her view it is NOT safe to use it for more than 3 months.
I am going to look at the NICE guidelines but have to leave for work now. Any feedback welcome.
I have another UTI now so have to go and get an AB course. She tried to recommend cranberry juice but I have read elsewhere that this is a myth. I wanted to tell her that I had been trying d-mannosa but couldn't think of the name at that moment!

[babyjane]

well I have been using it for 6 years and my lady GP is happy for me to continue on it for as long as I want. VA is not curable, once the tissue has gone it has gone and can only be managed.  In my case it took about 3 months for the benefits to really kick in.

I am sure that others here will also advise you that your GP is incorrect even though she thinks she is right.

[Emma]

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/newsitem.php?recordID=83/Change-of-prescribing-advice-announcement-for-Vagifem

"the three month restriction to duration of therapy with Vagifem® has been lifted. This will now allow Vagifem to be prescribed for as long as symptoms persist."

Note that this news item is from 2009 but I don't see any update to this info.

[Tinkerbell]

My gynae lady who I ended up seeing privately as I got similar advice as you got told me Vagifem was safe to use long term..forever if necessary. She told me that even using it every day you would only be using the equivalent of one oral systemic HRT tablet a year, she put that in a letter to my GP too.

[Katejo]

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/newsitem.php?recordID=83/Change-of-prescribing-advice-announcement-for-Vagifem

"the three month restriction to duration of therapy with Vagifem® has been lifted. This will now allow Vagifem to be prescribed for as long as symptoms persist."

Note that this news item is from 2009 but I don't see any update to this info.

Thanks very much for this Emma. I haven't  read it yet as I am on my phone at the moment but will do so and print it out.
I asked about this in 2 different pharmacies on my way here and both largely agreed with the GP.

[CLKD]

   Emma!

Change your GP Katejo! or see a Practice Nurse?    When did she take 'the course' exactly, 100 years ago  .  She probably wasn't listening properly - maybe ask for details of the particular Course, you could ring the Surgery and ask. 

As for the UTI - is it?  Did a urine sample get sent to a Lab., as AV mimics urine - infections!!!! 

Print out what Emma has posted and take to those Pharamicists?

[Katejo]

My gynae lady who I ended up seeing privately as I got similar advice as you got told me Vagifem was safe to use long term..forever if necessary. She told me that even using it every day you would only be using the equivalent of one oral systemic HRT tablet a year, she put that in a letter to my GP too.

How did you find a private gynae please?

[CLKD]

Via your GP? Or ring your local Private Hospital and ask if there is a meno specialist or Gynaecologist there?

[Maryjane]

Well I have seen Nick Panay who was part of the NICE guidelines and my letter said 7 x vagifem a week for life and ovestin 4 Xs a week , and he made a point of writing this is still a LOW amount.

My own GP has many ladies using 5/7 days a week for as long as they want .


Makes me 😡😡😡😡😡 karma sometimes is required , they have no idea what it's like to have a 🔥🔥🔥🔥 vagina.

[CLKD]

Agreed Maryjane!  Wonder if it was an alternative Course this GP went on 

[Tinkerbell]

I had the same treatment advice as Maryjane from my gynae...but she is a friend of Nick Panay apparently.
I googled private menopause specialist to find one, but I can highly recommend mine if you are in the Surrey area.
But you shouldn't have to do that, I got desperate though, is  there another doctor you can see?

[Hurdity]

Hi Katejo

I am appalled!

Absolutely you do not need to go and see a private gynae. Go to a different GP or if she refuses to prescribe it for longer than 3 months do not leave without a referral to a menopause specialist.

Failing this I would ask for an e-mail consultation with Dr Currie ( which you shouldn't need as the info is all out there) - as it only costs £25 and then at least you can print it out and how her ( or a different GP!).

Hurdity x

[Kkay]

Your GP is sadly, sadly completely out of date and no, she does NOT know what she is talking about. All the advice on this thread is very sound; my favourite being Hurdity's advice of consulting Dr Currie by  email and taking it in to your GP and saving yourself the bother of looking for a specialist. On the other hand, if this is the GP you will have to deal with for your meno needs, then maybe you should have someone else as backup. Local meno clinic ?
Good luck

[CLKD]

Ring the Surgery and ask the Receptionist, "I understand that Dr ?? went on a Course run by the Royal College of Gynaecologists?  I wonder whether you are able to point me in the direction of Peer Reviewed Papers and Abstracts from this particular Course, which was run when exactly?"  If you don't ask you won't find out.

Some GPs HATE when patients go in armed  especially if it's not their particularl speciality!

[Katejo]

  Emma!

Change your GP Katejo! or see a Practice Nurse?    When did she take 'the course' exactly, 100 years ago  .  She probably wasn't listening properly - maybe ask for details of the particular Course, you could ring the Surgery and ask. 

As for the UTI - is it?  Did a urine sample get sent to a Lab., as AV mimics urine - infections!!!! 

Print out what Emma has posted and take to those Pharamicists?

  I don't know when she took the course. I will take the printout with me and book an appt. with a different GP. Re. the UTI: I am in a bit of a dilemma now. On Jan 9th I saw a nephrologist. nothing serious found but she suggested in her letter that I should have a 10 day course of a penicillin AB. I was very surprised to read this because I didn't have any symptoms. Since Saturday (when I got the letter) I have had slight symptoms but they may well just be VA or active imagination. The doctor did a quick test today and claimed that there were signs but hasn't sent it away as I wanted her too. she has given me the AB but I think I am going to hold off starting it for a few days while I take D-Mannosa and use the Estriol. I haven't got the Vagifem yet because the prescription hadn't arrived at the pharmacy. Only the AB had come.

Same doctor has asked me to have cholesterol blood test done. Apparently the last one was 7 (several months ago) though no one said anything to me at the time. Since november I have been making more effort to lose a little weight and do more exercise as well so I hope it won't be as high. I expect they will try to force statins on me. I will resist as I have read about their limited benefits and side effects.