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[Ljp]

Hi ladies,
Not been on for a while, all has been ticking along quite nicely.
Had Mirena coil, and estring fitted December 2015, and been using estrogel 2.5 pumps daily.

Last Sept I decided to remove estring to see if the estrogel would be sufficient to keep things under control especially as I now take vesicare too to help with over active bladder.

Everything has been ok, then suddenly out of the blue, while on holiday two weeks ago (in the U.K. Nowhere hot) I developed soreness and itching.

I used to be plagued with recurrent thrush years ago, especially when I was in the pill, and also around my period times, awful!

I used a canesten pessary and cream, and although it calmed things down, it still wasn't right, so I used a second pessary.
To be honest, it's not felt right since, and today it feels sore again. I've just applied some vagisan cream (moisturiser).
Just not sure whether it is the VA or whether it is thrush caused by the HRT.

Any thoughts please?

Also I'm a bit concerned as I can only feel the tip of one string of my coil! And when I had it fitted, the gynaecologist had to open the neck of my cervix as the VA had caused it to close, so I'm worried the same thing is happening and they might not be able to remove the coil when it needs to come out!

Thank you for your advice and time xx

[CLKD]

Have you not continued with VA treatment?  I would ask your Practice Nurse for a look-see ;-)

[ancient runner]

Probably VA. Sorry. Though it might also be thrush caused by not enough HRT to keep your pH balance correct in the vagina, hence repeated infections (possibly).
From what I've read, I think local HRT is the best treatment for urogenital problems though quite a few of us need full HRT as well. But often the full HRT by itself isn't enough. It isn't enough for me.

[CLKD]

Thrush for me was totally different to VA.  It was a nuisance at the end of each bleed with intense itching high up.  VA was like razor blades up there 

[Ljp]

No not used any local treatment since September.
It's awful not knowing what's causing it, today I feel sore and now irritated round clitoris, but not itching in actual vagina.

I have an estring which I only wore for one week before removing it. It's been kept in a sealed bag, wondering whether to use it to see if it helps? They last for 3 months.

I have booked to see my GP but can't be seen until next Wednesday 😟

[Maryjane]

VA is for life , the estring will be fine I had to remove mine recently for a week , just washed it and left it in a boil washed flannel.


I have systemic HRT and the estring. It's a case of don't rock the boat.

Also the estring will keep thebcervix supple.

[CLKD]

VA is for Life so treatment to keep the whole area supple is important.  Sometimes I miss a night/several but it soon reminds me!

[ancient runner]

I'm never quite sure if they work the same after you've taken it out for a bit but suggest you give it a wash and stick it back in especially as you can't get an appointment for a week.
It's a long story but I've been on systemic HRT for 10 weeks but was originally told to not use local as well. VA is my main problem. Not being to use any at all lasted for a couple of weeks - then I cracked and used vagifem as little as possible. When that turned into needing it every other day and I was still only getting a good day a week I went back to (a different) GP who listened carefully to what I said and agreed that yes, I needed to be using the estring again. I'm now on day 4 of good days (I was just about OK when I went having used Ovestin 36 hours before} and I haven't had a run like that in months.

[Ljp]

Thanks for the replies, I've put the estring back in and will ask Doctor to have it back on repeat prescription again, wondering whether to ask for some estriol cream for the outside too, as it's really sore!

I think the reason I suspected thrush and didn't register it as being VA was that prior to going on HRT, the only VA symptoms were frequency, and slight burning after sex, then the mention of closed cervix by gynaecologist! Which was a shock, and quite scary, and uncomfortable to have it opened!
So this has taken me by surprise.

I'm also concerned about only being able to feel the tip of one string from my Mirena outside my cervix!

[Ljp]

Just to add, I'm using 1% hydrocortisone at the moment, just for a few days to hopefully settle it down, I am aware it can this the skin, so won't use it any longer than necessary. But the soreness and irritation is horrible, I feel old and miserable at 52 😟

[Maryjane]

It is very miserable 😡 mine started at 46 now 50 , had noooooo idea such a thing can happpen.

I have three daughter poor b#$%Â¥s.

[Ljp]

Thanks Maryjane, how do you control yours!

[Ljp]

Sorry just read you have systemic HRT and estring, think that's what I need, but read estring should only be used fir two years? So what are we meant to do? It's not going to get any better as we age is it!

[dahliagirl]

It sounds similar to my experience.  I only ever had dry and itchiness on the outside and mentioned it to the urogynae who said that we use vagifem for that.  I also have urgency problems when my hormones dip.

I then went on to get constant 'infections'.  I had a swab that was clear. One GP said it looked more like thrush so I was taking canesten pills and using multi-gyn actigel to cover all bases.

Then I saw a male locum in desperation, not knowing whether I had thrush, BV or by then I had twigged it could be menopause    He was really kind and said that the consultant had prescribed vagifem and it was on the computer I should be using it (I did not have a clue about how this prescribing thing worked).  So I had a swab, some antibiotic cream just in case (I had had vaginal surgery and the scar was so sore that I couldn't sit again, so didn't want to take chances).  The swab came back clear, I started the vagifem and have not looked back.

So, in short, my experience of 'VA' was being very wet and swollen  .  I find that large amounts of progestogen have a similar effect.  So maybe the effects of your mirena are cancelling out the positives of the systemic oestrogen in that area.

[Ljp]

Thanks dahlia girl that does sound similar to me, here was I presuming it was thrush as had many years of that during my menstruating years, so just treated it as such, but the soreness swelling and irritation has come back.
I've inserted estring ( it's been out of packet, but in a sealed case since December) just to hopefully get some relief as can't see my GP until next Wednesday.
It's so confusing not knowing what is causing what! I inserted estring yesterday afternoon, and I know I have also used hydrocortisone, but it does feel a bit more comfortable today thank goodness.