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[bettz]

Hi all,
I was trawling around t'interweb looking for - I don't know, salvation, I suppose! - when I stumbled in here and you all seemed so friendly and helpful and knowledgeable.
So I joined.
Hello!
I'm nearly 53, haven't had a period for 2 1/2 years so I suppose I'm menopausal.
It's been a reasonably easy ride for me - yes, my memory got up and left, but it does seem to be reluctantly on its way home again. I cried in private at tv adverts, but managed to contain myself in public. My hot flushes.... well, I did get them but nothing dramatic, no night sweats, and they would last about 5 minutes then I'd be fine again. Maybe about 10 times a day max. Then over the winter there, I hardly had any flushes at all and foolishly thought I was through that part.
Hah! No. They're back, and now I'm getting the occasional night sweat as well - woke up early the other morning literally dripping. Thought to myself - ah! That's what people complain about!!
But generally, I've had it pretty easy, I know.
Except for the one thing nobody tells you about....
Sex hurts.
I've never had a very strong libido, and I've always needed extra lubrication.... but this is ridiculous. And I can't tell if I have further loss of libido, or if I just don't want to have sex because I know it'll hurt. Honestly, I find myself hoping my husband's willy will just drop off one day so I can get on with turning into a withered old crone....
I tried vagisil for about 6 months but to be honest it didn't make a damned bit of difference, and I'm a bit wary of taking hormones due to the potential increased cancer risk.
Today I bought some black cohosh, more in hope then expectation.
And I found you guys... anybody else in a similar boat? Have you found the oars?! 

[CLKD]

Yes, yes, yes - as oestrogen levels drop off the body may become dry: inside the ears + tinnitus, nostrils, skin, vagina    see the various threads including my own "My Bladder etc." I think I called it.  Put 'vaginal atrophy' into the search box.

Oestrogen levels dropping can also cause muscles to become lax = aches and pains  . 

Browse round.  Make notes.  I had itchy insteps every night for a few years, would be OK in the day but when I took off my socks to step into my bath  and occasionally the whole of my back itches.  I have a special long thingy for my back!

So the atrophy should be sorted with a visit to your Practice Nurse/GP for either Vagifem or Ovestin1mg

[bettz]

Vagifem - that was it! Not Vagisil.....

Nope, tried it already, and it didn't help at all.

Yeah, I've found out loads about vaginal atrophy.... but I'm reluctant to go down the HRT route, even just topically. I think I'm hoping for some sort of miracle solution.... 

[Annie0710]

That made me laugh about the willy dropping off lol

I think You do need local oestrogen down there otherwise it'll probably get worse.  I use vagifem internally and ovestin externally and often I use Sylk for those romantic nights

[CLKD]

There isn't one.  Some ladies find that without treatment their labia fuse due to dryness which means surgical intervention.  Prevention being better than cure, what's to lose  - HRT isn't as dangerous as was made out a few years ago, that was based on badly interpreted Results  ..... 

Have you read the threads in the alternative section? 

The localised HRT for vaginal problems are used sparingly and not often.  But it is a ladies choice to ask, read, decide ......... if you find something that works for you, do let us know as some ladies find that they require HRT as well as other preparations, i.e. Yes products.

[bettz]

Thanks for the responses!
Aye, I suspected the hormone-free miracle cure maybe didn't exist.... ah well.
I'll just keep reading, and experimenting, and let you all know how I get on 

[CLKD]

Every experience shared here can be read and taken on board by others to see if it's suitable for them to try 

Localised HRT can be messy  but I couldn't live with the feeling of razor blades up there  and my GP recognised that the repeated urine infection-type symptoms were atrophy  .

Have a look at 'yes' and 'sylc' threads on here by using the search button .......... make notes!

[Hurdity]

Hi bettz

  from me too.

No two ways about it - you need to get along to the doctor and get some more Vagifem or perhaps estriol cream (the generic 0.01 % or Ovestin). As the others have said I am sorry to say that your symptoms will not improve until you do use local oestrogen however many lubricants and moisturisers you use. I urge you to do something about this before it goes too far and gets so bad. There is no cancer risk from local oestrogen - the amount of hormone that is absorbed into the body is miniscule but the benefits enormous. Do read about it on this site:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/vaginalsymptoms.php
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/dryness.php
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/vaginalresources.php

MM Magazine articles:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/pdf/article-gsm-issue44.pdf
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-vaginal-atrophy.php

Heather Currie's blog:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/blogpost-vaginal-dryness.php
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/blogpost-lube-or-hormones.php

Please reads all of this before you decide you cannot use local oestrogens to ease your symptoms.

Also the thread started by Dancinggirl on this forum in private lives "The Burning Club"

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,22886.0.html

There are pages and pages of posts by women in a similar position:

Hope this helps and please do not suffer!

Hurdity x

[MissD67]

Hi.I use Sylk lubricant when the need arises. I've never needed anything before this started but as my partner says: it's either the Niagara Falls or Gobi Desert. 

[CLKD]

Good analogy ........  .  If VA is due to a lack of oestrogen which can mean the body dries: inside and out, including vagina: then other lubes won't replace the oestrogen though some ladies do find them useful.  I have to use KY Jelly as well.