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[Cassie273]

Hi everyone, I am fairly new here and don't post much but have found the advice and threads very very helpful so far.  I have been really struggling with VA for about 8 months and am at my wit's end.  I would really appreciate some help and advice please.

My problem is that I have had constant discharge for months now.  I have been to a specialist menopause clinic and had swabs for various infections but nothing has been found.  I went onto Vagifem about 3 months ago and have found that it has eased the VA symptoms, except for the discharge - which, if anything, it seems to make worse!  The discharge is not smelly or coloured - its just constant!

I have also started the Mona Lisa Touch laser treatment and have so far had 2 out of 3 sessions.  This has really made a big difference to the internal dryness and irritation, but has not (as yet) made any difference to the entrance to the vagina which is extremely painful for intercourse, or the constant discharge, which leaves other bits of me feeling really sore.  The only thing I can say is that the discharge seemed originally to be coming from higher up in the vagina and now after MLT seems to be lower down.  Will it go completely after the course of 3 treatments?

I am really truly at my wit's end with this.  I find it hard to concentrate on anything else - it's there all the time and it is distracting and exhausting.

I would be really grateful for any advice or opinions on this.  Is it too soon to be assuming that the MLT will not make a difference to the discharge?  Should I stop using the Vagifem?  Has anyone else had the same problem with constant discharge? 

A big thank you in advance for any help you can give!

[Cassie273]

I probably should have added more info to this post - I am 45, have had menopause symptoms for over 5 years and it took 3 visits to the GP to get them to take me seriously and test for perimenopause    They initially put me on Femoston 1/10 which was okay for a short while but then my symptoms started to come back.  I insisted on a referral to the local menopause clinic where they upped the dose to 2/10 and prescribed Vagifem.  Everything else is a LOT better but the VA symptoms and discharge are really getting me down.  I've read here that VA is for the rest of my life which is pretty depressing at the age of 45, frankly.

[Tinkerbell]

VA has been my main symptom and I need systemic HRT, Vagifem and I also use Ovestin on the outside bits.
I would suggest giving some Ovestin a try.

[Joaniepat]

Hi Cassie 273,

A watery discharge is often one of the symptoms of VA. I certainly wouldn't stop the Vagifem, and I wonder if you are using enough. I don't imagine it would actually be causing the discharge.

Some people need far more than the recommended dose of two Vagifem a week and use it nightly. The pessaries used to contain 25 mcg estradiol but now only contain 10 mcg. (The manufacturer perhaps reduced the dose for commercial reasons so that patients would have to use twice as many!)

I agree with Tinkerbell that you could try some Ovestin for the outside bits. If very sore you might prefer to start with the generic estriol cream instead as, although it contains less estriol than Ovestin, it is a less 'solid' cream and easier to smear on. You could then add in a bit of Ovestin as things improve.

As to the MLT, few MM members seem to have tried it, although hopefully those who have will be along soon to advise. Maryjane has had successful treatment, so I hope she might see your post. Are you able to contact your MLT therapist to ask about the discharge?

It is depressing that VA is for the rest of one's life, but once symptoms are under control it becomes routine to keep it that way, like brushing your hair or cleaning your teeth, a bit of a bore but much better than the alternative!

All the best,

JP x

[Cassie273]

Thanks so much for responding, TinkerBell and JP.  I have an appointment with the GP next week so will ask about getting Ovestin cream to use as well as the Vagifem.  In the meantime, I think I will try the Vagifem nightly and see if I can contact the gynae who is doing the MLT to see if she has any advice.

I have been thinking about posting about this for quite a while - was a bit shy about it - but just getting some support makes such a difference so thank you 😊

[Tinkerbell]

How many times a week are you using the Vagifem? Don't be shy, if it wasn't for posting/reading this site I dread to think what condition re the VA I would now be in!
I also got VA from an relatively early age, 47 ish but now at 54 I have it really well controlled and I rarely think about it, routine of treatments/ picking up prescriptions is a bit of a pain but it's worth it for a normal pain free life.

[Cassie273]

Hi TinkerBell

I initially used it once a day for 2 weeks, then 3 times a week for a couple of weeks, then down to twice a week.

It sounds great to have the VA under control - I am aspiring to get there but feeling very down about it at the moment.  It just seems to go in waves of okay then horrid and I never seem to get to a steady state.

[Dierdre]

I use vagifem every morning and ovestin every night, YES waterbased lubricant, YES oil based vaginal moisturisor after going to the toilet and wash in cetraben cream.  Watery discharge is a symptom of VA you may need to up your dosage.  Sometimes all these things take a while to work and sometimes we still have blips, stress seems to also not help.

[Tinkerbell]

You may need to use the Vagifem far more frequently, I could never manage on twice a week. I tried to manage on five a week, Gp said many of her ladies needed that amount for control. I need to use it every day, fortunately GP is happy to prescribe it, I am also on quite a high dose of estrogel too, I need it all just to control the VA.

[Maryjane]

Hi 😊 the club no one wants to be a member of 😏.

I year ago about now I had my first MLT , I needed 5 , 3 internal 5 external. It has helped hugely I am NOT cured but it has made the skin quality far superior and also has allowed the vagifem to work much better, I also need HRT all for my VA.

I also moisturise twice a day with a product called Olive and Bee it's literally just olive oil and honey , owned by a women's health physio. I also use emuaid and a product called v-magic not at the same time but I rotate , as this was advised by my gynae to not build up a sensitivity to one product , however what I use I 100% pure and can be eaten , lots of ladies in my group love emu oil.

I had episiotomies on the verge of splitting and had come to the end of the road.

The watery discharge is very much a sign of VA , mime was running out of me.

I also admin a secret FB page where there are 555 of us with VA , and a wealth of advise and support , same as her also obviously, but as there are some extremes of VA and is proving to be a lifeline for many.

Quite a few ladies from here in the group , so,if you wan to join let me know , as it's secret it's quite complicated to find me it.

[Cassie273]

Wow, thank you all SO much for your kind and helpful responses.

MaryJane - I would be hugely grateful to be added to your secret FB group as I really feel so very very alone in managing this.  So far all the doctors have been pretty unsympathetic (except the MLT gynae) and I haven't felt able to discuss the discharge issue with anyone.  And yes, it was literally running out of me until the second MLT - it has improved but is still enough to send me completely round the twist.

I am now going to use the Vagifem every night until I see the GP next week when I will be requesting additional amounts of Vagifem and ovestin cream.  Please cross everything that she's sympathetic!

Deirdre, I am really interested in your view that stress makes it worse as I have found the same - unfortunately stress is quite a big part of my job although I am trying to manage it a bit better now.

TinkerBell - what is estrogel please?  Is that another name for the ovestin cream?
Sorry to be a bit clueless but I feel as though I was literally dumped right into menopause symptoms with no help or support and I am really just feeling my way through this horrendous maze.

[Tinkerbell]

Estrogel is systemic HRT, I can't take tablets and patches don't suit so I use that with the Mirena for the progesterone component.

[CLKD]

What goes up .............. 

Is the discharge enough to require a pad?  Are you sexually active? 

Browse round, we have threads about most issues on here, especially VA [My Bladder etc.].

[Cassie273]

Yes CLKD, I need a panty liner most days.

Define “sexually active”  ...I'm married but not seeing a lot of action in that department as my husband doesn't want to hurt me or put pressure on me.  We're also pretty knackered much of the time from work pressures which doesn't help.

[CLKD]

That might be the reason for the discharge  .   

Also as hormones dip and rise the body gets confused