Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Hvenab]

Hi, I just wanted to share my experience and ask for guidance. So, been suffering excessive toilet visits for a wee. Gp gave me a 3 day course antibiotics on 20th april. Things seems a bit better then on 28th started to notice a smell and leakage toilet visits again, 6 times in an hour, exhausted. I'm now on another course for bacterial vaginosis. Still not sorted and 6 days on having symptoms burning, pressure and clamp pain along bikini line area. Urine dip stick negative. Now taking thrush pessary..could any symptoms be vaginal atrophy. It's very distressing. I had a myosure to remove polyps some fungal
not sure if it's just thrush etc.  Is estrogen the answer? Await a revisit to gyno. Gp always think its infections. It's difficult. Please any advice. Thanks all.

[CLKD]

Ask for vaginal atrophy treatment.  Ring the Surgery tomorrow.  You don't need examantion or blood tests.

A fresh urine sample must be sent to a Lab to see if it grows 'bugs'.  I had 3 courses of ABs B4 my GP recognised VA and prescribed appropriate treatment.  It needs managing.

Do read our threads about VA and other bladder problems so that you get an idea of how common the condition is and also how many GPs are totally unaware that VA mimics urine infection-type symptoms really well!

[Hvenab]

Thanks so much. I just started to read the threads and can see I have a lot of symptoms that mimic this atrophy. I've been suffering for a long time and have been very distressed and urine samples have come back normal. Why dont the gps cotton on. I've spoken to man some middle age gps and they reach for the prescription every time. I will ask if the sample can be sent and see if treatment works. Is it a pessary that you insert or tablet? Thanks again..

[CLKD]

GPs are simply not aware! even though the World Health Organisation is insisting that less and less anti-biotic treatments are prescribed.

I use 'ovestin' - local HRT which helps to replace oestrogen in the vagina, via an applicator.  I believe that the other treatment, 'vagifem', is by a pessary into the vagina.  Each are used for 14 nights to get a good layer of oestrogen to plump up the tissues - low levels of oestrogen cause dryness around the whole body, inside and out.  Some ladies require 'vagifem' nightly as it is a small amount of active ingredient.  The idea is to use either product for the 2 weeks followed by every 3 or 4th and 5 or 6th nights to manage symptoms.

Do let us know how you get on.

[Joaniepat]

Yes, sounds as though vaginal oestrogen treatment is necessary. The bladder, as well as the vulva and vagina, has many oestrogen receptors. If you did have a UTI 3 days of ABs won't have done much, you need at least 7. Odour indicates that the vaginal pH is out of whack, allowing undesirable bacteria to proliferate and crowd out the good guys. Like CLKD says, ask for treatment, Ovestin or Vagifem are the usual options.

Jane Lewis's book Me and My Menopausal Vagina, available from Amazon, is an excellent resource. (She is Maryjane on here.)

JP x

[Hvenab]

I've been going crazy looking for answers. The amount of money spent on meds when we could be spending on the right treatment. So, I'll.ask the gp to send a sample away to rule out water infection and once that's returned hopefully clear I'll ask if I can start oestrogen. Is there any issues getting hold of it? Thanks. I'll feed back.

[Hvenab]

Just out of interest does the treatment cause bleeds?

[CLKD]

Not usually.  It's a small amount of oestrogen replacement into the vagina to coat the walls and keep them moist.  It's the dryness that causes urine symptoms.

Don't wait.  Get the treatment started.  Especially as it's a Bank Holiday weekend and hospitals are already over-run with testing etc..  It could be another 2 weeks and really not worth waiting that long if treatment may ease symptoms, along with an over-the-counter pain relief to help the irritation.

[Whatsupwiththis]

No it doesn't cause a bleed.  I use Vagifem daily to keep symptoms under control but BE WARNED....vagifem takes a very long time to work so don't expect immediate results.  Sad but true.  Most of us VA ladies have dealt with the AB's more times then we should.  Most of us have been mis dx'ed with UTI's continually and most of us were not aware of VA or VVA or GSM until we are at the point of no return.  CLKD and joaniepat are speaking from experience.  You should DEMAND your GP prescribe appropriate local estrogen i.e. Vagifem or Ovestin or both (preferable as vagifem doesn't always hit the external parts.  Good luck and keep us posted.  Onwards and upwards...

[CLKD]

 . ......... literally 

[Whatsupwiththis]

 😂 just got it!  I'm a tad bit slow at times😋

[Hvenab]

Sounds like ovestin may be the better option? I've emailed the gp surgery tonight to insist I try the treatment. Its bloody awful we all have to put ourselves through all this.  I only got the urine sample dipped because I said to the gp i wasnt happy to take a 3rd course of antibiotics. X

[sheila99]

Sounds more like va but I would treat for thrush too just so you rule it out. You can get fluconazole tablets cheaply from the Internet, buy 2 and take them one week apart.

[Hvenab]

Hi all, thanks sheila for your help. Have orded some thrush capsules from chemist 4 u and finished pessary today, slightly better today . Very cheap the non branded. So the gp has prescribed estriol cream with applicator. 0.01 %   is this same as vagifem or other? Just wanted to check it with you ladies? I'm praying and being patient. Hope you are all well and able to stay safe. X

Sounds like ovestin may be the better option? I've emailed the gp surgery tonight to insist I try the treatment. Its bloody awful we all have to put ourselves through all this.  I only got the urine sample dipped because I said to the gp i wasnt happy to take a 3rd course of antibiotics. X

[Chihuahuachick]

Haven't read all of the thread. I have recently found coconut oil shifted my really sore, swollen symptoms.

I used it about four times a day to start but now I use it twice a week.