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[Whatsupwiththis]

As some of you know I've been on Vagifem and Estragyn (estrone) for 8 months.  So far so good but I'm curious how often other VA ladies get flare ups and what symptoms does it cause.  For me, a flare up is discomfort i.e. stinging and some soreness.  Thoughts?

[Denise T]

That's exactly the same question I was going to ask aswell. I am almost 60 had full hysterectomy when I was 47. No meno symptoms at all until last October when I could barely walk with the burning stinging and soreness of the vulva. Not to mention going for a wee every half hour. Vagifem took a while to work but for the past two weeks it's as bad as ever. I am using it every night at the moment but still not getting any relief. So is this a flare up or is the Vagifem not enough ?? It makes me feel so fed up and depressed.

[Whatsupwiththis]

How long have you been on Vagifem?  I use daily.  It's the only way I can keep VA under control.  It takes such a long time to work.  Are you using any estrogen cream for vulva?  Many of us need both...Vagifem internally and cream externally.  My GP put me on Amitriptyline until the vulva nerves settled.  Keep it up and you will get over it.  Sometimes I sneak in 2 at a time.

[Whatsupwiththis]

Yes jaypo, for life.  I know some ladies who felt better and decided to get off Vagifem only to have a nasty flare up.  From what other ladies have posted, it is much more difficult to get VA back under control.  Boy what us ladies go through.  If it happened to men to have their little doodads painful, there would be a cure in a matter of days.

[Katejo]

I've been on vagifem for just a week but already I've stopped weeing every half an hour. I was put on it as I'd some blood,I too had a hysterectomy 13 years ago,so I knew it wasn't spotting from a period or the like,also,intercourse was uncomfortable at times.Have you to stay on vagifem for good does anyone know?

  Yes I have been on Vagifem for just under 2years and Evorel Conti for 1 year. I don't use as many Vagifem now but still need an occasional booster.  Mostly use it about 3 x a week.

[Denise T]

Have been using Vagifem since Last October. I've been to see Gynaecologist who specialises in menopause and he said ok to use as required so was using every other night up until this flare up. I do have estrogen cream for outside but that also is not helping at the moment. I have been putting an extra vagifem in now and again out of desperation. So if vagifem is used every night why do we still get flare ups.  ?? Any ideas ?

[Whatsupwiththis]

Hi Denise...that's what I would like to know.  Hopefully more informed ladies will respond.

[Tinkerbell]

I have had major issues with VA from the age of 48, at the time i was still in peri and apart from increase in palpitations i have had no other meno symptoms.
 I need to use systemic HRT, Vagifem and Ovestin every day to control it and i still get flare ups, nowhere near as bad as before treatment though. The longest i went between a flare up has been about 7 months, this year i had one in March and end of May, to get back on track again i up Vagifem to two  a night for about a week.

Fortunately i found a sympathetic GP at our surgery who is happy to prescribe what i need, i dread the day he retires.

[Pandabear]

I have also had issues with this for many years but only last summer was given Ovestin cream.  By that time I was getting to the stage where it hurt to walk.

I can never seem to get to the maintenance stage of twice weekly doses without stinging, soreness and burning in between.  This seriously affects my life and I give up trying to get help because I feel like I am not believed.  As soon as I use the Ovestin the feeling reduces but I never feel ok and I am using it far more than I should be.

I saw a private vulva dermatologist and she diagnosed me with Vulvodynia.  However the hormone cream definitely helps me.

I tried systemic HRT but had terrible bleeding for over 6months.

[CLKD]

OK Girls - listen up 

Vagifem is a much lower dose than it was produced at years ago.  Some bright spark decided that ladies could 'make do with' 10 instead of 25!

Some need it every night for Life.  Others need alternate nights to keep symptoms at bay.  It is about management of symptoms.

I have 'ovestin' which is similar but delivered differently 3rd and 5th night a week.  When symptoms niggle I do 3 nights with pain relief 3 times a day.  For me that stops the need to wee symptoms.

[CLKD]

Is the internal 'routine'?    Not really necessary if you are being treated for VA .......... unless there's a polyp, I had one that bled on contact  but it shrivelled during peri ;-)

[Dierdre]

After 5 years on Vagifem and Ovestin my flare ups are now only very occasional and sorted quickly with Dermovate cream.  When they do occur its usually an external factor as I never change my dosage or routine (5 a week vagifem and Ovestin  externally every night, use Ovestin internal on the 2 days I dont use Vagifem).

I now know my triggers, the worst is stress.  Also I'm always better during the summer months getting the sun, so  now take vitimin D during the winter, I'm sure this has helped.  Not drinking enough and getting dehydrated can cause a mini blip.

Lockdown for 10 weeks meant I wasn't sat at my office chair 8 hours a day,  (laptop on the sofa instead) very little work stress, breaks whenever, sat in the sun,  I've felt completely normal for the first time in 5 years and actually forgot I had VA (not usually possible as never 100%).

Ive decided to retire a couple of years earlier than planned, lifes too short.

[CLKD]

Go For It Dierdre!  10 years ago DH and I realised that several people we knew were dying: the youngest was 28 of a brain tumour, leaving a baby of 4 months.  So he worked out our finances, engaged a Financial Advisor and the following year, at 58, retired  .  The FA has done well thus far, we now have more in the Bank than 10 years ago ;-)

Didn't the GP read your notes jaypo   

[CLKD]

Yep.  Records are kept for years++ - mine even in paper form  .  Other surgeries micro-fiche or have a central office ....... I would be finding out what's happened  .  That's the whole point of records 

[Whatsupwiththis]

I had a rather interesting talk with a friend who is also a fab NP.  She is in her early 70's, still going strong.  I asked her why those of us taking local HRT daily still get flare ups.  This is her response (not verbatim):
Vagifem is a very low dose of estrogen and can take up to TWO YEARS before  the mucous *might* reach acceptable level to provide total comfort for women well into post menopause.  She mentioned that if you are comfortable and suddenly you get a flare up, chances are sex or infection is the culprit.  She also stated that your vaginal walls are still very thin and fragile and can be easily traumatized....bike riding, sitting too long, applicator causing slight cuts, or allergic reaction can cause discomfort.  The good news is that in her opinion, if you found relief for long periods of time while using local HRT, then up the treatment until you get comfortable again which if Vagifem was effective before a flare up then it will work again. She  also stated that peri and post menopausal women can suffer from vulvodynia which is a separate issue entirely.

I am still curious to find out how many of us do get flare ups, how often and what may have caused it.