Print

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

[Flower99]

HI
I am hoping for some help/suggestions. I have VA (self diagnosed) and due to having a blood clot in my lung years ago I cannot take HRT or have any Oestrogen.
Sex is extremely painful even using lubricants isn’t really helping therefore I am avoiding it to reduce discomfort. I am post menopause approx 2 years. Any suggestions gratefully received.

Thank you.

[sheila99]

I'm sure you'll get some better replies soon but I think you should still be able to use topical oestrogen which should ease the symptoms. Have you seen your gp?

[Joaniepat]

Hi and welcome to the Forum.
If you have VA, you need one of the local oestrogen treatments. These are not systemic and are not considered "HRT". It would be a good idea to be examined though, to make sure nothing else is going on, but I know face to face appointments are very difficult to get nowadays.
It should be possible for you to have transdermal HRT in spite of having had a blood clot in the lung years ago, as there is no clot risk with transdermal administration of oestrogen (patch or gel). A menopause clinic would give you advice.
JP x

[pepperminty]

Hi Flower 99,

if you can afford it I would book an appointment with Loiuse Newson clinic . You can have an appoitment virtually. They will be able to take into account your medical issues and advise accordingly. Most GP's are not trained extensively in HRT. Or you can get an appoitment in an NHS meno clinic. That is if you want to consider HRT. There is a lot of mis information regarding the risks. Your condition may not exclude you from HRT and only an experienced menopause and HRT specialist can advise as to whether there are any risks for you above the normal range of risks ( that we all have).

As for topical HRT for the vagina, weekly Vagifem if equivalent dose of 1 HRT tablet a year!
Vaginal atrophy cannot be cured only managed. There are a range of things to do and use , but everyone is diiferent.
Have a look at these pod casts:
https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/resources/podcasts/s1e11-vaginal-dryness-dr-louise-newson-and-jane-lewis
https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/resources/podcasts/078-urogenital-symptoms-of-the-menopause-lavinia-winch-dr-louise-newson

And I would suggest a vaginal moisturiser like YES VM which can be prescribed and vaginal dilators ( Jo divine sells them and also has useful info). I would also invest in seeing a good womens health physio. If you can Use 0.01% estriol cream on the outside skin ( vulva area) . This takes about 6 months to a year to re estrogenise  the skin which becomes thin. Also get checked out for any skin conditions, such as Lichen sclerosis.

Anyway the pod casts should point you in the right direction.

Try not to worry and talk to your husband and ask for his support to get you on the right track.

Peppermintyxx

[CLKD]

Have you been followed up with regards the blood clot?   Ideas on HRT have altered significantly in recent years and as suggested a 'patch' may well suit better.  As for vaginal atrophy, this needs treatment.  Regardless.

We have 'bladder issues' and 'vaginal atrophy' threads on the Forum.  Do read. Make notes.  Some ladies find that keeping a mood/symptom/mood diary of use too.

   Quality of Life is important.  Ask away, there's usually someone 2 listen ;-)

[Flower99]

Dear all

Thank you all so much for your kind and really helpful replies.
I feel so positive reading these and able to be a bit more assertive with my GP as I felt totally fobbed off when I saw her previously got menopause hot flushes. I got put on citalopram to help with migraines which it has helped with (as well as diet - cutting fuel on sugar) and I was prob a bit low in mood too donuts helped with that too but overall I and. Upbeat positive person so I don’t feel I need it for mood. 

I’m glad I posted and really glad you all replied.
Thank you again.

[CLKD]

Let us know how you get on?  If your GP seems reluctant or fobs you off, ask for a direct menopause clinic referral. 

[Sinatra]

Hi everyone, I don't know if anyone can give me any advice I am new to the forum, but here goes.. I am 53 and finally after watching the Davina McCall programme on menopause I realized I wasn't going barmy  I took the plunge and asked my GP for Hrt. My Dr prescribed Evorel Sequi/Evorel Conti patches this was 8wks ago, but upon reading the instructions a side effect is more hair loss so I havnt started any patches. At the moment I am losing tonnes of hair which is giving me even more anxiety as I don't want to go out anywhere, (also I have other unexplained illnesses, now having tests for). So I have been reading and reading up on all other HRT and Femoston keeps coming up as hair friendly. I have a Dr's phone call app this Wed. Can anyone please give me any advice with Femoston for hair loss please?

[Postmeno3]

Flower99. I think, though please check, there are newer pessaries called "Imvaggis" (yes, I know!) which do the same job. Do triple check, though, as I'm very foggy-brained today. There is also Intrarosa to research, perhaps a good option for you. However, I recommend, as others have, to totally bypass gps for help and only approach as a means to getting a referral to a menopause clinic. You can do a search to find out where your nearest one is and they might have a "spiel" to which you can refer when you ask for the referral. Good luck!

[CLKD]

Sinatra - 

MayB ask for a referral to an appropriate consultant who treats hair loss?  You could put 'femoston' into the search box on this Forum to C if anything pops up.  Let us know how you get on.

[pepperminty]

Hi Sinatra,

first of all you need to find out any possible medical  causes for the hair loss. You may be low in vitamins etc  or Stress. ...
Iron deficiency/anemia. ...
Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. ...
Vitamin B12 deficiency. ...

some progesterones that are more testosterone related can have an effect in some women on hair. Have a look at the search box here on HRT preperations. Stress can be a big factor in hair loss. But just because it says hair loss on the side effects does not mean you will get it. They have to put everything down.  The gold standard in HRT is Utrogestan and estrogel . Have a look at Loiuse Newson's website .

Peppermintyxx

[CLKD]

Nope.  New members may latch onto current threads if they don't know how to begin one for themselves ;-)

[pepperminty]

As CLKD says,  when we are worried and anxiety hits we may not do our own thread and just  ask for help .

PMXX