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[linz57]

Over the past three months I’ve had a few pre hrt symptoms gradually rear their heads again. It started with joint and muscle aches and anxiety and then along cane the return of urine frequency, insomnia and slight VA discomfort .
I added in Vagifem but I was still having to go pee every hour or so and this included during the night. As the Vagifem hadn’t helped much I arranged a telephone consultation with a doctor.
He dismissed my symptoms as not being connected to post menopause but due to the ageing process and he said I had over active bladder ( that old chestnut🤨). He suggested Vesicare for that and then asked questions about my mental health, adding he could prescribe an anti anxiety pill along with a sleeping pill to help with the return of insomnia.
I politely refused and said I would prefer to increase my hrt dose and see what that would do, but he said as I was on a conti patch that wouldn’t be possible. Anyhow, after coming off the phone I suddenly had an idea....cut a patch in half and add that alongside my usual whole one ( why the hell I hadn’t thought of that before I really don’t know 🙄)
Last night I slept through until 5.30, no visits to the loo and I’ve woke up without the anxiety, my joints feel better too.
So, the choice now is either stick with what I’m doing ( 64 years old and basically on 75mg conti) or take overactive bladder meds alongside Citalopram and painkillers...I know which I prefer, although I’m not too sure if using half a patch is advisable... I just can’t face the faff if changing to a new regime and I don’t think the doctor would sanction that anyway.
I  couldn’t believe that even now in 2021 doctors are still automatically saying overactive bladder when a lot of the time the problem is insufficient estrogen. It’s not good enough, it really isn’t.
Incidentally, I’m wondering if the fact I’ve put on quite a bit of weight during this pandemic has caused my need for a higher dose? I’m now working on getting back to some level of fitness and hopefully I’ll then be able to reduce back to just the one patch. Time will tell.
Have any ladies on here found themselves in a similar situation?

[Joaniepat]

How often are you using the Vagifem? Is there any scope for increasing the dose?
JP x

[linz57]

I did the two week reload initially and then used the Vagifem three times a week. It helped a bit, but I was still going to the loo more than usual and of course I still had the insomnia, anxiety and joint aches.
Seven years ago when I started treatment I managed on just Vagifem three times a week. That then progressed to using a conti patch which I have used for five years (no Vagifem) and now I’m finding I need my dose increasing. Maybe it’s because as I’m ageing my own residual oestrogen is getting so low I need to add more systemic hrt.

[Joaniepat]

Yes, more systemic could be the way to go, and more local might be a good idea too. How about doing a 2 week reload of Vagifem, and then do every other day, see if that helps the bladder issues?
JP x

[linz57]

Do you mean drop back down to just the one patch but use the Vagifem more frequently or keep the patch and a half and add the extra Vagifem?
I might see how I go on just the extra patch awhile as I’ve started down that route( give my body a boost so to speak) then drop back down and use the Vagifem more frequently.
It’s all such a balancing act isn’t it?

[Joaniepat]

No, I meant add in extra Vagifem to whatever else you're using. Sometimes systemic doesn't always do the trick for VA, which is why many women need both. Yes indeed, it is a balancing act!
JP x

[linz57]

Thank you for your input Joaniepat, I’ll throw everything I’ve got at it and fingers crossed.