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[Ayesha]

I have read so much on here about the struggles with treating VA and trying to eventually get a diagnoses and then getting the dosage right.
My VA had progressed to the chronic stage because I had no idea what was happening to my body and had never heard of this condition, at 70 how could I not have heard something about this ugly and horrid condition, it didn’t make sense!

I eventually saw my GP when I got to the stage I was unable to sit down, I assumed a prolapse. She straight away said no prolapse but I needed oestrogen down there. She never actually said what my condition was, I searched the internet and found this forum where I learned all about Vaginal Atrophy.

The treatment was a trial and error situation, after two weeks loading dose, then twice a week treatment, my symptoms were not improving. Phone call to the GP, she changed my prescription to every day Vagifem with Ovestin cream used sparingly on the vulva, alongside Sylk moisturiser.
Exactly one year and three months on I am not suffering anymore from the chronic stage I was at with VA,  and I am now at the stage where I am going to try and reduce my every day regime and see how I get on.

In hindsight and with everything I have read about how to treat Vaginal Atrophy, I would have no hesitation in using the treatment every day for six months to a year before even thinking about the nonsense in the instruction leaflet about the loading dose of two weeks then going down to twice a week. It can take months of treatment for the body to recover from the degeneration of the vaginal tissues and for the area to heal and feel normal again.

[Amazing grace]

Hi Ayesha, what a wonderful post , I’m sure your experience will help many ladies searching for answers when they don’t know what’s happening to them, I was the same at 47 I had what I thought was constant thrush and cystitis, a whole year spent going to the doctors many antibiotics and thrush treatments later, I self diagnosed myself but only after finding this forum and reading what other ladies symptoms were , I was even diagnosed with IC at one point, it took me to tell my doctor what it was and ask for vagifem , I had the same time scale as you to get comfortable just over a year of treatment and I finally found relief, at it’s worst I felt utterly depressed, I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t go out and was aware 24/7 of my bladder and the constant burning sore vulva took me to the brink of losing any sanity I had left  , I too wondered how I wasn’t aware of this condition and why my doctor didn’t pick it up as I’d be on systemic hrt for 4 years at this point and I agree about using more than the loading dose then going down to 2x week,  it’s just not enough for so many, although my gp is completely happy for me to use as much as I want, I know a lot of ladies are up against it using more when it comes to doctors.
A great informative post which will help many women searching for answers.
Take care xx

[Ayesha]

Thank you, Amazing grace. It's exactly why I posted to inform other women because of the minefield that is Vaginal Atrophy.

[Dierdre]

Totally agree Ayesha. Your story sadly is very common and it was like reading my own experience of discovering VA. I had no idea and was in a right mess when I finally went to the doctors 7 years ago, I was 59 and 5 years postmeno. She did tests to rule out STD's even though I'd told her I'd not been sexually active for years. On examination I was red raw right up to my cervix, paper cuts on my vulva and a prolapse. I'd tried OTC baby creams and thrush treatments for weeks not knowing what it could be and thinking the worst.
She prescibed Vagifem and when I asked what that was and what was wrong with me, she asked if I'd ever heard the saying "dried up old woman"!  Lacking in bed side manner.....
Eventually over the years my dosage has gone up and I use every day if needed, have Ovestin also for the vulva every day and Dermovate for flare ups. Use Cetraben to wash and never use soap powder for my pants, just hot wash and tumble dry, also use unsented panti liners.
I had physio for my prolapse and at the moment all is well.
I did try full HRT for six months, Femiston and then Femseven patches but the side effects were not good and didn't improve the VA anyway. I had no other meno symptoms.
I wasted a full year suffering with just 2 Vagifem per week thinking this was it. Finally got a referral to a gynae who upped to 5 a week and Ovestin every day. It still took another couple of years and gradually sorting the prolapse before I could stop using a medical donut to sit on at work and have some days when I actually forgot I had atrophy. That was rare!
I sometimes forget to insert a Vagifem and just use the Ovestin but it soon reminds me the next day and I know I could never reduce my dosage.
For years women were on twice a week but each tablet was 25mcg thats equivalent to 5 a week now and looking back on this forum and other websites, they were managing a lot better than today.
The study to reduce the dosage to 10mcg was definately flawed but someone is now making a nice profit as we have to use double the dosage to obtain the same result as before!
There were no safety issues with the 25mcg dose.

[CLKD]

Tnx for the update. 

[Flossieteacake]

This is a great post Ayesha.

I had trouble with VA which started in my 30's. I had no idea what VA was and was always being given antibiotics. Once a DR asked me if I was sure it was my sample I handed in as nothing showed and he was 'baffled'. This forum taught me what VA was and I suggested this to the same DR who said I did not have the symptoms. Luckily a different Dr agreed with me.

I tried Vagifem but was unable to tolerate this as it gave me stomach cramps. I tried Imvaggis but it irritated my bladder. Luckily Ovestin suits me and I have been using this every day for 2 years now.

I also take seabuckthorn capsules to help with dryness. I use Yes and Sylk. I only shower, not bath, and use Aproderm to wash.

I am better then I was but still struggle. I am always happy to hear when other members no longer have VA symptoms.

[Flossieteacake]

Totally agree Ayesha. Your story sadly is very common and it was like reading my own experience of discovering VA. I had no idea and was in a right mess when I finally went to the doctors 7 years ago, I was 59 and 5 years postmeno. She did tests to rule out STD's even though I'd told her I'd not been sexually active for years. On examination I was red raw right up to my cervix, paper cuts on my vulva and a prolapse. I'd tried OTC baby creams and thrush treatments for weeks not knowing what it could be and thinking the worst.
She prescibed Vagifem and when I asked what that was and what was wrong with me, she asked if I'd ever heard the saying "dried up old woman"!  Lacking in bed side manner.....
Eventually over the years my dosage has gone up and I use every day if needed, have Ovestin also for the vulva every day and Dermovate for flare ups. Use Cetraben to wash and never use soap powder for my pants, just hot wash and tumble dry, also use unsented panti liners.
I had physio for my prolapse and at the moment all is well.
I did try full HRT for six months, Femiston and then Femseven patches but the side effects were not good and didn't improve the VA anyway. I had no other meno symptoms.
I wasted a full year suffering with just 2 Vagifem per week thinking this was it. Finally got a referral to a gynae who upped to 5 a week and Ovestin every day. It still took another couple of years and gradually sorting the prolapse before I could stop using a medical donut to sit on at work and have some days when I actually forgot I had atrophy. That was rare!
I sometimes forget to insert a Vagifem and just use the Ovestin but it soon reminds me the next day and I know I could never reduce my dosage.
For years women were on twice a week but each tablet was 25mcg thats equivalent to 5 a week now and looking back on this forum and other websites, they were managing a lot better than today.
The study to reduce the dosage to 10mcg was definately flawed but someone is now making a nice profit as we have to use double the dosage to obtain the same result has before!
There were no safety issues with the 25mcg dose.

What an awful thing to say!

[Ayesha]

Quote Dierdre
“when I asked what that was and what was wrong with me, she asked if I'd ever heard the saying "dried up old woman"!”

Oh my goodness, what are you supposed to say to that. The humiliation and utter disgrace of it all, where was that doctors humanity!

Flossieteacake, it must have been so difficult for you to be so young and developing VA.

It seems everyone has their own horror story when it comes to the condition Vaginal Atrophy but it's clear we have to find our own way of navigating it and not to have it assumed as a bladder infection/cystitis. So many women, including me given antibiotics when absolutely unnecessary.

[CLKD]

Buy copies of "me and my menopausal vagina" to hand into the surgery ;-).  Dental practice.  Vets. Office.  Local chemist ;-)

[Dierdre]

Quote Dierdre
“when I asked what that was and what was wrong with me, she asked if I'd ever heard the saying "dried up old woman"!”

Oh my goodness, what are you supposed to say to that. The humiliation and utter disgrace of it all, where was that doctors humanity!

The irony is I had  heard of the saying but still didn't understand the meaning or what I had wrong with me. It wasn't until I started googling and thankfully came across this forum.

[Joaniepat]

Ayesha has started a great thread here (and a brilliant opening post). It is so true about the underdosing with the 10 mcg Vagifem. IMO this has caused a lot of unnecessary suffering.
As well as this Forum, can I give a shout out to Jane Lewis and her book (mentioned by CLKD), and the Vaginal Atrophy Facebook support group which Jane started. Although no longer active in the menopause field, she was a pioneer! 😊.
JP x

[Ayesha]

I know the informative posts in this thread are going to be of great help to so many women as they do a Google search on this horrid condition, as I found myself doing fifteen months ago. Although having no idea of the name 'Vaginal Atrophy', it was enough to put ‘Vaginal Dryness’ in the search box and when I started the search a thread came up from the Menopause Matters forum on the first page, which was fabulous!!

As I write the book 'Me And My Menopausal Vagina' is still available through Amazon. 

Footnote: My experimenting cutting down on daily treatment has lasted one and a half days, nasty symptoms coming back, won't be doing that in a hurry again! 
 

[Shellyjayne]

Gosh this was me two and a half years ago. Sailed through the menopause but oh boy got to age 61 (10 years post) and had horrendous symptoms, sore vagina, creeping feeling in ureatha (awful symptom that) several  uti s. Coming home from work and putting a bag of frozen sweet corn between legs.  Had no idea what was wrong with me, nurse practicioner put me on Vagifem, worked for a bit about five weeks in, but then symptoms all came back. Asked nurse about increasing dose, she was having none of it, so I assumed something else was going on. Had a private appointment with a gynaecologist and he said use everyday for six months then go to two a week-bingo it sorted it and haven’t looked back.

I have brought three ‘me and my vagina, book and given out to sister and friends, have also written my symptoms down in a small book for my daughter-when it’s her time.  Let’s hope in the future ladies will know much more.

About the same time the VA took hold I also suffered and still do with digestive problems and wondered if I had started on full hrt would this have sorted this out too.

We must keep talking about it ladies.

Xx

[Jillyboo]

Shellyjayne - I sometimes wonder if any woman really 'sails through' completely. Possibly those who experience unpleasant symptoms early on and are able to start taking HRT have an easier time in the long run.

Systemic HRT may well have prevented you from developing such horrendous VA but many of us need to add Vagifem to systemic HRT as we get older to remain really comfortable.

[Dierdre]

I thought I'd sailed through as didn't have much of the common well known symptoms. It wasnt until years later i realised the years of palpatations and anxiety were menopausal symptom. I'd never heard of vaginal atrophy and in my opinion it's the worst of the lot.