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[Lou Lou]

Hi ladies
I am new to this forum but am finding all the discussions invaluable and that I am not alone. Just looking for some reassurance that things will get better as am feeling really fed up this morning after no sleep. I was diagnosed with VA 6 weeks ago and have been using vagifem (2 weeks everyday and then twice a week). My main issue is bladder problems. Constantly feeling like I need to pee and my bladder aching much of the time. It's driving me mad. I thought the vagifem was working but went back over a bit so after reading posts on here I thought I would increase to 3 times a week. Used last night and all night I have been really burning and it's so uncomfortable. I just need reassurance that I need to continue and that eventually things will improve. Have thought that I might try using ovestin cream as well. Your advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Lou Lou and welcome to the forum. VA is such a nightmare and I can totally understand why you feel fed up. It can take time to treat but you will see improvements. Do you think the extra vagifem made you feel worse or could it be you were sore anyway? I found starting VA treatment made my skin feel irritated but then it was okay. I use Ovestin cream and I have to use it every single day. If I miss just one day then I feel sore. I think we are all different with how much we need it but I feel when first starting to treat the VA using it daily for two weeks is often not going to be enough as the skin is so raw.

You could use the vagifem and then Ovestin on the outer bits. I recommend getting some vaginal moisturiser too. I use Yes which I buy from Amazon. I find it helps me to use a barrier cream as this protects the skin after going to the loo. I like Aproderm barrier cream.

I know you are feeling really sore and sad but your skin will heal and you will feel better. It just takes some time.

[Lou Lou]

Hi Flossieteacake

Love your name. Thankyou for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it.

 I think the extra vagifem made me worse but I was so desperate to see some improvement I thought I would give it a go. I am 58 and haven't had a period for many years. The mini pill stopped them so not sure when I actually went through the menopause. My only other symptoms are hot flushes and night sweats but they are a doddle compared to VA!!  I am not on any other form of hrt so I think my nether regions are crying out for something. I have asked tor some ovestin cream and will try to carry on. I have tried some of the vaginal moisturisers but have settled on hydromol ointment as suggested by other members of the forum which seems the least aggravating for me.

Am off to Morrisons now for the food shop.Thank goodness they have toilets! Thanks again for you kind words and take care x

[Flossieteacake]

You are so welcome. I have such sympathy for VA as for me it is my worst meno symptom. I hope your GP agrees to prescribing Ovestin. Hydromol is a great idea.

Good luck getting the shopping done.

[suzysunday]

Hello and I send so much sympathy regarding the VA, it's really horrible.  I was also on the mini pill which stopped my periods so don't really know when my menopause hit.  I'm 65  ow and was your age about when my symptoms hit.  I thought I was sailing through the menopause!  The VA takes a long time to control.  I don't take systemic hrt, but use ovestin locally internally alternate nights and Boots vaginal moisturiser the other nights.  You have to try what you think suits you but many women find twice a week not enough, I don't.  You will need local hrt as well as moisturiser for the VA to settle and that's for life.  I found it difficult to adjust mentally and physically so you are not alone.  X

[Ayesha]

Whatever treatment you get on with use it every day until you feel you can reduce the dose.
VA treatment can take months to feel the benefits and your symptoms seem to be severe.

[suzysunday]

I sometimes wonder if being on the mini pill without periods for several years didn't help.  Maybe it was a factor, contributing to the drying effect.  Maybe the blood kept it moist? Sorry if too much info.

[CLKD]

Occasionally an extra dose may cause the symptoms that you describe, keep on with it and take 'nuforfen' 3 times a day to ease symptoms.  Some are sensitive to the fillers rather than the active 'vagifem' ingredient, you could ask for 'ovestin' instead of .........

Let us know how you get on.

[sheila99]

You might want to consider systemic hrt too - insomnia is a classic symptom of oestrogen deficiency.

[Lou Lou]

Thank you lovely ladies for all your help and advice. Thank god for this forum. I see a nurse at my GP practice and she is really nice and sympathetic. She has just started symptoms of the menopause herself. I am waiting for a call from her and am hopeful she will prescribe ovestin. Fingers crossed.

I realise from reading all the threads that everybody is different and it is a matter of finding what suits me.

You may be right suzysunday regarding the mini pill. I haven't had periods for years and thought is was great but it may be coming back to bite me.

My symptoms came on really quickly back in June but when I googled them and found this forum I thought that I  am going to try and tackle it quickly.

I love cycling and particularly swimming in the sea on holiday. I would be devastated if I  feel I can't do these again so am not going to be fobbed off getting proper treatment. Sorry am ranting now. If Davina McCall deserves it so do we all. Lol.
 
Thank you all again and will let you know how I am getting on as, if like me, I have been following threads on here and love to read that things have improved for a lot of you.

Take care and have a lovely weekend xxx

[Kirsti]

Hi Loulou

Welcome to the MM Forum, I have found it has given me a lot of comfort and support and some good insight too.
Hopefully it will be helpful for you too.
I feel your pain, I am also suffering from VA and am having a rough time.
The need to wee constantly is very hard to deal with so I understand how you feel.
I am on systemic HRT so do manage to sleep, I think the progesterone helps and I am also on Amitriptyline currently for possible IC/Painful Bladder. However when I first had VA back in 2019 I used anti-histamines to help me sleep when I was struggling (I wasn't on systemic HRT then), they did help, however they are drying so it wouldn't be good to use more than necessary but maybe give it go to give you some respite.
Back in 2019 I was diagnosed with VA and given Vagifem, 2 week loading and then twice a week, it took a while to work, but after 4 months I was out of discomfort and pain. I know that sounds a long time but it did work for me back then. So I would stick with it, but don't be afraid to go back to your gp if you need more support. You may be fine on the 2 a week going forward or you may need more but I think your body will tell you. Please make sure you have regular reviews for this though with your doctor. I wasn't given any reviews and turns out that about a year ago I should have increased my dose from twice a week. So I would just say it is important to listen to your body, try not to stress too much, (I find yoga and Qi Gong help to calm me and take my mind off it a bit), don't have baths, stick to showers, try and decrease caffeine and alcohol and anything acidic really and keep in touch with your GP.
I hope you feel some relief soon and can get some sleep.
Take Care xxx

[Ayesha]

I sometimes wonder if being on the mini pill without periods for several years didn't help.  Maybe it was a factor, contributing to the drying effect.  Maybe the blood kept it moist? Sorry if too much info.

Spot on, excuse the pun, but I remember the relief I had from dryness when on a period. But at the time I had no idea that I was experiencing the start of VA.

[Kirsti]

Ayesha and Suzysunday
I think you are right, I've been researching like mad and what I have come across is that all progesterone is drying. So being on the pill probably hasn't helped any of us unfortunately 
I'm at a Menopause clinic of the end of October and I am going to be questioning progesterone and it's drying effects and how that relates to VA. It is worrying. I am wondering if Utogestan has made my VA flare up so badly, it flared up one month after starting eostrogel and utrogestan. Obviously there could be some other reason,  but it is one of my questions.

[CLKD]

U rant away  . you'll B in good company 

[suzysunday]

That's interesting Kirstie what you say about the progesterone drying effects.  There's so much I wish I had known about all this 20 years ago. It's really dispiriting.