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[Ayesha]

And how long did you follow that frequency for before it made improvements?

It took over a year to be fully plumped up again and feel normal. Its constant maintenance and I still suffer the occasional flare up but they are very mild now.
My regime is the same as I started with and experimented reducing the Vagifem but it never really works to do that, I need the daily regime even after two years.

[Ayesha]

...and always with added moisturiser like Yes or Sylk, when the latter comes back on sale!

Are you registered on the Sylk website Ayesha ?

I don't use Sylk but signed up a while ago just in case i wanted to try it and to hear of offers.  I had an email last Tuesday saying that they have a limited amount available to 'our registered and existing online customers'.  Seems to be Sylk Intimate 40g bottle.
I had a previous similar email several months ago.
[/quote]

I am registered with them and got the same notification but strange how it can take so long to wait for it to come back on sale, I always bought a 3 pack from Amazon and keep checking there.
I'm getting on ok with Yes but prefer the Sylk because of the smaller bottle size.

[Jules]

And how long did you follow that frequency for before it made improvements?

It took over a year to be fully plumped up again and feel normal. Its constant maintenance and I still suffer the occasional flare up but they are very mild now.
My regime is the same as I started with and experimented reducing the Vagifem but it never really works to do that, I need the daily regime even after two years.

Okay. I'm wondering if I'm going to even have the same response as you, I hope so but probably didn't start soon enough,  I literally thought it was a horrible old age thing that must happen to everyone but that nobody talks about it. I suppose I should feel fortunate that I'm not in discomfort but it really has affected my confidence especially in relationships with men.  Im 66 now and look fairly okay for my age, people assume I'm in my 50s.  Up to 60, i looked no different to when i was 50, no jelly belly etc. The effects of the lack of estrogen has been a shock. It really is quite hard being an older woman. All the health screenings, body changes and there's so much pressure on us to stay looking good, even harder when you're single. I've no daughters otherwise I'd be warning them to address the effects of menopause before it's too late. I think GPs are too complacent. I was told almost like she thought I was old and what else did I expect.  Maybe we should be starting a national awareness raising thing.

[Dierdre]

It took me longer than a year or so to get right but I had a prolapse too and had left it a long while due to ignorance, plus the dryness and burning came on very suddenly with no warning.

Have you any other menopause symptoms Jules? Some women find going on full HRT very beneficial to their wellbeing and feel like a new woman.

The GP I first saw was a woman and when I asked what was wrong, I thought it was an infection or worse like cancer, she said had I never heard the saying "dried up old woman". I've never gone to her again. Not much sympathy with doctors, old age and menopause are not an illness so thats it. I suppose they have too much serious illness nowadays to deal with as the NHS is in a terrible mess.
If you can afford it maybe go private.

[Jules]

It took me longer than a year or so to get right but I had a prolapse too and had left it a long while due to ignorance, plus the dryness and burning came on very suddenly with no warning.

Have you any other menopause symptoms Jules? Some women find going on full HRT very beneficial to their wellbeing and feel like a new woman.

The GP I first saw was a woman and when I asked what was wrong, I thought it was an infection or worse like cancer, she said had I never heard the saying "dried up old woman". I've never gone to her again. Not much sympathy with doctors, old age and menopause are not an illness so thats it. I suppose they have too much serious illness nowadays to deal with as the NHS is in a terrible mess.
If you can afford it maybe go private.

No I'm fine otherwise.  Had the usual things but nothing I couldn't cope with. Yes GPs have more serious things to deal with though it's not too time consuming to prescribe some ovestin. I was prescribed vagifem because i was getting UTIs following sex. I've been using vagifem for 18 months though only on an increased dose since September and only started using ovestin then. So I guess its early days. My sister has none of these problems though she had horrendous hot flushes,  low moids etc. I think hearing people's positive outcomes from treatment helps, sometimes reading this forum increases anxiety

[Dierdre]

Forums like this are usually for people to discuss their problems and get support so it can be a bit negative. Women that sail through menopause with no symptoms or do very well on HRT straight away probably wouldn't need to join a forum so we don't very often hear the positives.

[Jules]

Forums like this are usually for people to discuss their problems and get support so it can be a bit negative. Women that sail through menopause with no symptoms or do very well on HRT straight away probably wouldn't need to join a forum so we don't very often hear the positives.

I suppose not though Ayesha had a more positive outcome.  If she hadn't shared that, I would have just accepted what the GP said and suffered the consequences.

[Jules]

It took me longer than a year or so to get right but I had a prolapse too and had left it a long while due to ignorance, plus the dryness and burning came on very suddenly with no warning.

Have you any other menopause symptoms Jules? Some women find going on full HRT very beneficial to their wellbeing and feel like a new woman.

The GP I first saw was a woman and when I asked what was wrong, I thought it was an infection or worse like cancer, she said had I never heard the saying "dried up old woman". I've never gone to her again. Not much sympathy with doctors, old age and menopause are not an illness so thats it. I suppose they have too much serious illness nowadays to deal with as the NHS is in a terrible mess.
If you can afford it maybe go private.

Was your issue just the vaginal dryness or  atrophy? I initially had vaginal dryness and prone to UTIs. The vulval atrophy came much later but it happened before I realised what was happening. I think the ovestin has stopped it progressing but not sure it will achieve anything more

[Dierdre]

Both really,  I suddenly became very sore and had splits like paper cuts, inside just went so dry and burning. I thought it was thrush to start with or an infection.  When i was examined inside to take swabs the nurse said I was red raw up to my cervix. This all happened within a few days, it didn't come on gradually.
I was given Vagifem but after the initial two weeks I went to twice a week that did nothing. Eventually a gynae upped the dose to five a week and Ovestin externally every night but by this time I was in a mess and  had a prolapse.
It took about a year to feel comfotable but still had flare ups and struggle sitting all day at work.
I'm retired now and its been much better.
The changes to the vulva had come gradually before the soreness and atrophy and like you I'd excepted it as getting older and it didn't bother me too much. I wish I'd done something about it then and i might have avoided all the pain later.
 It sounds like you've got to it sooner than i did, so hopefully will keep on top of it better.

[Jules]

Both really,  I suddenly became very sore and had splits like paper cuts, inside just went so dry and burning. I thought it was thrush to start with or and infection.  When i was examined inside to take swabs the nurse said I was red raw up to my cervix. This all happened within a few days, it didn't come on gradually.
I was given Vagifem but after the initial two weeks I went to twice a week that did nothing. Eventually a gynae upped the dose to five a week and Ovestin externally every night but by this time I was in a mess and  had a prolapse.
It took about a year to feel comfotable but still had flare ups and struggle sitting all day a work.
I'm retired now and its been much better.
The changes to the vulva had come gradually before the soreness and atrophy and like you I'd exepted it as getting older and it didn't bother me too much. I wish I'd done something about it then and i might have avoided all the pain later.
 It sounds like you've got to it sooner than i did, so hopefully will keep on top of it better.

I don't have any discomfort but definitely the changes bother me and I wish id known what was happening and that there was treatment available.  Has the ovestin helped with plumping up the tissues?

[Dierdre]

Definately, before Ovestin I was getting worse externally. Vagifem sorted inside but did nothing outside. Even now I can't miss an Ovestin dose or the plumpness deflates overnight and I start to become dry and sore. I wish I could find a good moisturiser for outside too but they all cause irritation and over the years I've tried a lot.

[Jules]

Definately, before Ovestin I was getting worse externally. Vagifem sorted inside but did nothing outside. Even now I can't miss an Ovestin dose or the plumpness deflates overnight and I start to become dry and sore. I wish I could find a good moisturiser for outside too but they all cause irritation and over the years I've tried a lot.

I'll have to keep trying.  It's not doing much at present though I'm not sore. I have period type pain today, bit in lower back too. I'm a little worried that it's related to the vagifem and ovestin use. I've had bouts before,  end up having an ultrasound by which time the pain has gone

[Jules]

My 48 year old friend has just told me she's struggling with paper cuts etc too. Terrible. I've advised her to get treatment quickly. Deidre did the ovestin help to return some normality to the vulva?

[Dierdre]

Yes but I have to use every night.

[Jules]

Yes but I have to use every night.

Well at least that's something. I will plod on with it and see how it goes. I really was ignorant to what was happening.  Too busy enjoying sex😉. We had a forced break and it's during that time things went worse and I noticed. Women have it tough.