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[Jules]

I'm having a flare up of symptoms from VA. It's the first time. Soreness just inside the vagina. I've been examined this morning, she said it's very red, post menopausal, and given dermovate and am increasing my topical estrogen as advised but i am now having blood staining. Im guessing as a result of the examination, she wasnt that gentle. Has anybody else had experience of this and is there anything else I can do? I'm slightly worried about the brown blood staining

[CLKD]

I would use the VA treatment every night for as many weeks as it takes to ease symptoms. Dermovate if necessary. 

I had a sore spot on contact, slightly inside on the left which went with regular use. Any 'show' will probably be due to the vaginal walls being thin plus any poking around by the GP this morning.

Brown blood is usually 'old' due to not enough hormone being there to push blood out.  Also blood does appear in different colourations: bright red is fresh, brown can be the darker end of red .......

Was the GP/Nurse generally positive?

[jaypo]

Hi Jules,when my VA was bad,even inserting the applicator for the vagifem made me bleed,so if she wasn't as gentle as she could've been,I'd say it's very possible xx

[Jules]

Thanks. Yes CLKD I'm sure it was dried blood from when she prodded about and I think I have one spot that is worse. Its easy for that bit yo miss out on the estrogen.   I can't say she was positive,  she said VA doesn't ever go, you have to try to keep on top of it and sex will aggravate the condition! Prescribed trimavate.
 And jaypo I think it started when I inserted the applicator on Friday. All was fine till then. I may have aggravated it. Also having to stop the vagifem when I had the bleed a few months ago then being told to reduce has sent me backwards. I was really comfortable up to then. This is a symptom I've never had though. I'm feeling quite fed up. But aiming to get sorted and am doing daily doses till things improve.

[Bunny lady]

Oh Jules so sorry. I get glares when dosages changed or I had to stop for some reason. I reloaded last time. This time I’m moving to daily internal and external ovestin estriol cream. I have to do what is right for me to make me feel comfortable and manage to live with this - not just exist and make the best of it. I’m now monitoring what aggravates - like today I got stuck in traffic and so I was sitting too long which was uncomfortable but it’ll pass. Yesterday was a good day.  One day at a time and you’ll get there xxx

[Jules]

I hope so, as I say, it's a new one. I've had to abandon my jeans for the time. Which would be okay if we were having a summer.

[CLKD]

However: after several years of treatment for VA I no longer require it.  If I get a niggle = flare up I use 3 nights ovestin which seems to be enough.  I've used KY Jelly for many years which may help with generalised lubrication. 

[Jules]

I will start using a moisturiser regularly once/if this heals. Hoping for improvement soon as I've a big weekend.  I did think I'd got it under control and a maintenance routine that worked.

[Minusminnie]

However: after several years of treatment for VA I no longer require it.  If I get a niggle = flare up I use 3 nights ovestin which seems to be enough.  I've used KY Jelly for many years which may help with generalised lubrication.

In general VA needs consistent localised HRT to manage it.

Some might question the message that you are giving out re not needing treatment any more.

Or if indeed you are dealing with VA as such.

[Penguin]

I will start using a moisturiser regularly once/if this heals. Hoping for improvement soon as I've a big weekend.  I did think I'd got it under control and a maintenance routine that worked.

Hi Jules, has this worsened since you had to stop awhile back for your hysteroscopy,  or is it since you had the examination? If the latter, I wonder if maybe she disturbed something with the investigation that will heal if you up your dose for a bit. Really hoping it is only temporary blip as i know how hard you've worked to get this under control!

[Jules]

I will start using a moisturiser regularly once/if this heals. Hoping for improvement soon as I've a big weekend.  I did think I'd got it under control and a maintenance routine that worked.

Hi Jules, has this worsened since you had to stop awhile back for your hysteroscopy,  or is it since you had the examination? If the latter, I wonder if maybe she disturbed something with the investigation that will heal if you up your dose for a bit. Really hoping it is only temporary blip as i know how hard you've worked to get this under control!

I think it's since I had to take the break and then told to reduce the dose. It was quite sudden though,  literally a flare up.

[CLKD]

That's how VA works.  Less treatment the more likely the vaginal walls are to becoming thin, itchy, painful, sore. 

[Jules]

But that hasn't been the case for you as you've previously said you don't need the regular treatment now. Maybe yours isn't VA. It is a deteriorating condition if untreated. I wouldn't be able to stop using treatment.  Twice weekly vagifem used to be enough, but gradually as im aging I've had to increase my treatment and introduce new stuff. My GP once told me we cannot artificially replace the amount of estrogen the body has naturally lost so its a case of managing the condition

[Jules]

So can I just check, anybody who uses vaginal moisturiser,  how do you use it alongside your vaginal estrogen?

[Ayesha]

However: after several years of treatment for VA I no longer require it.  If I get a niggle = flare up I use 3 nights ovestin which seems to be enough.  I've used KY Jelly for many years which may help with generalised lubrication.

No, its not how VA works, if you don't have regular treatment then you start to reverse back with internal tissues deteriorating again, it has to be constant and for life, you can never no longer require treatment.
Oh I wish that was the case, CLKD and for any other ladies reading this.