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[kathie22]

I found Vagifem and estriol really hard to get on with
Eventually came across Intrarosa pessaries and used in combination with Centraban to keep the urine away from the delicate areas Think it was working after about 2 months of using but haven’t been able to use for 5 weeks because of prolapse surgery Think maybe .. possibly.. I’m starting to get some VA symptoms again .. disappeared after surgery… but so much going on up there at the moment it’s hard to tell My GP has made me wait 6 weeks to discuss an alternative as I can’t insert anything Very Annoying
If things don’t settle maybe consider asking for Intrarosa It has the same use but works differently But as others have said it’s a long slow process Be lovely if it was a quick fix

[Ms_london76]

Update.

To experiment, i did not take vagifem last night. It would have been day 16.
I had done the two week loading.

I taught in a hot yoga room times two yesterday. I skipped the post class shower. Drove 2 hrs north, had a couple glasses of wine not hydrate much with water.  Slept terrible due to the drinking and waking up to pee several times.

Woke up with burning as if i had taken vagifem.
Sitting was painful. I started to cry….

I took a pheemme gel moisturizer, it calmed completely down half way thru my morning coffee plus water.
Now sitting is not painful.

I appreciate how many of you said to keep taking it daily. But at the same time, how do i really know if i need to take it daily? Unless i experiment? But it is still only the first couple weeks of taking this product.

And waking up with burning as if i had taken it last night was frustrating.







 

[CLKD]

How much experimentation do U need to risk?  U did the 2 week loading period, many of us require at least 3 then nightly.  Or 3rd and 6/7th nights.

The choice of course is your own.  "how do i really know if i need to take it daily? Unless i experiment?"   U already know that and if U have been using the product correctly every night, there should be no burning at this stage.  If the vaginal walls remain thin and tender, insertion will cause a little soreness - mayB do not insert as deeply but in the vagina entrance and as burning resolves then push a little deeper to allow the vaginal walls to soak up the product.

I have used 'ovestin'/estriol 4 over 10 years and have never had burning or soreness, every 5/6th night plus an occasionally reload suits fine. 

[Ms_london76]

I have been sticking it in as far as the applicator will go.

People on here have said it could take awhile for the burning to subside. So I am confused with the info that I get on here.

I have a female dr and female pharmacist who said to stop after the two week load and twice a week. The burning is normal etc.

You are saying after two weeks it should not burn but others say it will take longer.

Do you see why I am so confused?

The burning is just as uncomfortable as the dryness. If not more depending on how I move or sit.

I was managing the dryness with gel every few days. Now I have made it really angry and burning is everyday. And this is a normal reaction?

So I am very confused

[CLKD]

Probably normal if U are putting other medications/treatments into an already fragile area rather than using VA treatment. 

Your GP and pharmacist: although female: are incorrect which is why Dr Newson is trying to get the details in the leaflet altered.  'others say that it will take longer' - it will vary from lady to lady as well as depending on how long she had symptoms B4 being prescribed appropriate VA treatment.  Many suffer with VA symptoms which go un-diagnosed due to medics not being informed or knowing nowt about how VA affects women. 

Which 'gel' were you using ?   I would insert a pessary now and again this evening.  Then continue every night for as long as necessary.  If you meet with prescribing resistance from your practitioners then ask for a referral to a dedicated menopause clinic. 

Also buy a copy of 'me and my menopausal vagina' written by a lady who was a member here for many years. Informative and should be read by every medic B4 they qualify ;-). 

[CLKD]

If U are using an applicator it is likely to be 'estriol'/ovestin that has been prescribed.  If U have been prescribed 'vagifem', I believe it's in pessary form . 

[Ayesha]

I have been sticking it in as far as the applicator will go.

People on here have said it could take awhile for the burning to subside. So I am confused with the info that I get on here.

I have a female dr and female pharmacist who said to stop after the two week load and twice a week. The burning is normal etc.

You are saying after two weeks it should not burn but others say it will take longer.

Do you see why I am so confused?

We can only advise from our own experiences, we are not medical.
Its far too early to experiment

The burning is just as uncomfortable as the dryness. If not more depending on how I move or sit.

I was managing the dryness with gel every few days. Now I have made it really angry and burning is everyday. And this is a normal reaction?

So I am very confused

We can only advise from our own experience, we are not medics.
Its far too early to start to experiment with your treatment. It took four months for my burning to stop using one Vagifem pessary and Estriol cream with moisturiser every day, that's how long it takes for some women.
I have already advised you on what to do, the applicator does not have to be inserted high up as far as it will go because it needs to work its way down to the outside but hopefully you will be prescribed Estriol cream to go with the Vagifem.

I suggest you read back on all your posts, look at the links posted and learn how to deal with this horrendous condition, its how I learned all about it by reading all the posts on here, the medics knew nothing about it four years ago.

[Ms_london76]

Is it safe to do a double dose in the same day?

The leaflet said to not do that?

[CLKD]

I also suggest previously: Do read the thread again, as well as 'the bladder issues' and other VA topics: make notes : that U read back through the thread.  Make notes.

Also:  i.e. "are incorrect which is why Dr Newson is trying to get the details in the leaflet altered" .

U seem to cherry pick from the thread ..........  . Our experiences are to be shared because most of us know more about vaginal atrophy than many medics seem to do!!

[Minusminnie]

I have been sticking it in as far as the applicator will go.

People on here have said it could take awhile for the burning to subside. So I am confused with the info that I get on here.

I have a female dr and female pharmacist who said to stop after the two week load and twice a week. The burning is normal etc.

You are saying after two weeks it should not burn but others say it will take longer.

Do you see why I am so confused?

The burning is just as uncomfortable as the dryness. If not more depending on how I move or sit.

I was managing the dryness with gel every few days. Now I have made it really angry and burning is everyday. And this is a normal reaction?

So I am very confused

I would strip back to just the vagifem so that you can monitor what is happening with just one product for now.

Now that you have done the two week load it is your decision how to go forward. I would make a plan & write it down. So far you have been using 70 mcg per week. Vagifem weekly maintenance years ago was 50 mcg per week you could try that for a while. The 20 mcg advised weekly now may well not be enough. You can always do a 2 week reload to get back on track a bit if necessary.

Keep a note also of how things are on your yoga days to see if there is any difference. Ideally cotton underwear & loose clothing help with va I somehow imagine that you are wearing Lycra I may be wrong.

I have suggested seeing a pelvic physio just to see if your yoga days are making a difference eg muscle tightening.

Ayesha is using vagifem CLKD isn’t. Estriol is different to Estradiol that is in vagifem.

[Ms_london76]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions. Maybe often on repeat. I have no one to talk in my real life cuz no one has these particular symptoms.

 It’s horrible, this morning I wanted to harm myself cuz I could not imagine living daily with this pain. It so embarrassing as a woman.

I am very active by nature. This only started to happen less than a month ago. When the temps were super hot and I was sweating every minute of everyday.


So I am learning thru all of you. And often need a few moments to let it all sink in. I apologize if I am repeating myself or things are not “sinking in” just scared

[CLKD]

I would suggest also to read the various areas of white writing on the pink background at the top of the page ......... make notes. 

[joziel]

It's way too early and you are far too symptomatic to stop taking it daily IMO.

Heck, I have ZERO symptoms and I take Vagifem DAILY for 3 weeks before a smear test  just to make it a bit more comfortable!! I'm also on high doses of systemic HRT as well.

As someone else has mentioned, you might want to look on Amazon for the book called 'Me and My Menopausal Vagina: Living with Vaginal Atrophy' by Jane Lewis. You will find that what you're going through isn't unusual, although not everyone gets it this bad.

As for the leaflets, you are really not hearing the fact that they should have been updated and haven't been. I'm afriad there is a lot of history here, with the WHI study, which you don't know about. You are either going to need to decide to trust the medics or the people who have learnt it the hard way on forums like this. But if you want to go and do some reading, go to the Balance Menopause website and read everything there.

[Minusminnie]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions. Maybe often on repeat. I have no one to talk in my real life cuz no one has these particular symptoms.

 It’s horrible, this morning I wanted to harm myself cuz I could not imagine living daily with this pain. It so embarrassing as a woman.

I am very active by nature. This only started to happen less than a month ago. When the temps were super hot and I was sweating every minute of everyday.


So I am learning thru all of you. And often need a few moments to let it all sink in. I apologize if I am repeating myself or things are not “sinking in” just scared

As already said you are reading varied experiences on here. Some are from private consultations where different advice might be given.

There is a facebook Vaginal Atrophy group i will message a member who maybe can give you details. It is a closed group.

Get all the info that you can and make a plan for yourself.  Seek out some counselling if needs be too.  You have already mentioned other stress in your life.

[Seasidegirl]

Thanks for sharing your experiences ladies,  I started vagirux a week ago and your advice has been really helpful to me.   

The info around previous doses is particularly helpful and gives me confidence in terms of the disses that I'm choosing to take.