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[Garnet161]

Hi again all,
As one of the unfortunate ladies to be diagnosed with vaginal atrophy (or GSM as my doctor tells me), I notice symptoms can be different each day.  So much so, that I have started a daily diary to see if there are any similarities on certain days or times of the month etc.
Yesterday, for example, was very comfortable - no bladder urging, minimal urine output.  Today is very different - whilst minimal bladder urging, I am needing to pee every 1.5 hours - though there is a LOT there so it's fine once I have gone.  But I also have some aching in that area too - almost like period cramps.
Can anyone tell me if they have different symptoms at different times, even when the same routine of medication, creams, food etc is followed?
This is a very confusing thing to have!!!!!

[CLKD]

Did your GP prescribe treatment?

[Garnet161]

Oh yes, on Ovestin - day 21.

[CLKD]

That's a relief.  MayB put an occasional extra dose in the morning until U get comfy, when my symptoms niggle I do an extra mid afternoon as well as taking 2 Nurofen to ease the nip as the urine flow shuts off.

As well as keeping on with nightly or alternate nights until symptoms feel better.

Also anxiety can cause the need to pee more often.   Certainly when I've come down from anxiety surges and more recently after the shingles booster, I was passing urine every 20 mins for hours  .

Don't stop drinking as the kidneys will work harder = more toilet visits  . 

[Ayesha]

Give it at least three months and try not to overthink the condition, it can cause lots of other symptoms down there but the treatment needs a lot of time to work.
There are women here that get side effects using topical oestrogen which will mean you have to start to experiment with trying another form of oestrogen but you are very early days, give it more time.

[Dierdre]

Period like cramps are normal at the beginning and it does settle. Probably your body getting used to being estrogenised again.  I've been on local estrogen for nearly 10 years now and still have flare ups and need to add in extra doses or sometimes even take less. You will recognise the triggers that cause these blips in time, mine are stress, dehydration, any other health problems (thrush) and certain foods that mimic estrogen and can block the medication like plant sterols in Benecol and soy products. The fillers in Vagifem sometimes build up as I take it every day, so I miss a day until my body has cleared them out. I can't go swimming in a pool because of chlorine but I'm ok in the sea.
Perfumed panti liners are a definate no and I wash my pants on a hot wash, no detergent and then tumble dry.
I use estrogen daily but still have bad days occasionally, but mostly good.
I always put my Estriol (Ovestin) in the fridge in extremely hot weather as it does become less potent and stops working in temperatures above 25°, found this out the hard way on holiday in Greece one year.
Sitting for long periods reduces blood flow which doesn't help, I don't ride a bike anymore. 
You will in time recognise your triggers and avoid them as much as possible, stress is the worse as it's not always easy to avoid. As Ayesha said give it a few months and you'll be back to leading a normal life again.

[Garnet161]

Thanks ladies - you're all fabulous.
I am learning slowly.  Only one coffee per day.  Organic cotton panty liners. Lots of water.
Thanks for the tips about the temp - we're going into Australian summer so will have to store in the fridge.
Things are much improved already from what they were.  I will continue to use daily for the forseeable future.
It's just some days can be odd - like today.  I had to pee every 1.5 hours (like busting) and it was a waterfall every time.  Then suddenly at 3pm, it just settled, and I've been fine all evening.
I wake each morning thinking, I wonder what today will be like 

[CLKD]

I wake every morning wishing that I could sleep for a further 10 mins 

Ditch the panty liners, if required then there's something 'wrong'.  I never get discharge from the estriol ........ so I must be soaking it up sufficiently.

Dont' forget that kidneys take up liquids from everything that we eat/drink as well as how much we sweat, which will impact on our urine output.

[Ayesha]

Ditch the panty liners, if required then there's something 'wrong'. 

This is bad advice, it does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong if one needs panty liners. It can become part of the ageing process and no amount of pelvic exercises will help, it's age related in the majority of cases. 

[Wend861]

I agree Ayesha. I have used panty liners since being a teenager. I have pretty much always had some form of discharge and that is normal for many women. Sometimes there is nothing but often there is and that is normal for me. I also do get more if I use local oestrogen/Vagifem. I would rather have the knowledge it's there if I need it.

[CLKD]

Cotton knickers should suffice ....... because they allow the body to breathe.  As the body dries due to oestrogen loss 

[AngCho]

Hello - I’m just going into week 7 of treatment on Estriol and Vagifem every three days. I felt much as you do now. It was very unpredictable. I am slowly getting better. I hope you will feel better soon.

[CLKD]

A quick question AngCho - did U begin with nightly use?

[AngCho]

Yes, I started on Vagifem every night for three weeks. Until I was diagnosed I was totally ignorant about all this, but I have had bladder symptoms for about 9 months. Googling, I found this helpful site and discovered that bladder and urethra symptoms are often helped with the addition of Estriol cream, rubbed around the urethra and vulva. So I asked my GP for some and added the cream to the pessaries in about week 2. I then used both medications every other night for a couple of weeks and now I do it every three nights. I am 70 and in the uk.
Last week I had one day of the awful bladder symptoms - before that it was more frequent. I am beginning to have some hope that things will get better. I have picked up a few tips from this site, one of which was to get one of those squirty bottles to fill with warm water to use after urination. (Peri bottle?) This was a big help and took away some of the stinging pain.
I hope that you will feel better soon - it is awful.

[CLKD]

Let us know how you get on.  If you have a blip then do a reload - I find 5 nights adequate to ease my symptoms.