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[Snowcat]

Yes CLKD he did tell me that - in fact he’s always saying we should  ‘pee pale’ 😁 he said it’s the biggest indicator of dehydration when I was asking him if we really need to drink 2 litres of water a day (water not my favourite drink) and he said, as you rightly say, we get fluid from food too so no, we’re all different, just drink water regularly and check your per each time you go! Too much water intake can be serious too .. though it’s less common than not drinking enough - he once asked me as I was leaving, if I was drinking enough and I replied ‘yes! I had a bottle of wine last night and two bottles of gin this morning..’ 😂 I left him banging his head on the table .. 

[Bella247]

Thanks so much for your replies. It’s so touching to know that you’re not alone. It’s not like you can just tell your work mates about your vagina issues.

@snowcat I’m so sorry you’re going through it too. Health anxiety is the pits. It’s really interesting you say you have diabetes. I’m currently battling pre diabetes and I do wonder whether that’s a contributor. I won’t be googling it.

I did want to come back here and say touch wood I do think it was the hot weather because since it’s cooled down it’s sooo much better. Thank goodness I WFH mostly because I’ve been going knicker free which I think may also have helped.

I’m pretty sure I’ve not been dehydrated. Im obsessed with drinking water since I got kidney stones a few years back.

Annoyingly I’ve now got an agonising pain in my shoulder from sleeping with the fan on me the other day. I’m sure I didn’t appreciate being young as much as I should have done xx

[Minusminnie]

Re the fan Thomas Schafernaker the bbc weather man recommended the other morning having a fan by an open window to pull air in from outside rather than have it on you or in the room which just circulates room air.

You may be surprised if you talk to female workmates as to who might be in the same position as you.
Mentally it is difficult to not talk about having VA at times and keeping stum about it. Anyone else will happily tell you about their bad back etc….. I’ve never broached saying my fa… is on fire today.

[JanS]

This is exactly what I was feeling over the last two weeks with a sore vulva (separate thread above).  I thought I had an infection or a UTI I had a swab all came back clear.  I was beside myself it was really dragging me down, so uncomfortable couldn’t pee properly because it was just so uncomfortable and when I did, it was just like a dribble. I think today is the first day I have felt normal. Peeing normally thank God!  Three visits to the surgery and I was prescribed estriol cream instead of the Imvaggis.  I tried it once not happy so have gone back to Imvaggis (which I have been on for years and was happy with) and I was never advised that you can use estriol cream on the vulva, just learned that today.  I had been using Yes which is pretty good but just made me a bit “sticky”. I was also wondering because I know they have been in heat above 25C whether that had an adverse effect on how they perform? I’ve now been told I can put them in the fridge while we have this hot weather which I have now done.  Hopefully the normality continues.  This site is really helpful and at least I know that it’s not just me!  Thank you ladies.  Let’s hope we can all get through this!

Incidentally, to the lady who has health anxiety, I had the same I booked myself on an online course with talking therapies (NHS) and that really helped me if that is of any use.

[Minusminnie]

Three visits to the surgery and I was prescribed estriol cream instead of the Imvaggis.  I tried it once not happy so have gone back to Imvaggis (which I have been on for years and was happy with) and I was never advised that you can use estriol cream on the vulva, just learned that today. 

If you have gone back to favouring Imvaggis and now using Estriol on the vulva you may find that your GP will not prescribe both together on repeat.

You can buy Ovesse in Boots which is the same as Estriol 0.1% and made by the same manfacturer.  This may be an option rather than a fight with the GP to get both as just using estriol on the vulva only the tube lasts longer.

Ayesha may have posted this BMS link for you already. You could show to your doctor to get both prescribed if necessary.

https://bssm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GSM-BSSM.pdf

[Ayesha]

There is still very little known from medics about GSM and how to treat it. Why its so important to be armed with all the knowledge to put yourself in the position to have a convincing argument/debate with them.

The practice nurse was amazing, she knew her stuff, but there are the others that you have to navigate around, the very young male GP, once I had explained the recommendations of the BSSM, he got bored and I was good to go with my daily routine of Vagifem and Estriol.
Then there was the male pharmacist who tried to lecture me on the amount of dosage I was using, he got a lecture from me and promised to never question another woman on how she uses GSM treatment.

This condition is for us to take control of and we can only do that by having the knowledge and confidence to speak out. 

[JanS]

I have just had a look at that link which is very interesting. I thought DHEA was a banned substance. I’m not sure. I thought I’d cracked it yesterday but today I’m sore and finding it hard to pee yet again so I am 99% sure that  it is lack of estrogen.  I’m going to see how I go over the next couple of days and if it persists, then I’ll make yet another appointment at the doctors only this time I will be printing that sheet off to show them.  I am wondering if there is a stronger topical estrogen that I can use.  I’m drinking loads, that is water! Ive slathered loads of Yes and that has soothed it at the moment.  I’ve just realised that my oestriol cream has been in hot weather above 25C so I’m not happy about using it and as someone suggested perhaps I can get a prescription from my doctors I’m sure they will prescribe that to me as well as the Imvaggis just to get rid of me 🤣🤣. Don’t know whether this would help, but I’ve been drinking a lot of cranberry juice with no added sugar one can only hope.  Thank you ladies for all the comments and advice on here. It is really, really helpful.

[Bella247]

It’s really reassuring to know it’s not just my vagina running riot 

I’ve had a similar experience in boots with a HORRIBLE male pharmacist angrily questioning me about how often I’m using estriol cream when I was at the front of a long queue in a tiny Boots branch. It was most bizarre as it was the first time I’d ever even got a prescription there. I was so angry I made a formal complaint to boots. They couldn’t have given a shit and I won’t go there again for my prescriptions.

[Minusminnie]

I have just had a look at that link which is very interesting. I thought DHEA was a banned substance. I’m not sure. I thought I’d cracked it yesterday but today I’m sore and finding it hard to pee yet again so I am 99% sure that  it is lack of estrogen.  I’m going to see how I go over the next couple of days and if it persists, then I’ll make yet another appointment at the doctors only this time I will be printing that sheet off to show them.  I am wondering if there is a stronger topical estrogen that I can use.  I’m drinking loads, that is water! Ive slathered loads of Yes and that has soothed it at the moment.  I’ve just realised that my oestriol cream has been in hot weather above 25C so I’m not happy about using it and as someone suggested perhaps I can get a prescription from my doctors I’m sure they will prescribe that to me as well as the Imvaggis just to get rid of me 🤣🤣. Don’t know whether this would help, but I’ve been drinking a lot of cranberry juice with no added sugar one can only hope.  Thank you ladies for all the comments and advice on here. It is really, really helpful.

You may have to give your increase in use of Imvaggis more than a few days to work.

There is Vagifem or Vagirux which you will find written about in the link if you have printed it out or can see it online. These are Estradiol rather than Estriol and said to be stronger and often given after Estriol is tried.

The doc may well give you Imvaggis and Estriol cream together on prescription as they are both Estriol and Imvaggis is a very low dose.

Best to be prepared though. The fight with the GPs is often over getting Estriol cream with Vagifem (estradiol) or enough of each being prescribed.

If you look at the Vulval Pain Society website there is a section on self care. Eg washing with water down below not soapy products, washing pants in water or with very little powder and rinse well. All to avoid any irritants on the vulva. I will try to find link later for you.

[JanS]

Minusminnie thank you very much.  I’m starting to tear my hair out about this now 

[Minusminnie]

We’ve all been there Jan. Take care. Becoming informed and maybe some trial & error you will get there.