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[Minusminnie]

Yep.  Each box of ovestin has a long plastic applicator

I just use boiled water in a beaker to clean each end then leave to dry.

Been trying to think of a use for the old applicators as I start a new box. Any ideas ?
I saw Covid test kits broken appropriately in half for plant labels.

[CLKD]

Mine go into recycling.  It's what to do with the tubes of product 

[sheila99]

🤣 ….maybe it should be !

Dip it in boiling water? 😂

[Wrensong]

I was prescribed Vagifem for best part of a decade & got on fine with them.  Along with a little estriol cream applied externally (& systemic HRT), they have been a Godsend, keeping me in comfortably good condition in the absence of ovaries, uterus & cervix, for which I'm very grateful.  In the past year or so, Vagirux or generic estradiol pessaries have been dispensed instead, no prior notice, no explanation & I haven't felt the need to question that.  I have been fine with all of them in terms of effect, but find I do have to be careful not to drop the tiny pessaries while trying to fit them into the applicator, which can be a bit fiddly.  I also prefer the blue Vagifem applicators as I've found the slightly spindlier white ones sometimes stick into the soft vaginal wall if I'm not completely attentive with insertion & I never have that problem with Vagifem.  I also preferred Vagifem because of not having the faff of washing & drying the repeat use applicators at the end of the day when I barely have the energy to stagger into bed, but that's offset by the virtue of not wasting so much plastic.  I kept one Vagifem applicator out of my last ever box (wish I had thought to keep more) & now reuse that in preference to the white ones to avoid the discomfort of an accidental stabbing to wake me right up before I go to bed  .

See how you get on with them; I think very likely you'll be fine.
W x

[Minusminnie]

🤣 ….maybe it should be !

Dip it in boiling water? 😂

  

[Minusminnie]

Has anyone tried using an Estriol applicator to push out an Estradiol pessary ? Possibly for those using both estriol and estradiol.
I've not tried it but at least the pessary would be sat inside the top of the Estriol tube maybe with a bit of estriol cream to help adherence.

[Wrensong]

Good suggestion.  I just tried it for size, Minusminnie.  The Estriol applicator (at least for the weaker, 0.01% variant), unfortunately isn't compatible with the Vagirux pessary though.  The tablet/pessary just lies flat in a shallow depression slightly below the top of the applicator tube with the plunger fully depressed, so that there's nothing to push the pessary out.  Sorry, not a very clear explanation. The plunger doesn't extend far enough to expel the pessary is what I'm trying to say.  The pessary just sort of sits, as if in a nest in the top of the applicator.  Good idea though, as the Estriol applicators are nicely rounded, sturdy & blunt, easy to use, with little chance of a cack-handed, skewed spearing of the sort I somehow managed to inflict!

[Wrensong]

I'm thinking of buying a box of Gina for a supply of the blue applicators to keep & reuse with the Vagirux/generic estradiol pessaries I'm now routinely prescribed.  Thank you Witches Cat - I hadn't realised Gina had individual applicators like Vagifem.

[Minusminnie]

Good suggestion.  I just tried it for size, Minusminnie.  The Estriol applicator (at least for the weaker, 0.01% variant), unfortunately isn't compatible with the Vagirux pessary though.  The tablet/pessary just lies flat in a shallow depression slightly below the top of the applicator tube with the plunger fully depressed, so that there's nothing to push the pessary out.  Sorry, not a very clear explanation. The plunger doesn't extend far enough to expel the pessary is what I'm trying to say.  The pessary just sort of sits, as if in a nest in the top of the applicator.  Good idea though, as the Estriol applicators are nicely rounded, sturdy & blunt, easy to use, with little chance of a cack-handed, skewed spearing of the sort I somehow managed to inflict!

Thanks for experimenting just sorry that hasn't worked.
I've just looked at my Estriol 0.1% applicator and the white plunger pushed down does reach the end.  If i had a estradiol pessary i would experiment myself with that one but i'm just using estriol for now.
It's all fiddly i've annoyingly shot the cream out before time somehow on occasion. 

[Joaniepat]

For those who don't like having just the one applicator, there is a "generic" version of the estradiol tablets that comes with single use applicators. Sometimes I am given these instead of Vagirux. It is made by Sun Pharmaceuticals. I should think it is possible for a GP to specify "estradiol tablets with single use applicators" as  anyone with dexterity problems wouldn't be able to use Vagirux. Even I end up dropping the occasional one on the bathroom floor. I would imagine these Sun Pharmaceuticals ones are way cheaper than Vagifem. I'd suggest asking your GP to prescribe as suggested above, or speaking to the pharmacist.
JP x

[Katejo]

I buy Gina from Superdrug as my pharmacy gave up with vagifem a couple of years back, i hated the replacement, instead of preloaded applicators you had a box of pills and an applicator you had to reuse and load yourself. The pills didnt hold tight and fell out, the cat would chase them round the bedroom floor.  Gina is made by novo nordisk (think thats the name) same blue alplicators, same formulation.

I am still getting Vagifem on repeat prescription. I last ordered it and collected it just before Christmas. I haven't been able to buy Gina at all. My local Boots refuses to sell it to anyone on systemic HRT. Did Superdrug ask you any questions when you ordered it?

[Ayesha]

I bought Gina from Superdrug Online Doctor a few months ago without any problems. I'm not on systemic HRT but if I was and was asked the question I wouldn't answer it as its perfectly ok to be on systemic and topical together. Boots are very bad when it comes to restrictions surrounding HRT, they haven't a clue and are mostly ignorant of what can be prescribed.   

[Katejo]

I bought Gina from Superdrug Online Doctor a few months ago without any problems. I'm not on systemic HRT but if I was and was asked the question I wouldn't answer it as its perfectly ok to be on systemic and topical together. Boots are very bad when it comes to restrictions surrounding HRT, they haven't a clue and are mostly ignorant of what can be prescribed.

I wouldn't have told them but they knew anyway because they issue my prescriptions! I made a mental note to go to a different supplier if I needed them in the future!

[Jules]

I've picked up a repeat prescription of vagifem yesterday. My GP not pharmacist didn't mention any change

[VioletAquarius]

Hi jules, its probably my gp surgery that's cutting the cost then, rather than the nhs as a whole.
Thanks for letting us know.