Menopause Matters Forum

General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: fiftyplus on November 05, 2023, 01:47:05 PM

Title: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: fiftyplus on November 05, 2023, 01:47:05 PM
Hi Everyone  :)

This is my 1st post - so... here goes...   I am 55, 2 years post meno - I have had various symptoms over the years but the last one has been the worst - vaginal dryness  :'( - and what I was wondering was if I started on HRT (evorel conti patches) would this solve or greatly improve the vaginal dryness that I have?

I am looking forward to hearing your experiences of being on evorel conti patches and if it improved your vaginal dryness?

Many thanks for reading x
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: Joaniepat on November 05, 2023, 01:53:27 PM
Hello, welcome to the forum.

Systemic HRT might help with VA, but then again it might not. Women on systemic oestrogen often need local oestrogen as well.

JP x
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: CLKD on November 05, 2023, 03:05:49 PM
Get some appropriate vaginal atrophy treatment up there ASAP.  Ring your Surgery tomorrow, you don't need an exam nor blood tests.  The idea is that as oestrogen levels dry the body may become dry: inside and out, including the vulval area.  The idea is to use the treatment for 2-3 weeks every night then drop to every 3rd and 5th/6th though some require continual nightly insertion.

Let us know how you get on.   :welcomemm:  Browse round.  Make notes.

If after 3ish months the VA symptoms still niggle, u could ask for HRT as well. 
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: fiftyplus on November 05, 2023, 06:38:51 PM
Many thanks for your advice.

I have already been using ovestin cream for a couple of weeks but I just thought that the hrt patches would perhaps save all the faffing about malarkey with getting the cream up "there" and I thought the patches would be a lot easier to use and could perhaps help with my low mood too - have you found the patches helped with vaginal dryness and low mood?  :'(
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: CLKD on November 05, 2023, 06:59:50 PM
I don't require anything other than appropriate vaginal atrophy treatment.  Localised application really is the way initially to get symptoms under control.  Every night for last 2-3 weeks.  It shouldn't be a malarkey ....... certainly I've never found inserting 'ovestin' problematic.  Some don't like touching themselves 'down there' in the vulval area which could make insertion difficult.  It depends on how women have been raised with regards their bodies, sadly some taboos still exist  ::)

Some ladies do require other forms of HRT as well as localised treatment.  Low mood should be treated as a separate issue to vaginal atrophy or other bladder problems. 

Do U have a GP or Nurse Practitioner with an interest in womens' health at the Surgery with whom you could chat?  Make a list ;-)
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: sheila99 on November 05, 2023, 09:02:29 PM
It's hard to tell how much systemic hrt helps, some people are fine just with hrt but others need local oestrogen as well. If it was me I would use both for now then see if you can reduce local oestrogen in a couple of months when your blood levels are higher.
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: Taz2 on November 05, 2023, 10:45:22 PM
I definitely need both.

Taz x   :welcomemm:
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: fiftyplus on November 05, 2023, 11:15:44 PM
That is very helpful to know.  Many thanks x
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: Dierdre on November 05, 2023, 11:55:52 PM
I need Vagifem inside and Ovestin externally, both daily. Tried systemic but didn't make much difference and had bleeding which i didn't want to contend with.  Didn't have any other meno symptoms or maybe would have persevered.
Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: Tinkerbell on November 11, 2023, 09:39:49 PM
I started Oestrogel to help with awful VA and palpitations. I still need Vagifem and Ovestin every day and still get troubled by palpitations!

Title: Re: To go on HRT or not to help vaginal dryness
Post by: jillydoll on November 14, 2023, 06:49:29 PM
I've only ever needed hrt.
But everyone's different.