Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Weeloz on August 04, 2022, 09:31:08 AM
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Hi I have been prescribed vagirux and q.v. Moisturiser/sop replacement by my gp . She also said I was to stop using soap and toilet wipes on my vagina and stop shaving. As it makes it dryer . Has anyone else been advised this. I feel so unclean as I am used to shaving and cleaning after urinating
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Hello Weeloz. Having pubic hair actually helps to protect the area and stop germs from entering. I used to remove the hair and found I was getting thrush. Once I stopped, the thrush reduced. I understand you can feel cleaner without the hair but hopefully in time you will get used to it. The hair really is not unhygienic. Using soap will likely cause Bacterial Vaginosis as you will be removing the good bacteria. The moisturiser the GP has given you will ensure you are fresh and clean. :)
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For vaginal atrophy constant washing in that area is the worst thing you can do, your doctor is right. It’s a new way of life that we have to adapt to, unfortunately.
It’s sad but we have to learn to do things differently, another luxury taken away from us in old age! There are high end products out there for intimate washing but they are expensive, I will settle for Aqueous Cream for washing, I’ve got used to it and it doesn’t cause me any problems and that’s my priority.
I did notice shaving caused my Atrophy to be more severe, the hair is there to protect. As life goes on you will get used to your new routine!
I treated myself to some nice body creams instead, just to smell nice and fresh but kept well away from intimate areas.
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I thought it was only youngsters who shaved away all their public hair. I am obviously way behind the times!!
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Oh I'm with Weeloz,can't stand being all floofy down below :o I never use soap though,always a gentle moisturising shower cream,like Simple etc
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Gnatty I'm with you - and ladies, in a few years the pubic hair will stop growing :'( :-\
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You can get some toilet wipes which are 100% water. (Water Wipes?) You can probably keep using those.
And you can probably still shave but not shave everything off(!). Tidy it up a bit, without getting too close... and do it in the shower so any products are washed off immediately you use them.
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Gnatty I'm with you - and ladies, in a few years the pubic hair will stop growing :'( :-\
Mine has stopped growing. ;D
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Mine is sparse but I keep it neat. The 'tuft' has to be trimmed on a regular basis ::)
'savlon' or 'nivea' cream rubbed into the pubic hair gently stops the skin drying and becoming itchy.
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I wondered why I didn’t have to shave so often anymore.
Bloody hell, I wish mine would grow a bit more tbh. Fed up of the ‘plucked chicken’ look. ☹️ ;D
As for cleaning, I use vagisil wash, and water wipes.
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I have never washed my vagina! Do you mean vulva?? I don’t put soap there, ever. Am I the only one? I just don’t think that’s good for it!! It promotes things like thrush i was told. It’s also not necessary to wash after urinating.
You can use the laser method for bikini line but personally I stopped with all that in my 30’s when I realised it was simply another expense and chore marketed at women only and men who are a lot hairier don’t feel the need to!
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Ditto, ATB!
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Ok good, not just me!
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Men DO tend to get away with a lot more don't they? ???
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I've always washed the whole area. The vagina cleanses itself but I would never not give it a good wash and rinse. And nope, washing the vagina does not encourage thrush. Thrush lives in the back passage, when it's brought forwards that's when trouble begins, hence the advice to wipe backwards and not forwards.
The Indians wash after each toilet visit, they have a special wash bag for that purpose.
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I have never washed my vagina! Do you mean vulva?? I don’t put soap there, ever. Am I the only one? I just don’t think that’s good for it!! It promotes things like thrush i was told. It’s also not necessary to wash after urinating.
You can use the laser method for bikini line but personally I stopped with all that in my 30’s when I realised it was simply another expense and chore marketed at women only and men who are a lot hairier don’t feel the need to!
I totally agree with you. I never use soap there. I did when I was young as I thought I was meant to and I got bacterial vaginosis. A GP told me to never use soap there and it is self cleansing. I agree with you about removing hair being aimed at women.
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Oh someone just loves debating everything I say don’t they!
>> Your chances of developing thrush increase if:
your skin is irritated or damaged
you use products that irritate the skin such as perfumed products, bubble baths or vaginal washing products
you've recently taken antibiotics
you have poorly controlled diabetes
you have a weakened immune system – for example you're having chemotherapy or living with HIV
you're pregnant << ( from an nhs link, any nhs site on the topic says the same thing! It’s also a condition that lives in the vagina, gut & mouth, not back passage. )
A wash with water is not the same as using soap, which is neither necessary or recommended. Obviously we all shower and bathe!
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There shouldn't be an issue on a Forum for sharing information : Thrush - candida - thrives on sugars. It can affect various areas of the body. That which affects the vagina exists in the back passage : my Gynae Registrar explained this to me in my first attack which occurred when I stopped taking The Pill in 198? . I've also been affected following emergency hospital admission ........ so when I elect for surgery I swallow LIVE yoghurt for the 10 days B4 and after admission. Works for me.
Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that is a common member of the human gut flora. It can also survive outside the human body. It is detected in the gastrointestinal tract and mouth in 40–60% of healthy adults. Wikipedia
NHS - Why do I keep getting vaginal thrush?
the menstrual cycle, which may cause monthly thrush episodes. hormonal or vaginal pH changes. sexual activity. having a weakened immune system (such as HIV or chemotherapy treatments) 4 Oct 2019
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Thrush can be caused by anything which upsets the vaginal microbiome. Washing and using scented stuff up there can for sure upset the microbiome.
I don't wash with any products, and never have. I just give it a quick rinse around the vulva with water only, when I shower. I've never had thrush in my life.
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NHS recommends:
Do -
use water and emollient (like E45 cream) instead of soap to wash the affected area
dry properly after washing
wear cotton underwear
avoid sex until thrush has cleared up if sex is uncomfortable
Do not -
do not use soaps or shower gels
do not use douches or deodorants on your vagina or penis
do not wear tight underwear or tights
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sharing info isn’t the issue, it’s replying to someone that’s already made it clear you’ve made them uncomfortable & unwelcome, with a ‘nope’ you’re wrong… when in fact I am completely right about it and you’re wrong. Thrush does not come from the anus. It lives in the vagina, gut & mouth. It is kept in balance in those areas usually but certain things including soaps disrupt the balance and create growth that causes symptoms. Everything I originally said is fact. Any NHS link will tell us that.
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Sorry for anyone who is upset. The written word is of course, static.
However: thrush lives in the bowel/back passage. ATB agrees that it lives in the 'gut and mouth'. So how can that not involve the back passage :-\.
The various pages that I have read this morning state this as fact. It does not 'live' or originate in the vagina although an NHS site suggerts otherwise :-\ so more confusion >:(. It is passed forwards due to bad toileting hygiene.
The best description is from Natural Health, a US-based group :
Candida – How Did It Start?
Candida is a fungus, or yeast, that lives naturally in all our bodies. When it is in the right balance with our good gut bacteria there are no problems – it is when things get out of balance that the trouble starts. For many people, the initial imbalance occurs when we take our very first round of oral antibiotics (that is those we swallow not those we are given in hospital via an IV drip).
Unfortunately, the good bacteria in our intestinal tract are an innocent casualty of the sweeping effect of antibiotics. The job of antibiotics is to kill the bacteria that are making us sick however, because there are so many species of bacteria present in our intestines, both good and bad, antibiotics will not just kill the bad bacteria but will indiscriminately kill the good ones too. This leaves more room for the Candida that lives in our gut to grow and over-populate the intestinal tract causing a whole raft of seemingly unconnected symptoms including gas and bloating.
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Having read yet another NHS site:
Can you get thrush inside you?
Vaginal thrush is a common infection caused by an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans. This yeast lives naturally in the bowel and in small numbers in the vagina. It's mostly harmless, but symptoms can develop if yeast numbers increase. About 75% of women will have vaginal thrush in their lifetime.
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I'm still reading and it seems that I am being old fashioned :-\
Can thrush irritate the urethra?
Vulvovaginal candidiasis, a form of vulvovaginitis, commonly occurs in women and may cause burning pain and irritation in the vagina, bladder, urethra, vulva and labia. Urine passing over this inflamed tissue may cause considerable burning or stinging..
Source:
www.medicalnewstoday.com › articles
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So anyway… as I said initially, soap and other perfumed products increase risk of thrush. So do other things but that was my comment. Thrush does live in the vagina, as I said.
It’s such a nice day here, no sense going over and over and over something so minor, copying endless conflicting selective descriptions, when there are so much better things to do with one’s time.
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Anyone for tennis? 🤣😂
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Tiptoes out of thread 🙄
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Prefer MotoGP myself.
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Having read yet another NHS site:
Can you get thrush inside you?
Vaginal thrush is a common infection caused by an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans. This yeast lives naturally in the bowel and in small numbers in the vagina. It's mostly harmless, but symptoms can develop if yeast numbers increase. About 75% of women will have vaginal thrush in their lifetime.
Would you mind saying which 'other NHS site', because I've just searched that quote and it doesn't seem to be from an NHS website at all. Perhaps sticking to the facts, from reputable sources, would avoid confusion and upset.
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I see ATB has left which I believe is a great loss as she was so knowledgeable and helped a lot of women on the forum. I may be new here but I have browsed for a long time before joining, she was always there with a helping hand to women in great distress.
I hope she returns when she feels its the right time and more able to deal with those who have not been the kindest towards her.
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that's a shame , How do you know she has left . I can't see that
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If you scroll up you will see ATB in black letters and Guest underneath, that means she has left the group.
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Thank you . It's as Shame and has left as there is a lot of good info here too
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Sorry, don't mean to hijack your thread, Weeloz, but yeah, I think it's appalling that someone should be made to feel so uncomfortable. She was a real asset to this community. I've also experienced similar, and basically not logged on for ages because I couldn't face any more of the 'needling'. It's worrying when people seem to think they have free reign to express their opinions (which are often factually incorrect) no matter what the consequences for others.
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I agree, I'll miss ATB. I hope she comes back again. Unfortunately, a few of us have felt that 'someone' is reporting our posts to admin. Whether because we've accidentally mentioned products we like and given others links to them (no commercial advertising allowed, even if we are not selling the thing - but you're not told about that when you join - and clearly we are not peddling miracle menopause cures here) and there was also the 'don't give medical advice' post a while back. Which is basically what the forum is about. It starts to feel like someone is taking pleasure in targeting a few people.
It does get to the point whereby it's just not worth how bad it makes you feel and leaving seems the better option. Just saying that, because it's passed my mind too...
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I agree, I'll miss ATB. I hope she comes back again. Unfortunately, a few of us have felt that 'someone' is reporting our posts to admin. Whether because we've accidentally mentioned products we like and given others links to them (no commercial advertising allowed, even if we are not selling the thing - but you're not told about that when you join - and clearly we are not peddling miracle menopause cures here) and there was also the 'don't give medical advice' post a while back. Which is basically what the forum is about. It starts to feel like someone is taking pleasure in targeting a few people.
It does get to the point whereby it's just not worth how bad it makes you feel and leaving seems the better option. Just saying that, because it's passed my mind too...
I had no idea of this rule. I often mention products my name. Oops.
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I’ll miss reading ATB’s posts too. She shared a lot of good info that helped me with tests etc. I regret not thanking her.
I’m very confused about what is ok to discuss and what could look like ‘advice’ which results in me not mentioning brands/products and not posting much.
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One can mention brands but not put up links I think ..... it will be in the 'rules' ;-)
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It does get to the point whereby it's just not worth how bad it makes you feel and leaving seems the better option. Just saying that, because it's passed my mind too...
Just sort the wheat from the chaff & stand your ground. Too many people have left the forum over the years because they have felt 'bad' for one reason or another. :-X
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Flossie, you can mention products. You can even tell people the exact thing to google(!), but you can't (for some reason) put links up. Really it just makes it harder for people to find something because they have to go and search for it.
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Flossie, you can mention products. You can even tell people the exact thing to google(!), but you can't (for some reason) put links up. Really it just makes it harder for people to find something because they have to go and search for it.
Thank you for explaining that to me. I was not aware of this.
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I had never heard of VA let alone the name of the treatments, Ovestin, Vagifem, Sylk, Yes. It was a whole new language to me but thanks to this forum I learned the names to do a Google search. I suppose therefore no need to include links in this case.
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There is a dedicated 'bladder issues' thread and several regarding vaginal atrophy: I don't think many of us were aware of how devastating these conditions can be!
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I agree, I'll miss ATB. I hope she comes back again. Unfortunately, a few of us have felt that 'someone' is reporting our posts to admin. Whether because we've accidentally mentioned products we like and given others links to them (no commercial advertising allowed, even if we are not selling the thing - but you're not told about that when you join - and clearly we are not peddling miracle menopause cures here) and there was also the 'don't give medical advice' post a while back. Which is basically what the forum is about. It starts to feel like someone is taking pleasure in targeting a few people.
It does get to the point whereby it's just not worth how bad it makes you feel and leaving seems the better option. Just saying that, because it's passed my mind too...
Please don't leave J. I really appreciate your posts.
In other news, W, I do actually wash my floof using soap (unperfumed) and I also use wipes. I just don't feel clean otherwise, but I grew up in households with bidets. I'm hoping to have one in my new bathroom. When I got married, I was given the unedifying advice to always wash or else I'd smell like (quoting my sister) 'gone off beef gravy'. I've never been able to get past that. I just need to feel comfortable and confident. I don't know about others, but I think I'm over sensitised to my own smell.
Could trimming instead of shaving work for you?
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By coincidence I was reading this from today’s DM. So ATB is correct! i for one will miss her very much.
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Sorry forgot to add the link
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-11046095/Intimate-womens-health-expert-Dr-Shirin-Lakhanis-tips-care-vulva.html
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Thank you penny farthing and everyone for advice and relies 😀
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Talking about women leaving the forum, there was a mast walk out of a group of lovely ladies that were very helpful in there advice, a couple of years back.
I know this as I talk to one lady out of this forum. It’s a real shame, as I know who the lady is that put in the complain is still here, what she said didn’t bother me, but it did upset a lot of ladies. And when a complaint was put in a lot of ladies walk.
I will not say who or what the post was about, so I don’t get in trouble.
If someone doesn’t agree with you that’s fine, everyone needs to move on, we all have different opinions. It’s really sad when we lose members :'(
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I'm sad to see ATB has gone too. And hope you don't go joziel, you're really knowledgeable and have been a big help to many, including me.
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Ah, that's v nice, thank you you guys ;D