Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: Tinkerbell on October 20, 2017, 02:30:00 PM
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I have had horrendous issues with VA that eventually got sorted.
We had a very good lady doctor who was very good at listening and prescribing what I need, unfortunately she has now left.
I have been struggling with my named doctor to get my Vagifem prescribed, the female doctor was happy for me to use it every day but he says it should last 24 weeks and I can't have any more until January...I have 7 doses left!
My VA has been so well controlled on the Estrogel/Mirena and daily Vagifem that I have felt that I had got my life back!
What do I do now? there are no appointments at our doctors for another three weeks and none with a female one either.
I m
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He's talking rubbish. Ring a Pharmacist and ask what the recommendation is and then ring your Sugery and tell him - it's used for 2 weeks every night then as necessary: usually every 3rd and 5/6th night. For Life!
R U in England?
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Yes I am in England, the GP who left was happy prescribing daily use for me and said most of her other ladies
needed more than twice a week as well.
Because I have not been using nightly whilst I have been sorting this out the soreness is coming back..I really can't manage on anything less than one every day.
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Tinkerbell - I would simply ask this doctor to refer you to the specialist urogynaecologist for advice. GPs are loathed to do referrals as it costs money - so this may persuade him/her to rethink their pedantic approach.
If the pain is returning because you have reduced the dosage, then I would definitely hotfoot back to this GP and ask for the referral. DG x
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As an alternative ask for an estring ? Which stays in the vagina for 90 days it's the equivalent of almost 5 vagifem a week ....and then go guns blazing at him ......makes me hopping mad all this.😡
A private GP will prescribe just like that , however it's expemsive and why should you ? But if you get desperate we have to do what we have to do.
Wish I could come into some of these appointments with you and tell them exactly what's what . 😡😡😡
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Also a email letter thing with Dr Currie ?
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None of the GPs at my surgery would prescribe vagifem with systemic HRT (I use patches). So they agreed to email a consultant gynae...the reply took 6 weeks (which was yes it's fine) but while I was waiting I did buy ovestin and used that as I knew VA just gets worse (I bought ovestin instead of vagifem purely because it was cheaper) ...so maybe ask for them to email a consultant and buy something to tide you over...or ask to be referred but try and insist that they keep your prescription as it is while you are waiting ...because your only asking to be referred because they are not happy (if you know what I mean)
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Tinkerbell have you ever tried upping your estrogel? I often wonder if more systemic oestrogen would help my VA ? My patches are 50 ...sometimes I think I should try 75 and separate prog..I just don't know 🤔🙄
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Zara...I am on 3 pumps a day, when I tried going to 4 it made me feel jittery. I have been plodding away nicely for the last 8 months on my combo, don't know what his problem is because I have a Mirena for the progesterone component, so the endometrium should be protected by that.
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Makes me so cross...if that is the minimum it takes to keep you comfortable he should not alter your prescription...I am sure it's down to cost although how much are they really?? Prob pence...my sister uses vagifem, her dr will allow her 8 a month - prescribed monthly. So it works out she pays over £1 each ...crazy! And so unfair - I get 24 each time - she's going to buy that one off yearly thing. They tried to tell me it was ‘risk' they couldn't actually tell me what risk so I'm sure it's cos I'm 48 and they think “oh god could be 40 years of her on thisâ€!
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This is the doctor who told me topical estrogen could only be used two years max a couple of years ago!
It's daft because when my bits are comfortable I exercise more,I was up to 20 mins on an exercise bike most days and as I am a bit overweight with slightly elevated BP surely it's better health wise to let me have the required Vagifem!
Sorry to hear your sister is not getting what she needs either.
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They know nowt! I would be e-mailing his details to Dr Currie on here ......... by now she should have a long list of GPs who don't bother to understand what is required in menopause!!
Are you able to change Surgeries even?
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CLKD think GPs need hauling over the coals TBH .....there should be a central data base type thing to report them too.
Something needs doing about this😡😡😡
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Why aren't we allowed to have what we need to feel well??? why can't we decide to take any perceived risk as long as we know the facts?!
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Money ....Dr Louise Newson NHS GP / private menopause specialist said the menopause NICE guidelines are the most ignored of all the guidelines .....if men 🤔
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Completely agree your GP is talking through his backside. When I was on vagifem, my lovely female GP was happy with me using it four nights a week for as long as I wanted. Hope you get is sorted. As Zara says, Ovestin is available on the internet from a few online pharmacies but it's about thirty quid a tube. It's more or less the same as vagifem but messier :-\
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Ovestine1mg - I don't find it messy :-\
Do speak to a Pharmacist tomorrow!
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....'messy' as in vagifem is a pessary, ovestin is a cream. What goes up must come down. But then again I use Doublebase every day on my bits so I'm used to being a bit squelchy ;D :o
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:lol: "squelch" is one of my favourite words: it really does sound like it is [imagine wellies being pulled from deep mud ;-) ]
My GP said it might be messy but I replied "I don't care as long as it eases symptoms".
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I have had horrendous issues with VA that eventually got sorted.
We had a very good lady doctor who was very good at listening and prescribing what I need, unfortunately she has now left.
I have been struggling with my named doctor to get my Vagifem prescribed, the female doctor was happy for me to use it every day but he says it should last 24 weeks and I can't have any more until January...I have 7 doses left!
My VA has been so well controlled on the Estrogel/Mirena and daily Vagifem that I have felt that I had got my life back!
What do I do now? there are no appointments at our doctors for another three weeks and none with a female one either.
I m
You go back you DEMAND IT print off the use of vagifem he has your notes say are you saying that the previous GO here was wrong or is it that your a trust and trying to save money. Do you do the same with Viagra? Just say if you wont prescribe 1 a night then refer me to someone now. If not i will 0hone the general medical council.
I take 1 every night 365 days and i still get blips ive got one now.
Male Gps and younger females tend to ignore us think we will bow our heads and vanish
We arent productive and we cost money from theit budget. Go for him ok
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Oh Tinkerbell, I live in fear of this happening to me. Lots of good advice above. Maybe do one of those email consultations with Dr Currie (does she still do them?) and go in armed with that and the NICE guidelines asap?
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Remembering though that NICE Guidelines are that: guidelines!
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Thank you all for your replies and suggestions, greatly appreciated.
Lovely prescription clerk who has tried to sort out this has had another word with doctor but he won't budge!
So she has booked me an appointment on Wednesday with the GP who I normally see for most ailments as he tends to be quite understanding...if he doesn't agree I will go back and see the private meno specialist I saw two years ago and get her to write out a treatment plan.
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... hope it goes well Tinkerbell - and don't forget those Guidelines which are designed to help health professional achieve best practice in menopause management. Even if the doc won't prescribe the additional amount you are entitled to be referred to someone who will. Here is the relevant part of the guidelines:
Section 1.3.11
If low-dose vaginal oestrogen does not relieve symptoms of urogenital atrophy, consider increasing the dose after seeking advice from a healthcare professional with expertise in menopause
Also - in case it hasn't been said already - the Estring (which is licensed) delivers estradiol on average at the rate of 7.5 mcg per day = 52.5 mcg per week which is approx the same as the old higher dose Vagifem ( which was withdrawn for no good reason - based on statistics from a trial - and did not apply to all women).
Hurdity x
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Thank you Huridity for pointing out the guidelines, I shall keep those up my sleeve incase I have a battle tomorrow!
I had forgotten about the Estring,I might ask to try that if I have difficulty get the Vagifem.
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Once you get sorted I would be back to that GP to have a Big Discussion! Many years ago my GP asked me what I would do if he didn't agree with what I had asked for and I told him "your personal feelings shouldn't come into what you prescribe" - I was all of 16 ;D
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Have spoken to the doctor who I have always trusted and who listens, shame he is not my named doctor.
He is happy to prescribe the Vagifem for everyday use if that is what I need, he is updating my records to say that and is putting the prescription through for me today.
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Phew! Hope that works :)
I am sure it is down to blind money considerations.
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PHEW! Money. Lack of knowledge. Neither should impact on what a lady requires!
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Great news Tinkerbell, well done :)
Hurdity x
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Have spoken to the doctor who I have always trusted and who listens, shame he is not my named doctor.
He is happy to prescribe the Vagifem for everyday use if that is what I need, he is updating my records to say that and is putting the prescription through for me today.
See we told you. You persevered and hey ho vagifem nightly.
Imo some is sheer ignorance. Some i genuinely believe they dont see us as productive.
Cant understand what affects pain wise and sex wise cos we are like Mu or Nana yuk!!
Other is moneyyou can guarsntee 99.5% that plays a masdive part.
Yet ive yet to hear of a man being refused Viagra
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Tinkerbell, do you think the mirena helps VA? I thought it was the opposite.
Perhaps go back to the GP and say that it's not working twice a week and that the other GP said you needed every day, which was working. I tried vagifem. My GP is happy to prescribe that like candy, but it doesn't work for me, but he won't prescribe the estring which does as he has never heard of it. He's never heard of Dr Currie either so when I took an email he just said he didn't know. I found it easier to buy an estring online.
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Do send Dr Currie the info that your GP hand't heard of her ;-)