Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Peripurple on March 06, 2019, 06:08:53 PM
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Hi there,
I was just wondering how many of you got diagnosed with VA whilst in peri. I am 43 and have been having symptoms of VA for the last 3 years. I am receiving the appropriate treatment, using Vagifem every other day, however continue to battle with varying degrees of irritation on a daily basis. I have been told by a specialist that it is it's impossible that it is VA as this is only seen in post menopause, but said as I "think" the Vagifem helps I can stay on it.
However the relief I felt when I read the burning club thread was immense as I realised many others are also experiencing this. I keep getting told it is a ph imbalance, however my understanding is that can be caused by hormonal changes. This has also had an impact on my mental health. So yes just wondered if people had it diagnosed whilst peri menopausal .
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Talking absolute crap that person - :-X
Sorry. :cuss: so a 'specialist' thinks he/she knows about VA? Buy him a copy of Mary Jane's Book!! ? He probably doesn't know that this product was originally prescribed at 25 ? and is now 10 so many need nightly use and occasionally, 2 doses in the same night.
Some ladies use 'sylc' or 'yes' products to keep the area supple.
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Hi peripurple,
It is most definitely possible to have VA during perimenopause! It was my first symptom probably around 10 years ago looking back. I was misdiagnosed and dismissed for many years. The longer it's left without treatment the worse it gets and it becomes more difficult get on top of it. The fact that vagifem is helping your symptoms would suggest that it probably is VA so I would definitely carry on using it
Robin
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Hi,
From what I have learned is that VA can occur as a result of lower oestrogen, and that is very well possible in peri since oestrogen levels generally drop but can fluctuate. I am in late peri (not on HRT yet), and luckily I now have fewer symptoms but one that has crept up is likely VA. Do not believe everything health professionals mention since not all seem very clued up on peri- and menopause. AG
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I went to my gp with what I now know were VA symptoms 10 years before I was properly diagnosed. Makes me wonder what some of these gp's get paid for.
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Hi,
That is a load of rubbish. I'm in perimenopause and have VA pretty bad. My private consultant has really helped me get the treatment I need. He said GP's are often "scared" to prescribe. I've been using Ovestin for 2 years now. I then asked for Estring, but it's too big...After reading some posts on here I then asked to try Vagifem. It's early days, but I have found Ovestin is a lot more soothing.
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Hi there,
I was just wondering how many of you got diagnosed with VA whilst in peri. I am 43 and have been having symptoms of VA for the last 3 years. I am receiving the appropriate treatment, using Vagifem every other day, however continue to battle with varying degrees of irritation on a daily basis. I have been told by a specialist that it is it's impossible that it is VA as this is only seen in post menopause, but said as I "think" the Vagifem helps I can stay on it.
However the relief I felt when I read the burning club thread was immense as I realised many others are also experiencing this. I keep getting told it is a ph imbalance, however my understanding is that can be caused by hormonal changes. This has also had an impact on my mental health. So yes just wondered if people had it diagnosed whilst peri menopausal .
My first indication of VA was recurrent UTI's which started when i was still in peri (around 10 years ago). No GP made any mention of VA as a cause then. I really wish I had known about it. I am now using Vagifem (started in September 2018).
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I started getting symptoms of VA when i was 48, it was pretty severe at that stage so it obviously started before then, at that stage i was still getting periods, my last one was just before my 52nd birthday. I struggled to get treatment for two years as i was told VA was not possible until at least 2 years post meno, one who told me that included a female GP who is a few years older than me.
I then saw another GP who offered to prescribe Ovestin when i asked to try it and of course my symptoms improved, i later changed to Vagifem as i prefer that one. At a later date i was referred to a meno specialist ( ha ha, what a joke he was) because i wanted to try systemic HRT as although Vagifem was great i felt it wasn't quite enough as time went one. When i saw him he tried to tell me that i didn't have VA, well maybe that was the Vagifem working i told him, but he was insistent i couldn't have it as he said not possible if peri, he then said he wanted me to have a vulval biopsy, i refused and left.
I then went private, got systemic HRT and Vagifem prescribed daily and haven't looked back since.
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I had symptoms in my 40s. Lots and lots of uti infections that awful full bladder feeling tiny cuts. It is so so awful. It has taken a long time to feel better down there. Also I was having regular periods till about 51 when the odd one would miss. Any doctor who says you can't get it in peri is 100% wrong. I use a little bit of silk every morning which really helps me. Vagifem on a night with a smear of ovestin a couple of times a week on the outside.
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I think that comment about 'GPs scared to prescribe' is absolutely true as well as GPs might be scared to learn what their patients tell them!
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Thankyou so much for the responses, it's just very reassuring, as many of you mine all started with regular UTI,s also. I would like to use Vagifem daily but the GP won't prescribe this.
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How often are you using the Vagifem? Is there a different GP you can see, i won't see my named one as he doesn't like to prescribe more that two a week, so i see another one who has no problem we me using it every day.
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Probably not infections though? VA mimics urine infection-type symptoms really, really well!
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I am in peri stage and suffered with VA until i found Yes Vaginal Moisturiser and it is great, i cant live without it now. It stops all the itching and burning,I use it every few days.
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I started with symptoms when I was still on the pill. I had dryness, vanishing pubes and itching in the delicate skin between the labia, which became dry like ordinary skin and used to itch deeply. I got desperate and put hemp hand cream on which was heaven, then looked around for something suitable with shea butter or something (coconut oil was not a thing at that point) and found the Yes oil based.
When I came off the pill, I still had periods, and had all the pH problems, and 'infections' that weren't.
Of the many things I tried, vagifem has helped most and I have not had 'infection' symptoms since.
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Exactly stellajane, MM Has informed me more than any health professional. I just feel more could be done when in peri, In the beginning I had so many tests for thrush etc and no doctor would even consider VA. even now I still have irritation most days, and it gets referred to as a ph imbalance rather than my GP actually saying VA
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Exactly stellajane, MM Has informed me more than any health professional. I just feel more could be done when in peri, In the beginning I had so many tests for thrush etc and no doctor would even consider VA. even now I still have irritation most days, and it gets referred to as a ph imbalance rather than my GP actually saying VA
Crazy, isn't it? It's the VA that causes the pH imbalance in the first place!
JP x
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Yes I now realise I had VA symptoms years before I was diagnosed. I was examined by my gp 10 years ago with what must have been symptoms, but no diagnosis. It took things to get bad before anything happened. I never knew about VA before and how serious dryness could be.