Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Lynne888 on July 19, 2019, 10:11:24 PM
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I can't believe that 7 years since joining, I find myself asking again about VA. Could anyone tell me if they have experienced small amounts of blood when their VA was bad? I noticed a few weeks ago that I had tiny streaks of bloody (mainly pink) when wiping after going to the loo. I'd had a lot of itching and dryness and haven't been taking anything for it for absolutely ages. I could tell the sensations were exactly what I had when I first had VA years ago. It's a long story which I won't go into, but I was using vagifem for years, moved to Wales and was taken off it (Yes at the time everyone said it was wrong but I've never been able to get it since). I was given Ovestin for a month a while ago and that was it. I've not used anything for probably 2 years. VA is now back with a vengeance. In the meantime, I've had bowel cancer - it wasn't picked up by my GP and I waited 10 months for a diagnosis. I mention this only because seeing blood on the paper last week sent me into a panic and I rushed to see my GP. She played it down much the same as she did with the blood in my poo. She gave me Ovestin again, I've been using it for a week. For a couple of days I had tiny bits of blood when I wiped, but for the past 5 days I've only had normal, healthy looking discharge.. today, I got the tiniest bit of pink bloody again. Honestly, if I hadn't been looking for it so eagerly, I wouldn't have seen it, but even so, I'm worried the blood is not normal for VA. I'm still itching and feeling like I have thrush but I know it's the VA. I've been on and off the loo with frequent urination, all the same symptoms as before. I'm scared though because of the blood and I am hoping that someone is able to reassure me that the blood can be normal? Sorry for the long post. Hope you can help. PS. I should add that I have recently had an MRI scan and CT scan as well as blood test for cancer markers... I have them every year because of the bowel cancer. Nothing was picked up and I was given the all clear. I only have to go back once more in March next year and they will sign me of. I am hoping that, if anything sinister was lurking, it would have been found. GP said that whilst lumps can be found on the scans, cancerous cells cannot.
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I don't think it will be anything to worry about, i had a similiar thing 18 months ago, it was as yours,only a smear, but was sent for a scan to be on the safe side,
I was told it was probably just with dryness, and a small tear, but all was fine
If i were you if it's the same Dr you had before i would try to see a different one
Really she should have referred you for a scan to be on the safe side,especially after the delay the last time, she doesn't sound much good
Why have you not been able to get more vagifem or Ovestin again?
Should have said it will be a vaginal scan, and its nothing to be scared of
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Thank you for your reply. I have had the vaginal scan before.. a previous GP sent me immediately she knew I had seen blood (peri meno). The GP I see now is the same GP I saw with bowel cancer and the only one at the practice. She doesn't fill me with confidence. I never go if I can avoid it. When we moved here, I went to see her and asked for Vagifem but she would only give me Ovestin - I thought it must be something to do with cost because prescriptions are free in Wales, but I DID ask her on another occasion if that was why and she said that wasn't the reason, she just preferred Ovestin because it only needed to be taken for a month to sort things out... I know...it's all madness. I took to buying Vagifem online so that I could still use it for a while. Desperate times lead to desperate measures. I feel I'm in worse discomfort than before now because the VA has been allowed to come back as bad as it ever was although I don't recall ever having blood with VA before. So much has happened and so much time elapsed it's difficult to remember everything!
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Do you mean there is only 1 Dr there? and is that the only surgery where you are
I am afraid i wouldn't risk seeing a Dr who had been so negligent ,which in my eyes it was, dismissing such a potentially serious illness
It is ridiculous to only give you a months supply of Ovestin, she should do a bit more training if that's what she thinks, could you take some literiture with you regarding VA, ?
Tell her you have had to buy vagifem or ovestin before as you were so sore,
Can't believe what i have read on here about some Drs
Have you looked at the nice guidelines?, i quoted them to my Dr when i wanted to go back on HRT and he didn't argue
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I've had brilliant doctors in the past. I have no faith in this one. She is the only one there. They have nurses and a paramedic and occasional doctors that cover but I don't want to see random people either. If I told her I'd bought vagifem she would go mental. I suffer with terrible anxiety since the colon cancer issues and I really prefer not to go at all. Honestly my gp is one of the reasons we are considering moving house! I've only been hanging on to be signed off from the hospital.
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Did you see blood for several days or just once Jaycee?
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Smears of blood could certainly be from your VA as the vaginal lining becomes thinnner and more fragile, leading to minute paper cut-like tears. It is outrageous that you cannot get treatment and have such a crappy GP who won't presribe anything. Things are only going to get worse!
I don't know what to suggest about getting NHS treatment for it in Wales, but there must be other ladies on here who live there. You could also try asking on the Vaginal Atrophy Facebook group run by Jane Lewis. It's a mine of information.
Good luck, I hope you can find a solution.
JP x
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Thanks JP. I'll have a look at that facebook page. It Might help!
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Your GP is negligent. For a month only :bang: when we know it's for Life!
I've said it B4 and I'll say it again: this GP needs reporting to Dr Currie and the British Menopause Society. Pronto.
So sad that you have had to suffer, totally un-necessarily. 1 GP cannot possibly run a Practice .......... :-X
:foryou:
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CLKD.. I know, believe me, I'm so fed up.. but whilst I know the doctor situation is appalling, it would really help to know if others had a bit of blood and if it was normal. I guess because the doctor ignored the blood in my poo I just don't trust her at all now. She said she would expect to see far more blood if it was anything more sinister. I have only been using Ovestin a week but things aren't calming a great deal.. on saying that I think it's all back to being as bad as it can get so will take some calming. I also saw online that vagifem is 80% stronger than Ovestin. If this is true then it could take weeks to get relief with it. As I have some vagifem left I'm tempted to change. From what I can remember, I was given a month of Ovestin a few years ago.. I asked for vagifem and told the doctor I had used it for a few years and had provera every 3 months to have a bleed. Doctor said with Ovestin it's only used for a month so I wouldn't need the provera. That's what I recall her saying anyway. If she doesn't give me anything after this Ovestin finishes I will be in deep 💩
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Sorry Lynne,only just seen your question, re how many days i saw blood, from what i recall only the once, but it WAS just a smear
I agree with CLKD your Dr is negligent, she is not fit to be a Dr in my opinion
It is disgraceful that she would go mental at you asking for vagifem, she needs reporting
Are there no other Drs anywhere near you, if not then you may have to travel a bit to see another, but this just isn't right
I know you said you do't want to see random people ,but it must be worth it to try to see one of the Drs who come to the surgey at other times,or even ask to see a nurse
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Jaycee, it worries me if you only saw blood once, as I have been seeing it for a few weeks off and on.. just a show, not staining my pants or anything , just when I wipe and not every time. I took a pic of it to show my GP and she wasn't concerned but as I said, that wouldn't fill me with confidence anyway. I still have dull stomach ache which isn't going away but I'm not sure how quickly the Ovestin takes to work. I was hoping not to get into a long discussion about GP's! The post ends up being about the GP and not about the concerns of the poster! I could go on and on about the GP. I'm sure you can imagine the terrible time I've had. As for being only 1 GP at the practice, well, there were 3 when I moved here but two have left and there is always different doctors covering now and I hate that too.
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Well Lynne ,i think maybe the reason you are seeing blood often is probably because you are in a worse state than i was, i didn't even realise i was suffering with VA until then,
Had no pain or anything, that is the only reason i can think of
I hope you can get something done about it, as obviously you are suffering
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Thank you Jaycee... I didn't realise how bad things were getting because I assumed I had just got a bad case of thrush. My guess is I've left it for quite some time without even realising it was VA again. I'm going to ring the GP next week if the bleeding hasn't stopped. If she refuses to send me anywhere I'm going to tell her that because of the issues concerning the bowel cancer not being referred quickly, I really must insist I see someone. I'll see what she says.
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I have no experience of va (yet!) so I'm afraid this is about the GP. You were very lucky her previous negligence didn't have catastrophic consequences, you might not be so lucky next time. In your position i would move practice. If that isn't possible then see a locum, they can't be worse than her. Ask the locum for vagifem and tell them you're worried because of the cancer. You need to see someone you can trust.
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Yes Lynne, i think that is what you should do,it was very negligent even then for her to ignore all the signs and symptoms you were having, i think you must remind her of what happened then, and make sure she knows it was her ignoring your symptoms is what caused you to be ill
Sometimes Drs think they are gods i think,
Strangely i think females are worse than men.
I recently saw 2 different female Drs about my hair loss, they both basically ignored it and said it was just my age, also tried to stop me taking HRT, saw my own male Dr, later and he has been marvellous,and doing all he can
Sorry i know this isn't in the same area as yours, but just an example
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I can't believe that 7 years since joining, I find myself asking again about VA. Could anyone tell me if they have experienced small amounts of blood when their VA was bad? I noticed a few weeks ago that I had tiny streaks of bloody (mainly pink) when wiping after going to the loo. I'd had a lot of itching and dryness and haven't been taking anything for it for absolutely ages. I could tell the sensations were exactly what I had when I first had VA years ago. It's a long story which I won't go into, but I was using vagifem for years, moved to Wales and was taken off it (Yes at the time everyone said it was wrong but I've never been able to get it since). I was given Ovestin for a month a while ago and that was it. I've not used anything for probably 2 years. VA is now back with a vengeance. In the meantime, I've had bowel cancer - it wasn't picked up by my GP and I waited 10 months for a diagnosis. I mention this only because seeing blood on the paper last week sent me into a panic and I rushed to see my GP. She played it down much the same as she did with the blood in my poo. She gave me Ovestin again, I've been using it for a week. For a couple of days I had tiny bits of blood when I wiped, but for the past 5 days I've only had normal, healthy looking discharge.. today, I got the tiniest bit of pink bloody again. Honestly, if I hadn't been looking for it so eagerly, I wouldn't have seen it, but even so, I'm worried the blood is not normal for VA. I'm still itching and feeling like I have thrush but I know it's the VA. I've been on and off the loo with frequent urination, all the same symptoms as before. I'm scared though because of the blood and I am hoping that someone is able to reassure me that the blood can be normal? Sorry for the long post. Hope you can help. PS. I should add that I have recently had an MRI scan and CT scan as well as blood test for cancer markers... I have them every year because of the bowel cancer. Nothing was picked up and I was given the all clear. I only have to go back once more in March next year and they will sign me of. I am hoping that, if anything sinister was lurking, it would have been found. GP said that whilst lumps can be found on the scans, cancerous cells cannot.
I have never had visible blood traces but have had microscopic haematuria (blood traces but not visible to the eye) for some time. It is possible that this has improved since I started Vagifem but it hasn't been checked again since. When I first got them, I was sent for scans and a referral to a nephrologist but noone suggested that it could be VA. i didn't discover that until later.
The attitude of these GP's who don't understand the need for continuous Vagifem/Ovestin drives me nuts! It sounds as though that is what you need but, in your position, I would want to get the visible blood traces checked.
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I get cuts and blood like you when va is bad. There are lots of little tears in your skin. Even using the applicator when you're swollen inside can cause it. When you're that bad, the ovestin can take a while to help. My stomach pains are the first thing to ease off then other relief follows.
Go to a locum. Don't waste your time on an obviously incompetent woman. I stuck with a female doctor I had and got nowhere. Went to a locum out of desperation and only then started getting the help I needed.
Good luck
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Blood can show on wiping for several reasons. The very thin skin in the vagina can tear which will bleed on contact. Is it bright red? I would be more worried about dark/black blood ..........
Is there a menopause clinic in your area, not a gynaecologist 'cos they know about as much as GPs seem to. Which often ain't much.
This GP needs to be given Mary Jane's book and I would certainly let Dr Currie know - obviously the message IS NOT getting through >:(
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The blood isn't red like it's coming from little cuts, it's pink? I'm itching a lot, I have to have a good old itch with the toilet paper (tmi I know) and then I get loads of pink stuff. It's quite scary!!Even if a loccum gave me vagifem, my own GP would then have to give any further prescriptions so I'm not sure that's likely to work but I DO intend to speak to her this week
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I too had blood with VA. I really haven't had bad dryness/ discomfort symptoms with VA so was unaware I had it. It was diagnosed just over a year ago when I had a hysteroscopy for bleeding and I was told that was where the bleeding was from. Because I didn't use treatment then (long story...) I more recently had yellowish discharge that was sometimes stained brown (i.e. old blood). Not a lot; a few tiny spots two or three times a month. Back I went to the GP and am now on Estriol. GP is sure that is what it is and because of the fairly recent hysteroscopy says she won't refer me unless the symptoms get worse or if they persist despite the Estriol. Not sure if sharing my experience helps, as we are all different, but I hope it does.
Anxiety is horrible, horrible. I don't get it to a clinical level but I am a mega worrier, and it makes you feel wretched! So you have my huge sympathy!
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AAAHHH - a good scratch - answers your question ;-). Get some cream up there, have a look at the 'yes' and 'sylc' web-sites and ask for freebies ;-). I find that LIVE yoghurt is soothing up there too. Messy. But soothing.
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I've been using canesten but I'm not sure it's doing the trick! I'll have a look at those websites. Thank you!
Wrennie, thank you.. your reply helps. I have had a few brown spots too so maybe it is very similar to what you describe. The hysterectomy was not related?
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CLKD... I have Replens.. will that work? Can I use it with Ovestin?
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CLKD... I have Replens.. will that work? Can I use it with Ovestin?
I haven't personally tried Replens but all the feedback on this forum has been negative. I had a persistent itch around the lavia area and the GP gave me Canestan cream which has worked well
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Thank you Katejo.
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Hi Lynne888, it was a hysteroscopy, not a hysterectomy. An investigation into uterine/ vaginal bleeding. So it was related. It's a longer story than that, which I have recounted elsewhere and I don't want to hijack your thread with the details here. I do hope that you get the help/ answers that you need.
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I wouldn't touch canastan with a barge pole - sent me to a cool bath for hours after 1 dose >:(
Replens can help but some are sensitivity to the fillers ::)
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I wouldn't touch canastan with a barge pole - sent me to a cool bath for hours after 1 dose >:(
Replens can help but some are sensitivity to the fillers ::)
I haven't had any problem with it at all and it has reduced the itching considerably.
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I've just used multi-gyn and burned the rest of my skin off! 🔥 Made me dance about a bit I can tell you. Offended myself my language was so bad
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;D - I would like a different word to F**k ......... but with the same emphasise.
It fascinates me what people can use or take but others are affected ::)
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;D several different words!!!
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Oh do share :D
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;D ;D ;D
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Botheration simply doesn't cut it :P
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Just a thought..you know I had pinky bloody, not much.. it got a bit worse yesterday and today, still only on the toilet paper though. Tonight the blood has become red, still not much but now marking pants.. could this new blood be caused by the Ovestin? Stomach pains are a bit worse too. Just thinking that if this is something more serious, would it rampage along at this speed?
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Ãre you using the applicator? Are you swollen inside?
You may be better using your finger to apply the cream - I had to do that for a while.
Don't know if this is helpful but, if you're worried, are you near a women's hospital? The locum I saw sent me to their Aand E. They then wrote to my doctor. They can also put you in touch with the meno clinic.
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I'm using the applicator but I did put some on my finger as I read it helps. I did a search for a woman's clinic close by and it came back with none in the area unfortunately.
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Sorry to hear that. I did actually cut myself using the applicator so just used my finger for a couple of weeks until it felt more settled. I find if you're swollen inside, the applicator can be quite sharp.
Hope you manage to get it sorted.
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Use the product a little more often?
Remind me if you have an appt. with your GP/Practice Nurse :-\ my head is muggy today :(
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I don't have an appointment for 3 weeks but I'm going to ring to speak to my gp for all the good it will do! Reverted to vagifem last night. I'm not going to tell her!!
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Is there a Practice Nurse with more knowledge? Or ring your 'local' hospital to see if there is a dedicated menopause clinic then you can ask for referral ;-)
:foryou:
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I'll do a bit of research tomorrow!!
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I appreciate I'm going on and on about this but I am feeling quite sorry for myself today. It's been 10 days since I was given Ovestin and the symptoms are worse instead of better. Has anyone else had a show of blood that appears to be inside a clear jelly like substance? What's that about? Not sure if it's the Ovestin or something else. I am so sore down below today and there is still blood every time I go to the loo. I feel knackered too. I have read just about everything about I can VA and none of it sounds much like mine. 😬 sorry to be such a pain but I really would love to hear from you if you have experienced similar symptoms
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:hug:
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How are you getting on today Lynne888? Have been thinking about you. Have you found someone who can help you yet? Are you any less sore?
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Hi Wrennie.. thank you for thinking of me! I tried to ring the surgery today but it rang and rang.. I waited ages and then thought I'd leave it until tomorrow. It's so busy after the weekend. The pain is less severe today. The cream has definitely helped calm everything down but it's taken about 10 days to get to this point. The blood is still there though. It's not much, bit of watery pink on the paper with what can only be described as what looks like someone has drawn two thin lines through it with red pen (a show type of thing) if you know what I mean. I'm feeling a bit scared that the blood is still there if I'm honest. It's a bit worse that when I first saw it a few weeks ago but then the discomfort and pain got worse too. I'll hopefully get to speak to my GP tomorrow
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Yes - I am a novice in these VA issues myself so I am sorry I cannot be more help. You are definitely right in seeking out your GP for advice. It does seem logical to me though that the bleeding might get worse as the soreness has got worse, i.e. the two are directly related and there's nothing else going on. However I'm afraid that I don't know much!! I do hope you can get some advice tomorrow.
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I am concerned it's not vaginal atrophy blood and something more sinister.. but we always do this don't we when we don't know the answers! No one on here has said they have had blood for a few weeks with VA so I'm really worried about it. I'll ring tomorrow anyway, thank you.
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Try not to worry. If you haven't been treating it and it's got really bad, you will bleed - I did. As I said too, the applicator can scratch if you're swollen inside.
Are you using the ovestin every night still? Ten days is not long if you've been bad either. When I was first given Vagifem-before I got ovestin - I had to use it every night for a month before I even started to notice any difference.
It's a horrible thing to have and can take a while to get under control.
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Thanks Otter.. I've had two years of it getting progressively worse. When I went to see my new GP for the first time back then she took me off Vagifem and that was it.. so I know it's got very bad as it's been left so long. I DID use vagifem without her knowing from time to time but I couldn't get hold of it so I couldn't use it all the time. I can tell that I have the same problem as when I was first diagnosed because the trips to the loo have been constant, the burning is bad (the razor blade pain) and the stomach pains are awful. The bleeding isn't the same though.. I DID have bleeding before but this has been daily for about 3 weeks now and it's covered in mucus. I'm almost 2 weeks into using Ovestin. I shall keep using it every day until it's more settled because the atrophy is nowhere near stable enough to drop to twice a week.
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If you are having actual pain now, do you think it could be cystitis? i wouldn't think you will get pain with VA
When you ring your surgery say it's urgent, they have to see you then.
If i have been really worried i always say it's urgent, usually got in same day or day after at the latest
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Sorry you're having such a bad time with it. I don't know how you've managed for so long without anything consistent. It's awful to think this is all because you can't get the right treatment.
I get bad pains too and they're the first thing that start to ease off before anything else. I've had atrophic vaginitis twice and that's when they have been bad.
Can you not get to a hospital? Or ask today to be referred to a meno clinic?
Good luck.
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Thanks Otter.. I've had two years of it getting progressively worse. When I went to see my new GP for the first time back then she took me off Vagifem and that was it.. so I know it's got very bad as it's been left so long. I DID use vagifem without her knowing from time to time but I couldn't get hold of it so I couldn't use it all the time. I can tell that I have the same problem as when I was first diagnosed because the trips to the loo have been constant, the burning is bad (the razor blade pain) and the stomach pains are awful. The bleeding isn't the same though.. I DID have bleeding before but this has been daily for about 3 weeks now and it's covered in mucus. I'm almost 2 weeks into using Ovestin. I shall keep using it every day until it's more settled because the atrophy is nowhere near stable enough to drop to twice a week.
What reason was given for taking you off Vagifem 2 years ago? Did you try to contest it? Definitely carry on using Ovestin daily. Twice a week is a tiny dose.
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When i found i had VA i had awful pain too, but i had a urine infection, but normal antbiotics didn't touch it,it was a worse than a normal UTI ,maybe the same in your case Lynne, i ended up having to go to A/E and they gave me stronger ABs
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GP took me of vagifem and gave me ovestin for a month. She spoke as if the Ovestin only needed to be used a month as required as she said I wouldn't need to have a bleed every 3 months as I would only have to take it for a month! It's all wrong I know! It's a very difficult situation. She absolutely hates to be challenged so I would really like to be referred so that I can speak to someone who knows what they are on about and then write to her to explain! Waiting for a phone call now. I took a urine sample in after my visit to her and I haven't heard anything so I can only assume there wasn't an infection present.
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Morning: It can take up to 10 days to grow a urine sample in the Lab. depending on what they R looking for.
Your GP has no idea - maybe ask your local Pharmacist for advice re 'ovestin' and make an appt with the Practice Nurse.
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I've spoken to GP. She's sending letter to gyno and if I haven't heard anything in a month I've got to contact the surgery again. Blood is less so far today and all much calmer.
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I am so glad that you have some attention from your GP at last Lynne. I really hope that the gynae people can give you some better advice and support. Let's hope the appointment comes through soon and that, meanwhile your symptoms continue to abate.
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Hello Lynne888.
I just thought I'd mention that my friend who is post menopause and has never taken HRT had some unexplained bleeding. It was found to be caused by a thinning of the tissue, Iie VA and she was given some treatment. As I recall, she didn't like the prescribed cream but instead took Sea Buckthorn oil capsules for a while and the bleeding resolved.
I hope this is of use to you.
Take care.
K.
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Thanks Kathleen.. I'll have a look at that!
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Any news? :-\