Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Hillbilly on May 01, 2020, 02:17:42 PM
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Hi all.
I am currently on Estrogel and due to start Utro tonight. At the end of last year I had genital issues; constant thrush and am currently on 6 month course of the oral tablet. I also had a lot of genital sweating that lead to an awful rash that needed steroid cream. These have mostly cleared up.
A couple of days ago I got what I think is a uti, constant peeing, a feeling of real pressure that makes my eyes water as I finish peeing, bloating, aching stomach etc and now a real itch just inside my vagina that reminds me of thrush.
I've also had quite a lot of watery vaginal discharge, I've always suffered from discharge but it's the usual sticky stuff never really like water.
After a few searches on here I'm wondering if it's VA, is there anyone that could advise as I was in recent contact with my GP to change to Utro so I really don't want to bother her again.
Also, is it ok to use the Utro vaginally if I have this irritation as I have problems with prog and think this is the best way for me to take it?
Thank you!
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Ring the GP for appropriate vaginal treatment - nowt to lose and it should relieve symptoms. You don't need any examination or blood tests. VA mimics urine infection-type symptoms.
In the mean time take pain relief regularly. Why do these issues always occur at weekends >:(
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The watery discharge is a symptom of VA, so you need Vagifem or Ovestin. You should be able to get these via a telephone consultation with your GP. The urinary symptoms sound like a UTI and for this you would need (at least) seven days worth of ABs, don't let them fob you off with only three days. UTIs become more common with VA. They might want you to drop off a urine sample. If you are still on the oral tablets for thrush I imagine none of your symptoms can be down to that.
I'm not sure about using Vagifem or Ovestin alongside vaginal Utrogestan, but someone here will know. I'd imagine you could use the Utro at night and the Vagifem in the morning.
Please don't worry about bothering your GP, it's what they are there for and you shouldn't neglect a UTI.
Hope you get sorted soon!
JP x
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Thanks :)
I'll have to leave it until monday now but I think it's probably a uti as my lower back is starting to ache. The awful pressure has eased a bit anyway. I'll just keep drinking loads.
It'll also give me a chance to see how I get on with the utro, I'm a bit nervous!
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Take some pain relief - your Surgery may be working late, ours does on a Friday.
I had to sit on the loo with a cuppa in one hand and cold water in the other - it was the way I was the most comfortable, allowing my bladder to relax and not have to hold urine. It wasn't an infection, but VA. The sample has to go to a Lab. so that the correct AB can be prescribed :-\. A dip stick shows nowt!
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Hi Hulahoop
Let us know how you get on .....i have pretty much same symptoms ....I stupidly missed an Ovestin dose and now have uti like symptoms I have had all this before .....I get pressure feeling higher up near navel for some bazaar reason....I had started to manage things really well now wallop seem to be back to square one 🙄
So annoyed with myself .....hope i can get back on track.....hope you are feeling better xx
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That's interesting MrsB 'cos that is where it starts for me :-\ ........ never worked out why but it is a warning :o
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Oooo maybe CLKD 😳 such a nuisance ......hoping i can somehow get back to where i was.......
All the usual at the moment burning unable to sit for too long.....having a hot water bottle on my tum......🙄 xx
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When that happens MrsB I use two ovestin - 1 in the afternoon with nurofen as back up and another in the evening, taking nurofen 3 times the next day . Usually eases symptoms.
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Thank you CLKD 😘
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You are welcome. I find I have to manage VA according to how I feel ........ :-\
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Think you are right....different methods / regimes work for different people it's just finding the correct way for you .....thought i had it sussed but hey ho 🙄🤣 xx
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I need to up my ovestin for a few nights :-\ ::) .......
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Hi Mrs Bennett, sorry to hear you are having problems again after being ok, it is such a distressing condition and that pressure feeling is awful, hope you get back on track soon. And hulahoop, hope you have something from your gp, you shouldn't have to wait all weekend. Hope you feel better.
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Hi.
Well the pressure/pain thing came back with a bang after easing off slightly and on saturday I could barely walk. So I found antibiotics in my cupboard, only 8, and started them, I take the last one tonight and it's really eased off.
I'll give it a couple of days and hopefully it'll be gone...but if it does go, will that mean it's not VA or does it come and go. Tbh I'm so fed up with seeing my GP after countless trips at the end of last year with recurrent thrush etc and the changes to HRT..I just want to cope on my own and deal with it myself if I can. Plus my low mood has come on again so I can't face talking to anyone :'(
I ordered that 'yes' moisturiser, can that help with VA. Bearing in mind I'm peri, I'm thinking it might not be too bad if I do have it?
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It doesn't matter where you are in menopause VA has to be managed. Repeated anti-biotics aren't the answer - it may not be the correct type for the strain of bacteria if there is a urine infection.
You need to ring your GP and ask for appropriate vaginal atrophy treatment. VA mimics repeated urine infection-type symptoms really really well. 'yes' will help keep the area soft but won't help with atrophy which is literal shrinkage of the tissues internally.
These symptoms will make you feel low. It didn't start with me until years after my final period. ABs will help but they won't replace the oestrogen !
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Thank you Suzysunday.....yep really is a nuisance......Hulahoop i agree with CLKD.....this VA malarkey is very difficult to get to grips with .....i had repeated urine infection type symptoms for over a year and think in all that time only 1 lab test came back positive .....so very distressing and really does get you down.....so many ladies on this forum have got to grips with symptoms only to have them return......just the nature of the beast i guess.....so maybe go and see your GP for a definitive diagnosis.....and hopefully the correct medication to get you on the road to feeling more yourself.....i really do sympathise 😘
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Thanks all, I might have to bite the bullet and go but I don't want to.admit to her I took antibiotics on my own ;D
On a different note, does the Utro leak out the next day and if so what does it look like? I now think I have thrush again :'(
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You need to be honest about any medication ........
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Hulahoop......i keep thinking i have thrush too but don't think it is 😳......
If that makes sense.....VA guises itself as all sorts that's the trouble....
However i really think you need to be checked out by your GP......wouldn't worry re the antibiotics expect they have heard it all before 😂.......
xx
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Hello ladies.
I wanted to mention something that I've posted about before on the forum so please forgive me for repeating myself.
On of my science and nutrition sites quotes research showing that the ecoli bug found in chickens has been detected in the urine of women with UTIs. The researchers concluded that it was best to refrain from handling, cooking or eating chicken.
I seems a bit odd but eliminating chicken may be helpful. Dr Greger 's site NutritionFacts.Org has the information for anyone interested.
Wishing you well ladies.
K.
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When chicken is cooked it kills Germs. I have eaten chicken since I was small and have never thus far, been infected.
NHS: Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a type of bacteria common in human and animal intestines, and forms part of the normal gut flora (the bacteria that exist in the bowel).
There are a number of different types of E. coli and while the majority are harmless some can cause serious food poisoning and serious infection. 14 Sep 2009
Diseases or conditions caused: Urinary tract infection
Facts about E. coli -
How does a person get e coli?
Most commonly, E. coli 0157:H7 comes from eating raw or undercooked ground beef (for example, hamburger) or from drinking raw milk. The bacteria are found in animal feces, particularly cattle feces, and contact with the feces can lead to contamination of many types of food and fluids.
Nothing in the Literature about chickens.
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Chickens: NHS -
Can chicken get e coli? - there isn't an answer other than salmonella
'coli' infections can be serious so preventing infections is important. ...
Handling or preparing food is a common source of infection. Foods should be cooked thoroughly ? and this includes chicken. However, uncooked chicken is more likely to infect you with salmonella.
How do you catch the E coli virus?
coli can cause an infection even if you ingest only small amounts. Because of this, you can be sickened by E. coli from eating a slightly undercooked hamburger or from swallowing a mouthful of contaminated pool water.
Potential sources of exposure include contaminated food or water and person-to-person .
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NHS 2020
Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157
About escherichia coli O157
Escherichia coli O157, sometimes called VTEC, is a bacterial infection that can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure.
E. coli O157 is found in the gut and faeces of many animals, particularly cattle. It is an uncommon cause of gastroenteritis but can be caught by:
Eating contaminated food (such as raw leafy vegetables or undercooked meat). Always wash all vegetables (including salad leaves) that will be eaten raw, unless they have been pre-prepared and are labelled ?ready to eat?. Washing may reduce the risk of infection, but will not eliminate any risk of infection completely.
Touching infected animals or accidentally coming into contact with their faeces.. there appears to be many forms of E.coli.
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Interesting re chicken...but I actually rarely eat chicken.
Mrs Bennet, yes it does make sense! I had recurrent thrush (at least i assume i did) which included extreme swelling and redness and I was tested a few months ago as the redness and rashes wouldn't go and I still had heavy thrush type discharge...and my test came back negative :-\ My gp said it showed the treatment had worked but now I'm wondering if it was thrush at all?
I know I need to go back but I always worry that my gp thinks I'm moaning. Plus if I have an internal she might see I'm using Utro vaginally when I was told it was supposed to be orally ;D
I'm never done worrying :-\
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Ring and ask for VA treatment ...... you don't need an exam or blood test ;-)
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Hello again ladies.
Hulahoop - the study I read on NutritionFacts.Org stuck in my mind because the findings seemed so bizarre. I think the participants were followed for many months and the conclusion was that even handling chicken was a problem. This was an unusual trial but properly conducted as I recall.
Whatever the cause of your discomfort I hope you get the right treatment and feel better soon.
Take care.
K.
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Oh my word Hulahoop what are you like 🤣......I worry for England too 🙄😂.....but I'm sure your GP will not hold any of it against you.....it took a long time for me to accept any sort of drug intervention i am of the opinion one size does not fit all.....and I'm one of those that seems to react quite badly to medication.....i have tried Vagifem Estring and Ovestin the latter seeming to be the better option for me .....i also use Demavate intermittently as prescribed by gynaecologist ......the Ovestin does tend to cause more discharge for me but the Vagifem just used to fall out of my prune like vagina 😳.....i am having a blip at the moment .....pressure .....etc......but will plod on and hopefully all will come good again .....i may pop a urine test into my surgery later this week but feel almost sure that a negative result will be found .....have a read of Me and My Menapausal Vagina by Jane Lewis it is very informative and I found it really helpful ......i really feel for you stay strong....😘😘