Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Dougal on July 27, 2020, 06:09:50 PM
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Hello Ladies
I asked my Doctors surgery to prescribe a vaginal moisturiser/lubrication today, and was refused a prescription for it. I was told to buy it myself at the pharmacy.
I did some research beforehand on various types and found a couple that were available on prescription - but still refused.
Has anyone else been refused.
I am 55 and perimenopause, haven't had a period for 7 months now. vaginal dryness/soreness is a problem periodically.
I am currently trying Replens.
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Hello Ladies
I asked my Doctors surgery to prescribe a vaginal moisturiser/lubrication today, and was refused a prescription for it. I was told to buy it myself at the pharmacy.
I did some research beforehand on various types and found a couple that were available on prescription - but still refused.
Has anyone else been refused.
I am 55 and perimenopause, haven't had a period for 7 months now. vaginal dryness/soreness is a problem periodically.
I am currently trying Replens.
Replens doesn't have a good reputation but I haven't tried it myself. I don't ask for prescriptions for otc products but it sounds as though you need more than that. I think you would benefit from local oestrogen such as Vagifem or Estriol. Did you try asking for one of these which require a prescription?
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Hello Dougal.
I buy YesVM vaginal moisturiser direct from the company and order online. I think one tube costs £12.99 and I use it twice a day and it lasts me about a month. You can also ask your pharmacy to order it in for you to buy.
My friend has hers on prescription so I'm surprised your GP won't consider it. I also used Replens before I tried YesVM and this also worked well.
Hope this helps and wishing you well.
K.
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MayB you require is appropriate vaginal atrophy treatment rather than a moisturiser?
Do read our threads on Bladder issues and vaginal atrophy. Make notes ;-)
Replens didn't help me years++ ago.
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Hello Ladies
I asked my Doctors surgery to prescribe a vaginal moisturiser/lubrication today, and was refused a prescription for it. I was told to buy it myself at the pharmacy.
I did some research beforehand on various types and found a couple that were available on prescription - but still refused.
Has anyone else been refused.
I am 55 and perimenopause, haven't had a period for 7 months now. vaginal dryness/soreness is a problem periodically.
I am currently trying Replens.
I am sorry to hear you were refused a prescription.
I cannot think why you were refused.
Did the doctor give you a reason why they refused?
You shouldn't have to put up with vaginal dryness?
From what I read on these forums there are prescription medications that are available on the NHS and I don't know why you were refused, and wonder if you can tell the doctor of the prescription vaginal dryness preparations.
I don't know if you can "refuse the refusal" if you know what I mean.
Anyone can correct me if I am wrong.
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Perhaps some products that you can buy otc have been removed from the local formulary to save costs. Vaginal dryness (VA) will only get worse if left untreated, so I agree with the others that a prescription for local oestrogen would be advisable. Ovestin might be best if you are dry.
JP x
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Perhaps some products that you can buy otc have been removed from the local formulary to save costs. Vaginal dryness (VA) will only get worse if left untreated, so I agree with the others that a prescription for local oestrogen would be advisable. Ovestin might be best if you are dry.
JP x
Some women talk about vagifem. If vaginal dryness will only get worse if untreated, and the Hippocratic oath says "First, do no harm" then unless I am native, isn't a doctor obliged to prescribe it to "Do no harm"?
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Yes Dandelion, I would have thought so. However, many GPs are not very clued up about VA. They often haven't had much training in menopause. Medical schools need to put this right. There is a campaign called Make Menopause Matter, run by Diane Danzebrink, which is seeking to address this issue.
JP x
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Yes Dandelion, I would have thought so. However, many GPs are not very clued up about VA. They often haven't had much training in menopause. Medical schools need to put this right. There is a campaign called Make Menopause Matter, run by Diane Danzebrink, which is seeking to address this issue.
JP x
Funny at 53 and post meno, my vagina is feeling sore today. Maybe that is why I am getting bloody discharge, cant be cancer, had womb lining thickness scan last jan 19, and hysteroscopy which showed no cancer also in Jan 2019. I use bio identical hrt, don't fancy using an oestrogen product that is not natural, but I can feel a sore vagina.
Despite adding 100mg more prog, reducing from 100mcg to 75mcg oestrogen then to 50 bleeding still comes back, not as bad as March 2020 when I bled heavy red multiple changes of pad, passed clots etc. The pinkish brown discharge has got to be vaginal atrophy, wonder if anyone knows of any bio id locally applied stuff I can put on my vagina?
OP I hope you can see another doctor, if all else fails there is always PALS they helped me before with a non meno matter.
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How annoying to have your request refused. Maybe if you asked for a topical oestrogen treatment for vaginal atrophy? Lubricants such as Yes are not usually available on prescription - well I've never been offered them anyway. It could have just been your wording i.e. thinking you needed something to help lubricate rather than replace oestrogen and plump up your tissues.
Taz x :hug:
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How annoying to have your request refused. Maybe if you asked for a topical oestrogen treatment for vaginal atrophy? Lubricants such as Yes are not usually available on prescription - well I've never been offered them anyway. It could have just been your wording i.e. thinking you needed something to help lubricate rather than replace oestrogen and plump up your tissues.
Taz x :hug:
Yeah good idea. Wording things right. VA needs topical if it's gonna get worse.
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I've never been offered non hrt lubricant on prescription, always had to buy it myself.
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I was refused a prescription for the 5ml WB YES but allowed the 75ml tube. I get irritation from the contents of the tube as it has a preservative but not the 5ml individual vials that dont have the preservative. Its all about the cost. The vials are alot more money.
I buy them direct from YES now.
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I've never been offered non hrt lubricant on prescription, always had to buy it myself.
I think Taz2 had the right idea about wording. If OP had asked for topical oestrogen to combat vaginal dryness, lubricant may help in the bedroom but oestrogen is needed for some women to combat vaginal atrophy.
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I was refused a prescription for the 5ml WB YES but allowed the 75ml tube. I get irritation from the contents of the tube as it has a preservative but not the 5ml individual vials that dont have the preservative. Its all about the cost. The vials are alot more money.
I buy them direct from YES now.
What is YES? I get it's an online pharmacy, what's it's name, please.
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YES is the name of the product. You can buy it direct from the company or its available in supermarkets or pharmacies. There is YES VM and YES OB (which is the one I use on the recommendation of my pelvic floor specialist nurse).
Taz x
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YES is the name of the product. You can buy it direct from the company or its available in supermarkets or pharmacies. There is YES VM and YES OB (which is the one I use on the recommendation of my pelvic floor specialist nurse).
Taz x
thanks Taz
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Thank you all for your responses. I didn't actually get to speak to the Dr! I was ordering a repeat prescription and put in the notes could I please have the above mentioned product. I got a phone call from the pharmacist who advised that the Dr had refused to prescribe as it was available otc.
I explained about the dryness issues and the pharmacist went back to the Dr. She phoned me back a short time later to advise that he was not willing to prescribe and that I should buy otc remedy.
I will certainly look at the Yes website directly.
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Thank you all for your responses. I didn't actually get to speak to the Dr! I was ordering a repeat prescription and put in the notes could I please have the above mentioned product. I got a phone call from the pharmacist who advised that the Dr had refused to prescribe as it was available otc.
I explained about the dryness issues and the pharmacist went back to the Dr. She phoned me back a short time later to advise that he was not willing to prescribe and that I should buy otc remedy.
I will certainly look at the Yes website directly.
I wouldn't settle for that. Earlier in the thread it was mentioned vaginal atrophy gets worse without treatment, so, to me, you have a right to it if you feel your vagina is atrophied. "First, do no harm" is part of the Hippocratic Oath that doctors take. If you have VA I would be seeing a different Dr in the surgery.