Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Ms_london76 on December 26, 2024, 03:19:20 PM
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Hi everyone
It has been awhile since I posted. I was on here in August and talking about burning from using vagifem than Premarin to stopping everything. I had started out with vaginal discomfort and using otc stuff before starting the estrogen journey.
So in Oct, I stopped everything. The burning continued when I sat, showered and after I pee (not always).
GP misdiagnosed me with Lichen, but went on Clob for about 3 weeks until I finally got to see a female Gyneo.
The Gyneo said I did not have Lichen but Vulvovaginitis and put me on vaginal antibiotics another week.
The vaginal wall (one side) has some cuts which is the cause of the pain. I have been on Imvexxy twice a week for over 5 weeks and now using Estragyn cream once a week for that area. I also take progesterone 1 at night daily.
Visually the area has improved since this all started. But I still have discomfort while sitting and occasional post pee burn (depending on urine, more water intake less acidic). I don’t have pain at all on the outside just internally. Showering recently stopped burning but I am still uber cautious.
When the urine hits that area the tissues are still very sensitive and it burns.
I use coconut oil for the outside as I am not really itchy.
I have not been able to work since this whole thing started. I am a yoga teacher and fitness has been my outlet for many things including stress and depression. At 48 I am worried about how I can work and live. I love what I do for a living and it’s the one thing that has helped me thru hard times and it’s so hard to not be able to do it.
It is just taking a toll on me mentally. The roller coaster ride of good days versus a bad one. Limiting my outings to short spurts, if I do sit on leaning heavily on the left side. I have modified work outs but it’s not the same.
Family does not understand how this can really affect your quality of life. And will I have one?
I know I am doing all the right things, diet, medications but it’s so slow and it has been so hard.
The area in question is taking awhile to heal which is why the dr prescribed the cream to speed up the process but it’s been so hard to live like this.
Will it get better?
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Hi. have U read the threads about bladder issues and vaginal atrophy on the Forum?
The condition may take a while to settle. Some find that using appropriate treatment stings initially due to the vaginal wall tissues being very thin and dry + paper cuts OUCH! I find that KY jelly inserted gently internally and rubbed externally helps until I can get VA 'estriol/ovestin'. This is inserted via an applicator and can be smeared around the vulva to ease symptoms.
Vagirux [sp] is I believe, a cheaper version and often doesn't give enough lubrication internally. Sometimes the vagina may B sensitive to the fillers or packaging rather than the active ingredient.
Have a browse. Make notes ;-)
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Also 1 has to use at least once every night for 2-3 weeks, when my symptoms niggle I put an extra 'dose' up mid-afternoon and take Nurofen.
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Hi
Yes I have read the forum many times and read all the tips and advice but will read again.
Now that I know what is wrong with me. I can at least understand the issue a bit better. The dr didn’t really use the term atrophy with me versus thinning tissues and sensitive skin.
When I stopped everything in Oct, I did use yes gel but that also burned.
The area was badly inflamed (red) now mostly the area is pinkish. Except for this diamond shape sore which is not red but exists. When I put the cream on I can still feel a cut of some sort. What is causing the post pee burn and discomfort while sitting is still unknown. But I suspect when I try to drive I just cut off blood flow to the area and it’s gets annoyed.
I am also scared to put anything else in that area. If my own urine can cause such a bad burn I am not sure anything else will be better, but I could be wrong.
She was very specific with imvexxy twice a week and the cream on area with cuts once a week. Whether vagifem created the burn to begin with is unknown. (Maybe a reaction)
But yes I understand I will re read the posts.
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What about your systemic estrogen levels?
It sounds as if your genital symptoms are beyond what can be reasonably be expected with topical estrogen, especially if burning and sensitivity are limiting its use
Making sure you have a healthy level of estrogen systemically is where I'd start.
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I asked the Gyneo about systematic estrogen like a pump gel, and she said it will not help the area like topical estrogen would 🤷♀️. And that it would take time for the wound to heal.
However, the naturopath I see may be able to get me a script for it in the new year. But she also said to wait before adding more medication's.
Imvexxy says it would take up to 8-12 weeks to see an improvement. I am only starting week 6. I stopped treatment with estrogen at week 5 in the past with vagifem and Premarin. So entering new area now.
Imvexxy thankfully does not burn at all and neither does the cream. Which has been a blessing in itself.
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You might be better off seeing a menopause specialist rather than a general gynaecologist if you can.
I wouldn't necessarily consider reviewing the route and type of hormone therapy you are using as adding extra medication as it is the same hormone with the same therapeutic goal.
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If your symptoms are not improving it means you need an increase in dosage of whatever local estrogen you are using until you are comfortable. I need to take Vagifem and Ovestin, now called Estriol daily. If that doesn't work then as bombsh3ll said systemic HRT. Some people on full systemic HRT also need local estrogen and vice versa. Can you ask to see a GP with menopause knowledge or asked to be referred to a menopause clinic.
The fact you are unable to work shows this is not being managed at all.
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I have been on Imvexxy for 5 weeks with the cream only twice in the last two weeks.
I have seen my Gyneo 3 times already and will go back again in Jan.
There is no such thing here at least as a menopause Gyneo. There is a clinic at a hospital but my appointment is not until Sept 2025. The naturopath is the closest to a specialist in menopause as I have at the moment.
Gyneos in general are impossible to see here. I went thru the er only to get brushed aside and turned away from a referral they sent me too. It took me two months of begging to even see this Gyneo/obgyn. Fortunately she is the right age and has alot of clients going thru this.
Oddly enough there are not private ones either cuz it’s controlled by the govt.
All I do know is when I drink water the symptoms calm down a bit. When the urine is acidic it really burns the area.
Unfortunately it’s very stressful to see any Gyneo here. Meaning the process and wait times are ridiculous. I was lucky to at least get an appointment with one.
Will try to get back to Gyneo. I know this process takes time. Technically I am using estrogen 3 times a week for the last couple of weeks now
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The naturopath may not know enough about VA treatment :-\ and remind me: where R U in that you are unable to get appointments. :-\ :-\
The wound will heal when enough replacement is inserted into the vagina and around the vulva etc.. 1 cannot overdose on oestrogen.
This treatment is for Life. Who are 'imvexxy' in that it might be 8-12 weeks to see an improvement? A good product will improve symptoms sooner than that when used regularly. There is never a need to stop VA treatment regardless of what is in the leaflet or what medics seem to [still] believe.
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I am in Canada.
You need a referral from your gp and the wait times to see specialist like a Gyneo are months out.
The naturopath is trained in menopause Under the North American Menopause Society. Which oddly enough they don’t call it vaginal atrophy but GSM is the newer term to use.
Imvexxy is the estrogen brand, a pill inserted into Vagina that is coated with coconut oil. Yes the Gyneo said this is for life. The Imvexxy website says 8-12 weeks to see an improvement not to stop treatment.
I do have more lubrication and discharge, that much I do see and the area visually looks better.
The issues that I still have is issues with sitting in certain positions like driving a car and post pee burn. Seems to annoy the wounds.
Vagifem and Premarin were not tolerated well by me.
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Morning. 9.30 a.m. here.
Tnx for the update. I suggest using the VA products every night to plump up the vaginal walls which will help any paper cuts to heal.
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Another suggestion if you can't access menopause hormone therapy is a combined hormonal contraceptive product - either pill patch or ring however the latter may not suit with your current issues.
These can be easier to obtain and will effectively treat symptoms of hypoestrogenism, as well as the added benefit of providing bleed control if used continuously, if you are still menstruating.
I don't know about the Canadian healthcare system but I would expect a GP to be comfortable prescribing as long as you have no medical contraindications.
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I will have to wait until the new year to start anything. Will book with Gyneo cuz I would be at least week 7 of Imvexxy use.
In the mean time I do have estragyn cream, which I may use more than once a week.
Progress has been so slow.
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Morning. 9.30 a.m. here.
Tnx for the update. I suggest using the VA products every night to plump up the vaginal walls which will help any paper cuts to heal.
I do have the cream so I can use that. Imvexxy is bloody expensive pills $65 for 12 pills.
If I use the cream to help heal the area daily would my body continue to expect it when it heals or will I be able to pull back. I was only supposed to use the cream once a week. But I am so frustrated with peeing and feeling this after burn I just want to heal that area.
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Here in the UK we can use VA treatment every night if necessary. As well as applying KY Jelly, 'yes' or 'sylc' products in the outer labia/vulval regions. Some ladies get by with several times a night of insertion with 'vagifem' and 'estriol' smeared on the clitoris area. It depends on which symptoms are most bothersome.
The body doesn't 'expect' anything in the way of replacement - as oestrogen levels fall so the body may become dry: inside and out; skin, scalp, between the toes, deep in the ears, eyes, vagina ......... keeping any parts of the body moist to prevent itching or splitting of skin is important. Using VA treatment isn't much different 4 me as putting on hand cream .
The body doesn't 'expect' anything in the way that the gut expects to be fed.
When VA bothers me I up the treatment until symptoms settle.
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I do have the cream so I can use that. Imvexxy is bloody expensive pills $65 for 12 pills.
If I use the cream to help heal the area daily would my body continue to expect it when it heals or will I be able to pull back. I was only supposed to use the cream once a week. But I am so frustrated with peeing and feeling this after burn I just want to heal that area.
The pills are cruelly expensive but at least you have the cream which you could smear some on daily as a top up.
GSM doesn't ever go away and requires constant treatment which will be for life, use as much as you possibly can to relieve the symptoms.
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I used the cream last night but today have non stop burning. I am hoping this is a side effect of the cream.
I am working on getting into a menopause clinic with gyneos there.
This will be week 7 of topical estrogen Imvexxy, I thought I would be getting better and I was slowly. Maybe it’s the cream though I didn’t feel anything last night. And yesterday was nothing like today burn wise.
I am scared to leave the house cuz it’s so uncomfortable. Driving is the worst for me and post pee burn. When I just do nothing it calms down but how can I live like this?
Sometimes I have pockets of great days than a day like today where I am just frustrated. I have no real issues on the outside just internally.
Does this get better cuz I am starting to lose hope after how many months of dealing with the same issue.
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As far as the pessaries are concerned it can take four months for them to work, the cream may be having an allergic effect on you as some women experience.
It's all about patience and finding out what regime will eventually work for you.
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I have been using the cream for a few weeks. It’s odd that I am having a reaction to it.
I have no idea why when I pee it triggers the burn. And sometimes when I pee it doesn’t.
The only improvement that has happened in the last two weeks is when I shower. It used to burn a lot when showering too. But that stopped I am still careful to keep soap away from that area though.
I do have yes gel but the last time I used it a few months ago it burned a lot (I was very inflamed back than). I used it at night and by 5am I was burning pain.
So I am in the fence to use it and odd that I would have burning from the cream.
I won’t use the cream tonight to see if I fair better tomorrow