Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Helenmelon1974 on May 23, 2025, 05:17:53 PM
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Sorry for the dramatic title but I’ve really had enough of UTIs! I’m literally getting one about every 6 weeks and have been for 2 years! I’ve had so many courses of Nitrofurantoin that I can’t have it anymore. I tried ‘Yes’ vaginal moisturiser for a couple of months but still got infections. I started using Estriol cream 4 weeks ago starting with the 14 day load and then twice weekly and I had really high hopes for it BUT I’m now currently recovering from yet another one. They make me feel so poorly too! 😕 I started systemic HRT 10 days ago.
Advice would be massively appreciated…
Is it too soon for the Estriol to take full effect? Or am I going to continue to keep getting UTIs?
Will the systemic help stop them?
Is there anything else that’s worked for other ladies?
Thank you in advance 😊
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U R not using it often enough: regardless of what is in the leaflet or what your prescribing medic tells you, use it every night for as long as necessary. We cannot overdose on oestrogen replacement. Many require every night along with moisturisers: some use vagifem internally with a smear of estriol on the outer area. Yes and Slyc are favoured to along with VA treatment.
Get some up there now and again at bed time and use tomorrow morning and tomorrow night: then nightly. Take plenty of pain relief.
Vaginal atrophy mimics repeated urine infection-type symptoms really really well which medics seem to be unaware of >:(.
Get thyself off to the bathroom ASAP ........... also have any of your urine samples been sent to a Lab to be grown? No medic should rely on repeated dip stick tests in the surgery, more than 2 should raise awareness of VA.
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It can take four months to feel relief but being on systemic oestrogen might speed it up for you.
Use daily treatment of topical oestrogen until you start to feel better, its perfectly safe to do this. The information regarding topical oestrogen is out of date and causes a lot of anxiety for those of us that need more than the recommended dose. For instance a regime of topical oestrogen is equivalent to one systemic HRT tablet a year.
I need daily treatment of Vagifem, Estriol smeared on the outside twice a day and a moisturiser. With a recent flare up I used two Vagifem until my symptoms calmed down.
You have to take control of your symptoms because little is known by medics about GSM (Vaginal Atrophy). Use the treatment, its your only defence against this horrid condition.
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U R not using it often enough: regardless of what is in the leaflet or what your prescribing medic tells you, use it every night for as long as necessary. We cannot overdose on oestrogen replacement. Many require every night along with moisturisers: some use vagifem internally with a smear of estriol on the outer area. Yes and Slyc are favoured to along with VA treatment.
Get some up there now and again at bed time and use tomorrow morning and tomorrow night: then nightly. Take plenty of pain relief.
Vaginal atrophy mimics repeated urine infection-type symptoms really really well which medics seem to be unaware of >:(.
Get thyself off to the bathroom ASAP ........... also have any of your urine samples been sent to a Lab to be grown? No medic should rely on repeated dip stick tests in the surgery, more than 2 should raise awareness of VA.
Thanks CLKD! I asked the GP about using it daily and was told I shouldn’t buy then read online that I could have done a 4 week loading period so I’m gonna do another loading of 4 weeks. Sod what the GP says 🤣
Samples are sent to lab most times and always comes back with one of 2 bacteria not always the same but both from intestines. I’m so religious about showering/cleaning/not using perfumes soap etc but still keep coming back! I have an urology referral finally but that could take bloody months! 😩
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It can take four months to feel relief but being on systemic oestrogen might speed it up for you.
Use daily treatment of topical oestrogen until you start to feel better, its perfectly safe to do this. The information regarding topical oestrogen is out of date and causes a lot of anxiety for those of us that need more than the recommended dose. For instance a regime of topical oestrogen is equivalent to one systemic HRT tablet a year.
I need daily treatment of Vagifem, Estriol smeared on the outside twice a day and a moisturiser. With a recent flare up I used two Vagifem until my symptoms calmed down.
You have to take control of your symptoms because little is known by medics about GSM (Vaginal Atrophy). Use the treatment, its your only defence against this horrid condition.
Thank you Ayesha! Sorry you’re suffering too! I hadn’t thought about using Estriol on the outside I just use the applicator to insert it inside so I’ll do both and I’ll use daily for a while longer too!
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I’ve just been advised on Mumsnet to use D-Mannose to stop bacteria attaching in the bladder and dissolvable vitamin c to keep urine acidic. Both recommended by urologists!
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I was just going to say D-Mannose.
There is also hiprex.
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Helenmelon1974 - do those particular bacteria require ABs though :-\ as the gut is full of good and bad bugs. Were you told specifically which bacteria were present?
It seems with ABs it's a one fits all policy whereas the World Health Organisation are warning that within a years we will be unable to counteract many illnesses. :-\
How R U this morning?
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oh and get yourself a copy of "Me and My Menopausal Vagina" - read then hand to your GP!
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Helenmelon1974 - do those particular bacteria require ABs though :-\ as the gut is full of good and bad bugs. Were you told specifically which bacteria were present?
It seems with ABs it's a one fits all policy whereas the World Health Organisation are warning that within a years we will be unable to counteract many illnesses. :-\
How R U this morning?
Yes samples are sent off and the 2 bugs that come back are Enterococcus Faecalis and E. Coli. Both susceptible to Nitrofurantoin and Fosfomycin which are the ABs I’ve been having. And I test every week using dip tests and can be clear of infection for 3-6 weeks. We’ve established it isn’t the same infection continuing.
Feeling much better today, ABs have done their job. I’m going to use the vaginal oestrogen daily for another 2 weeks then use every other day. I’ve got D-mannose and vitamin c tablets amd I’m going to ask my GP for Hiprex on Tuesday 😊
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:thankyou: 4 the update!
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I had a similar problem, the first time it wasn't diagnosed and I ended up in hospital on holiday, but my infections after that always followed sex. It was horrible. My GP prescribed prophylactic ABs, to take one after sex and that did the trick however I started getting the sensation of a UTI without infection so I saw a uro/gyny doctor and he prescribed topical estrogen. It does take a while to plump up the tissues, I used inside and out and I no longer get problems. I suppose mine were easier to target because they were triggered by one thing. I feel for you. I have a real thing about UTIs now especially after the hospitalisation as I was travelling alone so my GP gives me an emergency supply of ABs to give reassurance
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Quick update, UTI has definitely gone! 🥳 I’m going to do another 2 week load of vaginal oestrogen inside and out. I asked the GP for Hiprex and was told they don’t prescribe it unless a urologist has said so 😡 I’ve bought some through a private pharmacy instead. £38 for a months supply but I’d pay anything if it stops them coming back 🤣
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Remind me what Hiprex is for? Glad that your symptoms are easing, do keep up with the VA treatment for as long as required.
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Remind me what Hiprex is for? Glad that your symptoms are easing, do keep up with the VA treatment for as long as required.
It’s a urinary tract antiseptic. Apparently until the NICE guidelines are updated it’s only available in certain areas of the UK 🙄 It’s worth every penny if it works though! 🤣
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Sorry for the dramatic title but I’ve really had enough of UTIs! I’m literally getting one about every 6 weeks and have been for 2 years! I’ve had so many courses of Nitrofurantoin that I can’t have it anymore. I tried ‘Yes’ vaginal moisturiser for a couple of months but still got infections. I started using Estriol cream 4 weeks ago starting with the 14 day load and then twice weekly and I had really high hopes for it BUT I’m now currently recovering from yet another one. They make me feel so poorly too! 😕 I started systemic HRT 10 days ago.
Advice would be massively appreciated…
Is it too soon for the Estriol to take full effect? Or am I going to continue to keep getting UTIs?
Will the systemic help stop them?
Is there anything else that’s worked for other ladies?
Thank you in advance 😊
. Glad that things now seem better for you :). Vagifem did wonders for me pretty quickly and, after about 6 weeks, I found that my night time loo visits were greatly reduced and I also avoided interval loo queues in theatres. Part of the problem is that doctors and nurses too often don't know enough about using vaginal oestrogen. I was blamed for getting recurring UTI s for years. So many also try to impose a limit of 2 a week which is a very low dose.
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Sorry for the dramatic title but I’ve really had enough of UTIs! I’m literally getting one about every 6 weeks and have been for 2 years! I’ve had so many courses of Nitrofurantoin that I can’t have it anymore. I tried ‘Yes’ vaginal moisturiser for a couple of months but still got infections. I started using Estriol cream 4 weeks ago starting with the 14 day load and then twice weekly and I had really high hopes for it BUT I’m now currently recovering from yet another one. They make me feel so poorly too! 😕 I started systemic HRT 10 days ago.
Advice would be massively appreciated…
Is it too soon for the Estriol to take full effect? Or am I going to continue to keep getting UTIs?
Will the systemic help stop them?
Is there anything else that’s worked for other ladies?
Thank you in advance 😊
. Glad that things now seem better for you :). Vagifem did wonders for me pretty quickly and, after about 6 weeks, I found that my night time loo visits were greatly reduced and I also avoided interval loo queues in theatres. Part of the problem is that doctors and nurses too often don't know enough about using vaginal oestrogen. I was blamed for getting recurring UTI s for years. So many also try to impose a limit of 2 a week which is a very low dose.
Thank you for your reply. Glad you’ve got it under control now. I keep being lectured on personal hygiene by docs and nurses and it really annoys me, like I’m getting them because I’m not showering or cleaning myself 😡
How often do you use the Vagifem if you don’t mind me asking?
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I was told I will need vaginal estrogen for the rest of my life or I'll keep getting UTIs. I used it alternate nights
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Sorry for the dramatic title but I’ve really had enough of UTIs! I’m literally getting one about every 6 weeks and have been for 2 years! I’ve had so many courses of Nitrofurantoin that I can’t have it anymore. I tried ‘Yes’ vaginal moisturiser for a couple of months but still got infections. I started using Estriol cream 4 weeks ago starting with the 14 day load and then twice weekly and I had really high hopes for it BUT I’m now currently recovering from yet another one. They make me feel so poorly too! 😕 I started systemic HRT 10 days ago.
Advice would be massively appreciated…
Is it too soon for the Estriol to take full effect? Or am I going to continue to keep getting UTIs?
Will the systemic help stop them?
Is there anything else that’s worked for other ladies?
Thank you in advance 😊
. Glad that things now seem better for you :). Vagifem did wonders for me pretty quickly and, after about 6 weeks, I found that my night time loo visits were greatly reduced and I also avoided interval loo queues in theatres. Part of the problem is that doctors and nurses too often don't know enough about using vaginal oestrogen. I was blamed for getting recurring UTI s for years. So many also try to impose a limit of 2 a week which is a very low dose.
Thank you for your reply. Glad you’ve got it under control now. I keep being lectured on personal hygiene by docs and nurses and it really annoys me, like I’m getting them because I’m not showering or cleaning myself 😡
How often do you use the Vagifem if you don’t mind me asking?
It varies quite a bit. I mostly don't need more than 2 a week now but I did have to increase this quite a lot over last weekend. I used 2 each day. Now I am back to normal. Today I got a call from my practice because they had my urine test result from last week. I explained that I was now feeling fine again but I have to go there again tomorrow and leave another sample. Before I discovered Vagifem, I got that nagging/blame frequently. Now they don't seem to accept that a VA flare up has virtually identical symptoms to a UTI. I made more points as well. Too long to say here.
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U don't 'have to go' - other than to explain how VA mimics urine infection-type symptoms really really well: tell them to get a copy of Me and My Menopausal Vagina ;-)
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What they need is a copy of this document, they need educating.
https://bssm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GSM-BSSM.pdf
I recently had a bad flare up and used two extra Vagifem over two days, that's all it took to calm things down, the symptoms totally mimicked a bladder infection.
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When my symptoms niggle I put 'estriol' up mid afternoon and swallow 2 Nurofen followed by repeat in the evening then go into 2-3 weeks reload. I haven't had a urine test for 8 years.
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What they need is a copy of this document, they need educating.
https://bssm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GSM-BSSM.pdf
I recently had a bad flare up and used two extra Vagifem over two days, that's all it took to calm things down, the symptoms totally mimicked a bladder infection.
Exactly the same for me. Felt really bad on Saturday but back to normal now.
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When my symptoms niggle I put 'estriol' up mid afternoon and swallow 2 Nurofen followed by repeat in the evening then go into 2-3 weeks reload. I haven't had a urine test for 8 years.
I hadn't had one for about 4 years until last week. The doctor who spoke to me today said they had to check that I no longer have any blood traces in the urine. If they insist on giving me an AB, I will just keep it as a reserve pack.