Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Scottish lass on August 16, 2025, 09:02:07 PM
-
I am on Vagifem but feel I need a bit extra something sometime between applications. What are people's experiences with moisturizers like yes?
-
Personally not good. First time I applied it, immediately my vulva felt warm - I only applied it externally- & a few hours later was pretty sore. I tried it a few times over the years & had the same experience. I know others here are fine with it.
-
I believe a moisturiser is an essential part in helping with the symptoms of GSM and they work well alongside topical oestrogens.
I've used Yes for a long time without any issues and would never be without it.
-
I am another who has used yes for a long time and never had any issues with it x
-
I too have had no issues with Yes ....I've used for over 10 years now.
I find dr wolff v san works for me also
-
I have moisturiser envy ladies 🤣 I really wish I experienced the same as you did with it.
-
Didn’t like Yes VM, and tried Hydromol and Epaderm. All caused discomfort. A year on, found Balance Active Aloe pessaries very good. A whole one is too much so I cut them in half and use them on the nights I don’t use Vagifem. I also use Dr Wolff’s cream on the outside, once at night and once in the morning. Feeling quite good now.
-
I've been having good success with organic coconut oil on the outside and just on the opening of the vagina. I too am using Vagifem, though daily because not using it means bad bladder the next day!
-
Hi Garnet161,
May I ask.. what sorts of bladder symptoms do you have if you miss a day of Vagifem?
Seems like I have symptoms when I do use Vagifem or anything else for that matter.
-
Hi, my VA mostly consists of bladder symptoms like a bad UTI. The worst part is the constant need to urinate and the horrible bladder spasms. Using Vagifem means around 80-90% of the symptoms are better. I get odd niggles every now and again, depending on fluctuating hormones, but Vagifem has been a real relief. At least when using Vagifem, if I feel like I need to pee then I actually DO! I have an overactive bladder anyway but it's better now.
I do have to be careful with what I drink too - no alcohol, no black or green tea, no citrus juice - all those inflame my bladder. But I haven't touched any of those for 10+ years.
-
Thank you for explaining. I have those symptoms too. The spasms are painful. Sometimes I cannot tell if the spasms are vaginal or if they are bladder. And the constant urge to pee is just awful.
You are very lucky that your regime is working for you!
I’m still looking for something that will help.
-
It's such a long road with VA. I started on Ovestin which helped at first. My bladder symptoms eased a bit - the frequency never really decreased but the desire to go all the time lessened.
I started getting irritability with the Ovestin on the outside of the vagina, so I switched to Vagifem. Which is much better.
You mentioned you tried Vagifem...for how long?
-
I actually tried Vagifem twice a week for almost a year. I kept a discomfort diary of sorts and looking back I’m not sure if it helped or made things worse. I stopped using it because I kept having worsened bladder irritation the day after using it. Not too long ago I decided to bite the bullet and use it every night. By the 7th day I was extremely uncomfortable so gave up.
I may be one of those who is just sensitive to everything. Like some others none of the moisturizers seem to agree with me either.
It’s tough, pretty desperate for relief.
-
I really feel for you! My bladder is my achilles heel of sorts. I have struggled for years.
If your bladder issue is from VA, have you considered systemic HRT? There are plenty of women on this thread who have had really good success with it. If Vagifem hadn't provided relief, I would have certainly tried systemic. As it happens, I am using an estriol/estradiol combination topical cream which I get from the USA. It was good at reducing some symptoms, but I needed extra help with the VA. I also found out that after 6 months of what I would call, vaginal and bladder irritation, that I had the glabrata strain of thrush. The normal flucanazole tab would help but never got rid of the thrush. My GP gave me a script for the correct medication (Nystatin) and I also did 3 days of boric acid pessaries. Finally rid of the stubborn thrush, I have found my bladder to be much better. If I feel irritation - itching and bladder frequency - I pop in a boric acid pessary overnight and things are MUCH better the next day. To the point where I can go 3-4 hours without the urge to urinate. I also use cornsilk drops (from iHerb) to help keep the bladder smooth and calm.
I really hope you find some relief soon!
-
Thanks for that Garnet161.
I am actually on a combined transdermal hormone patch. It has not caused me any problems ( other than progesterone not being my bodies favorite). But does not seem to help the VA one bit. I was off of the patch for a year during Covid and maybe that made things much worse.
Interesting that you mention Glabrata. I have had thrush issues my whole adult life but don’t know if they have ever checked the strain. I take fluconizole which relieves it for a while but it comes back. I have a gyn app’t Monday and will ask them to check it. Maybe need Nystatin.
When your bladder bothers you do you ever get urethral irritation or burning with urination without a UTI?
What is the name of the product you get from USA. That is actually and sometimes unfortunately where I am. The only pharmaceutically manufactured estrogen creams here are estradiol and they burn like crazy. I am actually trying to get the weaker Estriol 0.01% from the UK but not 100% sure I can get it yet. There is a pause now because of darn tariffs. I wish we all had access to all the same medications to try.
I am going to look into the cornsilk drops.
Thank you so much.
-
I went to try and buy the yes VM but couldn't find in the shop even though online said it should have been in stock so ended up in boots with their menopause and me gel OMG just as well I did a very small amount to test it was not just a short term sting it was painful. Maybe I might try a basic emollient next
-
Yes stung at first - but look at Sylk - it took about a week but they sent a free sample to try...you could ask GP for Replens maybe.
Think a first the dryness causes a sting.....
-
Hi Lime
The cream I use is body topical - I use it the same as others would use the estrogen gel - on the insides of the arms and legs. It's called Emerita BiEstro and the corresponding ProGest progesterone cream. I don't believe it did anything for my VA really - maybe a little relief at first but that was short lived.
The bladder issue I had was urgency. I would go to the toilet for a wee and within a couple of minutes, it felt like I had to go again. Just like back when I had cystitis in my early 20's. I never had pain while urinating or as I finished. I did get some nasty bladder spasms though - it felt like my bladder would urge and sometimes a little bit of wee would escape. That was usually as I went from sitting to standing.
It is much better with the Vagifem and again better after getting rid of that glabrata thrush strain. I still get some irritation around my bladder entrance and around the outside of the labia which seems to go away when I use coconut oil on the vagina entrance and Prohydrate gel (similar to 'Yes') on the labia.
The irritation seems to build up a bit through the week and then one day per week, I use a boric acid pessary to get rid of the irritation. I'm not sure if the glabrata isn't fully gone or quite what the issue is with the irritation. I also find that Sudocrem zinc oxide works well with the boric acid (though on the outside) to get rid of irritation.
I found with the Estriol cream (which is the 0.1% version) that it irritated my skin, both inside and outside. It doesn't sting - it goes on fine but after a day or so, my bladder and the skin around the vaginal entrance gets sore.
But there are plenty of people who get relief from using it so perhaps it's worth a try, if you can get your hands on it from overseas?
-
Thank you Garnet161,
I so appreciate you sharing your experiences.