Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Bentley on November 13, 2025, 08:42:39 AM
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Well at 65 I seem to have hit the menopause jackpot.
I thought that I had sailed through the menopause until I was recently diagnosed with GSM. I must admit that I had never heard of it.
Following a visit to my GP, an ultrasound ( which stoked up my health anxiety, but was clear) I was prescribed estriol.
This seemed to work for a while, but I am now getting the familiar burning/ soreness and I also have dry eyes and mouth.
I also realise that a rise in cholesterol and a frozen shoulder a year ago was also probably due to a drop in oestrogen.
I feel like my body is fighting me. I’m fed up, feel very alone and am at at loos as to what to do about it.
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Which estriol are you on ? And at what dose are you currently using it ?
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Make use of the search box it will show you are definitely not alone. Not many of us had heard of GSM (vaginal atrophy) and there is a lot of miss-information about it, here you will find out all the up to date details on topical treatments.
Sometimes one treatment is not enough, the use of a pessary as well as the estriol cream is needed and not just for the two a week, as mentioned in the out of date leaflets.
Some further information for you
https://bssm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GSM-BSSM.pdf
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Thank you ladies.
I am on the 0.001mg estriol cream twice weekly. I have just started to try using it more frequently, but think I will have to go back to my GP. It’s really getting me down.
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Twice weekly is not enough, begin tonight and use for at least 3 weeks. We cannot overdose on oestrogen ;-) and when vaginal tissues are dry, it may take a while for the treatment to take effect. Even when we get a regime occasionally due to oestrogen levels dropping, we find that we need to 'up' for a while. U don't need permission from a GP ;-) but do what suits then report back what is actually helping.
Frozen shoulder is common in peri-menopause due to dryness in the joints. If we don't move at all it takes about 2 years to settle, however we breath ::) so the joint is never still.
Let us know how you get on.