Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: kimmyi on September 13, 2018, 08:56:49 PM
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Hello everyone,
I'm new to all this so bear with me, I just want to say that I never realised that vaginal dryness could be so awful and such a horrible thing, I started getting problems in October 2016, it all started out of the blue, I was at work and literally felt a really strange feeling what felt like a water infection?
and a feeling that something was in my vagina and a pressure on my bladder, went to see my GP no water infection presented but
symptoms still present, was referred for scans, to cut a long story short had pelvic and internal scan,nothing but a cyst and fibroid found, was told by gynaecologist nothing to be alarmed about but the symptoms presented were most likely to be vaginal dryness. On Vagifem twice a week and Timbelone daily, has helped but some days worse than others, would just like to hear from anyone who has this problem, I was so terribly naive really,never realised vaginal dryness could cause such misery 😢
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Oh join the Club! I suggest that you use the product nightly for 2 weeks then alternative nights. Originally Vagifem was delivered at a higher dosage and several ladies have to use it nightly.
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Will definitely give that a go, haven't done the 2 week dosage yet anyway so no harm in trying.
Thank you 😊
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You should have started using it nightly for 2 weeks. Did your GP not tell you?
Let us know how you get on?
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Hello CLKD,
i was originally prescribed Vagifem by gynaecologist and the dosage on prescription was use twice weekly, i have noticed some of the ladies texts on here that there is a dosage of 2 weeks daily and then twice a week.
I shall take your advice and let you know how things are going, thank you again for your time and advice 😊
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Yes, you need to use it every night for two weeks and then go on a maintenance dose that suits you, although I have never managed on just two a week. Once you have it under control don't stop using it as symptoms will return.
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Who ever wrote that prescription shouldn't be calling themselves knowledgeable! The Pharmacist should also have been aware that the prescription was incorrect, that's why they handle the end-paper work B4 handing over to the patient :bang: :bang: :bang:
Get that cream up there every night for at least 2 weeks ;-)
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Hi ladies,
It just so nice to be able to share this with you as you sometimes feel alone, I have st times really thought that I'm going mad, unfortunately when all this first happened I thought I had something really seriously wrong like CA, this in turn bought on anxiety like I had never experienced before, I'm now on propranolol for palpitations...just wished I could be the girl I once was😔
But finding this site has helped so much so thank you 😊
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Hi Kimmyi welcome to the forum.. if you read the thread called The Burning Club you will realise you are not alone with this. I use Vagifem everyday and Ovestin cream for the outside every night, and I'm now managing this but it takes a while to find a dosage that suits you. I find the YES moisturiser helps a lot and use this daily, this is also on prescription now.
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Hi Kimmyi welcome to the forum.. if you read the thread called The Burning Club you will realise you are not alone with this. I use Vagifem everyday and Ovestin cream for the outside every night, and I'm now managing this but it takes a while to find a dosage that suits you. I find the YES moisturiser helps a lot and use this daily, this is also on prescription now.
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Hello everyone,
I'm new to all this so bear with me, I just want to say that I never realised that vaginal dryness could be so awful and such a horrible thing, I started getting problems in October 2016, it all started out of the blue, I was at work and literally felt a really strange feeling what felt like a water infection?
and a feeling that something was in my vagina and a pressure on my bladder, went to see my GP no water infection presented but
symptoms still present, was referred for scans, to cut a long story short had pelvic and internal scan,nothing but a cyst and fibroid found, was told by gynaecologist nothing to be alarmed about but the symptoms presented were most likely to be vaginal dryness. On Vagifem twice a week and Timbelone daily, has helped but some days worse than others, would just like to hear from anyone who has this problem, I was so terribly naive really,never realised vaginal dryness could cause such misery 😢
Hi Kimmyi I am about to start trying Vagifem for the first time. My reason is to see if it helps with UTI symptoms which I keep getting just as I am due to go on holiday! I previously tried Estriol cream but that make me need the loo much more frequently during the night. Perhaps we could compare experiences? The instructions on my pack definitely say to use it daily for 2 weeks to start with.
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Hi Katejo,
I was first prescribed Oestrogel 80gram gel dosage same principal as Vagifem use everyday for 14 days and then twice weekly, did help a little, had a follow up appt with gynae, was then prescribed Vagifem, but on the prescription label said use twice a week and nothing about the 2 week load, I did look at the instruction leaflet but prescription said only use twice a week, and reading lots of threads on this site have been wondering what to do?
Am going to do the 14 day dosage and then twice weekly, I will keep you updated.
Hope all goes well for you and let's hope all improves.
I do think the bladder issues are one of the worse parts of this menopause for me I'm 58 now and was fine until 2years ago.
Take care x
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Hi Katejo,
I was first prescribed Oestrogel 80gram gel dosage same principal as Vagifem use everyday for 14 days and then twice weekly, did help a little, had a follow up appt with gynae, was then prescribed Vagifem, but on the prescription label said use twice a week and nothing about the 2 week load, I did look at the instruction leaflet but prescription said only use twice a week, and reading lots of threads on this site have been wondering what to do?
Am going to do the 14 day dosage and then twice weekly, I will keep you updated.
Hope all goes well for you and let's hope all improves.
I do think the bladder issues are one of the worse parts of this menopause for me I'm 58 now and was fine until 2years ago.
Take care x
Hi Kimmyi In a similar way to you, I haven't had too much trouble with the menopause but this is bothering me now. I am now 55 and my periods stopped 4-5 years ago. However the UTI symptoms cause me health anxiety. I ended up cancelling a trip away last week and now regret doing that but i regularly get these symptoms just as I am due to go away (or sometimes when I am there). This started several years ago but I have only learnt about VA from this forum within the past year or so.
I will start using it tonight. The GP definitely told me to do the once a day routine to start with. :)
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Vaginal atrophy is very good at mimic urine infection-type symptoms :cuss: bugga ........ so appropriate treatment really can help. As for Vagifem some GPs are unaware that initially it was prescribed at 25 whatevers and now it's 10, so some ladies require nightly use.
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Vaginal atrophy is very good at mimic urine infection-type symptoms :cuss: bugga ........ so appropriate treatment really can help. As for Vagifem some GPs are unaware that initially it was prescribed at 25 whatevers and now it's 10, so some ladies require nightly use.
I am feeling cautiously optimistic at the moment re. use of Vagifem. Back on Sunday some of the cystitis symptoms returned and I thought that the AB hadn't done the job. I was going to wait a couple more days to get the last of it out of me before getting another urine test done. At the same time I started to use the Vagifem. After only a couple of applications, the symptoms had improved.So perhaps this will work for me. Let's hope that the GP won't argue about giving me a continuation prescription when i need it.
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Hi Katejo,
Really do hope that all goes well for you and see an improvement.
I am going to start the reload of 2 weeks on the Vagifem, I do over think things and am a bit worried to rock the boat?? Stupid I know but I've muddled through for nearly two years
now with this horrid symptom of the menopause.
I did mean to mention that I also used replens to help moisture but this made me more sore down below, I now use vagisan which I find helps when inserting and between doses etc.
Take care 😌
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I find I need to use Vagifem at least every other day to prevent Uti like symptoms. If I neglect to do this and symptoms return I need to do a 2/3 week reload. VA has been the only menopausal symptom to give me real trouble but it has been very hard to cope with at times.
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That's OK Jemp - originally it was prescribed at 25 and now it's 10 ........... so some find they need it every night and occasionally, 2 doses at once.
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Frankly I am willing to take a small risk. I cannot contemplate returning to the state I was in when it was at its worst! I have enough to cope with in my life at the moment including a mother with dementia who is very unhappy that she has had to go into a care home ( my brother and I could no longer cope with caring for her).
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'risks'? getting out of bed has risks ;)
We have several threads on caring for the elderly here. Browse round. Was this a recent move for your Mum?
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Exactly! I am actually more concerned that there may be a problem getting meds if Brexit goes pear shaped. Anyone stockpiling Vagifem?
Will look for posts re elderly but have found Alzheimers forum invaluable.
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I agree VA is a troublesome symptom of the menopause, I have at times really felt unwell with it to be honest...
When the gynaecologist said he thought I was suffering from Vaginal dryness, I thought surely not it feels like something has fallen into my vagina and my bladder felt so uncomfortable 😣 I was very naive.
It's hard when you have this problem and also other problems that life throws at you, family issues can be very stressful to deal with too 😔
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You are right. I was looking forward to enjoying retirement after a stressful career spent sorting out other peoples' problems unfortunately I seem to be experiencing my own AND at the beck and call of other generations of the family!
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Hi Katejo,
Really do hope that all goes well for you and see an improvement.
I am going to start the reload of 2 weeks on the Vagifem, I do over think things and am a bit worried to rock the boat?? Stupid I know but I've muddled through for nearly two years
now with this horrid symptom of the menopause.
I did mean to mention that I also used replens to help moisture but this made me more sore down below, I now use vagisan which I find helps when inserting and between doses etc.
Take care 😌
How are you getting on with this Kimmyi? I am nearly 2 weeks into it and happy with it so far.
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Hi Katejo,
I've only started on Sunday so third night tonight, was a bit worried, but in the just got to go for it haven't we.
Will keep you updated, take care 😌
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Hi Katejo,
I've only started on Sunday so third night tonight, was a bit worried, but in the just got to go for it haven't we.
Will keep you updated, take care 😌
Yes do let me know later. It is much less fiddly to apply than Estriol cream which i felt didn't stay inside me. If I peed during the night, at least some of it came out. :)
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What goes up :-X ;)
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Must stay up x
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Nope. Gravity becomes involved ;D
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Hi Kimmyi, the atrophy caused me to prolapse in the beginning but after about a year of vagifem and pelvic floor exercise with physio I avoided surgery, which can bring it's own problems. It takes a while to build back the loss of hormones, after all they took years to deplete but it does work.
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Hi Dierdre glad to hear that things are going well for you, these changes we go through can cause a lot of anxiety, something's we can't change and we have to accept.
I've learnt that this VA has no cure but with the right help and this forum all helps 😊
Take care 😌
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And also like you say these things take time ::)
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Hi I am really interested in these posts as I have been taking vagifem for just over 3 months. I tried to cut back to twice a week but the symptoms came back straight away. I am now taking it every day. Do any of the other ladies who take it every day take any other form of HRT or just the vagifem ? My GP said that long term I would need to have some form of progesterone to protect the womb. If this is the case I may have my mirena coil replaced as it is due to be removed in a few weeks as I have gone through the meno now. I have had it in for 8 years due to heavy periods and was told to keep it in until I had gone through the menopause. I have had lots of flushes / sleepless nights / and every other symptom on the list and just got on with it but this awful symptom is by far the cruellest .
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I saw my GP last week and she had been on a course with the British Menopause Society recently. She said the consensus there was that they are under-dosing Vagifem. I thought I had a UTI and, while she took a urine sample to check, she suggested I up the dose from twice a week to 3-4 times a week or take two pessaries twice a week. It turns out I didn't have a UTI, it was my VA playing up. So I now take Vagifem every other day.
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Thats's really interesting . I wish all GP's went on these courses . I am brand new to this forum and already feeling more positive about it all .
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I saw my GP last week and she had been on a course with the British Menopause Society recently. She said the consensus there was that they are under-dosing Vagifem. I thought I had a UTI and, while she took a urine sample to check, she suggested I up the dose from twice a week to 3-4 times a week or take two pessaries twice a week. It turns out I didn't have a UTI, it was my VA playing up. So I now take Vagifem every other day.
That is useful. I will give that example to my GP as evidence to persuade them to let me take it more than twice a week and continuously. I also have some uti symptoms now and sent a sample in yesterday but really don't want another AB. Took 3 different ones in Sept and they didn't help.
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Hi Grace. I use Vagifem and full HRT. I'm 64 and have been on full HRT for 10 years now due mainly to frequent hot flushes day and night.
If you are on Vagifem alone it is not necessary to add in a progesterone as the amount of oestrogen is so small so you don't need to have a new mirena if it's purely to provide progesterone due to Vagifem use. The dose of Vagifem was halved a few years ago and many women now find that it's no longer enough to control VA and their docs do prescribe more frequent use.
Taz x :welcomemm: