Hi, I am very new here and I am hoping that some of you might have had experiences that mirror mine and can just help me to work out what to do. I know we are all different and am not asking for specific advice, but sometimes the experiences of others can be really informative.
I have VA - I have had it for some time (I am 64) but it really hasn't given me many problems so I have tended to ignore it. But it does make speculum examinations exceedingly painful. So when I got the summons for a smear test last year I went to my GP who prescribed me Estriol 0.01% vaginally, the usual regime (every night for two weeks and then twice weekly) for 6 weeks. I followed the instructions to the letter despite it giving me quite strong lower abdominal pain, like the old pre-period pain I used to get. Four weeks in I started bleeding old blood. I went back to the GP who said that maybe I was getting a bit too much oestriol and to stop using it and get the smear test done asap. Did this, got the smear test done (wasn't too bad), negative result. But I carried on bleeding. The nurse who did the smear test said she'd seen the remains of a little blood coming through my cervix so I assumed that the Estriol had set my old fibroids off. I got referred for a hysteroscopy, an awful, awful experience which I have struggled to put behind me. The consultant who did the hysteroscopy said she was certain that the bleeding had not been from my fibroids but from the dry vagina and to carry on with the Estriol, because I probably hadn't used enough!, but that if I had further bleeding she'd resect my fibroids. To my mind the Estriol had caused the bleeding and there was no way I was going to end up with major surgery for using something that I could just stop using, so I ignored her advice.
Recently however I have started getting yellowish vaginal discharge, sometimes brown tinged, i.e. probably with a bit of blood in it (nothing like the bleed I had on the Estriol). Went to my GP who very firmly told me it was probably VA and I had a choice between using Estriol to see if the symptoms went or going back for another hysteroscopy. No contest! I am back on Estriol. But I am really scared I shall bleed again in which case I'll end up back in the hysteroscopy clinic (cue hysterics!!). I am currently on week two of the loading dose and have to admit that I am not using the full whack of a tubeful each night, neither am I putting it as far into my vagina as I can as I was instructed. I haven't had the pain I had before but I am quite uncomfortable - feel as if my vagina is going to fall out! GP has told me that once I have finished the loading dose I can reduce the amount right down. But because I am not sure whether it was too little Estriol or too much that caused the problems last time I don't know what to do - whether to carry on using half to two thirds of a tube for a bit longer than the two weeks, or to reduce the amount asap. I'd do anything (well almost) to avoid another bleed and hysteroscopy.
Well even if none of you have similar experiences, it has helped to write all this down. I am so sorry for the long post guys. I promise they'll all be shorter from now on! Can anyone identify with this?
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Topic: Tell us how you cope with vaginal dryness (Read 860403 times)