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[Katy]

Hi vanilla slice 

I expect there will quite a few women who find that vagifem 10's won't be enough for them, me being one of them.  I started off with 10's and was using 3xweek but they didn't help enough so gp gave me 25's.  Luckily I have a stock of them which will last me a few months - but what I will do after that?

As far as lubes are concerned all I do is insert a vitamin E capsule and find that very soothing, so can't help with that one.

Katy x

[Suzi Q]

I'm not sure Taz. I've left the prescription with them and they're going to ring me when they get some. I suppose that means I will have to start from the beginning again with a 2 week dose?

NO go back to chemist and ask for your script back they can not keep it
Ring around as was said every Chemist and see if you can find them in another chemist
If they all have same problem see which one is getting them in soonest
I looked ive heard or read nothing aboiut Vagifem being short
It could be that oyur chemist doesnt keep many pks in and has simply run out
My chemist is always running out of my Lexoton as Im the only person in his shop that uses it
If you run out and are with out them say for a fortnight or so a dose every 3rd night might be enough longer
Well id do it every other night for a couple of weeks Month or so then id do 10 day reboot xxx get your script back

[Suzi Q]

My first time using your forum, here goes.
 
I had no problem obtaining Vagifem at my small Boots chemist and was told that the manufacturers had discontinued 25mg. Apparently 10mg "gives the same benefit". I haven't found this is true for me and I'm considering using 10mg every other day until I feel comfortable. Luckily I don't pay for prescriptions but wonder when GP will notice the fast rate I'll be using them!

 Does anyone know of a good vaginal lubricant without nasty buildup?
Thanks

Your not alone and GPs know this to go from 50 to 20 a week is pathetic
Just do what feels right for you
Thens ee GP tell him /her your taking it every 3rd night end of

[Gig]

I don't know if you can get a script back- can you?  What if you have already paid for it?

I know that sometimes they have one product available but not all and I don't leave the script- but try somewhere else. I;d always assumed that once they had it that was it- I know they can't give it back if you have taken one item but not all of them.

[Katy]

I know they can't give it back if you have taken one item because that happened to me when there was a problem getting ovestin cream and in the end couldn't get it for me but they couldn't give the script back as I had taken the rest of the items.  That's when I went back to gp and she gave me vagifem.  I think they can give it back if you haven't taken anything.

Katy x

[Lynne888]

You can definitely get the prescription back. I've even had them back when I've  had one item dispensed. They just tick off what you've had. I pre pay for prescriptions. If you have more than one item a month it works out cheaper. I think I pay something like £10.55 a month.

[Isithotinhere]

Boots actually rang me yesterday morning about the prescription. He confirmed that the 25s had indeed been discontinued so I'd have to get a new one from my GP for 10s. So...I have ONE 25 left for tonight then I am down to 10s and have no idea if they will be enough for me but somehow I doubt it. I think I'll probably end up using twice as many :-(  I'd be very interested to know how everyone else is tackling this?

[Hurdity]

I think I mentioned before that our medical practice sent a letter to all Vagifem 25 users at the end of January - so they must have done a search on their system. I did not have to ask for it but would need to go and get the new prescription when I run out ( which I haven't done yet).

The letter said:

"We have been advised that Vagifem 25 mcg pessaries have been discontinued. The best option for change in your case would be Vagifem 10 mcg pessaries. We would suggest continuing to use them twice weekly. However, given that this is a lower dose, if you should experience any recurrence of symptoms we would be grateful if you would contact us for further advice"

What I would suggest to anyone is maybe try the 10 mcg twice a week for a trial period. If symptoms do recur go back to the GP and ask for twice the amount of Vagifem for the same prescription price because it is not controlling your symptoms. So - if you got 3 months of 25s on one prescription ask them for 6 months of 10s or say you need twice as many.

Then how about continuing the twice weekly regime but put in two at once? Can't imagine having to do 4 a week - especially those who still have a nice healthy libido  . It is a terrible waste of plastic and bad for the environment but seems like would be the best thing to do rather than suffer unneccessarily.

Will be unpopular with the NHS but appalling that the decision was made to discontinue.

I am still looking at that link Taz which is a very interesting review and will have more to say on this at some point!

Hurdity x

[Isithotinhere]

Thanks a lot Hurdity, I'll take your advice... with fingers crossed 

[Taz2]

It seems as if the decision was driven by the FDA but, to my mind, it happened after the advice changed from having to have a break from Vagifem every so many months to being advised that it can be used continually. Higher dose with a break or lower dose without a break.

Taz x

[Suzi Q]

They did that with the pill and so many unwanted or should I say unplanned babies happened
If its so dangerous discontinue it 10m 2x7 is a hell of a drop from 50 a week

[Hurdity]

It has not been shown to be dangerous - so no-one needs to worry

Hurdity x

[Elena]

Trying not to be cross about this...but really! WHY mess with something that works?

Think it's time to do my Deepak Meditation

[Taz2]

It doesn't seem to be a Norvodisk decision but something they were asked to do by the FDA. When their trials "seemed" to show that there was no difference in the effectiveness of the two doses then they had no reason not to comply with the FDA's guidelines that the smallest amount of oestrogen to give relief should be used. In order to keep their license I believe they had to discontinue the higher dose.

Taz x

[Hurdity]

I like the way you said "seemed" because that just about sums it up!

As always scientific trials are open to interpretation.

For me the crucial statement in the paper that Taz linked to a few posts back was that in a trial with (only) 230 women (not from the same area), a comparison  between 10 and 25 mcg Vagifem showed both gave significant improvements (in various measures connected to vaginal health) but that "These improvements were greater with the 25 mcg than with the 10 mcg which was to be expected."

That says it all.

It's all done on percentages and statistical significance - but what if you are one of the individuals for whom there is insufficient difference using 10 mcg? That's the problem, which is why a higher dose, of course is needed.

As I said before, for anyone for whom the 10 mcg twice a week does not work, I would persuade your doc to prescribe twice the amount on the same prescription and use 2 at once.

Hurdity x