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[littlelady]

I am 53 and stopped my periods approx 2 years ago,have suffered with water infections for about three years,back and forward to the doctors ,having to take antibiotics ,in the last year doc put me on low dose antibiotics to take every day.

About a month ago intercourse became sore and a little painful and i felt like i had thrush although i had no itching ,i was more sore,so went docs ,a swab was taken and sent off,doc said it looks like i do have thrush because when she examined me there was quite a lot of discharge,now i kept telling her i think it has something to do with the menopause.

so had the treatment for thrush,a week later i still felt sore and not quite right down below so went back docs,was told my swab was clear and it was not thrush and doc then suggested i go to my local GU clinic because she had no idea why the discharge,so off i went and i was quite concerned  .

I saw a male doctor who asked me lots of questions , i was examined ,he told me i looked quite sore down below and i was possibly suffering with vaginal atropy!!!!!

He told me to go back to my GP and ask for vagifem and that should sort the problem out,i could have cried there and then and kissed him.

Went to see GP (my normal gp was on holiday ) i saw a very young lady gp who listened to my story and immediately wrote me a prescription for vagifem.

Have been taking it now for 5 days and feeling so much better and a different person,still not had intercourse yet (a bit scared yet )
 

[ann123]

Sure you will be fine!
I put up with painful sex for a few years, before finding this site and realising it was due to meno!
I had a mirena coil, so no periods for years!
I went to GP asked for vagifem, was fine having sex within 2 weeks.
Having said this, in the meantime my marriage almost broke up. Hubby thought i didnt fancy him anymore, as I was always dry and sore!!
Good luck when you get around to it, have some lube handy just in case!!!!

[CLKD]

GPs have a lot to learn!  Fortunately mine got to the diagnosis before I did because of repeated urine problems.  Welcome to the Forum, browse round - if you use the search button you will see that most things are discussed!  We have a funny room too 

[Tabbycat]

Sorry for the rookie question, but what's Vagifem? I've seen it mentioned a lot on here. is it like HRT? Can it be taken with HRT?

[Hurdity]

Hi tabbycat

No problem with asking!

Vagifem is a vaginal oestrogen - here is what it says on this site (look at green menu on the left) - so used internally (but locally) and also around the vaginal area.

Local estrogen can be used for vaginal and bladder symptoms, when systemic treatment is not desired or appropriate. For some women, vaginal estrogen may be required along with systemic HRT.

All the different types are listed here.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

Vagifem is the only one in UK that contains estradiol. As you can see you can used it with systemic HRT ( ie the type that gets absorbed into your system and provides oestrogen in the many parts of the body where it is needed).

Hurdity x

[English Rose]

Hi littlelady

It never ceases to amaze me just how many GPs out there are so quick to put peri-menopausal and menopausal women on antibiotics for suspected urine infections that are usually not even clinically proven by a urinalysis lab test, when more often than not the problem is hormonal.

Doctors nowadays are supposed to use antibiotics vey sparingly due to resistance issues, but I've read several posts/threads on this forum from women with VA who have been misdiagnosed and often end up taking antibiotics for months. It's scandalous I reckon.  Let's hope the drug companies come up with some new antibiotics soon, or we'll all be having serious problems in a few years time when antibiotics don't work anymore.

Glad to hear you are feeling much better on the Vagifem.   ER x

[Trey]

You can order AZO urine test strips from the nets biggest supplier,of everything and cut them in half lengthwise to save money and then you can Know if you have an infection and avoid needless abs which can set you up for yeast.  Costs about ten USD but I can often cut them into three as all you need is a bit of the strip to register color to,see if infected.  I worked for urologists who used the very same test strips,  if you have a trace or minor infection you can load up on D Mannose and often cure it with lots,of water as well.  D Mannose is nothing more than a large sugar molecule that attracts  the bad bacteria in the bladder.

[Tabbycat]

Thanks very much, Hurdity, and thanks for the link.