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[Millykin]

 
Good one Honorsmum! All dignity goes out the window giving birth anyway, my hubby and mum were with me and my dad came along and my hubby brought him in when ... Well let's just say not what a father wants to see he was out the door like a shot and we ( including nurses )just laughed. X

[Millykin]

Hey back to the topic! HURDITY where are you  x

[honorsmum]

… because I gave birth naked ……… may I laugh 

Standards Girls, now - standards 

Laugh away! My mother is the most uptight person you'll ever meet - gawd knows how she had 4 children! 

[honorsmum]

Good one Honorsmum! All dignity goes out the window giving birth anyway, my hubby and mum were with me and my dad came along and my hubby brought him in when ... Well let's just say not what a father wants to see he was out the door like a shot and we ( including nurses )just laughed. X

 

[Dancinggirl]

honorsmum - we have discussed far more embarrassing things on MM.
The info on this site is actually good for outlining what VA is: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/vaginalsymptoms.php
I think it would be fair to say that all women will get vaginal atrophy in post meno but not all will have major problems. I think it is virtually impossible to know how many women suffer with severe VA problems because so many will be suffering in silence.
I have had problems with dryness and a burning urethra on and off since my early 40s  and last year when I went without systemic HRT I tried local oestrogen but even that didn't help that much  I am currently using systemic and local oestrogen and now have many more comfortable days.  All I can say is 'thank goodness modern medicine can replace our oestrogen'.
If you have ever had a bout of cystitis you'll know how unpleasant it is - now imagine feeling like that most of the time - that's one of the symptoms of VA and there are many more.   DG x

[CLKD]

I do wonder how our Grannies coped 

[Dancinggirl]

My mother put up with terrible discomfort for ages, I think because she thought there was nothing anyone could do.  When things got so bad and she had to go the doctor she was rushed to the specialist who diagnosed advanced stage vulva cancer!!!! She has survived but it was horrible to go through and I don't blame her being grumpy as I dread to think what things are like down there now.  I do wonder how many are suffering in silence.   
DG x

[CLKD]

I wasn't able to suffer without going to the GP, the symptoms were so uncomfortable and restricted my social life!

[Dancinggirl]

I asked about my horrible burning to several doctors and at the meno clinics I attended over about 10 years and it wasn't until I mentioned it to the practise nurse at my new GP practise (I now live in a small seaside town) that I was told it was VA and given local oestrogen. She told me I should have been given local oestrogen alongside systemic HRT many years ago!!!!
The private gynae I saw recently thought I shouldn't need local oestrogen with systemic but agree I should continue with both.  The two types of oestrogen together are certainly keeping me more comfortable than I have been for many years.  Dg x

[Hurdity]

Oh I've missed all this! Double apologies to you honorsmum - I thought you meant just the initials  . When I first joined the forum I was mystified by all the initials and don't tend to use them anyway!!!

Nothing clumsy either - we all need to know.

Hmmm well Vaginal Atrophy = Atrophic vaginitis = Urogenital atrophy = shrivelled dried up bits!!!!!!!!!! Sounds delightful however you put it.....

Yes Suzi Q has described somewhere in lurid detail what's happened to hers - I'm sure she won't my pointing this out.

I think googling it will explain it better than I can! Dancinggirl already linked to the info on this site - or there is patient.co.uk
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/atrophic-vaginitis-vaginal-dryness

Basically there are large numbers of oestrogen receptors all around and inside the vagina and up the urethra - possibly also the bladder ( you would need to check this out where they all are). When oestrogen declines the tissues thin, dry up and if that wasn't bad enough they shrivel up (atrophy) physically as well ie the labia and all the important bits and flaps that were plumped up!

Some women have a habit of inspecting their parts in a mirror so have seen what's happened to them structurally, but I haven't done this - so unaware to some extent although you can actually feel the difference yourself.....

Here you can read about it in all the gory detail - including a delightful picture in case you wondered what it could look like 
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0515/p3090.html

Mostly women are concerned about the consequences (rather than the physical/structural changes) which appear as very unpleasant symptoms - it's effect on sexual intercourse, and the irritation, itching dryness, razor blades, urine infection.

Well you did ask!!!

This doesn't tell you anything you don't already know - and you've probably all googled away anyway!

IS THIS THREAD IN THE PRIVATE SECTION? IF NOT IT SHOULD BE!!!

Hurdity x