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[Vavavoom]

My experience as comparison for this thread.. my normal dose of Vagirux is 2/3 time a week. I’m learning fast!

I’ve just been through really bad 4 day flare up mostly bladder and urethra pain, shocking burn, urge and excruciating eye watering pain on peeing.. This particular episode was so bad I could only shuffle to bathroom pain was so bad yesterday, bladder spasms, cramping etc. tried ice packs, dosed up on Nurofen nothing seemed to even touch the problem.

Did a home UTI Sure Sign dip test available in pharmacy £4.99…, and despite already having 3 Vagirux this week last one one the day before yesterday.. I had another one. Within an hour the bladder pain subsided, hot water bottle eased the bladder muscles and today I feel much better.

Moral of the story… a flare up is absolutely unbearable as anyone who has had them will know…enough to drive anyone to despair.. whatever the experts say about dosage, and my own nervousness about overdoing it.. the only thing that makes a difference is the Vagirux, Vagifem or whatever it’s labelled. Even when the pain seems to be bladder UTI related.

Hope everyone finds some strength to deal with this pernicious condition, and better days..

VVV x

[CLKD]

MayB U need to use every night routinely and 4get what the leaflet in the box or GPs suggest?

[Vavavoom]

You might be right CLKD, I just wonder how that increases the dependency and then makes it worse when you drop it down. But when you need it you definitely have to use it more.. I agree.

[CLKD]

Vavavoom: It's not about dependancy as in drug use. 

As oestrogen dries out the body - it is also the elasticity - the vagina/vulva may require a lot of input to plump up the walls of the vagina.  Pretty much like using a good quality hand or body cream when necessary.  The longer the vagina has suffered the longer it may take to plump up those tissues so giving 'her' what 'she' requires, i.e. TLC with VA treatment, really soothes any symptoms.

Once my vagina was comfy I was able to use as necessary rather than every night.  I now recognise niggles so immediately begin nightly applications.

[Ayesha]

I don't relate to it being a dependency issue, at least I hope it isn't. Four years on and I still need daily treatment. Flare ups can easily happen depending on what's going on with you health wise, anything seems to bring them on and for me I am blaming my bad flare up to the Covid jab I had two weeks ago, it seems to have dried up my whole body.
I remember this happening last year and I said I would not have another jab but two family members went down with Covid recently and they said it was brutal, so I relented and had it done.

[pkstracy]

It was due to anxiety and then I just started my period.

[CLKD]

Covid-19 is known to affect hormones.

Tnx pkstracy.

[Nas]

Does anyone use oxybutinin or solifencin ( I think it’s called)? They are meant to calm the bladder? So far, they’ve just given me a dry mouth! 

[Nas]

Anyone used imvaggis?

[sfreesto]

Yes, I used Imvaggis for about 7 months and was good, and then had an almighty 3 month long VA flare up and am now on Intrarosa, which I’ve been on for 10 months now. I had a recent flare up (UTI and extended bladder sensitivity, then microbiome shot because of antibiotics) but this was about two weeks long. I am peri so my hormones are all over the place, which can’t help the situation. It’s hard to blame any one thing for flare ups!

Imvaggis and Intrarosa are both waxy pessaries that melt and I’ve found soothing.  I understand Imvaggis is a weaker dose than Vagifem or Ovestin. Intrarosa is DHEA so different.

[Garnet161]

I've been on Ovestin daily for 2 months now.  I also use Emerita estrogen and progesterone topical creams (on the arms and legs). I have had big improvements with my VA which mimicked UTI for many months.  But I still have issues I have to keep my eye on, and I have a strict routine now to keep things comfortable.  Only one coffee per day (which doesn't affect it at all, thank goodness). Dilations before shower every day to keep the vaginal canal pliable and to remove dead cells which would otherwise just sit there.  That is until I can resume intercourse with my husband!  Things are still a little iffy and I want to make sure the skin is plumped sufficiently before we attempt it.  Also, I microbiome probiotic specifically for the reproductive system.
But every day is different which is why I have been keeping a diary for 3 months now.  I believe my hormones are still fluctuating because I have worse symptoms for 7-10 days each month at the same time.  Those days can have aches like period pain and more often needing to pee.  I also find that needing to do a number 2 can affect my bladder - making me need to go.  If I find that I need to pee soon after urinating, sure enough the urge to do number 2 follows soon after and then I have relief.  Lovely I know but I really believe it's all tied in together.
As for bladder needing estrogen - it seems the neck of the bladder shortens and dries without estrogen (or so the gyno says). In turn that produces UTI symptoms which affect some but not all.
I was fortunate enough to find another woman in my workplace with the same issue, so we have been swapping notes and helping each other.  We are both on the same treatment, so far with success.

[CLKD]

Tnx Garnet161 - when my bowel action is slow the need to pee is constant 

[Ayesha]

Be wary of medications too as they can also have an affect on VA by drying out the body which will bring on flare ups.

I have been symptom free for three years, it took about a year to get to that stage in this horrific journey. I have had flare ups now and again and they have always been mild but not this time, I feel like I have gone right back to the beginning with the worst of the symptoms returning.
I thought perhaps the Estriol cream had degraded during the summer as one tube will last me three months but I also use Vagifem every day and that is more tolerant of high temps. I am putting this bad flare up solely and squarely on having the Covid vaccine three weeks ago, I remember a week after having the jab saying to my husband that my body seems to be very dry not thinking then what was ahead for me.
A week of agony seems to be settling down now with doubling up on treatment but I am still waiting to be symptom free like I was before having the vaccine. 

[CLKD]

    covid is known to have altered hormones. 

[Nas]

Garnet161, where do you get the Emerita cream from? Is it like the Wellsprings and Biovea products?