Vaginal Atrophy

[namechangedtoprotectmyvag]

I'm only 41 but I think I may be experiencing vaginal atrophy. I've started to experience some symptoms of peri-menopause over the last 2 years. After seeing another thread mentioning vaginal atrophy on here I looked it up and am worried this is my problem. I have multiple symptoms listed here www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vaginal-atrophy/symptoms-causes/syc-20352288

They include:

Vaginal dryness - only slightly

Discomfort with intercourse - the outer skin around my Vulva feels very sore and dry despite using loads of lube

Decreased vaginal lubrication during sexual activity

Light bleeding after intercourse - very occasionally

Urgency when peeing - Can't hold my wee in if I really have to go so start leaking before I can finish pulling down my knickers to go.

Have to cross my legs when I sneeze

Does anyone have any experience with this or advice please? How is best to treat from your experience (what's worked?). Will I ever be able to get back to normal? 😔

I suffered for a year, with male GPs treating me for UTIs. Eventually a wonderful female GP did an external examination and told me I had vaginal atrophy.
she prescribed Estriol cream. It’s been absolutely life changing.

Thank you so much for your reply. I'm so glad to hear there's hope and you've had a positive outcome. Can you tell me a bit more about it and how it has helped? Are there any risks to using it? Is it a form of HRT?

This is me since the last month... also feel swollen...

No HRT (or enough to be considered minimal) as I’ve had Brest cancer. It’s just a topical cream that is inserted high into the vaginal using a syringe.
I used it every second day for two weeks at the beginning, and now just twice a week, using it at bedtime.

I need a panty liner the day after insertion though!

Please go to your GP and get checked. This is quite common but makes you feel bloody awful! The GP will be used to this type of problem, so please don't worry on that front. As someone else said, if it is VA, it can be treated with vaginal Oestrogen cream. A pelvic health Physio could also be useful, but see the GP first.

Localised hormone needed. I use vagifem and its really helped. My gp was useless, she insisted I was having either infections or bladder issues despite testing and finding no infection. I paid to see a gp specialising in menopause and this doctor changed my life, no more getting up during the night to urinate, day trips without worry, sex is better and no urgency and rushing to the toilet.

Thanks for your replies. So the cream is not hormonal? I thought oestrogen cream was considered HRT?

Oestrogen cream is not the same as systemic HRT as it is not absorbed, just acts directly on the vulva and vagina. If you use it for a full year you absorb the equivalent of 1-2 HRT tablets
I had similar symptoms to you. My male middle aged GP suggested it was this after VA was mentioned on a gynae report and the pessaries sorted it out quite quickly

Do you have any white patches to the skin of the vulva? Could be Lichen Sclerosis

Go to your GP and get the cream which I have as a pessary. It worked for me within about 3 weeks and changed my life!

Ovestin cream has transformed my life - I was having loads of UTIs and kidney infections, poor DH was nervous about any action because however careful we both were sure thing next day I was boiling up urethritis again. Highly recommended.