AIBU to wish I had known sooner about vaginal oestrogen cream?

[Seriestwo]

I am nearer 60 than 50 and have had lots of UTIs and vaginal dryness for ages. Peeing stinged, wiping was sometimes painful. I have been on HRT for about 10 years. Mentioned it in passing to GP who gave me cream in an applicator and you must know about it! Within 2 weeks I was so much better and comfortable. I hadn’t realised how uncomfortable it was.

What is it good for and from what age?

For everyone having difficulty getting a GP to prescribe, here are the NICE recommendations that they should be following. See section 1.5 "Genitourinary symptoms associated with menopause". This covers anyone having menopause associated symptoms over the age of 40.
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/recommendations#discussing-management-options-with-people-aged-40-or-over

Your GP isn't following NICE guidelines then, and they should be. Go back to them with these and ask for an explanation (Section 1.5 has the bit you want) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/recommendations#identifying-perimenopause-and-menopause

I hear you, @TheBoots but quite honestly if I had a quid for every woman who has had to fight to get HRT or estrogen cream I would be rich. Lots of GPs don't care, aren't interested, are poorly educated on menopause, and get huffy when you point out the guidelines.

@Latitudeohyeah there is a thing which happens to some women in menopause/perimenopause which basically dries you up down below. Your vaginal walls go from being juicy and red to being dry and whitish-pink. It's called atrophy. Symptoms are feeling itchy and sore, sex being uncomfortable, pelvic pain, UTIs. Your GP may want to examine you (mine did) but it's far less invasive than a smear and is basically them taking a quick look. Estrogen cream replaces the estrogen your body is not making itself. My symptoms haven't gone completely, but are far more manageable.

I am 42 and been using it for a year. I had dryness after a period and lots of utis. It’s been life changing tbh. I’m sorry you suffered for so long. It should be routinely offered alongside hrt

Mine is in pill form. So I insert a pill through an applicator instead of a cream. Perhaps you could switch to that? No mess at all.

I am going to the loo sometimes 2-3 times a night. I’m early 50s taking bio identitical progesterone. Might this help?

Possibly. Worth a go.

I use both the pessaries and the cream and my bits are just like they used to be. I can also now do my pelvic floor exercises which I couldn't before as I had zero sensation

I an rejuvenated! I firmly believe every woman over about 40 should be offered it. Both for their benefit and in the longer term for the benefit of the NHS , so many women sent for all sorts of testing when in many cases the cream would prevent issues occurring. Luckily my doctor knows her stuff and offered it plus HRT immediately.

Because unfortunately they're behind the times in many areas, and they generally aren't very well informed or up to date about HRT etc, unless they have a special interest in women's health. That's why doctors like Louise Newson (she has an excellent YouTube channel and website) who are menopause/HRT experts have flourishing businesses! You can buy it over the counter or online if your GP won't prescribe it - type "vaginal oestrogen cream" into Google and the brand names and online pharmacies selling it come up.

I’ll have to see my GP about this. I went for a smear recently (my last one hopefully) and the nurse wouldn’t do it as I started to tear when she put the speculum in, and she said I’d have to get it done at the hospital.

Hi, oh yes I forgot her name - I did listen to Louise Newson's excellent podcast on this. Thanks for the reminder.
I think I will pursue this again as I am on constant antibiotics for the never-ending UTI and it's awful.
However, I was unable to get it through an online pharmacy when I tried - I ordered it. Then got a follow up email saying they would not process and I'd need to speak to my GP first. Ulgh! Must be less defeatist I guess

You'd really think a nurse who does smear tests would know a little bit about vaginas wouldn't you and inform you that oestrogen cream can help?

Is there any issue about a sexual partner absorbing oestrogen through his penis though? Just thinking of that case where a girl had early puberty due to absorbing oestrogen from her Mum's oestrogen gel.

Is the concensus that cream is much better than pessary? I would much rather not have the faff of trying to put the cream in the right place.

That’s so rough. No one should have to deal with something so unpleasant and so easily fixed. 🫂

If that was the case - i.e. it affected men in any way - you can be assured that it would be completely banned.

That is so true!.

Imagine if we got great improvement from vaginal estrogen, but have to get the (male) partner to buy a bra and tampons for himself!. 😂😂😂

Worth it 😂

I'm 43 and think I'm peri. I've had more dryness, urgency for going to the loo, and the need to wee far more regularly, I'm also noticing vulva looks a bit different (losing volume) and have incredible itchiness.

I am intending to phone GP tomorrow, does the cream help with the peri itchiness?? I am demented with it

I read this article at the time - it is hair raising.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/dec/17/millions-of-women-are-suffering-who-dont-have-to-why-its-time-to-end-the-misery-of-utis

I use Vagifem (although I'm not having any sex lol). But I did read that you should insert it after having sex, it's not advisable to insert it and then immediately have sex.

And it's only used twice a week so I don't really see it as an issue.

It won't affect the man on a long term basis no.

I can have a look through the leaflet though, if you are looking for more detailed info on this.

Also, the dosage of the vaginal oestrogen is minute compared to full HRT. I assume the mum will have been using the HRT gel which is rubbed into arms or legs daily.

Can you get this in your 70s? DM has all sorts of issues and has ever since I was small. She had progesterone HRT but got breast cancer so cannot have it any more

There is no reason she can't have it in her 70's , I'd ask your if your surgery has a menopause informed doctor and have her chat to them.

Got to be honest @comtesse that article is the sort of thing that put me off for a long time. It’s incredibly disingenuous to put in a long description of a UTI in a woman of extreme age with dementia who’d become dehydrated due to neglect, with the potential protective effects of vaginsl oestrogen. And I am suspicious of medics who embrace effectively bypassing sensible restrictions on drug advertising direct to consumers by using social media. Of course it’s happening and it’s scarily effective - see this thread, see weight loss injections - but it’s quite out there to state the aim so brazenly.