Vaginal irritation

[Pannalash]

Had a full hysterectomy and removal of my ovaries almost 3 years ago at the age of 44. Took Premarin HRT for 2 years and then stopped nearly a year ago.
Have suffered from regular bouts of what I thought was Thrush, but tests came back clear, advised by my Dr that my foof is sore and irritated and dryer than the Sahara due to lack of oestrogen, occasionally feels like it's almost a burning sensation.
Is this vaginal atrophy? Can't understand why I am so dry, yet often feel slightly damp - does anyone else suffer from a slight discharge due to irritation?
Have been prescribed Sylk and then tried Replens, but didn't like it and am now trying 'balance active', although this restores a normal PH balance, don't know if it helps with moisture, but as it is a gel, presume it will.
Will give the Sylk another go, just got fed up of feeling a bit 'squodgey' all the time.
Would really appreciate it if anyone has any further ideas - feeling a bit fed up and have also nearly wet myself on occasion when I have almost not got to the loo in time, never used to happed, but I understand that my urethral opening will also be dry and irritated.
Also suffer from severe health anxiety, so this is getting me down.
My son is only 6, so I feel that I have gone from being a new Mum not so long ago, to feeling like my own Great Granny.

Thanks for letting me moan - none of my friends are menopausal yet so can't help with words of wisdom.

It does sound like vaginal atrophy.

Your dr has been really useless- sorry!

You should be on full HRT anyway up to the age of the normal meno 52- to protect your heart and bones. At 47 you are too young to be without oestrogen.
Did your dr not advise on this? why did you stop?

What you have is REALLY common and 25% of women who are using full HRT also need vaginal oestrogen - creams or tiny pessaries.

TBH can you change your GP? If they don't understand that at 47 with no ovaries you need vaginal HRT ( as well as systemic HRT) they are being negligent.

Have a browse of this website

www,menopausematters.co.uk and also the forum where there is masses from women with VA and how they use HRT for it. some women use it right up to their 80s because VA doesn't get better- only worse, without treatment.

some links for you

www.menopausematters.co.uk/vaginalsymptoms.php

www.menopausematters.co.uk/dryness.php

www.menopausematters.co.uk/pm-definition.php

Thanks Pinkfrocks, I came off the HRT due to breast pain which I have suffered with for many years, but the HRT was exacerbating.
Do you this the discharge due to irritation is common - can't get my head round discharge and dryness being linked?

Evidently watery discharge is a feature of VA. it's not the same as lubrication.

It's worth thinking about trying HRT again for health reasons at your age- and other types might work better. Premarin is a very old type and not one that is often prescribed now by drs who know anything about HRT! It's a synthetic oestrogen, rather than bio-identical, and you are more likely to get side effects from synthetic types of HRT.

(Any HRT starting with Pre comes from mares urine.) Other HRT is made from plants and is also considered safer.

Can you recommend a bio-identical oestrogen that I can talk to my Dr about please?

If you go the Menopause Matters website and look under HRT and types of ( think it's the green bit of the menu) they are all listed there. You need to avoid all those that are made from conjugated eostrogen. Most of the others aren't.

Also patches and gel, like Oestrogel, are safer and better absorbed so you need a lower dose.

You will not need a progestogen because you have had a hysterectomy.

Thanks for that Pinkfrocks, much appreciated.

Would still be interested to hear of anyone has successfully treated Vaginal atrophy without HRT.

I doubt you will get any replies, because VA is caused by lack of oestrogen. My mum who is late 80s has now stared using vaginal HRT again.

it's important that you know that vaginal HRT is not absorbed into the body.

If you use other products that are lubricants, they coat the walls of the vagina but they do not change it at a cellular level and help the walls thicken again. They don't have any positive effect on bladder function because it's oestrogen that helps keep the bladder lining thick and the urethra too. They have oestrogen receptors in them.

I have atrophic vaginitis from time to time. Vagifem works, but you usually need more than the two a week. It is a very small dose and if you manage it correctly, the vaginal tissues will be healthy and it should not be absorbed into the bloodstream. 2 a week is equivalent to about 1 hrt tablet a year.

You could try a patch as well, or gel which you can adjust to suit yourself to some extent. There is a lot of info on the MM site.

Lubricants are just for sex really. I have found they usually make things worse. There are moisturisers like replens, but they just make the dry bits wet. There are also things like actigel which help keep your microflora in balance. Yes oil-based is helpful for smearing over irritated fanjos, but doesn't cure it.

I can testify that you cannot sort out VA with lubricants and moisturisers, you need HRT either full or topical ones like Vagifem or Ovestin.