Estring - calling all gynaecologists / vagina experts / practice nurses!

[saintursula]

Have had an estring put in today to try to fix vaginal atrophy. (Couldn't manage it myself.) It feels uncomfortable and I have some mild cramps like period pains. I know this is to do with my vagina, which has always been a sensitive flower. Think I also have a tilted cervix. Will it settle down and is it just my vag getting used to a 'foreign body' or do you think GP has put it not quite in right place?

Lots of women who start using vaginal oestrogen seem to get cramps for a while (I think I had mild ones with Ovestin at first.)

So be reassured this is normal.

You might also get slight spotting unless you are very post menopausal.

I've read on other forums that some women manage to insert and remove estrings themselves, so if you feel brave you could fiddle around and see if it needs to go in further. It'll be like a tampon- if it's not far enough in, you'll feel it.

On the other hand, if you have any vaginal slackness (lots of babies maybe?) it might be hard to get it in far enough or it might be slipping down. Ring any bells?

If you don't get on with it have you thought about creams etc to do the same thing?

oh thanks pollyperky - it feels bit better today and mostly I have not noticed it. Seems to have gone more into the correct position just as I have gone about my business! No there's not too much space in there - if anything it's the opposite. I've had one twin pregnancy ending in c-section but it seems that the atrophy has just made me smaller and tighter than ever and not in a good way! Yes I've tried creams and didn't get on with them for various reasons - plan is to try this for a while, see if I can get my vag a bit improved and then 'step down' to creams again. I hate all this. It drives me nuts that I can't just have sex when the mood takes us, which is all to infrequently anyway - I am only 49! Too soon for all this. And am so depressed at the thought that I have to resort to such measures and that it may never get better. Sigh.