Replens

[sonlypuppyfat]

Well my doctor recommended this to me and it has worked a treat, but it's quite expensive and she can't prescribe it. It's on a black list apparently. Is there anything I can get on prescription or is generally cheaper

Would you consider vaginal oestrogen (cream or tiny pessaries?) On prescription only.
I've never bothered with anything like Replens because they just coat the surface whereas oestrogen actually makes the cells 'younger' again and changes you back to a pre-meno state. Any interest?

Polly I've been wondering about it, is it any good?

Well it works for me. I'd not be without it. My consultant also advises me to use it more often before a smear so he can get enough cells.
You use it twice a week normally after an intensive start of daily for 2 weeks.

That's really interesting thank you Polly

Try YES moisturiser which you can buy over the Internet yesyesyes.org or at some chemists, but I get it on prescription from my doctor as I suffer from severe menopausal dryness. I found it absolutely brilliant and it's definitely worth a go.

It really depends on what your symptoms are. Lubricants like those discussed here are fine if you are only (!) wanting lubrication for sex. If you have vaginal atrophy which can affect the urethra and bladder too (peeing all day long with urgency too) they won't sort that. Some women have quite severe VA which eventually means sex is impossible due to either pain or shrinkage of the vagina (it can actually bleed as the walls become so thin and delicate) and externally you can become sore and dry too. Yes or Replens won't deal with that because they don't put oestrogen back into the tissues in a way that repairs them.

I've just started on the Estradiol pessaries and wonder about the side effects - I'm pretty nauseous.

That's quite unusual because hardly any oestrogen gets into the system. Are you using Vagifem? You could change to Ovestin cream which is a smaller dose. if you are having side effects they won't last. Once the cells have absorbed enough to form a thicker layer in the vagina, this stops it being absorbed into your body.

I am not menopausal, but have similar symptoms due to having had a hysterectomy at ds birth and breastfeeding. I found Replens okay, but Ovestin cream has been far better and relieving symptoms longer term. It has improved my urinary issues and helped with my sex drive and sexual experience.