Vagifem - anyone used? Any side effects?

[Oldisthenewblack]

I've just been prescribed Vagifem tablets. I asked my GP for something to help with what felt like dryness 'inside' - difficult to describe but something that I never used to feel. Having just read the enclosed leaflet, it sounds like HRT! I didn't realise. I thought it would be just some kind of fancy lube I'm now a bit concerned as this sounds like serious stuff, and I'm not sure about putting it in my body. I'm not menopausal yet (as far as I know) though I do hav a whole host of symptoms, but that's more to do with other issues sigh Has anyone used Vagifem and did it have any negative side effects?

Thanks in advance

I am very interested in the concern about vagifem, i have been using it for about 2 years after a very bad UTI, also interested in the pp who mentioned hair loss, for about the last 6 months my hair has thinned so much especially on the crown,almost bald patches, and i have no idea what could bev causing it, i was also prescribed livial, which i was on in menopause,[post ] now, and recently been itching all over, could the hair loss be connected with either of these,i doubt its the vagifem as it is such a small amount
I have also put weight on only in the last 6 months have always been around 8 stone am now 9 ,any thoughts?
TIA

@princessTiasmum
The opposite is probably the case!

All the symptoms you list- hair loss, itching and weight gain are some very common symptoms of menopause and loss of estrogen.

Are you still using Tibolone? If so, you might want to think about changing from that- it's one of the more 'androgenic' types of HRT (helps with libido=male hormones) so a) hair loss might be connected to that. but def not Vagifem.

If you read about vaginal estrogen, the amount absorbed if you use it for 1 year is the same as 1mg of HRT ( a day's worth).

I don't t know why this isn't more well known- they allow women who have had breast cancer to use it, which says something about the tiny amount in it.

JinglingHellsBells Thanks for your reply, i didnt think it could be the vagifem, it was just with it being mentioned earlier, and the livial has had no bad effects at all, but it seems to have coincided with weight gain, i did have a thyroid test about 3 years ago, as my hair was slightly thinning, then, but nothing like now,
I dont see any come out as such, in combs or when being washed,but what is there grows very fast, been taking biotin,
Also wondered if it was connected with low ferritin,
I have Haemochromatosis, and have regular blood tests as my ferritin is not supposed to go over 100, but the last year it has been as low as 38, and i have read that ferritin should be above 70 or it can affect hair ,
I have refused too have blood taken when it has rarely got to 120, [only once in a year] as my iron levels drop drastically ,then takes up to a year to get back up again
Anyway going to make an appointment for Dr tomorrow, as i cant face the thought of losing any more

I started using vagifem about 2 months ago and the reason why I joined this thread was because I was curious about what side effects there could be .....and my period came 10 days early and its always been so regular. I am nearly 51 so of course all my listed 'ailments' are bang on for my age - never really considered VF HRT as such, but obs it is. Was never able to use the pill when I was younger as the bloating etc... was too much
My facial skin has become bad with spots again, and seems v dry on my body. Thudding palpitations, and breathlessness which I have never had before. Also have to sleep w support stockings on to relieve swelling and restless leg... deffo feel i've put weight on.
I can see that there are v clear explainations in the thread about the low doses of VF and how its not absorbed into the system but as we are different could these be as a result of taking VF?
I take and antihistamine at night for itching skin which happens and its v effective....Thank you...

@Sydney1000
We are all different but the trials and research done on drugs is done on hundreds and thousands of women. I don't have time to look for and link to that research now (I have in the past) - but you can try for yourself if you want to.

But what the research says is that within the first 2 weeks of using vaginal estrogen, there may be the minutest amount of systemic absorption. This is far far less than using HRT ( vaginal estrogen is not classed as HRT.)

After 2 weeks when the cells lining the vagina have changed back to their normal state, ( ie thicker) there is no more absorption, systemically. This is because the cells have grown a thicker cell wall, new cells have grown, and they cannot absorb vagifem.

Ovestin is 0.001mg estrogen. So, doing that maths(!) using it for 100 days ( twice a week for a year) = 1mg. That is one day of HRT.

There is no way anyone using 1mg of estrogen could have the side e effects some women think vaginal estrogen causes.

The symptoms you list are classic per menopause!
Spots, dry skin, palpatations, weight gain, problems sleeping.

You might find that lifestyle changes will help reduce these a lot- changing your diet, taking more exercise, etc.

Has anyone experienced return of symptoms on maintenance dose (twice weekly) I was doing well while taking it daily. Now I have feeling of pressure and heat at entrance to vagina same as before taking Vagifem. Wondering g if I need stronger dose or use additional Eastrogen cream for vaginal opening

Has anyone become allergic or irritated by ovestin after using it for a while? The very problem I was successfully using it to treat (sore urethra!) has come back with a vengeance. I've attacked it from all sides so far: antibiotics in case of uti, thrush treatment (oral pill, cream & pessary) and various gels for BV & thrush. The problem remains. I had thought maybe I needed a bit more of the cream (I reckon my oestrogen levels are getting even lower - no period for months, starting to get hot flushes throughout the day) but it seems to make the problem worse every time I use it. I'm scunnered! I'm going on holiday soon and frankly I want to leave my ladybits at home. Don't know if it's worth another trip to doc or whether to see if, after all the antiBs and antifungals, I should try let things settle for a bit. Thanks in advance for any advice!

oops sorry, i meant to post this as a new message!

@Maybees2 did you get any answers to this issue? As the same thing happened to me.

Reading through this thread again, just realised i had posted about my hair loss, and said i was going back to the Drs,
Saw 2 different Drs, who were useless, eventually saw my own Dr who had been away ,, he has put me on Evoral Cont, patches, but this worries me now as one of the side effects is or could be hair loss
I have to finish my livial before i start them so going to ring Dr in the morning and see what he says, cant lose any more hair
Although i have spoken to someone on them for years and fine,no problems

he has put me on Evoral Cont, patches, but this worries me now as one of the side effects is or could be hair loss

I think you need to try it and see. Hair loss is listed as a possible side effect on most types of HRT. It doesn't matter it happens to everyone or even very often. It's usually the Norethisterone which is an androgenic (male ) type of progestin.

If it doesn't suit you, try Utrogestan which is body-identical.

matter= mean!

Has anyone suffered pain vagina , high up when using vagifem? I'm thinking I'm ? Allergic to it. I have recurrent feeling of Cystitis in bladder which eases when taking Cystitis relief sachets but comes back when I stop taking it. Also have pain high up in vagina.

Can I just ask does everyone just use it twice a week, I am not sure this is enough for me. It seemed to work much better at the beginning than it does now?

@Jmc21
It stop working for me after 10 months. I did the reloading dose twice. I ended up using it daily
It's such a shame as I was the poster girl for Vagifem! I loved it!

No idea what I'm doing next

That’s disappointing. Nature is so cruel!

I read that the dose used to be 20mg and is now 10. So I was happy to self medicate!

Try doing the loading dose again for 2 weeks.

Thanks, I will try that.

I am in my mid 60's, started Vagifem in March. A few weeks after starting it I had an attack of hives on my legs. I thought it was just because I have dry skin (I use E45 cream daily), but although the hives died down I still have a fine red rash on my legs which hasn't gone away and flares up when a wear anything other than soft trousers. I've seen a doctor but they just couldn't really see why this has flared up. I dont think its anything to do with food/soap etc allergies as I havn't used anything new. Just wondered if any other users had had skin sensitivity problems since using Vagifem?

It's unlikely to be Vagifem.

The only way to be sure is to stop using it for a couple of weeks if that's possible and see what happens (if it goes away)and if it comes back when you re-start, though it's still not proof either way.

Allergic reactions and dry skin can become worse post menopause. Are you using HRT as well?

I used to take HRT until about 5. years ago, but no longer. Just finding things really difficult at the moment as I'm almost afraid to go out in case the hives flare up and I cant wear my normal clothes. Doctor I saw said they are caused by pressure on the skin (which is why clothes are a problem), but couldn't tell me why I had just become super sensitive to this - talked about autoimmune problems but wasnt sure what the cause was. Only thing I did differently this year was start Vagifem, but I myself think this is unlikely to be the problem. Thanks for replying anyway

I'm on HRT and use Vagifem daily. Happy with both, no side effects and intend to stay on both until death.

Can I please join in for some advice?
It's for my 82 year old mother.
She has had multiple gynae issues had a prolapse of the vaginal wall repair about 3 years ago since then terrible urinary frequency and leaking plus a really sore dry vaginal area.
She was diagnosed with an overactive bladder and was given Botox which helped with the frequency.
She was due to have a second dose of Botox yesterday with a local anaesthetic but due to her terrible genital soreness this could not go ahead.
Reading this makes me think some of her problems might be due to a lack of oestrogen which has never really been addressed. She was given an oestrogen cream but didn't really understand about using it.
I just found this thread by accident and wondered if you thought I should contact her gp and ask for vagifem or is that the same thing as the cream- think it's called ovoid ( or similar)
She even finds it painful to sit down she says

Oh your poor mum. So nice of you to try to help her.

I think there are several issues here.

I am younger than your mum but had a similar repair in my late 30s.

Ovestin (that's estrogen cream) won't repair a prolapse but it may well help her bladder stop being irritable.

It sounds as if she has had quite poor care perhaps? Overactive bladder can be helped by Botox but it's a bit extreme to start with that. Usually people are given Vesicare (drug) but if your mum has issues with drugs maybe they won't use that for her.

What is the main problem?

If it's going to the loo a lot, she ought to try vaginal estrogen. It has to be used forever, 14 days every day to start, then 2-3 x a week after that.
It could take 3 months for her to see real changes.

Feel free to ask away- I'm a health writer and have contact with professionals as well as having personal experience.

Re-reading, yes she does need vaginal estrogen. With Ovestin- a cream- you can use some externally too. Lots of older women use it- I've heard women in their 90s do! Most women that age will have urogenital atrophy caused by loss of estrogen. It can cause pain, frequent weeing. and very worst case of all, the vaginal walls can join together (fused) as they get so thin and dry.

Some people are given vaginal estrogen before repair ops as it helps the tissues heal. And of course, to use afterwards long term.