Menopausal vag dryness

[pointysnip]

I'm 54 and just about post menopause and suddenly experiencing vaginal dryness which is making it all a bit sore down there. Not currently sexually active. I might try some Oestrogen cream from the GP but thought first I'd try the vaginal moisturizer...any advice? Are they worth it? Which are the most i effective ?

I've never bothered with OTC stuff- can't see the point. My understanding is they coat the surface and provide some lube, but that's it. I think one of them is Sylk?? Or another is Replens? My own opinion FWIW is that these are aimed at women who don't want to bother their GP ( too shy?) or who can't use any hormone treatments for medical reasons.
Oestrogen cream actually changes the cells so they 'plump up' and helps the urethra and bladder too, which OTC stuff can't.

Info here

www.menopausematters.co.uk/dryness.php

Lot of women use both the Replens as well as vagifem. You should go to the gp for something but in the meantime start with the Replens so you will feel more comfortable.

I would go for the oestrogen cream. It will also improve the pH too.

I find moisturisers on their own give me thrush -

Go straight for the Vagifem or Ovestin, needs treating early as it will only get worse.

Vagifem pessaries on prescription. You'll still need lube if you're having sex, as well. A gynaecologist on Woman's Hour the other day was saying no post-menopausal woman should attempt to have sex without lube.

no post-menopausal woman should attempt to have sex without lube.

Doesn't it depend on what your fanjo is like? Or if you are using HRT / vaginal HRT or both?

If you are, you probably don't need lube. I don't.

Vaginal HRT, eg Vagifem, helps with lubrication, and a bit extra helps as well. I'm only quoting that gynae.

I wouldn't be using any kind of estrogen cream without progesterone too op. Estrogen causes heaps of health problems, either immediately or further down the line. Progesterone is safe and protective. (Unless you use too little, eg 20-40mg which stimulates estrogen.)

Check out Wray Whyte for more info.

I know, but It's a personal choice. Some women find systemic HRT quite enough (read their comments on 'another' forum) , some use only local HRT, - it all depends. My gynae has never ever told me to do what this one on WH said . I've had treatment for 9 years and we do discuss these matters

April - is that a little advert? Cos using vaginal oestrogen doesn't require progesterone- check with the new NICE report if you are unsure.

raypeat.com/articles/aging/aging-estrogen-progesterone.shtml

raypeat.com/articles/articles/progesterone-summaries.shtml

raypeat.com/articles/hormones/h1.shtml

These are long but very interesting reads.

Lots of menopausal stories on progesteronetherapy.com for anyone here interested in the dangers of unbalanced/excess estrogen and the many wonders of progesterone. (Diet is important when using the latter.)

Good luck with any treatment you do choose op. Goodness knows we have to put up with enough as it is, being female.

Omega 7 that comes from sea buck thorn oil 😊

Polly.

Advert What an odd comment. I'm selling what exactly? I'm currently a sahm for what it's worth.

Ignorance is bliss my dear. Read the articles, read the studies.

The reason many progesterone labels come with cancer warnings by the way, is because estrogen (excess/unbalanced) is linked to it. Progesterone actually protects. As I said, if too low an amount of progesterone is used it can stimulate estrogen receptors. You need the progesterone to outweigh the estrogen. Hormones are serious business and they will always come with warnings. It's nothing to get into lightly.

Do some research for yourself beyond government claims and NHS websites and the like.

Progesterone protects. That's a fact.

Oestrogen cream or pessaries is better than OTC stuff because it replaces the oestrogen.

Lack of oestrogen (as is usual peri and post menopause) not only causes dryness, but thinning of the skin, itching, and susceptibility to infection.

Ask your GP to prescribe it.

raypeat.com/articles/articles/hot-flashes-energy-aging.shtml

raypeat.com/articles/articles/natural-estrogens.shtml

I shall not link to Wray Whyte's many many many helpful pages and links to studies, as I am in no affiliated with her, but feel free to take a wander yourself should you feel the need. I would so hate to be accused of making a 'little advert' again. My only aim when I discuss hormones is to help women whom have suffered like I.

Ignorance is bliss my dear. Read the articles, read the studies.

Precisely. Read the NICE report. I don't need to read anything thanks.

This is progesterone cream, from the US, supposed to work? Doesn't, no science anywhere to prove it, been discussed a million times on forums.

Polly

Did you read any of the articles I posted? Not just skimmed, but actually read them?

Estrogen has been proven to cause so many negative health problems. Cancers, infertility, pms, abnormal blood clotting. This has been proven.

Yes we need estrogen. We don't need excess though, and we also need progesterone to protect against the negative effects of it.

This is fact.

I feel really bad for you, genuinely. It is so sad to see woman kept in the dark, misinformed by their gp's or believing the wrong information issued to the public. Do you think a diet full of whole grains is good for you too? Probably.

Everything I have said is the truth.

If you truly believe excess estrogen with low progesterone is good for you then I fear for you and anyone else believing that.

Most women have problems with the creams because they believe the outdated advice that a low amount is enough. If it is not, it stimulates estrogen. Once you hit a high enough level and dominate the estrogen things gradually get better. It takes time. A lot of women struggle and give up to soon. I did that in the past. Sometimes an inefficient thyroid needs taking care of as well. A good vitamin D level and lots of protein is extremely important also, everything works together.

If I listened to sites and studies like that (and people like you) I would still be sick with hair loss, endometriosis, infertility, severe tinnitus, suicide, severe depression, anxiety, severe pms, super thin wrinkly skin, hot flashes and dry vagina. (In my mid twenties!) I might have looked forward to cancer in my mid to old life age too.

I'm a completely different person inside and out. Because I looked past websites like NICE and found what will really help me, and protect me long term. It wasn't easy, it took a long term. I wrote on forums how it wasn't working and kept wanting to give up. I didn't and just look at me now. If anyone here is reading this I urge you to ignore Polly and read the articles. You owe it to yourself to live a longer, happier, healthier life. Burdening your body with excess estrogen without enough progesterone is not the way to do that. Your grandchildren will know this but for now you will have to take it upon yourself to learn the truth. My gps hadn't heard of any of this, and everything they did just made me sicker. It's not their fault, in many years to come they will be taught. We are always learning it just takes a while for the info to get down to people like us.

i don't need to read anything, thanks

This says everything about you Polly.

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but the stories you're reading Polly are women a lot like yourself. Just misinformed or not told the full picture, so they struggle to find success balancing their hormones. It is such a tricky business, especially when you are accidentally doing the wrong things. (Like myself before I learned a lot.)

Anyhow, I'm off now Polly. Eat your grains and pufa and take your estrogen from your gp without your progesterone to counter. Good luck in life 👍🏻

P.S I don't even use the creams. I take it in a more efficient form. Heaven forbid I discuss that though, and make myself into a little advert.

April- the idea those links perpetuate is the 'oestrogen-dominance' myth which was started by DrJohn Lee. I read about it almost 10, maybe 15 years ago. If you read about it, the cream they advocate cannot be used by the body- chemically it is impossible for it to be turned into a type of progesterone used by us.

You make a lot of assumptions about me! Even about diet! How rude of you.

The oestrogen cream/pessary just replaces the oestrogen your post-menopausal body isn't producing. It is a very small amount, applied locally to relieve the dryness and soreness. It works.

Yup, it works. I haven't caught suicide from it yet, but I'm still having sex with great pleasure although I'm quite old.

Yes!

I think April is getting confused because she's talking about a whole load of different things, mainly the theory of oestrogen dominance during peri menopause.

Anyone using HRT has to use progestogens/ progesterone if they have a uterus. These are the rules around prescribing. No one in the UK is giving oestrogen alone to women with a uterus.

But using a weak vaginal cream is something totally different . It's not absorbed into the body. That's why NICE says you don't need to use progestogens with vaginal cream.

A years use of Vagifem is apparently equivalent to one oral HRT tablet a year. So
no need for progesterone.

I have a vaginal ring. I can forget about it for 3 months then do somersaults trying to get it out
It works though. I was in a lot of pain.

I was thinking about giving the Estring a go, bit of a faff having to use Vagifem every night.