Menopausal itching

[Applejack87]

Hi , I’m looking for advice , I’m menopausal & in the early stages . Over the last couple of days I’ve been experiencing thrush symptoms this is something I haven’t had in years . I’ve been reading up that the menopause can cause dryness because of the lack of eastrogen . I have taken a canestan tablet yesterday but I’m experiening lower tummy ache and the itching is awful . Any advice please

How old are you and when was your last period?
When I was 48 and peri, I kept getting irritation down below and useless doctor kept telling me it was thrush. I searched the web and came across info about VA, I have to admit I had never heard of it, I asked GP to prescribe Ovestin, I later changed to Vagifem and within a couple of weeks the symptoms improved and I haven’t looked back since.
Ask for some topical estrogen and get it started ASAP as it will only get worse.

Make sure you get proper instructions for using the topical estrogen gel. (Hint it goes inside, not on your labia) And current recommendations are to use it every day for the first month and then a few times a week after that.

Thankyou you so much for your replies & advice , the symptoms don't feel too bad today but I feel bloated & have a an ache that feels like a dull period ache in my lower abdomen... I'm due to have a full blood count so I will mention estrogen gel to my GP who is a lady & has probably been through it …

@SophiaAmes It's not estrogen gel you need (that's transdermal HRT part of systemic HRT.)

It's Ovestin CREAM or Vagifem (small tablet to go in vagina.)

It's used daily for 2 weeks then 2 x a week forever if needed.

Sorry @SofiaAmes

There was once a funny (but not for the poster) thread here about a GP who was insisting the poster used gel in her vagina. The GP was totally confused and this poor poster could have damaged herself as gel has a huge amount of alcohol in it PLUS it's totally the wrong product.

www.estrogel.com/

Sorry, using terms interchangeably - I think they use them differently here in the USA. Premarin is what I was prescribed.

jingling I was called in for an HRT review after I had been using Estrogel for a year, the GP who I saw asked me why I was using the Estrogel on my shoulders and not using it Vaginally, I put her straight and have avoided her since.

Does the ovistem or vagifem come with side effects ? I’m so confused with all the different medications

afaik the vagifem is an extremely low dose product, but as it is topical and "in the area" it is effective and efficient

I have the pessaries in conjunction with a mirena and it's amazing not to have niagrafalls style bleeding along with feeling like I had a pending urine infection

I highly recommend tbh!

@AppleJack87

What do you mean by side effects? Do you mean the small risks associated with HRT?

Vaginal estrogen is NOT HRT.

It's a localised cream/ pessary.
They give it to very old ladies in their 80s and 90s.

You might sometimes get some slight irritation when you first use it- but that settles down once the estrogen does its work.

Best not to over-think or expect problems- can be a self fulfilling prophecy!. If you are sore and itching, give it a go.

Vaginal estrogen should NOT just be given to women in their 80's and 90'. It can be helpful, and at least here in the USA, is often prescribed for women beginning in their 40's beginning to have peri-menopausal symptoms. It can help enormously. As Jingling said, it's a small amount of topical estrogen. However, it does help more than just the skin of your vagina. It can help with a variety of pelvic floor issues (like bladder leakage and painful sex). For the latter it should be combined with pelvic floor physical therapy and exercises.

@SofiaAmes, you've got the wrong end of the stick :)
I certainly didn't say vaginal estrogen was JUST given to elderly women- where on earth did that idea come from???

I said it could be given to elderly women to emphasise that it was not the same as systemic HRT's and did not carry the same small risks (though there are women in their 80s and 90s using full HRT- drs have told me that.)

The OP said she was confused about ''all the different medications'. That to me meant she wasn't sure of the difference between HRT and vaginal estrogen.

hey ho! Hope it's clear. (I' ve used it for 12 years so clearly know it's not just for 80 yr olds!)

Sorry. I misunderstood your statement that They give it to very old ladies in their 80s and 90s. to mean that that's all they do, and didn't understand what you meant to say was they even give it to....

I too am confused by all the different names of medications. I started my estrogen-seeking journey in the UK and then continued in the USA, so it's extra confusing. I didn't even know that estrogen was what I was after when I started. I just wanted the bladder leakage to stop!!!!