Vaginal dryness & itch

[Queenofthesilverdollar]

Please help I am desperate I am peri menopausal

I have a dry vagina and every night my perineum itches like mad. I have tried vagisil, ky, sudocream all made it worse

I am desperate

Resources like rock my menopause, and menopause matters are helpful place to start.

I would suggest you need to chat with your GP, likely need and examination of the area with a swab to Exclude infection, and then you need Vaginal oestrogen. Only contraindication is some breast cancer patients. Works wonders. We should all be in it for life.

Hope that helps

Thank you I have had swabs and oestrogen which only helps a bit

Thanks for website info will look

Worth trying Balance Activ Moisture pessaries as well as the topical oestrogen

Great. If you know there is no other underlying problem, persevere with oestrogen

Use regularly and religiously in combination with a moisturiser like sylk.

Oestrogen comes in cream, pessaries or a ring.

If that’s not enough, strongly consider systemic HRT if no contraindications

Great book called my menopausal vagina. Would be right up your street!

www.mymenopausalvagina.co.uk/

I use aqueous cream which is lovely & soothing , and for the itching take Benadryl which was recommended on a womens health site ... i found it helpful and it helped massively to stop the itch cycle.

Try’Yes’ moisturiser it’s brilliant.

@Queenofthesilverdollar Are you using vagifem or Ovestin? You can apply Ovestin outside too on the vulva. You need to give it at least 6-12 weeks to see good improvement and sometimes more than twice a week. Don't waste money on over the counter stuff- it's estogren you need.

@IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls The Benadryl is an anti histamine - it won't make your vagina and vulva young and healthy again! See your GP for the proper stuff because without proper treatment it will only get worse in years to come when reversing the loss of healthy tissue is harder.

@JinglingHellsBells im aware of that ( im a nurse ) and i have seen my GP .

It does help with itching though and quite a few women use it for this reason at night .

any over the counter creams?

I’d also highly recommend the Yes moisturiser, and also the lube if you’re sexually active! It’s made so much difference to me!

@IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls Anything to stop the itching is not actually treating the underlying cause. Ovestin and Vagifem are very safe and prescribed to women in their 80s and 90s.

This condition affects at least half of all women and probably more as they are embarrassed to see their GP for help.

Over the counter stuff is a bit like a sticking plaster- it might help a bit but it doesn't reverse the changes caused by loss of estrogen.

I've used Ovestin for around 14 years and wouldn't be without it. As well as itching my main symptoms was weeing too much, up at night, and urgency.

If you do have symptoms it's important to get the right help- long term some older women find their vaginal walls bleed as they are so thin and sore, and can even close up completely.

Go to the GP. Sounds like lichenosis (sp?). My mum has it. Needs treatment

Lichen Sclerosis is a definite possibility and will require steroid cream to control it so you need to see your GP. The earlier you can start treatment the better.

@JinglingHellsBells im fairly sure you are not a leading authority on itchy vulvas ... neither am i which is why i refer to my GP & Patient.co.uk for advice.

Anti - histamine is a treatment for vulval atrophy & indeed lichen until steroids have helped because it helps to manage the symptom of itching.

You cant stop atrophy - so topical or PV oestrogen are no different in the respect that they help to manage the symptom.

You might not agree with antihistamines but lots of women on here do and have found them very helpful at night.

"What treatments might I have?
Most symptoms respond to simple measures, such as avoiding irritants, using a soap substitute for cleansing and making sure the skin is moisturised, but sometimes treatment is needed. The type of treatment will depend on which skin condition you have.
Medication such as antihistamines or anti-itching drugs may help, especially if you are having difficulty sleeping.
If you have lichen sclerosus or lichen planus, you may need to use steroid ointment. This will improve symptoms for most women. Once treatment is completed, the colour and texture of your skin may not return to normal. Women under the age of 50 tend to respond best to these treatments. Unfortunately, symptoms often come back and long-term treatment may be needed.
About 1 in 10 women with lichen sclerosus have symptoms that do not improve with steroids. If this happens, you should be referred to a specialist clinic.
If your skin is pale, which suggests a lack of estrogen, you may be offered a short course of estrogen cream.
Candida is treated with antifungal tablets and creams. If you have candida that keeps coming back, you may need treatment for a longer period, often up to 6 months.
Most conditions of the vulva will be helped by these simple measures. If your symptoms persist despite treatment, it is important to tell your GP, who should refer you to a specialist."

@IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls I am actually a health writer and write/ have written for Patient along with other similar sites . My writing is checked by specialists/ UK menopause experts who I speak to in order to inform others.

I'm not sure where you got your info that you cannot stop VA. That is completely incorrect. I hope you aren't saying that to women!

The whole point of estrogen replacement in the vagina is it does reverse changes but has to be used long term, for life.

This is all in the NICE guidance above.

Where have you copied and pasted that from @IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls? Can you link to it please? It's not my piece and it's out of context so can't see what condition it's under. obviously it's linking together a whole lot of issues and doesn't mention vaginal atrophy in menopause.

Antihistmanines are actually drying- they dry all mucous membranes in the body and that will include the vagina and vulva.

Thanks all there is loads of helpful stuff. I have vagifem pessaries.

Replens is good 👍

Anyone here currently using ovestin , I wanted some advice please

I’ve been using Vagifem and it’s worked really well on the tissue inside my vagina. My consultant has also now prescribed Ovestin to be used topically all over vulva and perineum.

She says this will prevent vaginal atrophy so I’m a bit baffled by the PP saying this is impossible .

OP, how often are you using the vagifem? I normally use alternate nights and did the 2 week daily dose a while ago but my doctor said to restart a 14 day everyday regime if I felt I needed it.

Hi I’m currently using ovestin but I insert it, can I use externally too? The questions I need help with, I use the cream twice weekly, so I am supposed to abstain from sex on those days? Also the next day I find cream in my underwear , is it supposed to do that or absorb in during the night?