Estring or vagifem

[Fingerbobs]

More VA joy, sorry. I’m really struggling with VA (not least with feelings of furious anger that it wasn’t explicitly addressed the first time I went to the GP three years ago...) but anyway.
I’m currently using the rubber-ring-up-the-fanjo as I didn’t like the ovestin cream you shove up with the plastic thing and wanted something I didn’t have to think about. In terms of dryness the estring is working but I have to take it out before sex, which all feels very in-spontaneous and is making me miserable in a new and different way. (Story of my menopause really - feel miserable about x, seek treatment, treatment makes me miserable about y.) I gather vagifem is tablets instead, is that right? Are they easy? Forgettable? Effective? Also has anyone tried an internal pelvic floor trainer device eg Elvie or similar, and did it make any difference?
I’m not on HRT. I tried twice and my mental health went through the floor both times; haven’t had a period for years (early menopause masked by contraceptive implant). It seems that I’m now too far down the road for them to try HRT again, assuming I wanted to risk it.
Thanks in advance for any help or advice. I’m only 48 and feel as though I am shrivelling and ancient, it is all a bit grim

The vagifem is good. You use it daily for 14 days and then twice per week. I haven't tried any of the things you mentioned. I find hrt is a good help.

You’re never too far down the road to try HRT again. If you can afford it or bung it on a credit card get a private appointment with someone from the Newson Health clinic - have a google of their website, lots of free resources on there too. Also watch some of the Hrt videos from Dr Louise Newson on You tube. I have multiple health issues and went through early menopause at 38 and began HRT with them and it’s literally changed my life.

I have oestrogel and utrogestan and I take the mini pill. I also have Ovestin cream. I know you said you couldn’t get on with it but I really think it’s brilliant. If you can just get over the whole tube thing it’s only twice a week and it makes such a difference.

Vagifem are pessaries or 'vaginal inserts'. Horrible name - obvs invented by a bloke IMHO.
You have to use them every night for a month and then twice a week.
They look like little white tablets and come in disposable plastic inserters things, shocking amount of waste.
I prefer them to the cream you squirt in, there is far less oozing out afterwards [TMI? Sorry!]
The effects take a while to kick in, but I found it worth persevering. Every so often the VA symptoms have reappeared, in my case dryness and soreness and symptoms like cystitis, so I ramp up the use of the Vagifem until it calms down again.
They're supposed to be safe, they are a 'topical' treatment ie aimed at where the hormone is needed not going round your whole system.
On balance I've found them to be OK. They deal with the problem.
If only they weren't called Vagifem and could be supplied with one reusable inserter-thing, not oodles of plastic waste they'd be perfect.

I hope you resolve your problems, this stuff is indeed grim.

www.newsonhealth.co.uk/

Vagifem is really easy to use, I find it effective. It's a pity about the single use plastic but a couple of slim applicators a week isn't that much.

Wow thanks for quick replies! The plastic waste was definitely an issue for me too, but perhaps tablets would be better than gunk. Am now off to have a look at the Newsome site, thank you v much.

I was prescribed vagifem a few years ago when I was suffering greatly with VA. I used them for two weeks every night then it’s supposed to be twice a week but it depends on how your symptoms are. I had to use them every other night and it took at least 6 weeks before things started to improve.
Now vagifem is not being prescribed by my gp as it is off licence and an alternative is being given which does have a reusable applicator. Now I use them 3 times a week and I’ve never looked back. Brilliant and safe.

Another thing to consider is Replens. You can get it on prescription or buy it either in the pharmacy or from Amazon but it’s hormone free so you can use it alongside any other treatment including Ovestin and Vagifem. It does come with an applicator you use like Ovestin but personally I find just using it externally rather than inside seems to help a lot on the days that I don’t use Ovestin.

It took a few goes for me to get my HRT balance right - I've got a Mirena specifically for HRT use, plus patches, plus Ovestin cream and between them they are great for me (horses for courses etc).

I did have to go to a private HRT specialist to get this right - she was recommended by my excellent GP - but it was well worth the investment.

(I did discover there are two areas: one 10x less concentrated than the other so you have to put 10x as much up there which was pretty grim, if I hadn't had the Ovestin one which only needs a little bit then I'd have given up with that straight away).

Two CREAMS not areas!

Now vagifem is not being prescribed by my gp as it is off licence

Is it? Do you mean it's out of patent and there are generics now?

and an alternative is being given which does have a reusable applicator.

I'd be interested to know what that is please.

Yes ErrolTheDragon my pharmacy told me it’s out of patent so alternatives are being supplied which I assume are a lot cheaper for the nhs.
First prescription I was given was just called estradiol 10 micro grams vaginal tablets which came with 2 reusable applicators. The second one is called vagirux which has one applicator. Lots less packaging.

Thanks, I may put a note on my next repeat prescription request that I'd be willing to try one of those generics.

Errol I'd been using Vagifem for 18months and it has been great, but for my most recent repeat prescription I was given Vagirux instead, which works just as well but has just 1 multi-use applicator with 24 tablets. (I don't actually use the applicator, but find a finger works just as well. I've no idea why they keep supplying these unnecessary pieces of plastic.)