Does this sound like vaginal atrophy?

[newnamenellie]

I’m 46 (47 in September). For the last couple of months, my cycle has been erratic and I’ve suffered from one sided breast pain both before and during my period. Around the time this started, I also developed some soreness around my vulva. There’s no discharge and it’s definitely more sore than itchy. It kind of feels like thrush in terms of it bring a sort of dry, burning sensation but I know it’s not that. It went away briefly for about ten days or so, but has now returned as my period has ended.

What does VA feel like and could this be it?

My GP has done a breast exam and confirmed that the pain is hormonal, but I didn’t mention the vulva issue as it wasn’t dire at the time.

sore not dire!!

Yes, in a word. I spent a small fortune on thrush treatments in my late 40s and they never had any lasting effect and I wasn't sure I even had thrush although the symptoms were similar. I started with vaginal estrogen in my early 50s and all that burning or stingy stuff went away.

@JinglingHellsBells thanks for your reply. It’s so uncomfortable sometimes and sort of come out of nowhere, though my hormones are definitely going strange things recently.

Definitely sounds like VA. You can try Replens as an OTC treatment. It is hormone free but works well - I used it successfully for the last few years - apply every 3 days. I’ve just started HRT this week & been prescribed Vagifem which is an oestrogen based VA treatment.

@EdinaMonsoon thanks for replying. It’s really sore at the moment, made worse by my period I think.

I had some relief using Multigyn Actigel and for about a week it seemed much better, but now back to square one.

I will have to go to my GP I think.

I use ovestin cream. Really helps and get it on prescription.

@GreenSalon thanks. Yes, I’ve read about Ovestin cream.

Did you get a diagnosis of VA or was it a case of being given the cream to try?

I had to try a few gels that don’t work and then GP prescribed Ovestin but it wasn’t based on any real knowledge on her part or diagnosis by examination. Fortunately I then saw a gynaecologist for something unrelated not long after who said immediately on examination that it was VA and to use ovestin as much as needed and to effectively ignore the limited GP dosage. So I “load” with it daily for six weeks (on her advice) when needed and then drop to twice a week. I always have a battle with the surgery getting enough tubes to do that and have to explain the gynae recommendation (same with testosterone gel I get). Tbh I don’t need it all the time now and can go for a while without it and then symptoms reappear mainly if I’m out of whack with my overall HRT regime. No evidence for that though other than my own experience. It’s very sore and uncomfortable when it’s bad though so I feel for you.

@GreenSalon it sounds as though you were lucky to be seen by someone who knew what they were doing! That’s my concern, that the GP won’t be interested or will assume it’s something else (which it may be). May I ask if how early this developed in your case? I’m only just becoming aware of peri symptoms such as my cycle changing and unusual breast tenderness, so I wasn’t necessarily expecting VA to rear its head at this stage. Also, how would you describe the soreness (if you don’t mind me asking)? I find it very hard to describe accurately although I think I would say stingy, sometimes prickly or burning. It’s not really worse when I go to the loo, although I tend to dab rather than wipe myself as that can be sore. If I touch it, I can’t really say that it’s sore in that way. There was some redness when I looked the other day. Absolutely no itching though.

Symptoms wise it came on about two years on from first being defined as peri menopausal though personally I ’ve had a fast journey through many menopause symptoms.
It’s hard to describe other than a sense of being sore and dry. No pain really when going to the loo but a little itchy I think mainly due to dryness.

Thanks @GreenSalon. I’m not sure what other symptoms I have or even if I’m in peri as it’s only something that’s occurred to me recently when my hormones started acting up a as is affecting my periods. I’ve do sometimes wake up very hot in the night but that’s not a new thing particularly. I’ve also noticed that I’m a little slow to think of the right word sometimes which could be a symptom I suppose.

I’m going to make a GP appointment anyway and see what they say.