Vaginal Oestrogen

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

I have an appointment with my GP next week and want to ask for Vaginal Oestrogen. I'm 52 and I am noticing tearing so want to do something about that.
I have a mirena coil but won't use HRT. My DM had breast cancer before 40 and died of another hormonal cancer around my age. My menopause symptoms aren't bad enough to justify even a small risk.
However, my understanding is that vaginal oestrogens are pretty much risk free and so I want to give them a try. Which ones do people use and get on well with? Are there any that people have found problematic? I'd like to have an idea of options before speaking to the GP.

Ovestin is great.

But I would re visit the idea of HRT - even with the cancer history. The modern view has changed surrounding this. Google Louise Newson / Newson Health clinic.

Thanks for the recommendation.

I have had a look at Louise Newson's information and if my symptoms became problematic I would go and have a chat. It's just a tougher choice because I have few symptoms and a potentially increased risk plus the added complication of endometriosis. I think I would need speak to someone like her rather than just my GP as they wouldn't have the information.

I just had a consultation with Newson Health. It was £275, and I signed up in April, got onto the list to make an appointment in June and the first appointment was October. So I would advise you sign up, you can always push it back when you get to the top of the list.

The doctor there has suggested two things and written to my GP, and I had hoped my GP would just prescribe but they won't, they now want to see me (face to face, weirdly!) and obviously can't see me for another few weeks.

If my GP won't prescribe it will be wasted money because I can't afford a private prescription.

Anyway, I thought the cost and current wait list information was worth sharing.

My gp agreed to continue prescribing (on the nhs) the oestrogel and utrogestan suggested by Newson health. I think some GPs are more useful than others!

It’s definitely worth a look into. I’ve had to stop the HRT due to some issues with my pituitary tumour - long story but the oestrogen is affecting my levels- so I know only too well that it doesn’t suit everyone for various reasons.

Whatever you decide on the vaginal oestrogen, I’d highly recommend the Yes vaginal moisturiser and lube - they were very effective for me before I started on hrt, and we continue to use the lube now.

I can only speak for Vagifem - a small tablet that is inserted using an applicator. Really easy, twice a week (you can do 3 times if needed). The only thing I don't like is the waste (the applicators). As far as I understand the risk is either non existent or minuscule compared with HRT.

@VanGoghsDog I hope your gp will step up.
The cost of gel is around £9 (per month if using 2 squirts) and Utrogestan is around 40p per capsule x 12 per month.

I pay for private prescriptions so this is roughly what it costs.
So in total, you'd be looking at around £16 a month depending on how much gel you use. My bottle lasts me about 6 weeks because I only use 1 or 1.5 squirts a day.

Thank you all. This is really useful information. GP’s can be so variable on these sorts of topics. I had to go private to get my endo diagnosed so I want to go in with information this time.

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude There are other drs apart from Dr Newson. She's only been on the HRT 'scene' for a few years and some of us have been seeing other consultants for much longer . (She is actually a GP not a consultant, so if anyone needed anything other than HRT, she would have to pass them on to a consultant.)

She's done a lot of media work which is why she is now a 'success' but it does mean she has a very silly waiting list! And also, many women don't see or speak to her, but one of the 70 drs on her team.

Regarding vaginal estrogen, it is safe and can be used by women like you and even women who have had cancer.

I use Ovestin which is a cream form. I chose it over Vagifem simply because it can also be used externally for dryness compared to Vagifem which is a tiny pessary.

Ask me anything else you want to know, including other specialists.

[quote JinglingHellsBells]@VanGoghsDog I hope your gp will step up.
The cost of gel is around £9 (per month if using 2 squirts) and Utrogestan is around 40p per capsule x 12 per month.

I pay for private prescriptions so this is roughly what it costs.
So in total, you'd be looking at around £16 a month depending on how much gel you use. My bottle lasts me about 6 weeks because I only use 1 or 1.5 squirts a day.[/quote]
This is really useful to know, thank you. I had it in my head that HRT was thousands of pounds I can certainly afford £16pm ish!

I've gone for patches for osteogen, I think the dosing will be easier as I have to start low. And the progesterone is oral but she said I could use it alternate days as a pessary instead which I will do to start as - a) it will be half the cost, and b) I am allergic to some progesterone so I can hoik it out if I get symptoms and it hasn't entirely dissolved, plus she seems to think that not ingesting will mean less likelihood of the allergy presenting anyway. But it's all a bit of an experiment.

Thank you Jingling. I am going to do some more research and I may well ask for a recommendation for good consultants.

I think the vaginal oestrogen is worth a try. I am also prone to UTI so it will have double benefit.

Yes, it wasn't Louise Newson herself I saw, it was another GP.

I'd happily see another doctor or pay for a consultant if needed, I don't think the NHS is very reliable in this area.

@VanGoghsDog if you go to the website of Menopause Matters and choose HRT from the side bar, it has all the types and the costs. I think patches are slightly more £££ than gel.

Just add @VanGoghsDog, the prices on MM website are not RRP they are what the NHS would pay, so a private prescription adds on a bit more- pharmacies vary and some add more than others!

I use vaginal oestrogen. I had an early menopause. First started off with the tablets to insert, was ok for years, then ran into problems so have switched to a vaginal cream which seems much better for me. On the NHS via my GP.

@JinglingHellsBells

Just add *@VanGoghsDog*, the prices on MM website are not RRP they are what the NHS would pay, so a private prescription adds on a bit more- pharmacies vary and some add more than others!

Thank you. I've looked at that website before but never seen that section.

GP on 1st, so not too far off I guess. (Still not quite sure why she needs to see me face to face - maybe to check how exhausted I really look?)

Quick question - I’ve had vaginal dryness and itching etc, saw gp who prescribed the vagifem estrogen tablets that I insert. I did this every day for 2 weeks all good, my symptoms disappeared but now I’m on to twice a week the symptoms are back and it’s driving me mad again. Is there anything I can buy otc to help or wtaf can I do. Been menopausal for over 10 years and thought I was over it, but now this bloody awful development with an awful name. Atrophy. Wtaf

@Cheermonger

Quick question - I’ve had vaginal dryness and itching etc, saw gp who prescribed the vagifem estrogen tablets that I insert. I did this every day for 2 weeks all good, my symptoms disappeared but now I’m on to twice a week the symptoms are back and it’s driving me mad again. Is there anything I can buy otc to help or wtaf can I do. Been menopausal for over 10 years and thought I was over it, but now this bloody awful development with an awful name. Atrophy. Wtaf

Increase to 3 x a week, or even 4 x to see if it helps.

I had a private prescription from Louise Newson for Ovestin. The cost might seem a lot but I got a year’s supply so it worked out as slightly more expensive than a normal prescription but not by a lot.

@Cheermonger

Quick question - I’ve had vaginal dryness and itching etc, saw gp who prescribed the vagifem estrogen tablets that I insert. I did this every day for 2 weeks all good, my symptoms disappeared but now I’m on to twice a week the symptoms are back and it’s driving me mad again. Is there anything I can buy otc to help or wtaf can I do. Been menopausal for over 10 years and thought I was over it, but now this bloody awful development with an awful name. Atrophy. Wtaf

I use Replens on the days in between I use Ovestin- I have sjorgens syndrome which means I don’t produce any moisture at all (in my eyes as well as vaginally - it’s an autoimmune disease). You can order Replens online from places like Amazon or you can get it prescribed and it’s hormone free. You can also use it externally around the vulva. I find it really good. Some people don’t like it because initially it can cause some white clumps which are dead skin cells shedding and clumping together but if you keep going with it it does stop.

Ovestin I also find better than Vagifem as you can use it externally as well as it’s a cream which suits me better.

I have used vagifem for some time. It’s stopped the UTIs but not the itching and dryness. I wonder if Inshousknask for the cream. How do YouView it?

I may have found my people. I'm 43 and still having regular periods (so not sure if I'm menopausal) but vaginal dryness has really put the stoppers on our sex life for the last couple of months.

Wondering if any if the creams mentioned might help me

I use vagifem twice weekly, started off in the cream but found it too messy
No more dryness for me

I might have to look into this. I’m 2.5 years post hysterectomy (I’m 48) so I have no clue where I am in the whole scheme of menopause.

I have occasional hot flushes which are bearable but have vaginal dryness, soreness and itching which are less so. Sex is starting to be pretty painful even with lube.

I can’t use normal hrt as I am still riddled with endometriosis and it’s like kryptonite. I have to have an implant still to keep it under control.

If it stops the painful sex I’m in!

I think I am going ask about the cream as I would like to use it externally as well.
Barry I have endometriosis and adenomyosis so that is another reason am wary about HRT but everything I’ve read suggests vaginal oestrogen is very localised in its effect.