Vaginal estrogen - side effects?

[Sadik]

I'm 52 and only 1 period in the last 2.5 years, so well into menopause territory.
On the whole I've had relatively few & manageable symptoms. But I'm now getting a lot of itching around my vulva as well as vaginal dryness so thinking to ask the GP about vaginal estrogen. Just wondering what sort of side effects if any others have experienced from just vaginal estrogen without any other HRT?

No side effects at all. The amount of oestrogen in Ovestin and Vagifem is so low it doesn’t even register in blood tests so unless you’re allergic to any of the ingredients you shouldn’t have any side effects at all. Ovestin has been life changing for me - I have sjorgens syndrome and have extreme dryness which used to cause recurrent thrush and UTIs. However, I would consider systemic HRT as well - I have oestrogel, utrogestan and take the mini pill.

@Bagelsandbrie Can I ask how you were diagnosed with Sjogrens? I suffer with dry skin/eyes/vagina and I'm only 37 so I'm hoping it's not menopause! I also suffer with recurring UTIs and thrush and your post is making me wonder. Are there any other symptoms I should be looking out for beyond what Google tells me?

None, OP.

Maybe slight irritation at first but it disappeared quickly.

BTW it's not classed as HRT.

It's topical estrogen.

[quote polkadotpixie]@Bagelsandbrie Can I ask how you were diagnosed with Sjogrens? I suffer with dry skin/eyes/vagina and I'm only 37 so I'm hoping it's not menopause! I also suffer with recurring UTIs and thrush and your post is making me wonder. Are there any other symptoms I should be looking out for beyond what Google tells me?[/quote]
I was actually diagnosed based on symptoms, which is quite unusual as I’m on a sjorgens forum and most people seem to have biopsies (lips) and blood tests. I think with me it was a process of elimination because I already have Addison’s, asthma, pituitary issues, hypothyroidism etc etc so when I was referred to rheumatology and had all the symptoms of lupus and sjorgens (which often overlap) they just “knew” that’s what it was despite most of my blood work being normal. If you think you have it ask for a referral to rheumatology as they’re the ones who’d diagnose it. My symptoms were recurrent thrush, recurrent UTIs, terrible dry eyes, oesophageal thrush that was awful to the point I could barely swallow etc.

No side effects whatsoever. Just blessed relief at feeling normal again.

That's really good to know - it's only that I read the threads about HRT & I'm always alarmed by the side-effects people are listing (which sound much worse than my experience of menopause so far, though of course that may change) and I figured it would just be worth asking!