vaginal oestrogen from GP?

[nfkl]

Hi all,
F46 here. I have started perimenopause, but luckily with very few symptoms.
But my cycle is getting very slow (50+ days) since the beginning of the year, I had hot flushes and sweats last month (getting back on my magnesium and hormonal balance supplements sorted it out in a few weeks) ... but I m still having two issues down there: a neverending merry-go-round of bv, thrush, utis after sex despite all precautions, and sorry for the detail, a reduction in size of my c, which is affecting my sex life as well.

From web search, seems a topical vaginal oestrogen like Estriol could be solution.

But I have not talked to my GP about it yet.
Has anyone else had this discussion with their dr before? Is it common? Are they going to try to put me on a full combi HRT by default?
Is it worth taking the risk (direct breast cancer in the family)? Studies seem to say that this kind of treatment does not raise significantly the risk, that s the reason I would like to try this cream but still wary of HRT in general (and I don t have the symptoms that justify it)

I m afraid to find either a gp who s against HRT in general or one who will push for me take a combi/bigger dosage, etc.

Any thought welcome, thanks

I struggled to get vaginal oestrogen as part of my HRT and my GP only prescribed it after I had seen a specialist for recurrent uti.

It sorted out the uti issue. I'm not sure it would do much for thrush though?

Ask your GP for Ovestin. They'll either say yes, in which case that's grand; or they will be a bit awkward in which case you quote the NICE Guidelines at them and remind them again that you are female, over 45, and have peri-menopausal symptoms (which you then describe as per your OP).

You can buy vaginal oestrogen over the counter now. There's one called Gina.

www.mygina.co.uk/?cid=pse-g1ites8imu&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInf7eq4CNgQMV0vDtCh3q9wYzEAAYASAAEgLeyPD_BwE

There are no risks using vaginal estrogen @nfkl

If you use vaginal estrogen for a year, at the stated dose, it's the same amount of estrogen that you would have from one day on systemic HRT.

Yes, it's very common to need this. Most women do but some are too embarrassed to talk about it or see a dr.

As PP said, you can buy Gina (which is Vagifem on prescription) over the counter now.

If you need cream (I assume 'C' is your clitoris) then you need Ovestin from your GP. Same stuff as Gina, very weak, but Gina is a pessary.

I’m 35 and use Ovestin because of recurrent yeast infections, didn’t have an issue getting it when I asked for it.

Have you used womens probiotics? They can make a huge difference. Optibac are good.

Thank you all so much for all the detailed info you shared, I feel so much better reading you, I know where to start:

I am going to try Gina straightaway and book an appointment with my GP for Ovestin.
I had started to take Optibac 1y or so ago, and it helped but I stopped (constipation), I should actually go back on it, maybe with lower dose?
My ph needs all the help it can get...

I had never known that a clitoris could shrink because of peri/hormones, it s by reading articles about menopause that I connected the dots with my situation. (I bet you that if guys saw their stuff shrink with age, there would be research institutes and public health campaigns all about it)

In general, my game changer for peri has been Purolabs Hormonal Balance.
Also started 1y+ ago to regulate my hormones, the magnesium in it has been a blessing, I have never slept so well in my adult life.

And because all was fine, I also started to skip taking them. Silly me! Last month, hot flushes and night sweats appeared all at once. Started Purolabs again, both symptoms halved in 3 days, disappeared in 3 weeks.

Thanks a lot to all of you again for sharing your knowledge!

Ovestin has been a life saver for me. It’s been marvellous. Hope it works for you too x

@nfkl Just want to mention something about the supplement you are taking. The main ingredient is 400mcgs of calcium. There has been some concern lately about calcium supplements as they can lead to hardening of the arteries. The calcium in supplements ends up there, rather than being absorbed more easily when it's in normal food. If you wanted to try some of the other ingredients in that supplement (like sage which is the only one that may reduce flushes) it's better to choose individual supplements. There's a bit of pseudo science in their marketing because nothing 'balances hormones' (except prescribed hormones) -they refer to Vit B6 and this cannot balance hormones. It's found in most foods we eat anyway.

It was a game changer for me. I had constant thrush and what felt like a UTI. I could have kissed my GP a few days after using it. Such a relief.

Hi,

GP here and I would absolutely consider topical HRT for you.

Systemic HRT also an option, but obviously risks and benefits for you to consider.

Topical is not shown to increase breast cancer risk with your family history concern.

Hope you can have a good discussion with your GP and get a plan in place

So so many thanks,
I really needed the perspective from women going through the same and knowledgeable, this has clarified things so much!!

Sorry to jump on but can I ask the ladies who found relief from uti type symptoms, did they find ovestin or vagifem to be more effective?

I had a bad reaction to Vagifem. Ovestin did the trick for me. Vagifem is estradiol and Ovestin is estriol. Just see what works for you x

You can get Ovestin online from Superdrug. You have to fill out a medical questionnaire and one of their doctors reviews it. If all is OK, you get can pick it up in store or have it posted to you. It's a really excellent service.

Thanks so much.

I have vagifem pessary - so a tablet up there twice a week

I started with the cream but that was awful as very messy!!

I've been taking it for a couple of years now since 42 for prolapse and it's great

Feel a bit itchy if I've forgotten to take it