Experiences of Vagifem - side effects? Long term side effects?

[Flowersinthewateringcan]

I’m 50 and although I’m not having many hot flushes or night sweats etc I do have a few other potential peri related issues.

One being that, for the last few months I’ve been feeling a bit itchy and then very sore/stingy down below, it seems cyclical, mainly mid cycle and pre period. I don’t particularly enjoy sex anymore mainly because I just don’t feel in the mood for it but also because it leaves me feeling a little sore after.

Went to the GP today, explained all of this. She didn’t examine me just prescribed Vagifem. She said I’ll need it daily for the first 2 weeks then down to a maintenance level of one tablet twice a day.

Me being me (health anxiety sufferer!), I’ve googled reviews and side effects. Quite a few saying it helped immensely but others saying it caused anything from more irritation to uti’s and some saying it raised their blood pressure.

A few reviews said it caused terrible bloating which is my biggest concern as I suffer from awful daily IBS and certainly don’t relish the idea of further gut issues. I had an exacerbation of my gut issues when I trialled hrt and that has put me off trying again.

Does anyone use Vagifem? What has been your experience? Is it safe long term and does it carry the same risks as regular hrt?

Just started to use Vagirux for my bladder control I'm only 4 days in. Not sure if these are side affects or I'm just feeling lousy. I feel weak and tired and moody. I take oral hrt also been on that for 20 years so far.

What's your thoughts is my feeling unwell just a coincidence or is it the new hrt being introduced????

I would say it might just be a co-incidence? The estrogen in Vagirux is a low level and highly targeted, so pretty unlikely to cause a general problem throughout your body?
I think they have to categorise it as a type of 'HRT' but it's really not comparable in strength or side effect terms.

Night two, had awful period pains also a headache and bleeding. Just feel yuk! Is this normal. I don’t think I can use it tonight.

The period type pain can be normal but it's just your womb waking up a bit.
A minute amount is absorbed by the womb initially until the vaginal tissues thicken - not much as if there was you'd have to take progesterone as well, which isn't the case.

The headache may be a coincidence because the amount you've used in one day is minute. Using it for a whole year (doing it 2 x a week) is like taking 1 dose of HRT for a day.

Keep going.