Burning/ UTI sensation

[Mimosa834]

Hello I hope this is the right place to ask. I’ve recently noticed some discomfort before my period with feeling dry down there (I found sex uncomfortable a couple of times, and was using lube).

Last week I felt like I had a uti, I was prescribed nitrofurantoin for 3 days which I finished yesterday. I can still feel a burning sensation but I can’t tell if it’s a uti or if it’s my vagina, it just feels uncomfortable down there (burning) in general. I don’t think it is thrush. My periods are pretty regular, but cycles are either a bit shorter or a bit longer. I have one ovary so believe menopause will start a bit earlier. I’m 43.

I’m going abroad tomorrow and feel so anxious, and confused about what my symptoms are. :(

There are numerous threads on this including one recently.

You're quite young at 43 (unless you're in peri) but this is usually due to loss of estrogen.

The treatment is vaginal estrogen as a cream or a tiny pessary. Brand names are Ovestin or Vagifem.

It's called vaginal atrophy although more recently, the term Genito Menopause Syndrome/symptoms.

Loss of estrogen affects the bladder lining and the vagina.

You can buy this OTC as Gina BUt you won't qualify at 43. You'd be asked questions and it's licensed for OTC use in women over 50.

Depending where you're going abroad you might be able to buy the treatment OTC as their rules are different.

Thanks for your reply and for the helpful info. I did read about vaginal atrophy just recently, can this be diagnosed by examination? It’s good that it can be treated. I don’t know if I’m perimenopausal as I don’t have any other symptoms. I know my ovarian reserve is low because I had ivf a few years back, but the consultant said that could also be because I had an ovary removed. I only noticed discomfort just before my period and it’s only happened a couple of times in the last few months. It could be a stubborn uti but think the nitrofurantoin would have kicked in by now.

You don't need to be examined.
A dr should recognise your symptoms from what you describe.

If you are desperate you can buy the products from online pharmacies although they are more than a prescription fee.

It might be perimenopause but also it might just be your bits being out of whack due to the UTI and the treatment. Its more than likely the UTI treatment has given you thrush. I will do anything to avoid trimethoprim because it gives me the worst thrush. I find if I get a UTI things feel weird even if it has resolved without treatment and I'm convinced I have another or thrush but it generally resolves itself as I take probiotics. I now take the DR Vegan pH hero one which is for this sort of thing. It seems to be working well. But if its thrush I'd take a tablet.