Vaginal Oestrogen Question

[MariazMariaz]

Hi all, I've been taking cyclical HRT for four months and now I'm sleeping much better, headaches gone, slightly less emotionally volatile.

For the last year or so I've had fairly constant thrush-like symptoms, and these aren't any better on the HRT.

When I do a thrush and BV treatment the symptoms go away for a few weeks. Does this improvement mean it is just an ongoing issue with thrush / BV?

Or could the actual root cause be hormonal, and therefore getting some vaginal HRT be a good idea? Would the thrush & BV treatment help if it was hormonal? Thanks!

I've had this. Just been prescribed oestrogen pessaries on the recommendationof my gp when i asked - only a week in so no results yet. I also think the discharge I get just before my period is quite thrush like and and learning to ignore it and it will go away on its own after a couple of days.

I thin

Have you had an actual diagnosis of thrush (ie at a dr?)

Or are you thinking the symptoms are thrush?

Burning, soreness and even watery discharge are signs of low estrogen.

I haven't had it confirmed as thrush, no. I just assumed it was as feels similar to how I have experienced thrush in the past, and is responding to the thrush / BV treatment. The symptoms have been itchiness, being self-conscious about odour, general soreness.

The persistence of it, and the timing of that with me going into peri, is what's making me wonder if it's hormonal. Thanks.

God. Welcome to the world of itchy dry vulva and vagina stage of life.

Not everyone gets it but a lot do. People suggest everything. Lichen Sclerosis, thrush, BV, atrophy ....

You can try ph balanced feminine wash, oestrogen pessaries and/or cream, vaginal moisturiser, vulva moisturiser. It's sometimes just a constant flare up and down for years.

Personally I find if I don't change a pant liner or knickers frequently I get the itch. I think it's having moisture on my vulva. So I need dry pants/liner. And rinse off the area during the day and pat dry. I think the acid in urine irritates me now.

I originally thought the dryness and soreness I started getting during perimenopause was thrush. I treated it as thrush and it would go away, then come back. Which I thought was odd as it wasn't something I'd ever been prone to. Then I read on here about vaginal oestrogen and a light bulb went on in my brain. I saw my GP and a prescription of Vagifem fixed the problem.

I haven't had it confirmed as thrush, no. I just assumed it was as feels similar to how I have experienced thrush in the past, and is responding to the thrush / BV treatment. The symptoms have been itchiness, being self-conscious about odour, general soreness.

If you are using HRT anyway that means your estrogen levels were low.
HRT doesn't always reach the other bits!
You need something more local.

Apart from the odour, it sounds like VA
But BV can occur when the pH is skewed and this happens with loss of estrogen. As can thrush.

Instead of wondering, you've nothing to lose by trying topical estrogen.

I spent a fortune on thrush/bv treatments trying to get relief. I was already on HRT so went to my doctor who prescribed this as well. I still get 'the itch' occasionally, usually just before I menstruate but this cream has helped loads.

Yes. Ovestin cream is fab

There are some drs who think all women ought to use vaginal estrogen as they approach menopause and for life (Just like you use hand cream or face creams.)

So many women have symptoms that they try all kinds of stuff for (often at great expense) and never realise it's a loss of estrogen issue.

Thanks very much everyone, that's really helpful. Sounds like it's defo time to try out some topical oestrogen.

I tried all sorts of creams for the symptoms you describe, especially the soreness but eventually I was prescribed Blissel topical estriol which has been really helpful. The surgery nurse swabbed me for VB and yeast and I was negative for both so diagnosed vaginal atrophy. The gel has improved the condition hugely, so worth trying.

I agree with not getting overly hot in that area and if you do, have a very quick swish with the shower head and put clean underwear on if you can

I am having similar problems. I’m 2 years post last period and other than 6 months of hot flushes and slightly drier below I felt fine. Just recently went I holiday and came b so with soreness and itchiness that I thought was thrush but no discharge. Canesten cream helped but then I got this very watery discharge that needed a liner . It was straw coloured and had no smell so didn’t suspect BV. Got a ph test which suggested it was. I bought a 7 night gel pessary treatment that worked straight away but after 7 days the treatment ends and after 4 days it’s started to come back. No external soreness just this watery but sticky discharge that irritates. Wondering whether to get antibiotics but read that it can still come back or local oestrogen. I only wash with water.