BC induced vaginal atrophy, help

[mumstuff1984]

I came off my combined pill 5 months ago. This March, I started tearing during PIV sex. I went back on my pill & I've had sex twice now with no tearing.

I went to have myself checked out just in case & have been told I have pill-induced vaginal atrophy.

I'm struggling to cope with this news as only in the past year have I managed to enjoy pain-free sex for the first time in my life (hyper mobility related, possibly pelvic floor dysfunction cleared up after extensive physio for hip problems). I can't bear the thought that I've only got to experience one year of my life with pain free sex.

I've been told to get an emolient and vaginal estrogen but not to use the estrogen yet(??? Bit unclear on this)

I've also been told I shouldn't be on combined pill after 35 really as it's too risky. I've been on for approx ten years, I turned 40 in January & looking back have possibly had dryness symptoms for four years now.

Any advice or kind words...I am a mess.

Bump please .. googling tells me atrophy is not reversible.... Surely I have to start the estrogen cream ASAP?? I'm losing the plot a bit

Yes you need estriol cream (formerly called Ovestin) or Vagifem pessaries which are estradiol. See which works for you x

Thank you - I've been prescribed one but I don't know which it is yet (haven't recieved prescription) - it's good to know there's different types, I wasn't informed of a choice.

I do not understand why I've been told to "wait" and not use it immediately when I finally do get hold of it. It makes no sense to me. I'm worried I won't be prescribed enough/prescribed it again because I'm "not meant to be using it"...........

If you’ve got soreness and tears and atrophy you def need it. I didn’t know the Pill could cause it but it’s all hormone-related I guess. Ask the dr for estriol cream or Vagifem which are a different hormone in pessary form. Explain your symptoms.

Hi - thanks. I did, I saw the dr yesterday who prescribed it for me, but told me "not to use it yet" which I didn't understand. I don't have the items yet as I'm still waiting for the prescription to be given to me. I don't know exactly which item I've been prescribed, I only know I've been prescribed an emolient to use every day and the vaginal estrogen, which she told me "not to use yet"(?)

EDIT: for clarity this was a private consultant who emails the prescription (I think I need to ring the clinic and ask because I still don't have it yet) But I'm still worried I'm going to be told I can't have more, if I use the estrogen right away - which I think I should be doing??? I just don't understand this, I'm so upset.

It may be the skin needs to heal a little first? I don’t know.
you can ring the surgery and get the receptionist to ask for you, or get a phone call.

Please don’t panic, it works really fast. It does improve, it’s not just about halting decline.

You can use it at the same time as condoms so be careful if you are stopping your pill.

I'm also really concerned about this "not using the combined pill after age 35" thing which I've not heard before. Is that true? Internet is giving very varied advice. I'm honestly so annoyed on so many levels - that it took just over five years of combined pill to shrink my vagina (was never informed and I do not see this on the side-effects leaflet) and secondarily that I scraped money together for a private appt out of desperation and I don't know if what the dr said was accurate, I'm left more confused than when I went in.

@jinglinghellsbells is good at this. Are you there, Bells?

@pickledandpuzzled it improves?? Oh thank you, I'm beyond happy to hear. I just want to start it right away. I think I have to. Sorry, I can or I can't use it at the same time as condoms?

The estriol cream made a difference to me within the first week. It’s brilliant. Yes, a poster called JinglingHellsBells is very knowledgeable. I take her advice x

Can’t!! Hopeless auto carrot that one!

It’s like a miracle x

I use it as am 55 and without it I feel like I need a wee the whole sodding time. Just, vaguely dry and itchy.
After the initial two weeks you use it twice a week, but I tend to use it whenever I notice it’s starting up, and then forget to use it for a while and then restart.

Many women my age have been put on antibiotics for constant UTIs, and have found actually this cream sorts it out.

@DotWomanNeighbour @pickledandpuzzled thank you I am starting to come down from the spiral a bit.... I'm still so shocked.... I'm going to ring the reception after work and find out what's up with the prescription...

I left it to heal for a good two weeks at one stage but it tore again immediately during PIV. We're hardly rough, either, use lube. I've been using a vaginal moisturiser from Amazon (Yes) for a few years anyway as I'd started to feel dry then. It did stop the itching.

100 per cent same as @pickledandpuzzled Constant wee infections. Weeing every half hour. Sore. Achy. Itchy. The estriol cream has sorted it. I used every night for a month (as I’d had the symptoms for years). Now I use every two nights.

Do you know, when I was a child I looked forward to the idea of menopause so much. The idea of it sounded like a prize. It's the ultimate joke apparently.

Ha! I thought “I’ve not had any symptoms as such; no hot flushes etc aren’t I lucky” then I got the atrophy and it was literally disabling. Couldn’t accept any invitations anywhere cos I needed to wee all the time. Now because of the estriol cream I’m fine.

If your periods were manageable maybe.
As a murder scene every fortnight, constantly low in iron woman, I’m thrilled with menopause.
Also happy to be grumpy and don’t feel obliged to help every waif and stray inept man in sight, either.

Yes nice to have no periods x

Surely it would only be pill induced if it were a pill that did not have synthetic oestrogen. I went back on the combined pill after years just taking progesterone only and feel like a new woman for the oestrogen. I was getting atrophy on progesterone only.

My periods were definitely a murder-scene... 9 days long, constantly anemic, clots the size of my palm, days off work per month... the reason I was told to go on BC in the first place as my only option (I didn't want to but it was ruining my life). I can deal with them on-pill. I'm struggling with the peri as I think I have a bunch of other stuff going on including this atrophy - and I will not be able to cope very well if I can no longer have pain-free sex for example. Absolute joke. why were we never told.

@shearwater2 Yes I was surprised to hear this. The way she explained it was that because I'd been taking the combined pill for so long, my body forgot how to make its own estrogen, and as such when I took my 5-month break from the pill, it was unable to make any and because I wasn't taking any it all started to atrophy.

Is this true about no combined pill after age 35??? I am shocked.

@mumstuff1984 I wonder who your consultant is and if you are in the UK?

It's been accepted for years that women can use the combined contraceptive pill up to age 50 if they have no risk factors like smoking.

why is this dr saying otherwise?

Likewise delaying using vaginal estrogen.

None of it makes any sense.

@mumstuff1984 I am really shocked at this to be honest. I've just spent 5 mins checking the age limit for the CCP and the Women's Health Concern (part of the British Menopause Society) says very clearly that you can use the CCP right up to 50 unless you are a smoker, obese or have had recent breast cancer.

Out of interest why did you choose a private doctor and not your GP?

Vaginal dryness is so common and most GPs would prescribe treatment easily.

Is this a private GP you've seen or a gynaecologist?

Unless you fall into the at risk group for CCP , the Dr is wrong and should be told so.

It's simply disgraceful.

Don't go back to them other than to say how unhappy you are with the 'treatment'.

Cocp over 35 depends on your other risk factors.
If you have a look at the ukmec guidance on hormonal contraception you can see what your risk/where you fit is?

did they take any swabs and want to wait for those before starting the oestrogen cream?