Help! Vaginal atrophy - Oestrogen cream not working.

[supermooniskeepingmeup]

The oestrogen cream works in that I'm not constantly sore, but penetrative sex is still too uncomfortable to be enjoyed - very occasionally endured, more like. Does anyone know whether there's anything else I could be asking for to make my sex life normal again, or whether this is it for good?

Thank you that's what I'm on. Our GPs in Wales rarely give more than twenty eight days supply of anything.

@justasking111 The application is 0.5gms.

(That info is online by the way if you search the patient info.)

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5384/pil#gref

The usual dose is 1 applicator up to the ring (0.5 mg estriol in 0.5 g of cream) a day for the first 2 to 3 weeks (maximally 4 weeks).

I agree it's confusing as the outer packaging says 1mgs.

(I've used it for about 17 years!)

I've managed to get some online because I'm running out. Four weeks of daily insertion is working. But there's not a drop for external use. I'm not sure if we're rationed in Wales. But hopefully this will top me up enough because after four weeks it's twice a week so there should be some left over for external use

Where did you order from? I’ve found the cream in Pharmacy online but don’t seem to be able to find the online assessment to order it. £49.99!

Replens is a godsend. Use twice per week. Initially vagifem for 2 weeks, then twice per week. I'm also on oral hrt.

Got it from pharmacy online, did the assessment. £24.14 including postage.

I had to keep scrolling down for assessment. I am already a customer, registered last year. So you might want to do that

Thanks found it now! I’m on Vagifem but still find penetrative sex hurts; only at the vaginal entrance, so am hoping this will solve that.
I have also tried Replens; I think it does help but doesn’t completely solve the problem.

I just want to sing Ovestin's (Estriol) praises! I don't think I had vaginal atrophy (at least, the skin in my vagina didn't seem thinning or sore) but I do get episodes of burning and itching on the vulva, but the problem that made me get right back on the Ovestin was sudden wetting myself! I'm actually booked for a scan (non-urgent referral as CA125 bloods were normal) but the GP said, start back on the Ovestin cream and make sure you take the loading dose then at least twice weekly. After a week, I'd stopped having the substantial daytime dribble. After about 10 days, the nighttime wetting had stopped too. And I think I'm experiencing less urgency, as well. Bloody brilliant stuff!

For incontinence it's amazing. I didn't even make the connection. No more tena lady for me 👍

Agree with you ladies. It’s actually given me my life back x

That's great, my online prescription arrived, so no more rationing.

I think it’s amazing stuff too, it has changed my life, which sounds over the top, but all the soreness has disappeared after the initial treatment. I now use it twice a week and I’ve also noticed a huge improvement in my bladder. I was getting

a sort of irritation and what felt like the beginning of cystitis. I was drinking water all the time to try and keep my bladder flushed out and now it’s so much better.

Do you use vagifem as well?

If the patches are showing nothing you might not be absorbing them or the dose might be too low. I don't absorb estradot but I do evorel.

I meant to say systemic hrt makes the biggest difference for me, I was on vagifem first with lower dose oestrogen and I asked the gp if I could increase my vagifem (no, though its common, I think she must didn't know) so I suffered on, but when my oestrogen dose was increased I found I didn't need vagifem at all.

Well after nearly a year of not being able to have penetrative sex despite Vagirux pessaries, Yes vaginal moisturiser, and Ovestin cream, I bit the bullet and paid to see a Gynaecologist Consultant. She diagnosed lichen sclerosis, and vulvodynia (chronic pain in the vulva and entrance to vagina). She has prescribed, a steroid cream, hydramol moisturiser, Amytriptyline tablets, and referred me to a women’s physio. I finally feel a glimmer of hope.

Good for you. I suspect I also have lichen because one of the things that the GP tried was steroid cream, actually it was the nurse, it helped a lot.

. GP refused to repeat the prescription when we spoke on the phone said it had nasty side effects. So prescribed an emollient instead.

The GP who finally agreed that I could have Ovestin did wonder about lichen but said to try the Ovestin, which has helped internally, but externally it hasn't really. I'm getting through tubs of sudocreme still with the odd dab of steroid cream.

@justasking111 can I ask what you are using the Sudocrem for?

It's only used as a barrier cream and the NHS no longer recommends it for adult skin as prolonged use can cause sensitization of the skin. So if you are getting through tubs and tubs, it may be making it worse.

The doctors told me I had vaginal atrophy. They said I tested negative for thrush and BV and everything so it must be vaginal atrophy. So it’s funny that I eventually fixed the problem with thrush pessaries and BV gel. I’ve been fine for ages now, no hormone cream necessary. They are fucking useless and you can’t trust their diagnosis. If the oestrogen isn’t working for you then maybe you don’t have vaginal atrophy.