Oestrogen pessaries

[Strongle]

I’m on the bagged pessaries 2x a week but they aren’t relieving all my symptoms.

im going to the doc to discuss but want to know if it is recommended to up the dose? My GP isn’t great for menopause so I want to be prepared.

thanks in advance.

When you first start you are supposed to take a ‘loading dose’ so 1 every day for 2 weeks then 2x week thereafter

edit to add: I assume you mean the vaginal pessaries?

Yeah I did that months ago.

Interested. I’ve been on this for a few months now and find I am more outbreaks of thrush - very itchy guessing it’s thrush and fed up of it.

I’m itching too and my prolapse symptoms and urge incontinence is worse not better. I’m 6 months in.

I would ask for a gynae referral if you have a prolapse with urge incontinence.

Pessaries can only do so much and are effective with bog standard atrophy but I doubt they'd be of much benefit with a prolapse. I'm no expert but I think you need to see a specialist.

Have you considered more HRT?

I’m on the list.

I am not allowed on her until bloods come back - they were done last Thursday.

Does your GP practice allow you to self refer for physio, whilst you wait for your appointment? They will help you strengthen your pelvic floor, which should give some relief.

I've been on them for over a year, but have recently had external dryness like a PP. I thought it was thrush, but it's not. Now on a steroid gel to deal with the itch / dryness / soreness. Pessaries are doing their job internally, as far as I can tell.

I’ve already done that. Had an initial appointment and they gave me exercises to do whilst I wait to be seen. (I’m doing the exercises)

The op was supposed to say vagifem but auto correct got me and I didn’t notice

Vagifem did little for me…..blissel gel worked after 3 months…..16 months down the line I’m symptom free

Ill ask about this thank you

My friend saw a physio for a few weeks. They gave her weights for her to insert and build up the length of time she could keep them in! They helped at the time, but has not how a repair. Hang on in there x

Thanks. It’s shit.

I would pay privately for a few appts with a women's physio if your nhs waiting list is long. She was sm absolute lifesaver for me in identifying overactive pelvic floor muscles, teaching me how to release them with a pelvic wand, helping with exercises, including breathing. At one point I couldn't get off the sofa, my pelvic pain was so bad and she fixed it. I also went on HRT patches as well as vagifem, which I'm sure helped.

Thanks. I will consider this.

I really doubt that more hrt will help if you have a prolapse.

You need to be asking your gp to check what the wait times are, or ring up the consultant's secretary direct and ask for a cancellation if poss.

I will be doing that this week when I see the doc. Thanks everyone for your advice I appreciate it :)

I was using the pessaries twice a week after the initial loading dose but my symptoms came back. I’ve now been advised to use the pessaries every other day and estradiol cream on the days I don’t take the pessary. This regime is working well for me.

Thank you

Why are you 'not allowed' HRT without a blood test?

They sometimes test women under 45 just to make sure there are no other issues like thyroid.
But if you have all the symptoms of peri menopause/ menopause, you have a right to try HRT.

You can use Vagifem more than 2 x a week.
There is a post on this on Menopause Matters, written by a consultant.
She says the dose is half what is used to be so you can use if 5 x a week now, not 2.

How bad is your prolapse? Have you had physio ?

thats what they told me. I don’t know why. I’m over 55 and definitely menopausal.

I have had an initial physio appt and am doing exercises whilst I wait to be seen properly as I said.

I've been using vagifem for several years and it's been great for addressing my menopausal recurrent UTIs (I haven't had one since using it). However, a couple of years ago I found that I had to increase the dose from twice a week to four times a week to deal with vaginal dryness. My doctor was happy for me to do this and it has solved the problem.

I hope you manage to get your problems resolved OP, good luck.