Who knew your fanny shrivelled up and ran away when you hit mid 50s!?!

[shrumps]

I certainly didn’t and I miss it! The only part of my body to become skinny and Im absolutely pissed off. Why did no one tell me about this?? And now I feel I can’t tell anyone else in case it’s just me.

This is what I mean Im so confused, why does it matter if skinny?

Do you mean the skin is thin and painful? Why would you want it plump?

The only pain for me was the usual discomfort of the speculum insertion. The gynaecologist gave me a local into the cervix once he'd inserted the speculum.

I was very nervous - I was having a hysteroscopy, biopsy and Mirena insertion.

I had taken OTC painkillers plus the lowest dosage of Diazepam beforehand. Apart from when the speculum went in, I didn't feel a thing. I didn't know that it was all done until the consultant told me.

When I commented on the absence of pain, the consultant smiled and said "I'd be very disappointed indeed if I'd hurt you after all my years of experience."

I'll add that I've never given birth and was very anxious as the result of a less positive experience with another gynaecologist.

Apart from anything else, my understanding is that it means you're less likely to have leaks from stress incontinence.

ETA Also less likely to suffer from abrasions.

Omfg i am 41 and going throufg something similar.

Did you habe more ireegular frequent periods and pain, discomfort in vagina and problems with ferritin?

Or has anyone else, if so what did u say to dr to get treatment

I had all of that in my late 40s, @TheDaringFawn and was refused HRT by 3 different GPs. In the end one of them gave me ...wait for it...a half dose of Vagifem. That is, one pessary a week. Useless.

I eventually got systemic HRT when I saw another GP - a woman - and told her I couldn't go on because of the night sweats and broken sleep: I pointed out that I was working full time and caring for three adults. [ETA I forgot to mention the period problems when I spoke to her!]

It's only this past year that I've again been given the localised HRT, but the full dose.

Is Ovesse any good for vulval itching?

It's not so much skinny as withered. The tissues are no longer plumped - in areas like the urethra that means there are now gaps that can leak, or let in bacteria, for instance. The tissue becomes thin all over, burns and tears. The colour changes, it can fade right down to grey or white.

Oh goodness!

I backed out 3 times because I kept reading horror stories online and let them get into my head.

I had a bit of cramping but nothing else. Best thing I’ve ever done.

Yes. That's why it's prescribed.

Not for me. I’m on my third now. Same GP for all three of them. The most uncomfortable part for me is the cold metal speculum being inserted. She applies a topical anaesthetic to my cervix before doing the insertion. There can be a brief moment of pain or weird sensation as the Mirena enters my cervix but it’s literally a second or less. Afterwards I have some mild period type of pain and uncomfortableness. Ibuprofen and a hot water bottle takes care of that and by the next day I’m all good. No periods is bloody amazing and worth it. My iron level stays good too instead of dropping low enough to need an iron infusion every two or three years (private system, and not in the UK).

Yep same here! Can’t wait for those danglers to disappear 😂

Do you mean right inside ?
or semi inside where you could see with a mirror?

Vagifem pessaries will help with that, Gp can prescribe, worth getting sorted as it doesn't improve on its own. It's the drop in hormones affecting things and giving UTI like symptoms. It's not talked about enough that this can happen during peri and menopause.

Oh, but it’s marketed as being for vaginal irritation / atrophy (which I don’t have) and doesn’t mention vulval irritation, so I wasn’t sure if it could applied externally. Perhaps I mean labial irritation.

All of it. Outside where you can see with a mirror can shrivel and retract, then inside the plumpness and ridges disappear and the canal becomes shorter and smoother.
Not every woman is equally affected, of course, as with anything menopause-related.

Ignore the marketing. Dryness affects everything, inside and out. Atrophy also means the vulva. Soreness, redness and itching are very common.

Yes - I hate the euphemism vaginal dryness. So many women think it means they have to be literally dry when that's not the case at all

This is true. The gynaecologist who advised me to use vaginal oestrogen said she could see some very early dryness ( i was having a hysteroscopy for post menopause bleeding). I had no symptoms and didn't understand because as far as I was concerned everything was in full working order and I didn't feel dry.

I asked on here and the over whelming reply was start the oestrogen but I unsure.

Two weeks later I received the letter from the gynecologist to my GP and early vaginal atrophy was mentioned. I was shocked she hadn't said the same directly to me and stared vaginal oestrogen immediately.

Thank goodness I saw that gynecologist because it meant I started using vaginal/vulva oestrogen almost pre emptively. Fast forward 2 years and my bits work as well as they ever have done thanks to the topical oestrogen.

I'm going to ask for both, thank you

Can recommend D-mannose for UTI prevention as well. I just take it when I remember so not religiously and also if I ever feel that tell-tale horrible early sensation of a UTI coming on. I haven't had a UTI for years now.

Incidentally D-mannose is also safe to give to your dogs for the same reason ☺️

Just to chime in D-Mannose gave me horrific bladder and Vaginal burning, its very common
My GP thinks it very overrated and restoring the microbiome is better in the long run

My doc mentioned Hiprex to me when I’d gone with terrible UTI feeling like it was a solution to the inconvenience of women having frequent UTIs . Looking back it makes me annoyed that they simply layer another drug on when it is likely menopause related. Anyway , a bit more vaginal oestrogen has sorted it out.

This is going to sound absolutely bonkers!
Have been using the cream for (about a week?) now and definite improvement - itching seems to been gone.
However /this sounds ridiculous/seems like my thin lips (on my face I mean 😂) bottom lip feels plumper and shinier (weird description I know!)
I definitely have NOT been applying it there!! Washing hands after application and don’t touch my iner lip with my hands anyway.
Could it be related? Is the tissue similar?
I know it must be my imagination but it does feel plumper 😂😂