Spring is sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where the crepeys is

[herbaceous]

As requested!

I am in love.

With a Roland drum kit (chokeable crash and mesh-head snate , don't you know). It was brilliant. I bashed around for an hour so happily. I am deffo getting one. I'll be able to play when I damn well pleasey with head phones on.

Rise, love the sound of your day.

No-one has packed and I just want to go to bed. Hope it doesn't go tits up.

Yes yes to KY and equiv. Makes me feel all lovely.

Snare for goodness sake. Snate?

Rose!

I think vaginal atrophy? Such delightful names they come up with.

Rose and Crem, your days sound lovely.

Crem, I thought your hair looked especially gorgeous at the last MU - I think it really suits you like that.

MI, definitely - you are not on the spot, your df is. Your time is better spent on other stuff, not relaying messages.

Had a lovely, rare day out with dd, ds, and dh today involving National Trust ginger fudge and only one argument about the map. dh and ds both fell asleep on the bus on the way home.

VA is vaginal atrophy . Happens to many women post menopause & is not often talked about.

I had/have it & it was hell until I saw a GP who realised what it was.

I'm going to copy & paste from a post a made about it some time ago - it's something I think women should be far more aware of as it is a problem that is easily solved.

"Vaginal Atrophy (VA) is what happens post menopause & it is my mission to make more women aware of it.

Basically (& you can google for the finer details) the lack of eostrogen causes great dryness up your fanjo. It makes sex painful & also leads to itchiness that makes thrush seem mild. It is horrible & causes enormous discomfort. I had to rush to the loo just to scratch - the itchiness is almost unbearable. The itch is both inside your fanjo & all over your vulva

If you are menopausal or post menopause & get an itch and/or great dryness do look at the possibility that it could be VA & go to see your GP.

It is easily sorted out with topical eostrogen in the form of 'Vagifem', a small pessary that is inserted into the vagina with an applicator.

You need a 25mcg dose daily for 2 weeks & then twice weekly for 4 weeks & then a maintenance dose of 10mcg twice weekly.

There is a great deal of argument about giving women vagifem long term &, it seems to me, that many health professionals are not up to date with recent research.

I discussed this with my GP with this piece of research:

www.menopausematters.co.uk/newsitem.php?recordID=83

You do need to keep up to date with mammograms & smears but otherwise no side effects.

I tell a lie about the side effects - it has hugely helped my pelvic floor (this is well documented). I can now cough without fear of leakage.

I was lucky & had a GP who instantly diagnosed VA - but, sadly, it is not something that is well known or discussed.

IT NEEDS TO BE! (I know I am shouting!)

For post menopausal women it is a massive discomfort & indignity that they do not need to suffer, as it is easily managed, & women need to be aware of it."

So the beard is not enough? We get this thrown at us too?

Thanks, Magi. In its new menopause guidelines, NICE now recommends treatment for VA, saying side effects are very rare, so it should get more talked about and used now, I hope.

We are all in pyjamas, feeling wiped!

I am one of the older Crepeys magi yes, although I am told it doesn't show too much..... I have been menopausal for about 14 years owing to chemo and keep VA at bay with HRT and local HRT that you describe. Discomfort can also be the effects of three births as well, I think. KY is great stuff.... I refuse to shrivel up into a dessicated husk

I am still on the sofa....I can't believe how long it is since I had a day like this. On second movie of the evening.....

Yes ds is very honest and open with me (well at the moment - that may well change come teens years!)

I haven't had a period in erm... Two years (I think) and aside from a couple of flooding episodes and the flushes it was/is easy. No idea if I'm out the other side or not

Ddog is going downhill fast. Ds's first lost is a race between ddog and nan I fear :(

I appear not to be errr atrophied but I do hate the hot flushes.

We've all been sucked into the Little Alchemy app, thanks to a thread on here.... Apart from dh, who is sucking lemons, moving backwards into the 1950's and moaning about everyone using gadgets because he doesn't know how to!

We have cleared a garden bed today and I've cleared out my greenhouse ready to grow stuff

Washed all my pots too, as Lord Monty told me too!

I am still as regular as a regular thing. No hot flushes either. I do have the raging horn all the time though. (DH very unappreciative of this and just looks frightened.)

I clearly don't have the horn all the time or I wouldn't spend my time washing garden pots

Interesting MM - will keep a watch on the nether regions - I have a good gynae although it's about 2 months for an appointment. Beachy - definitely not horny all the time either - usually so knackered by bedtime, just want to curl up and sleep.

Had forgotten about the clocks this morning but it is a beautiful day so will go off in search of the newspaper and then hunt down the chocolate bunnies, which at this rate will be found next year!

We are all obliged to watch the boat race and DD1 has bought Pimms. I do think it's a shame that the teams are more or less pros now rather than talented amateurs.

They do look very lovely, Beachy .

My horn is more of an Occasional Parp.

Out scrubbing pots too Beachy. euphemism for no horn whatsoever

Ooh VA sounds utterly miserable MM. Do you think I might be saved the indignity because of my taking of HRT? Bloody well hope so. Have been on high alert since hysterectomy, for any worrying changes. So far hairy face and neck , but hairless legs and pits Weird alright, but saves a lot of annoying shavery.

Nice sunny day here today, but a bitterly cold wind. Am going to attempt to paint wall number 2 ( two, II).

Anybody seen GGG ? Perhaps she is away.

HRT will work - it's when you stop taking it that you might need to watch out.

The dosage of eostrogen in vagifem is tiny - pretty sure it's much smaller than HRT &, of course, it's topical. I've been taking it 2 x week for several years & am fine.

DH is painting a couple of doors & I am mumsnetting cleaning the bathroom!

Happy Easter Crepeys!

Late start today (didn't realise the clocks went forward till a friend mentioned it at dinner last night!) - no footy, thank God! Might manage a bike ride with a friend later. Or just a coffee

TF for HRT I say!

In my humble experience, which might be unique of course, the VA tends to kick in after a few years. First symptoms were the hot flushes. I needed local oestrogen in addition to my HRT patch at that point! It's well under control now.

On way home, sadly. Have stopped at well known Surrey Hotel for a break and light refreshment. Vair naice bar lounge!

I am still traumatised by the thought of VA. Should I just sew it up now?

MrsS

Just back from the bike ride - just made it into the café before the heavens opened and then nearly got blown off on the ride back - now to stick the roast in

OMG I'm now officially frightened, I'm 56 so far no sign of VA, but it's another thing to be on the look out for. I had hysterectomy at 32, I've got used to thickening of waist, extra hairs on moustache & no another thing to contend with.

Honestly, I really wouldn't be frightened of VA - it's not pleasant but it's very easily sorted & kept under control with topical estrogen. I think it's the word 'atrophy' that makes it sound so awful.

I only mentioned it because it's not well known or talked about & women can suffer from it & mistake it for thrush and/or infection.

Had a walk along the sea front & was nearly blown away - very squally here & meant to get much worse later.

Looking forward to the Night Manager.

DH has read the book & keeps telling me how good it is - over & over again.

I read in the paper that the ending of the TV series is different to the book, so have made certain that I have mentioned this several times to him.