Any vagifem experts? Need advice

[AriadnesPiglet]

Just been prescribed vagifem following an apparent uti, symptoms of which did not clear up with antibiotics. Going on for months.
Went from feeling like I needed to wee all the time and then also started to feel sore and uncomfotable in the vagina.
Tried some over the counter stuff, multi gyn actigel from boots, but that made me sting and hurt more.

So I've just started vagifem, day 2 and it's not going well so far. I feel sore and not sure if its coming from my bladder, inside where I inserted the tablet or the uretha. Maybe its all 3. It's so long since I had a period I'm not sure if its cramping I'm feeling

I feel like packing it in but is this normal to start with? Is it worth carrying on because at the moment I feel worse than I did before. I'm miserable because I thought this was the answer to my problems.

Hi, I'm suffering with the same thing 😢 Had a UTI wasn't found with a urine test, just based on what I told the Drs. Ended up on 3 different antibiotics as I had a funny reaction to first lot, then I wasn't given enough of the second lot so needed a third lot. I thought all was fine until I had an urgency to wee all the time. Went back to the Drs and was told it was an overactive bladder so told to retrain my bladder.

I've been back to the Drs 3 times, I've done a normal urine dip test that was clear and had a sample sent to hospital which was also clear. I've been referred to Urology but my appointment isn't for another month. I've been like this since mid July. I've cut out caffeine and take cranberry supplements to try to help. I just feel like I've been abandoned by my GP. I spend most days in tears about it. I've only just turned 40 so I don't know if it's peri menopause or what.

Stop the cranberry! They have been proved to do nothing and are so acidic they can make things worse.

You should give up tea, coffee, booze, fruit juices and any fizzy drinks which all aggravate the bladder. Drink only boiled water or bottled water for a few weeks to see if it helps.

You might also find that you need to give up acidic fruits ( oranges, lemons, pineapple, etc), tomatoes, and even spicy foods like curries.
This will allow your bladder to heal and settle down, if it's the aftermath of an infection.

You can drink 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb of soda in a glass of water 3 x a day to help your urine stop stinging and it may help calm it down.

But also ask to try vaginal estrogen to see if that helps.

Thanks Queen, I'll try cutting those things out and will go back to my Drs.

Sorry to hear that Enigmam. Mine all started at beginning of august so I understand how you feel. I'm crying all the time at the moment too

Just have to keep breathing through it Ariadnes, there's no other option. Every time I think I might have worked out what could be causing it, it flares up again. I hope you find a solution.

Thanks Enigmam.
I will have to plod on. I'm at docs Wednesday and I'm going to ask about getting something to calm me down a bit because when I'm relaxed things are much better but the only time I relax is if I have a glass of wine and I cannot be doing that every day.
I don't want antidepressants because I don't think I can cope with the side effects in top of everything else and I know that when/if this settles down I will feel better.

I understand about not wanting the antidepressants. You just want them to sort out the problem and then you'll be fine. I've been on antidepressants before and now whenever I see my Drs, it's their answer to everything. I'm not depressed yet, but I'll be heading that way if I don't get this sorted out.

I try to distract myself a lot. As long as I'm not feeling the discomfort, I can deal with the feeling of needing to go to the toilet, it does mean I spend a lot of the day clock watching to check if I've held it long enough though 😔

It doesn't help that I have an 11 month old son, if I've had a bad night with him, then I tend to suffer more the following day.

Yes tiredness makes it all a lot worse.

I've been on antidepressants in the past but I've been rock bottom and desperate. Not sure if they helped and i came off them as quickly as possible. But I'm quickly heading that way now.

I was constantly clock watching when this all started too and seeing how long I was holding it. And hyper aware of how I was feeling at every moment. I'm still doing that now. Analysing and checking all the time which doesn't help.

Hope you have a good day. I'm off to work where I will pretend to be fine

I'm glad I found this thread as I tried paracetamol for it last night and it took the edge off a bit. Hope you have a good day too.

Can I suggest you both study this site for help.

bladderhealthuk.org/bladder-conditions/interstitial-cystitispainful-bladder-syndrome

What you may have is a) vaginal atrophy if you are peri menopause or have low hormones through breast feeding, or b) the left over effects of an infection.

If it's the latter, try following the IC diet which means NO alcohol ( will make it 100x worse) and all the other things I posted about.

I have had IC for over 30 years, not had a drink for over 20 years, and avoid loads of food and drink. This along with estrogen and HRT controls it most of the time. Drs know very little about it, even specialists, and most women manage with self-help treatment especially diet.

I'm not saying you have IC, but if you are trying to calm down your bladder and a sore urethra, following the advice on foods and drink may help.

You really do need to give vaginal estrogen time to work- weeks if not months.

Thanks for the info Queen, I have read briefly about this but got scared 😔 I'll check out the link, best to face these things head on I guess.

I've read all sorts of stuff but its nice to get personal perspectives on this.
I will stop the wine. I did for a few weeks and didn't notice a difference either way but I want to anyway.
Things better today. Hope it lasts.

Hi. I really thought I'd turned a corner yesterday. I had such a good day. Symptoms hardly noticeable but then again last night they returned and I've had a very restless night.

I didn't have much to eat during the day, then dinner and one glass of wine about 7. Then things got worse from 9 onwards.
Bit of an upset stomach at work yesterday too so im trying to figure out what might have aggravated things. Maybe too much dinner or the wine. Maybe I felt better because I was at work and distracted? Anxiety is definitely playing a big part in this. Even yesterday I felt on edge, anticipating things turning bad again.

Sorry Im rambling.

Trying my best to offer you all advice based on my own long experience of this.

It looks as if we have 3 (?) different women here all with slightly different symptoms.

1 Peri / menopause which needs estrogen cream / pessaries

2 Post UTI (or possible infection) - which needs settling down with diet or another different type of AB.

3 A bit of both of the above

I know it's hard, but whichever of these you think you have DO NOT DRINK BOOZE.

It's a huge irritant and will inflame your bladder even more.

It will also stop you sleeping and make any menopausal symptoms worse.

If you have used Vagifem for a couple of weeks and nothing is any better or worse, go back to GP and ask for Ovestin which is a slightly weaker type of estrogen. It's still very effective and some people find the actual cream itself more soothing (others find it irritates so it's trial and error.)

Olives It shouldn't vary over the day unless you are finding a connection with food and drink- tea, coffee, fruit juice, spicy foods can all upset the bladder. It depends on where you are feeling the pain or irritation.

You should also be tested for thrush if you have any of the itchy symptoms, don't use bubble baths or perfumed bath stuff, all the usual things.

Sorry to hear you've had a bad day Olive, hope today is better for you.

It must be frustrating for you Queen being good enough to offer advice but people like me keep wittering on. It’s coz I have no one in the real world to talk to about this so when I find someone to listen I get a bit carried away.

I’m def post menopausal. Last period about 8 years ago.

I do love a glass of wine but take your point and will just give it up. I’ve got to.
I’m going to give the vagifem a good chance to work and then if no different I’ll see what else is available.
Also going to make a note of what I’m eating and drinking to see if there is a pattern. I don’t drink tea, coffee or fruit juice anyway.

I’ve used Vagifem for four years and I swear by it. I never use the insertion thingy as I don’t like the idea of putting it inside me and scratching something. I use my finger and it works fine that way. Stick with it OP it’s a great product.

I'm off to docs this morning so I'll let you know what they say.

My guess is your GP will be stumped.

There is a great new book out called My Menopausal Vagina which is all about one woman's journey with these issues- well worth a read.

It's by Jane Lewis and is on Amazon

She's a 'real' person who used to post on the Menopause Matters forum asking for advice, and this is a log of her treatment.

Hope you got on OK op.

I luckily managed to nabb an appointment online yesterday so I've been this morning and yes Queen, my doc was stumped.

Told me to stop using vagifem because I am so anxious and has referred me to a colleague who does women's stuff. Got a prescription for some cream to use externally, not ovestin but hydrocortisone or something to calm things down. So another week to wait.

As for my anxiety over it all, and in general, she could only offer antidepressants.

Hope the next doc is more clued up. Might give her that book to read lol.

PLEASE don't use hydrocortisone on your vulva- it's not the treatment for VA. I mentioned a book in my previous post and really suggest you shell out and buy it. Jane Lewis was a regular poster on another meno forum and it's her experience of VA.

I'm not being dismissive but there are only some treatments for VA
1Ovestin
2 Vagifem
3 Either of the above PLUS systemic (full) HRT.

Some of us need both. I started on Ovestin while still having periods ( around age 51) and 18 months later added HRT for other meno symptoms.

I see a Harley St consultant for meno - one of the best in the UK- so what I'm passing on is my knowledge.

You need to give it time to work. Your next step should have been a different type of topical estrogen- so Ovestin.

I've been reading up on VA and I think this could be what I'm suffering from. I've been EBF for nearly a year, had problems with sex and difficulties even when I had my smear test. I've ordered some Yes VM to try whilst waiting for my Urology appointment. I would have liked to have spoken with my Drs first but she doesn't seem to be interested in my suggestions.

Thanks again for all your advice Queen.

With due respect to your GP, uros tend to be pretty useless with women's stuff (my own experience.)

The correct route is a gynaecologist.

VA is very common in women who are still breast feeding (think that's what your abbreviation is??)

It's a simple issue put right with vaginal estrogen. Your GP ought to know this. It's not rocket science and you might want to go back and insist you try it- and maybe print off something from the web to back up your request?

It’s Caneston stuff and she said it was a very low dose of hydrocortisone and anti fungal and fine for use in this area for a short period of time.
Tbh she has passed me over to another gp who might have more idea but I shall be asking for a gynaecologist referral if I don’t get any satisfaction.

Ended up cancelling my appointment this morning. Don't think they were too pleased with me as it was short notice but a bit of a family drama! Need to sort that out first.

Your gp sounds useless Olives. Hope the other one is better. Not sure if the cream is a good idea though so maybe just don't bother with it till you see the other gp.

Dh has suggested i see someone privately about this and I might do that. I'm envious of your Harley Street doctor Queen. I'm nowhere near London and couldn't afford it anyway but sounds as if you have got a good one. Where do you find a reputable gynaecologist/menopause expert in other parts of the country?