vaginal dryness...

[anonjustnow]

Hello ladies, hoping someone can help me.

I'm 62 and well past the menopause. Never had any problems but a few months ago I became aware of severe vaginal dryness, with some itching and feeling a bit sore due to rubbing at myself to try and ease the dryness and itching. I haven't been sexually active for years so it's nothing to do with that. I am diabetic (t2) but well controlled and no other symptoms. I have no vaginal discharge or smell.

Tried canesten, vagisil and something I bought from amazon-uk called Vulva Harmony which had over 3,000 favourable reviews but it hasn't done much for me.

Has anyone any advice or suggestions as to what else I might try? I have already contacted my GP and general tone was that since there's no discharge or smell, it's most likely age related and therefore a good vaginal moisturiser should sort it. Problem is, what I've already tried hasn't helped and now I'm feeling quite despondent about it.

I'd appreciate any genuine replies. Thanks.

@anonjustnow Your GP is wrong. Treatment is vaginal estrogen either Ovestin (cream) or Vagifem (tiny pessary.)

I know they prescribe it to women in their 80s and 90s too.

Please see another GP.

You might like to read a book by Jane Lewis My Menopausal Vagina which is in lots of GPs surgeries for them to read.

Have a read of the link here from Dr Louise Newson who is a specialist GP with a menopause clinic.

www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/media/files/Fact-Sheets/Vaginal-Dryness.pdf

@JinglingHellsBells Thank you so much for your reply and for the fact-sheet (which helped a lot) and the book reference.

I will make notes from the fact sheet then contact my GP again and request an appropriate treatment to at least try. If she declines again or bats it back to me to sort out myself, I will seek a second opinion from one of the other GP's there and tell them I felt dismissed rather than supported/helped.

Thank you

Can I ask which vagisil you used. I had similar symptoms following. Hysterectomy. I tried vagisil medicated creme which helped with the itching but not the dryness. I've found vagisil external moisturizer to be good and also Yes VM. They haven't signed the problem but have definitely helped. I can't have oestrogen due to a previous breast cancer diagnosis, but am desperately looking for something which works. Good luck. It's miserable.

@fedupmiddleagedwoman It was Vagisil Medicated Crème which claims fast relief from intimate itch, burning & irritation - about £4 for a 30g tube. Like you, I found it helped a bit with the itching but not the dryness or soreness (which I realise I'm probably causing myself due to finding little relief from the dryness). I've just found vagisil external moisturizer so have ordered that and will see if that helps and, if not, I will definitely contact GP and ask for vaginal estrogen in whatever form deemed suitable for me.

I am sorry about your breast cancer diagnosis and hope you are recovered now or on your way to being so and also that you are able to find something that alieviates your own symptoms.

@anonjustnow listen to @JinglingHellsBells, she knows her stuff.

At your stage in life the soreness will be due to a fall in your oestrogen levels. It's a condition very common in postmenopausal women and it's called vaginal atrophy. You won't notice any discharge or smell because there's no infection there. It needs treatment with an oestrogen replacement or it will get gradually worse. Vaginal moisturisers won't help at all.

Ask your GP for Vagifem pessaries or Ovestin cream. They both contain a tiny amount of oestrogen but it should be enough to make you feel a lot more comfortable. I speak from experience here.

Feeling rather foolish now as I only just noticed that you're supposed to use the Vulva Harmony daily as often as necessary daily, forr relief from dryness - somehow I missed that and have only used it in the mornings so, perhaps, no wonder I didn't find it that effective...

@Fedupmiddleagedwoman you might want to check again with your doctor about trying topical oestrogen replacement medication. As far as I'm aware, the amount of oestrogen in Vagifem and Ovestin is so tiny that it is considered safe for women who have had breast cancer. It's nothing like HRT in that way. I'm not a medic so don't quote me on that, but do check it out.

I'm using replens but intend to speak to my GP when I can (waiting to double check it is a moisture issue not an infection one). The replens feels pretty good but the cost would mount up.

*@DramaAlpaca@ Thanks for the assurance and reassurance. I've cancelled the vagisil external moisturiser I just placed and will now definitely speak to my GP in the morning.

I will let you lovely ladies know how things go for me, and thank you for your responses.

Good luck @anonjustnow. Your GP hopefully will be more helpful if you can tell her what you think it is and what you want.

@anonjustnow Buying OTC stuff is a waste of time and money. They don't work, really. Vaginal estrogen actually reverses the changes of lost estrogen. It plumps up the cells so they aren't fragile. (There are lots of nice little diagrams online on medical sites if you want to search and look!)

The only one drs suggest is YES as it's a slightly better type, but it still won't do the same as estrogen.

Also, if you do manage to get it from your GP don't allow them to say you need to stop after a few months. The NICE guidance says they can and must be used long term or symptoms come back.
(NICE guidance is pinned on the Menopause part of Mumsnet.)

@Fedupmiddleagedwoman You can use vaginal estrogen after BC. If necessary, ask your dr to refer you to a menopause specialist, but there is plenty online about this. Using it for a year ( twice a week) is equivalent to ONE x 1mg of estrogen (which is a low daily dose for women using HRT.)

Vagifem internally, Ovestin externally and Yes VM if needed additionally. Whatever you do steer clear of Replens which my GP at least was convinced would solve everything but did nothing other than cause the most awful dead skin discharge.
The topical hormones above have helped me so much. A year ago I was on the verge of a breakdown I was literally so uncomfortable 24/7 and rubbing myself till I was raw and bleeding in an effort to stop the itching. Within a few weeks I was pretty much back to normal. I hope you get the help you need.

Hello again, just wanted to post an update.

My GP only text me just after 6pm last night to say she had sent a prescription through to my pharmacy for the Ovestin cream and to let her know how I get on with it. Well, it wasn't available today so I have to wait until tomorrow.

I've been in agony really, unable to get comfortable and haven't slept much as a result. But what I wanted to share, in case anyone else is in the same boat and waiting for medication, is that since yesterday I've been using pure Vitamin E oil and pure organic Aloe Vera gel - both of which are certified safe for intimate use - and the combination has helped enormously. I've just applied using finger, the Vitamin E internally, and the Aloe Vera externally, and have had no burning or anything. The combination has greatly reduced the itching and also the soreness which, until I started using these two together, was on the point of making me cry with discomfort.

I hope to get the Ovestin tomorrow and am also awaiting a delivery of YES VM, recommended to me by the lady in the pharmacy...

I have used with success in the past multi gyn actigel.

Hi OP, just wanted to add that I’ve taken ibuprofen before to help with the soreness and it really helps. I’m so sorry you’re suffering. I’ve had the same problem at 53 only just post menopausal.

Apologies for the delay in updating - taken this long to actually be seen by a doctor!

Turns out I don't have VA as thought, but an infection, and have been given antibiotic tablets and a cream to be used in tandem. When I asked how I could have acquired the infection, she said soap, washing powders and fabric conditioners can sometimes cause it. Anyway, since I only got the meds late this morning, I missed the first dose so have only had 2 tabs and used the cream twice. I have to say it isn't as effective at easing the itching/chaffing as the stuff I was already using, but I will persevere. I used only the AB cream for the first application but for the second earlier this evening, had to allow it to absorb and then apply some of the other cream later and have had some relief that way.

Thinking back, I remembered that I stopped using Dove soap in the bath because my arms and legs started to itch and since I use only baby safe laundry products, suspected it was the soap that was making me itch so stopped using it and switched to another. A few weeks ago the soap we switched to became difficult to source locally so I started using Dove again - and at some point the intimate itching began. I got some Canesten, and then Vagisil, but neither really helped overall so began to look online as getting an appointment at my GP surgery is nigh on impossible these days. They want you to use their online portal and only ring if its an emergency - lately that autoresponse on ringing has been changed to 'life-threatening emergency' - so I was trying to find information and help myself really. I was desperate.

On first hearing about VA, the symptoms seemed to match so I thought I had developed that and bought appropriate products to soothe etc. But I insisted on seeing a doctor yesterday and that examination resulted in my being diagnosed with an infection and I'm glad to have antibiotics to treat it.

Thank you all for your kind support and suggestions. I hope everyone who has or is suffering down below will find the right diagnosis and treatment and also, perhaps in some ways more importantly, relief