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Help with AV pain please!

Posted , 13 users are following.

caroline_59370
caroline_59370

hi, I have been diagnosed with AV this week after weeks of pain and treatments for thrush cystitis and UTI. I have been prescribed vagifem which I have been taking for 3 days but the burning and discomfort is terrible! Especially when sitting.  I wondered if there was an external topical cream I could use that others have found helpful?! I have seen lots of suggestions on here but they don't look like they are available in the UK! Anyone help please?! smile 

2 likes, 86 replies

86 Replies

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  • caroline_59370
    caroline_59370

    Posted

    Hi everyone, I just wanted you to know that after a month of vagifem I am soooo much better! I'm still taking the treatment daily but the difference is incredible.  I just wanted people who may be reading this and suffering thinking it will never get better.....that it does eventually work!! Feel so much better! Thanks everyone for your support smile xxxx

    • KKay
      KKay caroline_59370

      Posted

      Hello Caroline,

      I am very glad to hear that you sre so much better - that is fantastic and great to hear and reassuring to know that it takes time....

      I have one question though: you say you are "still taking the treatment daily" - so you took Vagifem daily for a month ?

      I was told to take it nightly for 14 days and then twice a week after that. Its been about 3 weeks but I do not feel any better. Please share in detail what you did to get better.

      Thanks so much

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 KKay

      Posted

      Good Morning KKay and ladies

      As mentioned my doctor had me use estrogen cream the first two weeks internally ....then....the  vagifem 2 times a week.  I think the estrogen cream was a big help to help heal the Vagina then Vagifem takes over.  And yes it does take awhile...took several weeks for me to feel normal again.  Evidentially some ladies do need to take Vagifem more often.  As someone mentioned the Vagifem used to be higher dose.  All I know is that it has been such a blessing!  Here in the US it is very expensive....that is the only down side.  My doctor said I will probably be using Vagifem for the rest of my life.  I tried to stop taking it a year or so ago and unfortunately.......all the discomfort came back Ugh!  So i had to start over and go back on the estrogen cream for the 2 weeks then the Vagifem 2x week.

      Its amazing that before all this happened to me I never heard of Atrophic Vaginitis........only that we would need lubricant when having intimacy after menapause..........

      Hang in there ladies! You can feel normal again! 🌺

      Lets continue to keep each other posted!

      Best,

      Wendy

    • KKay
      KKay wendy62425

      Posted

      Thank you Wendy; all this information is so useful.

      I had never heard of VA either; what a well-kept secret ! And many doctors just have NO clue !

      This site and this thread have been a life-saver....thank you ladies for all your comments, thanks Wendy smile

      Kkay

  • KKay
    KKay caroline_59370

    Posted

    I mean, if that's what you did, I will switch to using it every day as well.

    Did you/ are you using anything else?

    So glad you're better. Its hellish.

    • donna18720
      donna18720 KKay

      Posted

      i'm curious too if she took it daily for a month. I was doing so much better than bam ! It's back. Today has been awful,constant burning

  • caroline_59370
    caroline_59370

    Posted

    Morning ladies! I was prescribed to take it also for 2 weeks daily and then every other night. After 2 weeks the pain was no better and I couldn't get a Drs appointment so I decided to just keep taking daily. The improvement started to happen after week 3. I saw my GP yesterday who said I had done the right thing to keep taking and has given me another months supply. She has suggested I try every second night when I feel ready to but to be honest it's still a bit uncomfortable and I sure don't want it getting worse again!!! I will stick with daily for now but not sure how long they will prescribe it for? Xxx

    • KKay
      KKay caroline_59370

      Posted

      Thank you soooo much for this Caroline, that is really helpful. I will do the same.

      Do you have any burning with it at all ? Like I said, I'm on twice weekly now but sometimes I feel worse with it than without...

      Re how long it should be perscribed, most women are on it for years and doctors who understand how it works do understand that. It is a very low dose of natural estrogen and it only works in that area and it is not absorbed by the rest of the body. If your GP does not readily perscribe it, I advise you to find a different doctor who will. If you need backup information to show your doctor, I can send you links.

      Good luck and thanks again for sharing; this whole thread has been really helpful

  • tracy12090
    tracy12090 caroline_59370

    Posted

    Hi ladies, to add to the Vagifem debate. I used to be on the old 25mcg Vagifem twice a week it most be 4/5 year ago at least. Before they changed them to the 10mcg lower dose. The old dosage worked much better for me to the point I was able to stop taking them but the symptoms soon returned probably 6 months later. In my case the Dr said I would problably need to continue hrt longterm. It's not a condition that goes away as far as I can tell but does get progressively worse when untreated. From what ive gathered here the severity variety from women to women I just seem to need a higher dose.

    • KKay
      KKay tracy12090

      Posted

      Thank you Tracy for sharing that, yes it doesnt really go away until we are much older, as far as I can tell and our bodies' need for estrogen lessens..

      Maybe you can use it more often than twice a week? Since you were better on the higher dose?

      Good luck

  • christie60459
    christie60459 caroline_59370

    Posted

    I can't even say how much I appreciate this discussion! 

     I was diagnosed with AV a year ago. I had no idea this is what I had to look forward to at the age of 60! At times the burning has been unbearable! 

    I started out with Estrace cream prescribed by a NP. When finally seeing my OBGYN, she switched me to Vagifem which seemed to work well. We'll, my insurance will no longer cover Estrace or Vagifem! Only Premarin. Without insurance, Estrace and Vagifem are both very expensive. 

     Has anyone had any experience with ordering from a Canadian Pharmacy? 

    It would cost about half what I'd have to pay here in the US. 

     Knowing that there are other women suffering with this and reading your struggles and successes has given me hope!

    • KKay
      KKay christie60459

      Posted

      Hello Christine !

      Yes these discussions are a life saver! I'm glad the vagifem worked for you - I ordered it from a canadian pharmacy and it arrived, no problems. But they needed a doctor's perscription.

      Can you share what symptoms you had and what kind of time frame it took for them to resolve ? I personally mostly have extreme discomfort in the bladder and occasional burning.

      Good luck !

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 christie60459

      Posted

      Hello Ladies

      i just found out from my insurance that there is a new generic ( one and only )  for Vagifem called Yuvafem, that is covered on my insurance as they do not cover Vagifem and Vagifem is VERY expensive!  I have appointment with my GYN next week so I will ask him about the Yuvafem.  I hope it is the same without any side effects and will do the same so we can all feel normal as with the Vagifem.  Just wanted to give you all a heads up on this.  What is the cost of getting Vagifem in Canada vs US?  

      Blessings,

      Wendy

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 donna18720

      Posted

      Hello Donna

      please let us know how you are doing using the Yuvafem.  I'm sure that is what my doctor will prescribe to me Thursday since insurance companies will no longer cover Vagifem.  I just pray that it works the same.  Maybe in time the cost for Vagifem will go down as many of us will have to start with the generic.  I hope all is going well with you.....and that this blog will bring many ladies hope that you can feel normal again!

      Blessings,

      Wendy

    • donna18720
      donna18720 wendy62425

      Posted

      I'm using it Friday so keep your fingers crossed. I'm so up and down right now with some days almost good back to burning pain for no reason I can see

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 donna18720

      Posted

      Hi Donna

      how many did you get for only $5 for Yuvafem?  Here it is 90 day supply for $200.00! My GYN said it should be the same as Vagifem. Did you have to get Yuvafem in Canada or US.?

      wendy

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 donna18720

      Posted

      Hi Donna

      how many Yuvafem did you get for the $5?  Please advise.

      thank you

      wendy

    • donna18720
      donna18720 wendy62425

      Posted

      I got 8 individually wrapped. I'm in the US and my insurance paid for everything but $5. So at twice a week that is a 30 day supply basically. I was shocked at the price. I have been paying a lot more for the estrace cream

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 donna18720

      Posted

      Hi Donna

      I am in the US as well. Wow......$5 is great.  Our insurance company shows Vagifem and Yuvafem to be the same price.  Usually generic is less than brand drugs.

      what insurance company do you have? We are in Virginia.

      thank you

      Wendy

    • donna18720
      donna18720 christie60459

      Posted

      will they prescribe the new generic yuvafem? I'm taking it and it is much cheaper than the estrace

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 KKay

      Posted

      Hello KKay

      can you let us know what the cost is for Vagifem through Canada....how many and the cost.

      thank you!

      wendy

    • KKay
      KKay wendy62425

      Posted

      Hello Wendy,

      I don't have the information at hand I'm afraid, am travelling at the moment. I will check and get back to you

    • KKay
      KKay wendy62425

      Posted

      I'm travelling and away from my records but let me check and get back to you

    • KKay
      KKay wendy62425

      Posted

      Wendy, it was $198 for 36 tablets.

      So at 2 tablets per week that works out I guess to 18 weeks or 4.5 months.

      I hope this is helpful.

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 KKay

      Posted

      Thank you KKay

      Goodness these meds are so expensive!  Is that for Vagifem or the generic Yuvafem.?  For some reason they are both the same price with my insurance. Donna on here has great insurance as she only pays $5 for a month supply 2x week.  Hopefully the insurance companies will lower their prices....especially on the generic....then maybe Vagifem will have to get lowered........one can only hope.

      thank you for your info.

      Have a great day?🌺

      wendy

    • KKay
      KKay wendy62425

      Posted

      Hi there Wendy; yes they are expensive. Rather depressing. That was for Vagifem

      Hope you are doing well on it at least; that's some solace.

      Kkay

    • donna18720
      donna18720 wendy62425

      Posted

      I guess I am really lucky with what my insurance pays for yuvafem
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