I have been treating my vaginal atrophy for almost 6 months.

I never tied bio identical hormones , I had seen them on Amazon, but was always afraid to use them with out the guidance of a physician. After I tried the Estrace cream and it burned, I also tried coconut oil and it burned also, everything just felt like a chemical burn, I must have become so sensitive it that area. I was able to use Replens , but the gross discharge was nasty. ( TMI, sorry)  Anyway , I opted for the patch and it worked, but I began to bleed and had to changed therapy. I was prescribed the hormone pill, I was not happy about it , but I needed relief and I had just gotten off my birth control 4 months earlier. I was 49 and thought it was time. My first symptoms of menopause started right after and they were hot flashes, and I used an over the counter estroven and I started to feel better, they were going away....I thought I had it beat, them...bam!! This terrible burning started. I am now taking a hormone pill with the same hormones and strength as the patch, so I am hopeful. I know they are not as safe as the topical creams but I need to have some quality of life.

Hi Suki girl

Do you know what is in the Ovestin that you use?  I wonder if it's the same as Estrace here in the US?  Does it have a hormone in it?

It is such a blessing that we all have something that helps our VA symptoms...whether it's tablets or creams and these blogs are wonderful to help each other when sometimes doctors don't.

I live in the U.S. and they don't even offer estriol  cream. I wish that was an option, even if I wanted to get it compounded, I am not sure if I would need a RX for it. I have seen it on Amazon. Thank you for the suggestion

I will not be able to see a doctor until the end of May to discuss any of this, but I did some research on estriol and came across this which I found interesting.

http://whitakerwellness.com/health-concerns/womens-health/what-is-estriol/

I went off Ovestin for a week and all my symptoms came back with a bang! I'm back on but the results are very slow this time. Have you any experience of this. I was feeling so much better that I was shocked for the symptoms to return to quickly. Should I just be patient and assume that my body is more used to the cream so is not reacting favourably so quickly? Help!

My heart goes out to you as I know your pain.  You CAN feel normal again.  My doctor told me to use Estrace cream ( prescription) for two weeks then stop and use Vagifem tablets 2 x week......if you have it severe, some ladies need 3x and up to 5x week depending on severity. As mentioned if insurance does not cover Vagifem then try Yuvafem.  You need to be patient as it does take several weeks for your vagina to heal to feel normal again....which has been such a blessing!  Atrophic Vaginitis is awful...I never heard of it before my GYN told me I had it........I  have a friend that I made on here...she lives in the U.K.  She had it very badly and needed 5x weekly.  She needed to stop working as it was so uncomfortable until she got it under control....now she is good and back to work and is able to enjoy her new grand Baby!  There is hope and good news!  Hang in there girl!

Wendy

Hi Angie

thank you for posting!  I'm glad the Vagifem works for you as well.,  such a blessing!

wendy

Yes I did mean estriol cream I live in the UK I started getting uti back in Aug last year loads of them. Then I started being really dry and so painful I couldn't do anything and I have always been fit I do zumba yoga walk miles with my dog and so forth suddenly I couldn't even walk round the block thought my life was over. I had never heard of this VA I just put my symptoms on Google and found this page. So much help from the lovely ladies . Told my Dr about VA he agreed and it's just been a case of trial and error I think I am on the right dosage now and feeling better day by day . Please don't give up once you find the right dosage you will be ok xx

Wendy.

Have you ever tried Osphena? I felt completely better on the combipatch, it worked fast and I thought I wouldn't have to deal with this again until I had to stop using it, but the vaginal bleeding made me stop, the prempro I was prescribed was to low. I am so sensitive in my vaginal area, I choose to take a oral hormone pill. I did try Estrace but I couldn't tolerate the treatment and so I thought that all creams or tablets would hurt me ever more. My ob gyn did talk to me about the vaginal ring, but I didn't think I wanted a hard plastic ring in me for 3 months. So having to switch from the hormone patch to the prempro has set me back, but I still think the benefits of estrogen outweigh the risk for me to feel better. I am currently on Mimvey Lo which is a bit higher than the prempro, but still low dose. It took 2 months for them to figure out this burning is not yeast infection but the return of my atrophy because the prempro was not high enough. Thank you for your support.

Hi Allyliv

we just have to find what works best to give us quality of life and stay with it.  I am aware that Vagifem has a low dose of estrogen and suppose to mainly stay in that area but I'm sure it goes through the body.  We just need to be pro active with check ups and mammograms.  Honestly at least for me there is no other alternative and as doctor said this is life long so a blessing when we find what works for us to have quality of life!  Are you in the US as well or U.K.?  It's important for all ladies to know that if we stop medication....the discomfort will come back.  I was late by a day with my Vagifem and I already started to feel the discomfort so needless to say I have been careful not to miss.  And if we travel...never forget our meds!😊. I wish we all knew if we are a rarity or are there many other women that have VA.  My next visit I will ask my GYN how wide spread this is as I never heard any other women that shared they had this.....until this blog.

i hope you have a nice day!🌷

Wendy

Thank you so much for all your information. It is nice to know that there are others out there that have this disorder and to this degree. As far as I know I am the only one in my family and friends that has this. I live in the U.S. and I also know that I will probably need help with this for a long time. so hopefully they will continue to come up with more and more options for us. I am currently using Replens until this pill starts to work. Helps a little. I go on vacation in June , so I hope I can get a handle on this before then.

Have a great day !

Allyliv

Hi Allyliv

i would think you should be good for your vacation in June.  Keep calm and look forward to that nice vacation no stress allowed. 😉.  I don't know anyone else that suffers from this either ...just all the ladies on this blog...just so relieved to have found this site....so helpful.  We are in Virginia.

have a nice day 🌷

wendy

Just beginning this journey. I have what I thought was a yeast infection with burning & itching but no discharge. Recurring painful intercourse and with the symptoms not getting any better after 4 months, I realized this was something different. Not happy with my General Practitioner (my insurance allows you a GP or a ObGyn- not both) I put off making an appointment until one day when I experienced the worst UTI symptoms I could ever imagine. I made a same day appointment and went home from work, and straight to the internet where I learned about VA. Went to my appointment and explained what I thought it was, but because they had squeezed me in for a possible UTI, they wouldn't do an internal. Because my urine did show blood in it, they prescribed an antibiotic (days later they called when the labs came in showing no UTI and told me to stop taking them.) I made an appointment for a well woman checkup with the GP I have no confidence in, and today is the day it happens. In the meantime, I have new symptoms that have confirmed my suspicions I am suffering with VA. Throughout this ordeal, the interior of my vagina has had red, almost welt like, patches that were extremely painful to touch. Even just gently blotting with tp after urinating was bothersome. I now suspect these were probably the cause of the reading for blood in my urine. Yesterday, while examining myself for the condition of these patches, I noticed that one side of my labia minora seemed to have halved in size. It was as if it had shrunk, yet there seemed to be an extra fold that I couldn't account for- in general, things weren't looking normal at all. Again, I turn to the internet where I learn one of the symptoms of VA is the loss of labial fat pad & thinning and resorption of the labia minora. So, although I haven't yet had a diagnosis of VA, I'm almost certain that in time with a competent physician, I will. Reading all the comments about the trials & tribulations of finding the proper medication with the correct strength that works for you, makes me realize this will probably be a long journey, with relief not just around the corner. I am strengthened by finding this group and knowing I am not alone. By the way, I live in Virginia too...maybe it's something in the water (JK!)

I just read that up to 50% of postmenopausal women have at least some degree of VA & that it is likely to be underdiagnosed and undertreated. So, I think there are many women suffering in silence. I have 3 older sisters, and when I mentioned my early symptoms, they expressed similar discomforts and were eager to hear whatever I found out. I have been postmenopausal for 7 years, I am surprised  that this many years later I could be having issues with what I thought was a relatively easy menopause.

Good Morning Laura

If you are in Northern Virginia I can recommended a wonderful GYN doctor.  The beginning symptoms of VA for me that I was not aware at the time were  UTI's, confirmed UTI's.....then I would feel another UTI coming on...only to find out like you...NO UTI.  Before this my GYN had told me after examination that I had Atrophic Vaginitis and gave me Vagifem.  Unfortunately I did not use the Vagifem tablets as I had no symptoms at the time...not a good thing as months later I started to have all these uncomfortable symptoms that felt like UTI's but were not.  Went back to GYN and he had me use the Estrace cream for 2 weeks then start the Vagifem 2x weekly.  It took a few weeks and was so concerned that I would never feel the same....finally the medication helped heal my VA and I was able to feel normal again....such a blessing!!  I am still using the Vagifem tablet internally and will be a lifetime thing. I wish I could say that it goes away but evidently...not.  If your doctor prescribes Vagifem and your insurance does not cover it there is now a generic called Yuvafem.  Please let us know how your doctor appointment goes.  I pray that there will be more meds and better information about VA in the future!

Wendy

Thanks for your reply Wendy, It's very helpful to hear of treatment plans that work.

Well, my Dr. shrugged off my concerns of VA (as I thought she might) sighting that I had moisture present internally, and the red patches weren't that bad (though not telling me what they were from) and seemed unconcerned about the change in my labia (as if that happens all the time.) This Dr. seems to have a real problem with informed patients. God forbid you use the internet to figure out what might be happening to your body. Instead of listening to the symptoms that I was presenting with, she found her own problem- an enlarged ovary. So now I get to have a transvaginal ultrasound, no problem that sex is painful, lets just put this wand inside of you. I'm going to have it, just to clear my mind of the notion that I could have ovarian cancer...and then I'm going to get a referral to a Gyn who might really listen to me. I'm in Culpeper, a pretty small town. UVA just recently took over running our hospital as well as the family practice office I go to, so I was hopeful I would find an answer. She did prescribe Lidex-E to apply externally 3 weeks on, 3 weeks off. Has anybody here used this before? Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!

Hi Laura

I am definetly familiar with Culpeper.  My Dad lived in Warrenton.  So you are getting the rain too today.....tomorrow will be nice and sunny!

its good that you are getting an ultrasound.  We need to get checked out to get peace of mind. Did she say it could possible be a cyst on the ovary?  If your doctor is right that you do not have VA.....that would be good news!!  I think all women should just see a GYN as they specialize in our  intimate parts and think they are more knowledgeable.  I hope you go see one to get all your questions answered.  I am not familiar with Lidex-E maybe someone else has.  Maybe you can google it or ask separately on Patient UK.   Please keep us posted. 🌷

Wendy - I was doing fine (after months of suffering) on Ovestin, but I stopped for one week and all the symptoms came back very suddenly. I went back on Ovestin but after a week I'm still very sore. Do you think it takes longer than a week, or is Ovestin just not working for me anymore? I still have the bladder problems and vaginal soreness although they are not quite as acute as one week ago. Any advice would be so welcome. Until I found these forums I thought I'd go mad. I'm in my late 60s and at least I don't feel alone now! Please help if you can. Thanks

Hi Angie,

I'm new to this Forum so not sure how it works. I've sent this message to Wendy too, hoping one of you can help because it's really making me feel down. Now, at least I don't feel alone.

A friend recommended Ovestin and I had to change GPs before I could find anyone who agreed I needed it. I was getting really desperate. After months of suffering I was really doing well with Ovestin, but I stopped for one week and all the symptoms came back very suddenly. I went back on Ovestin but after a week I'm still very sore. Do you think it takes longer than a week, or is Ovestin just not working for me anymore? I still have the bladder problems and vaginal soreness although they are not quite as acute as one week ago. Any advice would be so welcome. Until I found these forums I thought I'd go mad. At least I don't feel alone now! Please help if you can. Thanks

Hello Bridge

Im sorry you are experiencing this relapse. I think in time you will be okay and back to normal......unfortunately with VA we will have to use Vagifem or creams like yours for the rest of our lives unless the medical field comes up with something else.  I use Vagifem tablets inserted Vaginally.  You use cream.  Please do not stop the cream unless you are shifting to Vagifem as the discomfort will come back again and it will take time to heal the vagina again as you have experienced.  I was off in taking my Vagifem in the beginning and I got the discomfort back and took days to feel normal again and that was just being late a day.  Some ladies are trying the fairly new Mona Lisa treatments.  Some do well and some not.  They are very expensive and not covered on insurance. Some ladies have to do creams or Vagifem as well as the treatments.....so I defeats the purpose for me.  I will wait and see the long term before I try them.  I am 66 and just resolve the fact that this is something that I have to do for me to feel normal.  Important to have annual check up with GYN!  Such a blessing to have meds that will make us feel normal.....it would be awful if we had to experience the discomfort of VA without them as when I didn't have Vagifem it felt like I had a UTI and felt pressure on bladder all the time!!  I don't know anyone else who suffers from this except on this blog.  So grateful to have each other!!

Hang in there girl.  Please keep us posted.  If not better ask your doctor if maybe you need to increase dosage. 

Have a good day!

Wendy

Hi Wendy62425,

Thank you so much for your reply. I realize now that I was stupid to stop. I had no idea that everything would come back so fast.

I have just found a great forum called Menopause Matters. Lots of people like you and me. It's so reassuring to have support and not to feel alone. I spent months thinking I had a serious illness and being scared. So many women suffer in silence and so many GPs haven't a clue. I had to change GP practice to get my initial diagnosis, but even then I wasn't warned not to come off. She said I had to have a break now and again. Well, look where that got me - back where I started! We need more education! Thanks again - I won't be stopping from now on! Bridge48