I've had enough ! Time for Mona Lisa ! Side effects???

Hi Barbara

After the 3 treatments...is that all or will you have to keep going back in the future for more treatments?

Thank you

Wendy

Thank you for telling me how it went with you. I wonder if there is anything other than lidocaine because I am allergic to it. Found that out when I had some dental work and my throat and face swelled. I had to be tested by an allergist on another numbing med before the dental work could be finished

The pain I have as I explained to my brother is not like a yeast irritation but more like putting your hand on a burner. It is a severe burning. Constant burning. I can take a norco but I try not to. I have a UTI feeling that comes and goes and always tests neg. They have prescribed pyridum to take for a couple days to help with the uti feeling. 

I have improved with first the Estrace cream and then the Yuvafem three times a week. But it has never been pain free since last August. My nurse practioner says I may have to learn to live with a certain level of discomfort. I'm not giving up that easy.

I go for the consultation on Feb 23 so I'm not sure about the treatments but everything I have read says three over 12 weeks and then once a year.

Hi Kelly

did the doctors share with you if this 3 treatments is a one time procedure or will you have to go back for more after a certain period of time if discomfort returns?

thank you

wendy

You have to have 3 treatments, 6 weeks apart & then I heard that we need a yearly maintenance (didn't know that). I heard somewhere that the yearly treatment costs $750 but that may differ from city to city & country to country.

Barbara

I am in the US.........is anyone covered with their insurance for this procedure due to Atrophic Vaginitis?.......you would think it would.  I am assuming most are getting this due to pain or discomfort.  I  started at 2 Vagifem per week months ago and did well....but after recent UTI....I'm feeling some discomfort back.....may need more Vagifem.  It's amazing how some post menapause women have this and others just have some dryness and no discomfort.......?

wendy

Thank you Kelly. I'm betting the numbing cream has lidocaine in it which I am highly allergic to so I need to be careful about that.

Before the treatments were you on the cream or vagifem? 

Do you think it was worth it and would you do it again?

It is not covered in the US. They say the procedure is coded in the medical billing as a cosmetic procedure ! Which makes me angry. There are so many women in serious pain and their lives have come to a halt and they bill this as it's done for your sex life? It's not a tummy tuck ! Yeah I would like to have sex with my husband of 40 years again but most of all I would like a day without pain

Wendy, I paid 400 for each visit I had. The follow up is annually and I was told that the session would be less than 400. The GYN I used told me if I need a tune up before the year is up just come in, she will not charge me, otherwose see her in a year for the maintenance. This is not covered by insurance as there is no code for it and the laser was designed for cosmetic purposes. I assure you after being slammed into menopause by chemo and lupron the last thing I'm going to dobis use this for cosmestic purposes on my vajayjay.

I do believe it is lidocaine they use, you could ask if there is something else they could use.

I don't think I can use vagifem, I had hormone positive breast cancer. I tried replense for months, even used it daily. Then I tried coconut oil and vitamin E pills... nothing worked. Used different lubes for sex with no luck. Unless having no sex for the rest of my life would be acceptable, I would go for these treatments weekly if I had to!!!!

Hi Kelly

i just saw in your blog that you mentioned "Lupron"....... I had to have Lupron injections putting me into menopause due to endometriosis in my 30's for over 9 months and just did research yesterday that Lupron is one of the causes for Atrophic Vaginitis!!!  Ugh...I wish I knew  that then as I would have much rather deal with menstral pain with ibuprofen.....instead of dealing with this Atrophic Vaginitis!!  I just pray for all of us that we will get to a place with the right meds that we will all  feel normal again!!  Where do you live?  Seems like $400 each time is much less than most.  I am in Virginia.  Thank you for sharing!

Wendy

 

no kidding I agree

 

I have the same thing going on, can't have intercourse too painful, had breast cancer so no hormones, and I've been in menopause since my early 30s because of a bone marrow transplant for leukemia.  I'm 62 and healthy but don't feel like much of a women for my husband.  Someone said to look into Mona Lisa procedure.  Have you heard of anything for vaginal atrophy?  I've seen something about dialators(?). Do you know of anything else. 

I live in NJ and went to Wynnewood PA. It's just outside Philly. I didn't know Lupron caused VA. Mine was caused by my chemo and double whammy by being put into menopause. I have had all 3 ML treatments and it has been awesome!

some people on here have had cancer and still use the hormones like vagifem since it is localized treatment. Ask your doctor maybe. My husband and I have not had sex since AAugust and it is very sad. I never expected something like this. I'm 62 also.

Hi Kelly

I googled causes of Atrophic Vaginitis and Lupron injections was listed as one of the causes as it puts you in menopause .......for me at least 9 months or more.  As mentioned I wish I had settled on taking Ibuprofen for the pain instead of Lupron for treating Endometrosis.  I'm sure the doctors at the time did not know that that would be an issue down the road.

hi Donna

We  have not heard from you in awhile......how are you doing?  

I posted on a new thread to see how everyone was doing a couple of days ago. Increasing the yuvafem to three times a week has shown some improvement. But still good days and bad still. I've read some disappointing things here about mona lisa treatments that kind of worry me since that is always in the back of my mind as my last resort

How are you?

 

I am a 10 year breast cancer survivor, and was abrubtly taken off HRT. My doc prescribed vaginal creams. They helped a little. But in the last couple months my symptoms were so bad I thought surely I had an infection. But no it is just the atrophy. The creams are not really helping. I am 59, and my husband and I have had a good long marraige. I was resigning myself and rationalizing that I had been there done that.....and our relationship had other things more important. Sex was extremely painful and we have not even tried in a long time. Then the doctor told me about the Mona Lisa procedure. It almost sounds too good to be true......maybe there is hope? I am just trying to justify the money. I had come to terms with my situation. And now I have an option. I just want to make sure its worth it.