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Just started vagifem and have thrush - anyone else experience this?

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Suki_girl
Suki_girl

I have just started using vagifem and was pleased to find it did not irritate me (I have extremely sensitive skin down there and can only tolerate natural oils). However, after the second day of use I got thrush. I am susceptible to thrush and during the pre-menopause, with hormones in chaos, I would get it every few months despite being on a no sugar diet and taking lots of anti-candida supplements. I had been getting slowly dryer down there. I have not had a period for 51 days and since my last period suddenly became completely dry down there. Sexual intercourse has to be short, careful and aided by loads of oil based lube, but it still hurts and I am sore after. Having suffered from vulvodynia caused by repeated and persistent thrush I am wary about thrush and damage in that area. Water based vaginal moisturisers sting me and oil based doesn't rehydrate the cells. So, after trying various things without success and my GP warning me it will get worse, I have bitten the bullet and tried vagifem. However, I am worried that it may have caused the thrush. Has anyone esle experienced thrush caused by vagifem? Did it persist? Or did it settle down once your body had adjusted to the oestrogen, or once you had dropped down to twice a week doses (I am still on 1 a day).

1 like, 97 replies

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  • Suki_girl
    Suki_girl

    Posted

    Another thing relating to the thrush: my GP said it could be due to hormone fluctuations in premenopause or damage to the vaginal wall due to this getting dryer and more fragile. We don't know which. If it is the former vagifem, containing oestrogen, will make me more susceptible to thrush and if it's is the latter vagifem should help. But there is no way of knowing which is the problem. Great......
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Suki_girl

      Posted

      Phew - honestly, I really don't know how you get an answer to this!
    • Suki_girl
      Suki_girl chris00938

      Posted

      I guess I just keep trying things, like you did, and hope I find an answer. Like you, I started putting the vagifem tablet in on the end of my finger, just in case the applicator was causing some damage.

      as for the allergy question - I have very robust skin everywhere else.

      i suspected I might get dry from the menopause because I was extremely dry like this when I was breast feeding .... But I hoped it may not be the case

    • chris00938
      chris00938 Suki_girl

      Posted

      I wonder if there are a few people around worried about the applicator then.  I can't puzzle it out why your vagina reacts so strongly but no other allergies, unless the skin is almost cracking with dryness - just thinking about when lips get really dry in bitter cold weather.  I wish I had some ideas....
    • Sus28
      Sus28 Suki_girl

      Posted

      I found the chapter called, "the plague of deadly spores, are you a victim?"

      in ron gellatelys book, " internal Health, the key to eternal youth and vitality " very interesting.. He suggests taking lactoferrin.

       

    • Suki_girl
      Suki_girl Sus28

      Posted

      I've tried ka toreros - give me diahorrea
    • Suki_girl
      Suki_girl

      Posted

      Sorry - auto fill. I've tried lactoferrin and it gives me diahorrea.
    • Suki_girl
      Suki_girl chris00938

      Posted

      No cracking or sore skin. Just no, or minimal, natural lube.
  • beverly52803
    beverly52803 Suki_girl

    Posted

    Seem to recall reading that vagifem can cause yeast infections. Just googled and saw on one site that yeast is the #3 concern when taking it. Couldn't figure out what the top 2 were, but navigating most sites is a mystery to me. It would be worthwhile to investigate the connection thoroughly if it is happeneing to you.I would include the link but we are not "allowed" (for a nonsensical reason).

    Whoever asked about the dry eyes, it is common with age. There are "artificial tears" type of drops to help. I get it at night and it's worse if I use the computer a lot. My skin has also gotten dryer. I take vitamins & supplements, but who knows if they do anything. Basically I just pile on the lotion. Fortunately I live in an area that's fairly humid.

    As the purpose of all organisms is to reproduce (I skipped that one) and as we have passed our "useful" age our  reproductive organs don't have much use and for some do not go quietlt into the night. Evolution has not caught up with how long humans are living. Doctors are having to deal with these consequences and aren't very well equipped. HRT used to be the magic bullet, but now that it's dangers are apparent there isn't a universal solution. Some women seem ok with natural remedies, but they aren't really cures.

    My gyno was a lot more concerned about the VA than I was because she said it could lead to major problems and some of you ladies have certainly proven that! So it seems I am on a bit of a tightrope as to whether or not it will get progressively worse. If so I may give the Premarin (what is given in the US) a try, though as my sister has breast cancer using hormones is not a great option.

    Sex would be out of the question in my present state as I cannot tolerate an exam. I am most interested in the Mona Lisa laser treatment as it is supposed to increase your body's production of collagen which builds up the skin.(It's been done on the face for years). Was going to make an appointment with my gyno, but simply avoided it. Now I will be away for 6 months so any possible treatment is on hold for another year. Am going with the "if it ain't (completely) broke don't fix it" approach. I'll use the mild soaps, coconut oil and occasional vit E in the meantime and will continue to follow these discussions. This site has been great.

    • chris00938
      chris00938 beverly52803

      Posted

      Beverley did you ever look up the studies on hyalaronic acid products versus estrogen products?  I was SO against using vagifem in the first place because my mother had died from breast cancer, so I was totally anti hormone in any form, even high estrogen foods like soy etc. but my doctor told me there was no worry, stuck me on vagifem and three times the recommended dose, and then I got the endometrial cancer!  When I went to the gynie to have the pessary fitted, the first question she asked me was if I'd had a recent mammogram - yes I had.  There will always be this question mark of if the vagifem (overdose) caused the endometrial cancer because they give warnings all over their site on it, if there's an intact uterus, but to try and be balanced over it, we don't know if I'd have got it anyway!  I just feel if there are other options, like hyalaronic acid doctors should be keeping up to date with this.  I must admit I'm taking more care now realising this aspect can get so much worse with age!  I'm 65, and so far all I've ever had is a bit of vulva irritation so am counting myself REALLY lucky.  I've been told there is atrophy there, but yes, any oils etc. are only treating symptoms (which, lets face it, if we've got atrophy problems and they achieve that, it's a big achievement for some who would otherwise be in real trouble!).  My gynie told me that the hyalaronic acid pessaries can be used as often as daily if I want to, and on a permanent basis, but now I've got a pessary (I'm talking plastic shelf prolapse pessary here) it's not so easy to get them up there!  But they do a liquid as well that I might try if I get symptoms.  I think some of us are just so lucky and being on this site makes us realise that!

      It was me who wondered if there was any link between dry eyes and dry vagina.  My dry eye problems went with taking Krill oil.  Skin has never been dry though.  Are ladies who tend towards dry skin more likely to have worse atrophy problems, I wonder?  Do those of you with the worse problems tend towards dryer skins generally?  Is there any link there?

    • Suki_girl
      Suki_girl chris00938

      Posted

      I have always had oily skin and hair. I have to shower and wash my hair every morning. I have also suffered adult acne (when not on the contraceptive pill). I have noticed my face is less oily lately and my acne is much better (so that is one positive). I have read that, with menopause, it is not only the vagina that is dryer, less elastic and less able to renew itself, all the skin is. Apparently, after menopause that is when the real wrinkles start! There have been studies showing that HRT slows the formation of wrinkles - even applying oestrogen cream to the face has a measurable benefit.

      I think our bodies are slaves to our hormones. When I was breast feeding, I was as dry as I am now - my body's way of stopping me making another baby so soon? Now, at age 49, my body is too old to carry a baby, so what use are periods and oestrogen?

    • chris00938
      chris00938 Suki_girl

      Posted

      Ah, that's interesting.  I STILL have an oily skin and hair, and I shower and wash my hair every morning.  Personally oestrogen on the face would worry me as much as anywhere else after having the endometrial cancer after the vagifem, but as I just said in another post, I have used the hyalaronic acid on my face now and a gain.  I'm 65 though and depsite a lot of sun damage over the years (used to sit in the sun if it came out from behind a cloud - I'd be there, and still am to some extent), face isn't doing badly really, so maybe the oily skin as got some benefit!  I'll stop complaining about it now LOL!
    • Suki_girl
      Suki_girl chris00938

      Posted

      Yep, those of us with oily skin may not like the shine, clogged pores or spots, but it goes make for younger looking skin. 
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Suki_girl

      Posted

      You've hit the nail on the head.  I wonder if we suffer less with atrophy problems too, compared to those with dryer skin, and I wonder if intake of oil has any effect as well.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Sus28

      Posted

      I'll message you privately Sus, because we'll get told off for going off topic, but basically YES!
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