Perimenopause
Posted , 4 users are following.
hi everyone,
i apologize if if this comes off as ignorant or rambling but it's from lack of sleep.I would like some clarification on what I am going through. I am 46years old and since June had been having burning pain in what I thought was my urethra. It wasn't. I never had a UTI in my life so questioned if it was exactly that. Anyway I was prescribed Bactrim and the pain went away. But I noticed the odd sensation came back. Went to a urologist and he did an ultrasound an cystoscope and a urinalysis. All came back normal. So they sent me to my gynecologist. My symptoms were sweating heavily, my periods are every 17 days, and my vaginal area feels numb at times with pressure and heaviness. Did a pelvic exam and no prolapse etc. they are sending me for a transvaginal ultrasound to rule out anything else. I know this is hormones and part of the change BUT what can I take to relieve this vaginal pain. They won't prescribe me any hormone treatment because my mother died when she was 35 from breast cancer. Is there anything I can do? I am raising my 9 year old son alone, after my divorce, and can't function due to lack of sleep.
thank you for any advice.
3 likes, 23 replies
littleme1969 tara45078
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tara45078 littleme1969
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Thank you so much for your kind reply. Yes it's odd it was the only symptom I had and it only occurs during my period. I don't have a sister and my friends seem not to have any menopausal issues yet...lucky them. The Urologist from the beginning said it wasn't a urinary or bladder issue, but sent me for the various test just to be certain. My gynecologist wasn't very helpful either because she said it would be odd for me to have "vaginal pressure and numbness along with burning" because I only had one child and he was born via c section so prolapse is unlikely. It can't be due to any possible std because I haven't been sexually active for 8 years. Anyway After she confirmed her thoughts during the pelvic she said it was hormonal. Since my mother died very young I had no reference of genetic factors such as when she would have gone through this change. Therefore I am at the mercy of you wonderfully kind souls. I will research those supplements and also the anti depressant you mentioned. My question re the anti depressant...does it make you very drowsy? I am raising my child alone (no other family) so want to be sure I am not too compromised by medicine in order to take care of him. Thank you again
littleme1969 tara45078
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tara45078 littleme1969
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gailannie tara45078
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Hi Tara,
So first off, I am not a doctor. However, this almost seems like a no brainer. At age 46 there are obviously changes to your hormones. One of the common issues with menopause is vaginal atrophy/dryness, and pain with sex. There can also be reoccuring UTIs and changes in urine output. (dribbling and urgency). While it makes good sense to have them look and rule out any other possible reasons, once that's complete, I can't see why in the world they wouldn't allow you a trial of vaginal estrogen.
Recently, vaginal Estrogen has even been approved for us by breast cancer survivors. And studies have shown that even low dose systemic estrogen does not raise the chances of getting breast cancer. So this completely rules out their rational for not allowing you to have any estrogen.
There are many approved products that are available to provide some estrogen to the vaginal area. Start low and go slow, but this may be creating your pain.
For me, when I go close to menopause, all my ligaments and muscles hurt like crazy. I was in chronic pain. It was so bad I couldn't even spoon with my husband to watch a movie. Within 10 minutes I'd be up and pacing from the pain. I did 4 years of constant chronic pain. Then the vaginal atrophy and dryness set in and I was given vaginal Estrace for that problem. Low and behold, with regular use, all my muscle and ligament pain went away in a very short time. It was the only thing I was doing differently, and ABSOLUTE HEAVEN.
So while I can't guarentee that lack of estrogen is creating your vaginal pain, it certainly seems logical and worth a try. If your physician won't give in to a trial, find a new physician. You desesrve to at least explore this option and possible answer to your pain.
Vaginal atrophy and dryness is not something to mess with. Left untreated, this area can actually web shut and some women can even have vaginal pain with walking. Not to mention additional uretha problems. A little vaginal estrogen may just be the answer.
tara45078 gailannie
Posted
Thank you gailannie, as I responded above I appreciate the replies. In addition to my answer above, I won't bore you with repeating myself. However can I ask you if you had a pulling feeling or pressure in the vaginal area that would come and go? I only have a burning sensation one day during my cycle (I get my period every 17 days and it last 3 days) and then it goes but the pressure and weighted feeling is on and off throughout the month. I have about 7-10 days where it's almost normal but i am always aware of it. I would love to use an estrogen cream and like you said I will have to look elsewhere for another gynecologist. I wish you well.
gailannie tara45078
Posted
Tara, I think it's telling that burning sensation just one day of your cycle. Can you tract the day? Is it regularly at a certain day of your cycle.
As far as a presure or pulling feeling in the vaginal area, my sensation was a severe strain and tightness of the ligaments at the top of my legs right by my vagina. It hurt so bad, it was like I wanted someone to pull them out! Oh my gosh did they hurt!
I think every woman does/can experience strange sensations a little differently. Many woman complain about pain in the vaginal vault. Lack of estrogen is the issue.
Possibly just a small amount of vaginal estrogen for several days right before your period might help. That is, of your periods are still pretty regular. But a shortened cycle of 17 days, with 3 days of bleeding is pretty telling.
tara45078 gailannie
Posted
Thank you, yes it's always the first day of the 3 day period...and then after that comes the numbness and pulling sensation. Will definitely look into a cream. My gynecologist kind of made me feel guilty bc of the history of BC with my mom and that my son has no other family. Made me think I was taking a risk for what she considered something that is tolerable. In the big picture yes it is..but as you said I am concerned at how much worse it may get. Thanks again.
tara45078 gailannie
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Can I ask you what type of cream you found worked best? I am not familiar and I know it's all personal. I am going to ask my dr for some samples but is there one in particular for the burning? I am not sexually active so just want the odd sensation to lessen. Thank you
gailannie tara45078
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gailannie tara45078
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That is very telling. On the day your period starts, your hormones (estrogen/progesterone) are at their lows for the cycle. That's why your period begins. Your estrogen builds from that low point. This is why you'd feel better in a week or so.
Be sure to mention that to your physician, so he/she understands this is a patterned cyclical thing.
tara45078 gailannie
Posted
Hi again, really sorry to bother you but if you check this post again can you tell me if this sounds familiar. My period only lasted one day this month (yesterday). But the day after I get a cut like feeling in the inside of my vaginal wall. It feels like it's right at the opening but inside up about an inch. It burns but I assume that's from the urine. Is that a sign of estrogen issues?
tara45078 gailannie
Posted
And I forgot to add this may seem odd but I couldn't take the burning anymore and put an ice cube up there, the numbing helped it a lot.
gailannie tara45078
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Tara,
The first thing I'll mention, is that a one day period certainly points to a lack of lining build up (lack of estrogen) There is no doubt that your hormone base is changing. While every women will experience a host of "interesting" symptoms that vary, for some reason yours seem to be confined to your vaginal vault. Possibly that area, for you, is just very sensitive to estrogen deprivation. But many women will describe pain and burning in this area. I also have heard women describe it, as though it feels like sand paper. For some women it's a slow change, for others they felt like they woke up one morning to the Shara desert.
Have you been examined? And have you been diagnosed with vaginal atrophy and dryness? Mine came on slowly after menopause. I'll never forget the first time I had painful sex. Boy was that a total SHOCK. I had always loved sex, and it always felt really good. And boy does pain take away that fun.
My physician used a Q tip to lightly touch areas of the vaginal vault to see if pain was in that area. Again, this is something you need to have examined. There are answers.
tara45078 gailannie
Posted
Thanks for replying. I had a pelvic exam by a nurse practitioner bc my gynecologist was with another patient. She said she noticed my vaginal area was very red. She asked about the my sexual activity. When I told her the last time I had sex was January 2008, she said well that can explain things. Apparently it's a use it or lose it mentality. So I guess I have lost it
. Anyway she scheduled me for a transvaginal ultrasound which I have tomorrow. She thinks it's some form of atrophy but wants to make sure it's not cyst or fibroids. I do like her bc she said that if the US comes back clear she wants me to try the pill and a topical to see what that does. I was confused bc I told her it burns a lot and the pain went away with antibiotics. But returns with my period. It's also caused pressure in my bladder which made me think it was urinary but that has been ruled out. I was told that estrogen affects everything from your vagina through your urethra so all those nerves will be impacted. To be honest at this point I will buy HRT on the black market if it will stop me from this pain. I can't function and it's not fair to my son. I am all he has. I thought you had to be done with periods completely to suffer from estrogen depletion but I now realize that's not the case. Again many thx
caz1967 tara45078
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Please take care x
carol
gailannie tara45078
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Very interesting Tara. Here's the thing that bothers me. When a woman loses her estrogen the vaginally loses color, it doesn't get bright red. Normally it would almost be white, as we lose circulation and all those tiny veins close up. Our cells also change.
Your redness suggests something else might be going on. Hope this gets figured out soon for you.