VAGINAL ATROPHY/PAIN/DRYNESS AFTER SURGICAL MENOPAUSE
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hello Ladies ? I'm hoping that one of you lovlies can advise or help me...........After a double mastectomy and removal of both ovaries and tubes, 7 years ago, I went full steam ahead, into a surgical menopause. All the usual hot flushes, insomnia, tears, tantrums and depression followed. I expected some loss of moisture in my lady garden, but not the dry wilderness it has become. Due to health issues, I can't take HRT, but was prescribed Vagifem which hasn't helped. I have not had intercourse with my amazing hubby for almost 5 years, as, to put it bluntly, it's like being jabbed with a red hot poker😔 I have bought a Femmax vaginal dilator kit, which has 4 varying sizes of smooth hard plastic dilators, but having trouble even with the smallest, which is about the size of my middle finger. I've purchased everything from Replens, Vagisil Internal/External gels, Sylk, Yes etc and am now at the next of my tether. Please, please help if you can. I am lucky that I have a caring patient hubby who reassures me and who I find other ways of loving, other than intercourse. I feel desolate and deprived of a loving sex life, as I am starting to even close my mind to the prospect of ever feeling "Normal" again.........Thank you xxxx
2 likes, 17 replies
Suki_girl sweety1962
Posted
I understands how you feel. Sex is important to me and 4 years ago I was diagnosed with vulvodynia. Just as I was well enough for my hubby and I to have penetrative intercourse again I started to get dry due to menopause (I am 51). I managed for a while by applying coconut oil every time I visited the toilet, vit e oil once a day and a vit e pessary at night. I also took (and still take) sea buckthorn oil which has been shown to improve the thickness and condition of the vaginal wall comparable to oestrogen and is considered a viable alternative for women who are unable to use oestrogen. You have to take 3g a day (oral capsules). However, eventually I became too dry and sex was too painful. It sounds like you are at that stage. I am now using ovestin vaginal cream (Estriol) which has done the trick. My vagina is healthy, elastic, plump and moist (like it is 20 years younger).
You said vagifem didn't work for you. Why is that? It didn't work for me (made me swell up so much I couldn't get a finger in let alone my hubby's penis). Perhaps you could try an oestrogen cream. Are you in the uk?
sweety1962
Posted
Hi Suki?
I'm in the UK.....
I've just come back from the doctors with some Ovestin cream so going to start that tonight. Thanks for your tips, I will try the vitamin E and Sea Buckthorn. Did you get from health food store?
The Vagifem made me sore and swollen, making things when worse, similar to your experience. I am 55 but still want to feel 35!!! I've been with my husband since the age of 19 and he is loving and considerate, but I know he misses our lovemaking, as do I......We are just about to go on holiday and I have a bag full of creams, potions, lotions, lubes and even condoms, in the hope of a breakthrough while we're away. I'm not putting any pressure on myself, but I so want to feel that intimacy again, as it's been too long 😔xx
Suki_girl sweety1962
Posted
Great! I really hope the ovestin works for you like it did for me. But don't rush the sex and hurt yourself. I know it is hard. I was very frustrated when I had vulvodynia that we couldn't have penetrative sex for 2 years, but I was determined to get better and I knew having intercourse would aggravate it and set me back in my progress. Luckily my clitoris was not affected. We just did other things. Not so intimate, I know. You need to give yourself time to heal and for the ovestin to work. It took a couple of weeks (the first 2 weeks of using it every day) before I stared to see a difference. Give it time and if the ovestin works for it will be worth the wait. For me sex is great again and I seem to be more sensitive than I used to be, if you know what I mean.
For the vitamin e I use the oral capsules, 400iu. I pierce the capsule, squirt it out onto a blob of coconut oil (which is solid at room temp) on a clean finger and insert it. The vit e pessaries that I put in at night are called key e. The sea buckthorn oil I get from an online store named after a famous jungle in South America (don't want the moderator to delete my post).
wendy62425 Suki_girl
Posted
Did not see your blog before I posted. Suki is Ovestin cream the same or similar to Estrace cream? I am in the US. As mentioned Vagifem so far works well for me which has been a blessing. It is good to have a plan B. Also as mentioned I have not tried intimacy with my husband in a very long time....will have to be brave and give it a try again. Sweety I hope you have a wonderful time on your holiday!
wendy
Suki_girl wendy62425
Posted
Hi Wendy, as you will have seen it was not just that the vagifem didn't work, both sweety (must take care not to type sweaty!) and I reacted badly to it. Ovestin contains estriol which is a bioidentical hormone and is considered the safe, protective oestrogen because studies have shown that, unlike estradiol and estrone, it actually protects against cancer and cardiovascular problems. It is especially good for genitourinary issues. In other posts people have said that it is not available in the US - you have to get estriol in an oil base from a compounding pharmacy.
wendy62425 Suki_girl
Posted
Hi Suki
Do you need a prescription from doctor to get the Ovestin? I wonder why we cannot get it in the United States? I also wonder if we can get it through an international pharmacy with a prescription. I read somewhere that someone here got it through a compound pharmacy but it didn't work for her....maybe made differently Does it have estrogen in it ? How often do you use it? I'll be anxious to hear how Sweety will do with her Ovestin. Hope she has a lovely Holiday. How long does it take to feel a difference?
sorry for all the questions!
wendy
Suki_girl wendy62425
Posted
Ovestin contains the oestrogen estriol. It is one of the three oestrogen found in the female body. It is only available in prescription here. I don't know why it is not available in the US. Maybe because it is a bioidentical hormone and not a synthetic one like estrodiol and estrone. Estriol has been used in Europe and Japan for many years and has been found to be safe and protective. Sorry I can't give you more info on the situation in the states.
catherine_31822 Suki_girl
Posted
Where do you get vit e pessaries?
Suki_girl catherine_31822
Posted
catherine_31822 Suki_girl
Posted
wendy62425 sweety1962
Posted
Hello Sweety
How long have you tried the Vagifem? I too have Atrophic Vaginitis and use Vagifem 2 x weekly. It took several weeks for it to ease the dryness to make me feel normal again without the discomfort pain. For intimacy my GYN had recommended to put some Estrace cream on the outer area Several times a week for two weeks to see how We do. I haven't tried intimacy yet and like you, intercourse was extremely painful so honestly I have been afraid to try as I'm afraid I will start to feel the discomfort pain again......are you allowed to use Estrace?
At first when I was experiencing much discomfort and pain (not intimacy) my GYN had me start with Estrace internally for two weeks before starting the Vagifem...I think that helped.
We are all here for you....you are not alone!
We are blessed to have understanding husbands!
Best,
Wendy
sweety1962 wendy62425
Posted
Hi Wendy & Suki 😍
Thanks for your support Ladies and Suki thanks for the info regarding the Sea Buckthornxx
I'm busy packing for my holiday and hoping for some nice times with my hubby while we're away. I shan't be putting pressure on myself to try full intercourse but if I'm more relaxed I might give it a go 🙄
It's crazy that after 37 years together, that I'm scared to be intimate with my man, but I'm terrified. Last time was so painful I felt miserable afterwards and he felt guilty, which is so upsetting,
Anyway, onwards and upwards, I'm hoping I will have a breakthrough on Ovestin and I've bought some VitE capsules and coconut oil so am starting that from today. If this doesn't work I'll order the sea blackthorn when I get back.
Take care ?
Sweety
wendy62425 sweety1962
Posted
it has been a long time and hoping that you are doing well. What is working well with you? I hope you had a nice holiday with your husband.
i am doing well mostly. Please let us know how you are doing would love to hear.
take care
wendy
Suki_girl sweety1962
Posted
By the way Sweety and Wendy, I tried sea buckthorn oil on my vulva to see if it helped applying it that way. Warning - is mills horrible and is a bright orange colour which stains everything it touches. It's bad enough having coconut oil stains on everything (it is best to wear a panti pad) but at least that is clear.
Suki_girl
Posted
"Smells" not "mills"!