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[CLKD]

It's been irritable again for 4-5 days and I woke at 5.45 with a heaviness around the belly button, damn ….. need to do a reload probably 

[Taz2]

Are you sure that you haven't got an infection CLKD? May be worth taking a sample to your GP for it to be dip-tested?

Taz x 

[CLKD]

    No infection, this feels totally different ……. usually eases with a few nights of treatment.

[CLKD]

  for new Members

[Kkay]

Just read through this whole thread and learned SO much

Thank all you wonderful people who have shared your experiences so generously.

[CLKD]

Do ask any questions, nothing is taboo here 

[Kkay]

Just reached home after a long commute and can sit down and share my own story. (Some of you may recognise it from the VA thread)

Warning: Long Post for Insomniacs Only

I had sudden ovarian failure at 42 - thirteen years ago. It felt like being run over by a truck with every symptom under the sun. The most distressing was a painful and incredibly ghastly cystitis feeling that lasted 18 months. I saw gynecologists and urologists and two endocrinologists (I also have no thyroid and am on thyroid replacement). I was given several different oral HRTs, none of which alleviated the range and severity of symptoms. I left work (I ran a research department with 15 people) and it was a depressing mess.

Finally the last endocrinologist I saw prescribed Estrogel (for those who dont know, its estradiol that is similar to that produced by our bodies, and its applied to the thighs or arms). I slowly improved and ALL my symptoms went gradually away. I was on it for about 9 + years and never had a bladder issue or a cystitis symptom.

About a year ago my same endocrinologist told me to switch to Tibolone, as its not an estrogen, but only mimics it and does not work on the breast tissue or uterus, and I was now 55 and presumably needed less hrt.

Everything seemed fine until we moved countries and I think the extra stress was too much for the dose I was on.  I developed a massive UTI (proven by culture) and after that, terrible burning and pain in the urethra. I assumed it was thrush from the antibiotics I'd taken for the UTI, but nope, it was eventually diagnosed as a bad case of VA.

I cant get Vagifem where I live (India) and had to resort to the only cream on the market, Premarin (yuk).  Needless to say, I also ditched the Tibolone and ran screaming back to Estrogel. I now have a Vagifem stock for a few months that a friend got and handcarried for me, which so far hasnt worked but I will up the dose based on the advice I've seen here.

My whole pelvic area / bladder is supremely uncomfortable at best and achey/draggy at worst, with burning inside and out.

Thank you all again for sharing such useful information; its literally been a lifesaver.

KKay

[CLKD]

How do you like living in India otherwise?  Are there no ex-PAT GPs that you could visit? 

Use the Vagifem for 2 weeks every night.  Then every other night if necessary, every 3rd and 5/6th nights are 'usual'.  Also, do take a pain relief medication to help ease other symptoms.  Make sure you drink plenty.  Keeping the outer vaginal lips can help ease symptoms.  As oestrogen levels drop off, the body becomes dry, inside and out  !

What medical support do you currently have access to where you live?  Are you able to get into the UK and register with a GP ? 

[Kkay]

Thank you for this - what kind of pain relief medication do you find works ?

[CLKD]

I use Nurofen (Ibuprofen) as necessary.

How are you today?  How's the weather?

[CLKD]

Bumped for new member

[jessieblue]

Wow CLKD, I just read this and could have written your original post word for word......except I would have added the odd bit of hysteria!  I spent weeks trying to find out what was wrong with me and that was 9 years ago when I was first affected with bladder symptoms.  Its interesting you mention the G spot irritation as I had exactly that too!!  Lately I had another new symptom, that of a bubble coming out of my urethra.....anyone had that?  You literally cannotmake this stuff up!

[CLKD]

Yep - when I sneeze 

[maelynn]

I have the bubble feeling too. When I went to the urogynecologist last summer the nurse noticed my urethra was slightly bent/kinked when she inserted a catheter so I figured that might be causing the bubble sensation. I don't know for certain though just speculating.

[CLKD]

Bugga ....... I got lazy with the VA treatment and have felt unwell for a few days  .  NOTE TO SELF  .  Feeling of 'infection', irritable bladder, feeling of fullness in the bowel ...... like the whole lower area was swollen/dry.  So started regular treatment plus Nurofen every 4 hours even in the night if awake which took away the feeling of needing to pee more often.

PHEW! feeling a little better today ........