Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Dancinggirl]

I need a moan. I've been using Vagifem for over 3 months now.  I've tried using extra Ovestin cream. I'm using Vagifem 3 times a week. After my bout of cystitis two weeks ago I've had 2 days when my urethra has been slightly less painful but yesterday the burning really got going again and it kept me awake most of last night.  I have a thumping headache because I am so tired.
I've made another appointment with the doctor in early March to discuss. I may ask to be referred to a urologist in case I have interstitial cystitis which is not a great thought as it isn't easy to diagnose or treat.
I think I will ask to try an Estring in case it's more consistant oestrogen I need.
I'm feeling terribly guilty about complaining as I have just found out that an old friend of mine who i haven't had time to catch up with for the last year or so, has been undergoing massive treatment for breast cancer. She's being so brave and I'm moaning about a burning fanny.
The thought of having this pain for the rest of my life is getting me down.  DGx

[Suzyq]

So sorry you're in pain!! The worst I ever had was a severe uti where I was peeing blood for a week - don't think I could cope with such pain for months! Is it worse now you've stopped the full hrt, or was it always this bad?

[Sarah2]

 I think I sent you a link to the COB website a while back- have you maybe thought about trying to cut out certain foods and drinks? Many people find this can help.

[Dancinggirl]

Thanks Suzyq.
I stopped full HRT 3 months ago having reduced over 2 months. I have had episodes of burning urethra since my early 40s when I was on HRT but, by then, had probably gone into post meno - I had premature meno.  The burning episodes  are definitely far worse now I'm off HRT .  Apparently Vaginal Atrophy can still happen even on full HRT.  i don't really want to go back on full HRT because my other symptoms are not so bad now and I always had problems with progesterone.

Hi Sarah2 - yes, I checked out the COB site and actually phoned them for advice.  I found the info very good and I am wondering if I have IC although my symptoms don't fully match.  On their advice I am drinking a lot more water and have cut out caffeine and fizzy drinks etc. Having cut out all these possible irritants the burning is actually getting worse!!!!!I will see what the doctor advices when I see her.

Just feeling rather sorry for myself at the moment. I'll take Nytol tonight and hopefully get a better night.  I'm due to use another dose of Vagifem tonight so hopefully tomorrow will be a more comfortable day. 
I have read somewhere that the vaginal oestrogen can take 6months to a year to work - restoring the health of not just the vagina but the bladder as well.  I'm hoping. DG x

[Suzi Q]

I need a moan. I've been using Vagifem for over 3 months now.  I've tried using extra Ovestin cream. I'm using Vagifem 3 times a week. After my bout of cystitis two weeks ago I've had 2 days when my urethra has been slightly less painful but yesterday the burning really got going again and it kept me awake most of last night.  I have a thumping headache because I am so tired.
I've made another appointment with the doctor in early March to discuss. I may ask to be referred to a urologist in case I have interstitial cystitis which is not a great thought as it isn't easy to diagnose or treat.
I think I will ask to try an Estring in case it's more consistant oestrogen I need.
I'm feeling terribly guilty about complaining as I have just found out that an old friend of mine who i haven't had time to catch up with for the last year or so, has been undergoing massive treatment for breast cancer. She's being so brave and I'm moaning about a burning fanny.
The thought of having this pain for the rest of my life is getting me down.  DGx

Dont feel guilty you cant help your friend except  by being with her when you can
Your pain is  valid to you  life is not a competition we all know there are people far worse off
We know that we understand it B UT it doesnt make OUR PAIN ANY LESS OK!

[Dancinggirl]

Thank you Suzi Q
I'm trying to do all the right things to help my situation and it just seems to get worse.
The practise nurse had a good look at my fanny a couple of weeks ago and said everything looked ok!!!!  AS I mentioned before, I may give the Estring a try as it gives a more constant amount to oestrogen.
I'm probably being crazy but I'm frightened of getting Vulva cancer like my mother - she had premature menopause and didn't have HRT and I expect she had very bad VA which could have caused the cancer.  DG x

[Sarah2]

Really sorry to hear about your mum - but are you sure there is a link between VA and cancer? Never heard that before. I thought the link was more about conditions like lichen sclerosis etc. Sorry if this is incorrect!

[Taz2]

Some vulval conditions are thought to put you at risk of vulval cancer but these seem to be the Lichen ones. I can't see vaginal atrophy mentioned as a cause http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Vulva/Aboutvulvalcancer/Causes.aspx

Taz x 

[Dancinggirl]

I thought Lichen sclerosis developed because of VA - maybe I'm totally wrong about this.  I thought lichen sclerosis was a post meno problem?!
I seem to have inherited all the hormone problems my mother had, dreadful period pains and premature meno so naturally I'm concerned that Vulva cancer could be my fate and I'm keen to prevent it if possible.  I'm hoping that local oestrogen will keep things healthier down there and prevent cancer from taking hold.  I'm probably being paranoid but the thought of having everything carved up down there is too awful.  My mother was very brave following her very major surgery (7 hours) and subsequently had a very bad bladder prolapse which needed surgery.  She's doing well now but it was horrible.  DG x 

[Taz2]

It does affect older women more DG but it is very different from VA http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lichen-sclerosus/Pages/Introduction.aspx 

I don't think that cancer would "take hold" just due to VA. Like honeyb I can't find any online evidence at all that VA leads to cancer.

Taz x

[Milliemoo7]

I was diagnosed with LS at the age of 20.  Not sure now that diagnosis was correct but basically providing you dont get any ulcer like spots down there you are fine. All the while things look fine they are fine is what I was told.  But you could always ask your GP to refer you to a skin specialist - dermatologist - for regular checks.  Particularly given your family history.  So sorry to hear about your mum, I worried about vulval cancer for a  long time after I discovered the link (in a women's magazine of all places)

Back to the wee and soreness problem.  What dosage of Vagifem are you using?  Not the new lower dose?  Also, I use Ovestin every day if I have a problem.  I put it near the urethra as instructed by old (excellent) GP.

[Dancinggirl]

Thanks for the reassurance girls.  When one has nasty pain and discomfort I think it is natural to fear the worse.  Unfortunately my mother is that generation that 'just put with things' and though she went to the GP complaining of a burning when she did a pee, the dr just gave a her a course of antibiotics which didn't help at all and so my mother just thought she should put up with it. She didn't go back to see the dr until it was really bad and when the GP finally examined her she immediately phoned a consultant at the hospital and said she was sending my mother straight down!!!! 
I won't be leaving anything to chance and if this pain doesn't get better with local oestrogen I want to know what's wrong!
The urethra is slightly less painful this morning - off to work soon - fortunately I don't sit down at work - walking around and climbing up and down stairs all the time which is really good for me.

Hi Milliemoo - yes I did use Ovestin externally but found it did sting a great deal - I'm using Vagifem 10mg 3 times a week - had a dose last night so I think that is why I'm a bit more comfortable this morning.  Although the burning is usually not too bad in the morning it then gets worse through the day!!!
Thanks again girls.  DG x

[Taz2]

Was it better when you were on full HRT DG? I find that now I am six months without mine things are painful despite using vagifem. I definitely need both to keep it all comfy.

Taz x

[Dancinggirl]

Yes, it wasn't this bad when I was on full HRT.  I still got episodes of burning, particularly in hot weather or times when I had to sit down for long periods.  The thing is, I don't want to go back on full HRT really as I have always had issues with the progesterone bit.  I wasn't that happy with the Mirena though it was the lesser of the evils - I think it did make me feel lethargic and I had stomach cramps over the last 18months or so which I think may have been because it was running out of progesterone. I'm not sure that Utrogestan would be the answer as taken continuously I suspect I would feel tired all the time and taken sequi might bring the return of the horrible period pains with the withdrawal bleed I experienced before when using sequi HRT.
HRT is fab but for me is was always a compromise. I expect at my age, 58, they would want me on a very low dose and I wonder if that would make that much difference??!!!
To my surprise my meno symptoms are really not bad at the moment  - apart from the burning!!!!  DG x

[Milliemoo7]

I would up the dose of vagifem in your position.  I use 20mg twice a week which is still less than the old dosage of 25mg twice a week.