Menopause Discussion > Alternative Therapies
Natural alternatives to vagifem?
Dancinggirl:
Hi and welcome spookstreet. Many of us experience UTI type symptoms without any actually infection being present and local oestrogen is the best, most natural, way to reduce this. I use both systemic HRT and local oestrogen to help control these symptoms which do seem to be related to vaginal atrophy. The dryness which is as a result of the lack of oestrogen make the whole area around the vagina, bladder and urethra more prone to all sorts of problems so the oestrogen helps to restore a healthier balance. I still use some Multi Gyn actigel(there are other products on the market) to help keep the flora in my vagina healthy and this will calm down itching and burning.
I did find the Vagifem made me burn a bit for the first couple of weeks and if the atrophy has been ongoing for some time it can take a few weeks before the full benefits are felt - so do persevere. Some like using the oestrogen creams but I find them a bit messy to use and the fillers in these irritated - it's a personal thing and you may later want to try different things to find the best one for you. This local oestrogen is not like antibiotics or other drugs you might react to - this is just restoring what you should have naturally.
Keep us posted. DG x
spookstreet:
--- Quote from: CLKD on July 25, 2015, 04:13:33 PM ---Why would things get worse :-\ and which urologist? I had almost instant relief with the pessaries, now withdrawn due to 'lack of demand' ……… so my GP prescribed Ovestin1mg.
--- End quote ---
Ah, forgot I hadn't included the full gory details! Essentially, two courses of antibiotics for UTIs (and there was definitely at least one, which the second course of antibiotics kicked on the head, though it didn't do anything for the original symptoms: hot pee and strange 'hot flush' sensations in the genital area) followed by wild oregano oil, which is the most disgusting thing I've ever taken and didn't do a thing. I'm still trying to recover from the bashing my system got from all those!
Anyway, the GP agreed to refer me to a urologist and, because I really couldn't face the idea of waiting 5 or 6 weeks for an appointment, I bit the bullet and used a small cashplan I hadn't got round to cancelling to go private. Still an expensive business, but the urologist was great, in that he realised that it was a gynae rather than a urinary problem more or less straightaway and prescribed the vagifem. (He said that if I HAD gone down the NHS route, I'd probably have been seen by a registrar, who probably wouldn't have had his experience and would have sent me straight for cystoscopy.)
But vagifem pessaries have been withdrawn in your area, CLKD???
Since I've been looking up vaginal atrophy and seen how common a problem it is, I find it rather scary that the GP wasn't able to diagnose it. :o
spookstreet:
--- Quote from: Dancinggirl on July 25, 2015, 04:24:46 PM ---Hi and welcome spookstreet. Many of us experience UTI type symptoms without any actually infection being present and local oestrogen is the best, most natural, way to reduce this. I use both systemic HRT and local oestrogen to help control these symptoms which do seem to be related to vaginal atrophy. The dryness which is as a result of the lack of oestrogen make the whole area around the vagina, bladder and urethra more prone to all sorts of problems so the oestrogen helps to restore a healthier balance. I still use some Multi Gyn actigel(there are other products on the market) to help keep the flora in my vagina healthy and this will calm down itching and burning.
I did find the Vagifem made me burn a bit for the first couple of weeks and if the atrophy has been ongoing for some time it can take a few weeks before the full benefits are felt - so do persevere. Some like using the oestrogen creams but I find them a bit messy to use and the fillers in these irritated - it's a personal thing and you may later want to try different things to find the best one for you. This local oestrogen is not like antibiotics or other drugs you might react to - this is just restoring what you should have naturally.
Keep us posted. DG x
--- End quote ---
Many thanks for this, Dancing Girl! And I've just been speaking to a friend who does reflexology/homeopathy and she's also agreed that vagifem has to be the way to go in the circumstances ... It's good to have advance warning of the 'burn', though (which I also got the first few times I used balance active pessaries).
CLKD:
No Vagifem wasn't withdrawn. It was another product, name escapes me ::)
Let us know how you get on!
SadLynda:
I have spent days studying this subject. I have now arrived at the conclusion the answer is NO. So, will be making the appointment for this soon. Most of you know I have acupuncture for most of my symptoms, and take supplements.. I had hoped the Omega 7 would help and it did seem to until I changed to a cheaper brand, gone back to the 'real' ones now but I really think I need more help. Also not prepared to suffer when there is no need to.
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