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[nella]

Hello everyone,

I'm new here, I'm 59.
I decided to register to MM forum because I'd like to see if someone had my same experience and maybe get some suggestions.
My menopause started in 2011 and I've had manageable symptoms until July 2015.
Since then I have a continuous feeling of having to urinate ALL the time. And it is just exhausting.
I've done countless treatments and I'm on quite a bit of meds but everyone I went to is still not sure about the diagnosis. They say it is related to menopause but still.
I think maybe I should write into the "Other health discussions" section, but anyway, wanted to say hi to everyone here!

[Hurdity]

Hi nella

 

It does sound as though it is menopause related. Once you reach menopause your oestrogen levels continue to decline over the next couple of years until they reach an all-time low and from then onwards some symptoms may become apparent for the first time.

Bladder and vaginal problems are amongst these and you can read about it here (top tab - menopause/vaginal treatments):
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/vaginalsymptoms.php and
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/dryness.php

It sounds like you probably would benefit from local oestrogen - which should help with bladder and urethral problems as there are oestrogen receptors in thes organs/tissues.

All the treatments are listed here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

and there is an article here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-vaginal-atrophy.php

Once treatment is started you have to continue with it for ever as symptoms return once treatment is stopped - but it is perfectly safe to use long term.

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Jackie_w]

Hello Nella

I also suffer from bladder problems I had no idea until recently that was a side affect to the menopause. I've just had my HRT changed so hopefully this one will help with that.

I am constantly going to the toilet especially in the morning.  One day I counted how many times I had to pass urine! 23 times in 24 hours I was at the toilet, I even cut back how how much liquid I was taking in thinking that might make a difference, but it didn't really.  I get really sore down below because I'm constantly wiping myself (sorry TMI) and I have to change my underwear at least 3 times a day so I'm not smelling of urine.
It certainly has an impact on your life, because your constantly thinking of where you are going and if you will be able to get to a toilet.

I hope your symptoms get better very soon.

Jackie x

[nella]

Thanks for the feedback Hurdity and Jackie!

Hurdity, I did two months of local estrogen already, they were estriol-progesterone vaginal tablets. Unfortunately I saw no improvement. I also took oral progesterone.
I also did 3 treatments of the Mona Lisa Touch laser therapy for vaginal atrophy, and I have to say, many symptoms (but not the feeling of having to urinate) went away.
I am starting to get very discouraged.
Thank you very much for all the links though, I will read through that and see if I missed something about the condition.

Jackie, I am very sorry you have to go through this. It is totally exhausting.
I am not going to the bathroom at all though. I mean I go, but normally, like 6 times a day at most. I just have the constant feeling of being about to urinate. But just the stimulus. I don't know if it makes sense.
Anyway, I really hope your new therapy will help you ease your symptoms!

Thanks all,
N

[Hurdity]

Hi again nella

Sorry to hear you didn't see any improvement after using local oestrogen - what preparation did you use as to my knowledge there is no preparation containing progesterone that is used for vaginal problems? The products available are on the links I gave and are estriol generic ( used to be Gynest) and Ovestin ( another estriol cream) , and Vagifem ( an estradiol tablet which is inserted into the vagina).

I presume you took oral progesterone when you were peri-menopausal because of heavy bleeding? It doesn't do anything for vaginal/bladder problems and wouldn't be prescribed for this in the UK anyway.

There are several women on here who have had bladder irritation like you describe so why not start a new post in the "All Things Menopause" section with a suitable title and hopefully they will see it and respond. There is also a thread called the Burning Club which might have some helpful information although mainly about vaginal issues. http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,22886.0.html  If you would rather it wasn't seen by the whole web then you could post in the private lives section if you'd rather which is for members only.

Hurdity x

[nella]

Hello Hurdity,

thanks for the reply, I used something called progeffik, it is progesterone and can be taken both orally or locally as a vaginal tablet. I took this progesterone medication for 1 month locally and 1 month orally.
I also took estriol tablets which are called colpogyn.
It was not prescribed as a perimenopausal med though. I was prescribed it now for this problems I am having.
Really interesting you said it has no use for that. I am glad you told me!

I will certainly post where you pointed me to.
I hope I can find someone who had my same problem and resolved it!

Thank you for the advice!

N

[nella]

Hurdity,
I forgot to tell I was taking the progesterone and estriol tablets together (both together) locally for 1 month, then just the progesterone alone orally, for another month.
I am still taking the progesterone.
You said it can't do anything for my issue....
Shall I stop it then, what do you think?

Thank you very much,
N

[Hurdity]

Hi again Nella

You must be from outside UK as those products are not available here. Maybe Italy ( found an italian advert on youtube!). I see Progeffik is progesterone - so possibly the same as our utrogestan ie a small squashy capsule? Is it 100 mg or 200 mg?

If you are not taking oestrogen as systemic HRT then there is no need to be taking the Prog at all and it is not needed even when you are using local oestrogen ( ie vaginal estriol). I'm not sure how and who prescribed it for you but it is used either as a fertility treatment, or as part of HRT if you are taking oestrogen systemically eg tablets, oestrogen gel, or oestrogen patches. Perhaps prescribing practice is different in the country you live but it is not a treatment here in UK - at least not reported on here.

I have never heard of it being prescribed for bladder problems and in fact many women find that it actually aggravates this - I certainly need to go more when I am on the progesterone phase of my HRT.

You should definitely continue with the vaginal oestrogen and have you been checked out for prolapse or anything like that? Maybe there was something helpful on the "Burning Club" thread? Also I think another member Maryjane maybe  - had problems in this area sounding maybe a bit like yours and I know other women have had this.

A few weeks ago I had something similar and I thought it was a bladder infection but the doc said it wasn't and prescribed me a steroid cream which did the trick very quickly. I know others have recently posted about something along these lines?

Hurdity x

[nella]

Hello Hurdity,

yup it is an italian med and mine is the 200 mg!
I had it prescribed for this VA thing but I am not making any HRT at the moment.
It is very helpful that you say for you it makes you actually go more, because now I can see if the symptoms ease when I stop it.

As for the prolapse, I have a stage 1 cystoceles. But all docs told me it should be asymptomatic.
I was wondering about that too, cause the fact it goes completely away when I lay in bed could mean something weighing on the bladder or something.... I don't know honestly. I saw many specialists and it has been now 7 months and I'm going nuts.

Yes I did write in the "All things menopause" section and got a lot of help but unfortunately I have tried most things already.

I will look in those sections you pointed me to for sure. I'll read other people's posts and see if I can find this user and read her post.

Again, thank you very much for your advice.
N