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[deebarnes]

Well no one warned me about these symptoms during the menopause!!  I am a 52 year old woman who is peri menopausal and for the past 4 months have been suffering from Vaginitis.  I have done alot of research and decided to use a low dose hrt pessary called Vagifem....why are all the names for these things so ugly?? 
Anyway, it has help, eased with the nightly itching to a degree but now whats happening is that my labia, although dry and slightly cracked looking now seems to have developed a small area about 5mm of a very red blister like patch in a crease.  I am giving the area a small salt wash every day and putting Sudacrem on which seems to help but I am scared.  What it if gets worse, will it go away, will it spread, will all my labia dry up, crack and die??
Is anyone else out there suffering these symptoms??
Should i ask the doctor to refer me to a gynecologist? Would they know about whats going on because the doctors seem pretty useless.
Please help if you have any ideas or suggestions, im feeling alone with this and getting desperate, many thanks in advance Dee.

[ancient runner]

Poor you.
A bit more detail would help - how often are you using the Vagifem? How long have you used it for? Did you start with a two-week loading?
It could be that you need to use a little oestrogen cream on the outside as well. Quite a few of us do!

[deebarnes]

I started the vagifem about 6 weeks ago, with 2 weeks every day and now twice weekly.  I have just made an appointment to see a female doctor but thats not until a months time!!  Can i buy oestrogen cream without a prescription?  The sore red blister type things have only recently appeared, one of them within the last week, I understand whats going on, sort of, why its all drying up and ducts getting blocked and skin getting thinner but these new sores worry me as i dnt know how to treat them.  Can you suggest an oestrogen cream I could try?
Thanks for your help, i really appreciate it, Dee

[Dancinggirl]

deebarnes - I really understand what you are going through - you are not alone with suffering these problems and it is outrageous that we are not educated about what happens at the menopause so we can get appropriate treatment before things get so bad.
My feeling is that this sore area may well get better as the local oestrogen does it magic - you are doing all the right things, however I would pop to the doctor to have this checked out.  If you have had this sore for more that 7 days and there is no sign of it getting better then it could be a slight infection or something that needs a special cream or treatment.  I had an area of eczema on my perineum for a few months in my 30s that was most uncomfortable - was given something to help this but can't remember what.  There are lots of threads about Vaginal Atrophy and all the issues around this on this site so do browse around. DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi deebarnes

 

Just to add to what's been said that I use Estriol cream on the outer areas from time to time, as well as vaginal oestrogen and full HRT! Some women do need HRT as well as local oestrogen to keep everything comfortable down there.

What are your periods doing and do you have any other general menopausal symptoms?

Hurdity x

[deebarnes]

Thanks for your advice Hurdity, its all very reasuring that I am not alone in this. I must admit that i am very lucky as regards all other symptoms.....I have been having night sweats on and off for years on reflection, im 52 now and thinking back they must have started when i was in my mid 40's. 

I always suffered from terrible pmt which got worse until in desperation i had a mirena coil fitted and this helped alot, after a few years my second  mirena coil began to fade and the old pmt symptoms came back with avengence. Again, out of sheer desperation i went onto the mini pill but was keen to come off it which i did about a year ago and have felt much better for it!!

I did take herbal pills ( from NHP)to help with everything but have stopped taking these now as well.  Mentally I feel really great, i exercise alot and have nearly stopped drinking alcohol as it was disturbing my sleep. 

I still have my coil in as im scared that I would have heavy bleeding through the menopause and it keeps my periods very light.  So I am still having monthly periods but the thinning of the labia and changes such as itchyness, dryness, and my little sores are what I am dealing with at the moment.  The Vagifem is working and has reduced my symptoms by about 60%.  Iam going to call the doctors in the morning and see if i can get them to prescribe me some cream as you suggested and hope that this will help me, its one thing after another but compared with alot of women I think im quite lucky.......Dee

[Dancinggirl]

deebarnes - I would insist they examine you as the sores could need more that just the oestrogen cream to help them heal.  Dg x

[deebarnes]

Its tricky because my vagina seems to change on a daily, weekly basis depending on where i am in my cycle and when I have used vagifem, its a bit of a roller coaster down there!!! 
Even my sore bits change but I am keeping an eye on them and will discuss it with the doctor when I see her tomorrow.  Sadly I dont have alot of faith in mainstream Doctors and find forums like these much more informative.
Thanks again, Dee

[Hurdity]

Hi again

I'm a bit unclear about your coil (Mirena). You said your coil began to fade and you went onto the mini pill - but later you said you still had your coil in? Did you get a third one or is the second one still there? If so how long has it been in? It runs out after a few years - but if it's still in and active perhaps you won't be able to tell where you are in menopause, because periods with a Mirena stop before natural periods, due to the progestogen in the coil.

It does sound like you might benefit from added oestrogen - but you would need to replace the coil if it was more than 4 years ago as it is only licensed for use as part of HRT for this long.

Hurdity x

[deebarnes]

As far as I am aware my mirena coil,  my second,  had no hormones left in it which is why I started to take the mini pill.  I keep my coil in place for contraceptive use and to ease the flow of my heavy periods,  I still bleed even with the coil so I dread to think how heavy they would be if I didn't have it!!?
So now I just have a plain coil and the vagifem to help.  And with a little extra cream...  Well who knows but I'm hoping it will all help.
My intention is to have the coil removed when my periods have stopped....

[Dancinggirl]

deebarnes - if you have been doing well with the Mirena, then your best option now could be to have a new one fitted and use a little Oestrogel (transdermal systemic oestrogen) plus some local oestrogen.  This would sort things for the next 4 years and would possibly get you into post meno without too many other problems emerging.  The problem at the moment is, the Mirena you currently have has run out of progesterone - it's the progesterone that tends to control the bleeding and in fact you might possibly not get any bleeding at all with new one in place because of the progesterone - which could be a plus??? Many women use the Mirena in post meno and just use oestrogen as gel or patch alongside as it is often the easiest option.  Food for thought?? DG x

[pepperminty]

Hi,

Poor you. I thought I would add my downstairs experience. I am on HRT and before I took it my bits were shall we say showing signs of ageing, but 6 months into the HRt they are looking plumped up and definitely like they did 10 years ago. I have suffered sore and painful dryness which was made worse by eczema and the best thing I did was see a dermatologist who specialises in the vaginal  area. She recommended hydrocortisone in a ointment base and moisturising with Hydromol ointment twice a day. She said to avoid anything with alcohol base and to wash with the Hydromol also. It took 2 months, but it worked. I had seen doctors and Gyno's before to no avail as none of them are specialists in skin conditions down below. I did try sudocreme but the dermatologist said not to, and anyway it wasn't helping at all.

So the upshot is get it checked out and then depending on what it is see a specialist if the initial treatment isn't working .

Please do not put any products or medicines, ointments/creams on your bits without seeking medical advice as it could be a number of conditions.
The only thing I would recommend it hydromol ointment as it is the least likely to cause a reaction and is used for sore dry skin in hospitals.

Good luck Pepperminty

[deebarnes]

Thanks for sharing that info Pepperminty, very interesting..... i went to see a lovely female Doctor the other day and asked to have some Estriol cream which I was prescribed but it was an internal gel and later on she rang me to say that she had asked her colleagues if it could be used with Vagifem and they all said no, that the dosage would be too high and i should only use one or the other not both. So I am sticking with the Vagifem for now. 

I am keeping a close eye on the outer labia lips which still have the strange red spots on, the doctor looked at them and we both agreed to keep an eye on them , another one has appeared today, its like the end of the nerve, ducts or whatever it is at the edge of the labia are getting blocked, because of the dryness I suppose.  It does scare me a bit but the are not hurting, or sore or doing anything other that looking a little red......

I will take your advice and buy hydromol cream, its really looks like the whole area needs a deep moisturize.  If it gets worse then I am thinking about getting a referral to a specialist menopause clinic in Birmingham so i can really understand whats going on down there....I will let you know how i get on and thanks again for getting intouch, it makes me feel less alone with this, Dee 

[CLKD]

Vaginal acne?  I use Savlon or Vaseline down there if it gets itchy, plus Ovestin1mg several times a week, as necessary after the 2 week 'load'.  I do find that high up after insertion the next day there's an intense itch! which goes after 24 hours. Phew!

As oestrogen levels drop so the body dries up: eyes, ears, nostrils, vagina - get the picture  .  Skin can become sensitive to soap products that we have used for years ……. and may require more moisturising.  Some ladies use E-cream or Sudacrem I think.

Let us know how you get on!

[pepperminty]

No Problem DB,

I have seen the specialist recently and she said that motorisation is the key and to keep on doing it. let us know how you are getting on.

PM