Print

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

[sap22]

Hi everyone, I have only posted once before and have since been diagnosed with vaginal atrophy (lots of inflammation and heat down there!).  I and a friend who has the same thing are considering our options and are planning to see a hormone specialist. Now that Dr. Annie Evans is fully booked, we are planning to see with Dr. Tina Peers, or go to the Gluck clinic.  We live in the south east.  Anyone had any personal experiences or recommendations?  I think the Gluck clinic is quite expensive as it's in Wimpole street, and there's a Dr. Goldsmith who we would see.  Any comments welcome as we are going to do something next week. Thanks xxx

[dangermouse]

I saw Jan Toledano at the Marion Gluck clinic a few years ago. She was lovely but my hormone imbalance was more subtle then so I gave up the HRT a few months later as I didn't feel better. They also were not good with time management and I often had to wait up to 45 minutes before I was called in!

They are UK registered doctors/surgeons but they do only prescribe compounded hormones so you can't translate these into an NHS prescription and they are unregulated, as the hormones are put together by hand.

A friend has had good results with Profeasor Studd in Wimpole Street but they are all expensive, about £300 for the first consultation plus blood tests.

[Tinkerbell]

I can highly recommend Dr Tina Peers

[Dancinggirl]

Hi sap22 and welcome to MM
I'm just wondering why you feel you need to pay to see a specialist?  Is your GP not helping at all? We have some good threads on MM with all sorts of advice and help about this - I have suffered for many years with VA and bladder issues but got the best help on MM.
How old are you and where are you in your meno journey?
Are you using local oestrogen?  Have you seen a NHS Urologist and/or gynae?
Often systemic and local oestrogen together can be beneficial.  Local moisturisers and lubricants can also help.
In my experience very few of these gynaes are that good at helping with VA - strangely I was suffering for years and mentioned my problems with various private specialists and at meno clinics but it wasn't till I mentioned it to the practise nurse at my GP that local oestrogen was suggested!!!!
I would hot foot back to your GP and ask for a referral before paying.  Look at some of the threads - print the info off from this site and ask for some Vagifem.  DG x

[babyjane]

Hello, I agree with what dancinggirl has said.  I got plenty of attention and help from my lady GP, practice nurse and the continence clinic.  also an out of hours GP at the local walk in centre who explained to me how VA can also affect the bladder and urethra.  No one else told me that.  then I found this forum and it reinforced all that I had been told and it didn't cost a penny. 

All the help I have received, and it has been totally adequate, I have had from the NHS and I would not be any better off if I had paid out money to see someone privately.

[Tinkerbell]

Unfortunately I was backed into a corner and feel I had no option but to go private.
I was referred by GP to NHS gynaecologist to get advice on dealing with my VA as I wasn't getting relief from Vagifem.
He wanted to do a hysterscopy just because I had used Vagifem for over six months and a vulval biopsy. I felt neither was needed but once this was on my records my GP would not budge and prescribe the systemic hrt I wanted to try until I had both those invasive procedures.

This is when I saw Dr Peers, yes you shouldn't have to pay privately but some of us find it difficult to get what we need.

But do try your GP first.

[GypsyRoseLee]

I have seen both Dr Annie Evans (warm, reassuring and empathetic) and Prof John Studd.

I was appalled at the rubbish customer service from Prof Studd and his team. I arrived 30 mins early, as they had said there would be paperwork to complete. But I had barely finished the first page, when I was whisked through to see Studd as the appointment before mine was running late.

This meant there were pages of paperwork uncompleted, much of it asking pertinent questions. I actually spent a maximum of 5-7 minutes actually talking to Prof Studd. He was gruff and avoided answering any questions. When he dictated some observations into his recorder I had to interrupt him.twice because he was recording incorrect information about me.

He then gave me a cursory breast exam and took my bloods (really bruised my arm badly). I was then sent for a bone scan which he did generously give me for free. Then I returned to his room where I spent a maximum of 3-4 minutes while he slapped 3 pumps of gel on one arm and a blob of testing gel on the other. Then I was whisked out of the room as the next woman (who had been running late) and arrived earlier than predicted.

I certainly didn't get my 30 mins with him. My DH wasn't even halfway through his cup of coffee in the waiting room.

We paid £650 for that experience.

Two weeks later I rang to ask a couple of questions, but Studd was away, so I was told to email. I never had a reply to that email, despite it being of an urgent nature.

I just think he dishes out exactly the same HRT regime to every single woman he sees. Money for old rope.

[sap22]

Hi sap22 and welcome to MM
I'm just wondering why you feel you need to pay to see a specialist?  Is your GP not helping at all? We have some good threads on MM with all sorts of advice and help about this - I have suffered for many years with VA and bladder issues but got the best help on MM.
How old are you and where are you in your meno journey?
Are you using local oestrogen?  Have you seen a NHS Urologist and/or gynae?
Often systemic and local oestrogen together can be beneficial.  Local moisturisers and lubricants can also help.
In my experience very few of these gynaes are that good at helping with VA - strangely I was suffering for years and mentioned my problems with various private specialists and at meno clinics but it wasn't till I mentioned it to the practise nurse at my GP that local oestrogen was suggested!!!!
I would hot foot back to your GP and ask for a referral before paying.  Look at some of the threads - print the info off from this site and ask for some Vagifem.  DG x

Thank you for your post - no, I haven't found GP practice helpful - no consistency of dr or much experience. Tried vagifem, but started itching and now worried about cream burning - I just think I might not be straight forward!  I will have a look through some threads, so thank you for suggesting this. I've been down the urology route, and thought I had BV, then they thought thrush, but nothing officially found. So in light of that they think VA....

[sap22]

I have seen both Dr Annie Evans (warm, reassuring and empathetic) and Prof John Studd.

I was appalled at the rubbish customer service from Prof Studd and his team. I arrived 30 mins early, as they had said there would be paperwork to complete. But I had barely finished the first page, when I was whisked through to see Studd as the appointment before mine was running late.

This meant there were pages of paperwork uncompleted, much of it asking pertinent questions. I actually spent a maximum of 5-7 minutes actually talking to Prof Studd. He was gruff and avoided answering any questions. When he dictated some observations into his recorder I had to interrupt him.twice because he was recording incorrect information about me.

He then gave me a cursory breast exam and took my bloods (really bruised my arm badly). I was then sent for a bone scan which he did generously give me for free. Then I returned to his room where I spent a maximum of 3-4 minutes while he slapped 3 pumps of gel on one arm and a blob of testing gel on the other. Then I was whisked out of the room as the next woman (who had been running late) and arrived earlier than predicted.

I certainly didn't get my 30 mins with him. My DH wasn't even halfway through his cup of coffee in the waiting room.

We paid £650 for that experience.

Two weeks later I rang to ask a couple of questions, but Studd was away, so I was told to email. I never had a reply to that email, despite it being of an urgent nature.

I just think he dishes out exactly the same HRT regime to every single woman he sees. Money for old rope.

That's helpful - did hear that he's like marmite!  And you paid so much for that experience....

[sap22]

Hello, I agree with what dancinggirl has said.  I got plenty of attention and help from my lady GP, practice nurse and the continence clinic.  also an out of hours GP at the local walk in centre who explained to me how VA can also affect the bladder and urethra.  No one else told me that.  then I found this forum and it reinforced all that I had been told and it didn't cost a penny. 

All the help I have received, and it has been totally adequate, I have had from the NHS and I would not be any better off if I had paid out money to see someone privately.

Sounds like you have a good GP practice - I thought I did but last year has made me lose faith and trust - what with not telling me abnormal results found and not ensuring urine was cultured etc etc.  Would be interested to know what you take as HRT, if you don't mind me asking....

[sap22]

I can highly recommend Dr Tina Peers

Tinkerbell, Just wondered if you think Dr. Peers would do swabs to double check no vaginal infections.  I had basic ones done at local clinic but I still can't get it out of my mind whether there's something they haven't found like a strep. infection.

[Dancinggirl]

sap22 - the problem with doing swabs is that, even if they find something like a strep infection, they will often not treat it.  Antibiotics can actually make matters worse by encouraging thrush to develop etc. and the infection will just come back once you finish the ABs anyway.  The flora balance in the vaginal changes as the area dries out with oestrogen deficiency so is far more open to infections and discomfort generally. Bacteria from the gut is easily transferred which will also aggravate. 
The burning and discomfort of VA is quite common in menopausal women - though many will not seek help.
I believe it is a combination of problems which will include the thinning and dryness of the vaginal area due to oestrogen deficiency and the VA also effects the bladder and urethra making this more prone to infection and discomfort.
Did you try Vagifem for at least 3 months? It can take some time to reverse the effects of VA.  If you are getting a burning urethra then the Vagifem will help but one also needs to adopt other strategies e.g. - avoiding all scented products, take showers not baths, drink plenty of water and avoid acidic drinks, alcohol and caffeine.
I have found I need to use quite specific vaginal moisturising gels to help reduce the chance of infection taking hold and also to keep things comfortable - I use Multi Gyn Actigel every day and often some Sylk - these work for me but there are other things to try.  The Multi Gyn Actigel is specifically designed to keep the flora balance in the vaginal area slightly acidic so thrush and BV can't take hold. If I feel something brewing then I will use it 2-3 times a day until it's settled.
In my experience very few doctors know or understand how painful and distressing VA is.  If you are under 60 then it may be worth trying a systemic HRT alongside the Vagifem as well, to really deal with total oestrogen deficiency.
Many women prefer the local oestrogen creams but I find them messy and they irritate my vaginal area too much.
I am seeing a gynae privately - a really lovely man who is based in Norwich - he suggest Vagifem as the first line of treatment for VA.  I am now 60 and still sticking with systemic HRT with some Vagifem - there is no way I would be without, at least, Vagifem as I think my life would be too uncomfortable.
My HRT regime - one pump per day of Oestrogel with 12 days each month of Utrogestan (micronised progesterone) which does mean I still have a bleed each month - can't use progesterone all the time I'm afraid as it doesn't suit me.  I tend to use Vagifem just once or twice a week as I'm on full HRT as well.  If I stop Full HRT then I would use Vagifem 3 times a week at least. I use the MultiGyn Actigel and Sylk every day.
This is just my experience and I do feel you should try the Vagifem again and use the moisturisers alongside for 2-3 months to see if this helps before pursuing the private route.  If it doesn't then work then ask for full systemic HRT.  all treatment will take time so one has to patient.   DG x

[babyjane]

Hi sap22 I just use Vagifem and estradiol cream for VA, have done for 5 years now.  It is all that I have needed to use.

[Niamh]

Gosh GRL sorry you had such a bad experience with Studd! I see him too and have to say that has not been my experience of him or his team at all. He has also replied to my emails and calls. Yes I think he does prescribe the same hrt to start with but he's tweaked mine 3 or 4 times now to find the perfect solution for me. No he's not everyone's cup of tea and he is expensive but I've found him great. Agree about your GP first though mine was clueless and wouldn't refer me as 41 and didn't think I was menopausal X

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi Niamh

Can I ask which email address you use to contact Prof Studd?