Print

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

[Rubyjo]

Hi

I am new to this forum and looking for help and advice.
I'm 47 and three weeks ago whilst on holiday I started with the most horrendous vaginal itching and dryness. As I was unaware I was going through the menopause or pre menopause I thought I had thrush!
When I returned home still in severe discomfort, I saw my GP who said she thought it was the start of the menopause and that I had vaginal atrophy. She prescribed replens. Since then I have had a couple of almost normal days, a few days where I have been uncomfortable but been able to manage and several really bad days where it seems to control me.
I also have an under active thyroid which I am on medication for.
Other than that I'm fit, healthy and active and am very keen to to find a lasting solution that means I can carry on with my life as normal and not be irritated, snappy, not able to sleep etc.
I have also tried baking soda baths, not using any scented shower gel, cotton underwear and loose fitting clothes.

Any help and advice would be very much appreciated.

Kind regards

Rubyjo

[Dierdre]

Hi Rubyjo and welcome to the forum. The best treatment for vaginal atrophy is local oestrogen, this is prescribed in tablet form as Vagifem or Ovestin and Gynest creams.  Moisturisers such as Replens are often used as well as local oestrogen but most people need both. 

If you post in the new members section I'm sure you will have a lot more ladies coming along to advice you.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM Ruby

You need local oestrogen treatment e.g. Vagifem and perhaps try other moisturisers which can be helpful e.g. SYLK or the YES products, as these tend to be less messy  to use and can be used everyday.  Multi Gyn Actigel is great for occasional use when you feel itchy or think BV or thrush is starting. To keep symptoms under control you need to keep the flora balance in the vagina right.  Avoid caffeine, fruit juices and anything that is over acidic - cut out as much sugar as possible.   A little lemon juice in water can neutralise urine and drinking a glass of water with half a teaspoon of bicarb can also be helpful if you urethra is burning.  You also need to clean rarely well after opening your bowels.

Do check out the thread ‘The Burning Club' as this might help you :
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,22886.0.html

DG x

[Rubyjo]

Hi

Thank you both so much for your replies. I have been back to the GP this morning and got Vagifem and Sylk. My only two concerns are that all my itching is external so will the Vagifem help? How long will it be before I feel a difference if it's going to work for me?

Secondly, are the risks of breast cancer and heart disease a lot higher. Just worried as my father died of a heart attack and my grandma of breast cancer. I am very fit and active and have a good diet.

[Rubyjo]

Hi Dancinggirl

Will Multi Gyn Actigel help with itching around the vulva? Can I buy it in boots? I drink decaf coffee and green tea anyway but do like a few gin and tonics at the weekend! Thanks for the advice re fruit juices and bicarb.

Kind regards

Rubyjo

[Dancinggirl]

Cut out the tannin I'm afraid - even decaf teas and coffees are acidic!!! As long as I drink plenty of water alongside I can get away with half a cup of white tea as a ‘pick me up'.  Try cutting out all alcohol for a time. Multi Gyn Actigel can be bought online and will help with itching as it restores the flora balance - it can sting a bit when first applied but is then soothing. Coconut oil is also good at soothing things but won't restore the flora balance!!!!  DG x

[Rubyjo]

Thanks, will do. Does green tea contain tannin? I'll just up the water intake, I drink about 3 litres per day at the moment. I'll buy some multi gyn actigel too.

Thanks again

Rubyjo

[Tinkerbell]

What do you mean when you say are the risks of breast cancer and heart disease higher, do you mean because you are menopause age or because of the Vagifem being HRT?

[Rubyjo]

Hi Tinkerbell. My GP said there was an increased chance of breast cancer and heart disease associated with Vagifem, but far less than the full HRT treatment.

Kind regards

Rubyjo

[Daisydot]

You can drink redbush tea Rubyjo it's completely caffeine free as it's not strictly a tea it's a herb but it's just like drinking tea,I prefer the vanilla redbush teabags from tetley and you certainly sleep like a baby on it it's so relaxing.Its one of the few drinks that doesn't irritate my bladder.xx

[Rubyjo]

Hi Daisydot

Thank you for this. I was just wondering how I would manage without green tea! I work from home so drink about 6 cups per day!!It's not my bladder just external itching at the moment!
I'll add it to my shopping list.

Thanks

Rubyjo

[Daisydot]

Try the organic coconut oil from Holland and Barrett it's very cooling and soothing and certainly made a huge difference when I was bothered with itching as it's antibacterial and excellent at dealing with things like thrush,it's worth a try at only £2 for a small jar it won't bust the bank balance and if you like it buy bigger the next time,keep at room temperature so it's runny as it solidifies in the fridge,I used to make pessaries from it when solid and pop in vagina at night when I went to bed I was bleeding from v.a and it was a life saver for me,I was then able to try vagifem when the inflammation everywhere had settled down my vaginal area was red raw and so swollen.good luck xx

[Rubyjo]

Hi Daisydot

Thank you so much for your advice, I will try this.

It came out of nowhere 4 weeks ago, I have been tested for infections and am all clear so my practice nurse thinks it is the menopause. I was almost the same as you, not bleeding but would have been if I had not cut my nails back as was scratching at night as the itching seems to be worse then. I am very sore and swollen as the itching is relentless! It's all external but horrific!
How long have you been taking the Vagifem? Is it working? Is there anything I need to watch out for? Are you manging to lead a normal itch free life now?

Thanks
Rubyjo

[Daisydot]

Hi Rubyjo I was exactly the same but my problem was exasperated by over use of antibiotics so like you I had v.a plus the dreaded thrush constantly but hadn't a clue about what was going on the gps were so useless.i tried all the usual anti thrush meds and otc stuff and I just couldn't stop that itch and by this stage I had two big vaginal raw sores on my inner lips that just bled and bled.I finally discovered the coconut oil and I plastered it on and within a week my sores had healed my swelling had gone down and then using a mirror i could have a better look at what was happening.I also took a teaspoon of coconut oil before bed so I was actually attacking from all directions to kill off the thrush and it worked.after that I went back to gp and got estriol cream from the nurse it did help but was so messy to use I was secreting big blobs of it so I didn't like it and then went back and asked to change to vagifem pessaries,within three to four days I was peeing normally I felt normal inside and it just continued to get better as time went on.Im pretty much pain and itch free now and most importantly uti free,you have nothing to lose it'll only get worse it's a lifelong treatment now.use the coconut oil to calm it down then use the vagifem nightly for two weeks then you reduce that to every other night or so and also use a vaginal lubricant outside daily such as yes or sylk,I prefer yes if you use it then don't apply at the same time as the pessarie so one at night and one in morning if you get me.I hope this helps you it's not easy trying to cope with these things so any more questions fire away there's plenty lovely ladies in here who will advise you.good luck xx

[Hurdity]

Hi Tinkerbell. My GP said there was an increased chance of breast cancer and heart disease associated with Vagifem, but far less than the full HRT treatment.

Kind regards

Rubyjo

There is no evidence whatsoever for this! Vagifem contains a minute amount of oestrogen. Your doc doesn't know what s/he is talking about. Vagifem (or estriol cream) is the best treatment for vaginal dryness - along with the recommendations including moisturisers etc that Dancinggirl has given.

You said you were unaware that you were going through menopause - so have you started getting irregular periods and longer cycles? Maybe you don't know because of taking mini pill or Mirena coil? Some women do start to get symptoms even before cyclical changes but local oestrogen is still fine to use.

If you're still itching to the exent that the area is sore and swollen - maybe a very short dose of weak cortisone cream might settle this down and then you can use the other products. I have been prescribed this a couple of times for itching and spasms in that area.

Hurdity x