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[crazycatlady]

Hi
I'm new.
Found the forum yesterday.
Read tons of forum posts whilst waiting for my registration to be accepted.
Even though I can't find my exact question, I feel so much better already that:
a) this forum exists
b) no one balks at graphic details/questions
c) there's so much knowledge and experience shared in a friendly way.
OMG Yay!!!   

Now, before I press the launch button in earnest, I should apologise in advance for the long post! I've been waiting so long for someone who might listen that I may go overboard in my first ever post. Sorry.

And if it turns out that you have some stamina and make it through all my rambling, thank you.

My symptoms:
Periods stopped 5 years ago. I'm now 50. I have hot flushes, disturbed sleep and often find it hard to keep myself together (not helped with having been made redundant 2 years ago and have not been able to secure proper employment since though I have a child to look after & no other support). Now, I'm aware that all the above are par for the menopausal course. But in addition, I get uncomfortable tingles in the womb area - hard to describe exactly - the closest I can think of is that it's a little bit like pins and needles.

It's not the vulva and I don't think really that it's in the vagina. It feels a bit higher up/deeper/unreachable - the womb area.

The tingles come on at unpredictable moments - but I'll get at least half a dozen over 24 hours. An episode can last for about 10 seconds or so, or come and go in succession over a longer period. They happen when I'm standing, sitting or lying down and at various times of day/night, sometimes close to a hot flush but not always. Not acute pain like cramp or a urine infection. I'm not doubled up in pain. It's definitely not anything digestion/toilet related - the wrong area for that. There's no blood. I'm not particularly dry I don't think (although having no sex partner this aspect isn't particularly well tested!). More like pins and needles or a very mild cramp. It kind of feels a little like when the womb contracts in the weeks after giving birth. But not quite. Anyway, it's because of this kind-of "contracting" notion that I'm guessing that it might be related to "atrophy". However, I can only see reference to "vaginal atrophy" as being a "thing", whereas this feels more like the womb, not the vagina.

Anyway, the episodes are frequent, uncomfortable, and I have no idea whether it's "just menopausal/something I have to shrug off" or something that needs investigation/treatment.

I've mentioned it during visits to the GP for other ailments sometime over the course of the last couple of years (one GP was a young man - poor thing!, another GP was a young woman, and I also mentioned it to the surgery nurse when I had smear test). Each  looked at me weirdly & offered absolutely nothing. They simply said they had no idea. One GP said I could make an appointment to discuss going on HRT if I felt it was something to do with the menopause, but the point is, I don't know whether it is something to do with the menopause - I was looking to her to enlighten me! In the meantime, symptoms continue and I'm miserable & troubled with no one to turn to 

Advice gladly received!
Thank you for your time/space to set my little burden down here.


 

[Hurdity]

Hi crazycatlady

 

Sorry to hear about your tingles and weird sensations!

However if it feels more like in the uterus I would go and make a separate appointment to your GP about this and see if you can get a referral - although it may well be that as you are not having bleeding there is no indication for this? However if you are having cramps then I would say this is a reason for investigation - and stress this to the doctor ( find a sympathetic one in your practice!).

I wouldn't have thought you would get these sensations through vaginal atrophy - after all you say it feels like the uterus.

If you are having flushes and sweats and also as you stopped periods 5 years ago - it would be an idea to consider HRT anyway because 45 is 6 years below the average age of natural menopause so extra oestrogen for 5 years would help protect your heart and bones. More to the point the right dose of the right product will reduce flushes and sweats and help you keep yourself together as you are wanting to do. You do not have to suffer - they are NOT par for the menopausal course - they can be treated!!!!

This is where I would start - make a visit to the GP - mention your problem, ask for a referral and think about HRT. Before doing the latter do have a read around the different types.

Let us know if we can help any further and do ask us any questions you like.

I am sure others will be along with their experiences too.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

There are a LOT of nerve endings down there.  Dryness can aggravate the whole area.

Have a read of our threads about vaginal atrophy. In the early 2002 4 me, it began with urine infection-type symptoms: the need to pee a lot, being comfortable on the loo with a cuppa to hand  and a nip as the spincter shut off.  I sat for ages to allow urine to leak into the loo, rather than trying to clench.  I had two lots of anti-biotic treatment which did help until my GP recognised my symptoms.  The feelings were like razor blades  high up!

Appropriate VA treatment has helped enormously.   Your Practice need to up-date their treatment knowledge with regards VA.  Ask for either Vagifem or Ovestin for 3 months to see if it eases symptoms, other ladies find 'sylc' and/or 'yes' products helpful.  If you put the products into the search box here, you should have threads pop up - though that doesn't always happen for me    .

Let us know how you get on.

[crazycatlady]

Thank you, Hurdity and CLKD. Very grateful to you for your advice. So, I was about to make an appointment with GP the following day. But morning arrived, and I was surprised not to have a tingly episode. Then for the following 24 hours, nothing! No tingles. Very odd after a couple of years of this happening on daily basis. So I've been waiting. In the last 5 days, I've had just ONE episode! Seems like the remedy was to write on this forum and pouff it's nearly gone!!!
Marvellous outcome! 

[jaypo]

Great news CCL long may it continue to stay away 😊 it's truly amazing all the different ailments we go through............what a bunch 🤪

[Dierdre]

Tingling, pins and needles etc can be caused by anxiety, maybe now your less worried its calmed down, hope so.

[Hurdity]

  Glad to hear that crazycatlady (I love cats too but only have the one....)!

Still worth thinking about HRT too though - if you are suffering from flushes and disturbed sleep etc and on account of your age at menopause? No need to struggle on when help is at hand

Hurdity x

[crazycatlady]

Thanks, all.

Hurdity - my menopause symptoms aren't all that bad.
- I do get low and go through periods of very disturbed sleep but I think that's because of other things in my life - recent bereavement being one of the contributory factors.
- I used to get really bad fatigue but B12 injections and occasional iron and improving diet have reduced that significantly.
- I get hot flushes but I wear layers that are easy to remove, and they pass quickly.
- Sleep and tingle issues have significantly improved this past week - these two things were by far the most difficult to deal with. 

I get what you mean about bones/blood & HRT but HRT is such a trial and error world of different products, each with its own side effects, that unless the tingles or other symptoms worsen again, I prefer to continue without.