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[Pip16]

Hi I'm new here although have been browsing for a few days. I'm 56 and through menopause. I had the mirena coil  so no idea when my periods stopped. Blood test showed I was through it. Anyway, for years I've suffered soreness and irritation inside down below.. sex was so painful like being scrubbed with a scrubbing brush inside. The pain would ease off then come back again. For past year or so I've been getting the same sore feeling along with a cystitis feeling which would only last a day then go. The soreness up inside my lady parts lol was so bad last week that I read up and bought some vaginal moisturisers. I put one in at night and felt much better the next day. When I put one in the following night I felt some soreness and when I pulled it back out there was a spot of blood on it. I panicked and telephoned the dr next morning. A locum called me in and had a look and said I was inflamed and irritated inside. She asked about discharge which I've had lots of the past few years. Like water, clear or yellowy. I wear a pad daily as I also leak a little.  She took swabs and said it looks like I have an infection. I mentioned VA and she said yes I have this. From what I've read symptoms are change in the looks of that area, loss of hair, discharge, uti feeling etc. I have all. She didn't see any blood. I said I've had loads of swabs over the years with the mirena and discharge and they always came back clear. I also had my smear in November which was also clear. She said if there's no infection she would be bit concerned. She gave me caneston pessary and cream which hasn't helped.  I telephoned this afternoon for results and there's no infection. I'm now panicking something terrible is wrong. I used to suffer from terrible health anxiety which hasn't been too bad this past year but now has come back something awful and I'm imagining all things.

[CLKD]

Your GP is slow.  It could be atrophy so why not treat the symptoms 

Ring the Surgery this evening and ask for appropriate treatment to ease vaginal atrophy 2 be left for you to pick up.  You don't need blood tests or an intimate investigation.

As the body alters there may be discharge with is usually normal.  If there is no odour I wouldn't expect there to be infection.

Health anxiety is common at this time of Life.  When you have rung your Surgery do read the threads here about vaginal atrophy.

Canestan by the way had me sitting in a cool bath for several hours it made me burn.  I would never consider it as a treatment.

[Pip16]

Thank you for replying. She mentioned about hormone treatments but said about the side effects and so it wasn't even offered. I wasnt thinking at the time as I knew it wouldn't come back as infection and was more worried about her being concerned at that!! When the surgery told me tonight it was all normal she told me to ring tomorrow morning for a chat with the gp. I will ask for something to ease this feeling of having a scrubbing brush up inside. The sore feeling seems more on one side at the moment though is that normal?

[CLKD]

Yep.  For years I have had a tender spot on one side which makes me wince during intercourse.  Is tomorrow Friday    .......

Your GP isn't being clear enough.  Is your Surgery close by, I would trot down for a chat with the Practice Nurse if possible.  In the mean time read the VA threads here ;-).

For me it was like razor blades  up there.  I had intermittent urine infection-type symptoms for about 3 years and ABs certainly eased symptoms.  Better still when GP recognised it as VA ....... without even looking ;-). 

Let us know how you get on.

[Joaniepat]

Hi Pip16, welcome to the Forum.

You have all the classic symptoms of VA. Did they really not offer you any local oestrogen treatment? That's disgraceful!  Do as CLKD says and get back to them pronto. Ask for Ovestin cream or Vagifem. Can I ask what vaginal moisturiser you are using, as you need to be careful about the ingredients in some of them.

Other good resources for the treatment and management of VA (aside from this forum) are Jane Lewis's book Me and My Menopausal Vagina, available from Amazon, and Jane's Vaginal Atrophy facebook group. It's a private group but easy to join. (Jane is Maryjane on this forum.)

Don't put up with this treatable condition, and let us know how you get on.

Best wishes,
JP x

[Pip16]

Hi joaniepat thank you for replying. She was just a very young locum gp that I've never seen before. She said if the swab came back as clear of infection then I would need referring to gynae as I have this especially 'sore spot?. Saying that sent my anxiety to the roof just hearing that. Then she said they would just say the same thing. VA.  She said the hormone creams come with risks of bc etc. I wasn't really listening as I've read enough to know that they don't anymore. The moisturiser I used was balance activ. I only used it the once and the second night it hurt so I took it out within seconds and then I sore the spot of blood. Nothing since though just discharge and soreness. I will be phoning them in the morning and hopefully speak to my dr or the nurse. I think it?ll be a phone consultation anyway with the current situation. I did wonder also I slipped over before Christmas. That was without a drink honestly!!!  I skidded and for quite a few weeks after I had pain in my groin and in that same area as I feel especially sore. I still get the ache there at times if I'm walking upstairs but nothing like it was, so I'm wondering if that is also contributing to the soreness inside and weather I maybe ripped something!! I don't know? I think maybe I'm overthinking too much. X

[Tinkerbell]

A watery discharge is a symptom of VA.

[CLKD]

Crikey a Locum not aware of recent VA treatments.  Something to discuss with the Practice Manager maybe?

Let us know how you get on.  There is very little risk with localised vaginal treatments.  I had breast treatment in the 1990s and it was never mentioned when my GP prescribed 'ovestin' for me 

[Pip16]

Hello ladies just wanted to say thank you to you all. I finally spoke with the practice nurse this morning. I was so worried I would have to be referred to gynae with what the locum suggested last week, I put off phoning yesterday. What a relief. Obviously she had my notes there also but as soon as I said can I please have something to stop this soreness her response ?absolutely?. Vagifem - every night for 2 weeks then twice a week for 3  months. Have a break then if needed again or any further problems to call for advice. I am so relieved!! Practice nurse is around my age so obviously understood. Off to the chemist to collect  Just wanted to ask though does VA also cause slight incontinence and if so would Vagifem also help that? I've put up with all these symptoms for so many years thinking it was ?just my age? and too embarrassed to speak about it. I'm so glad I found this forum. 😊😊 x

[Tinkerbell]

It is good she has prescribed the Vagifem, but be aware that twice a week may not be enough  and do not have a break from it ,your symptoms will return and you will be back to square one!

[Tinkerbell]

I am same age as you and use it every day.

[Pip16]

Thank you tinkerbell for the advice. I will definitely use it continually forever if it helps this. I never want to suffer like this again. X

[Feather]

I've been using Vagifem for nearly 2 years now and am symptom free. Agree about not taking a break- I think your symptoms will come back!

[CLKD]

Your Nurse is half way there in that she listened  .  Let us know how you get on.  Some ladies need 'vagifem' nightly and occasionally, two doses at once.

Have you read our Vaginal Atrophy threads?

[Maryjane]

Definitely NO break vagifem is for life the worse thing is to stop and start been to many events where specialists have spoken saying so 😊twice a week is minimum