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[Katherine]

I think the difference between HRT and other medications is the fact that menopause symptoms may go away after a few years so it is a dilemma as to whether you want to try and wait for the end of symptoms rather than take it and risk prolonging or worsening your situation. Also the question of side effects. There’s a lot to weigh up. Whereas with illnesses, they may be ‘permanent’ so it is much more of an easy decision to take them. But of course HRT symptoms may be intolerable and then the decision is more clear cut.  I find it useful to compare myself with how others are feeling in the same situation as it’s another good source of info on my journey but of course in the end I alone make the decision. I think everyone’s view is valid.

[JoJo42]

Yes, it’s definitely a dilemma, with a lot of unknowns because everyone is so different. I’ve wrestled with it all for some time -  I’ve had severe symptoms for about 14 years, controlled only by hrt, and have tried literally every other natural way possible and spent a fortune on it all. It would be lovely to see an end in sight but I think I’ve read on here on the various V.A threads that that symptoms of V.A  do not go away or improve with time without treatment and the condition is actually long term once it starts, although I maybe wrong/ not fully up to date about that - my brain is like a sieve. For me - I need both local and systemic hrt to control it. All views definitely valid and the forum is a great source of info. and has helped me many times.

[Katherine]

Jojo, what is VA? I’m sorry I am very new to all of this. I just googled it and it came up with volt- ampere which I’m sure is the wrong answer!!

[JoJo42]

Haha!! Oh that did make me chuckle. Sorry, I should have written it properly - Vaginal Atrophy. There are lots of threads on the forum about it. I have symptoms that affect my bladder and a recent flare-up that felt like having the worst bout of cystitis in the history of the world. I didn’t know until this year that “flare-ups” were even a thing as the v.a had been well under control until then. When I first started with it I had problems with vaginal dryness, vulval itching and burning and soreness with splits in the skin between labia and then I developed bladder problems with it too. I’m sure others will add some more info about the condition here too as I’m not fully up to date with everything. Also I had a nasty bout of heat exhaustion recently so my brain is on a go slow! My volt-ampere has blown a gasket!!  lol 

Ah, just thought…It might be referred to as urogenital syndrome of menopause… I think. Blimey, I think I might be the worst advice-giver in the world. I get anxious that I might be saying the wrong thing or making things up as I go along!! Don’t quote me on anything. I’m basically a walking disaster.

[Katherine]

Actually Jojo I found your answer very useful. I take vaginal oestrogen for dryness, inflammation and anterior prolapse so I guess that’s what you’re talking about. Even if I ever stopped systemic HRT I would still continue with that because it has helped. I’m glad I made you chuckle btw! X

[KarineT]

Hi Jojo,

How long did you have VA for?  When did it start?

I don't have it and I will be 3 years postmeno in January 2023.  I'm wonsering if it could start then.  Also, I haven''t had children.  Do I have less risk of developping VA?

Thanks.

Karine

[JoJo42]

Thank you, Katherine. I’m glad it was helpful. I do get terrible anxiety about getting things wrong. Yes, the local oestrogen definitely helps. Although V.A seems to have been progressive for me. I started using the vagifem twice a week and now, after a recent flare up, I have to use it every night to keep things controlled or else I get bladder pain and urinary urgency and frequency.

Hi Karine, I think it started about 5 years ago - quite a long time after I’d already started systemic hrt for flushes, night sweats, joint pain etc. I’m not sure where I am in terms of meno - if I’m still peri or post, although I’m on sequi hrt and get a bleed every 28 days which I think might still be my own cycle breaking through. I didn’t know anything about V.A at the time. but had a lovely doctor who recognised the signs and was in contact with the local meno advice service at my local hospital. I’m not sure about developing the condition in the post-meno years - hopefully someone who has had experience of this might add to this thread soon. I haven’t had children either, but it’s probably just my bad luck as I seem to be one of those unfortunate women with the perimeno from hell. A lot of women do develop it, but not all by any means. My best friend is two or three years post meno, not on hrt, with absolutely no vaginal or bladder issues, no sign of it at all.  I know quite a few women in that same situation.

[joziel]

Katherine, just to say - have you tried taking the utrogestan a bit earlier in the evening? Like a few hours earlier? It might not work out with when you eat or what you want to do in the evenings, but it would mean that it wears off earlier in the mornings maybe    Or you could try it vaginally?

Having done all the research into estrogen I've now done, I'd be afraid not to be on HRT to be honest. I feel very sorry for women who can't take it, my poor mum being one of them - having estrogen positive breast cancer many years back and now being almost 70 and on Letrizole to block any iota of estrogen her body might otherwise make. As well as having had an ovario-hysterectomy for fibroids before that. Now all this info is coming out, she would fall into the 'possibly too old to start it' category and I can't bring myself to try to explain to her why and what she would need to do to try to get it. She seems okay anyway, symptom-wise, except for VA and a prolapse.

[CLKD]

joziel - does your Mum have appropriate VA treatment?

How is the prolapse being managed, she may benefit from seeing a womens physio.

[joziel]

Yes, she went to her GP who diagnosed the prolapse (I think she was worried it was something life threatening) and thankfully gave her Vagifem for it. I don’t know much more about it - she doesn’t really talk about stuff like that much!

[Taz2]

It's difficult sometimes to chat to your children about such stuff. I hope she's doing her pelvic floor exercises. She would benefit from a referral to a specialist physio which may stop the prolapse worsening. I'm 68 and have had hysterectomy for prolapse which led to more prolapses. Rock and a hard place! Is your mum still working or is she able to take rests during the day if the prolapse feels uncomfy?

Taz x

[joziel]

She's retired now. She seems fine. She is very overweight, an alcoholic and really doesn't look after herself. She's 68yo. We've basically been expecting her to drop dead for about 20 years but somehow she keeps going - must be good genes!

[CLKD]

My VA started years after my periods went away.  Natural ageing as ostrogen levels drop for which appropriate treatment really helps!

[Katherine]

Hi all, just to update you, I have had no issues with the utrogestan since I was last on here. I think either it had built up in my system a bit and missing a dose corrected that or I had a big fluctuation in my own progesterone. Joziel, yes I’ve noticed that when I take it earlier in the evening that does help. I do want to take it orally as it does greatly increase the quality of my sleep. I’m going to ask my gp if it’s ok to just miss a dose now and then if I need to.

While we are on the subject of prolapses, does anyone know if pelvic floor exercises are enough to reverse a mild to moderate anterior prolapse? Because I’ve been doing them and it they don’t seem to help. I can feel everything lifting when I do them but they don’t stay lifted. I am on the waiting list for physio. I’m 46 and never had children and not overweight so I don’t know how I even got a prolapse. I think this symptom upsets me more than any other tbh.

[joziel]

I don’t know much about prolapses except I think local estrogen/Vagifem helps - are you on that? And there is an NHS app you can download called Squeezee which reminds you to do your exercises. It’s several times a day and it’s a pain in the butt. Are you doing them enough?? I tried to for a while for general health but gave up 😂