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[Amcc]

Hi everyone I'm new here, I'm 45 and in the summer I started to feel irritated down below almost like my inner lips were hanging out, something was stuck or was developing thrush if that makes sense, anyway I visited the GP for an examination and was told I had a prolapse and thrush so was treated for that and I booked a private physio appointment, however the physio saidi it wasn't thrush and was actually vaginal atrophy, I was given some exercises to do  for the prolapse and a prescription for vagifem.  Fast forward to today and the symptoms are back and I have what now feels like proper thrush, I have treated over the counter but its still there, I.missed Sundays dose of vagifem as I am not sure if its causing it? I am due to take my 2nd dose today but am not sure what to do?  It hurts/stings deep inside and the vulva is although not as bad, itchy and burning if touched or when I wipe, it was quite swollen too.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated, its almost impossible to get an appointment with a GP to discuss.  I haven't had thrush like this for many years!

[Amazing grace]

Hi, I can't give you a definite answer to your problem but I can tell you from my own experience that va and thrush have the same symptoms and it becomes so difficult to know the difference between the two, the only way to truly know is to ask your gp to do a swab, this will also identify which strain of thrush it is, there are resistant strains that require different treatments to common strains of thrush, vagifem can cause thrush it can also cause irritation that feels like thrush, I had the most awful thrush using vagifem it also caused me awful irritation which worsened the longer and more I used it, I ended up on a 6 month treatment of fluconazole 150mg tablet every week because the thrush became stubborn, I switched to ovestin and don't have that problem anymore, I'm not in any way suggesting it's the same for you that's only my experience, but I would definitely get a swab done so you know for sure if it's thrush, I hope you get it sorted I feel for you va and thrush is really horrible x

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Amcc and welcome to the forum. With VA you can get bad flares which mimic all sorts of things, UTI's thrush etc. You are using vagifem which is great for the inside but the outer area would benefit from something too. I would ask for ovestin cream to apply to the outer area. This is localised oestrogen like vagifem but in a cream so can be used externally.

Amazing Grace has given you some great advice.

Another tip for inserting vagifem is to apply something like skly or yes to help it glide in without making your skin more sore. I would also use vagifem every day.

I have found it helps to avoid baths and only shower using an emollient to not irritate skin. I thought I was helping my washing the area in water alone but a menopause Dr told me that was drying out the skin further and suggested applying an emollient before the shower, washing it off in the shower and then reapply it to form a barrier.

I really am sorry you are in so much pain.

[Amcc]

Thanks for the responses I will try and get a swab done, not sure how long that will take to get an appointment!

[Amazing grace]

I really feel for you it's so hard to get an appointment these days, incase it's not thrush and it is va, have you tryed mutigyn gel, you can buy it from boots or off amazon its really good at keeping the pH right in the vagina, it also treats bv and thrush when I had symptoms of thrush but swabs showed it not to be I brought the mutigyn because I'd read posts on here that alot of ladies found it good, it definitely does work well at easing the itching and burning feeling, I'd also do the things flossieteacake suggested about showers not baths and use an emollient to wash with, I use hydramol ointment after a shower its really good at helping those feelings, just a few ideas that might help you until you can get a swab done, like you say that could be a long wait and you need something to help ease those feelings now, hope you find some relief soon x

[Amcc]

Thank you, I will look for it tomorrow.  I have never used anything but water to wash my bits as I am prone to uti's (since I was 17) what is emollient to wash with?   

[Flossieteacake]

By emolient I meant something like hydramol, diprobase, etc. They will be more gentle for you. I used to recommend e45 but it contains lanolin and some people are sensitive to it.

[Amcc]

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I will seek this out tomorrow 

[Flossieteacake]

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I will seek this out tomorrow 

My pleasure.