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[Flossieteacake]

I am glad you got the appointment over with and I am sorry you are feeling so sore. Just to say, I washed in water alone and found it very drying. A menopause specialist told me I was drying out my skin even more as water alone is drying and best to use an emollient. I now apply emollient before my shower, wash it off in the shower and reapply.

VA can cause narrowing. I have to apply plenty of lube to insert pessaries in as I am very narrow there.

I am glad you have the pessaries and cream as they will help you so much.

[CLKD]

Your GP seems 2B hinging on anything other than VA  and I would be speaking to the Practice Manager about VA being diagnosed without treatment being recommended. That IMO is medical negligence.  Obviously noted by a woman who has never suffered 

Don't worry about the 12 months wait, do ring the Clinic and ask if it's possible to take a cancellation/short notice appt.  It's better than an appt. being wasted. 

Also your GP is wrong to insist on an examination of a woman suffering pain.  Her time will come !!! hopefully. 

Vaginismus usually starts in our teens.  It isn't something unless 1 has suffered rape that will develop in our later years.  Have U had problems with intimacy ?  It's more likely to be vaginal atrophy - mayB buy her a copy of 'me and my menopausal vagina' ;-).  Also your Practice Manager.

I never have problems with bathing products other than crystals.  One needs to apply something to prevent drying of the skin, either during or after bathing.  I use 'ovestin' internally with a little smear externally as well as 'vaseline' hand cream [in the yellow bottle] on any skin that is dry.  DH uses Nivea on his legs.

[CLKD]

Also I wouldn't increase the pumps suddenly; mayB an extra 1 every 3 nights initially as the body may well react badly to a sudden increase. 

[MrsMitch]

Thank you both.  I'll carry on washing with Dermol then because it's never caused a problem.
I think part of why I haven't been back to the GP for so long is because I have never once been and not been given an internal exam. The first time I went, I was sweating because the pain was so bad. Today I was gripping the side of the bed with both hands but  it's never mattered how much pain I'm in, they always say it's necessary.
CLKD,  I've never had intimacy issues, in fact I've always enjoyed a wild sex life with my husband which is why I'd like to try testosterone to get a little my mojo back. As I've gone up to 3 pumps since someone suggested it on here, I wonder if that's why I feel unwell today? Can't put my finger on what it is, just don't feel right. GP said just to go up to 3 too. I think I might try your suggestion and see if I feel better.

[CLKD]

Usually the body doesn't get where it is suddenly unless there has been surgical intervention.  I wouldn't add an extra tonight to see how you feel over the next couple of days.  Hormone levels rise and fall naturally so adding extra might upset the equilibrium.

Let us know how you get on.  As to vaginismus, I doubt if you have that ;-)

[Flossieteacake]

Thank you both.  I'll carry on washing with Dermol then because it's never caused a problem.
I think part of why I haven't been back to the GP for so long is because I have never once been and not been given an internal exam. The first time I went, I was sweating because the pain was so bad. Today I was gripping the side of the bed with both hands but  it's never mattered how much pain I'm in, they always say it's necessary.
CLKD,  I've never had intimacy issues, in fact I've always enjoyed a wild sex life with my husband which is why I'd like to try testosterone to get a little my mojo back. As I've gone up to 3 pumps since someone suggested it on here, I wonder if that's why I feel unwell today? Can't put my finger on what it is, just don't feel right. GP said just to go up to 3 too. I think I might try your suggestion and see if I feel better.

I think it is terrible they have insisted on examining you despite you saying you are in so much pain. That is not right. I am so sorry this has happened and I think you should refuse to be examined if they try to suggest it again.

I cannot help feel your GP does not believe in VA somehow. When we have VA we go by symptoms alone and an examination is not needed. I know it is so hard to find a good GP these days.

MrsMitch, you know how you feel and you are entitled to refuse an examination. I hope you do not mind me saying that.

[CLKD]

My thoughts exactly!   Also we are entitled to a chaperone ........ so telling her that we are not going to have an internal exam might be the way to go?

If a patient asks a medical profession to 'stop' if they don't, it's abuse.  Certainly telling the Practice Manager might be worth while.

[MrsMitch]

Flossieteacake I don't mind at all...I just didn't even consider refusing as I'm always told a swab is necessary and they need to see what's going on so I'm just used to having to endure it.
If this isn't too daft a question, if I did email Dr Currie, what should I be trying to find out?
How to get properly diagnosed, or should I give her my history of this pain and ask her opinion of what it is? I don't want to waste the fee and I'm not really sure whether I'd be better waiting to see the menopause specialist and then let them diagnose me (if that's what they do) or if I should just try the pessaries/cream and see how that goes.

[CLKD]

1 query to Dr Currie , short and sweet.

Get on with the treatment regime. 

[Flossieteacake]

Flossieteacake I don't mind at all...I just didn't even consider refusing as I'm always told a swab is necessary and they need to see what's going on so I'm just used to having to endure it.
If this isn't too daft a question, if I did email Dr Currie, what should I be trying to find out?
How to get properly diagnosed, or should I give her my history of this pain and ask her opinion of what it is? I don't want to waste the fee and I'm not really sure whether I'd be better waiting to see the menopause specialist and then let them diagnose me (if that's what they do) or if I should just try the pessaries/cream and see how that goes.

I can understand that. It is hard to know what to say to a Dr when we assume they know best.

If it were me, I would use the pessaries and cream daily and see how you go. Your Dr will likely tell you to use them daily for one week and then drop to twice a week but I have found this is not as effective as using them daily. Which ones have you been given? Just thought I would check as your Dr may have given you something odd!

[Minusminnie]

So GP apt over and I'm in so much pain as she obviously wanted to thoroughly examine me internally.  It was nearly impossible because of the pain but she did make to get a tiny speculum inside my vagina to where the sore area is. She said there are signs of atrophy but she said the entrance to my vagina was only slightly pink and my vulva was pretty moist. She found a fissure there too, ouchie! I explained I've been applying coconut oil multiple times a day plus 4 days of pessaries so clearly all that has helped the appearance but not the pain.
The outcome is a prescription for pessaries and oestrogen cream, increase to 3 pumps a day for HRT and she's referring me to the menopause specialist but that'll be 12 month waiting.
She thinks when I originally felt slight pain during sex back in 2007 it wouldn't have been atrophy, hence vulvadynia diagnosis 6 years later, so she thinks that is still an issue. Also she says I really tense up even when she examined me externally then worse when internally so she thinks that's contributing even though I told her I wouldn't be likely to do that if I didn't have pain. But she says I have vaginismus and so there are 3 issues- VA, vulvadynia & vaginismus as she is adamant my problems are not solely VA so for now, I must bow to her medical expertise. 
At least she is trying to help. Apparently my own GP (this one was a locum)is the women's health GP at the practise so I get on really well with her so I can make an apt in a few months if I need to. Plus she said the thinks a physio would be a good idea (really don't like the thought of that) and a cognitive therapist for vaginismus (don't see the point, get rid of the pain ^ it'll go)
Also I mustn't wash with the dermal 500 the gynae gave me, just water, and she's ordered blood tests to check thyroid etc etc incase there is anything else underlying.
I'm again grateful to you all for giving me the 'get up and go' so I felt like tackling this again. I'd gotten so tired of it I'd given up.
Ladies....you rock 😆😆😆

I read this earlier this afternoon and thought that the locum had been pretty thorough but that's just my opinion. I don't think any GP is going to go against what a consultant has already said re the vulvodynia and vagisimus.
Hopefully after using the pessaries and cream for a while you may feel that you can tolerate an examination by a pelvic physio as that may give you more information from a different perspective.