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[UnsureOfOutcome]

Hi everyone, hope it's ok to post - I'm new to the forum (and to all of this!!!)

Started around a month ago with what I thought was thrush: out of nowhere (only possible trigger was me running out of cotton knickers and wearing an old pair of nylon ones ), itching, stinging, burning; swollen-feeling vulva. Tried canestan, which didn’t seem to help. Took to the internet, and thought: I’m 45, this could well be VA. I had a prescription for HRT due to other symptoms which I hadn’t got round to starting, so I picked that up, started on oestrogen gel, and about 5 days later felt better.

Fine for about 10 days, and then foolishly my husband and I decided to have sex  Within a couple of hours, I started to feel the burning again. The following day I walked to and from the station to work and was in horrible pain and discomfort; felt like my labia were sort of sticking together, and everything was burning. I worked from home for the rest of the week, and was prescribed Blissel by the GP over the phone; however, the day after the first dose, I noticed that I had what looked like thrush discharge. Treated for that with fluconazole on Saturday am, and was feeling a bit better yesterday. But then I took my 8yo to his swimming class , probably walked about 300yds in total, and everything is stinging and burning again 😭😭😭😭

Has anyone experienced anything along these lines?! I really don’t know what’s caused what; whether this is thrush healing slowly; whether VA is the issue and it/the oestrogen is causing thrush, or WHAT. My pain seems to be  massively triggered by walking which seems very specific and odd - it feels like my labia are so dry and sticking together that they the act of walking is causing almost abrasion? Is this possible?! Now haven't walked anywhere today, but everything is now just on fire - burning all the way down my thighs as well as all over my vulva

Does this sound like VA to people with more experience? Has anyone else had the pain on walking? So grateful for ANY thoughts - can’t decide whether to push on with Blissel or not... I also had an interstitial cystitis diagnosis in my early 30s which I struggled with for years, but which eventually healed with careful management and diet; this doesn't feel the same (no bladder symptoms thankfully) but the burning is horribly familiar, and is causing me to react in an almost PTSD way - like, this is going to go on forever and I'll never feel normal again!!

[Flossieteacake]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Your symptoms sound like vaginal atrophy to me. It is great you have Blissel as this will help you a lot. You may like to buy a vaginal moisturiser too. I use Yes as I find it gentle. You can buy it on Amazon.

Vaginal atrophy is very painful and it can be very sore to walk or sit.

Something I have found helpful is to switch from baths to showers to avoid prolong contact with water. Washing with emollient will be better then using water alone. I apply emollient, wash it off in the shower and then reapply some to act as a barrier.

When the skin is so sore using the Blissel can sting but this should ease once the area has more oestrogen.

Please feel free to ask as much as you like. There is a lot of information about vaginal atrophy on here.

[UnsureOfOutcome]

Hi Flossieteacake (love your name!) thanks so much for replying - it really helps to know I'm not alone!

It's also almost a relief to think this does sound like VA - at least that would be an answer. Good to know pain on walking can be a symptom - everything feels so dry and ****ly and burning that I need to lie on my back to get some relief (tricky when you have two sons and a full time job!!)

I've switched to showers from baths, but haven't tried emollient - will do that.

Interesting to know Blissel can sting at first - that's a relief too. I wonder whether the thrush discharge I thought I had was the cream coming back out?! It was pretty lumpy; not sure...

Can I ask how soon it's reasonable to expect some relief - or on the other hand, is there a point where you think: this just isn't working for me..?

[Dierdre]

Sounds like VA but you need to rule out thrush, it could be both. The only way to be sure is to get a swab test done at the doctors. Once that's clear or treated again (I find the one dose oral tablet works best when you are using vaginal estrogen so you dont have to stop) you can then focus on the VA if you are still getting symptoms. I would also buy some moisturiser to use daily this will help with the dryness until the Blissel and HRT kicks in which could take a few weeks to feel the full benefits. YES and Sylk products are highly recommended. Use the search button and type in atrophy you will be able to read all the threads, there is a lot and the thread called the burning club will be very informative.

[Flossieteacake]

Hi Flossieteacake (love your name!) thanks so much for replying - it really helps to know I'm not alone!

It's also almost a relief to think this does sound like VA - at least that would be an answer. Good to know pain on walking can be a symptom - everything feels so dry and ****ly and burning that I need to lie on my back to get some relief (tricky when you have two sons and a full time job!!)

I've switched to showers from baths, but haven't tried emollient - will do that.

Interesting to know Blissel can sting at first - that's a relief too. I wonder whether the thrush discharge I thought I had was the cream coming back out?! It was pretty lumpy; not sure...

Can I ask how soon it's reasonable to expect some relief - or on the other hand, is there a point where you think: this just isn't working for me..?

You are welcome. With VA it is different for everybody so it would not be possible for me to say when you will feel better as it will also depend on how severe it is. It can take time for the skin to heal and plump up again but it will happen.

Dierdre's idea of asking for a swab test to rule out thrush is a good one. At least then you will know. The discharge could be the cream coming back out. Some people prefer to use it before bed for that reason.

[UnsureOfOutcome]

Thank you so much both. I did get some of the YES moisturiser but I think it's maybe for internal use, and my symptoms are mostly external - it does help everything move a bit better, but doesn't seem to touch the underlying burning if you see what I mean - that feels sort of inside the skin rather than outside it!!

Will definitely ask for a swab test at the dr's - thanks for the thought. And will go and read the burning club thread now!!

[Flossieteacake]

I have used Yes internally before to help with dryness. I did not realise I was dry on the outside due to having watery discharge. I thought it was sweat until I read about the watery discharge being a symptom of VA.

Do not worry, you have not even used the Blissel for a month yet. You will have improvement. Having sex would have made the pain worse too so the skin will need to heal. With VA the skin can be thinner then usual and we tear more easily.

[CLKD]

   why GPs don't warn of any possible discharge : after all, what goes up has to come down if it isn't absorbed : is probably because they don't know how these vaginal products work 

We talk about everything on this Forum, even menopause ;-). Unlike GPs who seem to dole out treatments without much knowledge of the effects to be expected.  The idea for most VA treatments is to use every night for 2-3 weeks to ease symptoms, then try a little less often.  Many need treatment every night.  A regime may need tweaking until you feel comfy.

As for sex: yep it can cause more dryness, soreness and irritation if a good Lub isn't used well B4 penetration. 

Let us know how you get on. 

[Dierdre]

My VA soreness was mostly external and for the first few years I struggled with just using Vagifem that didn't seem to help much externally. It wasn't until I started using Ovestin externally as well that I got complete comfort.
As Blissel is a gel can you apply some around the vulva aswell?

[SundayGirl]

It sounds like vaginal atrophy to me too as I had similar symptoms.

Sex sets mine off as well